Patrol Captain

As night deepened and the night grew more than halfway through, the hustle and bustle within the mansion gradually subsided.

In the inner courtyard, there is a council hall, which is the central hub of the royal palace. People are gradually stepping into this core of power in Northern Liang.

A group of dark figures sat on either side of the council hall, exuding an aura of authority and carrying an inexplicable sense of oppression.

As the candlelight flickered, key figures from the Northern Liang Dao arrived at the hall one after another.

Inside were Yan Sun, who was in charge of the Prince's mansion; the commander in charge of the Prince's Guard; several fierce generals of the Northern Liang Army; a deputy commander of the Zhenfu Division; several martial arts masters whose every move could shake the Northern Liang martial arts world; and several heads of aristocratic families, including Lu Zhengming, the head of Qingfeng Pavilion.

These are all people deeply connected to the Northern Liang Royal Palace!

The Prince's Mansion has been operating in this Hexi region for many years, and its control over the Beiliang Road is now all-pervasive. Even the Daofu Division, which is directly under the imperial court, is already riddled with holes.

"The young master has arrived!" a low voice announced from outside.

All the distinguished figures present turned their gazes toward the entrance, their eyes gleaming.

Soon, "tap, tap, tap," the sound of footsteps rang out.

Backlit, a figure stepped through the door, his black brocade boots treading across the threshold, the night dew on the soles of his boots dripping onto the blue bricks, spreading out a small dark water stain, the sound particularly clear in the hall.

"Dear uncles and elders, how have you been?"

A soft laugh rang out.

A young man dressed in a dark-patterned brocade robe stepped out. He had a refined and handsome appearance, with high and clear brow bones, and the ends of his eyebrows were slightly upturned, like a sharp blade lightly brushed by an ink brush, exuding a sharpness that could not be taken lightly.

Some people in the hall raised their eyebrows upon hearing the tone of this person's voice and glancing at him.

Xiao Ye, the thirteenth son of the prince, is usually a dull and unassuming man. It is said that he is the least favored by the prince, but it is surprising that he eventually became the heir apparent.

It seems everyone underestimated him.

But does anyone know that this newly appointed heir is no ordinary person?

"The young prince's clear voice is truly admirable!"

"The scene the young master put on at the guest house tonight was so skillful that he made even the dignified elders of Dongxuan Mountain bow their heads!"

"Furthermore, they have gained leverage over this mountain, turning them into fish on a chopping board. What happens to them in the future is entirely up to the young master."

A burst of laughter rang out.

The speaker was a refined scholar with a lean face and eyebrows that slanted upwards like ink paintings. He wore a brocade robe with a dark pattern of clouds and cranes, with black brocade trim on the collar and cuffs. He wore a jade belt with a black jade buckle around his waist and black boots with cloud patterns. Although the fabric of his clothes was not ostentatious, the details revealed his extravagance.

This man appears refined and elegant, but he is actually the head of Qingfeng Pavilion, the number one business in Beiliang, and the father of Lu Yuanjun. He is very powerful and ranks high in the hall.

Crown Prince Xiao Ye strode in, facing the gazes of the group of powerful figures from Northern Liang. He offered the armrests to the Pavilion Master as a sign of respect, then lowered them, his eyes revealing no concealment of his sharpness and shrewdness.

"Our Northern Liang cavalry has swept across the thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions; wherever our might points, none dare disobey."

"What can be done about Dongxuan Mountain?"

At this point, the prince raised his eyebrows and let out a cold laugh.
"My father is unwilling to direct his troops against his own people and has shown favor to his subjects, but some people are ungrateful and shameless. As his son, I naturally want to help my father solve his problems."

"Now, let's see how smart they are."

Then his tone changed, his sharpness vanished, and he put on a smile, saying to the Pavilion Master of Qingfeng Pavilion.
“Your young master is a man of great appearance and temperament, and he is compatible with me. He also contributed to this matter, and we should definitely keep in touch in the future. I’m afraid I will have to trouble you, Master Lu.”

Upon hearing this, the Pavilion Master of Qingfeng Pavilion smiled broadly and said, "Not at all, not at all."

He held this newly appointed heir in even higher regard.

The others also gleaned a lot from the prince's brief conversation. He was shrewd and resourceful, showing no fear in front of everyone and humble himself to please the Qingfeng Pavilion Master.

It's pleasing to the eye!
This is their assessment of the newly appointed crown prince.

Soon, the new crown prince walked to the front of the hall. There was an empty seat to the left of the main seat. At this moment, even though the crown prince was quite shrewd, he was still a little excited when he saw this seat.

That is the throne of power!
The power of the entire Northern Liang Dynasty is second only to the emperor, above all others!
He was even relieved that his brother had died a good thing.

However, he still managed to control his excitement and humbly bowed to the people seated near the throne.

"Chief Secretary Yan!"

"Commander Wang!"

General Fan

These were all his father's right-hand men who had followed him for many years, and as the newly enthroned crown prince, he had to maintain the proper courtesy and respect.

