Now, He Lianqi and his group were quickly approaching the imperial mausoleum on the outskirts of the capital. However, the place they were heading to was heavily ambushed, waiting for them to walk into the trap.
Inside the tent outside the imperial mausoleum, Nangong Liuyun sat on the highest seat, carefully polishing a dagger. His eyes glinted with a mysterious light.
This dagger was given to him by the late emperor. Back then, he had followed the late emperor on expeditions far and wide and helped establish the current peaceful era. Now that the late emperor was gone, wasn't he the one most qualified to inherit his legacy?
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. He Lianqi was just a young and inexperienced lad. What did he know? He was so stupid that he had been lured into the trap. How could such a person be worthy of being the current emperor?
"Come here!" he roared out. Immediately, a soldier rushed in, bowed his hands and respectfully asked, "My lord, what are your orders?"
"Go and bury this thing. The farther away, the better!" He threw the dagger over, with a look of disdain in his eyes and then added, "I never want to see it again in my life!"
This dagger symbolized the late emperor's trust in him. The late emperor had even entrusted the entire Dongsheng Kingdom to him. Now that he wanted to take full power, he no longer needed the authorization of others.
Thinking of this, he threw his head back and let out a wild laugh, his expression showing a hint of arrogance. Just then, Nangong Yunze suddenly rushed in and said, "Father, the emperor and his entourage have arrived!"
Hearing this, Nangong Liuyun's cold smile deepened. He then nodded and walked out of the tent. The sun was about to set outside, as if it was a sign that his era was about to come.
With that thought, he strode out and said cheerfully, "Let's go. Let's go and see our emperor!"
Behind him, Nangong Yunze couldn't help but sneer when he saw his father's appearance. His heart was pounding wildly, for the moment he had been waiting for was finally coming.
Outside the imperial mausoleum at this moment.
"We've arrived at the imperial mausoleum," He Lianqi said to the woman in his arms.
Dongfang Yi then slowly straightened up from his arms. She stretched and rubbed her sleepy eyes and said, "Are we going to go in directly like this?"
She knew that the dangers inside were more than she had imagined. Nangong Liuyun had been here for a year. He might have already turned this place into his territory. So it was better to be cautious.
Hearing this, He Lianqi curled his lips and chuckled twice. Then he replied, "We just need to wait here for someone to come and pick us up."
Just then, Ruyi suddenly ran out from somewhere and said to the man in front of him, "Your Majesty, our men are already assembled. It seems that all the members of Nangong Liuyun's party are here!"
He said word by word, with great anger in his eyes. After all, he had witnessed with his own eyes the assembling of the rebel army that was going to usurp the throne and attack his master.
But He Lianqi's expression didn't change after hearing this, as if he had already expected it. So he said coldly, "Those rebels would surely not miss such a good show."
After all, they had followed the Nangong family for so many years. Now was the time for them to show their loyalty. Which family would dare to slack off? But this was just right. He could then capture them all at once with ease.
Thinking of this, the smile on his lips deepened.
Dongfang Yi naturally guessed what was on his mind. Then she said, "It seems that you've already planned everything."
He Lianqi nodded heavily after hearing this. Since the moment he decided to renovate the imperial mausoleum, everything had been under his control. Nangong Liuyun was just the biggest chess piece.
He had always followed the late emperor on expeditions and made great military achievements. But now he had evil intentions. Naturally, He Lianqi couldn't let him stay in the court any longer. But he had no way to completely deprive him of his power. So he came up with this plan.
Let him get the chance to rebel. Then, in the end, let him be disgraced. Without his glorious aura, he would just be an ordinary courtier. In this way, He Lianqi could weaken his influence in the court.
Just then, Nangong Liuyun walked out of the imperial mausoleum, followed by Nangong Yunze.
"Your subject pays respects to the emperor!" He bowed his hands and said in a respectful manner, looking like a loyal courtier and no one would have thought that he was a traitor.
"Get up, my dear minister. You've really suffered during these days in the imperial mausoleum!" He Lianqi also said with a smile, as if he didn't know about all his conspiracies at all. Dongfang Yi beside him also pretended to smile and then gave a smile to the man in front of her.
Then the group walked into the imperial mausoleum.
After the renovation, the imperial mausoleum was indeed much cleaner and more luxurious than before. On the stone gate was carved the symbol of the king - the dragon. There were nine of them coiled together, looking as if they were flying into the sky. They looked extremely lifelike.
After passing through the stone gate, the first room was filled with the coffins of the concubines of past dynasties. Each of them was sealed in the stone wall. Outside them were the tombs of their clothes and hats, on which were carved different patterns.
Next was the main burial chamber, where the coffins of the emperors and empresses of past dynasties were placed. In the middle was the crystal coffin of the late emperor. For some unknown reason, the body of the late emperor hadn't decayed. He looked as if he was just asleep.
"Why is this?" Dongfang Yi asked with a puzzled tone.
Thinking of the books or TV dramas about tomb - raiding she had watched in modern times, there were always such plots that a dead body didn't decay, which proved that there must be treasures here.
He Lianqi replied after hearing this, "This crystal coffin is made of aged crystal from the Western Sea. It has the effect of keeping the body from decaying. And father also had a dust - avoiding pearl in his mouth. It's a kind of miraculous medicine."
He said word by word, but his tone showed no sign of excitement. It seemed that he wasn't interested in these things.
After hearing his words, Dongfang Yi's eyes widened. She never thought that what she had once thought was just a legend was right in front of her and it was real.
Sure enough, culture was profound and extensive. She could encounter all kinds of rare things. Maybe there was a traceable reason for her time - travel.
The group continued to walk forward. In front was the place where they were going to hold the sacrifice. There were the memorial tablets of the ancestors and the statues of the immortals invited by the warlocks. They had to start the sacrifice immediately after the sun set, for only then would the prayer be most effective.
Now the sun was about to set behind the western mountains. A sacrifice was about to begin.
Nangong Liuyun beside them made a gesture to the man behind him and frowned. Nangong Yunze understood his meaning and immediately retreated into the darkness.