87
The hired Assassin indeed hurried back to the capital and arrange to meet with his bosses in Countless Pleasure.
Jimin and his subordinates has been watching if something unusual happens in that place thus they find it out of ordinary when three men came in wearing bamboo hats with veil covering their faces.
Xiao Lu who has been accompanying Jimin nudge him, "Why don't Brother Min go in and listen to them?"
Jimin glared at her, "Do I look like a woman to you?"
Xiao Lu instead of getting scared tease him even more, "Are you not? Go in and bring this zither, it's our policy to have atleast one musician every private room and your martial arts are prominent than me so you can listen to them well."
Jimin thought that what she said is indeed reasonable so he agreed, he grab the zither and went in, Xiao Lu followed him inside.
"Gentlemen, I am called Lu'er, I came here to present to you the assign musician for this room, She is Min'er, she's mute so there's no need for her to accompany you, she is here just to play the zither."
The man under the veil motion the little stage on the side.
"Let her play on that side and get out."
Xiao Lu respectfully bowed, "Just pull the strings to ring the bell if you have any request gentlemen."
Jimin timidly walk to the stage, holding the zither tightly then he start to heighten his hearing sense the moment he pluck the strings by the use of his inner strength.
This way he can listen well.
The other man on the veil push a bundle of cloth on the table.
"This belongs to the Emperor, he's dead. I killed him myself."
"Who are you fooling? How can you easily kill the Emperor?" Left Prime Minister Park sneered.
He is the man with a veil wearing a white robe.
While Prince Haii was wearing a purple robe, the Assassin is clad in black.
"These belongs to him, why don't you take a look." The Assassin opened the bundle and a bloody broken arrow along with a piece of cloth attach on it.
Left Prime Minister and Prince Haii recognized that cloth, it's the inner garment of the Emperor under the golden armor he's wearing before he left the capital.
Is he really dead?
"No one survived other than me, I am even heavily wounded, The Emperor has been really tired and did not even had much energy maybe because of fatigue after he looked for the Emperor of Yuan. That's why I defeated him easily."
Left Prime Minister Park nodded, indeed this Assassin was one of the topnotched in his Lotus Pavilion.
When he said he defeated the Emperor then he believed him.
Prince Haii heave a sigh of relief. Indeed that's true, if they will not sneak an attack no one can defeat the Emperor, even him, His brother.
"What should we do now?" Left Prime Minister said looking at the Assassin. This guy needs to be killed, he knows everything.
Prince Haii grab the man and slash his neck directly and pretend that nothing has happened, he tidied the Assassin's bamboo hat, he look like he fell asleep as he and Left Prime Minister Park left the room.
Jimin was dumbfounded.
The Emperor is dead? How is that possible? What will happen to their master now?
He put down the zither and examine the man only to find out that he is already dead.
"Damn that people! They left a mess here! Xiao Lu! Call someone to clean up here, now!"
Jimin immediately change into his normal clothes and jump up to flew to the Phoenix Palace, reporting to Kana about what he heard.
"Do not fret, His Majesty is fine. This is a trap to lure the mouse and the snakes out. Prepare the Dark Knights on standby, the Capital will be breach soon, the throne is in danger. We must hold it up until His Majesty returns, meanwhile I want you to start the rumor that His Majesty was assassinated and killed on the way to the borders. "
"Yes!" Jimin did not question this any more thus he agreed and cupped his fists on his chest before he flew back to the Countless Pleasure.
***
That very night, starting from The Countless Pleasure Brothel House, to the Thousand Island Restaurant, to the Sparrow Jewelry Shop, to the Granaries around the capital, all the shops owned by Empress Regent Han and the shops belongs to the Han Family started to talk and spread about the rumors of the Emperor's death.
The Capital is bustling and lively when that news erupted.
"The Emperor is dead?"
"That's impossible! Truly impossible!"
"The Emperor is the son of the Heavens, he should not die!"
"He should live for a thousand years!"
"It's a pity that he just sat at the throne and now he's already dead."
"Such a young age. Now what will happen to the palace?"
"Who will replace him then?"
Hundreds of questions but no one answered them, the Palace did not hand down a memorandum so all they did was to rely on the rumors.
***
IMPERIAL COURT
"Your Majesty! The rumors outside! We cannot just sit here and let them curse his Majesty!" Minister Han frown after they started the meeting.
Empress Regent Han look at them one by one. "We do not know if the rumors are true, This Empress Regent will only believe if one's eyes will see His Majesty's body."
"But, Your Majesty!" the Ministers chorused.
"What do you suggest then?" Kana indulged them to talk.
"Let the Second Prince ascend to the throne since His Majesty is already dead." Minister Ming said casually.
"Impudent! How dare you curse His Majesty! As long as we do not see his body... He is still alive!" Minister Kim roared in anger.
"Let's continue this session for tomorrow, everyone, Scram." Kana waved his had, shooing them away.
Minister Han wanted to go to him but he threw him a glare, "Father must not interfere or else the Han family will be implicated."
Minister Han nodded, "I'll leave then, Your Majesty."
That day, Left Prime Minister Park and the Second Prince utilize their secret force and prepare to enter the palace at night.
The whole empire will be dyed in red soon, but Prince Haii will surely spare Empress Regent Han, he has plans for him.
***
AN: THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE A FIGHT SCENE, SEMI GORE.