0p0 Chapter 563
Chapter 563
The setting sun, like blood, dyed the blue bricks and gray tiles of the Regent's Palace a dark red. Inside the council hall, Dongfang Wan'er frowned at the mess on the floor, her fingertips lightly tracing the deep knife mark on the table—the mark left by last night's fierce battle had not yet faded, and a new crisis had already quietly descended.
"Report—" A dark figure darted into the courtyard like a ghost. As the guard knelt on one knee, the dust he kicked up still clung to his robes. "Your Highness, news has arrived from the palace. His Majesty summons you to the palace immediately!"
The Regent's teacup trembled slightly, the scalding tea creating delicate ripples in the jade bowl. He and Dongfang Wan'er exchanged a glance, seeing the same worry in each other's eyes. The flickering candlelight cast long shadows of the two figures on the wall.
"Wan'er, you stay here to handle the affairs of the Prince's residence," the Regent said decisively after a moment's thought. He rose and straightened his robes, the jade pendant at his waist gleaming warmly in the twilight. "Be sure to strengthen vigilance and do not let your guard down."
Dongfang Wan'er bit her lower lip, a wave of reluctance washing over her. Looking at the lingering weariness in the Regent's eyes, she finally simply nodded: "Your Highness, please take care. If you need anything..."
“I will send someone to inform you.” The Regent raised his hand, as if to touch her cheek, but paused mid-air, ultimately only gently patting her shoulder. “Wait for me to return.”
As the sound of horses' hooves faded into the distance, Dongfang Wan'er immediately threw herself into the intense cleanup work. She methodically directed the guards to clear the battlefield, arranged for physicians to treat the wounded, and personally inspected the defenses of the palace. As night deepened, the council hall finally regained some of its former cleanliness, only the lingering smell of blood in the air reminding everyone of the carnage of the previous night.
However, this peace did not last long.
"Miss!" A spy rushed over, cold sweat beading on his forehead. "News has arrived from the northern frontier: the enemy has amassed a large force on the border, with camps stretching for dozens of miles, seemingly poised to invade!"
The brush in Dongfang Wan'er's hand fell onto the Xuan paper with a "plop," the ink spreading like a dark cloud. She clenched her fist, her nails almost digging into her palm—indeed, this was all a meticulously planned conspiracy! Taking advantage of the Regent's entry into the palace, the forces in the Northern Frontier were stirring, and the old faction in the court was waiting for an opportunity to launch an attack, attempting to drive him into a corner.
"Prepare the horses." She suddenly spoke, a resolute glint in her eyes. "Summon the secret guards; I'm going to investigate personally."
Under the cover of night, Dongfang Wan'er led a team of secret guards and quietly left the Prince's residence. She traversed the streets and alleys of the capital, making contact with various individuals to gather intelligence. The idle gossip in restaurants, the whispers in teahouses, even the casual conversations of street vendors—all became her entry points for finding clues. She knew that only by gathering sufficient evidence could she alleviate the pressure on the Regent and gain the upper hand in the impending storm.
Meanwhile, her heart remained with the Regent in the palace. Every night, she would stand at the highest point of the palace, gazing absently towards the imperial palace. What kind of power struggles were unfolding there? And was her prince safe and sound?
A greater storm, rife with intrigue and scheming, is sweeping towards them. Dongfang Wan'er grips the soft sword at her waist, her gaze resolute—no matter how many difficulties and obstacles lie ahead, she will fight alongside the Regent until the clouds part and the sun shines through, securing peace for the land.
As dusk settled, Dongfang Wan'er, dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit, nimbly mounted her horse. The moment the reins were in her hand, her black steed reared up and neighed, the dust kicked up by its hooves condensing into golden mist in the setting sun. She glanced back at the twelve guards behind her, each clad in soft armor, short blades gleaming with a cold, eerie blue light at their waists—this was the most elite guard squad of the Prince's mansion, the foundation of her confidence for this operation.
"Set off!" At the command, the sound of horses' hooves shattered the silence like a sudden downpour. The wind, carrying yellow sand, swept across her face, but Dongfang Wan'er remained oblivious. Her lips were tightly pressed together, her eyes blazing, her mind racing as she rehearsed the possible scenarios. The Northern Frontier was three thousand miles from the capital; even traveling day and night, it would take two days. And those two days were enough to drastically change the situation.
As night deepened, the group finally arrived at the border. The distant mountain silhouettes, bathed in moonlight, resembled crouching giant beasts, while the lights of the enemy camp flickered intermittently in the valleys. Dongfang Wan'er dismounted, took a coarse linen robe from a guard, changed into it, and smeared a layer of mud on her face, disguising herself as an ordinary civilian.
"You all spread out around the perimeter of the camp and sound the alarm immediately if anything unusual happens," she instructed in a low voice. "I'll go scout things out."
