Dapeng's Time Travel Life

Chapter 7 Palace Intrigue Begins

Zhang Peng sped through the night, the wind whistling past his ears. His figure was like a black lightning bolt, rushing towards the palace. The secret letter in his arms felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, making it hard for him to breathe. The contents of that letter were like a bombshell, capable of shattering the entire court at any moment.

The palace gates were tightly shut, and the guards were heavy. Zhang Peng stopped not far from the gates, took out a token from his pocket—a token bestowed by the Emperor, which allowed him to enter the palace to see the Emperor in an emergency. Holding the token, he strode towards the gates. The guards, seeing the token, dared not stop him and quickly let him pass.

Zhang Peng walked through the long palace corridor, the palace lanterns on both sides casting a faint glow that seemed particularly eerie in the silent night. He arrived outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and the eunuchs, seeing his hurried and solemn expression, dared not ask any questions and quickly went inside to report.

A moment later, a eunuch came out and summoned him to an audience. Zhang Peng entered the hall, where the Emperor was sitting on the dragon throne, looking exhausted. Seeing Zhang Peng enter, the Emperor frowned slightly: "My dear minister, what brings you to the palace so late at night?"

Zhang Peng knelt down with a thud, presenting the secret letter with both hands: "Your Majesty, I have an important matter to report. This matter concerns the safety of the court, and I humbly request Your Majesty's review." The Emperor took the letter, unfolded it, and began to read. His face gradually darkened. After finishing the letter, the Emperor slammed it on the table and roared, "How dare you! Such a conspiracy! I trusted him so much, yet he has committed such a treasonous act!"

Zhang Peng lowered his head, not daring to speak. The Emperor took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and asked, "My dear minister, how do you intend to handle this matter?" Zhang Peng raised his head, his eyes showing determination: "Your Majesty, I believe the most urgent task is to first control that elder, lest he become desperate and act rashly, and then thoroughly investigate his cronies to uproot this conspiracy."

The Emperor nodded slightly: "What you say is very true, my dear minister. I will entrust this matter to you. Be sure to act carefully and do not alert the enemy." Zhang Peng accepted the order and left the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

After leaving the palace, Zhang Peng did not immediately return to the Prince's residence, but instead went to the elder statesman's mansion. He led a team of elite guards and quietly lay in ambush around the mansion. It was late at night, and the mansion was quiet, with only the occasional sound of the night watchman's gong.

Zhang Peng observed the activity within the mansion, silently pondering a countermeasure. Suddenly, he noticed several dark figures sneaking in and out of the back gate. A thought struck him: could it be that the elder had sensed something and was preparing to escape? He immediately gestured to the guards, and they silently approached the back gate.

Just as they were about to reach the back gate, suddenly, a gong sounded, and the entire mansion was instantly illuminated. Zhang Peng had a bad feeling; they had fallen into an ambush. The elder, leading a group of servants armed with weapons, rushed out of the mansion. Seeing Zhang Peng, the elder sneered, "Your Highness, I didn't expect you to discover my plan so quickly. But do you think you can capture me so easily?"

Zhang Peng remained calm and drew his long sword: "Your conspiracy has been exposed, today is your death day!" With that, he charged at the elders first, followed closely by the guards, and a fierce battle ensued.

Although the elder was advanced in years, his martial arts skills were exceptional. Wielding a large sword, his swordsmanship was adept, and for a time, Zhang Peng found it difficult to subdue him. The battle reached a stalemate, and Zhang Peng grew anxious. He knew that the longer the fight dragged on, the more disadvantageous it would be for them.

Just then, Xia Lijuan suddenly appeared. Holding a dagger, her eyes resolute, she charged towards the elder. Zhang Peng, startled, was unsure of Xia Lijuan's next move. Taking advantage of the elder's struggle with Zhang Peng, Xia Lijuan launched a sneak attack from behind, the dagger aimed straight for the elder's back.

The elder sensed the attack from behind and tried to dodge, but it was too late. The dagger pierced his back, and the elder screamed before collapsing to the ground. Zhang Peng looked at Xia Lijuan, his eyes filled with confusion. Xia Lijuan walked up to Zhang Peng and said softly, "Your Highness, I know I've wronged you, but I don't want to make any more mistakes. I've found out about my family; they've been safely evacuated. I have no worries now; I only want to make amends for my mistakes."

Zhang Peng looked at her, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He didn't speak, only nodded. By this time, the battle was over, and the elder's henchmen had all been captured. Zhang Peng led the prisoners and Xia Lijuan back to the Prince's mansion.

Upon returning to the Prince's residence, Zhang Peng began interrogating the prisoners and further investigating the mysterious organization's associates. He knew that although the conspiracy had been temporarily thwarted, the underlying threats had not been completely eliminated. He had to bring all the conspirators to justice as quickly as possible and restore peace to the court. However, he had no answer as to how his complex relationship with Xia Lijuan would end during this process.