A joint investigation by the Imperial Medical Bureau and forensic doctors from the Divine Capture Sect has confirmed the root cause of the disaster in the Imperial Palace: the Heart-Eroding Gu, Bone Decay Gu, and Sun-extinguishing Gu, all secretly passed down by the Southern Barbarians’ Black Miao. These Gu Insects are unique to the Southern Barbarian Hundred Races and are closely guarded secrets, with some being exclusive to the Black Miao clan.
The appearance, behavior, and toxic properties of the Gu Insects perfectly match the samples sent back from the front lines on the Southern Border. This is further corroborated by the testimony of a defected Witch Doctor from the Southern Barbarians, proving that Gu Insects were indeed responsible.
Based on subtle traces left throughout the Imperial Palace—such as Illusionary Poison Gu powder, unusual footprints, and sabotaged nodes of the Early Warning Array—and combined with the night patrol records of the Shadow Guard and the Imperial Guard, it has been deduced that at least seven masters from the Southern Barbarians infiltrated the palace around midnight, entering through a relatively weak point in the southwestern corner of the Imperial City.
These individuals were exceptionally skilled. They included at least one Super Grade Celestial Human, a judgment based on the lingering aura and the techniques used to deploy the Gu. The suspect is believed to be the notorious Poison Master from the Southern Barbarians, the Ghost Gu Elder. The others were all formidable experts at the level of Second Grade Grandmasters and First Grade Grandmasters.
They were masters of Concealment and Anti-Tracking, and they carried special Beast-Repelling and Antitoxic concoctions, allowing them to bypass most of the visible and hidden sentries. Furthermore, they knew the Imperial Palace like the backs of their hands; otherwise, they could not have come and gone so freely.
By using the Celestial Eye Secret Technique to retrace their residual auras and cross-referencing this with the areas where the Gu Insect outbreaks were concentrated, we have sketched out the intruders’ general path.
Their primary target was the Eastern Palace Wenhua Hall, making it clear their main objective was the elder Crown Prince, Xia Wuyang. The motive is self-evident. Just like the Northern Desert Da Kuo Royal Court before them, they sought to assassinate the elder Crown Prince, leaving the position vacant. This would incite the many Princes and Princesses to contend for the title, thereby plunging the Great Xia Imperial Court into chaos.
Fortunately, the elder Crown Prince was hiding in his Practice Room and was not killed by the Gu Insects. His luck was quite good.
Subsequently, traces of deliberately scattered Gu Insects were found along their path, near the residences of various Princes, Princesses, and Consorts. The sheer number of these traces indicates the enemy was no longer bothering with concealment.
This operation was not a simple assassination. It was a calculated attack aimed at throwing the Palace into chaos with a large-scale Gu Insect infestation, specifically targeting and crippling the bloodline of the Royal Family. They focused on young, promising Princes and Princesses, and even ruthlessly attacked the Consorts.
In the crevices of a rockery outside Wenhua Hall, we discovered several fragments of Yin Soul Bamboo tubes, a special container from the Southern Barbarians used to store dormant Gu Insects. The tubes bore the carved Totem of the Black Miao tribe, providing conclusive evidence.
In the corner of a nearby Palace Lane, a trace amount of the Southern Barbarians’ secret Concealing Breath Powder was extracted. This substance can only be prepared by a select few Poison Masters among the Southern Barbarians and is never easily revealed.
The Divine Capture Sect interrogated several recently captured Southern Barbarian spies through the night. Unable to withstand the torture, one of them confessed to a major operation aimed at throwing the Great Xia Imperial Palace—and by extension, the entire Imperial Court—into chaos. The spy vaguely mentioned terms like "Ghost Gu" and "Crown Prince," further corroborating the findings.
Following a clue secretly provided by Xia Wuyang, Zheng Zhicang made an unexpected discovery. In the cellar of a city merchant known for smuggling goods to the Southern Border, he seized thirty intact Yin Soul Bamboo tubes—a considerable number—originating from the same source as the fragments found in the palace, along with some of the raw materials used to create Concealing Breath Powder.
The owner of the trading house has already fled. A full-scale manhunt is underway, but it is highly likely they have already escaped toward the south.
Dozens of Princes and Princesses were afflicted. Among them was the Third Prince, Xia Wuchen. His old wounds had not yet healed when he was struck by the Heart-Eroding Gu, causing the damage to his heart meridians to worsen. It is feared the Northern King’s Mansion will not let this matter rest.
