Please call me Your Majesty!

Chapter 242 Night Emperor Appears

Chapter 242 Night Emperor Appears
Li Batian walked over quickly and took the package from the soldier.

This is a square object carefully wrapped in oil paper, and it feels hard when you pinch it.

He carefully opened the package, revealing a secret letter and a yellowed parchment map.

"interesting."

Li Batian unfolded the secret letter and looked through it carefully.

The handwriting on the secret letter was neat, obviously written by an educated person.

As he read further, his brows furrowed more and more.

"Send these things to your Highness immediately."

Li Batian rewrapped the secret letter and map and handed them to his most trusted personal soldier.

"Be careful on the road, this may be the key to cracking the Dark Night Cult's conspiracy."

……

Chu Shizhao was handling court affairs when he received the secret letter.

He unfolded the secret letter and took a quick glance at it, and he was shocked to find that the secret letter detailed the deployment of the Dark Night Cult on the border.

Not only did they establish secret strongholds everywhere, they also secretly won over warriors from various border tribes.

"These cunning guys..."

As he was speaking, a guard rushed in.

"Your Highness, an urgent secret report has come from the capital!"

Chu Shizhao took the secret report.

The secret report mentioned that someone spotted spies from the Cult of Dark Night moving around the palace, seemingly trying to find out something.

"It seems these rats are planning to attack both ends."

Chu Shizhao stood up and paced back and forth in the study.

After a moment, he picked up his pen and wrote two letters.

A letter to Li Batian, ordering him to continue monitoring the movements on the border.

The other letter was addressed to the capital's garrison, requesting that patrols be stepped up, especially around the imperial palace.

However, things were far more complicated than Chu Shizhao had imagined.

During the investigation, he discovered some strange traces, all of which pointed to a disturbing fact: the Dark Night Cult seemed to have an influential insider in the court.

"Sir, I have found some information."

A secret agent knelt in front of Chu Shizhao and said in a low voice, "The recent actions of the Dark Night Cult have happened to avoid the patrol points of the capital. This is definitely not a coincidence."

Chu Shizhao's eyes narrowed: "Go on."

"Moreover, every time their people enter or leave the capital, they carry a special pass token. This token..."

The spy hesitated for a moment before slowly saying, "Only important officials in the court are qualified to distribute them."

"who is it?"

Chu Shizhao asked coldly.

"According to my observation, it is very likely..."

Just as the spy was about to speak, he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and fell to the ground twitching.

Chu Shizhao quickly stepped forward to check, only to find that the spy was already dead.

He reached out and touched the spy's neck. It was cold and there was a tiny pinhole on it.

"What a cruel method."

The spy died in front of him. It was obvious that there must be an enemy spy around him.

Moreover, if what he guessed was correct, there might be spies from the Dark Night Cult even in the court.

Moreover, this traitor holds a high position and acts ruthlessly without leaving any trace.

Chu Shizhao shouted loudly, "Someone come!"

"What are your orders, Your Highness?"

"Tell Li Batian to return to the capital immediately and act in secret. No news can leak out."

Chu Shizhao ordered, “Also, send people to closely monitor all officials entering and leaving the capital, especially those related to border affairs.”

"As ordered!"

The guards took the order and left.

Chu Shizhao unfolded the parchment map again.

Most of the Dark Night Cult strongholds marked on the map are located in strategic locations on the border, making them easy to defend but difficult to attack.

If the Dark Night Cult is really colluding with officials in the imperial court, then their purpose is likely not just border harassment, but...

"Could it be that they want to attack the capital directly with the help of internal and external forces?"

Chu Shizhao's heart shuddered.

The thought gave him a chill.

Chu Shizhao hardly slept for the next few days.

While secretly investigating officials in the court, he was waiting for news from Li Batian.

Soon, Li Batian rushed back to the capital from the border.

"Your Highness, the situation at the border is not optimistic."

Li Batian's face was solemn. "The activities of the Dark Night Cult are becoming more and more frequent, and the number of tribal warriors they recruited is far beyond our expectations."

"You should have heard about what's going on in the court."

Chu Shizhao told Li Batian the news of the spy's death, "Now we must find the traitor as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences will be disastrous."

Li Batian cupped his hands, "Your Highness, I am willing to go through fire and water for you!"

