Chapter 030: The Villain Was Shot
Unexpectedly, Su Jingzhi responded swiftly.
Completely unaffected by the obscene rumors, the Regent King assessed the situation and immediately took control:
"——The *Qijuzhu* (Daily Record of the Emperor) is kept in Tianlu Pavilion. Summon Linghu Zheng at once to bring it here. Does your fake emperor dare to strip and compare his birthmarks with my real emperor?"
At this moment, the Mingjun (Wise Ruler) System chimed in excitedly several times.
**[Reward! The host is exhibiting wise ruler behavior! The host is exhibiting wise ruler behavior! The host has completely discredited the fake emperor!!!]**
Three *Mingjun Charm Pills* were immediately used, spreading an invisible wave of good feelings across Suzaku Avenue.
It was as if the righteous light was bathing everyone present.
"…"
404 was stunned.
Qin Zhen was even more shocked.
Cold sweat trickled down his face, running along his scarred cheek, making the wound itch and sting painfully.
He never expected that this little emperor, rumored to want to escape from the Regent King, not only returned from the common folk but even took the initiative to side with the Regent King, completely catching him off guard!
The little emperor was actually skilled in psychological warfare.
Wei Wanlan had tricked them.
——The fake emperor he prepared didn’t have the birthmarks…
——Even if, by some miracle, he managed to draw the birthmarks now, the *Qijuzhu* was in Tianlu Pavilion, and Linghu Zheng was a staunch royalist. He would definitely expose any discrepancies.
The shape could be wrong, the color could be off, the position could be incorrect…
As soon as birthmarks and the *Qijuzhu* were involved, the power shifted.
This was an unsolvable problem!!!
Qin Zhen’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down.
The hearts of the rebel soldiers were hanging by a thread.
Numerous eyes were fixed on Qin Zhen, hoping that, as the leader of the rebellion against the Regent King, he could shoulder the responsibility and provide a solution.
Qin Zhen, what are you going to say now? Did you even draw birthmarks on the fake emperor? What kind of birthmarks did you draw???
Birthmarks, birthmarks, birthmarks!!!
Qin Zhen’s mental defenses were being pushed to the limit.
No, he hadn’t drawn any birthmarks. He didn’t even know what kind of birthmarks to draw, and whatever he drew would be wrong…
Wei Wanlan, Wei Wanlan, that damned little emperor, why did he have to appear at such an inconvenient time???
If this were under the lookout tower, and he knew Wei Wanlan was the emperor of Great Wei, he would have definitely captured him right there. How could he have let him return to Su Jingzhi!!!
But there was no medicine for regret in this world.
Because of Wei Wanlan’s provocation, Qin Zhen was speechless for a long time. The fake emperor, feeling guilty, suddenly weakened at the knees and dropped to the ground with a wet thud, his legs soaked in a puddle:
"——Spare, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me! Regent King, spare me! It was all Lord Qin who forced this servant to do it!"
The voice was shrill and sounded like a little eunuch serving in the Zichen Palace.
As soon as the fake emperor confessed, Qin Zhen was nailed as a traitor, and the excuse of "purging the court of evil ministers" collapsed on its own.
"Qin Zhen," the Regent King’s deep voice echoed again.
"Ten years ago, you were born into poverty and herded livestock at the border. Later, when conscription came, your elder brother and sister-in-law tormented you, hoping you would die on the battlefield so they wouldn’t have to share the family inheritance with you."
"At that time, you made up your mind. On your first battle, you cut off two hundred ears and became the standout of that fight. After that, you were transferred to the central army to fight alongside me, eventually entering Chang’an and taking a position in the Ministry of War."
Su Jingzhi’s clear, magnetic voice flowed like a steady river, continuously reaching the carriage.
"Once you entered Chang’an, wealth blinded you. You mingled with the capital’s aristocracy, frequented luxurious places, and pretended to be cultured to make up for your impoverished past. That’s when you got involved with the East City Gang."
