Chapter 462 Xu Zhenguan: I will vent my anger for you (5k)
The dark clouds in the sky were torn apart.
The surface of Taizu's divine weapon, which was unattended, was flowing with a faint crimson color, and it rushed straight towards the palace with a low and sharp whistle.
"Father, be careful!" Crown Prince Xu Jinglong was horrified and subconsciously tried to pull Prince Jing's sleeve, but the latter's legs seemed to be nailed to the ground and he couldn't pull him.
However, this "flying sword" was not intended to take the head from Prince Jing's neck, but instead, under the gaze of the father and son, it pierced into the attic in front of them.
Inside the building.
The old sorcerer, who had just finished the seven-day curse, stood up when the Taia sword, which had penetrated the dark secret room, pierced his heart.
He lowered his head in shock, looked at the sword that pierced his chest, then slowly raised his head and looked along the gap in the dark secret room.
At the entrance of the cave, a ray of pale sunlight was shining in, illuminating the jade bowl with dried blood on the ground, the mourning stick, and the small "coffin" on the old sorcerer's waist.
"Bang!"
The old sorcerer, his lifeless body, fell straight down.
The Taia sword, soaked in blood, flew out of the attic secret room as if it had completed its mission, returned along the original route, and disappeared in the clouds above the palace.
Only Prince Jing and his son were left standing downstairs like statues.
Until Princess Lu Yan'er came over and said with a horrified look: "What just happened was..."
Prince Jing Xu Wen's expression was unusually calm as he said, "Our Majesty has entered the city."
…
…
The Grand Canal Administration Office.
In a tea room for guests, the windows were open.
Zhao Duan and the Queen of Yu sat opposite each other and drank tea.
Well... to be more precise, Zhao Duan was diligently and eagerly demonstrating the "tea ceremony" he had mastered. After going through a complicated process, he finally presented the tea bowl with both hands: "Your Majesty, please..."
"Buzz—"
There was a sound of cracking air in the courtyard, and Zhao Duan caught a glimpse of the Taia sword flying in from the open window out of the corner of his eye.
He walked around the room as if to seek credit, showing off the blood on the sword, and then with a clang he inserted it into the scabbard.
Xu Zhenguan took the tea offered by Zhongquan with satisfaction, took a sip with her red lips, and said:
"The one who cursed you has been killed."
The tone was understated, as simple as eating and drinking water.
Zhao Duan was stunned for a moment, then flattered, "Your Majesty's swordsmanship is extraordinary. It really opened my eyes!"
The empress was immune to his dragon fart, but she still felt happy when she heard his pleasant words.
After a long separation, Zhao Duan finally relaxed and admired Zhenbao's beauty from close range.
Cold, otherworldly, and the most beautiful woman in the world... The empress without the dragon robe is just like a sword fairy, with a plain face and no makeup or jewelry on her body. The world is vast, but there is no woman who can compare to her.
Especially considering her noble status as a female emperor, she exudes an awe-inspiring and inviolable aura.
In short: the buffs are fully stacked.
A low-level time traveler, a human stud, with a large harem;
A high-level time traveler, just one person, is unparalleled in the world.
"What? I haven't seen you for a couple of months, and you don't recognize me?" Xu Zhenguan put down the emerald green tea bowl with her white jade fingers, and glanced at Mr. Zhao opposite her with her beautiful eyes.
"Ahem, I haven't seen Your Majesty for a long time since I came south. I miss you so much. It can be said that 'I miss you every day but I can't see you, and we drink the water from the canal together'..." Zhao Duan took the opportunity to speak without being polite at all.
The main focus is sincerity.
Xu Zhenguan's dignified and cold face flushed slightly, and he said unhappily:
"I originally thought you were carrying a curse and had just recovered from a serious illness, but now it seems I was overthinking it. Mr. Zhao's demeanor is still the same as yesterday."
Oops, in my excitement, I forgot to play the victim… Zhao Duan immediately covered his chest, frowning, revealing a painful expression: "Your Majesty… I have been overworked recently…"
Xu Zhenguan rolled his eyes and said calmly:
"You have worked too hard, Zhao Qing, so go and rest first, so that I won't waste your energy."
Zhao Duan changed his tone and said seriously:
"But isn't it strange, Your Majesty? As soon as I saw Your Majesty, my waist and legs stopped aching. It's true that no panacea can compare to Your Majesty..."
Xu Zhenguan felt a little comfortable being licked, and suddenly felt that all the hard work of controlling the sword along the way was worth it, but he still interrupted in time:
"Let's get down to business. Why did you find yourself in danger today? And what happened after you arrived at Jiancheng Road?"
Well, happy times are always short, and it’s time for the familiar reporting work again... Zhao Duan sighed and began the reporting process familiarly.
