Chapter 594 Overwhelming Aura! (Two chapters combined)

Suzaku Avenue.

After leaving school at the Imperial College, Xiao Jingkong didn't return to Bishui Hutong. Instead, he pestered Liu Quan to come here to find Gu Jiao.

Liu Quan knew that Gu Jiao was recuperating from her injuries and didn't want the little guy to know the truth, so he deliberately made an excuse that he didn't know the way. But little Jingkong patted his chest and said, "I've been here before, I remember the way!"

The most difficult child to fool in the family was Xiao Jingkong, so Liu Quan had no choice but to bite the bullet and bring him over.

Gu Jiao's injuries have improved significantly, but her wrists and waist are still wrapped in gauze. The little guy could tell at a glance that Gu Jiao was injured.

Xiao Jingkong couldn't bear to blame Gu Jiao for hiding it from him, so he went to the study and found his wicked brother-in-law writing a letter.

His little face was dark, his hands were behind his back, and his tone was particularly deep: "You are a lying, bad brother-in-law."

"How did I lie?" Xiao Heng asked.

"Jiaojiao was clearly injured, but you didn't tell me!" Xiao Jingkong said resentfully.

"Just for this?" Xiao Heng smiled faintly. "I didn't lie to you. I just didn't tell you the whole truth—my mother does have a chronic angina problem, and Jiao Jiao is indeed here with her."

Little Jingkong frowned and thought about it seriously.

That makes sense, but why does something still feel off?

"Alright, have you finished your homework for today?" Xiao Heng decisively changed the subject. "Have you memorized the collection of Yan poems that Ming'er sent you last time?"

"I'm almost done memorizing them, but there are a few I don't know," Xiao Jingkong said, hands on his hips. "But I'm already on track, so don't try to change the subject. I'm not a child anymore! You can't fool me like you did when I was little!"

Xiao Heng's lips twitched.

The little monk's skills have improved; he even knows not to be led by the nose.

Also, you're only five years old, what do you mean "when you were little"?

Xiao Jingkong crossed his arms, stomped his feet, and snorted, "I don't care, you're just wrong!"

Xiao Heng raised an eyebrow: "Do you think it's wrong of me to keep this from you, or are you jealous because I spent several nights with Jiao Jiao?"

Little Jingkong was hit where it hurt, and her little face turned red with anger: "Hmph! Bad brother-in-law!"

Doctor Song couldn't stand it anymore. How could someone so old be bullying a child?

He called out from the courtyard, "Jingkong, I need to brew medicine for Doctor Gu. Do you want to come with me?"

The sense of mission to brew medicine for Gu Jiao overcame the competitive desire to argue with her bad brother-in-law. Xiao Jing glared at her bad brother-in-law with puffed-out cheeks, stomped her little feet, and went out.

It was called "decocting medicine," but in reality, Doctor Song would boil the water, open the medicine packet, and Xiao Jingkong would just pour the herbs into the jar and then obediently squat down to guard it.

Gu Jiao doesn't like taking medicine, but because it was Xiao Jingkong who brewed it, she drank it out of courtesy.

They had dinner on Zhuque Street, and it was just the few of them.

Xiao Jingkong asked curiously, "Where are the princess and Long Yi? And Aunt Yu Jin?"

“They’ve gone out,” Xiao Heng said. “They probably won’t be back for a few days.”

Gu Jiao glanced at Xiao Heng.

Xiao Heng whispered, "It's nothing, they're just dealing with those guys."

After dinner, Xiao Jingkong came to Gu Jiao's bedside with his little pillow. He had learned his lesson and didn't ask his bad brother-in-law if he could stay there, because his bad brother-in-law would definitely disagree.

He simply climbed onto the bed, snuggled into the covers like a little pig, and lay down next to Gu Jiao.

Gu Jiao is looking at the sheet music.

This is the sheet music from Xiao Jingkong's "tattered" collection; she only flips through it when she has nothing else to do.

Little Jingkong rolled around excitedly in the blankets: "Jiaojiao!"

"Hmm?" Gu Jiao looked at the soft little guy beside her.

Xiao Jingkong then looked at the sheet music in her hand: "Does Jiaojiao like looking at sheet music?"

