Yuwen Feng's face was full of incredulity. "Mother, you played a part in this?"

Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi had been the most excited to see the Palace Guards encircle the residential compound of the Yuwen family. However, as time had passed by and palace guards had found nothing, Zheng shi's countenance had gone sulky and then begun to alternate between alarm and disbelief. It was her who had personally instructed Nanny Zhong to plant that thing, so she knew very well where it was. Were all these palace guards good-for-nothing? That thing was right in the storeroom. How had they come to miss it?!

Zheng shi was unable to restrain herself. Only after Yuwen Tong was brought down would she get what she'd been promised. How could she give up like this? Also, Zhou Mingtang had asked her a question at this moment, so Zheng shi, heedless of the quizzical look in Yuwen Feng's and some others' eyes, stepped forward and replied, "Your Highness, that thing is right in the storeroom in Yuwen Tong's courtyard house. Nanny Zhong saw it distinctly with her own eyes. The palace guards must've overlooked it during the search!"

"MOTHER!!" bawled Yuwen Feng, "HAVE YOU ANY IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT?!"

"What am I talking about? Yuwen Tong conceals banned items and harbors traitorous intentions. We must not shield him, even though he's your cousin!" Zheng shi made a just and severe statement.

A loud slap was heard. Yuwen Zhi had walked over and slapped Zheng shi hard across the face!

"Ah!"

With a squeal of pain, Zheng shi was brought to the ground by the slap, a trickle of blood flowing from the corner of her mouth.

"Why are you so abashed and angry, Lord Yuwen? Madam Yuwen said that out of nothing but her loyalty to His Majesty, but you beat her in my presence. Who gave you the permission?" said Zhou Mingtang coldly.

"Your Highness might as well have that place searched again and see how it goes. The sun, the moon, the heaven above and the earth below bear witness to my loyalty to the Great Yue, and I fear nobody's doubt nor anybody's search. As regards whether or not Nanny Zhong has seen any banned items in my place, the truth will be revealed after the search," observed Yuwen Tong.

"Yes. How could an old handmaid's words ever be taken seriously?! All generations of members of the Yuwen family have been allegiant. I suggest Your Highness go to our ancestral hall and do a count of the memorial tablets there, so you may have an idea of how many of them sacrificed their lives for the Great Yue and the imperial household! Today, you credulously fell for an old handmaid's words and inflicted such an unbearable humiliation on the Yuwen family, which was so very bitterly disappointing. I'll have everybody in this city, everybody in this country, judge who is right and who is wrong. Is it because the Yuwen family haven't done enough and haven't lost enough family members that Your Highness is treating us with such scorn?!"

Yuwen You hurled indignant reproaches at Zhou Mingtang, all members of the Yuwen family appearing angry and aggrieved. The front gates were wide open, and apart from palace guards who were besieging the compound, there were also numerous citizens clustering outside, who had heard these words as distinctly as palace guards had.

"I believe Marshal Yuwen is not that kind of person, Your Highness!"

"Me, too. It's an atrocious act of brutality for the Palace Guards to treat Marshal Yuwen's whole family as prisoners, break things and plunder in their residence after hearing a mere old handmaid's accusation not a single word of which has been confirmed yet!

"Marshal Yuwen is a steadfast and upstanding man who's been protecting our country all these years. He's by no means a despicable traitor!"

"That's right!"

The discussion of citizens outside was getting increasingly heated. Many people were raging, as if they were just as aggrieved as members of the Yuwen family.

Zhou Mingtang had a sullen look on his face. At this time, Yuwen Tong, as composed as usual, said, "Please order a search of the storeroom, Your Highness."

A thorough search of the whole residential compound had been conducted already, which no doubt covered that storeroom. Zhou Mingtang was fully aware that there was nothing there, and Yuwen Tong's countenance had been calm all alone, which was an unmistakable proof that there was more to this matter, and it told Zhou Mingtang that Yuwen Tong had some time ago made preparations!

The storeroom was scoured once again, and naturally nothing was found.

Confronting Yuwen Tong, Zhou Mingtang came to realize that he'd miscalculated and put himself to a position from which there was no retiring. This matter had hardened Yuwen Tong's heart thoroughly. Once Yuwen Tong decided to stage an uprising, the North-western Army would be unstoppable!

No. He must figure out a way to gloss over this!

