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

The night is dark and the moon is cold.

Ling Haoran, accompanied by more than ten runners from the Ministry of Justice and four imperial guards, quietly approached a side hall in the northwest corner of the imperial palace.

This palace is far away from the harem and few people visit it on weekdays, but at this moment it has become a key place for arrest.

"All yamen runners, block the exit from here. The rest of the imperial guards, follow me in!"

Ling Haoran gave the order in a low voice. Although his voice was soft, it was filled with unquestionable majesty.

The yamen runners quickly dispersed and surrounded the front and back doors and side windows of the side hall, with their swords drawn and bows strung, ready for battle.

The four imperial guards followed Ling Haoran closely, their hands on the hilts of their swords, their eyes as sharp as hawks, ready to strike at any time.

The hall was originally silent, but the noise outside eventually alarmed the people inside.

Not long after, the palace door was pushed open with a creaky sound, and a man dressed in eunuch's clothes walked out slowly.

This man was holding a dustpan and had a fair face. Although he was over fifty years old, he was well maintained and looked no more than forty years old.

This person was none other than the former chief eunuch, Zhao Ming.

Because the previous emperor had abdicated and was still alive, this person remained in the palace.

"Isn't this Lord Ling? Why are you here? What's the important matter?" Zhao Ming smiled slightly, his tone calm, as if he just met an old friend by chance.

Ling Haoran stared at him coldly with a glare as sharp as a knife, and said, "Manager Li, how are you? I wonder if you're getting used to living here?"

Zhao Ming heard this, his smile not diminishing: "I have been free for a while now, and I have the energy to do what I like."

After a pause, he asked again, "Master Ling hasn't explained the purpose of coming here tonight."

Ling Haoran stopped talking nonsense and got straight to the point: "I'm sure Steward Li knows about Divine Doctor Sun's assassination attempt, right?"

A barely perceptible cold light flashed across Zhao Ming's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and said with a smile:

"Of course I know about this important matter, but what does it have to do with Lord Ling's coming here tonight?"

Ling Haoran sneered and said, "Someone pointed out that when His Majesty summoned Divine Doctor Sun to the palace that night, Eunuch Li happened to be outside the palace."

He paused, his tone suddenly sharp: "This matter is of great importance. Please ask Eunuch Li to accompany me to the Ministry of Justice for investigation."

Zhao Ming frowned as he heard these words, a hint of vigilance flashing in his eyes. "Does Your Majesty know about this?"

Ling Haoran nodded slightly: "I have already told His Majesty, and His Majesty has agreed."

Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Ming's expression suddenly changed, and his originally kind face instantly became as gloomy as ice.

He suddenly shook off the dust and retreated quickly like a ghost, shouting at the same time: "Ling Haoran, don't even think about taking me!"

"Trying to escape? Catch him!"

Ling Haoran shouted loudly, and the four imperial guards immediately drew their swords and rushed forward, their swords flashing like snow, heading straight for Zhao Ming.

Zhao Ming sneered, shook the dustpan in his hand, and swept it out like a steel whip. With a "snap", he actually deflected the blade of a guard.

His body was as fast as lightning. With a tap of his toes, he rose into the air like a night owl and jumped directly onto the eaves of the side hall.

"What a fast movement!" Ling Haoran was shocked. He didn't expect Zhao Ming's martial arts skills to be so high.

Six guards followed closely behind, jumping onto the roof one after another. Amidst the flashing of swords and sabers, the two sides engaged in a fierce battle.

Zhao Ming fought against six people alone, but he was not at a disadvantage at all. The dust in his hand flew like a snake, sometimes lashing like a whip, sometimes stabbing like a sword, his moves were strange and unpredictable.

"Bang!" A guard was hit in the chest by the dust, groaned, and fell from the roof.

Seeing this, another guard roared and swung his sword, but Zhao Ming dodged it sideways and swept the dust with his backhand, forcing him back directly.

Ling Haoran stood below, his face as gloomy as water.

He originally thought that Zhao Ming was just an old eunuch, but he didn't expect him to have such skills. No wonder he could lurk in the palace for many years without revealing any flaws.

