The Sickly Regent Prince Who Was Abandoned as a Substitute Bride

Chapter 618

As the night dew grew thicker, the candlelight flickered in the study of the general's mansion, illuminating Zhao Xuan's tense profile. He was discussing defense details with three captains while looking at a map, his fingertip just touching the entrance to the secret passage in the northwest corner of the East Palace, when suddenly a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the window. Immediately afterwards, the study door was kicked open with a bang, and a personal guard tumbled in, the brass buckles on his armor clanging loudly.

"General!" The guard knelt on one knee, his chest heaving violently, veins bulging on his forehead, his voice broken by rapid breathing, "Just...just now a message came from the direction of the East Palace, over there...over there suddenly came several strange noises, it sounded...like the sound of weapons clashing!"

"What?!" Zhao Xuan slammed his hand on the table, the heavy pear wood surface vibrating loudly, nearly knocking over the inkstone. His face instantly turned ashen. The movements of Zhou Chongli's remaining followers, which he had just been analyzing, had now become an urgent crisis—those people had indeed chosen to make their move tonight! He inwardly cursed. Although the Crown Prince was protected by the Shadow Guards, the fact that the other side dared to make a rash move right under the walls of the capital meant they had come prepared, and might even have a backup plan.

"Prepare the horses!" Zhao Xuan stood up abruptly, his sword flashing as it was drawn from its sheath, the cold light instantly piercing the candlelight. "Captain Zhang, stay here and guard the gates! Li and Wang, come with me to the Eastern Palace!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already drawn his sword and strode out of the study, his black cloak fluttering behind him. His personal guards had already brought his warhorse. Zhao Xuan mounted with swift, decisive movements, his toes lightly touching the stirrups. The jet-black warhorse seemed to understand its master's will, letting out a long neigh and its hooves thundering as it charged out of the general's mansion gates like a black lightning bolt. Lieutenant Colonels Li and Wang, along with more than ten elite guards, followed closely behind, their hooves clattering sharply on the cobblestones, a particularly jarring sound in the quiet night.

The streets were deserted, save for the lanterns of the night patrolling guards swaying in the distance. Zhao Xuan lay on his horse, his heart pounding with anxiety. The whistling wind filled his ears, but his mind raced: the enemy dared to attack at this moment, they must have calculated the shift change of the palace guards; the artificial hills of the Imperial Garden on the west side of the East Palace were the easiest place to hide people, and there might even be secret passages leading outside the palace... He tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, his knuckles turning white from the force, wishing his warhorse could go any faster.

The journey, which should have taken only a quarter of an hour, now felt like half an hour. When the group arrived at the outer perimeter of the East Palace, they could see flames soaring into the sky from within the palace walls. The once tranquil East Palace was now filled with the clanging of clashing weapons, the sharp whistling of arrows piercing the air, and angry shouts, all emanating from within. The imperial guards, recognizing Zhao Xuan, dared not stop him. They hastily moved the barricades, and he reined in his horse, leaping through the gap in the palace gate.

Stepping into the East Palace courtyard, the scene before one's eyes sinks: the branches of several ancient cypress trees, some over a hundred years old, have been mostly broken off, scattered arrows are stuck in the blue brick ground, and the Shadow Guards are locked in combat with a group of masked men in black. Although the Shadow Guards are agile, their opponents outnumber them and each of them uses ruthless techniques, aiming straight for vital points; they are clearly highly trained assassins.

Zhao Xuan's gaze swept across the scene, his eyes suddenly locking onto a man in black at the center of the melee—the man was kicking two Shadow Guards aside, and with a flick of his wrist, a short knife was thrust straight at the Crown Prince's tutor who had retreated to the corridor! And in the instant he swung the knife, Zhao Xuan clearly saw a crescent-shaped scar on his left wrist!

"Zhou Chongli's remnant, it really is you!" Zhao Xuan roared, his voice like thunder, causing the surrounding fighting to pause for a moment. He pushed off the horse's back with both feet, using the momentum to leap into the air, his long sword whistling through the air as he rushed straight at the scarred man in black.

Upon hearing this, the scarred man abruptly stopped, turned his head, and saw Zhao Xuan's sharp sword strike. A hint of panic flashed in his eyes. Ignoring the attendant in front of him, he feinted a sword strike to force back the approaching Shadow Guards, then turned to flee towards the artificial hill. There, the dense vegetation made it easy to conceal one's tracks.

"Trying to escape? Too late!" Zhao Xuan would never let him get away. This man was a key clue in the investigation of the remaining gang members, and he couldn't let him get away. He lightly touched the pillar with his toes and chased after him like an arrow. His long sword flashed with a cold light, aiming straight for the man's back.

