132: Palace Coup, The Prince's Methods

Before we begin, the author wishes to offer a sincere apology. Due to my unfamiliarity with Arab customs, the previous two chapters contained numerous errors. For instance, the royal family of Arabia does not consume alcohol, nor do they provide maids to service guests overnight, as such practices are strictly forbidden by the Quran. To be honest, I was completely unaware of these details until they were pointed out by Flame Spirit. Here, I bow and express my heartfelt gratitude to Flame Spirit... Yes, having zero understanding of Arabian customs, it was indeed ill-advised of me to rashly write about this nation, and I hope readers will not take those details too seriously. Final note: The word count above is entirely free of charge.

Once all arrangements had been finalized, Jabbar stepped forward to report, "Your Royal Highness, His Majesty the King, several royal princes, and cabinet ministers have all arrived. It is time for us to commence the banquet!"

Prince Faisal nodded, and a throng of attendants rushed in, surrounding the three guests like stars orbiting the moon, and escorted them to the plaza situated right in front of the royal palace.

Why the plaza? As the kingdom's primary heir, Faisal had frequently appeared on the international stage years prior, representing his father in meeting foreign heads of state and attending United Nations assemblies. Thanks to his tactful demeanor, he enjoyed considerable prestige. Now that he was fully recovered and in robust health, everyone knew he was the future king, drawing countless well-wishers. Alongside the aged monarch, his own brothers, and high-ranking domestic officials, a multitude of foreign ambassadors had also arrived. After paying their respects to Prince Faisal, they presented exquisite gifts and offered congratulatory remarks.

MU Tou had no desire to court excessive attention, so he sought out Gu Feng and his companions to chat, reminding them not to act rashly should any unexpected developments arise, but simply to focus on protecting themselves. Gu Feng, Zi Gui, and the Bald Man were all prominent figures across their respective planes, and naturally grasped the underlying meaning in MU Tou's words.

Zi Gui chuckled and said, "It looks like a fine show is about to begin. My bet is on a coup!"

MU Tou nodded in agreement. "Faisal has made thorough preparations. Let us simply sit back and watch the play unfold!"

By this time, the grand celebratory banquet had already commenced. Along a long stretch of tables, silver vessels overflowed with a diverse array of fresh fruits and Arabian delicacies. The rich aroma of dairy and the mouthwatering scent of roasted mutton filled the air, instantly whetting everyone's appetite. A troupe of musicians played classical Arabian melodies nearby, their relaxed and graceful tunes lifting the spirits of the guests. People revelled in the fine food and music within the tents flanking both sides of the long tables, drinking merrily and enjoying themselves immensely.

Just as the festivities reached their peak, the sharp cracks of several gunshots suddenly shattered the tranquility of the sky. In bewilderment, the guests hurried out of their tents to look around. They saw several guards outside the palace gates collapse to the ground in response to the gunfire, immediately followed by waves of fully armed soldiers in camouflage gear who rushed fiercely through the gates, firing their weapons into the air as they charged toward the crowd.

Pandemonium erupted instantly. Panic-stricken and losing all sense of direction, the guests fled wildly in every direction, desperately trying to escape. Unfortunately, the area had already been surrounded by troops, who swept their machine guns across the fleeing masses. Flesh and blood instantly spattered through the air as crowds of people fell dead—among them government ministers, the chief justice of the court, palace officials, and even several foreign diplomats.

Protected by their plane system energy shields, MU Tou, Gu Feng, and the others remained unharmed; a few stray bullets that hit them simply bounced off automatically. However, an ambassador from some nation standing close to MU Tou was struck in the chest. After struggling for a few moments, he died with lingering resentment, his blood splashing onto the ground and stirring a pang of sorrow in MU Tou's heart—a grief for the passing of a life.

Across the plaza, numerous people had also collapsed with injuries. Cries of agony and pleas for mercy echoed from all directions, and blood stained the earth, transforming the scene into a living hell.

Realizing that escape was impossible, the crowd surged back like a tidal wave into the grand hall of the royal palace. By this time, the king's guards had finally reacted, taking up defensive positions inside the hall to fight back, locked in a tense standoff with the invading troops. An intense, bloody battle seemed on the verge of erupting.

"Surrender! So long as you surrender, I guarantee the safety of your lives!" Escorted by a squad of soldiers, Nasser's paternal uncle—the middle-aged man who had once reprimanded him—appeared before everyone's eyes.

"You... you... It is you, you unfilial wretch! Hamoud, do you have no fear of divine retribution from the Almighty?" the elderly king pointed at him, shouting in fury.

"Hahaha... Father, you are old; you should have abdicated long ago!" Hamoud laughed triumphantly.

Hamoud roared with anger, but his eloquence fell far short of Faisal's. "Enough of this nonsense!" he snapped furiously. "I shall count to three. If you refuse to surrender by then, do not blame me for being discourteous!"