He understood all this.

Yan Sun looked at the new crown prince, nodded, and said, "Not bad."

To be honest, even he misjudged this thirteenth young master. There were too many young masters in the manor, and this one was unknown and received little attention.

While his brothers were vying for the position of heir apparent, sending people to curry favor with the imperial envoy and the Imperial Clan Court, the thirteenth prince, instead of the other brothers who were trying to curry favor with the prince, approached him directly and asked for a chance. He was very decisive.

The prince gave him a chance to purge some disobedient people.

Unexpectedly, this thirteenth young master actually succeeded with a group of martial arts experts.

At this time, the strength of this thirteenth young master gradually came to light. Over the years, this young master had been traveling around the martial arts world under an alias and had also established an assassination organization, secretly building up a lot of connections in the martial arts world.

It must be said that this young master had been lying low for many years, waiting for this one opportunity, and he acted decisively and swiftly.

Thus, he seized the position of heir apparent!

The scene at the guesthouse tonight was orchestrated by this Thirteenth Young Master.

Establish our authority by capturing Dongxuan Mountain!

As soon as the newly appointed Crown Prince Xiao Ye sat down, the palace doors slammed shut with a bang. Instantly, the candlelight flickered, and the atmosphere in the hall became solemn. All the dignitaries present focused their gazes on the throne.

At this moment, Chief Secretary Yan Sun rose from his seat, faced the people in the hall, touched the armrests, his long sleeves drooping down, then lowered his hand, his voice soft and low.
"The reason I have summoned you all here today is firstly to allow the Crown Prince to meet you all."

"Secondly, I would like to convey some matters to everyone on behalf of the Prince!"

Upon hearing this, the eyes of everyone present flickered with a hint of doubt, but no one interrupted. They straightened their expressions and listened attentively.

Yan Sun's gaze was intense, and he took a step forward.

"The current court is unstable, and the world is in turmoil. As you all know, the border regions of Shu are in constant turmoil. Demons and monsters are rampant underground, and celestial beings are descending from the sky. Countless powerful people have died or been injured, not to mention the common people. Refugees are rising everywhere, and there is widespread resentment."

"The court is rife with treacherous officials, and the order has collapsed. The failure to act in the past has led to the disastrous consequences we see today."

"Sichuan and Northern Liang are separated only by a narrow strip of water. If chaos breaks out in Sichuan, the innocent will be caught in the crossfire and Northern Liang will not be able to escape."

"Therefore, after careful consideration, His Highness has decided to integrate all available resources in Northern Liang and await the opportune moment, and has ordered everyone to make preparations as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, a series of low gasps and gasps filled the hall. Whether they were venerable elders of noble families or renowned figures in the martial arts world, all wore expressions of surprise. This was only because they possessed considerable composure; those who were less composed would probably have jumped right out of their chairs.

Look at what they're saying. On the surface, they're saying they're worried about chaos in Shu, which could affect Beiliang, so they're consolidating their forces and making preparations in advance. But nobody's a fool. What they're really saying is that they're criticizing the court for its corrupt officials and the collapse of order, and that the royal family needs to consolidate its forces to wait for the right time. It's just that they haven't revealed the truth yet.

Some people couldn't sit still any longer.

After all, even if they were deeply involved with the Prince's Mansion, they weren't fools who acted impulsively. They had to weigh the pros and cons. Some of them had been in contact with the Prince's Mansion for a long time and knew some rumors.

But this was a prince's residence. Some people had shifty eyes and looked like they wanted to say something, but no one spoke first, and the atmosphere became strangely quiet again.

"What? Is it so difficult to get you all to do things?" Yan Sun asked with a slight smile, looking at the Pavilion Master of Qingfeng Pavilion.

"Sect Master Lu, what do you have to say?"

"It is only right for me, Lu, to contribute to Beiliang. But how exactly do you intend to integrate these forces?" Pavilion Master Lu was a composed person. He remained calm and collected when "called out."

"Naturally, those who obey will stay, and those who disobey will be framed and disposed of," Yan Sun said casually.
"Just like Dongxuan Mountain today."

"If they weren't smart, they would be held accountable for their disciple's collusion with the Western Region barbarians to assassinate the crown prince. It's that simple."

These two simple sentences sent a chill through the hall.

"Yan Changshi makes it sound so easy. Don't blame me for speaking the truth. The Prince commands a million soldiers, and almost no one dares to challenge him. But dealing with Dongxuan Mountain alone is troublesome enough. As far as I know, Dongxuan Mountain, as the number one grotto heaven in Beiliang, only has the mountain lord holding the Dragon and Tiger titles on the surface. But in secret, there are one or two Dragon and Tiger old monsters. On the battlefield, they are no match for the Beiliang Iron Cavalry led by the Prince. But if they want to leave, you can't stop them. Besides, they are not stupid. They can't just wait for you to come and fight them."

"And this is just one!"

"I'm afraid that before things are even settled, our Northern Liang will be thrown into chaos."