"Just browsing." He didn't say whether he liked it or not. As the organization's top agent, he was essentially a cold-blooded killer; what right did he have to talk about his taste in art?

Xiao Jingkong said, "I like watching it."

Gu Jiao asked, "Why?"

Xiao Jingkong's eyes darted around: "Hmm...it's pretty!"

It's good-looking, but I haven't seen you watch it.

Gu Jiao tucked the blanket around him: "Go to sleep."

Little Jingkong obediently closed his eyes.

He was just pretending to be well-behaved; he wasn't sleepy at all. After a while, he quietly opened his eyes, shifting his small body under the covers and pressing himself tightly against Gu Jiao.

Gu Jiao saw through his little tricks but didn't say anything, and amusedly flipped through the sheet music in her hand.

"Huh?"

Xiao Jingkong suddenly called out.

"What's wrong?" Gu Jiao asked.

Xiao Jingkong rolled over and lay face down on the bed, pointing his little finger at Gu Jiao's waist: "Jiaojiao, you have a flower here too!"

Gu Jiao was wearing a short jacket and a nightgown, not paying much attention to the fact that one corner of her nightgown was sticking up, revealing a section of her slender, snow-white waist.

Gu Jiao couldn't see the area around her lower back.

She said "Oh," and then asked, "Is it a very big flower?"

"Hmm...it's this big!" Xiao Jingkong gestured with his fingers.

It's quite small, about the size of a finger joint.

It should be a birthmark.

Does she have so many birthmarks on such a small body?

Xiao Jingkong pointed to her lower back and asked curiously, "But why isn't this flower red? It's blue!"

He likes red flowers.

But if it grows on Jiao Jiao, then the blue color is not bad either!

Gu Jiao herself couldn't see it, but even if she could, she wouldn't care. She had even given up on the birthmark on her face, so what would it matter if she couldn't see one on her back?

Gu Jiao gently moved the little guy's head: "Your hair has grown a little longer. Soon you'll be able to tie it into a little bun. Go to sleep. Early to bed and early to rise will help you grow tall."

"Um!"

This time, Xiao Jingkong closed his eyes, rolled around on the bed a few times, and then really fell asleep.

Xiao Heng pushed open the door and entered, glancing at the small bulge under Gu Jiao's blanket, and said, "Is he asleep?"

"She's asleep," Gu Jiao said.

“Then I’ll take him back,” Xiao Heng said. As if afraid that Gu Jiao might misunderstand, he explained, “There are classes at the Imperial Academy tomorrow, and this road is too congested early in the morning. It’s too late to get to the Imperial Academy from here.”

Gu Jiao closed the sheet music: "Okay."

Xiao Heng scooped the sleeping little guy out of the quilt, dressed him, and tried to wake him up no matter how much he moved him.

Xiao Heng chuckled and poked the little guy's chubby cheeks, then turned to Gu Jiao and said, "Remember to take your medicine later. I'll come over after I take him back."

Gu Jiao agreed again, her expression calm: "Okay."

Xiao Heng carried the little guy out of the courtyard and handed him to Liu Quan: "Take Jingkong back."

"Ah, yes." Liu Quanxin thought to himself, "Weren't you going to personally deliver it to Jingkong? Why aren't you doing it now?"

Xiao Heng arranged for a Dragon Shadow Guard to accompany Liu Quan, and with Gu Yan's Dark Guard Armor, the journey was basically foolproof.

After Liu Quan carried Xiao Jingkong into the carriage, he noticed that Xiao Heng had gotten into another carriage. He asked in surprise, "It's so late, is Liu Lang going out?"

Xiao Heng said, "There's something I need to do at the Ministry of Justice."

Oh, no wonder he couldn't personally escort Xiao Jingkong; he was tied up with official duties.

Liu Quan took Xiao Jingkong and left.

Xiao Heng said to the coachman, "Let's go."

"yes!"

The long street was deserted.

Xiao Heng's carriage was not heading towards the Ministry of Justice, but instead headed east of the city.

The coachman who drove him was a secret guard from the princess's residence.

The guards were far more alert than ordinary people. As they turned onto another quiet street, one of their ears suddenly twitched: "Lord Xiao, someone is chasing us!"