Sensing a gust of wind coming from behind, the scarred man ducked sharply, narrowly avoiding the sword's edge, but was still struck in the back by the force of the blow, staggering forward a few steps. Just as he tried to regain his balance, Zhao Xuan was already upon him, his wrist flicking, his longsword slashing diagonally, slicing through the scarred man's right arm with a sharp "swoosh." Blood instantly stained his black sleeve, and the scarred man cried out in pain as his short sword clattered to the ground.

Just as Zhao Xuan was about to step forward and capture him, a sudden change occurred! Four more men in black suddenly sprang out from behind the artificial hill, each wielding a long knife, their eyes as fierce as wolves. They abandoned their fight with the Shadow Guards and instead pounced on Zhao Xuan. At the same time, two more men rushed out from the flower bushes on the other side, joining the previous men in black to surround Zhao Xuan and the two captains, Li and Wang, who were following closely behind.

"General, watch out!" Captain Li shouted, slashing his sword to deflect a long blade coming from the left. Sparks flew onto his armor, making a sizzling sound.

Zhao Xuan leaned against a pillar, surveying his surroundings. He saw six men in black spread out in a fan shape, their blades gleaming coldly in the firelight, clearly intending to trap them here and kill them. He took a deep breath, suppressing his anxiety, and brandished his longsword, saying in a deep voice, "Well done! Today, I'll let you traitors taste the power of this general!"

Before the words were even finished, the man in black at the front launched his attack, his longsword slashing through the air with a sharp, fierce edge, reminiscent of a ruthless bandit. Zhao Xuan neither dodged nor evaded; with a flick of his wrist, his longsword coiled around the opponent's blade like a serpent. With a sudden twist, a clang rang out, and the opponent's longsword was jolted out of his hand and flew away.

Before he could press his advantage, two more men attacked from his right. One thrust at his abdomen, while the other slashed at his sword-wielding wrist. Their coordinated attack was clearly that of seasoned assassins. Zhao Xuan lightly touched the ground with his toes, his body leaping back several feet to avoid their pincer attack. He then swung his longsword back, forcing the two men to retreat and defend.

In an instant, the courtyard of the East Palace resounded with the sounds of battle. Zhao Xuan and the two captains stood back to back, their swords flashing and blades clashing in a dense, impenetrable net as they fought relentlessly against the men in black. The torches swayed violently in the wind, casting long and short shadows on the mottled palace walls, like a nightmare about to engulf everything.

Zhao Xuan knew that this fierce battle had only just begun. These men in black were fearless, clearly intending to die with them, and behind them lay a deeper conspiracy. He gripped his sword tightly, his eyes blazing, searching for a way out amidst the flashing blades—tonight, he would not only protect the Crown Prince, but also tear apart the black net hanging over the capital, leaving those lurking demons nowhere to hide!

Just as Zhao Xuan was locked in combat with the two men in black, the surrounding wind seemed to suddenly turn fierce. Out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed the remaining three men in black, like cheetahs that had been lying in wait, finally seizing this fleeting opening—the man on the left was short and stocky, his broadsword gleaming with a chilling light, clearly intending to attack his lower body; the two on the right were agile, their longswords pointed diagonally, flanking him from both sides like a pincer movement, their sword tassels fluttering in the night wind. Almost simultaneously, three dark figures rushed in with a whooshing sound, the flashes of blades and swords weaving into an impenetrable net under the moonlight, completely enveloping Zhao Xuan within a three-foot radius, making even his breathing seem somewhat suffocated by the fierce killing intent.

"Such swift movements!" Zhao Xuan's heart skipped a beat, and the veins on his forehead throbbed almost imperceptibly. He knew very well that any moment of panic would mean certain death, and his instincts honed over years of battlefield experience allowed him to react in a flash. He stomped his left foot hard on the ground, the bluestone slab thudding beneath his foot. Using the recoil, his entire body spun rapidly to the side like a top, barely dodging the short, stocky man's powerful slash—the blade almost grazed his side, the force of the blow causing his robes to flutter wildly. The pillar behind him was struck, splintering wood and leaving a deep, bone-revealing gash.

Before he could even regain his footing, two longswords from his right struck like venomous snakes, blocking all his escape routes. Zhao Xuan's pupils constricted, and with a flick of his wrist, the longsword at his waist clashed with a clang, its blade reflecting the moonlight like a flowing silver arc. He neither dodged nor evaded, but instead thrust his sword diagonally to meet the edge of the left sword. With a crisp "clang," sparks flew like shattered gold the moment the two swords clashed, making his hand go numb. Using the force of the impact, he suddenly lowered his body, dodging the right sword while simultaneously striking the black-clad man's wrist with the hilt of his own sword. The man cried out in pain, nearly dropping his sword, and his attack faltered.