Wei Wanlan focused intently.
"The East City Gang supplied you with a lot of wealth, and in return, you provided them with a steady stream of intelligence."
"Until one day, when I sent the Censorate to inspect all the provinces, you realized the truth couldn’t be hidden forever. So you planned to sell out your accomplices to gain my trust, unite with the ministers who hate me, and overthrow my rule to become the man on top."
"But you overlooked one thing," Su Jingzhi said.
Outside the carriage, Qin Zhen’s trembling voice came through: "What…"
The villain’s aura suddenly exploded.
If Wei Wanlan hadn’t known beforehand that this was a political intrigue novel, based on the Regent King’s next words, he would have thought this was the final boss from some children’s cartoon, with a dark cloud over his head.
The kind that could destroy the world:
"——As long as I have the military tally, whose orders will the Great Wei army follow?"
The sharp clanging of swords rang out again outside the carriage!
Wei Wanlan suddenly heard the sound of unrest among the soldiers. Amid the tide of voices, a military officer shouted loudly:
"Dammit, we’ve all been tricked by Qin Zhen, that scoundrel!!!"
"Regent King, this humble officer harbors no rebellious intentions! I’m willing to kill Qin Zhen to atone for my sins!"
"I, Chen Kang of Yongzhou, was mobilized by the military tally! I’ve been wronged!!!"
"Li Jiucheng of Shangzhou, my father was a front-line soldier under General Su! My family has followed the Su family in military service for generations!"
"The Northern Garrison is loyal to the Regent King till death."
"The Sixteen Guards of the Southern Garrison are willing to be the vanguard and slaughter Qin Zhen!"
"…"
After the uproar, over ninety percent of the soldiers who had previously surrounded the carriage, as well as the troops continuously pouring through the city gate, turned their spears toward Qin Zhen.
All the soldiers began chanting, "Kill the traitor!" and "Eliminate Qin Zhen!" The overwhelming roar of voices rose like a tide, followed by the clashing of weapons as the two armies officially began to engage.
Hearing the grand momentum, Wei Wanlan couldn’t help but feel goosebumps all over.
Without lifting a finger, just by showing up, the Regent King had managed to win over the entire Great Wei army, leaving Qin Zhen, once surrounded by a vast army, utterly alone.
How powerful.
And how terrifying.
Wei Wanlan scratched his head nervously. People said that a single sword could command an army of a million, but the Regent King hadn’t even drawn his sword.
*Bang!*
At that moment, the carriage suddenly shook.
The lamp hanging from the ceiling swung violently, and the wax dripped, spilling flaming drops of white wax onto the floor.
Fortunately, the carriage was spacious, and Wei Wanlan quickly shrank into a corner in fright.
A small fire started on the soft mat at the bottom of the carriage. The combination of silk and cotton quickly ignited, and in an instant, the little flame grew into a sizable fireball.
Wei Wanlan grabbed the mat and frantically tried to extinguish the fire.
**[The carriage is moving!]**
The sound of the wheels roared as the carriage jolted violently.
Everything inside was shaking, and the ceiling lamp swung even more wildly, splattering fiery wax all around like raindrops.
Wei Wanlan had just put out the fire on the soft mat, but more parts of the carriage caught fire. He swung the mat around helplessly, but amidst the chaos, his efforts were in vain. Soon, the entire carriage was ablaze!
Smoke began to fill the carriage, and Wei Wanlan started to cough. The thick, choking fumes made his head spin. He tried to force open the door and windows, but they had been tightly sealed from the outside for his protection.
Wei Wanlan pounded on the door: "Help, help, help! I’m going to be burned alive—!!!"
***
Wei Wanlan’s heart raced.
His knees were pulled close to his chest, trembling uncontrollably.
The fire was getting closer, and he could only curl up tighter and tighter.
Helplessness and despair gripped him. He had no idea what was happening outside.
Who had taken the carriage?
