A Man in the Snow: Starting with a Sword Challenge to the Northern Liang Prince's Palace

Tai'an City.

The main hall of the imperial palace.

Beneath those glazed tiles, the old emperor Zhao Chun, sitting high on his dragon throne, looked utterly weary; he had truly grown old.

Since Ye Yun absorbed the fortune of Longhu Mountain and the Zhao family of Liyang, he has been aging at an extremely rapid pace.

Inside the hall, all the officials bowed their heads, creating an extremely solemn atmosphere.

Most of them have already taken sides, and there are undercurrents of tension.

At this moment, footsteps sounded outside the main hall, accompanied by the sound of armor, creating an extremely solemn and murderous atmosphere.

Gu Jiantang, dressed in full armor, walked in slowly, his expression calm, as if this were his home.

This was the first time Gu Jiantang had dared to enter the Li Yang Hall so arrogantly, with two men following behind him.

The officials' gazes instantly fell on Zhao Kai, filled with doubt and surprise.

What is Gu Jiantang up to? He actually brought the emperor's illegitimate son directly to the main hall. Is he planning a rebellion?

Zhao Chun, sitting high on the dragon throne, frowned, not quite understanding what Gu Jiantang was up to today.

Gu Jiantang stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I have come today to bring you good news."

"Oh! My dear minister, what brings you this joy?"

Zhao Chun took a deep breath and spoke, but a hint of unease appeared in his eyes.

"Your Majesty, this person is your own son, Zhao Kai."

"I believe he will be the future of Liyang. He possesses great strategic acumen and is a rare talent. If he were to ascend the throne, Liyang would surely prosper even more."

Gu Jiantang spoke with great confidence, his voice resounding throughout the entire hall.

"Gu Jiantang, how dare you!"

"Do you intend to rebel?"

"Your Majesty, I beg you to punish General Gu Jiantang for his great disrespect."

Before Zhao Chun could even speak, the civil and military officials in the hall had already begun to criticize him verbally and in writing.

Clang!

A sound of a sword being drawn rang out.

Zhao Kai swung his longsword at the civil official who had just spoken, and with a single blow, blood splattered across the hall.

"All you people do is point fingers and gossip. Are you looking down on me, Zhao Kai? Can't I be an emperor?"

"Let me tell you, your families, and the entire palace, are all under my control, Zhao Kai."

Zhao Kai's eyes were bloodshot, and blood was still dripping from the short knife in his hand. The once noisy hall was now filled only with the sound of Zhao Kai speaking.

This is an attempt to force a change of leadership and usurp power.

Zhang Julu, who was standing at the front, now had his gaze on Ye Yun, who was standing at the door.

Ye Yun felt his gaze and smiled at the Prime Minister of Liyang.

Zhang Julu thought to himself: Li Yang is probably finished. Ye Yun is going to help Zhao Kai seize the throne.

What a grand scheme! By joining forces with Gu Jiantang and choosing the early morning court session, they have gained control over all the civil and military officials in Liyang. It seems that the entire city of Tai'an is already in Gu Jiantang's hands.

Sitting high on the throne, Zhao Chun suppressed the turmoil in his heart; his trembling hands spoke volumes about his panic.

"General Gu, are you planning a rebellion?"

"Your Majesty, I am only worried about Your Majesty's health. Prince Zhao Kai is more suitable to be the Crown Prince. Your Majesty can rest assured that the former Crown Prince has agreed to abdicate. This is his blood oath."

Gu Jiantang took out a blood-written letter from his bosom; the bloodstains on it were still wet.

Zhao Chun closed his eyes tightly; his son must be dead.

"Father, rest assured, Liyang will become even more prosperous under my leadership."

Zhao Kai, carrying a short sword, slowly walked up to the main hall.

This was the first time he had seen his biological father so closely.

"Zhao Kai, you dare?"

Zhang Julu said angrily.

"So noisy!"

As Ye Yun's cold voice fell, a powerful pressure instantly descended upon the civil and military officials, forcing them all to kneel on the ground.

Only Zhao Chun at the very top was unaffected; a dragon aura swirled behind him, dispelling the oppressive force.

