Chapter Twenty-Seven: Stealing the Day

It's night, the Lantern Festival.

Kyoto Castle. The lights are bright, the pedestrians are bustling, and the whole city is almost indistinguishable from daytime. Except for the pitch-black sky on the top of the imperial city - like a bulging black curtain covering the entire world.

Blending with this shady curtain is the silent slaughter before the dark tide surges.

Between the sky and the earth, two slender black shadows stood at the head of the city, blending in this night, but there was a bit of beauty.

"Senior brother, I'll leave it to you here."

"Don't worry!"

"Okay, I'll go find Shen Kun first."

Walking down the city, Luo Xiaotian rode on a big horse, and the horse's hooves galloped between the bricks and stones, tapping. This is the urn of the city defense, and the high walls on both sides rise into the night. On the top of the wall, you can have a bird's-eye view of the entire lantern festival square.

……

At this time, at the gate of Kyoto City, two horse-drawn carriages were driving at night.

As soon as they arrived at the checkpoint, they were surrounded by Li Wenyi and his soldiers, and the wagons and goods were detained, and the escorts were driven out of the city. He was strictly following Luo Xiaotian's orders, although he didn't know why he had to detain the two cars of black ointment.

The carriage was opened, and several soldiers were inspecting the contents with torches. Suddenly, with a bang, the entire carriage burst into flames, and everyone was so frightened that they subconsciously took a few steps back. At the same time, the horses neighed in surprise and rushed into the city gate with all their might.

Faced with this sudden and unexpected situation, Li Wenyi shouted in horror to the soldiers inside the city gate: "Stop-stop-stop!" ”

The stunned soldiers hurriedly raised their spears and stabbed at the galloping horses, and with a painful neigh, several soldiers in front of them were thrown out a few meters in response, and the spearhead of the spear in their hands had pierced deeply into the horse. After a few steps, the whole carriage staggered to the ground and rolled a few times.

The flames overturned the streets, still burning vigorously, and the gates of the city became a sea of fire.

……

The accidental fire at the city gate did not attract the attention of the city.

Before the birthday feast begins, the entrance to the palace. Hundreds of civil and military officials, relatives of the emperor and relatives gathered together, holding their names and being inspected by the Praetorian Guards, including the family of the Bei'an Palace.

The family finished the inspection and entered the palace. Because the female dependents could not attend the banquet, Zhao Susu had to say goodbye to her father and was led by the female official to the queen mother's bedroom.

Although it is night, along the way, you can still feel the majesty and magnificence of the palace. The corridor is full of light on both sides, the Zhu Xie is carved, and the ancient trees are towering......

After a while, Zhao Susu came to the palace of the Queen Mother. After waiting at the door for a while, the female officer went in to make a report, and led her in.

As soon as you enter the door, the bright light in the hall is bright and magnificent. On both sides of the palace, there are more than a dozen palace maids, and the queen mother is sitting in it, graceful and luxurious.

Although he is already sixty years old, his eyes are still like torches and his spirit is strong. Seeing Zhao Susu coming in, he looked at it carefully for a while, and his face was happy.

"Su Su see the Queen Mother, may the Queen Mother live a long life!"

The Queen Mother smiled, waved her hand at her, and said in a cordial tone: "Okay, good...... Good granddaughter, come forward...... Let Grandma take a closer look. ”

Zhao Susu stepped forward when he heard the voice, and his steps were fluttering. When he arrived at the Queen Mother, he leaned down and whispered "Grandma".

The Queen Mother was called by this "grandma" and smiled, stroked her head, and looked at her with kind eyebrows. smiled and said: "Sure enough, it's a girl from Kang'er's family, and she looks handsome and lovely." ”

Zhao Susu's eyelashes were closed, and she said a little shyly: "Thank you grandma for the compliment." ”

"You can come and see grandma, grandma is very happy today!" The Queen Mother smiled and asked, "Is there an assignment?" I don't know which little cub is cheaper. ”

Saying this, Zhao Susu blushed even more, and said coquettishly: "Grandma......"

