The Child Emperor

Chapter 121: Spy of the Pugilist World

Han Ruzi recognized Cui Xiaojun’s handwriting and understood the meaning of the letter.

“The border is in turmoil, the imperial palace is prepared. Husband, you should submit a memorial to request to join the battle. Do not take risks.”

The phrase “the imperial palace is prepared” did not refer to “border turmoil” but to the conspiracy planned by the Cui family. Therefore, she warned the Weary Marquis not to take risks.

A letter delivered by a stranger couldn’t be too explicit. Han Ruzi held the letter and asked Ma Da, “Didn’t anyone come back with you?”

Ma Da laughed, “There was a kid who insisted on following me. I didn’t agree, but he secretly followed me. Who am I? I made a few roundabouts in the city, entered the wilderness, circled a few times, and lost him.”

Ma Da was proud, but Han Ruzi didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. It turned out that Ma Da came back so late to shake off the tail.

Unable to do anything, Han Ruzi could only blame himself for not giving clear instructions initially. Turning around, he saw Chao Hua and others had already come within a hundred steps. One person among them wore a tattered monk’s robe – the mad monk Guangding.

Han Ruzi walked towards the small boat by the water. Prince Donghai ran ahead and blocked him, saying, “What are you planning to do? At this point, you can’t change your mind.”

“The Empress Dowager is already prepared. This uprising has no hope of success.”

“Haha, the Empress Dowager is prepared, but does the Cui family have no preparation? You don’t need to worry.”

Han Ruzi became even more worried, saying coldly, “Step aside.”

Prince Donghai shook his head and refused to make way, “This is a time that requires courage. You’re thinking too much and doing too little; others have to make decisions for you.”

Prince Donghai waved, and a dozen militia members gathered, drawing their knives.

Prince Donghai had dismissed thirty guards but secretly brought in some helpers. The people who came to the Riverside Village these past two days were numerous and diverse. Even the old fisherman Chao Yongsi, who lived by the lake, couldn’t distinguish everyone’s background.

Han Ruzi took a few steps back and signaled for people to come. The true militia members rushed over, and Ma Da, bare-handed, was not afraid at all, growling at the opposing group.

On the mudflat, some militia members didn’t move, around twenty-seven or eight people, all looking at Lin Kunshan.

Lin Kunshan had previously claimed that he had twenty martial arts experts in the village, but he had intentionally understated it a bit.

Among the three parties, Han Ruzi had the largest number of militia members by his side, but their combat strength was the weakest. Many people didn’t even understand what was happening, whispering to each other.

Prince Donghai said, “Mr Lin, you can’t just stand on the sidelines and watch. You must choose one side to support.”

Lin Kunshan smiled and said, “We’re all on the same boat, and we should work together. In my opinion, Prince Donghai should not be anxious, and Your Majesty, should not back down. At least give a reason. Master Guangding has arrived, and it’s a good opportunity to clarify things.”

The mad monk Guangding, despite wearing ragged clothes, showed no signs of madness on his face. With his wide sleeves fluttering, he stood outside the circle, surveying left and right, exuding a sense of boldness. He asked, “What’s going on? We haven’t started the uprising yet, and you want to start killing each other?”

Han Ruzi trusted Cui Xiaojun, even more than Yang Feng. Once she confirmed that the Empress Dowager was prepared, he immediately sensed many things were suspicious. With the situation urgent, he couldn’t afford to think carefully. Pointing at the group led by the mad monk, she exclaimed, “There is a spy among you!”

Han Ruzi’s gaze quickly swept over them. In the past, he had exposed a spy among a group of defectors, but this tactic seemed ineffective now. The people brought by Guangding were few, totaling thirteen, and all were prominent figures in the pugilist world inside and outside the Capital. They exchanged glances, revealing surprise but not panic.

Chao Hua and the others, being true militia members, immediately sensed that something was wrong and ran back to Han Ruzi. This added some strength to his side.

One person beside Guangding sneered, “We risk our lives to serve the Emperor, but the Emperor suspects us of disloyalty. This deal is really worthwhile.”

