Chapter 28: The Chess Player

"My Lady! My Lady! This is terrible! News has just come from Xiao Si that the dog emperor has gone to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion! They are planning to strike today!"

"What!" Upon hearing Xiao Yu's report, a flicker of shock and fury crossed the beautiful eyes of Sun Ru, who was still keeping watch outside the Prime Minister's residence.

"Without my permission, how dare they act on their own! We haven't even fully uncovered the background of that dog emperor yet; we must not startle the snake! How could they be so reckless!"

Before the tea table, Sun Ru's tone was laced with clear indignation. She and Xiao Yu had been lurking outside the residence for nearly an entire day, only to have that man slip out from under their noses when they weren't looking.

"Xiao Si and the others said they received a secret report from an informant. Because time was short, they didn't have a chance to notify you, My Lady. Besides, this mission will be assisted by Meng Po and the Twelve Heavenly Fiends. That man will surely find it impossible to escape!"

"What? Meng Po has come too?" Hearing this, a look of distinct surprise appeared on Sun Ru's face. She had great faith in Meng Po's abilities, yet for some reason, she felt a lingering sense of foreboding.

"No! To be safe, Xiao Yu, take me to the Drunken Immortal Pavilion at once!"

"As you command, My Lady!"

...

In a hazy delirium, Liu Xie felt as if he had been tossed into a furnace to be roasted. His entire body was burning with heat. He tried to speak, but his mouth felt parched and arid, and he could not utter a single word. He tried to rise, but felt as though his limbs were bound, utterly devoid of strength.

He did not know how much time had passed. Feeling a slow return of his vitality, Liu Xie summoned all his strength to pry open his heavy eyelids, and soon his vision cleared.

The first thing to greet his sight was the antique canopy of a bed, followed by a beautiful face filled with worry and anxiety, leaving him momentarily dazed.

He was still alive.

"Your Majesty! You're awake!" Hearing that familiar voice, Liu Xie instantly snapped back to reality.

It was Empress Fu Shou, sitting by his bedside to tend to him. He wanted to speak, but found his mouth dry and throat burning as if touched by fire.

"Water... water..."

Hearing Liu Xie's weak voice, Shou'er hurried to the table nearby to pour a cup.

Liu Xie took the water and drained it in one gulp, then held it out again, gazing at her with pleading eyes.

"More..."

"More?" Shou'er quickly ran to fetch him more.

Only after finishing all the water in the teapot did Liu Xie satisfy his thirst, the discomfort in his throat finally subsiding.

"How long have I been unconscious?" Liu Xie asked, clutching his forehead; his head still felt heavy from his slumber.

"Three days..." At this, Fu Shou's eyes reddened again. "I almost thought Your Majesty would never wake up..."

"Only three days... three days!?" Liu Xie reacted instantly.

"I... was out for that long?"

"Yes, you scared me to death!" Shou'er pouted, her expression full of grievance, which made Liu Xie's heart ache as he pulled her into an embrace. "You are never allowed to leave the palace in secret again! Do you know how dangerous that is!"

"Alright, alright, it's over now. Didn't I wake up?"

Resting in his arms, feeling his comfort, a sense of joy at his recovery filled her heart. Suddenly, she felt his hand go still.

"What is it, Your Majesty?"

Fu Shou looked up at him, tears still shimmering in her eyes, clearly still shaken.

"How did I return that day? And what of Fu Hu?"

Fu Shou replied, "Hu-zi was severely wounded and is still recuperating; he will be unable to guard your side for some time."

"As for how you returned, someone came to the Prime Minister's residence to report your assassination yesterday, and General Gai Xun led the Shadow Guards to rescue you."

"Fortunately, they arrived in time. But General Gai said that by the time they reached you, all the assassins had already been slain!"

Hearing this, a look of suspicion flashed in Liu Xie's eyes. He had been on the verge of death; why had he survived, and how were all the assassins wiped out?

Liu Xie sensed something fishy, but lacked evidence. Suddenly, a figure appeared in his mind.

It was Wang Jingyun, who had been drinking with him that day. Surely, he must have known or seen something.

Though he was curious about what had transpired after he lost consciousness, Liu Xie was in no rush to summon Wang Jingyun. A much more pressing matter lay before him: the purge of the remaining rebels in Luoyang.

Otherwise, he would never have a day of peace in the city.

The assassination attempt ran deep; it was likely not merely a simple plot by the remnants of the Yellow Turbans. When did he leave the Prime Minister's residence? How did the assassins know his itinerary? And why had they been hiding in Luoyang for so long without being detected?

Every doubt pointed toward the murky depths of the imperial court.

It seemed his thinking had been too naive, believing that military power alone was enough to control Luoyang. Yet, the reality of this world was that the aristocratic clans and powerful families had the capacity to eliminate him without leaving a trace.

The emperor controlled only the surface of the empire, while its shadows were long since partitioned by various factions, with invisible hands manipulating everything from behind the scenes!

Liu Xie despised the feeling of his fate being held by others; it made him feel like a puppet, no different from when he was under the thumb of Dong Zhuo!

"Interesting, very interesting..." Thinking of this, Liu Xie couldn't help but laugh, his eyes burning with rage.

He had already deduced why he was targeted at this exact moment—he had clearly encroached upon someone's interests.

An ambitious, diligent young emperor would inevitably draw the wariness of various factions. Wariness breeds fear, and fear breeds madness.

They certainly did not want such an emperor. Moreover, having recently ordered a thorough audit of the national treasury, it seemed the corruption there was so deep that even he, the Emperor, could barely find a foothold.

These hidden figures had thoroughly angered him. Liu Xie knew well that this was not the time for a showdown. He needed to take the initiative and lure them out; hidden enemies were far more dangerous than those in the light.

"Since you are so eager for me to die, then I shall play along with you. Let us see who is the player and who is the piece in this game!"