Although Xu Zhenguan had been learning about the work of Zhao Du'an and his party from the secret spy "Wen Liang" in bits and pieces, the information recorded in the secret letters was not detailed enough. Now that Zhao Du'an had told the story in detail, it felt vivid and new.
When she heard that Zhao Duan had rescued Ning Zechen's wife and daughter, and followed the Cao Gang to find the Shen family, and Xu Jinglong came to interrupt, she snorted coldly, how could she not see through Prince Jing's heart?
When he heard that Zhao and Ning had been assassinated, he launched the "Whale Fall Plan". Using his identity as the Fengshan envoy, he united various forces in the surrounding areas and jointly strangled the Shen family.
At the same time, the Shen family also tried their best to fight back. When the two sides engaged in a tug-of-war for a month and a half, her eyes lit up slightly, and she was quite appreciative of Zhao Duan's actions.
Until the Shen family was about to be defeated and suspected of taking refuge with Prince Jing's Mansion, Zhao Duan was cursed to death... and took advantage of the situation to launch a surprise attack on the Fashen Sect... The empress frowned slightly and opened her red lips slightly:
"So, you didn't know where the leader of the Fashen Sect was beforehand."
Zhao Duan was also a little scared and nodded:
"The intelligence provided by Princess Lu Yan'er did not mention the leader. Now that I think about it, I was indeed not careful enough on this trip today."
Xu Zhenguan saw what he was thinking: "Do you suspect Lu Yan'er of betrayal?"
Zhao Duan hesitated and said:
"It's impossible to say for sure. Although Lu Yan'er is the princess consort, she's actually just Prince Jing's bodyguard. It's not surprising that the intelligence she received wasn't detailed enough. Furthermore, we can't rule out the possibility that Prince Jing deliberately leaked the information to lure me out for an ambush."
At this time, there was a knock on the door outside the tea room.
Song Jinxi walked in with a bow, and saluted the two people in the room in turn before saying:
"Your Majesty, the interrogation results of the captured sorcerers are out. Our servants interrogated them separately, used some torture, and compared their confessions. They seem to be correct.
According to his confession, the leader of the Fashen faction arrived early today, which surprised them. Shortly after arriving, they noticed Zhao Shaobao's arrival and made impromptu arrangements.
A sudden arrival? Wasn't this a pre-arranged trap? Zhao Duan was stunned.
Seeing that the empress didn't speak, she waved her hand and asked Song Jinxi to leave first. She exhaled and said with a wry smile:
"There's another possibility. Perhaps it's just bad luck."
Because of my bad luck, I happened to run into the God of Magic. Also, because it was just past noon when I was being hunted, the seven-day curse ended, the bad luck dissipated, and the Empress arrived in time to save me...
Damn, is this luck so mysterious... Well, in a world where gods exist, it seems to make sense...
Zhao Duan was complaining madly in his heart.
However, this result actually made him feel relieved. If Lu Yan'er was exposed or betrayed, that would be the worst thing.
As for whether Prince Jing would suspect Lu Yan'er after this incident, he was not worried.
In order to cover up Lu Yaner's identity, Zhao Duan also arranged for the shadow guard to expose a secret line to obtain intelligence from Prince Jing's Mansion during the attack outside the city.
In this way, even if Prince Jing investigates later, he will think that the information was obtained by the shadow guard.
"The curses of the Baiyi Sect are indeed hard to guard against. The evil gods like the God of Death and the God of Death have strange methods." Xu Zhenguan nodded slightly, agreeing with this guess.
The room fell silent for a moment.
Zhao Duan intentionally broke the atmosphere and took the initiative to ask:
"Speaking of which, why did Your Majesty come so suddenly? The dragon boat is still far away..."
"..." Xu Zhenguan's face was stern. It was hard to say that he was worried about the safety of this guy, so the emperor abandoned the Fengshan fleet and came here alone in advance. So he could only say stiffly:
"I have noticed the whereabouts of the leader of the Fashen Sect and have therefore traced him here."
Really? Why do I feel that this explanation is not smooth enough... Zhao Duan looked skeptical.
Xu Zhenguan felt uneasy at his suspicious look, and turned his head slightly, humming:
"Do you think I would abandon the important task of Fengshan for you?"
Zhao Duan nodded with a smile, like a fox that had stolen a chick:
"Your Majesty, so be it. But speaking of this, what is the identity of this leader of the Fashen Sect? I couldn't find it in the archives when I was in Beijing."
Speaking of this, Xu Zhenguan also became serious and shook his head:
"I don't know either. This person is extremely mysterious, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. It's said that after the previous generation of the 'God of Law' died, he appeared with a warrant from the God of Law, intending to take over the organization.
Others may not accept it, but this person cultivates the Way of Heaven, and his strength is extremely strong, so he has firmly established his position as leader for over twenty years. Today's battle with him really surprised me. Although his cultivation level is not as high as that of a celestial being, he has also taken a step forward.
