Chapter 72: The Conspiracy

The disciple from the Zhongyue Sect was captured by Huo Yuanzhen and brought back to the Shaolin Temple.

Recently, after the match on the platform, Huo Yuanzhen could clearly remember the cold, malicious stares of the Taoists, among which was this very disciple.

Based on his intuition, Huo Yuanzhen had a strong feeling that the Zhongyue Sect likely viewed him as a thorn in their side and might even aim to eliminate Shaolin.

However, the Zhongyue Sect had been silent for some time, and Huo Yuanzhen had no idea what their intentions were. He could not help but feel uneasy. Now that he had captured this disciple, he was determined to interrogate him thoroughly.

Upon returning to Shaolin, Huo Yuanzhen locked the disciple in a vegetable cellar and called for Yue Shan to guard him closely. Once the disciple woke up, Huo Yuanzhen would personally interrogate him.

Yue Shan was just as loyal to Huo Yuanzhen as anyone, immediately agreeing to the task. He held a cold iron staff and stood watch at the cellar's entrance.

Having taken care of everything, it was nearly midnight.

Huo Yuanzhen returned to his quarters to rest, silently counting the days in his mind. Three more days to go—August 28th—his day for the system's lottery draw.

Dreaming of winning the grand prize, Huo Yuanzhen spent the night.

Yue Ying supported Princess Zhao Yuanji, the wife of the governor-general, and daughter of the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, as they staggered away in their escape.

Not long ago, they had been ambushed on the road, but Huo Yuanzhen had come to their rescue. After returning to the governor's residence, Zhao Yuanji had complained to her husband, Guan Tianzhao, urging him to track down the assassins.

Although Guan Tianzhao had verbally agreed to help, he took no real action. Every time Zhao Yuanji pressed him, he would make excuses, claiming he was too busy with official matters.

Zhao Yuanji could understand the demands of his duties and was willing to wait.

However, recently, Guan Tianzhao had seemed busier than ever. He frequently held meetings with his subordinates and made constant adjustments to his forces. Furthermore, envoys from the capital's Grand Tutor Wei Xian had arrived, and Guan Tianzhao spent much of his time in discussions with them.

Wei Xian and Guan Tianzhao had always been close, one as a court official and the other as a powerful local governor. Together, they held immense influence in both the imperial court and the military.

Zhao Yuanji, with her blunt personality and lack of guile, paid little attention to such political matters. Whether Wei Xian's envoys came or the Grand Tutor himself, it didn't catch her interest. What mattered to her was how impressive she looked—what she wore, how beautiful she appeared.

Guan Tianzhao, knowing her well, never bothered to hide his dealings from her.

One day, while Guan Tianzhao was speaking with an envoy in the guest hall, Zhao Yuanji decided to sneak in to surprise her husband by offering tea. She had no idea that this decision would uncover a conspiracy.

Without notifying the guards, she slipped through the back door and quietly approached the hall, expecting to give Guan Tianzhao a pleasant surprise. But as she listened in on their conversation, she realized it involved herself.

At that moment, she overheard Guan Tianzhao saying:

"Brother Feng, this matter is indeed my fault. I have let the Grand Tutor down."

"Lord Guan, this situation was unexpected. Who could have foreseen a monk coming out of nowhere and disrupting everything?"

"Damn it! Where did this monk come from?!"

Guan Tianzhao slammed his fist onto the table in frustration, making the teacups rattle. Despite the time that had passed, he still harbored resentment over the events.

"Lord Guan, our original plan was to kill the princess in the Dengfeng region, then have our people escape toward Shandong. Along the way, we would leave clues to implicate the Shandong Governor's Office, thus providing a pretext for your army to march into Shandong. This way, you would gain territory and the Emperor's support. The Shandong governor also has ambitions to set up a military governor's office, and the Emperor wouldn't want to add another one. So, with you leading the charge, the Emperor would definitely back you."

