We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

"In that case, there's no need to bother. I can just take the Yan cavalry back." Li Lin waved his hand. "We're just going back to Daqing. How could those guys inside the pass have the guts to attack me?"

"What do you know!" Li Che glared at him. "I sent troops to you not only to protect your safety, but also to show my attitude to my father!"

"Ok?"

Li Lin, who has zero political sensitivity, looked completely bewildered, like a silly roe deer, a mythical beast from outside the Great Wall.

Li Che had no choice but to explain: "I said before that the emperor will most likely not let you be the shield prince. It's not that he doesn't want to, but he can't!"

"In fact, the emperor is inclined to help you ascend the throne."

"Why?" Li Lin asked puzzledly.

Li Che sighed: "Given the close relationship between you and me, keeping you in the imperial capital will become a means of restraining me."

"He's just hesitant. Although we are subjects and sons, and he is the king and father, and it's true that the king is the leader of the subjects and the father is the leader of the sons, everything has its limits and we can't go too far."

Li Che said with a gloomy expression: "I sent troops to escort you to the capital to tell the emperor and others who have ulterior motives not to have any evil intentions towards you. Yan and Feng are on the same side. You and I are on the same side. If I touch you, I will touch me."

"Do you really think I'm some kind of filial child?"

Li Lin stared at Li Che in amazement. He didn't expect that there would be so many problems with the simple escort candidate.

You guys are really dirty when it comes to playing politics...

Li Lin simply gave up struggling and said directly, "Sixth Brother, just make the arrangements. I will listen to you."

Li Che pondered for a moment and said, "Let the Solon tribe take over as the visible escort force. The fighting power of those young men is among the best in the entire Fengtian Army. Although they are from a foreign race, they are loyal and reliable."

He looked at Huo Duanxiao beside him and said, "Jitaihan and Zilong went to the grassland, right?"

Huo Duanxiao nodded and said, "Yes, but his deputy general, Kuoqi, is also a fierce general. He happens to be on standby in Chaoyang City right now."

Li Che knocked on the table and said, "Okay, let Kuoqi lead 500 Sauron cavalry and 500 armored cavalry to escort Fourth Brother to the capital."

"Okay!" Li Lin naturally had no objection. He had seen the strength of the Soran tribe and the armored cavalry. "Then I'll go pack up and set off tomorrow."

Li Che grabbed him and scolded him lightly: "Wait a minute, why are you in such a hurry?!"

"Going to the capital is like entering a tiger's den." Li Che slowly stood up and said in a low voice, "The prince is seriously ill, and my father is trying to test him. The court is treacherous, and I am really worried."

Li Lin wore a wry smile. "Sixth Brother, I understand your concerns. But it's hard to disobey the Emperor's orders. Besides... someone has to go and see what the situation is like in the Imperial Capital."

"Besides, haven't you made multiple preparations?"

Li Che did not answer directly, but just looked at Li Lin silently.

As for my fourth brother's innate holy body that was prone to assassination, no matter how much preparation I make, I still can't feel at ease.

As a time traveler, Li Che is well aware of the cruelty of history and the bloody palace struggles. Li Lin is his only brother and friend in this world, and he is often assassinated. How can he let go of his worry?

Li Che thought for a moment and finally made a decision.

He patted Li Lin's shoulder gently: "Forget it, Fourth Brother, come with me."

After saying this, Li Che said no more and turned to walk out of the government office.

Although Li Lin had doubts, he could only raise his legs and follow.

Zhuge Zhe, Huo Duanxiao and others saluted and dispersed, while Li Che took Li Lin to the deserted backyard of the government office.

Facing the empty courtyard, Li Che raised his hands and clapped his hands three times crisply.

"Clap! Clap! Clap!"

It was already late at night, and the sound was unusually clear in the silent courtyard.

At the moment the applause fell, it was as if a ghost suddenly emerged from the ink pool, or as if the night itself condensed into shape.

Figures landed silently on the bluestone slabs of the courtyard, with only the faint rustling of clothes in the wind and the soft tap of boots against the slabs.

Li Lin's pupils suddenly contracted, and he subconsciously took a half step back, his hand on the sword at his waist.

The scene before him made him hold his breath for a moment.

In the courtyard, the moonlight cast a sparing light, illuminating dozens of warriors who seemed to have been peeled out of the night.

They stood in different postures, but all of them looked powerful and ready to strike, like a pack of wolves in the dark night, silently guarding Li Che in the center.

The uniform is all white, with the lapels, cuffs, and tightly-fitted waistband decorated with simple yet sharp edges made of dark red silk thread, outlining a lean silhouette like traces of solidified blood, exuding a solemn and murderous aura.

The shoulders, elbows, forearms and even the outside of the calves are cleverly inlaid with fine, cold-forged iron scales, which emit a cold metallic luster in the darkness.

Each of them wore a hood with the brim pulled down low, covering most of their face, revealing only their hard jaws and tightly pursed lips.

Under the shadow of the hood, a pair of eyes were cold, alert, sharp as a knife, without any superfluous emotion.

If there were a time traveler here, he would definitely scream in surprise.

This is clearly a group of brotherhood members from "Assassin's Creed"!