Otherwise, even if Yuwen Tong stood by and did nothing, he would be drowned in the flecks of spit of the residents outside.

"Bring that old handmaid to me," instructed Zhou Mingtang.

Nanny Zhong grabbed Zheng shi's arm in panic. "Mistress, help me, Mistress!"

Naturally, Zheng shi had come to understand what had happened. The thing that she'd instructed Nanny Zhong to plant in the storeroom was not there, and it was self-evident who had transferred it. All her plans had fallen through. Not only Nanny Zhong but also she herself would become a target for all. She couldn't even ensure her own safety now, let alone save Nanny Zhong.

Nanny Zhong was dragged outside and harshly flogged. An old woman, she couldn't bear the pain and, at the gate of death, confessed that it was Zheng shi who'd instructed her to make the false accusation.

Zheng shi buckled at the knees and slumped to the ground.

"No. It wasn't me. I have nothing to do with it. I was tricked by her. She's lying!"

Zheng shi cut a sorry figure, and Yuwen Qi beside her looked no better. Although nobody had ratted him out so far, everybody with discerning eyes could tell that he was involved in this matter, and soon he would come to grief as well.

Neither Zheng shi's pleading nor her feeble defense was any good. Yuwen Tong, apathetically looking askance at Zheng shi sitting on the ground, remarked, "I believe that my aunt was fooled by her old handmaid. Even knowing her death is imminent, this hag is still telling more lies. She's just disgusting."

What?!

Both Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi were shocked, incredulously gaping at Yuwen Tong.

But Zhou Mingtang was fully aware the reason why Yuwen Tong was doing this was that he wanted to have that old handmaid take full responsibility for this matter, because what Zheng shi had committed was the crime of deceiving the emperor, which was punishable with execution of all members of the second branch of the Yuwen family, and even members of the first branch and the collateral branch might be incriminated.

"I know Your Highness fell for such a dull lie so easily because my command of the armies concerns you. Such being the case, I'll go to the palace right now and hand over my command of half of the troops of my own accord, so that Your Highness and His Majesty might set your minds at ease."

Zhou Mingtang widened his eyes, and everybody else on the scene did the same thing.

Was Yuwen Tong serious? He would actually give up the command of half of the troops?!

Was he out of his mind?!

Zhou Mingtang was irrepressibly excited and pleasantly surprised. Though he failed to bring Yuwen Tong down this day, retrieving the command of half of the armies would make all his efforts worthwhile!

"You misunderstood, Marshal. Neither I nor my father has ever felt such concern. In the final analysis, it was my being bent on having my own way that caused you to be wronged. I'll admit to my father and request him to mete out punishment on me." Zhou Mingtang managed to restrain his rapture, affectedly trying to decline the offer.

"There's no need for you to say any more about this, Your Highness. Actually I've always been meaning to hand over my command of the armies ever since the end of the war. It's just that there's been a lot going on in the imperial court lately, and His Majesty has been fully occupied with state affairs all along. I don't dare disturb His Majesty, so I planned to wait a few days to do it," said Yuwen Tong.

"Cousin!" called Yuwen Feng in an attempt to dissuade Yuwen Tong. "Don't be impulsive."

"My decision is final," said Yuwen Tong.

...

An old handmaid of the Yuwen family had falsely claimed that she'd seen banned items in Marshal Yuwen's courtyard house. The Second Mistress of the Yuwen family had, without verifying it first, informed on her own nephew in front of His Majesty, who in his wrath had ordered the Crown Prince to have palace guards ring and search the residential compound of the Yuwen family, but eventually the whole thing had turned out to be nothing but a farce.

Marshal Yuwen, bitterly disappointed, had ceded half of his power in an effort to prove himself innocent.

His Majesty had felt ashamed and declined several times before accepting half of Yuwen Tong's command of the armies, and then used money from the exchequer to compensate the Yuwen family for the losses they'd suffered.

News of such a sensational event spread through the whole capital city almost in the blink of an eye and then to other countries and areas.

It was already noon of that very day that message about this matter came to the knowledge of Ling Zhang who'd been staying in the manor, and when he galloped back to the city with his men in a fit of rage, it was almost dusk and Yuwen Tong had finished the power transfer already. The front gates of the residential compound of the Yuwen family were shut, indicating that the the host wouldn't receive any visitors on this day.

