Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

East Palace, 3:30 PM

Chu Ning stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back. The morning light shone through the carved window lattice, casting mottled shadows on his black python robe.

Zhao Yu knelt on one knee and repeated the conversation in front of the Taiji Hall word for word. The hall was so quiet that the ticking of a bronze clock could be heard.

"His Majesty said that Your Highness should personally arrange for the Grand Tutor to enter the mausoleum?"

When Zhao Yu looked up, he saw Chu Ning stroking the jade paperweight with his fingertips. The dragon patterns engraved on it had been polished to a shine.

"Ah."

Chu Ning suddenly chuckled, slamming the paperweight down on the table with a click. "Father, you want everyone in the world to see this. I even have to rely on the Crown Prince for my teacher's funeral."

As he turned, the hem of his robe blew in the wind. "Since we're going to play the role of a filial son and a virtuous grandson, we might as well put on a good show. Send five hundred soldiers to escort us, and have us walk along Suzaku Street around the city. Let the historians follow and record it."

Zhao Yu's pupils shrank slightly.

Suzaku Street is the most prosperous street in Kyoto City. It passes through the East and West Markets along the way. The news of the Grand Tutor's coffin being paraded through the streets like this will spread throughout the world tomorrow.

He clasped his fists in agreement, but as he was leaving the palace, he heard Chu Ning add, "Remember to cover the coffin with the apricot-yellow silk with dragon patterns—use the one that the emperor gave you last year."

Noon, Suzaku Street

The autumn midday sun made the bluestone slabs hot. Five hundred black-armored soldiers marched in neat steps to clear the way. The sound of horseshoes hitting the ground startled the sparrows under the eaves of the teahouse.

The two golden nanmu coffins were covered with bright yellow silk cloth, and the five-clawed golden dragon on them sparkled in the sun. The sixteen strong men carrying the coffins were even more grand than the prince's ceremony.

"Look! That's the Master's coffin!"

The shop assistant stood on tiptoe to peer in. "I heard that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has granted permission for him to be buried with the Emperor!"

The old man at the tea stall spat out a mouthful of tea leaves and said, "Pah! Yesterday you were hanging on the city gate to feed the crows, and now you're called a loyal hero?"

Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by the scholar at the next table: "Old sir, you are wrong. Even if the Grand Tutor has a thousand faults, he is still a veteran of three dynasties!"

A gray-clad peddler in the crowd suddenly interrupted, "You think the Crown Prince is kind and righteous? But Dugu Sheng once poisoned His Royal Highness!"

As he spoke, half of the Wei State's standard cowhide wrist guard appeared from his sleeve, and then quickly retracted.

In the private room on the second floor, a spy disguised as a Hu merchant was writing quickly on sheepskin with a charcoal pencil.

The flower seller opposite him had half a Han Palace token hidden at the bottom of his basket, and the beggar squatting at the alley entrance chewing on a pancake had the faint trace of the Tang army scout's unique tattoo on the back of his neck.

Three pairs of eyes simultaneously stared at the dragon-patterned silk on the coffin fluttering in the wind - the bright yellow background was so bright in the sunlight that it hurt people's eye sockets.

At noon, Anhua Gate

When the funeral procession reached the city gate, the guard hurriedly ordered the roadblocks to be removed.

Zhao Yu was riding his horse beside the coffin when he suddenly caught a glimpse of a cold light flashing in the shadow of the battlements.

He pretended to adjust the saddle, his left hand already on the hilt of the knife, but he saw a ragged child playing with the reflection of the bronze mirror.

"General?" The deputy general came closer in confusion.

Zhao Yu loosened the hilt of the knife and glanced at the crowd.

The peddler in gray was squatting in front of the wonton stall, seemingly drinking soup, but in fact there was mulberry paper rolled into a thin tube at the bottom of the bowl.

Hu Shang had somehow sneaked into the back of the funeral procession, and there was a miniature wax pill hidden in the copper buckle of the belt around his waist.

The flower seller had disappeared, leaving only a crushed branch of snow lily on the ground.

"Keep going." Zhao Yu gave the order in a cold voice, and the Xuanjia Army immediately changed their formation, protecting the coffin in the center.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a dark shadow flash by the teahouse window - it was the trajectory of a carrier pigeon's wings flapping.