Under the cover of darkness, Dongfang Wan'er quietly approached the camp. The footsteps of patrolling soldiers grew louder as they drew nearer. She held her breath and hid in the bushes, waiting for the soldiers to pass before continuing her journey. The air was thick with the pungent smell of horse manure and the aroma of roasted meat. Laughter and shouts from the soldiers could be heard from between the tents, along with the clanging of weapons being sharpened.
She hid behind a wagon loaded with provisions, her eyes scanning the surroundings like a hawk's. Dozens of soldiers were loading arrows, tents, and other supplies onto the wagon, their movements synchronized and clearly well-trained. Meanwhile, the largest tent in the center of the camp was brightly lit, filled with figures, and the faint sounds of military commands could be heard.
“Something’s not right.” Dongfang Wan’er frowned slightly. Normally, during a military campaign, this would be a time for rest and recuperation, so why were they so busy? Unless… they were waiting for some crucial signal.
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps approached. Dongfang Wan'er looked up and saw a general clad in black iron armor striding towards the main tent. The tiger tally hanging at his waist gleamed coldly in the moonlight, clearly indicating his extraordinary status.
"Follow me." Dongfang Wan'er gestured to the hidden guards, and the group moved like ghosts around to the back of the main tent. Dim light shone through the gaps in the tent, clearly transmitting the conversation inside.
"The provisions are ready, and 30,000 cavalry are ready to move at any time." The general's voice was low and cold. "We are just waiting for news from the court, and then we can raze the capital to the ground!"
"The Regent is still in the palace; this is a golden opportunity," another man sneered. "Once the northern army presses in, and the old faction in the court coordinates from within, he won't be able to escape!"
Dongfang Wan'er felt a chill run down her spine. It turned out that this was a meticulously planned conspiracy. The Northern Frontier colluded with the old faction in the court and launched a surprise attack while the Regent entered the palace, attempting to eliminate him completely.
She clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms. This message had to be sent back to the capital immediately! However, just as she was preparing to leave, she suddenly heard an angry shout from inside the main tent: "Who goes there?"
The guards reacted swiftly, immediately drawing their swords to protect Dongfang Wan'er. In an instant, alarm whistles blared throughout the camp, and countless torches lit up, illuminating the surroundings as if it were daytime.
"Go!" Dongfang Wan'er made a decisive move, leaping onto her horse. The guards fought and retreated, buying her time to break through the encirclement. Arrows rained down, but she nimbly maneuvered on horseback, her soft sword flashing with silver light as she deflected the incoming arrows.
Having finally broken through the encirclement, Dongfang Wan'er dared not rest for a moment. She and her guards changed horses but not riders, traveling day and night towards the capital. Along the way, the stars accompanied her, and the morning dew dampened her clothes, but it could not extinguish the anxiety in her heart. She had only one thought: she must reach the capital before the enemy could act, and together with the Regent, resolve this crisis!
As the first rays of dawn painted the sky crimson, the city walls of the capital were already faintly visible. Dongfang Wan'er gripped the reins tightly, and the hooves of her black horse thundered on the official road. She knew that even greater challenges lay ahead, but as long as she stood shoulder to shoulder with the Regent, no obstacle was insurmountable.
The silence of the wasteland was shattered by the hoofbeats. Dongfang Wan'er's black horse was already foaming at the mouth, and the bloodstains on its saddle gleamed eerily bluish-gray in the moonlight. Behind them, the torches of the pursuing soldiers formed a winding serpent of fire, and the sound of arrows piercing the air was like the whisper of death. Of the thirty-odd guards, only five remained. Their armor was already soaked in blood, and their weapons were dulled.
"Miss, run!" A guard suddenly blocked her path with his sword, deflecting an arrow, but was himself pierced through the throat by a stray arrow that followed. Dongfang Wan'er's pupils constricted, and when she reached out to pull away, she only touched warm blood. A sharp pain surged through her, but her sword movements remained swift and precise. The soft sword coiled around the neck of a pursuer like a serpent, and she used the momentum to leap onto his horse.
The rain of arrows grew denser, whistling as they approached. Just as Dongfang Wan'er reined in her horse, a poisoned wolf-tooth arrow grazed her ear, leaving a bloody gash on her cheek. Just as a second arrow was poised to strike her face, a dark figure darted out like a ghost, his black brocade robe fluttering in the wind. His longsword flashed like a crescent moon, precisely deflecting the arrow to the ground.
"Your Highness!" Dongfang Wan'er was both surprised and delighted, almost falling off her horse. She saw that the Regent had tied up his long hair and was dressed in ordinary hunter's clothes, but the gleaming Dragon Roar Sword was still hanging at his waist. There was still dust on his forehead, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, and the familiar calm smile was on his lips.