Xie Ming

Qin Jing and Xiao entered from outside; inside the palace, the moon hid in the shadows of clouds; Ruan and Wang Jin cleverly laid out a maze.

In the blink of an eye, another half-moment has passed.

As a result, Liu, the eunuch who was leading the way, walked unsteadily, and his legs trembled even more.

Led by Xiao, Gu, Qin, and four armored soldiers behind them, a total of eight people, they approached stealthily with lanterns in front.

Having endured the ordeal of passing through the main hall, they searched for a narrow path and traversed a secluded passage. Large beads of sweat rolled down the old eunuch Liu's forehead.

Just as I was about to reach the back garden, the cold moon was obscured by dark clouds. It was a dark and windy night, and suddenly a few crows took flight.

The night suddenly deepened, as dark as spilled ink.

On the west side of the palace, the wind stopped, and the palace lanterns in front swayed left and right, like will-o'-the-wisps in the dark night.

Just when everyone was on tenterhooks and feeling uneasy!

The leader of the seven men, Gu Changting, suddenly glanced around and saw a dark shadow wriggling in the corner of the front hall.

"who!"

With a sharp shout, the swords and blades of everyone were drawn with a clang.

The first eunuch, Liu, was terrified. He had wet his pants, dropped the palace lantern, and tried to run away.

puff--

However, without waiting for the person to leave, he chased after him with a short blade, striking straight at his heart.

This move was extremely sharp and powerful.

Xiao Jingchuan concealed his sword in his sleeve, waiting for this moment to hone his skills.

Whoosh whoosh—

With a single strike, Liu Caiming was gone. At the same time, hurried footsteps suddenly arose from both the front and back.

In the dark, narrow passage, there were no shouts, nor any firelight.

The seven men, clad in armor, stood in formation, their tacit understanding forged in the blood and fire of the battlefield requiring no further orders or commands.

Da da da da——

A few more faint rustling sounds came from nearby, and life and death hung in the balance on this narrow path, which was no more than eight feet wide and less than thirty feet long.

Suddenly!

Suddenly, a loud shout was heard from the right flank.

Immediately, knives and axes attacked from the shadows.

The assassin, led by a eunuch wielding a blade, leaped from the high steps, splitting Mount Hua in two, and launched a fierce attack in the court.

The moonlight was hard to conceal, and now only half of it was visible.

The moon was cold, the blades were sharp, and suddenly, one, two, swarmed forward from both sides.

The knife was aimed straight at the head and cleaved downwards.

Xiao, Gu, Qin, and the others were attacked from both sides, leaving them with little way out.

Judging from their stance, each person held their own side, stepping forward with swords and blades to fight to the death.

The sword's edge sliced ​​through the cold night, creating a series of resounding, trembling dragon roars.

Relying on the advantage of full armor and different skills.

A few ghosts were led away and killed one by one.

Suddenly, I looked through the moonlight and saw that the ground was littered with corpses.

A dull thud, the sound of bones shattering and blood spurting, silent yet tragic.

Then, the last of the dozen or so enemies slid slowly down the vermilion wall, leaving a trail of dark blood at the base of the wall. This attack suddenly came to an abrupt end.

Upon ascending the steps, the stench of blood spread along the high steps of the white marble platform, thick and warm.

Taking advantage of the brief moment, Xiao, Gu, Qin, and the others wiped the blood off the blades of their swords with their elbows.

"This is bad. There may be hidden muskets and crossbows. Be careful, everyone, and bring hand shields."

The sudden change in the pace of the attack made Xiao Jiuli, a veteran of battlefield combat, instantly sense the ominous atmosphere. He became extremely tense and quickly whispered a warning to the person next to him.

Sure enough, just as he finished speaking, a series of rustling sounds—

Above their heads, on the eaves of the palace, crossbows fired frequently, and short-feathered arrows rained down in dense bursts.

"Quick, along the base of the wall!"

At this shout, the seven people swiftly and in unison rolled over and hid behind the palace wall, in an area beyond the reach of the flying eaves.

Before he could regain his footing, suddenly, a second wave of enemies from both sides rushed in to block and attack.

They trod over the corpses of those who had just died unjustly, their blood still warm. Wave after wave, swords flashed and shadows blurred, sealing off both flanks.

