Chapter 36: The Sudden Turn of Events

Night fell, dark and windy. Inside the desolate courtyard, a solitary lamp flickered incessantly.

"Lord Cao, please spare me! You cannot kill me. I performed a meritorious deed by reporting Pan Yu, and the Empress Dowager even rewarded me in the imperial court..."

Before the words could fade, a flash of cold light appeared. Blood instantly sprayed from Zhang Meng’s neck, and his severed head rolled onto the ground like a bloody gourd.

Cao Dahai wiped the blood from his blade and stepped on the head. He said in a deep voice, "Go. Leave none of Zhang Meng’s family alive!"

After saying this, he asked, "Have the others on the list been dealt with?"

His subordinate quickly replied, "Reporting to you, my lord, they have all been dealt with!"

Cao Dahai nodded with satisfaction and asked, "What about Yang Fei?"

The subordinate said, "I have already arranged for men to watch him. He should have arrived at Fan Dayou’s home by now!"

Upon hearing this, the corners of Pan Yu’s mouth curled into a smug smile...

Meanwhile.

Fan Dayou lay in bed with his eyes closed, as if asleep, but no one noticed that his hands were clenched tightly, his palms slick with sweat!

He had accepted the mission from Ning Chen and had prepared everything according to his instructions. After meeting the old master, he had even sent his wife and children away with the old master's help.

However, this mission was fraught with too many uncertainties.

He did not know whom the Empress Dowager would send to kill him, nor did he know if he could secure even the slightest chance to complete his mission!

Even the young Emperor had admitted that this mission was too dangerous, and his mentor, Master Kong, had even advised him to give up...

Suddenly!

With a gust of cold wind, a burly figure appeared in his room.

Fan Dayou bolted upright in shock: "Who is..."

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Xiao Anzi looked at Ning Chen anxiously: "Your Majesty, my men just received news that Cao Dahai and Yang Fei both met with the Empress Dowager separately. Although we don't know what they discussed, both of them left the palace shortly thereafter!"

"It should be just as you expected; they have already begun to act!"

Ning Chen frowned. Although things had gone exactly as he predicted, there was not a trace of joy on his face.

Perhaps sensing Ning Chen’s concern, Xiao Anzi whispered, "Your Majesty, do not worry. Lord Fan is a virtuous man and will surely be protected by heaven; nothing will happen to him!"

Ning Chen looked up at Xiao Anzi: "I hope so. I truly owe Fan Dayou too much..."

At the same time.

The lights in the Phoenix Palace were still lit. The Empress Dowager had not even removed her makeup, as if waiting for something.

"Your Highness, if both of them successfully complete the mission, whom will you choose to be the Commander of the Imperial Guard?" the old nanny asked respectfully in a low voice.

The Empress Dowager frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and said, "I do not want to see another Pan Yu."

The nanny smiled: "Indeed, Your Highness. That Cao Dahai is cut from the same cloth as Pan Yu—cruel, ruthless, treacherous, and cunning..."

The Empress Dowager snorted in disdain: "But he lacks Pan Yu’s handsome face!"

The nanny could not help but cover her mouth and laugh.

"Old thing, what are you laughing at..." The Empress Dowager rolled her eyes at her.

The nanny quickly explained, "The world is never short of handsome men. You are only thirty, Your Highness; you have many good years ahead of you, unlike this old servant..."

The Empress Dowager said crossly, "You old rascal, do you want me to find a handsome man to serve you, too?"

"I dare not, I dare not. Even if I had the heart, I no longer have the strength..."

Before the nanny could finish, the Empress Dowager said sternly, "Enough, this is not the time for such talk. If those on the list are removed and there is no unusual movement in the court, it means those rats are not among the officials!"

The nanny pondered, "Indeed. If they are not in the court, then it must be those vassal kings..."

The Empress Dowager suddenly sneered: "Then I shall eliminate them one by one..."

Just as she was speaking, the voice of the Chief Eunuch, Li Lianying, came from outside the door: "Your Highness, Cao Dahai is here, saying he has an urgent matter to report!"

The Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow: "Let him in!"

However, when Cao Dahai appeared before her, the Empress Dowager could not help but be stunned.

Cao Dahai was covered in wounds and looked utterly disheveled.

"What is the meaning of this? I only sent you to kill a few people. How did you end up like this?" the Empress Dowager asked in a deep voice.

