The great eunuch glared at the dead man angrily: "We don't know where the secret passage is, and we have been following His Majesty. Besides you, who else can report to the Zhenyuan Escort Bureau?"
"What benefits did Zhenyuan Escort Agency give you?"
King Xiang also asked angrily.
The soldiers of the royal forest clenched their weapons. As long as King Xiang gave the order, they would rush forward immediately, kill the traitors, and avenge the squad leader.
"Your Majesty, I will say it again, I did not betray you!"
The dead man roared angrily, stood up directly, and raised the bamboo pole in his hand, about to throw it towards the shore.
But before he could take action, there were several roars on the shore.
The Bailian River is not a big river, only less than 40 meters wide. The distance between the dead soldier and the bodyguard is less than 20 meters. Although the range of the flintlock rifle is not far, it is enough to hit the dead soldier from 20 meters away.
Almost at the same time as the gunfire sounded, blood mist burst out from the dead soldier's body and face, and he was so dead that he could no longer die!
Die to make your ambition clear!
This is a common technique used by dead soldiers in the feudal era.
Royal Guardsmen, you look at me, I look at you, you don’t know what to do.
"Is his family threatened by the Zhenyuan Escort Agency?" the eunuch whispered.
The common methods used by the powerful to control the dead are brainwashing and threats from family members.
The chief eunuch thought that Zhenyuan Escort Agency did the same thing.
"No, he has no family!"
King Xiang shook his head: "He is an orphan, has never been married, and has no particularly close friends!"
This kind of dead warrior is the cleanest and most difficult to instigate rebellion.
"Then what's going on?" The great eunuch asked doubtfully: "But only he and your Majesty know the secret passage. Who else can you know besides him?"
It can’t be King Xiang who betrays himself, right?
He does not mean that.
When King Xiang heard what the great eunuch said, his breathing became heavy involuntarily: "No, I and Jia Qi are not the only ones who know the secret way!"
The eunuch took a deep breath, but did not continue to ask.
Because he has already guessed the answer!
This kind of powerful family attaches great importance to inheritance, and many secrets are passed down from father to son.
Therefore, apart from King Xiang, the only person who can know the secret path is King Xiang's son, and he is probably an extremely important direct son!
King Xiang's next reaction also proved the eunuch's guess.
"You traitor!"
King Xiang punched the boat gang, and he could no longer pretend to be calm!
The only ones who knew the secret passage were him, the dead man, and the prince.
The dead man has already made his will known by his death, so only the prince is left.
At this moment, King Xiang felt as if his heart was filled with despair.
Not only because of the escort on the shore, but also because of the betrayal of his own son.
"Chen Peijun, I will count dozens more. If you don't come out and surrender, I will smash this broken ship into a sieve!"
The escort's call came again from the shore: "Ten!"
The escort thought that he would have to shout at least halfway before King Xiang would take action. However, after shouting a number, he saw several imperial guardsmen suddenly rushing out, holding up the hand crossbows that had escaped from the Zhenyuan Escort Bureau.
.
The bodyguards were already prepared, and before the guardsmen could take aim, the bodyguards on the shore had already pulled the trigger of their muskets!
With a burst of gunfire, several imperial guardsmen who rushed out were beaten into bloody men!
"Chen Peijun, don't be so shameless, get out of here!"
The escort company commander who was in charge of the command on the shore shouted angrily.
I originally thought that King Xiang would delay for a while, but as soon as the commander of the escort company finished speaking, he saw King Xiang walking out.
But King Xiang still held a dagger in his hand, pressing it against his neck.
"what do you mean?"
The company commander of the bodyguard looked at Prince Xiang's look and was a little puzzled.
"Should Jin Feng and Chen Wen'er ask you to capture me alive?" King Xiang shouted with a ferocious face: "Bring Chen Quan to see me, or I will commit suicide!"
King Xiang couldn't bear the betrayal of his own son. Even if he died, he would ask Chen Quan to find out!
"Chen Quan?"
The company commander of the bodyguard was stunned for a moment, and then he remembered that Chen Quan was the eldest son of King Xiang, and he was also the crown prince whom King Xiang appointed as the queen.
"Company Commander, what should we do now?"
a platoon leader asked quietly.
The company commander thought for a moment and replied: "Ask the brothers in the city. If they find Chen Quan, bring him over!"
King Xiang was right. The order given to them by the Ninth Princess indeed said that they should capture as many people as possible alive.
It is the duty of soldiers to obey orders. Since the Ninth Princess made it clear, the company commander will try his best to complete the task.
The escort platoon leader agreed and ran towards the edge of the woods with the two men.
But he did not go directly to the royal city, but ran to the hill next to him. He first took out two command flags from his arms, then took off the crossbow from his waist and fired a loud arrow into the air.
In the royal city, the observers of the airship had been paying attention to the surroundings, and soon discovered the sounding arrow and the escort platoon leader.
Although he did not know the platoon leader or his mission, the observer understood the flag waved by the platoon leader.
"Batalion Commander, there is a brother below who wants to find the commander of this operation."
The observer put down the telescope and looked at the battalion commander beside him.
The battalion commander was originally watching the battle below. When he heard the observer's words, he quickly turned his telescope and looked outside.
The observer did not know the platoon leader or his mission, but the battalion commander, as the top commander of this operation, knew it.
After confirming that he was one of his own, the battalion commander ordered someone to fire a blue sounding arrow in response to the platoon leader.
The platoon leader saw the sound of the arrow and began to wave the command flag again.
The meaning conveyed by the command flag was very crude, but the observers under the battalion commander understood it.
"Battal Commander, this brother said that they captured target No. 1. Now he is asking us if we have captured target No. 2."
The observer turned to look at the battalion commander: "Is the No. 1 target they are talking about Prince Xiang?"
"Who else besides King Xiang?" said the battalion commander: "Didn't you see the boat on the river?"
Upon hearing this, the observer quickly picked up his telescope and pointed it at the Bailian River.
At this time, the fishing boat had sailed out of the forest cover, and the observer could clearly see a man standing on the deck, holding a dagger against his neck.
He had seen the portrait of King Xiang and recognized it at a glance. That person was indeed King Xiang.
"When did this old boy run away?"
The observer asked in surprise.
You must know that all the gates of King Xiang City were blocked by hot air balloons at this time. The observers could not figure out how King Xiang got out of the city.
"How else can I run away? It must be through a secret passage. Otherwise, can I still fly out?"
Another escort next to him said: "Batalion Commander, who is the second target mentioned by the brothers outside the city?"
"Who else could it be besides Prince Chen Quan?"
The battalion commander turned the telescope and looked down: "Notify brothers to move quickly, Prince Xiang has already run away. After entering Prince Xiang's Mansion, go to the East Palace to capture Chen Quan first!"