The speaker was a renowned figure in the martial arts world, with a powerful voice and a reputation spanning two decades. He possessed the strength of a half-step Dragon-Tiger, and with a cold snort, he spoke frankly and truthfully.

The others nodded, also feeling that Yan Sun's words were too confident.

After all, Beiliang is so vast that it's unrealistic to expect those unrestrained martial arts sects to submit.

Moreover, no one discussed what would happen if the matter escalated and provoked a reaction from the imperial court. However, this was a sensitive topic, so everyone maintained a tacit understanding.

Yan Sun remained unperturbed by the rebuttal, his expression unchanged.
"Everyone, don't be so quick to back down. If His Highness wasn't confident, do you think he would have done this?"

"Moreover, the imperial court is currently too busy to attend to anything else. The Shu region has already tied them down, so the Northern Liang is now the prince's responsibility."

"Besides, things can't be accomplished in one go. We need to set some examples, intimidate some people, and win over others. Do I really need to teach you all this?"

"This is an opportunity for you and your families!"

"Let's see if you can catch them!"

Some people were surprised and doubtful, but felt that this matter was a bit rough and not like the prince's style.

"You have the final say!"

"Let the prince speak to us!"

"Where is the prince?"

Amidst the clamor, a towering figure suddenly appeared atop the throne in the main hall, his imposing aura silencing the entire room.

Then, with a clatter, all the bigwigs of Beiliang rose and bowed towards the throne, showing utmost respect.

"Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty!"

"."

The prestige of the King of Northern Liang was fully displayed at this moment, like a fierce tiger sitting in front of him.

The actual ruler of Beiliang merely glanced at everyone, reassuring them.

"You may go ahead and do it; I will take full responsibility for the rest."

"Even if the imperial court's martial arts master is mobilized, I can guarantee peace."

As the deep voice fell, a small golden seal appeared in Xiao Zhongtian's hand.

The appearance of this seal was like a bright moon appearing in the darkness. The small seal trembled, and a wisp of golden light rippled outwards, along with an unparalleled aura of heart-pounding energy that swept downwards.

For a moment, everyone in the hall seemed to have seen something terrifying. Their hearts pounded as if struck by a heavy blow, and they staggered backward, their minds filled with horror.

This thing makes them as small as fireflies!
Holy weapon?

But I have a vague feeling that it's even more terrifying than a holy weapon!
Those with ambition in their hearts, their eyes burning with desire, immediately realized this was truly an opportunity, and without the slightest hesitation, they knelt down.

"We humbly obey Your Highness's decree!"

"I will obey Your Highness's orders."

In an instant, everyone in the hall bowed their heads in reverence!

The following day was the day the Crown Prince of Northern Liang was officially appointed.

At dawn, the sun rises and the light gradually brightens.

At the front square of the Northern Liang Royal Palace, a red carpet was laid out, stretching from the temple all the way to the end of the street outside the palace. The entire city of Liangzhou was almost deserted, with crowds of people packed tightly on the street outside the palace to witness this grand spectacle.

Above the square, in front of the main hall of the Prince's Mansion, there was a huge four-legged censer with incense burning brightly. Xu Liang, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, stood there with a solemn expression, dressed in a scarlet court robe and holding a gilded staff, reciting a sacrificial petition to Heaven and Earth.

The newly appointed crown prince, dressed in his crown prince robes, burned incense, knelt in worship, and recited the eulogy under the guidance of the Left Clan Court official.

On the steps behind, drums and music resounded, and the officials of the royal palace stood in order. Around the square, the Northern Liang army, clad in armor and with curved swords at their waists, stood solemnly behind, their armor reflecting light and their court robes gleaming. The sound of ceremonial music echoed through the sky.

The ceremony concluded with the Crown Prince reciting the eulogy, and the Crown Prince was officially recognized. Guests then entered to offer their congratulations and pay homage.

At the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), outside the main gate of the Prince's Mansion, the master of ceremonies, holding a gilded list, announced the program in a clear and resonant voice that echoed throughout the mansion.

"Lord Wenyuan has led a thousand precious steeds to offer his congratulations!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of guards dressed in dark, close-fitting clothes led a magnificent beast with the body of a dragon-horse and the body of a fiery red-golden dragon through the gate of the palace. On the beast sat a middle-aged man wearing a Qilin robe, with a resolute face and an imposing presence, which drew attention from the people on the street outside.

"The Northern Desert Envoy, Bashan! Brings a thousand precious horses and ten thousand cattle and sheep as a congratulatory gift!" Another commotion arose as a group of Western Region envoys, wearing fur hats and nomadic clothing, arrived.

Then came the announcements, each one from a prominent figure in Northern Liang, causing a stir each time.

Those who are officially invited to attend the ceremony and announce the news are basically all these people.

However, not long after, the announcements outside suddenly turned into a commotion, with shouts, the sound of drawing knives, and cries of alarm. Then all of this came to an abrupt halt, followed by a slightly stuttering voice!

"Chen Yuan of Jiannan Circuit brings a severed head as a congratulatory gift!" (End of Chapter)