Chapter 892: Chapter 6: Empress Dowager Hui, Long Time No See! [3]

"Brother Mu, judging from the defensive formation, it seems difficult to steal the clothes," Xiao Shan whispered as he looked at the camp a mile ahead.

Mu Yuanxiu glanced around, "You all stay here, I’ll go steal the clothes!"

"We have twelve people, the clothes and armor are heavy, how will you bring them back?" Xiao Shan asked again.

Mu Yuanxiu smiled slightly, "I have a plan, just wait here."

He brought no assistants, nor did he ride a horse; instead, he walked straight towards the camp ahead.

At this time, Mu Yuanxiu was wearing a snow-white cashmere cloak over his dark robe.

In the snowy night, the white clothing made him hard to spot.

Combined with his swift movements, he infiltrated the Beiyan camp unnoticed.

Mu Yuanxiu sneaked into a tent.

Inside, there happened to be twelve soldiers sleeping.

However, while on the march, all twelve slept fully dressed.

Mu Yuanxiu took out the drugged needles he had prepared earlier and injected all twelve soldiers.

The men, deep in sleep, didn’t react at all to the stealth attack.

Mu Yuanxiu successfully acquired twelve outer garments and twelve sets of light armor.

As Xiao Shan had reminded, twelve sets of clothes were already very heavy, plus twelve sets of light armor, which Mu Yuanxiu could not possibly carry alone.

He packed the clothes up and dragged them to the tent entrance.

Then he used the Beast Taming Mysterious Sound to summon three horses.

The horses obediently walked into the tent.

Mu Yuanxiu hung the packed clothes on the three horses separately.

Then, he used the Beast Taming Mysterious Sound to guide the horses.

The horses followed his lead and moved forward.

When encountering patrolling soldiers, Mu Yuanxiu, hidden in the shadows, immediately stifled the sound, and the horses obediently stopped.

Even when they encountered patrolling soldiers, the horses, being Beiyan’s, made the soldiers think someone else was transporting supplies, so no one questioned them.

Furthermore, there were only the standing horses and no people around, so no one became suspicious.

In this manner, Mu Yuanxiu easily led the three horses out of the Beiyan camp and returned to the earth slope where Xiao Shan was hiding.

Xiao Shan and the others were astonished to see him return so effortlessly.

"Brother Mu, you are amazing, managing not to alert anyone," Xiao Shan said, admiringly patting Mu Yuanxiu’s shoulder.

Mu Yuanxiu glanced at the direction of the Beiyan camp, "Everyone quickly change into the clothes and follow me into the camp. Tonight, your passphrase is: Question: What are we eating tonight? Answer: Lamb stew with bullhorns."

Xiao Shan asked his subordinates, "Did you all memorize it?"

"Memorized it!"

Mu Yuanxiu also changed into the clothes, "Move out!"

As agreed beforehand, Xiao Shan led the other ten men to infiltrate the camp to set the tents on fire.

Meanwhile, Mu Yuanxiu went searching for the Beiyan Empress Dowager.

He rode into the Beiyan camp, dramatically, on a horse brought from Beiyang.

"Which troop are you from? Why are you acting alone?" A patrolling soldier stopped Mu Yuanxiu and questioned him.

Mu Yuanxiu sneered and scolded, "Presumptuous! Do you little men dare to inquire about the Dark Feather Guard’s affairs?"

As he spoke, he revealed a Mystic Iron waist card.

Engraved on the card was a Golden Phoenix.

The Dark Feather Guards were the Beiyang Empress Dowager’s Hidden Guard.

No one knew what the Dark Feather Guards looked like or where they operated.

It was said that these people were highly skilled in martial arts and not to be offended.

Because they were all the Empress Dowager Hui of Beiyang’s trusted aides.

The patrolling soldiers dared not block his way any longer and let Mu Yuanxiu pass.

Mu Yuanxiu continued using the Beast Taming Mysterious Sound to control the horses.

Under his control, the horses took him to the Central Army Tent of the Empress Dowager Hui of Beiyang.

Around the Central Army Tent were both Hidden Guards and Bright Guards.

Mu Yuanxiu surveyed the surroundings and discreetly dealt with four Hidden Guards using drugged silver needles.

As for the Bright Guards at the tent entrance, he marched confidently toward them.

Mu Yuanxiu revealed the Dark Feather Guard’s token and said in the official language of Beiyan Imperial City, "Dark Feather Seven."

The Empress Dowager’s Dark Feather Guards had no names, only numbers.

The smaller the number, the higher the rank.

Numbers one and two were the close guards of the Empress Dowager, while three, four, five, and six guarded near the tents, and seven, eight, nine, and ten were some of the major commanders of the Dark Feather Guards.

The ones responsible for handling important affairs.

This person was Dark Feather Seven, thus having the highest status among the leaders.

The two gatekeeping Bright Guards immediately stepped aside, not daring to obstruct him.

Mu Yuanxiu smoothly entered the tent.

A bonfire was burning in the center of the tent, illuminating everything within.

Two closely guarding Hidden Guards were at that time lying on the floor in front of a small couch, asleep in their clothes.

On the marching couch lay a beautiful middle-aged woman, the Empress Dowager Hui of Beiyang.

Mu Yuanxiu walked over to her and sat on the small couch, "Aunt, it’s been years since we last met. How have you been lately?"

His voice was slow, and he looked at the sleeping woman with a mocking smile.

This soft laugh startled the two Hidden Guards by the couch awake.

Both turned swiftly, discovering a stranger sitting on the couch, and immediately drew their swords to attack, "Empress Dowager, wake up, there’s an assassin!"

Mu Yuanxiu had already pressed the dagger to the Empress Dowager’s neck.

The Empress Dowager opened her eyes, and upon seeing the gleaming dagger, her face immediately changed, "Who are you?"

"Aunt, it’s me, Yuanxiu, long time no see, Aunt, how have you been lately?" Mu Yuanxiu pressed the knife closer to her neck and smiled softly.

Though he was smiling, his eyes were filled with murderous coldness.

The two Hidden Guards were pale with shock.

Yuanxiu?

Mu Yuanxiu?

Could this be the...

...sole son of the late Emperor?

"You... you are Yuanxiu?" The Empress Dowager looked at Mu Yuanxiu in shock.

Mu Yuanxiu nodded with a smile, "Yes, I am Yuanxiu. Everyone said I look very much like my father, the late Emperor, but when I smile, I resemble my mother more. Aunt, don’t you see it?"

He wasn’t really smiling; he was claiming his due!

The Empress Dowager’s face gradually turned pale, "Why... why are you here? What do you intend? How dare you press a knife against Aijia? Aijia is your aunt!"

"When you took my mother’s Empress position, you didn’t acknowledge her as your sister and even killed her. Now, when you fear I might kill you, you want to claim kinship. Consort Hui, also surnamed Hui, and both are daughters of the Hu family, my mother had a kind nature. Why is your heart as venomous as a viper’s?" Mu Yuanxiu didn’t even bother to feign a smile, his eyes slowly filling with anger and hatred.

The Empress Dowager’s eyes flickered, "Mu Yuanxiu, what nonsense are you spouting? When did Aijia ever kill your mother? Stop slandering me!"

"In the Plum Garden behind the Glazed Hall of the Beiyan Palace, is the nameless female corpse buried there my mother? Would you like me to have it dug up for you to identify? Her left foot is missing a little toe, crushed by a cart when she saved you in her childhood. All the Hu family and the old servants in the palace still remember. Do you not remember, too?" Mu Yuanxiu sneered.