Guan Tianzhao lightly tapped his fingers on the table, his face dark and silent.

"There are many benefits. The Grand Tutor has already made preparations. The city guards are ready to assist you at any moment. A two-pronged attack—one from us, one from the Grand Tutor's forces—would easily defeat Shandong. Once we control the region, the Emperor won't be able to take it back. The Grand Tutor will sing your praises, and eventually, you could control two provinces, expanding your power and opening up the coastal route."

"The people from the coast are quite ambitious. I truly don't wish to get involved with them."

"They have already pulled us in. There's no turning back."

The man named Feng continued to flatter and scheme, his voice growing more enthusiastic:

"With the forces of two provinces under your command, plus the city guards and the support of General Ma from the northwest, we'll control nearly half of the empire's military power. The Grand Tutor holds much of the court's power, and with your forces, Lord Guan, you'll be poised to achieve your great ambitions."

"Hmph. What's the point of saying this now, Brother Feng? That damn monk has ruined everything. I can't believe Hua Wuji let this happen."

"Ha, Lord Guan, you seem quite upset. I see your ambition is true, and the princess's role is also genuine. No wonder—you, a dragon among men, married the princess for your future, but she... sigh... she doesn't seem quite the match for you."

Brother Feng shook his head, seeming to sympathize with Guan Tianzhao.

"Don't mention her. Just thinking about it makes me lose my appetite."

"Lord, don't be too discouraged. If I may, the princess seems completely unaware of the situation. If the first attempt fails, we can try again."

"You mean...?"

"You remember how merchants from Ruzhou wanted you to inspect their ceramic workshop? Let the princess go in your stead. With her status, it will show how much you care for your people."

"And then?"

"Then, it's hard to say. Life and death are in heaven's hands, who knows if another group of assassins, sent by the Shandong Governor's Office, will strike again?"

"So you mean to repeat the previous method?"

"Lord Guan and I are of one mind, haha!"

The two men burst into laughter, unaware that Zhao Yuanji, hiding behind the screen, had overheard every word. Her heart sank as the truth became clear.

So it was Guan Tianzhao who had orchestrated the assassination attempt on her life. She had been a pawn in his game, and now, he sought to kill her to further his own ambitions.

From the conversation, it was clear that Guan Tianzhao had plans to rebel, using her death as a pretext to start a war and seize control of Shandong. With two provinces under his rule, backed by the Grand Tutor and General Ma, Guan Tianzhao had the power to challenge the Emperor and claim the throne for himself.

Zhao Yuanji was left trembling, realizing the horrifying scope of his plans.

She couldn't remain in the Governor's Residence any longer. She needed to escape, and there was only one person she could trust—Yue Ying.

Only thanks to Yue Ying's insistence had she managed to escape the ambush in the woods and meet the monk. She trusted him more than anyone else.

Zhao Yuanji explained everything to Yue Ying, and he too was frightened. He immediately advised her to leave. The only way to foil Guan Tianzhao's plan was to get to the capital and inform the Emperor. Without the Emperor's support, Guan Tianzhao could never claim Shandong.

They gathered a few belongings and used Zhao Yuanji's status as a cover. Pretending to be going out on business, they fled the Governor's Residence in a horse-drawn cart.

Normally, Guan Tianzhao would not visit Zhao Yuanji's quarters at night, so they had until the next morning's meal to make their escape. They left Zhengzhou without alerting anyone.

Yue Ying drove the cart at full speed, heading west. Once they passed Dengfeng and reached Luoyang, they would be outside Guan Tianzhao's influence. From there, they could go to Chang'an and meet the Emperor.

As the cart raced through the night, they dared not stop, fearing that Guan Tianzhao would soon realize Zhao Yuanji was gone and come after them.

The horse, whipped into a frenzy by Yue Ying, galloped desperately toward the distant hope of freedom, growing ever closer to Dengfeng.