The 'Old Sword' incident caused Huo Guang to commit a serious breach of etiquette. However, Liu Bingyi knew that Huo Guang was now like a trapped beast that had been provoked. If he pursued the matter further, it would only provoke a desperate counterattack. System 2.0's True Dragon Deduction flashed a red light in his mind.
'Warning: Huo family's military power compatibility is 95%.' If the city patrol power is forcibly seized now, Chang'an will inevitably descend into chaos.
Suggested solution: Activate 'Feign Weakness' mode to lure the enemy deeper. In the main hall, Liu Bingyi suddenly lost his grip on his sword, which had been pointed directly at Huo Guang. The chilling sword clattered onto the floor tiles with a dull thud. Liu Bingyi's sharp eyes instantly lost their focus, replaced by the fear and weakness of someone who had just avoided danger.
'I... I lost my composure. Did I... did I offend you just now?' Huo Guang had already mentally prepared himself for being stripped of his military power and had placed his hand on the signal flare hidden in his sleeve. But seeing Liu Bingyi's utterly helpless state, his nerves suddenly relaxed.
'His Majesty is new to commanding the army, so it's understandable that he's unsettled.' Huo Guang narrowed his eyes, trying to find a flaw in Liu Bingyi's façade. 'Since His Majesty is unwell, what about the defence of the capital?'
'General, you've worked hard!' Liu Bingyi interrupted him hurriedly, as if grasping at a lifeline. 'I don't want to hear about defence matters, and I dare not hear them. Since the general thinks Chengjun is suitable, I... I will take her as a concubine. But regarding the position of Empress, please leave me some hope so that I don't lose face before the 'old sword'." "
[System feedback: Huo Guang's arrogance +300%]
[Achieved Effect: [Arrogance Tactic] — The Huo family will experience accelerated internal corruption and a significant drop in vigilance.
In order to maintain the pretence, Liu Bingyi publicly addressed Lei Zhen in a tone filled with disgust:
'You Jinyiwei are always so murderous, disturbing the palace's peace! Lei Zhen, sheath your sword and send your men to the southern suburbs to repair my ancestral tombs. Without my decree, you are not permitted to enter the city!" Feigning anger and resentment, Lei Zhen suddenly knelt on the ground, threw his official hat to the floor and stormed off with his men. Seeing this, the Huo family's cronies all revealed smug sneers. In their eyes, Liu Bingyi was still the terrified peasant grandson of the emperor. Last night's slaughter had been a desperate struggle, and now that his momentum had dissipated, he would naturally become a puppet again.
After the court session, inside the Xuan Shi Hall…
Liu Bingyi dismissed his attendants, his body instantly straightening after its previous trembling. He opened the system panel and looked at the next step of his plan, which was already in place: 'General, I gave you a chance to live, but unfortunately, you chose the path of greed.' 'System Reward Settlement: [Feigning Weakness] Successful! Reward obtained: [Deceive the Heavens (Range Coverage)]".
Function: Although the Embroidered Uniform Guards were sent to the southern suburbs to repair tombs, the system has caused them to break into smaller groups and infiltrate every well, granary and armoury in Chang'an City.
That night, Huo Chengjun officially entered the palace as a Noble Consort. She carried the 'Bewitching Powder' and 'Hearing Talisman', which had been personally given to her by Huo Guang, with the intention of using them to completely control Liu Bingyi in bed. However, when she stepped into the palace, she saw Liu Bingyi quietly waiting for her by candlelight, holding a book.
'Chengjun, was it your father's intention to take my life or my heart?' Liu Bingyi closed the Annals of Emperor Wu, his eyes deep and unfathomable. 'If it's to take my life, you can do it now. If it's to take my heart, then first help me modify the city defence map of Chang'an.' "
Huo Chengjun shuddered as she looked at the man who had trembled throughout the day. She knew that her father's biggest mistake in life had been to believe in the dragon's tears.
In the imperial bedchamber, the scents of ambergris and acacia mingled. Huo Chengjun wore a bright red brocade robe fit for an imperial concubine. Commissioned by Huo Guang from the Imperial Textile Bureau, this robe was hastily made; every gold thread exuded ambition for power.