The Fifth Prince, Xia Wushang, was infected by the Sun-extinguishing Gu. The last, faint traces of his Yang Meridian were completely severed. Even if Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures could be found, the chances of his recovery are slim.
The Twenty-Ninth Princess, Xia Wuyou, suffered from the Bone Decay Gu, which also corroded her face. Her meridians are destroyed, her beauty is gone, and with her other injuries, she is all but crippled.
...
A number of Consorts were also afflicted, all suffering varying degrees of damage to their meridians or disfigurement. It is feared they will find it difficult to win the Emperor’s favor in the future, especially those whose faces were ruined. Among the victims was one of Emperor Xia’s Favored Consorts.
Hundreds of eunuchs, Palace Maids, and Guards were afflicted. Dozens have died, and the rest require long-term treatment with no clear timeline for recovery.
Numerous halls and buildings in the Imperial Palace must be sealed off for fumigation to purge the Gu. Panic has gripped the Palace Attendants, plunging everything into chaos and noisy disorder.
The final conclusion is that this Gu infestation was a malicious attack targeting the Great Xia Royal Family and Palace, meticulously planned by the Southern Barbarian Hundred Races (with the Black Miao at the forefront) and executed by their elite Poison Masters.
Their goal was not merely to assassinate the Crown Prince and destabilize the Great Xia Dynasty. It was to cripple the royal bloodline on a massive scale, to spread terror, and to shatter the morale of the Great Xia Imperial Court from within, all in coordination with their military actions on the front lines.
The vicious nature and malevolent methods of this act constitute a brazen provocation against the very foundation of the Xia Country. It is an intolerable and unforgivable crime.
The report concluded with a forceful, resounding petition from the three officials: "The Southern Barbarian Hundred Races have gone too far! They have repeatedly challenged the Emperor’s authority, acting with cruel and ruthless methods. Now they have committed this utterly inhumane act. We, your humble servants, implore Your Majesty to make a decisive ruling: punish these vile rebels severely, to serve as a warning to all, to bring stability to the Dynasty, and to console the afflicted royal heirs!"
BAM—
A tremendous sound echoed through the hall. Emperor Xia slammed his fist down on the solid Purple Sandalwood desk, sending splinters flying. The desk looked as if it was about to collapse.
The mountain of memorials, brushes, inkstones, paper, teacups, and fruit platters on the desk went CRASHING to the floor. The startling noise made many of the Palace Attendants tremble and fall to their knees, too terrified to make a sound.
"Southern... Barbarians... Black... Miao!"
Emperor Xia ground out the four words from between his teeth, his voice as hoarse as grinding stones, filled with towering rage and bone-deep hatred. "I will grind your bones to dust and scatter your ashes! I will execute your entire clan, sparing not even the chickens and dogs! I will destroy your nations and extinguish your people... I will kill every last one of them!"
He shot to his feet, his chest heaving violently, his eyes as red as blood. He glared at the officials in the hall, who were silent with fear, and roared hoarsely, "Relay my decree! There shall be no mistakes!"
"First! Proclaim to the world the monstrous crimes of the Southern Barbarian Hundred Races, especially the Black Miao tribe! Poisoning Princes, cursing Consorts, assassinating the Crown Prince, plunging the Palace into chaos, and harming the innocent... Their wickedness is boundless! Let the entire world unite to bring them to justice!"
"Second! Order the Southern King to immediately muster his army! Abandon all conservative tactics! At any cost, I want a full-scale assault on the Southern Barbarian Hundred Races, especially the Black Miao! I want no prisoners, no negotiations, and no peace! I want the Black Miao clan annihilated! I want the Witch God Valley burned to scorched earth! I want the Southern Barbarian Hundred Races to pay a devastating price!"
"Third! Order the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Works to empty the National Treasury and provide their full support to the war on the Southern Border! Levy an additional thirty percent ’Barbarian Conquest’ tax! The prefectures of Jiangnan and the Central Plains are to raise three million stone of military grain and eight million taels of silver in military funds within half a month! Double the shipments of medical supplies and armaments! Any who dare to delay, embezzle, or obstruct will be charged with treason and executed on the spot!"
"Fourth! Order the Shadow Guard, the Divine Capture Sect, and the Imperial Guard to conduct a nationwide purge of all spies from the Southern Barbarians! Anyone under suspicion is to be eliminated—it is better to kill an innocent man than to let a single spy escape! In the Capital City especially, I want you to scour every inch of ground! I want to see just how long this pack of ghouls and demons can hide, and whether or not you can catch them!"
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