3:00 PM - Official Road Crossing

The setting sun stretched the shadow of the coffin very long, and the team split up here: 300 people escorted the coffin and continued to move towards Zhaoling, while the remaining 200 people suddenly turned back.

The Tang spy hiding in the bushes was about to get up and follow, but was held down by his companions - there were more than ten Jinyiwei mixed in the returning team, and the secret pockets on their boots were bulging with caltrops, which were obviously specially prepared to capture scouts.

"Oh no, we've fallen into a trap, let's go!"

Tang Chaotanzi was suddenly shocked, and the leader shouted to run away quickly.

But the well-prepared Jinyiwei still captured the other party.

On a hill twenty miles away, a secret agent of the Wei State was using a bronze mirror to send signals to the distance.

At this moment, a team of Jinyiwei came behind them, and a fierce battle broke out between the two sides.

However, facing the well-prepared Jinyiwei, the Wei State's secret agent was no match. Knowing that he could not win, the Wei State's secret agent committed suicide immediately.

Still, their message got through.

On the other side, Han Chao's Tan Zi released the carrier pigeon and turned around to see Zhao Yu behind him.

"you……"

"Hmph, capture them alive, Lord Jia will pry open their mouths!"

At Zhao Yu's command, the Jinyiwei and the white horse cavalry immediately rushed forward.

Although the Han Dynasty's spies had good martial arts skills, they were still nothing compared to Zhao Yu and were eventually captured.

"Send it to Lord Jia immediately!"

East Palace·Beginning of the You Hour

Zhao Yu strode into the hall, his armor still stained with blood. He knelt on one knee, clasped his fists, and said in a deep voice:

"Your Highness, I have followed your instructions and intercepted seven spies from the Three Dynasties on the official road outside the city. Three of them resisted stubbornly and were killed on the spot. The remaining four are currently being held in the Jinyiwei prison."

Chu Ning was reviewing a memorial when he paused, his pen smearing red as cinnabar spread across the paper. He raised his eyes and sneered, his gaze as cold as a blade:

"We cleaned the city just last year, but I didn't expect them to be so relentless after three dynasties and send people to spy on us again."

He put down his pen, tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, and said in a cold voice, "Since they dare to come, let them never return."

He tilted his head slightly, his eyes deep, "Lord Jia is very skilled. I'm sure he can follow the clues and find their lair."

Just as he finished speaking, there was a sound of hurried footsteps outside the hall. Jia Yu opened the curtain and walked in, bowing and saying:

"Your Highness, the Han Dynasty spy has confessed."

Chu Ning raised his eyebrows slightly, motioning for him to continue.

Jia Yu pulled a confession from his sleeve and presented it with both hands. "According to Han Dynasty spies, they have set up a secret base in the backyard of the 'Drunken Immortal Tower' in the south of the city, using a wine shop as a cover to secretly transmit information. I have ordered the Jinyiwei to immediately arrest them. They must be captured in one fell swoop and no further trouble will be left."

Chu Ning took the confession, glanced at it, and a sneer appeared on the corner of his lips: "Well done."

He raised his eyes to look at Jia Yu, his tone grim, "As for the spies from the Tang Dynasty and the Wei Kingdom, do you have any clues?"

Jia Yu lowered his head slightly and said in a deep voice, "We have not yet found out the specific location of the enemy, but I have ordered people to conduct strict interrogations and send more secret guards to keep a close eye on any suspicious places in the city."

"I am confident that before the coronation ceremony, I will be able to uproot the hidden stings of these two dynasties!"

Chu Ning nodded with satisfaction, a glint of approval flashing in her eyes: "When Jia Qing does things, I always trust him."

He stood up, walked to the window with his hands behind his back, looked at the darkening sky, and said calmly, "This matter concerns the foundation of the country. We must act with caution and not alert the enemy."

Jia Yu clasped his fists solemnly and said, "I understand. I will definitely live up to your trust!"

Chu Ning waved her hand and said, "Go ahead. I'll be waiting for your good news."

Jia Yu bowed and retreated, and silence returned to the hall.

Chu Ning stared at the rising dusk outside the window, his eyes becoming even colder.

"Three dynasties of spies... Ha, I want to see how long you can hide."

This time we lured the snake out of its hole and it was very successful!

Next, of course, is the time to harvest.