Guangding raised his hand to signal everyone to stay in place and walked forward confidently. He nodded to Lin Kunshan first and then stood a few steps away from Han Ruzi, smiling, “Your Majesty still remembers me, right?”

“Of course.”

“Am I the spy?”

Han Ruzi pondered in silence; at this point, he didn’t trust anyone.

The fighters of the pugilist world were in an uproar. Guangding held a high position, and suspecting him was tantamount to suspecting everyone. They came with the intention of assisting the Emperor and were proud individuals, unlike the ragtag militia members. Each of sneered and spat on the ground.

The most anxious person turned out to be Prince Donghai. Offending these pugilists meant that the uprising in the north couldn’t proceed, the northern army couldn’t be diverted, and capturing the Capital quickly would become even more challenging. He raised his arms and exclaimed, “Everyone, calm down and listen to me.”

Guangding remained silent, and the others also quieted down.

Prince Donghai glared at Han Ruzi with resentment but had no choice but to speak on his behalf, “Your Majesty, thank these noble heroes for coming. They are taking risks, and Your Majesty is also taking even greater risks. It’s natural to feel a bit nervous…”

Han Ruzi was indeed a bit nervous, but his reason was different from what Prince Donghai had mentioned. He asked Guangding, “Has the pugilist world been calm this past year?”

This question seemed inexplicable. Prince Donghai fell silent, subtly signaling the guards to come closer.

Guangding was also puzzled. After a moment of contemplation, he said, “It’s been fine. Some gained wealth, some lost it; some lived, some died. There are also those who overestimate themselves, wanting to help the government and do something for the people. The pugilist world has always been like this—not peaceful, but the turbulence is something that has been a constant.”

Han Ruzi pretended not to understand the sarcastic tone in the crazy monk’s words. If it were a normal situation, without so many people around, he might have remained composed. However, at this moment, he could only think about how to convince Guangding and the others as quickly as possible.

“How many people did the imperial court arrest and kill after Prince Qi’s rebellion failed?” Han Ruzi asked loudly, abruptly changing the topic. No one answered, and he continued, “At least twenty thousand people, many of whom were from the pugilist world.”

Han Ruzi looked at Lin Kunshan, knowing that most of the captured pugilists were related to the fate seers.

“During last year’s palace coup, people from the pugilist world participated. Fate Seer Bu Hengru is still in prison, and the whereabouts of the Ghost Hand Gui Yuehua are unknown.”

Han Ruzi closed his mouth, looked at the crowd. A few people understood what he wanted to say, but not everyone agreed with the implied conclusion. Han Ruzi’s gaze returned to the mad monk, realizing that he only needed to convince this one person.

Han Ruzi clasped his fists and bowed, “Please forgive my rudeness just now, Master. You’ve lived in seclusion for many years and wouldn’t betray fellow martial artists from the pugilist world. Please consider whether the court has ever shown such magnanimity, overlooking past actions of rebels.”

Guangding remained silent. One of the pugilists he brought along shouted from behind, “That statement is not accurate. We didn’t participate in the palace coup last year, so why would the court arrest us? As for Gui Yuehua, hasn’t the court been pursuing him?”

Many nodded in agreement. Han Ruzi shook his head, keeping his eyes on Guangding. “It’s not like that. To the court, the pugilist world is seen as a whole. If dozens of people from the pugilist world participated in the palace coup, then the entire pugilist world is considered problematic. It’s like… those who have been oppressed by officials, don’t they hate all officials?”

More people nodded in agreement.

Han Ruzi felt that he was close to success. “The court’s mindset is similar to yours. They haven’t taken action against the pugilist world yet, probably for one reason—they are still investigating, aiming to capture all of you in one fell swoop.”

Han Ruzi paused, “Do you all remember the incident of Martial Emperor exterminating pugilists throughout the land?”

It was a matter from over a decade ago, but it was an experience shared by Guangding and the others. Upon hearing this, their expressions changed.

Prince Donghai stepped forward, “That’s why this uprising must succeed. If this opportunity is lost, the entire pugilist world will suffer for another decade.”