Fists clenched tightly, suppressing the burning desire to kill inside him, Ling Zhang cast aside all scruples and misgivings and stormed to the front gates of the residential compound of the Yuwen family, accompanied by his twenty-four security guards.

Naturally, the guards on duty at the gates recognized Ling Zhang and knew very well that he was the apple of their Marshal's eye as well as a future owner of their Marshal's residential compound, so they immediately let him through.

On entry into the compound, Ling Zhang saw that the whole place was in a mess, and servants were doing the cleaning, a gloomy expression on everybody's face.

"Childe Ling?"

"Childe Ling came to visit. Go and inform the Marshal right now!"

The sudden appearance of Ling Zhang and his men instantly sent all the servants trotting.

"Childe Ling."

After a short while, Yao Yi showed up and, at the sight of Ling Zhang's outfit, came to know that Ling Zhang had just returned to the city.

"Where's Yuwen Tong? What on earth happened here?" queried Ling Zhang, trying hard to keep his temper.

Yao Yi, who never kept anything back from Ling Zhang, gave him a blow-by-blow account of the previous search.

Ling Zhang went off the deep end at the story, feeling an overwhelming urge to hack Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi to pieces. "Where are Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi?!"

"I'll take you there right away, Childe Ling. The Marshal and the others are all there."

Yao Yi led Ling Zhang into the ancestral hall. The broad ancestral hall of the Yuwen family was one of the few places that the Palace Guards had spared during the savage search conducted earlier this day, and all memorial tablets were intact. Zhou Mingtang hadn't burnt his bridges.

Everybody in the ancestral hall shifted their gaze to Ling Zhang as he arrived.

Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi were on their knees, Yuwen Zhi's and Yuwen You's branches of the family sitting on the two sides respectively, Yuwen You and Yuwen Tong in host seats.

The moment Ling Zhang entered, Yuwen Tong rose to his feet, the iciness on his face softening like snow melting in spring breeze. When he had walked to the front of Ling Zhang, there was an utterly different expression on his face. He held Ling Zhang's hand and said, "You've just arrived? Did anything happen on your way here?"

Ling Zhang took his hand in a backhand grip, his eyes sweeping over faces of all others present in the room, frosty-faced. "I'm fine."

Eventually his gaze, etched with intense repulsion and murderousness, rested on Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi who were kneeling on the ground. "Why are these two scum still here? Today they almost got the whole Yuwen family beheaded, and you people are still in the mood for sitting here and interrogating them?"

As he finished these remarks, Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi on their knees appeared even more dejected, but there was still detestation in their eyes when they looked at Ling Zhang.

"This is a family matter. You're in no position to judge us," Yuwen Qi croaked, eyeing Ling Zhang snakily.

Ling Zhang released Yuwen Tong's hand, walked up with an icy face and abruptly aimed a kick at Yuwen Qi's heart, which reduced him to spitting out a mouthful of blood!

Ling Zhang, after giving Yuwen Qi a kick which had made him vomit blood, said coldly, "I'm in no position to judge you? For your information, soon everything in the Yuwen family will be mine, including Yuwen Tong, and from now on you two will be my sworn enemies, because you tried to have him killed today; and make no mistakes, it is your lives that I'll be seeking to take!"

After saying this, he aimed another kick at Yuwen Qi which instantly sent him flying. Yuwen Qi landed head-first on the ground, blood flowing from his forehead, unable to speak.

"Qi'er!" Zheng shi let out a scream, launching herself at her son.

Yuwen Feng rose from his seat and blocked Ling Zhang's path. "Childe Ling, please stop."

Ling Zhang looked at Yuwen Feng flintily. Stop? Fuck you!

Unhesitatingly, he raised his foot and gave Yuwen Feng a kick as well, violently throwing him backwards. "Who are you to tell me what to do?! You think I'm your servant or something? Fuck off!"

Of course, Yuwen Feng who had never practiced kung fu was no match for Ling Zhang who possessed internal energy. Ling Zhang, in his fury, had given that kick with all his might, and Yuwen Feng had not only been sent flying but also reduced to spitting a mouthful of blood.

"How dare you!" bellowed Yuwen Zhi, finally losing his temper and springing to his feet.

A sneer at the corners of his mouth, Ling Zhang made towards Yuwen Zhi with a thinly disguised intention to give him a kick as well, which startled Yuwen You and some others.