Zhao Duan said seriously:
"I am only concerned about whether this person will threaten the Fengshan ceremony. Prince Jing secretly dispatched Duan Shuiliu and the magicians of the Fashen Sect to come. He harbors evil intentions and must be trying to disrupt the Fengshan ceremony..."
Xu Zhenguan raised his red lips, smiled slightly, and said confidently:
"A mere so-called 'God of Law' is not enough to threaten me. Even with the Broken Water Flow, it's still the same."
When she said this, she looked arrogant and showed her strong attitude.
Although the empress is a "pseudo-celestial being", as an emperor, she is blessed with dragon energy. In terms of combat power, she is not inferior to the real celestial being in any way.
This was also the reason why she dared to go south to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth.
"Even if a celestial being really comes, I will not be defeated even if I cannot win!" The empress simply gave Zhao Duan a reassurance.
Damn, my Zhenbao is so strong now?
Zhao Duan was delighted, but he still asked the question in his mind:
"Your Majesty is not afraid of the scoundrels, but those people cannot defeat Your Majesty, but they can disrupt the Fengshan Ceremony and prevent Your Majesty from making further progress... This is difficult to prevent.
I dare to ask, Your Majesty, since you can enter the palace with a single sword, why are you still unwilling to take action against Prince Jing? If Your Majesty does not wish to bear the infamy, I will do it for you.
Xu Zhenguan was silent for a moment, then shook his head and said:
"It's not that I'm soft-hearted or concerned about family ties. It's just that the Fengshan ceremony is imminent... Prince Jing, as a vassal prince of Jiancheng Dao and of royal blood, carries a certain amount of luck. His death would be the greatest disruption to the Fengshan ceremony."
Is there such a saying?
Yes, Fengshan is about using mysterious things like dragon energy and national destiny to advance. Although Prince Jing is not a dragon, he is also a "Jiao" with dragon blood. Moreover, Luoshan is in this area. Once the dragon dies, it will inevitably cause the movement of energy...
No wonder Prince Jing dared to make such small moves at this critical moment. He knew that Zhenbao would not touch him for the sake of Fengshan...
Otherwise, once Prince Jing is killed, the other princes among the "Eight Princes" will definitely rebel...
If all the kings rebelled at the same time, it would inevitably lead to the instability of the dragon energy in Zhenbao's body and a decline in his realm. It would be easy for him to fall to the level of "the leader of the God of Law Sect"... That would be really troublesome.
Zhao Duan sorted out the logic and sighed.
Xu Zhenguan stared at him with her beautiful eyes, thinking that he wanted to kill Prince Jing for revenge but failed, so she softened her tone and said comfortingly:
"Once I succeed in this promotion, I will be able to secure the throne. Then I will settle accounts with Prince Jing."
Zhao Duan smiled and said, "I sincerely look forward to that day arriving soon. It's not for personal revenge, but for the sake of peace and stability in the world."
Xu Zhenguan was surprised to find that this guy seemed to be sincere in what he said.
The empress nodded, and suddenly asked for no reason:
"Have you been with that old nun lately..."
"I have been a chaste woman, as Eunuch Hai can attest. That old nun tried to seduce me time and again, but I ignored her..." Zhao Duan said righteously.
The empress blinked and said teasingly, "I can verify it."
What she meant was to ask Eunuch Hai for confirmation.
Zhao Duan was very straightforward. He started to undo his belt with his hands and pretended to take off his pants. "Your Majesty, please test me if you want."
"......?" Xu Zhenguan was stunned for a moment, his mind briefly stuck, his face flushed, and he spat angrily:
"How shameless! Who wants to see your..."
At this moment, footsteps were heard again outside the tea room, and then the door was pushed open with a creaking sound, accompanied by Ning Zechen's deep voice:
"Envoy, upon hearing of your triumphant return, I..."
Governor Ning stepped over the threshold, still in the motion of opening the door, when the expression on his face suddenly froze.
His words got stuck in his throat as he stared blankly at the emperor and his ministers in the tea room, as well as Zhao Duan's movements of untying (tying) his belt.
There was a moment of silence.
Governor Ning's forehead was covered in cold sweat. He decisively turned around and left the room, slamming the door shut. He then knelt on one knee outside the door and said in a trembling voice:
"Your Majesty, I, the Governor of the Grand Canal, Ning Zechen, was unaware of the arrival of the Holy Saint. I entered without permission and disturbed His Majesty. I deserve death!"
In the room.
Xu Zhenguan took a deep breath, pressed his brows with a headache, glared at Zhao Duan who was smiling awkwardly, and said helplessly:
"Governor Ning has worked hard and made great contributions. I heard from Mr. Zhao that you have made great contributions. No need to be polite. Come in and talk."
