The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  The eunuch did not continue, but he had said more than enough. One suspicious area was one thing, but two or three suspicious events taking place around Taiwu Palace meant that it was worth carefully considering that area.

  Wang Chong’s brows deeply furrowed, his expression solemn. If the information gathered by Yang Zhao and the others was accurate, then an assassination had occurred near Taiwu Palace.

  In addition to these facts, one had to consider that Taiwu Palace was very close to the Sage Emperor’s Taihe Palace, and the palace was of a very high rank. Only consorts and Princes could enter it. This palace was also one of the places that Little Li said was frequented by Eunuch Gao. Many things were now evident.

  How could it be? To think he would be so daring!

  Wang Chong’s expression was solemn and his heart was heavy, his mind awash with unease.

  Wang Chong had had this feeling before, when meeting with Little Li, and now, he finally had evidence for that most disquieting theory.

  Wang Chong had never imagined that someone would truly be so daring and reckless as to attempt to assassinate the supreme Eunuch Director of the Inner Court in a place so thickly carpeted with experts as the Imperial Palace, and in the end, they had even managed to injure him, even though the assassins had paid with their lives.

  Just how high of a cultivation level did those assassins have, that they were able to injure Gao Lishi?

  But this was not the extent of Wang Chong’s worries. Gao Lishi was devoted to the Sage Emperor, and given the Sage Emperor’s condition, very few people could draw him away from his side. He would have never gone to Taiwu Palace unless it was absolutely necessary.

  Besides that, such a major incident that even left several other palaces damaged had barely caused a stir in the palace.

  From the situation at the time, it was also apparent that the surrounding Imperial Army soldiers had been transferred away before the incident. There wouldn’t have been so little information otherwise.

  In the Imperial Palace, there was only one person capable of such things.

  First Prince, have you already grown so impatient for the throne?! Wang Chong said inwardly.

  ……

  Time slowly passed, and whether it was Wang Chong, the Confucian Sect, or the Eastern Palace, all parties decided to remain restrained and quiet for the time being. But under the surface, even greater waves were building.

  “Is it good?” Deep in the night, in the southwest corner of the Imperial Palace, a low voice came out of the darkness.

  “Those people just went past. This is finally our chance! There must be no mistakes. His Highness regards this matter with utmost importance!” another voice replied.

  “Relax. They can’t run. No one can run from Heaven Deaf and Earth Mute!” the voice from before replied.

  These were that renowned pair of martial artists that Wang Chong had sent to the Imperial Palace, Heaven Deaf and Earth Mute. When the two worked together, their ‘Heaven Sight Earth Sounding’ art would cover an extremely large area with incredible sensitivity, even able to hear the crawling and gnawing of a worm deep within the earth. Given their cultivation, they were probably the most formidable scouts in the entire Imperial Palace.

  “They haven’t noticed us yet. Go!”

  There was a cold gleam of light from the darkness, and a moment later, two figures shot out from the shadow of a roof and vanished.

  In front of them, two other men were rapidly moving through the air. These people wore the armor of the Imperial Army, yet unlike ordinary soldiers, they weren’t patrolling the avenues, but leaping along the roofs.

  When they were on the ground, their heads would be lowered, and they would always avoid other Imperial Army patrols. It was as if they didn’t want to be discovered.

  The pair moved with incredible speed, and when there was no one around and all was still, one of the ‘Imperial Army soldiers’ softly grumbled, “What’s going on here? How could he have recovered his energy so quickly? We’ve already thought of every way to weaken him. Is it a problem with the drug?”

  The other ‘Imperial Army soldier’ shook his head and sternly said, “Impossible! Those drugs were all tested before, as they also thought that there was a problem, but when they gave a strong and energetic man in the imperial prison who had the death penalty only a little bit, he immediately began to decline. His situation got worse with every passing day, and in just seven days, he had the energy of an eighty-year-old man, not even able to stand up anymore. But while this drug is extremely fierce, it’s not fatal, so that prisoner even now is still clinging to life. No matter how you look at it, this drug can’t be fake!”