"There is no need to count," Faisal said, immediately dropping to his knees before the aged king. "Father, please order the guards to lay down their weapons!"

Puzzled, the old king asked, "You..."

With an expression of righteous dignity, Faisal replied, "Father, to prevent greater bloodshed and conflict, please command the guards to lay down their arms, and please revoke my status as crown prince!"

Seeing that the elderly monarch remained hesitant, Faisal pressed on, "Father, to celebrate my recovery, countless foreign dignitaries are present in this hall today. Once a conflict breaks out and they suffer harm, how shall we answer to the international community? For the long-term stability of our nation, Father... I beg you to give the order!"

Hearing Faisal's words, a murmur of conversation rippled through the hall. That the prince was willing to forfeit his right to succession purely for the safety of foreign envoys elevated his image nobly in the eyes of the people. With tears streaming down his face, the old king looked at his most cherished son and said, "You have been wronged!"

Originally, MU Tou had no wish to become entangled in such royal power struggles. Yet, beholding Hamoud's triumphant grin and recalling his grandiose rhetoric about conquering neighboring lands, he suddenly remembered the ambassador who had just fallen beside him. In that man's dying gaze of reluctance, there had seemed to linger an unwillingness to part with this world or someone dear to him... Behind every single bullet, a heartbroken family was destined to be left behind.

In that fleeting instant, MU Tou suddenly recalled a line of ancient Chinese poetry:

"Pity the bones by the Wuding River banks, still they are dreams in the spring bower."

...War is the most hateful evil in this world. Behind the success of any so-called great man lie the blood and tears of countless orphans and widows, and the bleached bones of youths in the prime of their lives.

"Bones pile up like mountains as startled birds fly; throughout history, from campaigns of conquest, how many ever return?"

At this moment, a profound sense of universal compassion welled up within MU Tou's heart. He could never comprehend how historical monsters soaked in blood, such as Genghis Khan and Nurhaci, had managed to become revered or even idolized heroes to countless masses. Behind their illustrious achievements lay the agony and blood of countless human beings of flesh and blood just like themselves... Could it truly be that killing one man makes a criminal, while slaughtering ten thousand makes a hero?

Amidst MU Tou's musings, the elderly king had already tearfully ordered the guards to cease resistance. In no time, the garrison was disarmed by Hamoud's forces, and the crowd was placed under the watch of armed soldiers. The old king himself was led away by an officer and a squad of men to be detained in a separate room.

Guarded by these armed troops, Hamoud seated himself triumphantly in the very chair that had belonged to Prince Faisal, issuing arrogant commands one after another, while dispatching his trusted confidants with large detachments to take control of all vital government departments.

With all matters arranged, Hamoud's expression turned stern as he cast an icy gaze toward Prince Faisal. A murderous atmosphere instantly pervaded the grand hall, sending chills down everyone's spines and leaving them too terrified to even draw a breath.

Sensing that Hamoud intended to move against Faisal, MU Tou quietly transmitted a telepathic voice message to Nasser: "Shall I intervene?"

MU Tou speaking up at this juncture would clearly signal support for their father and son. A look of joy flashed across Nasser's face, but he shook his head in response. "There is no need to worry; Father has made arrangements!"

True to his word, just as Hamoud was about to speak, one of his own soldiers seemingly suffered an accidental discharge of his weapon, firing a shot straight into Hamoud. Chaos instantly erupted throughout the hall.

MU Tou realized then that while Faisal was benevolent, he was no fool; having made preparations long in advance, he was more than happy to watch the performance.

Taking advantage of the confusion among the soldiers, Faisal launched a psychological campaign directed at the armed guards watching over them. On one hand, he instructed them in the teachings of the Quran, warning that defying the will of the Almighty would lead straight to hellfire; on the other hand, he promised to pardon their crimes and even offered promotions and rewards.

Faisal's combination of coercion and temptation left the soldiers deeply hesitant. In truth, aside from a handful of officers who knew the truth, the majority of the participating troops had merely followed orders, entering the palace under the pretext of providing "protection" because the "king was in danger." Now, seeing that the old king was alive and well, and that their ringleader had seemingly been killed, they were completely at a loss as to what to do.

Seeing the soldiers wavering and at a loss, Faisal raised both hands toward the heavens, then brought them together against his chest. Reciting verses from the Quran, he proclaimed in a resonant voice: "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful! You shall worship Allah, and I am sent by His command to warn you: you must seek forgiveness from your Lord, and then repent to Him..."

The hesitant soldiers quieted down under the sound of Faisal reciting the "revelations of the prophet." One after another, the troops present laid down their weapons, prostrated themselves on the ground, and chanted: "Allahu Akbar, Amen! Please forgive our transgressions..."

However, an unexpected twist occurred almost immediately. Accompanied by a cold scoff, Hamoud stood up with a pale face, shouting, "My dear elder brother, what a brilliant scheme..." Following his words, another wave of soldiers surged in from outside.