Chapter 47: Armor as Witness, and the Oriole Behind the Mantis

Outside the prince's mansion, the blazing fire lit up half of the sky over Yun'an City in an eerie orange-red glow.

Three thousand imperial guards, standing like cast-iron sculptures, surrounded the entire estate impenetrably. Their cold iron armor reflected the flames, and an oppressive, murderous aura hung heavy in the air, making it hard to breathe.

"No! You cannot enter! This is the residence of the Deputy Commander of the Garrison! By what right do you do this!"

Wang Defa looked like a cornered beast pushed to the brink of despair. His hair was disheveled, and his regular attire was a mess from frantic running. He spread his arms, blocking the gates in vain, and roared at the grim-faced general in the lead.

Seated high atop a magnificent steed, the general fixed his gaze forward with the sharpness of a falcon. He did not even bother to look down at Wang Defa, merely letting out a scornful, cold huff from his nose.

"Wang Defa, we act under the direct imperial decree of His Majesty to arrest you. If you dare to obstruct us any further, it shall be deemed treason and disobedience of the imperial will, adding another layer to your crimes!"

"An imperial decree?!"

Wang Defa was struck as if by a thunderbolt. His legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed to the ground again.

He did not understand—he truly did not understand!

Even if Su Qingxue possessed connections reaching the heavens, it was impossible for her to directly obtain an imperial decree and mobilize the Imperial Guards of the capital city!

This defied all logic!

"General! There must be a mistake! Someone is framing me! I, Wang Defa, have been utterly loyal to the Great Qian, and my heart is as clear as the sun and moon!" Tears and snot streaming down his face, he pleaded bitterly.

The lead general finally condescended to cast his gaze upon him. There was not a shred of sympathy in those eyes, only bone-chilling coldness.

"Whether you were framed or not, we will know once we search the place."

He waved his hand.

"Search!"

At the command, the ferocious imperial guards surged past Wang Defa and burst overwhelmingly into the mansion.

In an instant, the sound of breaking utensils echoed from within the estate, mingled with the terrified screams of female family members and servants.

Wang Defa's heart was bleeding.

He was finished.

Regardless of whether anything was found or not, he was finished.

The entry of the imperial guards into his mansion was in itself an irretrievable defeat.

Escorted by the guards, he stumbled along behind them, watching as the family business he had spent half a lifetime building was trampled at will. The light in his eyes dimmed bit by bit.

"General! There is something unusual in the cellar!"

Suddenly, a junior officer hurried back from the backyard with a solemn expression.

Wang Defa's heart gave a violent twitch!

The cellar?

What could possibly be in there besides aged wine and sundries?

The lead general's eyes turned sharp, and he strode purposefully toward the direction of the cellar.

The dark and damp cellar was illuminated brightly by torches, and a mixed stench of mold and alcohol assaulted the senses.

Several soldiers were gathered around a corner where some tattered straw mats and empty wine jars were piled up.

"Move them aside!" the general commanded.

The soldiers immediately went to work, shifting the debris piece by piece.

Soon, signs of a spot deliberately concealed by wooden boards and soil were exposed.

When Wang Defa saw those marks, his pupils shrank violently!

He remembered very clearly that he had checked this corner just a few days ago, and it had certainly looked nothing like this!

Someone had been here!

A terrifying thought slithered into his mind like a venomous snake, freezing him to the bone.

"Dig it up!"

At the general's command, the soldiers pried away the loose soil and wooden boards with their long halberds in a few swift strokes, revealing five large wooden boxes hidden underneath.

"Crack!"

A soldier violently pried open the lock of one of the boxes with his scabbard, and the lid was flipped open.

Hum!

Illuminated by the firelight, a piercing, frigid glint instantly stung everyone's eyes.

Inside the box, a brand-new set of dark iron armor lay quietly. The fine patterns on the armor plates and the cold metallic sheen silently spoke of its extraordinary quality.

Following that, the remaining four boxes were opened one after another.

Five sets of armor!

A full five sets of exquisitely crafted iron armor, enough to equip an elite personal guard unit!

"Boom!"