In her hand, she clutched the white jade ring containing the 'bewitching powder' — her father's ultimatum. If she could not control the emperor, he would be rendered a cripple.
'Come here,' said Liu Bingyi, sitting on the edge of the bed. His voice was deep and undeniably magnetic.
Huo Chengjun composed herself, the seductive smile she had practised a thousand times appearing on her face. She moved lightly to Liu Bingyi's side, extending her slender fingers. Under the guise of pouring wine, she prepared to flick the powder from the ring into the cup.
However, just as her fingers were about to touch the rim of the cup, Liu Bingyi suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist. 'Chengjun, who will drink the medicine in this wine, you or I?'
His eyes were like sharp blades. Where was the timid figure he had been in the palace earlier that day? Huo Chengjun's wrist felt as if it were being clamped by an iron vice. Although he had restrained his imperial power, she still found it hard to breathe at close range.
'Your Majesty, this concubine doesn't know what you're talking about.' Huo Chengjun was still struggling, her eyes slightly red and looking pitiful.
'Stop acting.' Liu Bingyi snatched the wine cup from her hand and poured it on the ground. The floor tiles sizzled instantly and a wisp of white smoke rose.
'Your father is old. He thinks he can decide the fate of the Han dynasty with just a woman and a packet of medicine." But he forgot that you are not only the Huo family's daughter, but also Huo Chengjun. Do you want to be his pawn for life or my empress?'
Huo Chengjun looked up at the face that was so close to hers. It was a face she had never seen before; one of majesty and a domineering presence. It was more like the face of a world ruler than that of her father. [System Feedback: Huo Chengjun's psychological defences have completely collapsed.
[Favourability: converted to 'Fanatic Loyalty']
'Father has eight hidden sentry posts outside Chang'an that do not correspond to the city gates, but to the drainage ditches beneath the city.'
Huo Chengjun grabbed Liu Bingyi's collar; her breathing was rapid and her eyes flashed with an almost frenzied light. 'With just one order from him, assassins can travel underground directly to Weiyang Palace. The token that controls these sentry posts is hidden in a compartment in the general's study.' Not only did she hand over the map, she also handed over Huo Guang's most crucial trump card.
'Your Majesty, what Chengjun wants is not the title of imperial concubine.' She whispered in Liu Bingyi's ear, her breath sweet as orchids. 'What I want is to see all those brothers and sisters from the Huo family who bullied me kneel at my feet. If you can give me that, my life is yours.'
[Ding! Hidden achievement: 'The Rebel's Beloved' achieved.]
[Reward: Shadow Link]
[Function: The host can establish a mental link with Huo Chengjun, thereby synchronising everything she sees and hears in the Huo residence with the host's consciousness in real time.
Liu Bingyi stroked Huo Chengjun's hair, a deep calculation flashing in his eyes.
'All right, since that's the case, tomorrow you go back to the General's Mansion and tell Huo Guang that I've been drugged by your bewitching potion and that I've been in a daze all day, thinking only about romance.'
Meanwhile, inside the General's Mansion, Huo Guang received the victory report sent by Huo Chengjun and laughed heartily.
'Very well! Now that the emperor has been deposed, it is time for me to reclaim what is rightfully mine.' Huo Guang slammed his hand on the table. 'Issue the order that all officials will be gathered at my birthday banquet in three days' time. On that day, I will ask His Majesty to grant me the 'Nine Bestowments of the Emperor'!" The Nine Bestowments were a prelude to usurpation, and Huo Guang had fallen completely into Liu Bingyi's trap of feigning weakness.
The General's Mansion was brightly decorated for the occasion, with a red carpet stretching all the way from the entrance to the end of Chang'an Street. Today was Huo Guang's sixtieth birthday and the day he would declare himself king and assert his sovereignty over the world.