Yuwen Zhi involuntarily took a step backward, both alarmed and angry. "You brat. How dare you acting with such unruliness in our family! It's not your place to talk–"

Thud!

Ling Zhang ruthlessly aimed a kick at Yuwen Zhi's stomach, which sent him slumping into the chair behind him and unable to speak for quite a while.

"AAARGH! YOU LUNATIC! LET GO OF ME!"

Zheng shi's hand was heavily trampled underfoot by Ling Zhang. Ling Zhang, after kicking Yuwen Zhi, had turned around and stamped on Zheng shi's hand, in a seemingly unintentional manner, but nobody present believed it was accidental, because Zheng shi's hand became bloody and mangled very soon, which was a horrifying sight.

Seeing this, Yuwen You who was sitting in the host seat couldn't help saying, "Cool down, sonny. Don't make things any uglier."

There was still iciness glinting in Ling Zhang's eyes when he flicked a glance at Yuwen You, who gave a start and broke out in a cold sweat, fearing that Ling Zhang would kick him as well.

Fortunately Ling Zhang still had some regard for Yuwen You's respectability. He moved his foot off Zheng shi's hand and stepped back to Yuwen Tong's side.

Yuwen Feng had already struggled to his feet. The sight of his mother's mangled hand and his father's pasty face from which cold sweat was still oozing threw him into a few moments' stupefaction. Then he saw that his cousin was standing there silently, seeming to have never had any intention whatsoever to stop Ling Zhang from doing what he'd done, which had made his stand self-evident.

Finally, Yuwen Tong spoke. "The previous decision still stands."

As soon as he finished this remark, Yuwen Feng's face went ghastly white. Mouth slack, he regarded Yuwen Tong imploringly.

Yuwen Tong didn't look at him and merely added, "Do not delay or I'll do it myself."

After saying this, he took Ling Zhang's hand and his voice became gentle. "Let's go. This matter has been settled. I'll tell you the details after we return."

Ling Zhang's anger had slightly subsided after he kicked these people. His eyes flintily swept them one last time and then he left with Yuwen Tong.

"How did it happen exactly?" Ling Zhang's temper began to fray again as he saw the awful shambles in houses of the first branch of the family.

Yuwen Tong explained the ins and outs of it to him. "Some people used Zheng shi and laid a trap for me."

"Who?"

"Zhou Mingtang and his father who's at his back."

Ling Zhang's brow abruptly corrugated in a deep frown. "Then why did you cede half of your power?!"

Hadn't he been inviting his own doom by doing that?!

Yuwen Tong took Ling Zhang into his embrace, gently stroking his back, his voice tender but his eyes frosty. "After what happened today, both sides have come to know that the semblance of peace is over. The emperor fears I might rebel, and it's very likely that, when feeling pushed to the wall, he'd throw caution to the wind and take action regardless of the consequences. I still need some time to fine-tune my plans. I handed over half of my power so that he wouldn't be able to make his move any time soon. To be honest, I want to thank those who staged this farce, because my family now have good reason to shut the gates and focus on the preparatory work for our wedding without having to receive any visitors. Also, the emperor has got back the command of half of the armies and couldn't make trouble for me in the near future, which means we may go to the Millennium Pavilion without worrying about the situation in the city."

Ling Zhang made an unsuccessful attempt to free himself, still seething with frustration. "What kind of plan do you have? It's an obvious fact that the emperor intends to kill you. How are you going to escape?"

"Escape? Who says I'll make my escape?" said Yuwen Tong.

"You won't flee? You'll wait for him to kill you?" Ling Zhang couldn't believe his ears.

Yuwen Tong smiled, "There is a better way. For some people, nothing is ever enough, and they leave me no choice but to fix them. It might not be a bad thing. I'll handle them once and for all."

Ling Zhang discerned a nerve-racking undertone in these remarks. Previously he had got a feeling that Yuwen Tong seemed to have made some kind of decision which he'd been keeping back from him, and now this feeling was getting stronger. "What do you want to do exactly?"

Yuwen Tong kissed Ling Zhang on the ear lobe and said in a quiet voice beside his ear, "You want to find out how it feels to reign over a country?"

Ling Zhang gave a start and didn't speak for quite a while, his arms holding Yuwen Tong's back tighter in spite of himself. "Wh–What are the odds you'll succeed?"

"Ninety per cent."