Mythical Qin: I, Gao Yao, will never be a eunuch!

Chapter 1180 Emperor Qing's Big Move: Preparing to Take Action!

"What did you find out?" Emperor Qing did not turn around, his gaze still fixed on the direction of the palace gate, as if he could see through the thick wooden planks and see the officials leaving in a panic outside.

Hong Siyang lowered his head and said, "The defeat in the western border is indeed suspicious. It seems that there is a master in the rebel army who is guiding them, and their tactics are not like those of ordinary bandits. What is even more suspicious is that they always seem to know our army's movements in advance."

Emperor Qing tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the dragon throne, the rhythm slow and regular: "It's the same again. Just like the attack on Fan Xian, the deaths of Shang Shanhu and Yan Xiaoyi."

"This old servant is incompetent and has yet to find out who is behind this."

“It’s not incompetence,” Emperor Qing suddenly turned around, a sharp glint in his eyes, “it’s that the other party is too well hidden. So well that they can even evade my eyes and ears.”

He descended the steps, the hem of his dragon robe trailing on the smooth, mirror-like gold bricks: "Go to the study. Call Qin Ye here too."

"Yes."

Inside the Imperial Study, the air was thick with the fragrance of sandalwood. Emperor Qing sat behind his desk, one hand supporting his forehead, the shadow obscuring half his face. Qin Ye and Hong Siyang stood below, hands at their sides. Both were veterans who had served Emperor Qing for many years, and they knew that the silence at this moment was heavier than any words.

A map of the Qing Kingdom's territory lay open on the desk, its western border circled in vermilion, with several secret reports scattered nearby. The sunlight streaming in from the window gradually slanted westward, casting a dim, yellowish glow over everything in the study.

"Any clues?" After a long silence, Emperor Qing finally spoke, his voice devoid of emotion.

Hong Siyang stepped forward: "Your Majesty, there is still no trace of the Grandmaster. However, the details of the attack on Fan Xian's convoy, the killing of Shang Shanhu, and Yan Xiaoyi have been largely clarified."

"Who did it?" Emperor Qing finally asked the most crucial question.

Hong Siyang bowed deeply: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. We cannot determine which side it is at the moment. We only know that the other side has dispatched a peak ninth-rank expert, a ninth-rank expert, and a well-organized cavalry force of no less than two hundred men, and the lowest among them is a fifth-rank martial artist."

"Peak of the Ninth Rank..." Emperor Qing murmured, repeating the phrase, a strange light flashing in his eyes.

Among all martial artists in the world, those who can reach the ninth rank are already extremely rare. And above the ninth rank, every step forward is as difficult as ascending to heaven. Reaching the peak of the ninth rank means that one has already touched the threshold of the Grandmaster, just one step away.

Such figures are few and far between in the entire Qing Kingdom.

"This strength is already comparable to that of the Red Cavalry," Emperor Qing said slowly.

The Red Riders, a secret guard personally trained by Emperor Qing, number only a little over a thousand, yet they are the most elite force in the Qing Kingdom. Each member possesses strength of at least the sixth rank, is skilled in combined attack techniques, and made outstanding contributions during the last Northern Expedition.

Now, a team of comparable strength is lurking in the shadows, its allegiance unknown.

"The enemy has a large number of members; it's practically impossible for them to completely conceal their tracks," Hong Siyang continued. "I have already dispatched spies to investigate everywhere, and I believe we will have news soon..."

"Oh!"

A loud crash interrupted Hong Siyang's words. Emperor Qing slammed his palm on the desk, and the solid sandalwood instantly shattered into pieces, scattering the writing implements, ink, paper, and inkstone all over the floor. Qin Ye and Hong Siyang immediately knelt on the ground, their foreheads touching the earth.

"I don't want to hear any of this!" Emperor Qing's voice was as cold as ice. "What I want is a result! A name! A traitor who can be dragged out, beheaded, and displayed to the public!"

The air in the study was almost still. The setting sun had completely sunk below the horizon, and twilight was rolling in like a tide, but no eunuch dared to come in and light the lamp.

“…As you command.” Hong Siyang’s voice was low.

“Furthermore,” Emperor Qing stood up and paced beside the broken desk, “go and inform Chen Pingping to find out more about Han Xin. The Censorate has so many people on its payroll; it’s time to put them to use.”

"Han Xin?" Qin Ye finally raised his head, a look of doubt flashing in his eyes. "Your Majesty is referring to..."

"That's the leader of the newly risen rebels in the Western Regions," Emperor Qing sneered. "I originally thought it was just a case of an ant trying to shake a tree, but now it seems we must deal with him. We can't tolerate him for much longer."

He paused, a cold glint in his eyes: "They have ulterior motives."

"I understand," Hong Siyang said. "Should we... request the Censorate?"

“If possible,” Emperor Qing turned to face the deepening night outside the window, his voice chillingly cold, “have the people of the Overwatch Council kill him directly.”

"Yes."

Qin Ye and Hong Siyang responded simultaneously, but neither of them immediately stood up. They knew that Emperor Qing had not yet finished speaking.

As expected, Emperor Qing remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking: "I have always felt that from the appearance of the Grandmaster to the present series of events, there has been an invisible hand driving things from behind the scenes."

He turned around, his face appearing exceptionally deep in the shadows: "The existence of the temple has already kept me awake at night, and now there's another peak ninth-rank cultivator and a mysterious army. Qin Ye, what do you think?"

Qin Ye, whose name was mentioned, trembled and hurriedly said, "I believe this matter may be related to Northern Qi. The rebellion in the western border, Fan Xian's attack, Han Xin's rise... these things seem unrelated, but if connected, they all point to one point: weakening the national strength of my Qing Kingdom and disrupting the court."

"Northern Qi..." Emperor Qing pondered, "That old fox Zhan Qingfeng is indeed capable of such a thing. But if Northern Qi truly has a peak ninth-rank expert, why would they hide him until now?"

“Perhaps…it’s not Northern Qi,” Hong Siyang suddenly said.

"Investigate." Emperor Qing uttered only this one word.

"Yes."

"Furthermore," Emperor Qing added, "strengthen security in the palace. In particular, triple the number of guards in the Empress Dowager's and the princes' residences."

"The minister obeys the order."

Qin Ye and Hong Siyang finally rose, bowed, and left the study. The door closed softly, leaving Emperor Qing alone in the deepening darkness.

He didn't call for a lamp to be lit; he simply stood by the window, gazing at the rising stars outside. The night wind blew through the windowpanes, bringing the chill of early autumn and the faint sounds of battle from afar—the direction of the North.

"Han Xin..." he murmured the name, a hint of murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

No matter who Han Xin is, or who stands behind him, Emperor Qing will never allow anything to escape his control. Thirty years ago, he was able to fight his way through the princes to ascend to the throne; in the past thirty years, he has been able to balance the court and the country, eliminate dissidents, and build Qing into the strongest nation in the world; now, he can do the same to nip any threat in the bud.

only......

Emperor Qing's hand unconsciously traced a jade pendant at his waist. It was a gift from an old friend many years ago. That person had also wielded a sword, possessing unparalleled skill, yet ultimately died before his eyes.

"Ye Qingmei..." he whispered the name, his voice so soft it was almost inaudible.

If she were still alive, how would she view today's situation? How would she deal with this turbulent situation?

Emperor Qing shook his head, dismissing these pointless thoughts. The past was past, and the dead would not come back to life. What he now faced were living enemies, threats lurking in the shadows.