37: Chapter 37 Fourth Life, All-in Failure? Watch Me Turn the Tide (Part Fourteen)

On the other side, Wang Shi, like a master puppeteer, precisely controlled the intelligence reports from all sides.

Heir Xiao Heng acted according to the plan, "actively" deploying troops, reinforcing the defenses of the Tianhuang Princes Mansion, and putting on a posture of being ready for battle.

Yet, inadvertently, he leaked the deployment plans for certain subtle areas.

At the same time, he and Wang Shi constantly updated the movements of Lin Lantian and the others, fine-tuning the final plan to "lure the enemy into the trap."

Certain "loopholes" and "weak points" around the Heirs Courtyard and even the Zhenhuang Hall were secretly adjusted and reinforced, yet some seemingly reasonable "flaws" were cleverly left behind.

The Second Prince and Lin Lantian were also making their final preparations.

The "righteous" justification for persuading the army to attack the Tianhuang Princes Mansion was repeatedly emphasized and instilled.

The elite troops who had entered the city in small groups gathered at secret strongholds to distribute weapons.

The pre-contacted inside agents were confirmed once more, and the attack routes were slightly adjusted in response to Heir Xiao Heng's "deployment."

Even the steps for how to quickly control the city after success, how to issue public peace notices, and how to "implore" the Old Prince to come out of seclusion to preside over the overall situation, were rehearsed several times.

The smell of gunpowder filling the air grew thicker, and even the ordinary citizens sensed the oppressive feeling of an impending storm.

The original curfew in Tianhuang City was moved up from the Hour of the Bo to the Hour of the Xu, and the streets became much quieter.

Time passed, and it finally reached the two and a half month mark of King of Tianhuang Xiao Zhan's seclusion to stabilize his realm.

There was only half a month left until his scheduled exit from seclusion.

That night at the Hour of the Zi, all was silent, and dark clouds obscured the moon.

Suddenly, in the direction of the east side of the Tianhuang Princes Mansion, flames shot up into the sky, lighting up half the night sky in red!

Accompanied by the crackling of burning flames, deafening shouts of killing, the clashing of weapons, and screams suddenly erupted.

The residence of First Prince Xiao Jing was under fierce attack!

First Prince Xiao Ze led about two thousand elite soldiers dressed in border army uniforms, emerging like ghosts from multiple streets and alleys, and fiercely broke through the mansion gates.

They hacked at anyone they saw and burned every building they encountered, appearing as if they intended to slaughter the entire residence.

The guards inside the residence "hastily" fought back, but were forced back step by step, suffering heavy casualties.

Protected by dozens of loyal guards fighting to the death, First Prince Xiao Jing fought as he retreated, moving toward the deepest part of the residence, the situation "extremely critical."

However, behind the barrier formed by the guards' bodies, on the face of First Prince Xiao Jing, who was being "hastily" escorted, there was not much panic, only a trace of mockery so cold it was extreme at the corner of his mouth.

"Second Prince… you really only have this much ability." He whispered in his heart, a cold glint flashing through his eyes.

Almost at the same moment the fire broke out on the east side.

"Boom!" A dull, thunder-like sound of footsteps rolled in from the south of the city, shattering the silence of the night.

Countless torches suddenly flared up, like winding fire dragons, surging out from several streets and the city gates.

The target was clear, heading straight for the center of the majestic complex of the Tianhuang Princes Mansion on the central axis of Tianhuang City.

Lin Lantian had a solemn expression, wearing bright silver full-body heavy armor, holding a long blade, and riding on a tall horse, leading the charge toward the Tianhuang Princes Mansion.

He no longer suppressed his aura, the power of a Martial Monarch of the Yinsui Realm fully erupted, and a condensed silver beam of blood energy shot up into the sky from the crown of his head.

It was as dazzling and eye-catching as a lighthouse in the dark night sky, and also like a beacon fire declaring a rebellion!

His voice was like thunder, and under the infusion and support of golden energy, it spread across half of the Tianhuang Princes Mansion:

"Heir Xiao Heng is devoid of virtue and ability, blindly trusting inner attendants, deceiving the Prince, persecuting his brothers—heaven and man alike are enraged!

Acting under the orders of His Highness the Second Prince, we are here to execute the rebel faction and pacify the family crisis!