Cao Dahai slammed his head against the floor, a grown man weeping openly: "Your Highness, I beg you to seek justice for me!"

The Empress Dowager’s brow furrowed, her expression turning gloomy: "Justice? What justice? What on earth happened?"

"Did you fail the mission I entrusted to you?"

Cao Dahai quickly said, "That is not it, Your Highness. I have successfully completed the tasks you gave me."

"But... but Yang Fei, he..."

The Empress Dowager frowned, an ominous feeling washing over her: "Yang Fei? What about Yang Fei?"

"Reporting to you, Your Highness, you ordered me to monitor Yang Fei, and I did so."

"But I discovered that he did not assassinate Fan Dayou. Furthermore, he even tried to let Fan Dayou escape!" Cao Dahai said, trembling.

*Slap!* The Empress Dowager slammed the table and rose, shouting, "What? Yang Fei is going to let Fan Dayou go?"

"He has some nerve!"

But soon, the Empress Dowager seemed to think of something. She sat back down, her expression returning to calm, though her tone remained chilling:

"What is going on? Where is Yang Fei?"

Cao Dahai quickly replied, "Reporting to you, Your Highness, after my men informed me of this, I immediately led them there."

"I blocked them at the entrance of Fan Dayou’s home. To stop him from letting Fan Dayou escape, I fought Yang Fei."

"It is my incompetence; I could not defeat him, and I had no choice but to flee back here..."

The Empress Dowager frowned, saying in a low voice, "Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

"How could Yang Fei do such a thing?"

With that, she stared intently at Cao Dahai: "Cao Dahai, you should know the consequences of lying to me!"

Upon hearing this, Cao Dahai knocked his head repeatedly, crying out: "I am wronged, Your Highness! Even if I had a hundred lives, I would not dare lie to you!"

"Wait! They must not have escaped the capital yet!"

"Your Highness, if you send men to capture them and interrogate them, you will know the truth. I truly am not lying..."

Watching Cao Dahai’s tearful performance, the Empress Dowager looked at him with disdain.

"Very well. I order you to lead your men immediately and bring Yang Fei and Fan Dayou back!"

"Remember, at any cost, you must bring them back alive!"

Seeing this, Cao Dahai quickly accepted the order: "Yes, Your Highness!"

After Cao Dahai left, the nanny could not help but whisper, "Your Highness, this happened so suddenly. Why does this whole thing feel strange?"

"Yang Fei has no connection to Fan Dayou. Why would he suddenly let him go?"

The Empress Dowager frowned: "Either Yang Fei is the problem, or Cao Dahai is."

"Go, notify the four battalions of the capital immediately. Have them seal every entrance and exit of the city. Bring them back alive!"

"No matter who is at fault, once we capture them, we will have our answer!"

On the other side.

Xiao Anzi rushed to Ning Chen, saying anxiously: "Your Majesty, my men report that Cao Dahai just met with the Empress Dowager alone. Shortly after, he left in a hurry. He must have received some order!"

Ning Chen frowned: "No word from Fan Dayou?"

Xiao Anzi shook his head: "No. Our men outside the palace have also lost track of Fan Dayou..."

Ning Chen was taken aback: "What happened?"

"How did it come to this?"

Ning Chen paced back and forth, his expression growing increasingly grave.

He knew clearly that whether his plan would succeed depended on tonight!

And the outcome of tonight was of utmost importance!

The position of Commander of the Imperial Guard controlled thirty thousand troops in the imperial city!

If he could control these thirty thousand troops, it meant he would truly have the foundation and capital to confront the Empress Dowager!

If his previous plan to make the Empress Dowager declare that the Emperor would never be deposed was merely to buy time and save his own life, then mastering these thirty thousand guards was the moment he would truly sound the horn of counterattack!

But why had Fan Dayou completely vanished?

The plan was clearly not supposed to be like this!

Had the person recommended by Master Kong really caused a problem?

Thinking of this, a sense of foreboding washed over Ning Chen.

If that person had indeed failed, then not only would Fan Dayou be finished, but Master Kong and even he himself would be doomed!

All his previous efforts and schemes would be in vain!

At this thought, his gaze turned incredibly dark: "Xiao Anzi, go. Tell everyone in the Eastern Depot to be on standby from this moment on!"

"If any accident occurs, we shall fight to the bitter end..."