69novels Chapter 879: The action was exposed because of the name!
Chapter 879: The action was exposed because of the name!
After assessing the Xianyang Palace's weakened defenses, Lü Zhi undoubtedly became their most desirable and valuable target. With Gao Yao absent from the city, Lü Zhi not only represented the authority of the Prime Minister's Office but also exercised Gao Yao's full powers. She had become a crucial pillar of support for the military and civilians of Xianyang, a symbol connecting Gao Yao to the entire city. If Lü Zhi met with disaster, the entire city would inevitably be plunged into panic and unrest. Even if Li Zhao retained control of the army, he might not be able to quickly stabilize the situation and appease the people.
More importantly, Lü Zhi's death would have dealt a far greater blow than simply creating a temporary vacuum in the power structure; it would have dealt a heavy blow to the city's will to resist. She was not only the de facto ruler but also a symbol of confidence. Her presence signified the continuation and stability of Gaoyao's power.
Her sudden death would instantly shatter this confidence, severely questioning and impacting even the prestige and control of senior generals like Li Zhao. Generals who had once been determined to hold out would be forced into a panicked self-examination: What would they say when Gao Yao returned? As those responsible for failing to provide adequate protection, they would likely face not rewards but Gao Yao's wrath, potentially implicated in the wrath of their families and entire clans.
Therefore, that night, in this desolate courtyard, a conspiracy surrounding Lü Zhi's life had quietly begun. Everyone knew that they were not just carrying out an assassination, but also attempting to pry open the wheel of fate of the entire Xianyang City.
The night was as dark as ink, a depth so profound it could not be dissolved. Xianyang Palace, once the heart of the empire, now lay like a dormant beast, silently crouching on the land of Guanzhong. Under the cover of this thick darkness, a group of figures, like ghosts, began to advance rapidly into the depths of the palace. Their movements were swift and orderly, clearly the product of careful planning.
The leader knew the interior of the Xianyang Palace intimately, almost to the point of being astonishingly familiar. He avoided all main thoroughfares and common patrol routes, opting instead for lesser-known paths and corridors. These paths were often hidden behind rockeries, deep within gardens, or in narrow passages connecting palaces. Ordinary people wouldn't notice them, let alone accurately identify them at night.
The layout of the Xianyang Palace was inherently complex, its maze-like network of paths crisscrossing. In the heyday of the Qin Empire, it was maintained by thousands of palace servants. But now, the number of servants sent by the Prime Minister's Office was already small, and scattered across the vast palace grounds, they seemed even more sparse. This lack of defense allowed the assassination team to quickly advance into the core area.
However, the real challenge began to emerge as they approached the harem area.
The harem differed from other areas within the palace. While other areas might have been less well-guarded, the harem, as the core area of Empress Lü's residence, was meticulously protected. The harem was primarily connected to the outside world by four grand gates. Beyond these, there were only two special small doors: one for transporting filthy materials from the palace, and the other for transporting specialized supplies. These two small doors were not only exceptionally narrow but also constantly guarded, never to be opened.
Faced with a team of hundreds of assassins, the small gate was clearly insufficient for rapid passage; a detour would inevitably waste precious time and increase the risk of exposure. After careful consideration, the leader ultimately chose the east gate, closest to Lü Zhi's palace, as their entry point.
At this time, only a dozen personal guards were on duty at the harem's east gate. This wasn't a sign of laxity, but rather a measure of overall defense. The four gates of the Xianyang Palace were already heavily guarded, and patrols were constantly patrolling key thoroughfares within the palace. Placing too many troops at the harem's gate would have been a waste of resources.
The assassination team had clearly been prepared. One group quickly donned the pre-prepared attire of court attendants and, pretending to be on normal business, pushed a loaded cart toward the east gate. The rumbling sound of the wooden wheels against the bluestone slabs was remarkably clear in the still night air, immediately alerting the guards at the gate.
Almost simultaneously, on the other side of the east gate, another group of assassins in night clothes silently approached, using the perfect cover of darkness and the sound of carts. Under normal circumstances, this dual-approach strategy might have been detected, but at this moment, the movement of the carts perfectly distracted the guards.
"Stop! Who are you?" Two bodyguards stepped forward and shouted sternly, their hands already on the hilt of the sword.
A leading man in the cart-pushing procession bowed and responded, his tone as respectful as possible: "Your Excellency, by order of the Queen, these are some old items from the palace. They need to be sent out of the palace tonight for disposal."
As he spoke, he calmly slipped a gold ingot from his sleeve and prepared to hand it over. This was a bribe they had prepared in advance, thinking it would easily open up the relationship.
However, the moment the guard heard the title "Queen," his brows furrowed. Before the man could fully produce the gold, the guard unsheathed his sword, bringing the cold blade directly to bear on the man's neck.
This sudden action instantly caused a chain reaction. Seeing this, the other guards at the door also drew their weapons and quickly formed a defensive formation. The atmosphere instantly became tense.
"Who are you? How dare you trespass into the Forbidden Palace? Capture them all!" the captain of the personal guards shouted sternly, his eyes as sharp as an eagle.
Although these assassins had made sufficient preparations in terms of costumes and props, they overlooked two fatal details: accent and title.
To ensure safety, the Xianyang Palace was currently staffed almost entirely by former members of Prime Minister Gao Yao's staff. These individuals were either trusted aides brought from Nanhai Commandery by Gao Yao, speaking the authentic Nanhai dialect, or had undergone rigorous training and mastered the "Mandarin" dialect promoted by Gao Yao himself.
Gao Yao was a foresighted man who understood the importance of linguistic unification. With systematic assistance, he developed a comprehensive Mandarin language curriculum, which he vigorously promoted throughout his sphere of influence, particularly within the Prime Minister's residence. Everyone in the residence, young and old, was required to learn and use this clear, easily understood language, stripped of any regional distinctions.
The man before him spoke with a thick, indissoluble Nanhai County accent, as if afraid others would be unaware of his origins. Even more outrageous, he actually addressed Lü Zhi as "Queen"—an absolute taboo within Gao Yao's sphere of influence. Gao Yao maintained a strict patronage of the imperial court, and servants addressed Lü Zhi as "Mistress." Furthermore, Gao Yao had never publicly granted Lü Zhi the title of Queen, and even Lü Zhi herself would never have dared to call herself so. How could a mere attendant dare to speak so rashly?