We shall only execute the chief culprits; the rest will not be pursued!

Those who block me, die!"

"Execute the rebel faction! Pacify the family crisis!"

The thousands of elite border soldiers behind him roared in unison, the sound wave shaking the heavens, and the killing intent sweeping through the long streets!

The guards on the perimeter of the Tianhuang Princes Mansion seemed to be intimidated by this sudden army and terrifying momentum, and the "hastily" organized defense line collapsed at a single touch.

After symbolic resistance, they "panicked" and scattered toward the inner city.

Lin Lantian took the lead, shattering the vermilion side gate of the Tianhuang Princes Mansion with one strike, and seeing this, he was even more complacent, laughing wildly:

"Hahahaha! They are truly a bunch of worthless rabble!

Heir Xiao Heng, you brat, what do you have to fight me with?

Today is your death day!"

He no longer paid attention to the sporadic resistance, leading his elite personal soldiers along the best path provided by the "inside agents," breaking through like bamboo, and charging straight into the core area of the Tianhuang Princes Mansion.

Along the way, among the halls and pavilions, although there were sporadic cold arrows and small squads intercepting, under the crushing force of his Silver Marrow Realm, they were all vulnerable.

The "weakness" and "chaos" inside the Tianhuang Princes Mansion further fueled his arrogance.

Until he "cleared" his way to the outside of the Heirs Courtyard, he saw the gate wide open, with only a few servants inside, and Heir Xiao Heng was long gone.

"He must have hidden in the Zhenhuang Hall!

Wanting to rely on the final geographic advantage to put up a desperate fight? It is merely a death throe!"

Lin Lantian did not hesitate, waving his army to charge straight toward that magnificent hall that symbolized the core of the Tianhuang royal power.

In front of the Zhenhuang Hall, on the vast square, the scene was completely different from the "collapse" on the periphery.

Simple fortifications had been temporarily constructed in front of the hall, and about a thousand people stood solemnly.

In addition to some well-armored guards of the Tianhuang Princes Mansion, there were more private soldiers wearing the Song family's attire, as well as retainers and troops brought by some generals who had recently defected to Heir Xiao Heng.

Everyone looked solemn, and the air was filled with a tragic atmosphere of burning bridges.

These people did not know that everything was planned by Heir Xiao Heng and Wang Shi, and were currently anxiously making pre-battle preparations.

Heir Xiao Heng, dressed in black heir's casual attire, stood on the high steps in front of the Zhenhuang Hall, his figure casting a long shadow in the firelight.

The night wind rolled his sleeves, reflecting his exceptionally solemn profile.

His thin lips were tightly pressed, his gaze looking toward the direction the rebel army was attacking like a cold star. To anyone who saw him, he was a tragic heir trapped in a desperate situation, yet vowing to live and die with his foundation.

However, his hands hanging by his side, steady as a rock, and the calmness in the deepest part of his eyes like a deep valley pool, as well as that trace of barely perceptible smile,

It was this that truly revealed Heir Xiao Heng's real situation at this moment; he was not a lamb waiting to be slaughtered in a desperate situation.

Rather, he was a fisherman holding a fishing rod, watching the fish bite the hook impatiently, stepping into the final cage step by step.

Wang Shi was dressed in cyan casual attire, his hands slightly hanging, his expression solemn, standing quietly in the shadow to the left of Heir Xiao Heng.

He was also watching the movements of the rebel army in the distance. The moment he saw Lin Lantian from afar, he let out a long sigh of relief, knowing that this time it was stable.

You must know that what made him and Heir Xiao Heng most wary was not the Second Prince Xiao Ze, but this garrison general of the Silver Marrow Realm, Lin Lantian.

After all, if he suddenly went crazy, disregarding everything to abandon everything, and hid in the dark just to take revenge on the two of them.

That would be certain death. After all, the Supreme Prince of the Tianhuang Princes Mansion could not protect them at all times, and his current identity was merely an inner attendant.

Even if his status in Heir Xiao Heng's heart was special, to the various Supreme Princes, he was just an insignificant servant.

Therefore, when the strategy of killing the chicken to scare the monkey was decided, the first one he proposed was Lin Lantian.

The last part of the journey is the hardest; seeing that his efforts in this life were about to bear fruit and he was about to take off.

He could not let it be ruined in his hands due to a moment of carelessness.