  “This… We’ve already put so much into his food and water, but why is it no good against him? If this continues and he completely recovers, how will we be able to keep holding him?” the first soldier worriedly said.

  “Relax. Such a situation will never occur. His High… that man has already said to change the drug for an even fiercer one, and if it’s necessary, we can even use a toxin that will damage his meridians and foundations, and then he naturally won’t be able to do anything,” his companion said, though his voice was tinged with emotion.

  “But really, it’s no wonder he’s the Eunuch Director of the Inner Court! Given the abilities he’s displayed, he’s only a step away from having a body completely impervious to poison! We’re lucky those people managed to injure him!”

  The two continued to rapidly move as they conversed. A few moments later, they seemed to reach their destination. Tidying their armor and standing straight, they turned back into regular Imperial Army soldiers and stepped into a palace.

  Not long after the pair had entered, another pair suddenly appeared in the darkness.

  “Lord Eunuch, how are you doing? We’ve brought some medicine that can help you recover.”

  Cough, cough…

  The palace was lit by a single dim lantern. The voices of the two soldiers and fierce coughing could be heard within.

  More than three hundred meters away from that palace, the eyes of Heaven Deaf and Earth Mute gleamed.

  Lord Eunuch? To think that they were hiding Eunuch Gao here! the two quietly said to themselves.

  With their Heaven Sight Earth Sounding Art, the two of them had extremely sharp senses, and as their Psychic Energy spread out, they could sense that there were numerous experts hidden around that palace, tightly locking down the area. Even the formidable Heaven Deaf and Earth Mute couldn’t help but be frightened, and did not dare to take any reckless actions.

  “This should be the place. Come on; let’s report to His Highness!”

  The two exchanged a glance and then vanished once more.

  ……

  Time flew by, and it was soon the night of the second day.

  In the night, after the Hai Period (9-11pm), there was a flash of light in the King of Foreign Lands Residence. A figure had soared into the sky like a hawk, and then blinked away. Several minutes later, that person appeared at the feet of the grandiose Imperial City.

  In order to put an end to the case, I will have to risk myself, Wang Chong quietly commented as he gazed up at the walls that soared several dozen meters into the air.

  The developments in the Imperial Palace were moving far faster than he had imagined. Heaven Deaf and Earth Mute were truly master trackers of the martial arts world. Not even Wang Chong had expected them to so quickly produce results. Speed was paramount in war, and a long night could result in many nightmares. Wang Chong had decided almost immediately to pay a visit to the Imperial Palace.

  Wang Chong had completely changed up his attire. He was not wearing a dragon robe, nor was he wearing his usual set of leisure clothes. Rather, he was dressed in black assassin clothes, and only his two eyes were exposed.

  One couldn’t get a tiger cub without venturing into the tiger’s den. Wang Chong was determined to find Eunuch Gao no matter what.

  The walls of the Imperial Palace we
re extremely high, appearing like heaven-piercing peaks at a glance, tall and steep, but they presented no problem to Wang Chong.

  Swoosh!

  With barely any movement from Wang Chong, he suddenly shot into the air like a swallow, traveling through the air and swiftly appearing atop the wall. The winds above the wall fiercely howled. This was not Wang Chong’s first time entering the Imperial Palace, and he was extremely familiar with many of its landmarks, but as he looked down from the walls, the Imperial Palace at night gave off an entirely different feeling.

  The clattering of armor came from every part of the Imperial Palace, with sentries every five steps, the numerous groups of patrolling Imperial Army soldiers leaving very few blind spots.

  Scanning the area, Wang Chong sensed countless streams of energy radiating into the sky. Numerous experts were present, both in the open and in the shadows. This place was truly a dragon’s den.

