Misty Rain of the Old Times

Jiang Yuan's roar, delivered under the guise of "purging the court of corrupt officials," was like a thunderclap, completely undisguised, leaving countless people terrified and their scalps tingling.

Normally, the more secretive such matters are, the better, otherwise there are too many variables, and the slightest mistake could lead to complete failure. However, they had no choice but to do so, because if they attacked the palace without even a perfunctory excuse, it would be an unwarranted and open rebellion, their righteous cause would be untenable, no one would stand on their side, they would be enemies of the world, and they were destined to fail.

So no matter how lame the reason, even if everyone knows their purpose, as long as the slogan is shouted out, it can silence the public opinion. After all, the victors are the ones who write the final story.

Just as Jiang Yuan uttered those grand words and led his troops straight towards the palace, Xiao Yang, the Minister of War, was handling official business at the Ministry of War.

As the year draws to a close, official documents from various localities arrive like snowflakes, requesting money, grain, and supplies. Major military mobilizations also require approval from the Ministry of War. In addition, the three neighboring countries are not at peace, making this the busiest time for the Ministry of War.

In reality, all government offices were extremely busy during this period, especially since the old emperor had made too many changes to the officials, and they were still in the adjustment period. Sometimes, before they had even been in place for two days, the new officials would be imprisoned or transferred...

Having just finished reviewing a memorial regarding the mobilization of over a thousand troops in the south, Xiao Yang hesitated whether to bring it up for discussion at the grand court assembly tomorrow. Normally, such a small matter wouldn't need to be discussed in such an occasion, but given the old emperor's recent heavy-handedness in killing, it's better to be safe than sorry.

He had just taken a sip of tea while he was considering it when he heard Jiang Yuan's loud shout, and the tea in his mouth couldn't escape the rule of spitting it out.

Upon hearing those words, Xiao Yang was so shocked that his scalp tingled and his face turned pale. He instinctively stood up, feeling as if the sky had fallen and the word "I'm doomed" kept echoing in his mind.

Jiang Yuan launched a coup, and Xiao Yang realized this instantly. To be in his position, he was a man of integrity, and he didn't believe any of those empty words.

How dare Jiang Yuan do that? Who gave him the audacity? It's impossible for the Crown Prince to do it. Prince Qing is still stationed at the southern border and cannot return to the capital without being summoned. The other princes are just ordinary people, so that leaves only Prince Jiang.

So, Zhou Laosan finally couldn't sit still anymore? But you... don't mess with me! With something like this happening, no matter the outcome, I, as the Minister of War, definitely can't sit still. I might even die!
Even if the Prince of Jiang succeeds, will he keep me in this position? If he fails, and I, as the Minister of War, am responsible for a military officer launching a rebellion, that would be a serious dereliction of duty and negligence, and confiscating my property would not be an exaggeration!
What the hell did I do to deserve this?
Xiao Yang cursed inwardly. It was too late to say anything now. He could only try his best to do the essential work and see if he could make up for it.

Having risen to the position of Minister of War, Xiao Yang was no ordinary man. Upon hearing of this treasonous act, he remained calm and composed, his mind racing with countless thoughts in the blink of an eye. He immediately declared in a deep voice, "Issue my orders: command the city guards to stop them at all costs. Also, order all constables, yamen runners, and military officers to cooperate fully. The Imperial Guards... forget about the Imperial Guards; they are monitoring martial arts practitioners, and those lawless individuals might take the opportunity to cause trouble, so do not act rashly. Furthermore, order all palace guards to cancel their leave and be fully armed to protect the palace. Finally, order the Beijing Garrison to enter the palace to protect the emperor. Do not delay; those who disobey will be executed. In this urgent situation, we must act expediently. There is no time to report to His Majesty. I will bear all the consequences. Where are you? Bring my armor and weapons to the palace to rescue His Majesty!"

The situation came too suddenly, and Xiao Yang couldn't think of a better solution for the time being. He could only mobilize all available resources to quell the incident and personally went to the rescue.

However, no matter what, he knew he was doomed. There was a riot. Whether it was Prince Jiang or General Jiang Yuan of Wei, as the Minister of War, he would be the first to suffer.

Even with the powerful Xiao family behind him, they couldn't protect him. He could only hope to save his family.

It had nothing to do with him, and he didn't do it, so why was he the one who suffered? It's just because he's the Minister of War. If someone rebels, he has to take responsibility. Who made him in charge of military affairs?

Of course, that was the worst-case scenario he could imagine. In reality, the outcome was just a matter of a few words from certain people.

Under the bright sun and with a biting wind, in the square outside the Fengtian Hall in the imperial palace, Emperor Shangxuan, dressed in a golden dragon robe and wearing a flat-topped crown, walked with an imposing and majestic air. Behind him followed Crown Prince Zhou Chen and several officials, including the Minister of Rites.