But this brief respite was short-lived; the broadsword behind him whistled as it slashed down again. Zhao Xuan had no choice but to twist his body and spin his sword, the blade drawing an impenetrable arc in front of him, deflecting the successive attacks. The crisp clash of weapons echoed in the silent courtyard, each impact sending numbness through his arms, and fine beads of sweat trickled down his forehead, staining his clothes with a small, dark, damp patch. He could sense that these men in black were no ordinary brutes; their moves were ruthless and cunning, and their coordination was impeccable. They were clearly highly trained assassins, each move aimed at taking his life.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Lieutenant Li and Lieutenant Wang were already tightly entangled by the remaining men in black. Lieutenant Li wielded a long spear, the shaft dancing like a serpent, but he was surrounded by three men in black. Every thrust of his spear was parried by their weapons, leaving a bloody gash on his face. Lieutenant Wang's swordsmanship was wide and powerful, initially giving him the upper hand, but his opponents had somehow produced several bone-piercing nails, which were suddenly thrown at him, forcing him to dodge and making it difficult for him to break free. Both men were sweating profusely, trying several times to rush over to support Zhao Xuan, but they were held back and could only watch helplessly as Zhao Xuan was surrounded and attacked, roaring in frustration.

Zhao Xuan dodged another fierce attack, his chest tightening and his breathing becoming increasingly heavy. He knew that if this continued, he would eventually be worn down. Just as he was pondering how to break through, suddenly, the sound of hooves came from afar—it wasn't just one or two horses, but dozens of warhorses galloping at the same time. The sound of their horseshoes striking the ground was uniform and resonant, like thunder, coming from the street corner and approaching from afar, even the ground seemed to tremble slightly.

"Reinforcements!" Lieutenant Li was the first to react, his face instantly lighting up with joy. He swiftly thrust his spear forward, forcing back the men in black in front of him, and shouted, "The General's Mansion has arrived!"

Before the words were even finished, torches surged from the street corner like a long dragon. The leader, clad in gleaming armor and wielding a long halberd, was none other than Captain Zhang, who was guarding the general's mansion. He saw the chaotic battle in the courtyard from afar and shouted sharply, "Brothers, follow me and charge in! Save General Zhao!" Dozens of his personal guards responded in unison, their voices shaking the night sky. The sound of hooves grew increasingly rapid, and in the blink of an eye, they rushed to the courtyard gate. Long spears and short swords surged in like a tide, instantly shattering the black-clad men's formation.

The situation took a dramatic turn at that moment. The men in black, already weakened by Zhao Xuan and his group, panicked at the sight of the reinforcements, their attacks becoming chaotic and disorganized. Zhang's personal guards, all seasoned veterans, slashed and thrust, inflicting heavy casualties on the men in black. Screams echoed throughout the courtyard, and within moments, seven or eight corpses lay dead. The remaining men were exhausted, their eyes filled with despair.

Just then, the man in black, who had been hiding behind the crowd and bore a hideous scar on his left cheek, suddenly looked up, a fierce glint in his eyes. He stared intently at Zhao Xuan, then glanced at the surrounding guards, knowing that all was lost. He gritted his teeth, pulled a copper tube about the length of a finger from his robes, and forcefully pulled out the wooden stopper. "Whoosh—" A sharp whistling sound pierced the night sky, and a blinding red light shot out from the copper tube, exploding into a dazzling spark in the night sky, like the last glimmer of light in a death throes.

"It's a signal flare!" Zhao Xuan's heart tightened. He was about to step forward to stop him when the scarred man in black, taking advantage of the moment when everyone was distracted by the sparks, suddenly ducked down and bumped into a wounded companion beside him. Using the corpse as cover, he darted like a cat towards the artificial hill in the northwest corner of the courtyard. There, several meters high, were piled-up bluestones, and amidst the entwined vines, a loose stone slab could be vaguely seen—it was a secret passage that had been prepared beforehand!

"Where do you think you're going!" Zhao Xuan roared, his voice booming like thunder through the night. He clearly saw that the scarred man in black was obviously the leader of this group, and he couldn't let him escape with the secret. Without thinking, he swung his sword to force back the last man in black in front of him, then stomped his foot heavily on the ground and chased after them like an arrow, shouting at the same time, "Captain Li, take your men and clean up the scene! Captain Wang, follow me!"

Lieutenant Wang had already cut down the enemy in front of him. Upon hearing this, he immediately drew his sword and followed, with several of his personal guards close behind. The scarred man in black had already lifted the stone slab and half of his body had disappeared into the dark secret passage, leaving only half of his swaying figure behind. Zhao Xuan and the others chased to the artificial hill and heard a muffled thud coming from the secret passage, clearly indicating that the other party had already gone down the steps.

"Chase!" Zhao Xuan did not hesitate at all and took the lead in bending down and entering the secret passage.