Just as the entire court held their breath, wondering whether Liu Bingyi would pretend to be ill and not appear, an extremely plain carriage, lacking even the imperial insignia, wobbled to a halt outside the mansion. Liu Bingyi, dressed in rumpled civilian clothes and supported by Huo Chengjun, stepped down from the carriage. His eyes were vacant, his steps unsteady, and he wore an odd, inexplicable smirk.
'General, may you live as long as the Southern Mountains!' Liu Bingyi disregarded his imperial dignity, stumbled into the hall and grabbed Huo Guang's hand.
In that instant, Huo Guang could feel a chaotic and weak pulse in Liu Bingyi's veins — a sign that the 'bewitching powder' was taking effect.
[System monitoring: Huo Guang's suspicion level has dropped to 0%.]
[Status achieved: the dying prey — the enemy has fully entered the game.]
'Your Majesty, I have served three reigns with the utmost dedication. Now, in my old age, I fear that I am no longer able to perform the rites of court obeisance. I humbly request that Your Majesty grant me the Nine Bestowments, which would allow me to bow without naming myself, enter the court without haste, and enter the palace armed." Huo Guang remained seated on the main seat, not rising, but merely offering a slight bow.
This was no request; it was blatant coercion. "Give it all! Give it all!" Startled, Liu Bingyi hurriedly waved behind him. 'I've driven Lei Zhen away; I'll do it myself! Men, bring up the 'gift' I prepared for the general!'
Four eunuchs carried a huge, gilded tray into the hall. However, on the tray was not the Nine Bestowments, but a bowl of steaming longevity noodles. 'The Nine Bestowments are too heavy. You can't carry them, General,' said Liu Bingyi with a grin. He picked up the bowl of noodles himself and handed it to Huo Guang shakily. 'These noodles were made by my own hand, General. You must eat them while they're hot.'
Huo Guang sneered. He was certain that Liu Bingyi wouldn't dare to poison them in public. However, the instant he bent down to take the bowl, Liu Bingyi issued a command to Huo Chengjun, who was lurking nearby, through the [Shadow Connection]:
'Consciousness Command' — Activate the 'Hearing Talisman' and synchronise the vibration frequency of the Huo family's military talisman.
[Ding! Detected that Huo Guang possesses a 'Chang'an Patrol Battalion' mother-child talisman.' [System function: 'Frequency Copying' activated — virtual military token cloned. Oblivious, Huo Guang took a sip of soup. He was unaware that, in those few seconds, Liu Bingyi had taken over the military power in Chang'an — a power he had held for twenty years — entirely through the system.
'Report!' Just as the birthday banquet reached its climax, a mud-covered imperial guard rushed into the hall, shouting, 'General! The Embroidered Uniform Guards repairing the tomb have unearthed the Crown Prince's bloodstained clothes and a private letter addressed to you from the underground palace in the southern suburbs!'
Huo Guang's hand, gripping his chopsticks, froze. That letter was a top-secret piece of scrap paper that he had written years ago, imitating the Crown Prince's handwriting in order to fabricate evidence. It should have been burned over a decade ago. Why was it there?
'Bloodstained clothes? What bloodstained clothes?' Liu Bingyi asked innocently, but his tone instantly chilled Huo Guang to the bone. 'General, did you leave something there?'Huo Guang stood up abruptly, ready to reprimand him, but found his legs had suddenly grown weak.
The bowl of noodles wasn't poisoned, but it contained a substance that would amplify the effects of the 'bewitching powder' within the other person's body. To outsiders, Huo Guang now appeared just like Liu Bingyi: old, decrepit and incoherent.
"Clear the table!" Huo Guang roared in terror.
[Ding!!] Victory achieved: Successfully cloned the Chang'an military tally, publicly humiliated a powerful minister and laid the groundwork for the 'witchcraft exoneration'.
Unlock Title: Emperor's Slayer (For the next 24 hours, you have absolute pre-emptive strike power against members of the Huo family). Liu Bingyi helped Huo Chengjun out of the General's Mansion. The instant they stepped across the threshold, his foolish expression vanished without a trace, replaced by a sharp, almost ruthless aura that seemed to devour the night.
'Chengjun, after tonight, few Huos in Chang'an will see the sun rise tomorrow.'