Ning Zechen, who was kneeling outside the door, did not move and said:
"Your Majesty, I am so kind. Envoy Zhao, I am so kind. I will not bother you any further. If Your Majesty has any instructions, I will do them immediately."
Lao Ning has been in the officialdom for many years and knows when to listen to the polite words of his superiors and when not to.
He only hated that he was not blind.
“…”
Xu Zhenguan sighed softly, feeling tired and too lazy to explain, so he simply said:
"Well, in that case, Governor Ning will take care of it. Announce to everyone in the city that I'm arriving early. I'll host a banquet tonight to personally celebrate the success of Zhao Qing and Ning Qing. Remember... send word to the Shen family and Prince Jing's Mansion. They're not to miss it."
Zhao Duan, who had fastened his pants, looked at her in surprise.
The empress smiled at him and said:
"Since you have fought this battle to the end, I will come forward to finish it."
…
…
The Empress arrives at Jianning Prefecture!
This news spread like a whirlwind and reached the desks of important figures throughout the city.
As expected, there was an uproar. No one knew why the Emperor left the fleet behind and arrived ahead of time just as the Fengshan fleet entered Jiancheng Road.
Soon, three things happened: the abnormal celestial phenomenon ten miles outside the city, Zhao Duan leading people back from outside the city, and flying swords entering and leaving Prince Jing's Mansion. These three things added a strange and mysterious color to the news of the empress's arrival.
For a time, there were many speculations and people all over the city were imagining what big thing had happened.
The dinner was still arranged at "Jingyuan".
That is, the place where Zhao Duan encountered two assassination attempts last time.
But this time, the banquet in Jingyuan was even more grand and solemn, and all the officials, gentry, and dignitaries in the city were present.
However, given their status, they could not even see the empress, but were arranged to stay far away on the outskirts of Jingyuan to join in the fun.
Zhao Duan changed into the official robe of a third-rank guard, followed the empress, and dealt with this group of people on her behalf.
This also caused an uproar. According to rumors, Lord Zhao, who was seriously ill and almost dying, appeared in such a high-spirited manner. This was a shocking thing.
However, some insiders were not surprised, but were looking forward to tonight's show.
When Prince Jing, accompanied by Crown Prince Xu Jinglong and Princess Lu Yaner, arrived at Jingyuan, they happened to see the Shen family's convoy parked on the shore.
The old lady with silver hair and a dragon-headed cane changed into a luxurious dark green dress. She was accompanied by her maid Hong and the eldest son, the head of the Shen family.
The two sides looked at each other, without any further communication, and nodded, indicating that they had met before.
Then, in full view of everyone, he walked into Jingyuan and paid his respects to the empress.
"Your Majesty, I, Xu Wen, pay my respects to you!"
Zhao Duan sat next to the empress, in the closest position, overlooking the two groups of people from Prince Jing's Mansion and the Shen family who were paying their respects outside the pavilion.
There were gauze curtains hanging at the four corners of the pavilion, and a long table was placed in the middle. Xu Zhenguan sat in the middle, with Zhao Duan and Ning Zechen on his left and right.
Eunuch Hai and others stood behind.
As for Prajna Bodhisattva...it's worth mentioning that after the old nun learned that the empress was coming, she left a letter and ran away...The gist of it is:
Now that Your Majesty has arrived, I will take my leave and go to the temple of Shenlong Temple in Jianchengdao to receive the legacy left by Master Dajing.
It was as if he was afraid that if he was a step late, the narrow-minded empress would become jealous and cause trouble for her.
Zhao Duan didn't know whether to laugh or cry, lamenting that he didn't even dare to see Zhenbao once after saying goodbye. How terrible was Zhenbao in Prajna's heart...
"Uncle Wang, please stand up. We are all family, no need to be so polite." Xu Zhenguan looked down at Prince Jing outside the pavilion and said with a smile.
Prince Jing slowly stood up, his face respectful:
"I thank you, Your Majesty. I did not know that Your Majesty had arrived so early. I am sorry for not welcoming you."
Xu Zhenguan smiled and said meaningfully:
"Really? I thought those people on the outskirts of the city were arranged by my uncle to welcome me."
Prince Jing pretended to be confused: "Your Majesty, who are you talking about?"
Xu Zhenguan smiled faintly: "Nothing, come here, please take a seat."
A king and his subject, an uncle and nephew who wanted to kill each other, met for the first time in three years. They were warm, polite and elegant.
The old lady of the Shen family knelt on the ground and never heard the empress's order to stand up, so she had to remain motionless.
It's as if... I've been ignored, intentionally or unintentionally.
——
Next up is the Fengchan plot, which concludes the second volume. I'm kind of looking forward to the third volume already...
(End of this chapter)
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