Chu Shizhao nodded. "Next, you will secretly investigate the officials in the court, and I will be responsible for investigating the interior of the palace. We must dig out this traitor."

After the two discussed it, they began to act separately.

That night, Chu Shizhao was alone in the study, flipping through files.

Suddenly, a light sound of footsteps came from outside the door.

"Who?"

Chu Shizhao became alert.

The next moment, a thin figure pushed the door and slowly walked in.

The person who came was Chu Shizhao's personal maid Ruyan.

"Your Highness, it's so late, why haven't you rested yet?"

Ruyan walked in with a cup of hot tea.

Chu Shizhao took the teacup, but did not drink it. Instead, he put it on the table.

"Ruyan, how long have you been following me?"

Ruyan was slightly stunned, then smiled and said, "Your Highness, I have been serving you since I was a child, and it has been ten years."

"ten years……"

Chu Shizhao repeated the number.

Ten years is enough time for a person to hide many secrets, and it is also enough time for a person to develop deep feelings.

"Your Highness, what's wrong with you?"

Ruyan noticed Chu Shizhao looked strange and asked with concern.

Chu Shizhao did not answer, but picked up the teacup on the table and sniffed it gently.

A faint fragrance entered his nostrils. This fragrance...

Chu Shizhao put down the teacup, "Ruyan, what did you put in this tea?"

Ruyan was a little flustered.

"Your Highness, this is just ordinary calming tea. I made it especially for you."

Chu Shizhao sneered: "Calming tea? Do you think I will believe it?"

"Tell me! Who sent you?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the seemingly frail woman suddenly pulled out a dagger from her sleeve and stabbed Chu Shizhao in the chest.

"Sure enough!"

Fortunately, Chu Shizhao was prepared and dodged the dagger by leaning sideways, while kicking Ruyan in the abdomen.

Ruyan groaned, fell to the ground, and the dagger fell to the side.

Chu Shizhao approached Ruyan step by step, looking down at her: "Who ordered you to do this? Tell me, and I can kill you."

Ruyan held her stomach in pain.

"Since you don't want to drink my toast, don't blame me for being rude."

Chu Shizhao reached out and grabbed Ruyan's hair and dragged her to the desk.

"Somebody come!"

Chu Shizhao shouted outside the door.

Several guards rushed in immediately and were stunned when they saw the scene before them.

"Tie her up and interrogate her strictly! I want to see who is behind her!"

Chu Shizhao roared. The guards did not dare to neglect and immediately tied Ruyan up and dragged her away.

Chu Shizhao was the only one left in the study.

He never imagined that his most trusted maid would be a spy of the Dark Night Cult.

Just then, Li Batian hurried over.

"Your Highness, I have made an important discovery!"

Li Batian said excitedly, "We captured a member of the Dark Night Cult alive, and he gave out the name of the traitor!"

"who is it?"

Chu Shizhao stood up suddenly.

"Yes... the Minister of Revenue, Lord Wang!"

When Chu Shizhao heard the name, he was struck by lightning.

Lord Wang is an old minister of Emperor Yongjin. He has always been loyal and highly valued by Emperor Yongjin.

He could never have imagined that this seemingly loyal and honest old minister would actually be a traitor of the Dark Night Cult!
"impossible……"

Chu Shizhao muttered to himself.

"Your Highness, it's absolutely true! We have solid evidence!"

Li Batian said, "Lord Wang has used his position to secretly transfer military pay and food from the imperial court to the Dark Night Cult over the years, and also provided them with all kinds of intelligence."

Chu Shizhao was silent for a long time before he slowly said, "Pass the order down, arrest Lord Wang immediately, and no one is allowed to stop us!"

Li Batian took the order and left.

The capture of Lord Wang caused an uproar in the court and the country.

No one could have imagined that this respected old minister would actually be a traitor of the Dark Night Cult.

For a time, people panic.

Chu Shizhao personally interrogated Lord Wang.

However, Lord Wang refused to plead guilty and insisted that he was framed.

"Master Wang, the evidence is irrefutable. What else do you have to argue about?"

"Your Highness, I am innocent! I am loyal to the Emperor and would never betray the court!"

Lord Wang just kept shouting out his injustice.

"You are still acting now!"

Chu Shizhao shouted angrily, "Do you think you can fool everyone just by pretending to be so?"

"Your Highness, I really am..."

"enough!"