The Queen Mother was amused by her shy and cute appearance: "When my birthday is over, don't rush back to Lingyang, grandma will help you talk about a family affair and find a good husband for my good grandson." ”

As soon as she heard that she was going to get married, Zhao Susu was terrified and said urgently: "Grandma, don't ......"

The Queen Mother interrupted her words and said to her: "It is natural for the girl's family to be shy. Grandma will help you make the decisions about these things, and will not let the good grandson suffer. ”

After listening to it, although he knew that it was the queen mother's kindness, Zhao Susu's eyes were dull at this moment, and he was silent.

……

Luo Xiaotian, who was galloping on his horse, had already arrived at the door of the gambling house at this time.

After dismounting, he hurried towards the second floor, knocked twice and pushed the door in.

When Shen Kun saw him come in, his originally nervous expression gradually eased, and he stepped forward and asked, "I'm waiting for you, I'm ready for everyone here, how is Pan Lao's side?" ”

"I have received a hundred samurai and are on standby in a secluded place." Luo Xiaotian picked up the tea on the table and said while drinking.

"Didn't he promise two hundred? Why did you change the hexagram? ”

"It's inconvenient to have a lot of people, so I have my own plans. Your people will act when they hear the sound of the fence, and don't worry about anything else, don't panic when you see the officers and soldiers, just transport the people out and hide them. ”

"Am I a prisoner?" Shen Kun asked nervously.

"No, but it must be fast." Luo Xiaotian put down the teacup, "Let's go!" ”

Out of the gambling house, the two of them each rode a fast horse and ran to the place where the lights were hidden.

All the actions tonight are signaled by Yao Qingshu's "Seven Syllables", each syllable represents a type of person involved in the action, and the combination of syllables is the beginning of each action.

Soon, it was already dark in front of him, and he could only vaguely see the figure shaking.

Luo Xiaotian took Shen Kun and quietly walked to a deserted mansion, the door opened, and the black pressure inside was crowded with black-robed warriors.

He took out Pan Lao's token, raised it above his head, swept his eyes over the warriors in front of him, and said with a serious expression: "According to Pan Lao's secret order, I will be in charge of this operation tonight, and you will listen to the order!" ”

As soon as the words came out, everyone bowed down and clenched their fists, respectfully preparing to receive the order.

"This action is all based on the sound of the proverb. After three sounds, the action must begin. Pan Lao has been granted the right to cut first and then play, and if it were not for the urgency of the situation, he would not have given such a strict order. Before the birthday lamp is lit, the thief must be captured, and his life must not be harmed. The action is a big matter, and it is related to the future of Pan Lao and even the domain, and Wanger and others have done their best to succeed. ”

After speaking, the samurai brushed and half-knelt on the ground. Luo Xiaotian divided them into several teams, dressed up in disguise, and blended into the crowd of the Lantern Festival.

At the scene of the Lantern Festival, the crowds were surging. The lanterns in the square have all been lit, and the halo of light is connected together, like several streamers flying.

The birthday banquet of the stargazing tower has begun, and the ministers are toasting the birthday of the queen mother, and there are even literati and scholars who sing praises to their merits through wine and poetry...... A good scene of singing and dancing.

Although the ladies could not attend the birthday banquet, they were gathering on the terrace of the stargazing tower to enjoy the lanterns in the square, and Zhao Susu was also among them.

Downstairs, the vigilant Huwei rode three layers inside and three layers outside, with strict guards, no leakage, and no idle people were allowed within ten meters.

Not far away, Zhang Ruyue was taking Xiaoyunjian to watch the lanterns. Seeing so many colorful lanterns, the whole person was so excited that the flowers and branches were spreading, and the silk bag with blue fluorescence on the waist was also particularly conspicuous. Xiao Yun saw that she couldn't avoid it when she encountered the crowd, and she was unwilling to be pulled all the way by her.

Like the crowd in the square, she was waiting for the birthday lantern to be lit soon. The lantern is particularly spectacular, almost as high as the stargazing tower, and is guarded by officers and soldiers. When the hour comes, the emperor will draw his bow and shoot a lit arrow, and ignite the wick with a hundred steps through the yang.

