Chapter 455: Stealing the Dragon and Turning it into a Phoenix

Huang Huihong frowned and led Sang Hong into a secret room. "What instructions do you have, Master Sang?"

His tone was clearly displeased, as the recent death of two of his subordinates had put him in a very foul mood.

Sang Hong, however, paid no mind to his tone and stated calmly, "Someone within the ranks is colluding with those assassins."

Huang Huihong scoffed, "I'm aware of that. Do you, Master Sang, have any evidence?"

Sang Hong shook his head. "They're all old foxes in the political arena; they wouldn't leave any loose ends for others to exploit."

Huang Huihong grew impatient. "Then what exactly are you implying?"

Sang Hong replied, "Though I am now a prisoner, I have always been utterly devoted to His Majesty. Looking at the current members of this retinue, I daresay Commander Huang is the only one truly loyal to the Emperor."

Huang Huihong's brow furrowed. "What precisely are you getting at, Master Sang?"

Sang Hong continued, "Zu An is extremely vital to His Majesty. However, with someone in the contingent secretly working with outside forces, I don't believe Commander Huang can ensure his safe arrival in the capital."

Huang Huihong fell silent. He had, in fact, been feeling the same way for some time. If their enemies were to strike openly, his Embroidered Uniform Guard could easily invoke an imperial decree and would fear no one. But now, with adversaries resorting to underhanded tactics and internal collusion, they felt utterly helpless despite their strength.

"Do you have any good solutions, Master Sang?" Huang Huihong asked, suddenly recalling Sang Hong's well-known resourcefulness and deferring to his wisdom.

Sang Hong proposed, "We can use the tactic of 'substituting the plum for the peach.' My son and Zu An are similar in age; let them exchange clothes and identities. That way, if various factions target Zu An, even if they succeed, they will only capture my son."

Huang Huihong was taken aback. "Wouldn't that put your own son in grave danger?"

Sang Hong replied, "I have always been utterly loyal to His Majesty. Since I know he values Zu An, it is only natural for me to share his burdens. Of course, there's also a personal motive: I wish to use this opportunity to atone for my past mistakes and gain merit. Should the Emperor learn of my efforts upon our arrival in the capital, he might show me leniency."

Huang Huihong, who had initially harbored some doubts, was completely reassured by Sang Hong's latter statement. "Master Sang truly embodies loyalty and devotion to the realm," he said. "Please rest assured, I will certainly report this matter to His Majesty once we arrive in the capital."

His primary concern was Zu An's safety; Sang Qian's fate was of little consequence to him. Naturally, if both arrived safely in the capital, he wouldn't mind doing the Sang family a favor.

"Thank you, Commander Huang." Sang Hong offered a faint smile. He had, of course, not made this suggestion merely to atone for his crimes. He understood the Emperor's cold and unfeeling nature; having already been cast aside, anything he did would likely fail to sway His Majesty's decision.

Thus, the most crucial matter was how to reach the capital safely. More than his own personal security, Sang Hong was concerned for his son's well-being. After all, Sang Qian was his only son, and given his current age, if anything were to happen to him, his lineage would end.

His exceptionally clever daughter had divined his thoughts, and so, before departing, she had secretly relayed a suggestion to him through a spiritual sound transmission.

Both father and daughter understood that many in the capital wished them dead. Though Sang Qian was providing covert protection nearby, she lacked the confidence to ensure both their safety throughout the long journey.

Conversely, there were just as many people targeting Zu An. However, these individuals all sought the "Phoenix Nirvana Scripture" he possessed, meaning they generally wouldn't resort to lethal force immediately. This indirectly guaranteed Sang Qian's safety and also provided Sang Qian a crucial window of time for a potential rescue.

When Zu An woke up early the next morning and learned he was to swap identities with Sang Qian, his immediate reaction was refusal.

Huang Huihong, however, scoffed, "This is not your decision. Guards, bring them here and swap their clothes."

Upon hearing the command to change clothes, Zu An's eyes darted around, but he offered no further protest.

Sang Qian, having already received his father's secret instructions, naturally raised no objections.

Watching Zu An smugly don his own groom's attire, Sang Qian sneered inwardly. *You won't be swaggering for much longer,* he thought. *Death is at your doorstep, and you're none the wiser.*

The previous day's assassination still sent shivers down his spine, and his sister's warning about countless more assassination attempts awaiting them and their father along the journey sealed his decision. He was naturally pleased to assume Zu An's identity; it would grant him Imperial Guard protection and allow him to be with Zheng Dan. Why wouldn't he embrace such an opportunity?