Chu Shizhao interrupted Lord Wang and said, "Come here, take Lord Wang to the prison and wait for your punishment!"

Next, Chu Shizhao stepped up his investigation into the Dark Night Cult.

However, the power of the Dark Night Cult is far greater than imagined.

Not only did they plant spies in the court, they also developed many believers among the people.

In order to completely eradicate the Dark Night Cult, Chu Shizhao ordered a nationwide search for Dark Night Cult members, and once discovered, they would be killed without mercy!

For a time, bloody storm swept across the entire Great Zhou.

Members of the Dark Night Cult were captured one after another, and their strongholds were destroyed one by one.

However, the leader of the Dark Night Cult never showed up, as if he had evaporated from the face of the earth.

Chu Shizhao knew that the leader of the Dark Night Cult was the real mastermind behind the scenes. As long as he was still at large, the Dark Night Cult could revive at any time.

"Li Batian!"

Chu Shizhao summoned all the generals, "We must find the leader of the Dark Night Cult as soon as possible and completely eradicate this cancer!"

"Your Highness, I am willing to serve you at your service!"

Li Batian and other generals said in unison.

Chu Shizhao nodded, glanced at everyone, and said in a deep voice: "This battle concerns the safety of the country and cannot afford to fail! Therefore, we must completely eliminate the Dark Night Cult this time!"

Everyone responded in unison: "Yes!"

……

To catch a thief, one must first catch the leader. Only by capturing the leader of the Dark Night Cult can this organization be completely dismantled.

According to the confessions of captured Dark Night Cult members, their leader was called "Night Emperor".

This person acts in secret and never shows his true face.

In order to lure the snake out of its hole, Chu Shizhao decided to lay out a bait - publicly executing Lord Wang.

He knew that Lord Wang was an important chess piece planted by the Night Emperor in the court, and the Night Emperor would never sit idly by.

On the day of the execution, the area around the execution ground was heavily guarded and the atmosphere was solemn.

Chu Shizhao sat upright on the high platform, looking down at Lord Wang who was kneeling below.

Lord Wang looked pale, but still refused to reveal any information about the Night Emperor.

"Execution!"

At Chu Shizhao's command, the executioner raised his butcher knife.

At this critical moment, a sharp arrow flew through the air and hit the executioner's wrist.

The butcher's knife fell to the ground, and Lord Wang luckily escaped.

Immediately afterwards, a group of men in black rushed out of the crowd and headed straight for the execution ground.

They are agile and have great martial arts skills, and are obviously the elite of the Dark Night Cult.

"Protect His Highness!"

Li Batian roared, drew his sword, and led dozens of elite guards to quickly protect Chu Shizhao.

"kill!"

Li Batian shouted loudly!
The guards responded in unison, their morale high.

The man in black walked lightly but with murderous intent hidden in his heart, and every movement revealed his ruthlessness.

As swords clashed, the area around the execution ground suddenly fell into chaos, and the shouts of killing shook the earth.

Chu Shizhao stood on the high platform, watching coldly the fierce battle below.

"Be careful, Your Highness!"

A guard shouted and swung his sword to block an arrow aimed at Chu Shizhao.

Li Batian led the charge and cut off the shoulder armor of a man in black with a sword. Blood splattered, but he didn't even frown.

"These guys are really risking their lives!"

Li Batian gritted his teeth and danced the long sword in his hand so fast that he could not get through, forcing back the approaching enemies one by one.

Although the men in black were numerous, it was obviously difficult for them to break through this iron-blooded defense line facing the well-trained guards.

Chu Shizhao narrowed his eyes slightly, thinking to himself, "You came just in time, Ye Di, you can no longer hide it."

At this moment, a low commotion came from the crowd in the distance, as if an invisible force was approaching.

The weapons in the guards' hands trembled slightly.

The men in black seemed to have received some kind of instruction and suddenly retreated together.

Then, a tall figure slowly walked out from the chaos, with steady steps and extraordinary momentum.

Chu Shizhao stared at the figure and whispered, "Emperor Ye..."

After waiting for so long, he finally showed up.

The purpose of publicly executing Lord Wang is to lure out this guy Ye Di.

Now it seems that the goal has been achieved.

At this moment, the figure slowly stopped.

The men in black around them lowered their heads subconsciously.

All those people showed fear of the black shadow.