After a while, Luo Xiaotian also came to the square alone. But at this moment, he didn't bother to look at the lights, and vigilantly observed the surroundings, paying attention to the arming of the stargazing tower. He glanced up at Yao Qingshu's location, and a little blue fluorescence loomed.

Suddenly, the sound of "palace signs" came from the city, and the three sounds stopped. Luo Xiaotian knew in his heart that the black-robed warriors had already begun to act.

Several squads of 70 men were infiltrating the fortified places of the city, and as soon as they saw the officers and soldiers, they deliberately revealed their whereabouts in order to lure the officers and soldiers into a division of troops to pursue them.

Soon, the first warning drum of the city defense sounded. Immediately afterward, the sound of the drums was heard in many parts of the city. All the black-robed warriors sent out had successfully attracted the attention of the officers and soldiers defending the city.

Those few squads can not only disperse the troops deployed in various parts of the city. It would also be able to draw the pursuing officers and soldiers into the streets around the square, forcing them to search the streets closely and increase their troops.

These are exactly what Luo Xiaotian wants to see.

The time to light the birthday lantern is approaching, and the terrace of the stargazing tower is crowded with ministers and nobles, all of whom are already waiting for the emperor's appearance.

At this time, Yao Qingshu made three "horn signs" sound from the city. This sound means that there is an anomaly on the periphery of the square, which means that the carriages full of "fierce fire oil" have appeared.

Sure enough, undriven horses, dragging wagons with leaking ointment, were rampage through the streets. The crowd was frightened and screamed.

Seeing this, the officers and soldiers who were still closely searching for the black-robed samurai immediately surrounded and tried to stop the carriage.

After several twists and turns, the carriage was stopped. However, at the corner of the street where he drove out, several lanterns were deliberately knocked down. The fallen lantern ignited the "fierce fire oil" on the ground in an instant, and the fire quickly spread to the entire street.

As soon as the fire broke out, Yao Qingshu at the head of the city urgently sounded "Jiaoyu".

One sound, three sounds. Dozens of gambling house guys who had long been hiding on both sides of the street, with water-soaked towels wrapped around their faces. Qi Brush appeared in time, cut through the sandbags stacked on the ground, and dumped the sand and gravel inside.

The freshly lit fire was blocked at the corner of the street in an instant. Seeing that the fire was so fierce, an officer and soldier who did not know it cut off the water tank next to him with a knife, and the water poured out. As soon as the water touched the flames, the flames instantly rose into the air, and the more blazing they became. The officers and soldiers were terrified, and a few who had no time to avoid had already set themselves on fire, and the whole person was burned into a burning man, wailing.

Although the fire caused a commotion, the lantern festival in the square was unaffected, as if no one was aware of the fire taking place outside the high walls.

According to the previously known situation of the city's defense. After this disturbance by the black-robed samurai, the original unprotected place has attracted strict guards and inspections by officers and soldiers. Therefore, Luo Xiaotian judged: If Chen An'an and the others want to enter the square to assassinate, they can only pass through the city air defense stalls that they deliberately left.

Before he heard the signal from Yao Qingshu, he hurried to the alley where the defense was empty. At this moment, the remaining thirty black-robed warriors had already been arranged by him to ambush here.

Not long after he arrived, the head of the city remembered the sound of "Gong Yu", and the three sounds were gone.

This signal indicates that the disciples have appeared and are about to go to the square. Unbeknownst to the Assassins, however, the black-robed warriors had already been ambushed on the way to Lantern Square, waiting with bated breath for their appearance.

At this time, the time to light the "birthday lantern" has arrived. On the stargazing floor, the emperor stood in front of the terrace, ready to draw his bow. A military attache held a torch and lit a cluster of arrows ready to fire, and the emperor aimed at the wick, holding his breath and contemplating, and the ignited arrows flew out.

All the people present were silent, their eyes fixed on the arrows that were flying in the air. With a snap, the wick was hit, and the cheers of the crowd burst out.

With the boiling of the crowd, the "birthday lantern" was instantly lit, and the whole body was bright, illuminating the entire square transparently.

The lights came on, and a "Shang Yu" came from the city.

Luo Xiaotian's eyes were panicked—this is the tone that only comes when an accident happens......