Tomorrow is the Grand Assembly, where a sacrificial ceremony to Heaven will be held, followed by the Grand Assembly itself. Right now, we're actually rehearsing.

Normally, the old emperor wouldn't need to come in person for such a rehearsal, but he knew this was the last sacrificial ceremony he would ever hold, so he came to personally oversee it.

He heard Jiang Yuan's high-sounding words, but his expression only darkened slightly. He remained calm, seemingly unsurprised, as if he had expected it, or perhaps he was simply someone who never showed his emotions.

If Chen Xuan were here right now, he would have noticed a conflicting look of relief and disappointment flashing in the old man's eyes, though it was unclear what he was relieved or disappointed about.

At this moment, everyone around except the old emperor was shocked and their faces changed drastically. The Minister of Rites cried out for help, and he was genuinely shocked, not just pretending to show his loyalty.

The old emperor flicked his sleeves and said calmly, "What kind of behavior is this, all of you in such a panic? Just do what you're supposed to do. I'm not dead yet, the sky isn't going to fall!"

"Your Majesty, Jiang Yuan is a traitor. Please take care of your health. We beg Your Majesty to move to a safe place," the Minister of Rites knelt and pleaded.

With a wave of his hand, the old emperor turned and walked towards the Fengtian Hall, saying, "You may all step down. I believe my General Who Protects the Nation will not make things difficult for you."

"Please forgive me for being unable to comply, but if Jiang Yuan wants to harm Your Majesty today, he will have to step over my dead body first," the Minister of Rites said with a death-defying resolve. Despite being a civil official, he showed no sign of backing down.

Taking this opportunity to show his loyalty is one thing, but he also understands that staying by the emperor's side is actually the safest thing to do at this time.

The others said the same thing: no matter how afraid they were of death, the most important thing at this moment was to show their loyalty, and even if they died, it wouldn't be a wasted death.

The old emperor ignored them and went straight to the Fengtian Hall.

At this moment, chaos had broken out in the palace. The palace guards were converging on the old emperor, and the eunuchs and palace maids were in a panic.

A look of surprise flashed across Crown Prince Zhou Chen's eyes, but he quickly calmed down, followed behind the old emperor, and coldly said as he surveyed the surroundings: "The traitors are rampant and intend to commit treason. At this critical moment, anyone who dares to cause chaos in the palace and disturb the peace of the people will be killed without mercy!"

The old emperor's face remained impassive upon hearing this, but he secretly nodded in approval. The fact that his carefully nurtured crown prince could remain calm in the face of panic already showed him considerable composure.

A moment later, the old emperor arrived at Fengtian Hall. The hall was surrounded by the imperial guards and some palace maids and eunuchs who knew martial arts. However, everyone knew that these people alone could not stop Jiang Yuan and his group. It all depended on whether the outside could come to the rescue in time.

Xiao Ran, the martial arts champion, stood behind the old emperor, his palms sweating. He had only been the martial arts champion for a short time, and now he was being put through such a thrilling ordeal. Would he even live to see the sun rise tomorrow?

Sitting high on the dragon throne, the old emperor looked out of the hall with a calm expression, as if he was still expecting something. He thought to himself that he was waiting for them to arrive here, but would they be able to stand and walk up to him?
Everyone was terrified as they awaited the impending bloodshed and violence, but the old emperor remained calm and composed.

His gaze shifted slightly, landing on the little princess's floating island in the distance. A hint of "as expected" flashed in his eyes, followed by a touch of disappointment and mild anger.

His son has grown up and is independent; he understands that his son has ideas and ambitions, but his reckless behavior crosses the line for the old man…

On the Heavenly Street, speed is of the essence in war. Jiang Yuan, wielding a long halberd, took the lead, followed closely by King Jiang under the protection of a group of innate masters.

Their group of over three thousand men charged toward the palace, but they only had a few hundred or so warhorses. After all, if they had prepared too many warhorses in advance, the Black Butterfly wouldn't have been so easily defeated and would have been able to wait until the moment they launched their attack.
Even so, this group of elite soldiers was not slow. They were less than twenty miles from the palace, and could arrive in no time.

"General... Your Highness Prince Jiang, please wait! This is an act of treason! Before His Majesty becomes angry, you should dismount and apologize immediately!"

As soon as the group left the Jiang Prince's Mansion, a dozen or so patrolling guards appeared in front of them. The leader, trembling with fear, shouted loudly. After hearing those words, they knew that standing up meant certain death, but they had no choice but to back down. It was their duty, and running away would also mean death!
"Those who block the road will die!"