"My Night Watchmen!" Li Che's voice was calm with a hint of barely perceptible pride. "How do they compare to the Jinyiwei?"

Li Lin recovered from his initial shock and swept his complicated gaze over these warriors who were like the incarnation of shadows.

He could feel the aura emanating from them—the dangerous aura of veterans who had survived hundreds of battles, enveloped in absolute discipline and coldness.

Is this a hook eight? !

The Jinyiwei guys, who can do nothing but make high-profile appearances, are no match for them even after being trained by Li Che.

"They were my trump cards. Now that the situation is urgent, there's no need to hide it." Li Che said, "With them escorting you to the capital, I can feel more at ease."

"Night Watch?!" Li Lin was shocked and confused. It was the first time he heard these three words.

My own Lao Liu always seems to possess heart-pounding power silently.

"The guards are the foundation of my service to the country. Their loyalty and bravery are unquestionable. But loyalty alone is not enough; they also require skill." Li Che's gaze swept across the silent procession in the courtyard. "The backbone of the Night's Watch are the warriors carefully selected from the guards. And their flesh and blood are scouts, rangers, and assassins selected from various border troops, scouts of various armies, and even from the grassroots."

"They are all veterans who are skilled in sneaking around in the dark, skilled in close combat, and capable of taking lives in a small space."

Ever since Li Che founded the Night's Watch, the organization seemed to have disappeared. Even Zhuge Zhe, Huo Duanxiao and others were not clear about the situation of the Night's Watch.

In fact, the Night Watch is the only organization in Feng State that is directly under Li Che.

Since returning to the imperial capital, Li Che has personally selected members of the Night's Watch, and has taken charge of their selection, equipment, and training, and dispersed them throughout Feng State.

Nowadays, there are night watchmen not only in the imperial capital, but also in the entire Feng Kingdom, the north, and even some important places in the south of the Yangtze River.

Li Lin felt a chill in his heart when he heard this. No wonder these people in front of him had a cold murderous aura even when they breathed.

These are a group of death warriors selected from the elite soldiers, real killing weapons!

"Of course." Li Che changed the subject, "Having people is not enough, you also need minions that are handy. I will tell you the abilities of the Night Watchmen so that you can command them more easily."

Li Che nodded slightly to the night watchman closest to him.

The night watchman stepped forward, raised his left arm, and the tightly locked cuffs unfolded in the moonlight.

Li Lin's attention was instantly attracted, and he saw a flash of light on the inside of the wrist under the cuff.

It was a peculiarly shaped metal arm armor that fit snugly around the forearm and extended to the wrist.

A sharp blade flashing with a cold light, like the fangs of a poisonous snake, lurks quietly, integrated with the arm armor, and its existence is almost impossible to detect without careful observation.

Clang——

The hidden blade had a heart-pounding sharpness, easily cutting through the air and shooting out from the wrist.

"This is the Green Blade in the Sleeve," Li Che explained. "It's used in close combat. When you're caught off guard, this blade pops out and can cut your throat or pierce your heart!"

Li Lin took a breath of cold air.

He has been assassinated countless times, but this kind of close-range assassination weapon is unheard of!

Its concealment and lethality far exceed those of ordinary daggers.

Immediately afterwards, the night watchman flipped his right hand, and the movement was so fast that Li Lin could hardly see it clearly.

A metal tube with an equally strange shape, much shorter and more compact than an ordinary crossbow, is held firmly in his hand.

"This is a palm thunder," Li Che continued. "Made by the gunpowder department's artisans, it's filled with fulminate of mercury pellets. While its firepower isn't as strong as ordinary firearms, this short gun can be used as a surprise attack and to deter scoundrels. It's also very effective in close combat."

Finally, the Night Watchman showed off a small piece of equipment hanging behind his waist.

It was a round shield slightly larger than a palm and with an irregular arc shape.

The shield is made of multiple layers of hardened leather and thin iron sheets, with the edges polished to an extremely sharp edge. It is so light that it is almost negligible and is fixed to the outside of the arm with several tough leather belts, which does not affect movement at all.

"This is the Swallowtail." Li Che pointed to the sharp edge of the small shield. "It can block swords and hidden weapons, and can also be used for chopping and cutting at close range. It is light and flexible, and is the last barrier in close combat."

The three major pieces of equipment for the Night's Watch were designed by Li Che himself and manufactured under the supervision of Chen Gui, regardless of cost, just to maximize the combat power of the Night's Watch.

"There are thirty-seven Night Watchmen here. I will issue a secret order shortly. After Fourth Brother leaves seclusion, the Night Watchmen from the Northland and the Imperial Capital will guard along the way."

Li Che looked at Li Lin and whispered a promise: "With the Night Watchmen by your side, even if the road ahead is full of dangers, they will protect you and open a way for you to survive."

"Just go to the capital with peace of mind. Leave everything else to me and them!"

In the courtyard, dozens of hooded eyes, following Li Che's words, all silently focused on Li Lin.

Li Lin, who was a little stressed by the assassin, swallowed his saliva, bowed to the many night watchmen, and grinned unhappily:

"Then thank you for your help!"