Volume One, Chapter 19: Yang Chief Historian—Foremost in Loyalty and Bravery!

Zou Ping waved his hand, and the soldiers escorted the assassin away.

The mourning hall was in shambles, and everyone remained shaken by the sudden turn of events. Liu Shan hurriedly crouched down beside Yang Yi, who lay wounded on the ground, his eyes filled with bitterness. "Chief Clerk Yang, why go to such lengths? If the worst were to happen to you, what would I do?"

Yang Yi’s face was as pale as paper, yet he managed to force a faint smile at the corners of his mouth. "Your Majesty... please do not worry. Your servant... was merely fulfilling his duty. Protecting Your Majesty... is my responsibility."

Liu Shan’s eyes turned red, and he gripped Yang Yi’s arm tightly. "Chief Clerk Yang, I know of your loyalty to me. Looking across the entire court, no one can compare to you! I have already summoned the imperial physician; you must hold on!"

Meanwhile, Yang Yi’s closest subordinates were filled with worry and anxiety. Sun Lian, the Prefect of the Household, approached Yang Yi, trembling as he looked at the blood continuously gushing from his chest. "Lord Yang, you must hold on! If something happens to you, what will become of Shu Han?"

The looks they cast at Yang Yi were filled not only with concern but with profound admiration. They marveled that in that split second of life and death, Yang Yi had stepped forward without hesitation, using his own body to shield the Emperor from the attack.

However, civil officials like Jiang Wan and Fei Yi wore expressions of subtle triumph and relief. Jiang Wan narrowed his eyes, his lips curling upward. Though he appeared to look at Yang Yi with concern, a hidden, indescribable emotion lurked deep within his gaze. He whispered to Fei Yi, "I never expected Yang Yi to be so loyal to the Emperor, but he is in grave danger now."

"Perhaps this is for the best. If he truly passes, we will have one less rival in the court competing for power..." Currently, Yang Yi was the greatest threat to their status. If the Emperor remained unharmed but Yang Yi perished while blocking the assassin, it would be the perfect outcome for them.

Fei Yi nodded slightly, a flicker of relief crossing his eyes. "Indeed. It is a pity to waste such a favorable situation, but he stole the spotlight. Regardless, if Yang Yi dies because of this, it is certainly a good thing for us!"

They all maintained a facade of concern, yet their subtle expressions betrayed their true thoughts.

Wei Yan, on the other hand, stood in utter astonishment. His eyes widened as he stared at the injured Yang Yi, inwardly amazed. He never imagined that Yang Yi, who usually seemed obsessed with power and profit, could perform such a heroic feat in a critical moment! A look of admiration crept onto Wei Yan’s face as he muttered to himself, "I didn't think Yang Yi had it in him when it really counted!"

At the same time, he felt a secret sense of relief. Although the current situation favored Yang Yi, the sudden appearance of the assassin had placed him in mortal danger. If Yang Yi were to die from this, it would be ideal. With Yang Yi gone, the Wudang Feijun would be an army without a master! Wei Yan had long coveted that force; who else in Shu Han was qualified to inherit it but him?

Most of the other officials expressed their admiration. "Chief Clerk Yang is truly a man of loyalty and righteousness, devoted to both his sovereign and his country!"

"To risk his own life to save the Emperor in such a perilous moment is truly admirable!" The surrounding officials nodded in agreement, showering Yang Yi with praise for his loyalty.

Before long, the imperial physician arrived in a rush, looking grave. After a quick examination of the wounds, he stood up and bowed to Liu Shan. "Your Majesty, Chief Clerk Yang’s injuries are severe. This place is too noisy and unsuitable for treatment. I must take him to a quiet place to heal."

Liu Shan, looking frantic with worry, nodded immediately. "Go! You must save Chief Clerk Yang. No matter the cost, I will spare nothing!"

The physician acknowledged the order and signaled to his attendants. They carefully lifted Yang Yi and hurried out of the mourning hall. The eyes of the crowd followed them until they vanished from sight.

Yang Yi was taken back to the residence of the Chief Clerk. Once they reached a quiet room, the physician dismissed the attendants with a few curt words. The door was shut, leaving only the two of them inside.

At that moment, Yang Yi suddenly opened his eyes, and his pale complexion instantly eased. He smiled cunningly and reached into his chest, pulling out a pig intestine soaked in blood, which was still dripping onto the floor.

The physician shook his head helplessly, smiling. "Lord Yang, your performance was truly convincing. You even managed to fool the Emperor and all the civil and military officials!"

Who could have guessed? Yang Yi had simply used a pig intestine filled with pig blood to create a blood bag, simulating the scene of a life-threatening wound.

Yang Yi smiled faintly, tossed the intestine aside, and unfastened a piece of anti-stab iron armor from his chest. He patted it and said, "Just as I expected, that scoundrel Li Yan is truly bold enough to try anything."

The physician stopped smiling, his expression turning slightly worried. "My Lord, although the plan went smoothly, this was far too risky. If anything had gone wrong, there would have been no way back!"

Yang Yi waved his hand dismissively. "It is fine; everything is under control. This iron armor can block ordinary blades, and I intentionally took the strike in the chest. Now, we simply wait for Zou Ping to finish his interrogation and pin the crime firmly on Li Yan."

Just then, the voice of Zhao Li came from outside. "My Lord, the Emperor is here."

It turned out that Liu Shan, who had remained at the丞相 residence to mourn Zhuge Liang, could not stop worrying about Yang Yi. He had requested that Zou Ping provide dozens of Wudang Feijun soldiers as guards and had traveled to the residence to check on Yang Yi’s condition.

In the courtyard, Liu Shan was burning with anxiety, but fearing he might disturb the treatment, he walked very softly. Seeing this, Zhao Li stepped forward. "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Liu Shan waved his hand impatiently. "How is he?"

Zhao Li gave a bitter smile. "After Lord Yang was brought back, the physician has been working desperately to save him. He is still inside."

Liu Shan, unable to sit still, paced back and forth in the courtyard.

About a quarter of an hour later, the physician, following Yang Yi's instructions, stepped out of the room. Seeing Liu Shan still waiting, he bowed hurriedly.

"How is Chief Clerk Yang? Is he going to make it?" Liu Shan asked immediately upon seeing the physician.

The physician looked solemn, shook his head slowly, and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, Chief Clerk Yang’s injuries are too severe. The assassin’s blade struck very deep! Although his life has been temporarily preserved, he remains in a coma."

"Whether he wakes up depends on his own fate. If he wakes, it will be a miracle; if not... alas, I hope Your Majesty will prepare for the worst."

Upon hearing this, Liu Shan’s heart sank. He closed his eyes, filled with self-reproach, and muttered to himself, "Chief Clerk Yang, you have disregarded your own life for my sake. If you were to pass now, how could I ever find peace of mind..."