Xiao Heng said seriously, "Don't stop, keep going! Speed ​​up!"

"Yes!" The guard tightened the reins and lashed the horse with a whip. The horse, in pain, galloped away into the night.

Inside the carriage, Xiao Heng's expression also became wary.

The guard spoke again: "It's bad, sir! People are closing in from the north and south! And there are quite a few of them! We're about to be surrounded!"

Xiao Heng clenched his fists: "Charge!"

The guard gritted his teeth: "Yes!"

Now that there was no one blocking their way ahead, the guards pushed the carriage to its maximum speed. Fortunately, Princess Xinyang was using top-notch Akhal-Teke horses, so their combat strength was unquestionable.

"Turn left!" Xiao Heng said.

The guards suddenly tightened the reins, turning the carriage into the alley on the left.

Almost the instant they entered the alley, two groups of people rushed in from both ends of the street. If they hadn't entered the alley, their way in and out would have been blocked by now.

"Turn right!" Xiao Heng said.

"Turn around!"

"Charge!"

"Turn left!"

Xiao Heng managed to evade the pursuit of three groups of men thanks to his familiarity with the terrain of the capital.

However, this was ultimately a clever tactic, and it still had to be defeated in the face of absolute encirclement.

Not long after entering the outskirts of the city, Xiao Heng's carriage was surrounded on a deserted road.

The path was flanked by field ridges, leading to a canyon and behind it a vast open space. The canyon and open space were already swarming with pursuers. Xiao Heng could only run into the field ridges, but even then, he wouldn't be able to escape.

A horse-drawn carriage cannot move along the ridges between the fields.

He couldn't outrun these experts on foot.

The pursuers in the canyon ahead had clearly come from another route, and the leader was Grand Tutor Zhuang, who was wearing a cloak.

With things having progressed to this point, Grand Tutor Zhuang no longer bothered to conceal his identity. He took off his bamboo hat and looked at Xiao Heng's carriage with a half-smile: "Xiao Heng, do you think you're the only one who's familiar with the layout of the capital?"

The fact that he could call out Xiao Heng's name shows that he already knew Xiao Heng's identity.

Xiao Heng coldly lifted the curtain and looked at Grand Tutor Zhuang, who was riding a fine horse, through the thick darkness of the night: "Grand Tutor Zhuang, how have you been?"

"There's no need for formalities between us. My purpose today is very simple."

"Oh? Let me guess, are you going to kill me or arrest me?"

"Arrest first, then kill."

Xiao Heng turned around and looked back through the rear window of the carriage.

Grand Tutor Zhuang sneered: "No need to look anymore, everyone who's supposed to come has arrived, you can't escape."

Behind them were hundreds of Yan Kingdom's Dragon Shadow Guards. Unlike the Zhao Kingdom's Dragon Shadow Guards, who wore masks, they wore black cloaks with hoods that concealed their faces.

Directly in front of that group of people stood a well-dressed, burly middle-aged man.

It must be General Nangong.

Grand Tutor Zhuang sneered, "I know what you're up to. From the beginning, you guessed that Princess Xinyang's plan had been leaked, you knew the Yan people would take the opportunity to enter the capital, and you also guessed that I would help them. So you wanted to play the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. This is the only way to the Wolf Mountain camp; you wanted to lure us into the Gu family's territory. Gu Changqing isn't here, and the old Marquis is recuperating at home. Let me guess, the second young master of the Gu family is currently in the military camp, ready for battle! It's a pity you never expected that we would kidnap you halfway. When the appointed time comes and you still don't appear, Gu Chengfeng will come looking for you, but do you think he'll be able to find you?"

Xiao Heng cracked his knuckles: "Grand Tutor Zhuang, turn back before it's too late."

Grand Tutor Zhuang laughed arrogantly, "Did I guess right? Then let me guess for you. Are there traps and formations set up in the canyon ahead? Even if the Gu family army can't arrive in time, you can still kill most of us in the traps and formations."

Xiao Heng's expression changed.