A cold shout rang out in the long street. Before Jiang Yuan could even speak, one of his personal guards drew his long sword. A flash of light appeared, and a dozen or so patrolling guards were killed in a single exchange. Blood stained the long street, leaving a sword mark several feet long on the street.

Just kidding, they've already staged a coup, why would they waste their breath?

There's no turning back once the arrow is released; once this kind of thing starts, people are bound to die, and many are destined to die!
With a single blow, the unfortunate patrolling guard was killed. In the blink of an eye, a pack of fierce warriors trampled over their flesh and blood and rushed straight to the palace. Screams erupted throughout the streets. Fortunately, they did not massacre the common people.

However, while they wouldn't actively attack civilians, if someone happened to be in their way, they were simply out of luck. Faced with such a situation, no one in the court could remain uninvolved. Patrolling soldiers quickly converged in that direction, and constables and yamen runners also gathered. They would stop them, even if it meant death!

What else could they do but start a riot? If they didn't stop it, they would definitely die if investigated afterward. If they did stop it, they would die but could receive generous compensation afterward. This was based on the premise that Jiang Yuan and his group failed. But even if they succeeded, if they were derelict in their duties, would the new emperor tolerate such a person who was not loyal to the emperor despite receiving the emperor's bounty?

Since I'm going to die either way, I might as well die in a meaningful way.

Even if Jiang Wang and his men launched their attack suddenly, the journey of less than twenty miles was destined to be filled with bloodshed and carnage.

The struggle for power is bound to be paved with countless corpses; one general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand!

At the same time, at the little princess's floating island, the two innate experts sent by Jiang Wang and his group to sabotage it soared into the sky. With only the two of them at the innate level, they were destined not to be able to destroy the floating island, which was at least a hundred meters in diameter, in a short time.

But they had already prepared the corresponding methods. While in the air, one of them took out a pitch-black dagger without hesitation. It was made of some unknown material and contained a powerful attack from Jiang Yuan, a master. Holding the dagger, he activated his true energy.

The dagger emitted a dark red light, dazzlingly bright, illuminating the sky. It flew out of the hand and transformed into a hundred-foot-long dark red blade of light, slashing towards the floating island. In front of that huge blade of light, the floating island, which was more than a hundred meters in diameter, was like a giant knife splitting a melon.

If this strike had landed, the floating island would have instantly crumbled, and that was merely a casual strike equivalent to that of a Grandmaster.

However, just as that terrifying blade of light was unleashed, a person clad in black armor appeared instantly at the edge of the floating island. He wore a black metal faceless mask, making it impossible to discern his face, age, or gender, and his gaze was silent and cold.

One of the Dark Dragon Guard members, he had been waiting here for a long time.

Despite having only a mid-to-upper-level innate cultivation, he showed no fear in the face of that terrifying blade of light that seemed to cleave the sky. A hint of pain flashed in his eyes, and in the blink of an eye, a grayish, palm-sized, broken scale appeared in his hand, with two cracks already on it, as if it would shatter at any moment.

If someone were knowledgeable, they would be able to tell that the tattered scales carried the aura of a dragon, clearly indicating that they had been specially processed and refined.

Without hesitation, he activated his innate true energy, causing the scales to gleam with dazzling lightning. The tree-branch-like current surged and spread, and a desolate and domineering dragon's roar seemed to resound between heaven and earth. From the surging plasma, a thunder dragon fifty or sixty feet long burst forth, baring its fangs and claws, and pounced on the blade light.

With a whoosh, the sky roared as if it were about to collapse, lightning flashed and blades gleamed, the air itself became distorted, and ripples of air waves spread outwards.

The entire process lasted only a breath. The domineering thunder dragon collapsed and disappeared, its already tattered scales completely shattered. In the end, it was no match for the soaring blade of light.

However, the blade light did not disappear; it only dimmed by eight-tenths, but its power was still not to be underestimated. After being blocked for a moment, it still slashed toward the floating island.

The Dark Dragon Guard, whose eyes showed no emotion, seemed to have known this would be the outcome all along. As he activated the dragon scale, he drew his jet-black longsword and charged down.

His body surged with true energy, and his protective techniques were activated, forming a three-zhang-tall, earth-yellow Xuan Turtle-like figure around his body. The long sword in his hand emitted a ten-zhang-tall, snow-bright blade light, and he slashed at the domineering blade light without hesitation.

In the blink of an eye, he unleashed dozens of slashes on the dark red blade light. Each slash weakened the blade light's power. After all, he wasn't a true master, so there weren't many variations or patterns to follow. However, dozens of slashes were already his limit, and in the end, the blade still struck him.

