At dusk, Bing Ji slipped past all watchful eyes, cloaking himself in the plain robes of an ordinary old man. He knocked on the weathered courtyard gate and Liu Bingyi opened it. The young man was rolling up his sleeves by the well and splitting firewood; sweat glistened on his forehead. His eyes were as clear as a naive mountain youth's, untouched by the world.
'Your Excellency, what brings you here?' Liu Bingyi exclaimed, both delighted and flustered. He quickly wiped his hands on his apron. "Please come in. My humble abode is rather shabby — I fear I may be putting you out."[God-tier Mimicry: Honest, Grateful and Pure-hearted Youth — Loading Complete! Disguise level: 300% (heartbeat mimics sincerity and fluster at meeting a benefactor).
After taking his seat, Bing Ji stared at Liu Bingyi for a long while, trying to catch even a flicker of ambition in his handsome yet simple face.
[Reputation Points: +3000
[Unlocked reward: Seed of Honesty (Passive Skill: When you speak, even the most outrageous lies will be believed as sincere by others)Bing Ji watched Liu Bingyi's timid, meek demeanour — so content to guard his own small plot of land — and sighed, a hint of pity stirring within him.
'You, you...' Bing Ji sighed deeply. "If you don't fight for it, the Han dynasty will fall into the hands of the Huo family. Do you really think you can remain untouched? Only by sitting on that throne can you protect those you wish to protect.'Liu Bingyi lowered his head and remained silent for a long time, his shoulders trembling slightly. When he lifted his head again, there was a faint red haze in the corners of his eyes. He portrayed the struggle of an honest man driven to desperation with consummate skill.
'Your Excellency, am I truly capable?' His voice trembled, conveying the vulnerability of an orphan seeking refuge. 'If I agree, will those ministers kill me? Will General Huo think I'm trying to seize his power?''They won't.' A sharp gleam flashed in Bing Ji's eyes. 'The less ambition you show, the more suitable a puppet you will appear to Huo Guang than Liu He. Bingyi, if you cooperate, I'll stake my life to ensure you ascend the throne.'[System Monitoring: Bing Ji's loyalty converted to 'Dead Loyal Mode']Bing Ji thought to himself: 'This child is too pure-hearted. I must protect him. I cannot let the Huo clan devour him until there's nothing left.'
After Bing Ji left, Liu Bingyi stood in the doorway and watched him go until his figure had vanished completely into the night. He turned around and the fear and vulnerability on his face disappeared instantly, replaced by an icy calmness.
'Lei Zhen, Chi Lian.' Two dark figures instantly knelt behind him. "Boss, Lord Bing was completely fooled by your performance. If he knew that you had sent men to wipe out the Huo family's spies last night, he would probably faint from shock.
'If we don't make it convincing, how can we get this influential court minister to fight for us willingly?' Liu Bingyi stroked the cold, cicada-patterned dagger at his waist, his gaze drifting towards the Weiyang Palace.'Huo Guang wants an "obedient" emperor, so I'll give him one. Whether this realm will ultimately bear the surname Huo or Liu depends on who can keep up the act until the very end.'
Huo Guang's carriage stopped at the entrance to the alley. He lifted the curtain and gazed down the narrow, damp street, which was teeming with the hustle and bustle of daily life. His brow was slightly furrowed.
In the courtyard, meanwhile, Liu Bingyi crouched on the ground with his trouser legs rolled up and his hands caked in yellow mud, seemingly mending a leaky clay pot. Xu Pingjun stood beside him, handing him straw ash; the two of them were still quietly arguing over how many coins' worth of rice to buy at the market the next day.
"Young Master, the General has arrived!" a Huo household servant shouted at the gate.
Liu Bingyi leapt up like a startled rabbit, half his face smeared with yellow mud. He stared towards the entrance in utter terror. His nerves caused him to slip, nearly sending him tumbling into a mud puddle.[System Feedback: God-tier Mimicry — 'Terrified Commoner' effect active.[Huo Guang's suspicion level reduced by 15% (current assessment: this man lacks resolve and is easily manipulated).]
Huo Guang stepped into the small courtyard. His purple court robes stood in stark contrast to the crumbling mud walls. He said nothing, merely standing with his hands behind his back, his hawk-like eyes — eyes that had seen it all — fixed intently on Liu Bingyi.He was searching — searching for the shadow that had ransacked the private salt warehouse; searching for the assassin who had uprooted thirty-eight of his hidden agents overnight."Liu Bingyi, do you know why I have come?" Huo Guang's voice carried an oppressive weight, as if the air within the courtyard itself had frozen.
'I... I do not know,' Liu Bingyi mumbled, head bowed and voice trembling. His hands fidgeted nervously as he wiped at his mud-stained clothes, only making them dirtier. "Is it because I won money from the Second Young Master during the cockfight a few days ago? I'll return it now, right away..."
As he spoke, he fumbled a few grimy copper coins out of his robe and offered them humbly. Huo Guang eyed the coins, a fleeting look of contempt flashing imperceptibly in his eyes. Could this humble commoner really be the 'Black Face' who had kept the Huo family up at night?