Grand Tutor Zhuang took in Xiao Heng's expression and realized he had guessed everything. He laughed heartily, "Xiao Heng, I must say your plan is truly flawless! You are more cunning and resourceful than my grandson Zhuang Yuheng! If you hadn't always been against me, I would have truly considered cultivating you properly! Unfortunately, you are the son of Marquis Xuanping, which means you are destined to be my stumbling block! How about it? How does it feel to be one step ahead of the devil?"

Xiao Heng clenched his fists tightly.

General Nangong selected ten skilled Dragon Shadow Guards: "You few, go and take a look at the canyon."

"yes!"

The ten men rode their horses into the canyon, which looked no different from usual, though it was also possible that they were unfamiliar with the canyon.

The leader dismounted and lashed the horse's rump with his whip, causing the horse to run away in pain.

Nothing happened.

So he cautiously followed.

The other nine people were about to follow when he emerged from the canyon. He saw something and gestured for them to stop.

He then took out a thin rope and tied it to a protruding rock.

He crossed the canyon and returned to his companions. He pulled the thin rope with his bare hands, and the rocks fell down. Then, several loud bangs followed, and huge rocks fell in the canyon. Arrows and spears flew, and hidden weapons, darts and silver needles were everywhere, as if tigers roared and dragons howled, and lightning flashed and thunder roared!

After a terrifying commotion, the path through the canyon was completely blocked by boulders.

If they hadn't intercepted Xiao Heng in time, and instead let him cross the canyon and trigger the mechanism, they would have been wiped out, or at least half of them would have perished.

General Nangong shuddered.

Grand Tutor Zhuang scoffed, "The plan is good, but I'll say it again: Xiao Heng, you are no match for me!"

General Nangong said coldly, "Stop wasting words with him! Quickly arrest him and get down to business!"

Grand Tutor Zhuang said, "Xiao Heng, will you obediently surrender yourself, or will I send someone to arrest you?"

Xiao Heng lifted the curtain and got off the carriage.

Grand Tutor Zhuang made a gesture, and two guards from the Zhuang family and a Dragon Shadow Guard from the Yan Kingdom walked towards Xiao Heng's carriage.

Without saying a word, the Dragon Shadow Guard of Yan Kingdom knocked out the secret guards of the princess's residence.

The Zhuang family's guards captured Xiao Heng and brought him before Grand Tutor Zhuang.

At this moment, General Nangong of Yan also rode his horse around from behind, tightened the reins, and looked down at Xiao Heng.

His gaze deepened little by little, as if he were looking at Xiao Heng, or perhaps looking at someone else through Xiao Heng.

"You are General Nangong?" Xiao Heng met his gaze without fear.

A general from a superior nation, whose aura was enough to overwhelm the most important ministers of Zhao, dared to stare directly at him.

General Nangong gave a faint smile: "If you have any guts, chop off one of his fingers!"

Even after hearing that his fingers were going to be chopped off, Xiao Heng looked at him without changing his expression.

One of the Dragon Shadow Guards stepped forward and casually grabbed Xiao Heng's left hand.

Grand Tutor Zhuang said calmly, "Wait, chop off his right finger!"

Xiao Heng looked coldly at Grand Tutor Zhuang.

The Dragon Shadow Guard drew his dagger, about to strike, when suddenly the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from not far away.

"Spare his life!"

The Dragon Shadow Guard paused in his movements.

Grand Tutor Zhuang and General Nangong looked up together and saw Eunuch Qin, who was by Empress Dowager Zhuang's side, riding up at full speed.

"Who is he?" General Nangong frowned.

Grand Tutor Zhuang smiled and said, "It's Eunuch Qin, the Empress Dowager's confidant."

When Qin Gonggong's horse galloped into the open space, it was blocked by Yan's Dragon Shadow Guards and attendants.

General Nangong made a gesture, and the crowd parted to make way for him.

Eunuch Qin dismounted, panting, and looked at Grand Tutor Zhuang, saying, "The Empress Dowager... the Empress Dowager has ordered... to spare his life... only... as long as you release Xiao Heng... the Empress Dowager... the Empress Dowager will grant you any conditions..."

Grand Tutor Zhuang narrowed his eyes slightly: "Is this the Empress Dowager's intention, or are you forging an imperial edict?"