Seeing that the battle was going to be disadvantageous, Zhao Ming suddenly sneered, and with a flash of his body, he rushed out of the encirclement of six guards and ran along the roof towards the outside of the palace wall.

"Oh no!" Ling Haoran's heart sank. If Zhao Ming escaped from the palace, it would be difficult to catch him again.

Just as Zhao Ming was about to climb over the palace wall, a white figure dropped from the sky like a meteor, holding a dragon-like spear in his hand, piercing Zhao Ming's back!

"Eunuch Li, please stay!" The man shouted coldly. It was the commander of the imperial guards - Zhao Yu!

Zhao Ming was shocked and turned around hastily to block. The dust collided with the spear, sparks flying everywhere.

Zhao Yu's spear skills were sharp. He used the "Green Dragon Emerging from Water" move to strike Zhao Ming's throat, forcing him to retreat repeatedly.

"Zhao Yu?" Zhao Ming gritted his teeth and shouted, "You want to stop me too?"

Zhao Yu sneered: "Following the orders of His Majesty, arrest the traitor!"

Before he finished speaking, he swung out his spear again, and the spear shadows were like rain, and every move was deadly.

Zhao Yu shook his spear, and the tip of the spear shone like a star, aiming straight at Zhao Ming's throat.

Zhao Ming retreated quickly, sweeping the dust across, and actually swept it away the moment the gun tip touched his skin.

"Dang!" The sound of metal clashing pierced the night sky - it turned out that the dust handle was made of fine steel!

"Good marksmanship!"

Zhao Ming chuckled sinisterly and suddenly shook off the dust. Three thousand silver threads wrapped around the gun barrel like a poisonous snake spitting out its tongue.

Zhao Yu flipped his wrist, and the gun body spun rapidly, and the silver wire was instantly tangled into a tangled mess.

The two men's internal forces collided, and tiles shattered under their feet.

Zhao Ming suddenly changed his tactics, and Fu Chen, acting as the judge, pointed directly at Zhao Yu's Tanzhong acupoint.

Zhao Yu did not dodge or give way, but raised the butt of his gun and deflected the fatal blow with a "bang".

Amidst the flying tiles, Zhao Yu suddenly used a "backstab" attack. The spear turned over like a python and hit Zhao Ming's knee hard.

The sound of bone breaking can be clearly heard.

Zhao Ming staggered and knelt, but threw out three bone-piercing nails with his backhand.

Zhao Yu's spear danced like a pear blossom, and all of them were shot down with a "ding ding ding" sound.

The last bullet was picked up by the tip of the gun and stabbed into Zhao Ming's own shoulder!

Although Zhao Ming was a martial arts master, he gradually fell into a disadvantage under Zhao Yu's fierce attack.

"boom!"

A sweep of the gun hit Zhao Ming's chest hard. He groaned and staggered back.

Zhao Yu seized the opportunity and stabbed Zhao Ming's right shoulder with his spear like lightning!

"puff!"

Blood splattered everywhere, Zhao Ming cried out in pain, and could no longer hold on, falling from the roof.

"Take it!"

Ling Haoran shouted loudly, and several guards rushed forward, pinned Zhao Ming down, put iron chains on him, and completely subdued him.

Zhao Ming was pinned to the ground, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes still held resentment and malice:

"Ling Haoran, do you think that arresting me will resolve this matter? Haha...you are too naive!"

Ling Haoran looked at him coldly and said, "Take him away and interrogate him strictly!"

The guards escorted Zhao Ming and quickly left the side hall and headed straight for the Ministry of Justice's prison.

Ling Haoran stood there, looking at Zhao Mingyuan's back, his brows furrowed.

Zhao Yu stepped forward and whispered, "Master Ling, there might be someone behind this man."

Ling Haoran nodded: "Yes, what he said just now clearly implies that this matter is not over yet."

Zhao Yu pondered and said, "I will send more people to investigate any suspicious individuals in the palace."

Ling Haoran took a deep breath and said, "Thank you, Commander Zhao."

The night breeze blew by, bringing a hint of coolness.

Ling Haoran looked up at the dark night sky and thought to himself, "This storm has just begun."