The jolts caused him to bump into the sides of the carriage repeatedly, and the smoke inside made him dizzy. Through the carriage walls, he heard the sound of hooves behind him. He pressed himself against the wall, straining to listen.
He heard Tang Tuan’s panicked shout:
"——Qin Zhen! The carriage is on fire! His Majesty is about to burn to death! Stop!"
"I’d be dead if I stopped! Why should I stop?! Regent King, order your army to retreat! If you still want your little emperor, come and face me one-on-one!"
"Pull the army back," Su Jingzhi commanded.
Tang Tuan’s voice cracked with desperation: "My lord… My lord, you’ve been shot. Let me deal with the rebels!"
"Fall back."
**[Qin Zhen took a desperate shot, startling your horse. The Regent King is injured. They’re fighting over you.]**
Wei Wanlan curled his toes inside his boots and raised his eyes uncertainly. "The Regent King is injured? Wasn’t this supposed to be an easy victory?"
**[I don’t know. I can’t see.]**
404 could only analyze based on the current situation.
Outside, Tang Tuan’s horse stopped abruptly. His voice was heavy: "Understood."
Qin Zhen shouted, "Su Yan! Make them all leave! No one is allowed to follow me!!!"
The sound of pursuing hooves became sparse.
Wei Wanlan’s heart tightened. His lungs burned as he pressed against the carriage wall to listen. Soon, only the sound of a single horse remained. He struggled toward the door, desperate for fresh air.
It was so hot.
So unbearable.
Please, someone, save me. I’m going to burn to death…
Suddenly, the carriage stopped. The sound of a blade swiftly cutting through the door echoed, and the door was hacked open.
Cool air rushed in.
Wei Wanlan, crying, stumbled out of the carriage. His wide dragon robes made him look like a little butterfly as he threw himself into the Regent King’s arms, his face blackened with soot, and two streams of tears rolling down his cheeks.
"Cough, cough, cough… There was a fire… I was choking… It was so scary… QAQ…"
Finally feeling a bit of relief, he loosened his grip on the Regent King’s neck. Looking into his eyes, he realized that Su Jingzhi’s face and lips were paler than before, devoid of the brilliance they once had.
Wei Wanlan hesitated.
Then he noticed his hands were soaked. The hands that had just embraced Su Jingzhi were covered in something sticky and cold.
Tightening his fingers, he pulled his hand back to see—it was blood.
——The villain really had been shot.
He could feel Su Jingzhi’s body growing colder.
Wei Wanlan looked around. The carriage had stopped in an alley somewhere in Chang’an, where the morning light was just beginning to break. The alley was filled with abandoned houses.
Su Jingzhi had intercepted the carriage and driven it into this narrow alley. Qin Zhen and his men were just outside.
Dozens of rebel soldiers, dressed in the armor of Great Wei, tightly blocked the alley’s exit. The walls on both sides trapped them in, and the rebels had their hands on their swords, ready for battle at any moment.
Wei Wanlan swallowed hard. "What should I do, system?"
How am I supposed to survive?
**[This is your chance. Kill Su Jingzhi and defect to Qin Zhen. Complete your first mission.]**
"What?!"
The ring on his right hand’s ring finger gleamed. Under the red gemstone, a half-inch-long poisoned silver needle was hidden—the assassination ring he hadn’t removed since last night.
Wei Wanlan’s ring finger trembled slightly, and the gemstone’s faceted surface glinted coldly.
**[The Regent King is now a wounded tiger. If he dies, it will be much easier for you to deal with the next powerholder, Qin Zhen.]**
404 finished its analysis.
Wei Wanlan’s body stiffened, but then his ears suddenly warmed as the Regent King’s large hand gently patted his thin back.
Clearly too weak to speak, this tall and seemingly invincible man was now drenched in cold sweat and covered in blood.
Yet Su Jingzhi’s lips moved just enough for Wei Wanlan to see clearly.
He was saying: "Don’t be afraid."
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