"Of course, it's my will!"

Accompanied by a majestic and domineering voice, a spacious carriage slowly approached from behind, its speed seemingly slow, but in reality, it covered a hundred paces in an instant.

Grand Tutor Zhuang's eyes flickered.

Having been suppressed by Empress Dowager Zhuang's aura for many years, he instinctively harbored a sense of apprehension deep down.

However, considering the current situation, he quickly felt relieved.

He had long since broken ties with Empress Dowager Zhuang; he was no longer her subject.

General Nangong made a gesture, and Empress Dowager Zhuang's carriage drove straight in and stopped not far in front of Grand Tutor Zhuang and General Nangong.

She came almost alone. Now, besides Eunuch Qin, there was only one eunuch driving the carriage, and this eunuch did not know martial arts.

General Nangong looked at Empress Dowager Zhuang's carriage with a half-smile: "Empress Dowager Zhao has truly impressed me."

"Eunuch Qin," Empress Dowager Zhuang instructed calmly.

Eunuch Qin understood and stepped forward to lift the carriage curtain for Empress Dowager Zhuang.

Empress Dowager Zhuang sat calmly in her understated yet luxurious carriage, undaunted by the danger: "General Nangong of Yan, how about we make a deal? You can pretend that Xiao Heng is dead here today, and I guarantee that he will never appear before the world again. In exchange, I can grant you three conditions, any conditions."

General Nangong smiled and said, "Empress Dowager Zhuang is really generous. I heard that this young man is not related to Empress Dowager Zhuang by blood. Empress Dowager Zhuang can even ignore her own grand-nephew Prince Ning. Why would she be so insistent on protecting an outsider?"

Empress Dowager Zhuang, though not angry, spoke with an air of authority: "This is my matter, and General Nangong need not trouble himself. I only ask General Nangong whether he is willing to make this deal."

Grand Tutor Zhuang turned to the general and said, “General Nangong, do not trust her. She is cunning and treacherous. If you release Xiao Heng, she will no longer be afraid to act against you and will turn around and lead her army to destroy you! I know that your elite soldiers are very powerful, but even they cannot escape the 100,000 troops.”

Empress Dowager Zhuang said coldly, "Does the general think that if you kill Xiao Heng here, I will let you leave Zhao Kingdom alive? If General Nangong doesn't believe me, you can try. If you dare to touch a single hair on Xiao Heng's head today, I will make you all pay with your lives!"

General Nangong narrowed his eyes, as if considering the possibility of this outcome.

Empress Dowager Zhuang understood the principle of giving a slap followed by a sweet treat. She continued to coax her, "This is a win-win deal. No matter who Xiao Heng is, he will no longer appear in the world in his current identity, nor will he interfere in any of your affairs in Yan. I believe that the General is acting under orders. The General's loyalty is certainly valuable, but aren't the lives of the General and so many of his subordinates also valuable? It's a win-win situation for both of us. Why wouldn't the General consider it? If the General is worried that I will go back on my word and become powerful, there's no need to worry. Didn't I agree to three conditions for the General? I believe the General will always find a way to get something on me."

"General Nangong, don't believe her! She's my sister, and I know her better than anyone. She's never had any integrity!"

Grand Tutor Zhuang could not stand by and watch Empress Dowager Zhuang and General Nangong reach a deal; otherwise, he would lose his usefulness.

Empress Dowager Zhuang continued to exploit General Nangong's weaknesses: "General Nangong is still hesitant. Is he doubting my sincerity? Isn't my going alone enough to show my determination to negotiate with General Nangong? The Nangong family ranks eleventh in Yan. Although our Zhao is a inferior country, we still have the ability to help the Nangong family and add to their glory."

General Nangong's gaze fell on Xiao Heng's face.

Xiao Heng's hands were bound with ropes by Grand Tutor Zhuang's guards, yet he stood proudly under the sky, showing no sign of the dishevelment or fear of being imprisoned.

His eyebrows and eyes look exactly like someone else's.

A pair of almost identical eyes flashed through General Nangong's mind, and a hint of hesitation appeared on his face.