Ten thousand thunderclaps seemed to explode inside Wang Defa's head, plunging his vision into darkness as the world spun around him.

"No... This isn't mine!"

Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, he shrieked loudly.

"These are not my things! Someone is framing me! Someone planted these things in my cellar!"

He shrieked hysterically, his voice shrill and piercing.

All the imperial guards looked at him as if he were already a dead man.

The lead general slowly walked up to him, looking down from above, a cruel curve playing at the corner of his mouth.

"Oh?"

He asked unhurriedly, "So, you admit that this is your family's cellar?"

The single sentence struck Wang Defa's head like an invisible, heavy hammer.

All his roaring, all his defenses, and all his words were instantly choked back in his throat, unable to utter a single syllable.

Indeed.

He had admitted it—this was his family's cellar.

Possessing a single set of armor privately was already a capital offense.

Now, a full five sets had been unearthed from his cellar!

Caught red-handed! The ironclad evidence was like a mountain!

He had no way to clear his name!

"I..." Wang Defa opened his mouth, but only let out a wheezing, leaky sound. He thought of the young man who had "treated his son's injuries," recalling that gentle, harmless smile.

As it turned out, that was not a smile.

It was a fatal poison!

"Thud!"

Wang Defa's knees buckled, and he collapsed completely to the ground, the last trace of spirit in his eyes turning into a lifeless, ashen gray.

"Wang Defa has illicitly manufactured armor with the intent to rebel. The evidence is conclusive!" The lead general's voice sounded like a verdict. "Men! Take the entire Wang family into custody, escort them to the capital, and await His Majesty's disposal!"

"Understood!"

Cold chains were slipped around the necks of Wang Defa and his family members. The once formidable Deputy Commander of the Garrison was now dragged out of the estate like a dead dog.

...

Meanwhile.

Outside Yun'an City, on an inconspicuous hillside.

Three hundred knights dressed in black martial attire stood holding their reins. The man in the lead had a gloomy countenance and eyes like a wolf—none other than the crown prince's confidant, Li Wei.

Under the crown prince's orders, they had traveled through the night to reach Yun'an City with a single objective: to quietly capture Su Qingxue.

Yet, they were ultimately a step too late.

Looking at the high-flying banner bearing the character for "Imperial" fluttering in the city, and watching Wang Defa's family being hauled away like livestock, Li Wei's expression turned ashen beyond words.

"Sir, it's the imperial guards. It looks like an edict issued personally by His Majesty," a subordinate said in a low voice. "Should we... still make a move?"

Li Wei's fists clenched so tightly his joints cracked.

Make a move?

Seize prisoners right in front of the imperial guards? That was courting death!

Although the crown prince wielded monstrous power, he did not dare to openly defy an imperial decree.

This mission was likely ruined.

Upon returning, he would undoubtedly face severe punishment.

Frustration churned within Li Wei. Just as he was about to give the order to turn back, the corner of his eye suddenly caught sight of several carriages moving out at a moderate pace from another city gate of Yun'an City.

In the midst of total city-wide martial law and the imperial guards making arrests, someone actually dared to leave the city?

Li Wei's eyes narrowed instantly.

With the Wang family uprooted, those leaving the city at this moment were nine times out of ten remnants of the Wang family or accomplices who had gotten wind of the news and were trying to escape!

A thought grew wildly in his mind.

He might not be able to capture the primary target, Su Qingxue, but if he could capture these "escaped fish" and present them to the crown prince, it would still count as a contribution!

At the very least, it would allow the crown prince to put in a good word before His Majesty, demonstrating his swift and decisive methods and sharing worries for the sovereign!

Merits might offset faults, and he might even receive a reward!

With this thought, the gloom in Li Wei's heart vanished, replaced by a burning fervor.

"Brothers!"

He waved his hand abruptly, his voice fierce.

"Do you see those carriages? Give chase! Leave none alive, capture them all!"

"Yes!"

The three hundred black-clad cavalrymen, like a pack of starving wolves catching the scent of blood, silently urged their warhorses forward and pounced viciously in the direction the carriages had taken!