He was still the Emperor of Liyang, and even though he was in Tai'an City, he was still protected by dragon energy.

"Zhao Kai, I've said it before: those who achieve great things don't concern themselves with trifles. When it's time to cut ties, you must cut them off. Do you think he'll let you go if you don't kill him today?"

"Ye... Ye Yun... how dare you do this?"

Although Zhang Julu was a civil official, he still had integrity.

At this moment, all the civil and military officials who were still conscious heard Zhang Julu's words. This person was actually Ye Yun, who had killed Xu Xiao.

Zhao Kai actually colluded with the remnants of Western Chu, plotting to assassinate the emperor and rebel.

"Zhang Julu, your teacher is dead. Do you think the person above you wouldn't have tried to harm you before he died?"

Ye Yun's words pierced Zhang Julu's heart like a knife.

Once the rabbit is dead, the hunting dog is cooked.

This is the fate of so many subjects.

Zhang Julu laughed: "Zhao... Zhao Kai, you... are you really a fool? Do you really think... you can hold onto this emperor's throne?"

Ye Yun approached Zhang Julu and said, "If you support him, Li Yang's lifespan will be extended for a long time, and your Zhang family descendants can even become important officials in Li Yang. I'll give you three breaths to consider."

Zhang Julu glared angrily, his mind replaying everything.

Is the Li Yang Dynasty truly doomed to this calamity?

"Can a poor scholar enter the imperial court as an official?"

Zhang Julu asked a question that was irrelevant to the present.

"Everyone in the world can read books. The more chaotic the world is, the more it can cleanse everything. Any wish you haven't fulfilled can be realized with me."

Ye Yun spoke softly.

Zhang Julu smiled.

He accepted it all.

Ye Yun withdrew his oppressive aura, and Zhang Julu, now able to move again, kowtowed to Zhao Chun in the main hall, saying:

"Your Majesty, please forgive this old minister's disloyalty. I request that the throne be passed to Zhao Kai."

Upon hearing this, the vast imperial court fell into a deathly silence.

What's going on with Zhang Julu?

Could this be something he did in collaboration with Gu Jiantang?

Zhao Chun's face was ashen, and his guards, as well as Han Diaosi, Yang Taisui, and others, seemed to have vanished.

He then remembered that these two were the masters of Zhao Kai, the illegitimate son in front of him, and naturally they wouldn't help him.

"Zhao Kai! What are you waiting for?"

puff!

Zhao Kai plunged the short knife in his hand directly into Zhao Chun's abdomen.

Zhao Chun couldn't believe it. Staring at the short knife in his abdomen, he gripped Zhao Kai's shoulders tightly with both hands: "Zhao Kai, you really dared to kill your father."

"No... I won't... kill you, how could I have gotten this position?"

"Kill...kill...kill."

As if possessed, Zhao Kai frantically drew his short knife and repeatedly stabbed it into Zhao Chun's body. Blood splattered everywhere in the hall, and only Zhao Chun's agonizing cries could be heard.

All the civil and military officials witnessed it firsthand.

Even Gu Jiantang, a war god who had killed countless people on the battlefield, felt a pang of pity.

Only the giant deer present knew all of this.

It's all because of Ye Yun.

He is the real mastermind behind all of this.

A figure dressed in white, as white as snow, quietly entered the Li Yang Hall, followed by Man'er (Xu Longxiang), who was carrying a blood-dripping human head.

"Your puppet killed him."

Nangong Pu She said calmly.

The owner of the severed head was none other than Liu Haoshi, the gatekeeper of Liyang.

"Hmm, is your enemy dead?"

Ye Yun paid no attention to the civil and military officials in the hall and asked as if no one was there.

"He's dead. I've collected his head. Once I've gathered them all, I'll use them to pay tribute to my mother."

Nangong Pu She cast a grateful glance at her.

Ye Yun nodded, then said:

"General Gu, I'm entrusting the rest of Li Yang's affairs to you."

"Haha, Young Master Ye, go with peace of mind! With me here, Liyang will still be Liyang."

This time, Gu Jiantang truly became a figure second only to the emperor, above all others.

From now on, the entire Liyang will be under his control.

Zhao Kai will ultimately become a sinner against Li Yang.