Seeing that things were not going well, Grand Tutor Zhuang suddenly drew his riding whip and struck Xiao Heng with it. He was a civil official and did not have much strength, but the whip still carried a force that brushed against Xiao Heng's delicate skin.

A striking whip mark instantly appeared on one side of his cheek.

Empress Dowager Zhuang's eyes darkened: "Zhuang Changde, have you gone mad!"

Changde was the courtesy name of Grand Tutor Zhuang.

Empress Dowager Zhuang never called Grand Tutor Zhuang that in her entire life.

General Nangong was also somewhat displeased, but it didn't seem to be because Xiao Heng had been whipped. Rather, it was because the whip had caused his eyebrows to swell up, making him no longer resemble the proud and unruly eyes he remembered.

General Nangong slowly said, "Empress Dowager Zhuang, the conditions you have offered are very tempting. However, I am afraid I cannot reach a cooperation agreement with you. In fact, since you have recognized me today, I cannot let you live any longer."

"General Nangong," Xiao Heng suddenly spoke, "do you truly intend to oppose me?"

General Nangong said arrogantly, "I'm not going to oppose you, I'm going to kill you. You're not qualified to be my opponent."

Xiao Heng, his hands bound, looked at him seriously: "General Nangong, do not underestimate a young man's potential."

General Nangong paused slightly.

He raised his hand and gave the order: "Move out, leave no one alive!"

Grand Tutor Zhuang opened his mouth: "General Nangong..."

One of the Dragon Shadow Guards swung his sword and slashed fiercely at Xiao Heng's head!

At the critical moment, a whooshing sound pierced the night sky as an arrow shot out with fierce power, piercing the heart of the Dragon Shadow Guard!

After piercing his body, the arrow landed squarely on the ground in front of General Nangong's horse, its fletching demonstrating its immense power.

This was no ordinary arrow; its shaft was longer, its arrowhead larger, and it had terrifying barbs, resembling a ferocious beast.

General Nangong's heart sank!

He had never seen arrows like these before!

An ominous premonition welled up in his heart. The next second, the ground beneath his feet began to shake, and dust and gravel began to tremble.

The horse was frightened and began to pace restlessly in circles.

Thump!

Thump!

Thump!

The approaching sound of horses' hooves was like heavy black iron crashing onto the cold bluestone slabs, and also onto the hearts of everyone who suddenly tightened!

The sound was still some distance away, but the powerful killing intent had already swept across the sky like flying sand and stones, and the entire world was shrouded in a terrifying aura of killing intent!

Thump! Thump! Thump

It wasn't the sound of war drums, but it struck the heart more deeply than war drums!

The sound of iron cavalry grew faster and faster, like a rushing torrent.

It was a cavalry unit clad in black armor, each wielding a spear in one hand and a shield in the other; even their horses wore ghost masks.

They were like demonic spirits from purgatory, carrying an aura of death and darkness, which made everyone hold their breath in shock!

General Nangong's expression changed instantly!

Isn't this the rumored army of ghost-faced warriors?

The Ghost-Faced Army wasn't actually dead; rather, they were as terrifying as the undead, leaving no survivors in their wake, as if dragging their opponents into the underworld.

The masked general, wielding a massive longsword, rode past the fifty Dragon Shadow Guards in the open space, his ghostly horse carrying an unstoppable killing intent as he charged straight toward General Zhuang, the Grand Tutor of the Southern Palace, domineeringly blocking Xiao Heng's path!

Grand Tutor Zhuang stared intently, then gasped in shock: "Marquis Xuanping?!"

He looked at Xiao Heng again and saw that Xiao Heng's eyes were calm, and he was not surprised at all by the arrival of Marquis Xuanping.

Oops!

We've fallen for their trap!

After all that talk about escape and flawed mechanisms, it turns out it was all a smokescreen. The real trump card was Marquis Xuanping!

Marquis Xuanping was not wearing a mask.

At this very moment, this stunningly beautiful face, hailed as the most handsome in the Zhao Kingdom, was radiating an endless killing intent.

"Kill my son?"

Marquis Xuanping pointed his long sword, smiled wickedly, and said arrogantly, "Are you getting cocky, you little bastard, or am I, Xiao Ji, too weak to lift my sword?"

(End of this chapter)