"What a coincidence? They're all here!"
Wang Qing, who was dressed in guard uniform, with a sword hanging on his waist and a green leaf and gold flower on his head, also came over.
Wang Qing did not know Deng Yuanjue, but he recognized Tian Ding. This was the young man standing behind Tian Hu during the meeting that day. Needless to say, he knew Tian Hu's men.
"Wang Qing!"
Tian Ding was shocked again. He didn't expect Wang Qing to come.
"Wang Qing?"
Deng Yuanjue looked at Wang Qing and frowned. Tian Ding's appearance was already troublesome enough, but now there is Wang Qing. It may not be so easy to succeed tonight.
"Huh? How did a monk like you enter the palace?"
Wang Qing looked at Deng Yuanjue in confusion. It could be seen from Tian Ding's alert actions that this monk was not Tian Hu's subordinate. The current emperor practiced Taoism. Although the Buddha was not exterminated, monks were still rare in the palace.
"Amitabha, if there are believers, there will be monks!"
Deng Yuanjue performed a Buddhist salute and said.
The emperor liked pleasure, art, and doing whatever he wanted. Buddhism emphasized hard practice and a pure heart, which did not appeal to the emperor at all.
But the emperor is not the only one with power in the palace. There is also the empress dowager in the harem. This kind of elderly woman believes in Buddhism the most. This time he and a group of monks were invited to the palace to explain Buddhism to the empress dowager. The empress dowager listened. They were happy and left them to chant sutras and pray for blessings.
"Haha, it's lively! It's lively! It's just Sun Lei. Where is this guy hiding?"
Wang Qing laughed and looked around, trying to find any trace of the people from Liangshan.
"No? This Sun Lei has no courage at all!"
Wang Qing shook his head when he saw no one came out.
Deng Yuanjue in front of him entered the palace as a monk, Tian Ding wore official clothes and pretended to be an official, and he wore the clothes of a foreman of the bodyguard and pretended to be a bodyguard.
The three parties have similar ideas. They all change their identities and sneak into the palace. The emperor's whereabouts are not a secret. Today is the most empty day for the palace guards, and it is also the best opportunity to seize the dragon flag.
"Now that we have met, what should we do?"
Wang Qing looked at Deng Yuanjue and Tian Ding and asked, now that the three parties have met, there will be some trouble with the ownership of Long Qi.
After hearing this, Tian Ding turned around and entered the Daqing Hall without hesitation. He was not good at martial arts. If Deng Yuanjue and Wang Qing fought, he had no chance of winning. All he could do now was to strike first.
When Wang Qing and Deng Yuanjue saw Tian Ding entering the Daqing Hall, their expressions changed and they quickly followed him.
At this time, there were only sporadic lights in the Daqing Hall, and it was impossible to see clearly the position of the flags on the Daqing Hall across the square.
"Do you think you can get the dragon flag?"
Wang Qing walked quickly, ran to Tian Ding, held down the knife on his waist and said with a sneer.
"Aren't you afraid of me shouting?"
Tian Ding was defenseless now, but he was not afraid of being in the palace.
"Haha, why are you afraid? You are a rebel! I am a guard! Why don't I kill you and claim the reward?"
Wang Qing laughed. There are advantages to dressing up as a guard, at least he won't be suspected at first.
"you……"
Tian Ding was too frightened to move.
"Amitabha, we all came here for the dragon flag. Now the dragon flags are fighting each other before they even see it. Why are the two donors doing this?"
Deng Yuanjue looked at Wang Qing and Tian Ding and said, the identities of the three of them cannot be exposed. It is best not to cause trouble here unless it is absolutely necessary, otherwise no one will benefit.
"I'll give you, the great monk, some face!"
Wang Qing let go of the hand holding the knife at his waist.
The three of them walked towards the Daqing Palace on guard against each other. It was quiet along the way. They did not encounter any guards, eunuchs or maids, and they arrived at the porch of the Daqing Palace smoothly.