As the procession prepared to depart, Zheng Dan, in the adjacent carriage, caught sight of Zu An dressed as a groom and was visibly startled. "You... how could you..." she stammered.

Zu An chuckled. "My dear wife, have you forgotten even your own husband?"

As he spoke, he moved to embrace her. Zheng Dan's face flushed crimson. Unsure of the situation in front of so many onlookers, she instinctively recoiled a step.

From the other side, Sang Qian grew anxious and quickly stepped forward to intercept him. "What do you think you're doing!" he demanded.

Zu An gestured to his attire. "See? A groom's outfit and a bride's gown – aren't they a perfect pair? Since we're swapping identities, we ought to commit to the act completely."

Sang Qian became agitated. "Then why didn't you let Zheng Dan stay with me earlier?"

Zu An wore a look of helplessness. "Who told you that you lacked the capability?"

He then turned directly to Huang Huihong. "I can guess some of your intentions behind swapping our identities, but those assassins aren't fools. It's hard to imagine a bride not being with her groom; they'll spot that inconsistency immediately."

Huang Huihong nodded inwardly. What this man said held some truth. After all, not every faction was aware that Zu An was actually with Zheng Dan. If the dispatched assassins saw the bride alone, they would instinctively suspect that the person accompanying her was the groom, Sang Qian, which would complicate matters.

Valuing Zu An's safety above all else, he was unwilling to take any chances. He therefore instructed Zheng Dan, "You and Zu An will both go into Sang Hong's prison cart. Sang Qian, you will ride in the carriage up ahead."

Sang Qian was instantly dumbfounded. After all that, he still wouldn't be able to stay with Zheng Dan?

However, the thought that his father would be watching from nearby and Zu An wouldn't be able to do anything to Zheng Dan brought him a sigh of relief. This arrangement was not entirely unacceptable.

All these arrangements were kept secret from King Liang and Liu Yao. Since yesterday's incident, he had taken charge of Zu An and Sang Hong's defense with the Embroidered Uniform Guard, forbidding other Imperial Guards from approaching.

Sang Qian was concealed within the carriage, so his appearance remained unseen by others. For Zu An, Huang Huihong arranged for someone to alter his hairstyle and apply makeup, including some artificial bloodstains and grime. Without a close inspection, it would be extremely difficult to tell them apart.

Concurrently, it was publicly announced that Sang Qian had been wounded by assassins during the night, necessitating Zheng Dan's care.

Only after all these preparations were complete did he allow the two carriages to depart the courtyard.

Due to the events of the previous night, King Liang and Liu Yao deliberately kept their distance to avoid suspicion, and therefore failed to notice that the occupants of the two carriages had been swapped.

King Liang even joked with Liu Yao, "How come that Zu An fellow isn't as boisterous as he usually is today?"

Liu Yao chuckled. "He was most likely terrified by yesterday's assassination. It's certainly quieter for us this way."

"Indeed," King Liang chuckled. "Had I known, I would have had someone scare him sooner. Such a wretch only responds to a firm hand."

Meanwhile, in the prisoner cart behind them, Zu An discreetly held Zheng Dan's hand and made small gestures while she leaned against him, ostensibly "applying medicine." He then looked at Sang Hong and remarked, "Master Sang, this move of yours isn't very honorable."

Sang Hong, knowing he couldn't conceal it from him, offered no defense. "While this might slightly increase your risk of death, it significantly lowers your chances of being captured. So, it's not entirely without benefit to you."

Zu An snorted. "You call this beneficial to me?"

Sang Hong chuckled. "Didn't you agree to it? I've always wondered why someone as intelligent as you would choose a seemingly suicidal path, but now I'm certain: you must have your own agenda, and the prerequisite for all of it is to arrive safely in the capital."

Zu An secretly grew wary. This man was truly not to be underestimated; he could deduce so much with such accuracy. Naturally, Zu An wouldn't admit it. "Master Sang, you yourself are an old fox. Don't assume others are little foxes too. I don't have that many elaborate plans; I'm simply living one day at a time."

Hearing this, Sang Hong merely smiled without speaking.

The large convoy continued its journey, proceeding smoothly until one day, a faint tremor rippled through the ground. In the distance, a dark wave appeared, rapidly advancing towards the procession.