  Chapter 1647 - Scouting the Imperial Palace At Night! (II)

  Chapter 1647: Scouting the Imperial Palace At Night! (II)

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  The most dangerous place in the entire Imperial Palace was undoubtedly the Sage Emperor’s residence, Taihe Palace.

  The vast energies soaring into the air, azure tinged with violet, were pure and boundless, extending into the heavens.

  The Sage Emperor’s Dragon Guards!

  Wang Chong thought back to these powerful guards. These were the most determined of guards, grim and taciturn, but their formidable strength was enough to shock anyone.

  The black-armored General Li who had held the Nine Dragon Blood War Banner in the Battle of Talas was one of them. His strength that had exceeded the Great General level was enough to make anyone pause.

  But the Taihe Palace that was surrounded by the Dragon Guards was dim, lacking any of the energy of the supreme existence of the realm.

  Taihe Palace seemed to be shrouded in fog that made it impossible to see what was going on inside.

  How is the Sage Emperor faring? Wang Chong quietly said to himself.

  His original intention had been to try and get into Taihe Palace, but after thinking about it, he cast aside the idea. Although he had reached the Subtle realm, he was still not confident that he could get past the guards.

  The Imperial Palace was a gathering place of experts, as it had been for dynasty after dynasty. The Sage Emperor himself was said to almost be at the Saint Martial realm, and no one could guarantee that there weren’t formidable experts hidden within the palace, perhaps even those of the Subtle realm.

  If he were discovered by the Dragon Guards, the situation would probably get even more complicated. Even if Wang Chong didn’t care about himself, he still needed to worry about the Wang Clan.

  His eyes paused on Taihe Palace for a few moments before looking elsewhere.

  The Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace!

  The Eastern Palace had always been the residence of the Crown Prince. Although the First Prince had not officially been assigned to that post, he had lived in the Eastern Palace for many years. All he lacked was the title itself.

  But this was not what Wang Chong was paying attention to. What he had noticed was an extremely dark and inexplicable ball of energy within the Eastern Palace.

  This ball of energy didn’t seem that intense, but the danger hidden within was even more frightening than the Sage Emperor’s Dragon Guards.

  That should be Eunuch Yin! Wang Chong noted.

  During the harem incident, Wang Chong had met with Eunuch Yin and was extremely familiar with his energy. Moreover, anyone who could reach the rank of chief eunuch in the inner palace could not be mediocre. Whether it was Gao Lishi or Eunuch Yin, they seemed to cultivate powerful and unique arts that made them stand far above normal martial artists.

  In this night excursion into the Imperial Palace, it was hard to say if Wang Chong would alarm Eunuch Yin or not, even though he was sure that he was not leaking even a sliver of energy.

  Experts were extremely sensitive to each other’s presence.

  “Your Highness, over here!” came a voice from the bottom of the wall. Two figures could be seen in the darkness, apparently waiting for him.

  Thwish!

  Wang Chong jumped down and was welcomed by Heaven Deaf and Earth Mute.

  “Is your investigation finished?” Wang Chong said.

  “Yes. In the entire Imperial Palace, this is the place where Eunuch Gao has the highest chance of being. Moreover, the various clues indicate that he’s probably stuck there for the short term.”

  They used the term ‘stuck’ instead of ‘imprisoned’ because even after all the information they had gathered, they still found it impossible to believe that anyone could imprison Eunuch Gao. But this was exactly what it seemed like at this time.

  “Take me there!”

  Wang Chong’s eyes flashed, and then a burst of Stellar Energy latched onto the pair, who swiftly began to make their way into the palace.

  The Imperial Palace was heavily guarded and constantly patrolled, but with the pair guiding the way, Wang Chong was able to make his way through like a ghost.

  Even though he was far stronger than the Imperial Army soldiers, Wang Chong remained cautious, not daring to be careless. While the Imperial Army soldiers were not fearsome, if the soldiers discovered him and raised the alarm, everything would change.

  The Imperial Army and servitors were part of a single system, and a single alarm would mobilize all of them.