'Liu He is deposed. The kingdom cannot remain without a ruler.' Huo Guang suddenly leaned closer and whispered in his ear, 'Bing Ji recommended you because you have a kind heart and are a descendant of the late emperor. Do you wish to sit upon that throne?'
[System alert: detecting an extremely dangerous probe! Host, please respond.]
Liu Bingyi recoiled as if he had heard a blasphemous and horrifying joke. He fell to his knees with a thud, splattering muddy water onto Huo Guang's boots.
"Spare me, General! I only wish to live in peace! That dragon throne... my backside is too stiff to sit upon it!' Liu Bingyi wailed, clutching desperately at Huo Guang's trouser hem. 'I beg you, General, spare me! I'll relinquish my status as imperial grandson — just let me stay in Shangguanli!"
Huo Guang lowered his gaze to the trembling figure at his feet. Though his suspicions weren't entirely dispelled, the scales had tipped. A cowardly, cling-on "mud-legged imperial grandson" with no power base would make a far better quiet puppet than the deranged Liu He.
"Rise." Huo Guang's tone softened slightly, tinged with condescending pity. 'This is your fate; you cannot escape it. Stay here for a while and behave yourself. Someone from the palace will come to teach you etiquette.'
Huo Guang turned and left. As his carriage rolled out of the courtyard gate, he ordered his attendants coldly, 'Withdraw half the hidden sentries. This scum won't cause any trouble."
It was only after Huo Guang's carriage had vanished completely that Liu Bingyi slowly rose to his feet. The terror on his face disappeared instantly, replaced by an air of serenity that seemed to survey all of humanity from above. Casually wiping the yellow mud from his face, he revealed eyes as sharp as blades."Lei Zhen.""Present."
"Inform Chi Lian: tonight, eliminate all the withdrawn sentries without a trace. Since Huo Guang deems me useless, I shall make him truly blind.'
Liu Bingyi turned to Xu Pingjun, who was also playing her part. Their eyes met.
In that instant, the former ordinary peasant couple radiated an imperial aura, as if they were an emperor and empress surveying their realm together.Ding!
Reputation Points: +4500! (Obtained 'Deceiver of Heaven' title fragment for successfully deceiving Huo Guang.)
System Notice: Huo Guang has been drawn into the scheme. The countdown to the Grand Court Assembly's "Invitation to the Emperor" begins: 48 hours.Liu Bingyi stepped into the inner chamber, where he found Xu Pingjun sitting silently, wringing out a towel. He approached her and gently wiped the mud from her neck, his movements tender, but his gaze carrying the resolute determination of a moth drawn to a flame. 'Bingyi,' she murmured. 'Once you pass through that door, you will truly cease to be my Bingyi.'
Her voice was hoarse. Liu Bingyi grasped her hand; the warmth of his palm made her tremble slightly. 'No. Only by passing through that door can I become the Liu Bingyi who can protect you.' He retrieved a black wooden box from a hidden compartment beneath the bed — [System Reward: Fragment of Crimson Sky].
As he opened the box, a faint purple mist rose within. The dim light in the room seemed to be forcibly pushed aside by an invisible force. In preparation for the upcoming court assembly, Liu Bingyi had to swiftly transform from a 'common citizen' into the 'Supreme Sovereign'.
Liu Bingyi did not turn around, but his voice echoed like a temple bell from the depths of the hall. It carried an air of authority that left no room for argument.
A crimson shadow flickered as Chilian knelt with her head bowed low. She sensed that her master was more terrifying than ever before tonight.
'My lord, the sixteen hidden sentries of the Huo clan have been withdrawn. The remaining eight are Huo Guang's 'eyes of death', monitoring the rear courtyard specifically."
"There's no need to eliminate them all," replied Liu Bingyi with a cold chuckle. "Spare one. Let him witness what he 'wishes to see'. Tonight, I will make him believe that I am lying awake in terror with my head in my hands, weeping. Then, when he reports to Huo Guang tomorrow morning, reassure him."[God-tier Mimicry: Psychological Tactics — Blending Reality and Illusion]
'Is the "Hive" operation ready?'"Reporting to Your Majesty, arrangements are complete," replied Chi Lian in a low voice. 'Regarding the Xiongnu, our agents have forged letters implicating the Huo family in collusion. These were deliberately 'seized' by border patrols. This urgent dispatch will reach Huo Guang's desk one hour before the Grand Court Assembly commences." "
Liu Bingyi nodded. His intention was to keep Huo Guang occupied on the day of the Grand Court Assembly, both propping up this 'puppet' and defending his own innocence while managing the border crisis.When a powerful minister's mind is in turmoil, he fails to see the blade held by the puppet. Liu Bingyi changed into tattered clothes, returned to the courtyard, picked up an axe and cast one last glance at the small courtyard where he had lived for many years.
[Ding! Chapter 19 Mission [Dragon Emerges from the Depths] Accomplished!
Settlement reward: Reputation +5000!
Obtained divine-grade item: Emperor's Ceremonial Robe · Phantom (enhances host's visual intimidation by 500% during the grand court assembly)!
"Prince Ping, you should retire early. Two days from now, sixteen palanquins will arrive to escort you to the palace."
He watched the pale light of dawn spreading across the eastern horizon, a cruel yet elegant smile curving his lips.
'It is time to wash away the blood of the great Han dynasty.'