Those who ducked and crashed into his arms, the sound of bones cracking was clearly audible.

Elbow strike, disarming, backhand throw.

Within a few breaths, screams and muffled thuds echoed from the side of the wall.

Seeing this, it's clear that Ruan and Wang are also extremely anxious.

Before anyone knew it, dozens of eunuchs suddenly surged forward.

The shadowy figures instantly filled the stone steps, densely packed, almost completely surrounding and submerging the seven people in a corner.

Zong Xiao, Gu, and Qin's forces were all formidable, with exceptional combat prowess.

Even a fierce tiger cannot withstand a pack of wolves.

This sudden turn of events left even the short-lived person flustered.

Beneath Xiao Jingchuan's armor, his shirt was already soaked with sweat; the cleavage from his tiger's mouth was now torn and bleeding.

Under the pitch-black moonlight, enemies surged relentlessly, a silent killing intent looming.

"General, how much is left?!"

Changting was caught off guard and overwhelmed. He couldn't help but shout out, his lips cracked and his voice low and hoarse.

However, in the midst of his flustered state, Xiao Yi had no time to answer him.

On the narrow stone steps, in a cramped space, Xiao Lang wielded his sword, transforming it into a dragon.

It spun around and pierced through the chest, then slashed down into the neck cavity.

Soon, the soldiers were surrounded by corpses.

Each step he took into the blood-soaked puddle, his heavy breathing carrying the taste of rust.

Fortunately, this bloody battle did not continue indefinitely.

The stalemate lasted only a short while, as the number of traitors was ultimately limited.

After a prolonged siege, the rebel eunuchs were reduced to less than one in ten.

The remaining remnants of the enemy, upon arriving, began to show signs of panic.

They couldn't understand how an assassination attempt to eliminate traitors had turned into this situation.

Xiao, Gu, Qin, and the others did not appear to be passively defending themselves, but rather each of them acted as ferociously as if hunting wild beasts.

These eunuchs, who have lived within the palace walls for a long time and have never experienced battles, even if some of them are skilled in martial arts, have they really been through any major battles?
Regardless of their strength or momentum, judging from the current situation, they are already at their limit and are no longer fit for battle.

Puff, puff—

In a flash, two more souls perished under Xiao Jian's sword.

The remaining enemy forces, including those eunuchs, were terrified and lost all courage, no longer daring to fight.

The tide comes in quickly and recedes quickly.

In a flash, without any warning, these people began to run and flee in disarray, scattering like birds and beasts.

Judging from the situation, even from a distance, Ruan Dacheng and Wang Zhixin felt utterly disheartened.

He secretly rubbed his hands together, glancing sideways with a thieving eye, waiting for Wang Zhixin to momentarily lose his composure.

Ruan Dacheng was a despicable and treacherous man, driven by his fear of death.

The man trembled and tiptoed away, taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention. He had already intended to escape, so he took a few steps back and ran away from the corner of the wall in a panic, running for his life, his pants wet with sweat.

How could they bear it? After dealing with the remaining enemies, Xiao, Gu, and the other seven emerged from the mountain of corpses and sea of ​​blood. Under the cold moonlight, they happened to be there and saw everything clearly at a glance.

"Changting, don't let that person get away!"

Xiao Jiang was a shrewd strategist; with a single glance, he could identify the mastermind, and he was the most conspicuous among them.

Immediately, he bumped into Ce Changting on the shoulder, intending to make him go and tie up the person so that he could return.

However, it is clear that Changting is more efficient at his work.

Without further ado, Ye suddenly drew his sword, gripped the waist knife that was stuck in the corpse's body, took a step forward, and threw it into the air.

Whoosh whoosh—

The blade, sharp and swirling, suddenly lunged at Ruan Dacheng from behind.

There was no need for that treacherous villain to make any noise, or even to look into the distance. Before he could even utter a sound, a sharp blade pierced his chest, and he fell dead onto the floor tiles.

Thus, after this night, Xiao Jiang completely eliminated the seven people who had caused trouble for the eunuchs in the Hangzhou Imperial Palace.

It is evident that, following this battle, the eunuchs of the late Ming Dynasty never regained their former prestige and influence.
The system of eunuchs checking and balancing civil officials came to an end with General Xiao. (End of Chapter)