The longsword, radiating a blade of light, stood upright in front of him. The incoming blade light first crushed the Xuan Turtle figure outside his body, reducing its power by one point. Then, the blade of the longsword in his hand shattered, breaking off and slamming into his chest. The sound of the black gold armor breaking instantly rang out.

He was sent flying backward, crashing into the side of the floating island and embedding himself in it, creating a ten-meter-wide crater. Rocks flew everywhere, but fortunately, since they were above Mirror Lake, there was no concern that the rocks would cause a large number of innocent casualties.

Despite his all-out effort and the use of his greatest trump card, he ultimately failed to completely block that strike, which was merely a casual attack from Jiang Yuan, a technique comparable to that of a grandmaster.

In this way, the power of that strike was weakened to the extreme, but it was still a master's strike no matter what.

Boom~!

As countless people looked up in horror, a terrifying blade of light slashed down on the floating island from below, cutting in one-fifth of its length. Rocks flew everywhere, and a terrifying crack appeared, but ultimately it failed to destroy the floating island.

The floating island has been saved!
The next moment, the Dark Dragon Guard rushed out of the pit. His black gold armor was broken at the chest, and his chest and abdomen were collapsed. Countless ribs were broken, and blood was flowing under his mask.

Despite his severe injuries, there was no emotional fluctuation in his eyes. He fulfilled his mission and blocked the villains' attempt to destroy the floating island.

As long as he wasn't dead, he could still fight. Wearing tattered black gold armor and wielding a broken sword, he could still overpower the two innate bandits below!
"kill!"

He uttered the word coldly, and the broken sword once again shone with dazzling light. His body disappeared like a phantom, leaving only brilliant flashes of sword light in the sky.

The two men who came to destroy the floating island exchanged a glance, a hint of despair flashing in their eyes. They thought to themselves, "It's over. This was supposed to be an easy mission, but it went wrong. It will definitely have a serious impact on the outcome for King Jiang and the General."

But even though they were clearly catching them off guard and choosing randomly, who knew there would be such a formidable character here? And such a trump card, who recklessly blocked a blow.

What they didn't know was that no matter which floating island they went to, they would be stopped by members of the Dark Dragon Guard, and that was considered a relatively mild case.

The dragon that nearly killed Mr. Yushan was slaughtered, and ninety percent of its body fell into the hands of the royal family. The royal family's resources are beyond the imagination of ordinary people. With such rare materials, even without the intervention of a grandmaster, anyone with superb weapon-forging skills could find a way to unleash the dragon's remaining power and deliver a terrifying blow, but ultimately, it cannot compare to the methods of a true grandmaster.

However, the domineering attack was eventually weakened after the Dark Dragon Guards paid a heavy price, thus preventing the floating island from being completely destroyed.

Realizing the situation was hopeless, the two turned and ran without hesitation. But could they escape? No matter how badly injured they were, if they ran, the Dark Dragon Guards would no longer be worthy of the name...

On the other side, Jiang Li led a small elite force straight to the capital's main camp. As the core of the defense of the capital, the central command tent was not outside the city. If it were outside the city, how could they send troops to provide timely support if something happened? The procedures for entering the city and dispatching troops were complicated, and by the time they were done, it would be too late.

A group of people unexpectedly stormed into the military camp, led by Jiang Li. Like a sharp knife piercing straight into the central command tent, the troops, caught completely off guard, offered no respect whatsoever.

In the capital, a place of utmost importance, the commander would not abandon his post without authorization; Jiang Li and his men had a clear objective.

However, when they arrived outside the main tent, the tent was opened from the inside, and Marquis Jiang Jue, dressed in military attire, put down his book, looked up, and said leisurely, "Young General, I have been waiting for you for a long time!"

Seeing this, Jiang Li's gaze sharpened, but he did not back down in the slightest. His battle blade struck the tent with deadly force, and he said calmly, "General Jiang, I apologize for the offense. Perhaps you or your companions were prepared, but holding you off for a short while is enough!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jue raised an eyebrow. Even though he was on the opposite side, he couldn't help but look at Jiang Li with a hint of amazement.

This son truly lives up to his reputation as Jiang Yuan's most valued son. He is a young hero and a dragon among men, achieving great military exploits and being ennobled. Even knowing that the situation is unfavorable to him, he can still adjust his mindset instantly, clarify his purpose, and not be forced by the situation.

Anyone else would probably be completely lost by now, but he managed to grasp the key point: since he couldn't control the area, he would stall for time.

You are a man of great talent, why did you become a bandit?
Unfortunately, despite all your careful planning, everything was under His Majesty's control. Seven years ago, when Prince Jiang refused to leave the capital, His Majesty was already waiting to see what tricks his eldest son would play... (End of Chapter)