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

With heavy and resolute hearts, everyone left Li Bi's residence quietly and one after another, like drops of water blending into the night, leaving no trace.

Li Bi was the only one left in the bedroom again, with the lingering smell of blood and the piercing pain.

He lay on the bed, his brain working rapidly, repeatedly pondering every detail of the plan he had just made.

Mobilizing troops, disguising grain transportation, and seizing city gates, every step is like dancing on the edge of a knife, and there is no room for error.

The most crucial thing is the communication with the outside of the city.

The plan must be informed to Chu Ning as soon as possible, and the signal and time must be agreed upon so that we can work together inside and outside.

Just as he was enduring the severe pain and thinking about how to contact the Jinyiwei safely, there was a light knock on the bedroom door, and the old butler's worried face poked in.

"master……"

The butler's voice was extremely low, with a hint of nervousness: "Outside... there's a man in black asking to see me, claiming to be an old friend."

Li Bi's heart suddenly jumped!

Man in black?

Jinyiwei?

They actually came to me on their own initiative?

This is too much of a coincidence!

Is it a coincidence, or has his residence been under their close surveillance for a long time?

A chill ran down my spine, but was immediately replaced by an eagerness to "help me!"

In any case, the other party showed up on his own initiative, saving him the trouble of risking his life to look for him.

"Quick! Please come in! Be careful, don't let anyone see you!"

Li Bi gave orders hurriedly, his voice a little hoarse with excitement.

The butler took the order and left.

Not long after, the secret door of the bedroom was silently pushed open, and a familiar black shadow slid into the room like a ghost. It was the captain of the Jinyiwei who had met him before.

He was still wearing night clothes, his face hidden in the shadows, only his sharp eyes flickered with a cold light in the dim candlelight.

As soon as the captain came in, his eyes first fell on Li Bi who was lying on the couch.

Looking at the faint bloodstains between his buttocks and legs and his pale and distorted face, Qianhu's mouth corners slowly curled up into an undisguised, sarcastic arc.

He did not speak immediately, but slowly walked to the bed and looked down at Li Bi's miserable condition, as if he was admiring an interesting object.

After a long while, he spoke slowly in a tone of teasing and pity:

"Tsk tsk tsk, Lord Li, it's only been a few days since we last met. How come you're in such a state?"

His voice was like a venomous snake, cold and sticky:

"Look at this wound. Thirty strokes of the cane. That must be painful, right? I heard it was the Empress Dowager Cixi, to whom you once served, who personally ordered it."

He shook his head and pretended to sigh: "Oh, it's really chilling."

"Thinking of you, Lord Li, you are at least an important official of the Han Dynasty. Even if you have no merits, you have worked hard."

"Just because of a minor incompetence, he was tortured like this and nearly lost his life."

"How can this be the act of a wise leader? It's clearly the behavior of a tyrant!"

"Sir Li, why would you risk your life for such a mean and ungrateful woman who treats her subjects like dirt?"

With every word he said, Li Bi's face became uglier, and the anger in his heart burned like oil!

Every word spoken by this captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was like a knife, precisely cutting the most humiliating and resentful scars in his heart!

The excruciating pain of the thirty strokes of the cane, the humiliation of being dragged through the court, and the overwhelming hatred towards Dugu Jia were all completely ignited at this moment!

"shut up!!!"

Li Bi could no longer restrain himself, and suddenly raised his head, letting out a hoarse roar like a wounded beast!

His eyes were red and bloodshot as he stared at Qianhu in front of him.

Because of extreme anger, his body trembled violently, affecting the wound and causing cold sweat to instantly cover his forehead, but he was completely unaware.

“Shut up right there!!”

He repeated, his voice cracking with emotion: "What do you know?! You know nothing! Don't... don't make sarcastic remarks here!"

The sudden outburst instantly froze the atmosphere in the bedroom.

The candle flames seemed to flicker.

The captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard remained unmoved by Li Bi's rage, but his eyes hidden in the shadows seemed to flash with a cold light of success.

What he wanted was to completely infuriate Li Bi and cut off all his escape routes and chances.

The house fell into deathly silence.

Only Li Bi's heavy and rapid breathing, like an old bellows, echoed in the air.

He lay on the couch, his chest heaving violently.

After a long while, the surging anger slowly receded like the tide, replaced by a cold, complete despair and... determination.

He knew that the other party was right.

In Dugu Jia's eyes, he was indeed worse than a dog.

Continuing to be loyal will only lead to death.

He slowly raised his head, and the red in his eyes gradually faded, leaving only a kind of almost dead calmness, but beneath this calmness, there was an even more terrifying energy.

He looked at the captain of the Jinyiwei, his voice hoarse and low, no longer concealing or evasive:

"Master Qian Hu... there is no need to say more. I have thought it through."

He took a deep breath, as if he had exhausted all his strength, and said word by word:

"I, along with my colleagues Wang Yu, Zhang Tao, Zhao Ming, and others, are willing to abandon the dark side and surrender to His Majesty the Emperor of Great Chu! We are also willing to offer the city of Chang'an as a token of our loyalty!"

A gleam flashed in the eyes of the Jinyiwei captain, but his tone remained calm:

"Oh? Abandon the dark and join the light? Surrender the city? Lord Li, words are not enough. I wonder how you plan to surrender the city?"

Li Bi no longer hesitated and told them in detail the plan he had just conspired with Wang Yu and others.

From Zhao Ming mobilizing troops in the name of protecting grain, to Wang Yu selecting the grain transport team and planning the replacement, to Zhang Tao being responsible for seizing the city gate to open the passage.

Every link was clearly presented in front of the Jinyiwei captain.

"That's the plan."

Li Bi finished speaking, staring intently at the captain: "As long as His Majesty the Chu army outside the city is ready, they can march straight in at the signal! Chang'an City is within our grasp!"

The captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously tapping the hilt of the sword at his waist.

After Li Bi finished speaking, he slowly said, "The plan sounds good. Using the grain convoy as a disguise can indeed catch the enemy by surprise."

However, he immediately changed the subject, his tone undeniably strong:

"However, such a major matter cannot be entrusted entirely to first-timers like you!"

"To ensure everything goes smoothly, my people must be present when the city gates are opened!"

The matter was of great importance, and he would not feel at ease if all the participants were Li Bi's people.

Now that his Majesty Chu Ning is outside the city, he must ensure that this matter goes smoothly.

He can only feel at ease if his people are involved!