Chapter 365: This Scheme Is Extremely Vicious
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Today, Su Bin received some startling news.
The governor had composed a memorial and dispatched it to the palace, urging the emperor to deploy troops to encircle the Flying Cloud Tribe. His reasoning rested on the capture of the black-clad individuals, who had confessed to being subordinates of the Flying Cloud Tribe’s Master.
Furthermore, one of the captured individuals had divulged a shocking revelation: despite outwardly appearing loyal to the Imperial Court after their recruitment, the Flying Cloud Tribe had clandestinely plotted a rebellion. Allegedly, the Flying Cloud Tribe’s Master had been amassing troops in their stronghold, necessitating substantial funds. This predicament had driven them to adopt the life of bandits.
Their activities included not only plundering wealth from affluent merchants beyond the mountains but also accepting contracts for assassinations, kidnappings, and extortion. The simultaneous mobilization of numerous black-clad operatives indicated their audacity, as such actions within the provincial capital implied that someone had paid them handsomely for the capture of the middle-aged man and the youth—either for abduction or, as a last resort, termination.
The black-clad operative was unaware of the identities of the middle-aged man and the youth, save for their martial prowess and the connection of master and disciple. To facilitate their capture, they had falsely accused the pair of rape.
Currently, the middle-aged man and the youth had been apprehended by their cohorts and taken to the Flying Cloud Tribe. During the attack, the middle-aged man had inadvertently disclosed the youth’s true identity as the Third Prince.
The governor had also attached two portraits, based on witness descriptions of the middle-aged man and the youth. He expressed his regret that despite deploying extensive resources in their search, they had failed to uncover any leads.
He also dispatched a representative to the Flying Cloud Tribe to seek their perspective. The response he received was unequivocal: the Flying Cloud Tribe had no involvement in this matter whatsoever. The black-clad individuals had intentionally framed the tribe.
The governor contemplated leading his troops into the village for a search, but his limited number of soldiers posed a challenge. Thus, he opted to escalate the matter to the Imperial Court, requesting reinforcements to encircle and subdue the tribe.
Initially, the emperor harbored skepticism about the notion that the Flying Cloud Tribe would rebel. Over the decades, the tribe had demonstrated unwavering loyalty and cooperation with the Imperial Court. It functioned much like a large town, its inhabitants engaged in agriculture and craftsmanship. In contrast to the outside world, martial arts held significance within the tribe, and they maintained their own fortress guards. Their castle was exceptionally resilient, making it easily defensible and formidable to assail.
As a result, the Imperial Court periodically dispatched officials for inspections but consistently found nothing amiss.
However, the emperor’s perspective took a grave turn when he laid eyes on the portraits. The presence of the Third Prince and his mentor in the images escalated the matter’s urgency.
Ultimately, the emperor succumbed to the advice of certain ministers, who had been swayed by the Crown Prince’s bribes. He chose to dispatch officials to the Flying Cloud Tribe, but prior to encirclement, they needed concrete evidence of rebellion.
Special officials and military troops had already embarked on their journey, scheduled to reach the provincial capital in approximately four days. Notably, the officials were affiliated with the Crown Prince.
Ultimately, the matter of obtaining conclusive evidence rested largely in his hands.
This plan was extremely vicious.
For the Flying Cloud Tribe to exonerate themselves, they might need to acknowledge that their Master hailed from the General Manor and served as the Third Prince’s granduncle. It would be implausible for them to entertain any involvement in an assassination attempt against the Third Prince.
However, if this truth were to surface within the Imperial Court, the emperor might respond with fury, suspecting a deliberate concealment by the General
Manor. This suspicion would further reinforce the notion that the Flying Cloud Tribe had conspired with the General Manor in plotting a rebellion.
If these accusations were substantiated, both the General Manor and the Third Prince would bear grave consequences.
Therefore, if the Flying Cloud Tribe failed to voluntarily disclose their connection to the General Manor, the repercussions would be even more severe..