  There was a reason that the Great Tang Imperial Palace was known as one of the most dangerous places in the world.

  Wang Chong’s group had an experience that was more harrowing than dangerous. They drew closer and closer to the place where Eunuch Gao was being held.

  “Your Highness, it’s up ahead. But that place is being tightly guarded, and it will be very difficult to get inside,” Heaven Deaf and Earth Mute warned.

  The layout of the Imperial Palace was incredibly complicated, and without guides like Heaven Deaf and Earth Mute, it was easy to get lost.

  Wang Chong nodded, restraining all his energy and lowering his profile before beginning to head over.

  After crossing over several walls, Wang Chong finally reached the place Eunuch Gao was being imprisoned.

  Wang Chong had imagined many times what this prison would look like, but when he finally saw it, he was struck dumb.

  “You’re sure this is the place?”

  Wang Chong’s brow creased as he looked forward.

  “How could it be like this?” Heaven Deaf and Earth Mute muttered in shock.

  Based on what they had observed, this residence should have been lit and heavily guarded by numerous experts. But this residence was in complete darkness, and there weren’t even any guards. It was clearly just an empty palace.

  “Impossible!” Heaven Deaf suddenly said, obviously shocked. “We’ve been watching this place the entire time. During the day, there were still many people guarding this place. We were worried about being discovered, so we didn’t go in any farther to observe.”

  They were renowned for their observation arts, and they had never committed such a major mistake before.

  “Did we go to the wrong place?” Earth Mute couldn’t help but say.

  As the two best trackers in the martial arts world, the pair had always been confident in themselves and had never doubted their ability, but… the current situation was far too different from what they had reported.

  “No, this should be the place!” Wang Chong declared with surprising resolve, a thoughtful light in his eyes. “There’s the scent of medicine here, and didn’t you say that there were a few bronze pillars in front of the door? This is the place!”

  There truly were several bronze pillars in front of the door.

  These bronze pillars were known as ‘hitching posts’.

  This dynasty was one that emphasized martial prowess, and horse archery was one of t
he fundamental skills. In the Imperial Palace, there was also a place where horses were raised exclusively for the Princes and Kings. With horses, there would naturally be hitching posts.

  However, all the hitching posts here were set up in Taizong’s time. No one liked horse archery more than Taizong, resulting in his nickname, ‘the Horseback Emperor’.

  But in the current reign, these hitching posts were not used as much.

  The hitching posts of the Imperial Palace were each different, and the Taotie1 designs on the hitching posts were identical to the ones in Heaven Deaf and Earth Mute’s report.

  “It seems like we were a step too slow. They’ve already moved Eunuch Gao away,” Wang Chong said heavily.

  His foe was much more cautious than he had imagined. It seemed like they moved Eunuch Gao’s location every few days.

  Eunuch Gao had clearly been moved to a new area.

  This was something that Wang Chong had never expected would happen so quickly.

  Thwish!

  Wang Chong shot away like a bolt of lightning, entering the building.

  “Your Highness, wait for us!”

  Heaven Deaf and Earth Mute hastily followed in alarm.

  The building was completely empty, just as Wang Chong had expected. Someone had already moved everything out, even the furniture.

  As for Eunuch Gao, not even a trace had been left.

  “I came too late!”

  Wang Chong once more slightly frowned at the sight.

  There were still a few telltale signs that the room had recently been cleaned, but it was obvious that the other party had taken the appropriate measures when moving Eunuch Gao away.

  “Your Highness, our apologies! Give us another chance! We’ll definitely find Eunuch Gao!”

  Heaven Deaf and Earth Mute couldn’t help but apologize after seeing the empty room.

  But the two of them knew that finding Eunuch Gao again would be even more difficult.

  They had needed to expend an enormous amount of time earlier to find Eunuch Gao and had needed to follow many clues. But now that he had been moved, it would be easier said than done to find Eunuch Gao.