Han Ruzi had said so much but Prince Donghai was trying to capitalize on his words. He hurriedly added, “To investigate thoroughly, there must be insiders. The court has either planted spies or bribed traitors within the pugilist world.”

Han Ruzi glanced at the people around Prince Donghai and Lin Kunshan. In this hastily assembled army, there were surely spies, not to mention those from the pugilist world who aimed to start an uprising in the north of the Capital.

Prince Donghai only cared about one thing, “Catching spies and starting the uprising are not in conflict.”

The mad monk Guangding, known for his carefree demeanor, rarely fell into contemplation. After a while, he said, “In Huailing County, there are hundreds of fellow pugilists waiting. Once the decision to rebel is made, they can gather an equal number of heroes overnight, along with at least ten times that number of commoners…”

“That’s enough,” Prince Donghai interrupted, “Rebel in the north and south of the Capital simultaneously. In less than three days, we will win, and the court will… be Yours, Your Majesty. Everyone else will be rewarded for meritorious service. Even if the Empress Dowager uncovers the secrets of the pugilist world, what can she do?”

Prince Donghai, in his haste, even mentioned the Empress Dowager.

Han Ruzi was about to speak when Guangding suddenly burst into laughter, raised his hand to rub his bald head, “How troublesome. No wonder it is said that monks should avoid worldly affairs.”

Turning around, Guangding walked toward Lin Kunshan, “Let’s have a chat, my friend. In situations like this, you are the wiser one.”

The two walked several dozen steps away and spoke in low voices, while the others stayed in their original positions.

Prince Donghai asked, “Who gave you the letter? Yang Feng? He’s the Empress Dowager’s person, don’t you understand? The Empress Dowager senses trouble and knows she can’t resist it, so she let Yang Feng set up a false appearance to buy time. I can’t let you fall into the trap. The Cui family, the pugilist world, these militia men, they’ve all placed their bets on you.”

At first, Han Ruzi only wanted to persuade Guangding with those words. However, the more he thought about it, the more he found it reasonable. Scanning the faces around, he suddenly saw a somewhat familiar face among the pugilists brought by Guangding, “Aren’t you Kuang Caiyi from Sanliu Alley?”

The person was startled, “It’s me… Your Majesty remembers me?”

When Han Ruzi first moved into the Weary Marquis’s Manor, he had been surrounded and attacked. Kuang Caiyi was one of the heroes hired by Yang Feng at that time. The sky was relatively dark, and Han Ruzi only had a vague impression, so he just recognized him.

“Of course, I remember,” Han Ruzi smiled.

“I haven’t been bribed by the court,” Kuang Caiyi defended himself. This was not a good time to establish a friendly relationship with the Emperor.

“Of course, you haven’t,” Han Ruzi reassured him. He just hoped to gather more support at a critical moment and didn’t suspect him.

The mad monk Guangding and Lin Kunshan returned. The monk was still rubbing his shaved head, but the decision had been made. “Everyone is here. We can’t just let our efforts fizzle out; otherwise, we won’t have any face in the pugilist world in the future. Let’s start the uprising tonight at midnight. Emperor, please prepare to ascend the throne again. It doesn’t matter if you remember our contributions; we just hope Your Majesty will think of the common people in the future.”

Han Ruzi couldn’t think of any more persuasive words. Prince Donghai sighed in relief, and Lin Kunshan nodded to Han Ruzi. They had agreed earlier that they would hand Prince Donghai over to Guangding, and he would keep his promise.

While things were set to proceed according to the original plan, Han Ruzi felt increasingly uneasy. He was about to go all out and speak out when someone walked out behind him, “Wait, let’s first expose the spy.”

“Who are you?” Prince Donghai asked angrily.

The person took off the bamboo hat on his head and bowed to the mad monk Guangding, “Do you recognize me, Master?”

“Heh, the dual-wielding chef, Reckless. Even if I don’t recognize you, the scars on my body do.”

The two seemed to have some unresolved conflict, but Reckless did not mind. He shouted loudly, “I know who the spy is. Come out on your own!”

Han Ruzi was getting a headache.

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