"Sun Lei's people haven't shown up yet. Is he trying to trick us? He doesn't dare to come?"
Wang Qing looked around and still didn't see Sun Lei's people, so he said, today is the best opportunity before the Lantern Festival. If Sun Lei is determined to capture the flag, he will never let go of this opportunity today.
"Donor Sun always sticks to his word, so naturally he won't lie to others with lies."
Deng Yuanjue said that he knew Sun Lei very well. Sun Lei was not the kind of person who lied, let alone a person without courage.
"Haha, Master Deng is indeed a sensible person!"
Shi Qian's voice sounded.
"who!"
Wang Qing and Tian Ding looked at the darkness around them warily.
"The dragon flag is already in my hand! You don't have to think about it anymore!"
Shi Qian appeared on the top of Daqing Hall, holding a flag embroidered with a five-clawed golden dragon.
"Dragon flag!"
Wang Qing, Deng Yuanjue, and Tian Ding were all surprised. They didn't even find the dragon flag, but Shi Qian had already obtained it.
"Hand over the dragon flag!"
Wang Qing pulled out the knife from his waist, stared at Shi Qian and threatened.
"Haha, do something here? Do you dare?"
Shi Qian laughed and looked at Wang Qing. He was no longer the thief back then and would not be intimidated by any threat.
"Why don't you dare!"
Wang Qing's eyes were filled with murderous intent.
"Haha, I was able to escape from the palace, what about you?"
Shi Qian squatted on the top of Daqing Hall and looked down at Wang Qing. He had already obtained the dragon flag and could leave at any time. Everything in the city had been arranged and Sun Lei had already left the city. He had no worries at all.
Wang Qing was so angry that he had itching teeth, but there was nothing he could do about Shi Qian. Except that he came in person, everyone else sent his men, so naturally he would not die with these unknown people.
"I still have something to do, so I'll leave first. Please excuse me!"
Shi Qian smiled and turned around, disappearing on the top of Daqing Hall.
"Don't leave!"
Tian Ding shouted lowly, but the Daqing Palace was about seven or eight feet high, and he couldn't go up at all.
"Who is where?"
At this moment, the voice of a guard rang out. Tian Ding's shout just now was heard by the patrolling guards passing by outside the hall, and they ran over holding lanterns.
"Damn it!"
Wang Qing gave Tian Ding a fierce look. This thing that failed to achieve anything but failed more than failed directly put everyone in danger.
"Amitabha!"
Deng Yuanjue performed a Buddhist salute, turned around and left quickly.
"Bald thief!"
Wang Qing cursed and turned around and ran out.
This sudden change made Tian Ding a little overwhelmed, but the fear in his heart still made him run out.
A group of guards carrying lanterns quickly arrived outside the Daqing Hall and looked around but found nothing.
"Hold the lamp!"
The leading guard immediately ordered, and all the unlit lamp holes around the Daqing Hall were quickly lit.
"No, the dragon flag... the dragon flag is missing!"
A guard pointed to the flagpole in front of the palace in horror. The five-clawed golden dragon flag on it was missing.
"There are assassins, seal the palace!"
The captain of the guard immediately shouted.
The sound of the gong rang in the palace, and soon the entire palace was filled with the roar of arresting the assassin.
"Hey, you guys, let's make some noise!"
Outside the palace, Shi Qian laughed and listened to the sound. He kept walking and walked quickly to the outer city.
Deng Yuanjue returned to the resting place arranged for them by the Empress Dowager, sat cross-legged on a futon, and recited sutras with other monks who closed their eyes and chanted sutras.
Wang Qing carried a lantern and a group of guards to search the palace. He had been in Tokyo for many years and had made friends with many guards when he was in the platoon. Pretending to be a guard was not a problem.
Tian Ding ran to Youwen Palace and stood with the officials who ran out of the palace and were at a loss.
(End of chapter)
