Chapter 690 Killing Nangong Li! (Two Updates)
Inside the carriage, a trusted guard advised Nangong Li, "General! That's the imperial palace! We can't act rashly! Let's postpone it for another day? Or perhaps we should wait for him to come out later!"
Nangong Li snorted coldly: "Wait for him to come out? Don't you know who he's going to see today?"
The trusted guard replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Nangong Li said irritably, "If Xiao Liulang were to reveal to the king that we've been hunting him down all these years, neither of us would live to see tomorrow morning!"
The trusted guard said, "Even the king might not believe him!"
Nangong Li said coldly, "What if you believe it? In this world, you can figure out what anyone is thinking, but you can never guess what our Great Yan's king is thinking. He acts strangely, and there is no rule to describe him as tyrannical. Yet he can be indifferent to a country bumpkin urinating on his shoes. It sounds unbelievable, but I saw it with my own eyes."
The trusted guards were dumbfounded.
Nangong Li continued, "If you think that the king is merciful to children because of this, he has personally ordered the execution of a cowherd."
The trusted guard was completely speechless.
There are many rumors about the king, but they are all hearsay and cannot be fully believed. I never expected that my own general would have witnessed the king's crazy behavior with his own eyes.
No wonder the monarch is sometimes referred to as the "mad monarch".
Nangong Li said, "Now you understand that I can't take this risk, right? Even if Xiao Liulang only has a one in ten thousand chance of gaining the king's trust, this general cannot gamble his life on that one in ten thousand chance."
The trusted guard clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Your subordinate understands, General. This mission is dangerous, so let me go and assassinate him!"
“Danger?” Nangong Li smiled meaningfully. “Xiao Liulang has really gone to great lengths to see the king, but does he think he’s completely safe? He’ll soon find out that it’s a hundred times easier for me to kill him inside the palace than outside!”
...
The carriage swayed and rattled as it entered the inner city.
The furthest Gu Jiao went in the inner city was the Canglan Women's Academy. She hadn't gone any further than that, and she didn't know what it was like.
Along the way, she made no attempt to hide her curiosity, lifting the curtain to openly observe and look around.
Actually, apart from Mu Chuan who had been to the palace before, the others were entering the palace for the first time, and they were quite curious about it.
Mu Chuan was more than happy to be their guide. He pointed to the shops along the road and introduced them one by one, pointing out which shop had delicious dried fruit and which shop had greasy braised pork knuckle.
"We've arrived at Changyang Street." After the carriage turned east, Mu Chuan was slightly excited. "After another turn, we'll reach Dayan Gate!"
Although he had experience entering the palace, the feeling was very different from that of going with his family and classmates.
Wu Fuzi appeared calm in the carriage ahead, but he was actually eavesdropping, after all, it was his first time entering the palace!
"What is the Great Yan Sect?" Gu Jiao asked.
Mu Chuan proudly introduced, "You are from Zhao Kingdom. You may not know this, but our Great Yan Imperial Palace has five gates. The first gate is Gao Gate, followed by Fengtian Gate, Duan Gate, Wu Gate, and Taihe Gate. The place we are going to is the Golden Palace, one of the three main halls behind Wu Gate. It was originally called Taihe Palace, but it was renamed later."
As expected of a superior nation, even its gates are several more numerous than those of the Zhao Kingdom's imperial palace.
The carriages couldn't travel too fast on the road near the palace, and it took them about fifteen minutes to reach Gaomen.
Today's audience with the Emperor was a pre-arranged event, so a eunuch in his thirties was already waiting outside the Gaomen Gate.
When he saw the carriage stop, he stepped forward and asked with a smile, "Are you the teachers and students of Tianqiong Academy?"
Master Wu lifted the curtain, stepped down from the carriage, cupped his hands in greeting, and said politely, "I am Wu Cheng from Tianqiong Academy."
The eunuch said in a friendly tone, "Ah, you must be Master Wu. I've heard so much about you. My surname is Li. Master Wu, you can just call me Li Sande."
Master Wu wouldn't take someone's politeness as a source of confidence. He smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: "So it's Eunuch Li."
Li Sande's smile widened: "Then please, Master Wu and all the young masters, get out of the carriage. This servant will escort you into the palace."
Gu Jiao and her entourage disembarked from the carriage.
Of the group, Li Sande recognized Mu Chuan the only one. He greeted Mu Chuan with a smile, "Young Master Mu, it's been a long time."
"I..." Mu Chuan clearly did not recognize Li Sande.
Li Sande smiled and said, "This servant used to work in the Baohe Hall. I was transferred to the Emperor's side before the New Year. This servant saw Young Master Mu from afar at the Lantern Festival banquet."
"I see." Mu Chuan nodded in greeting and called out to Eunuch Li.
Don't underestimate the eunuchs in the Golden Palace. They come and go before the emperor every day and are the people closest to him. If you don't want to win them over, at least don't openly disrespect them.
Mu Chuan may seem like a loud, naive, and innocent girl on the surface, but he actually possesses the keen interpersonal skills of a young master from a prestigious family.
Li Sande laughed so hard his eyes were almost invisible.
Gu Jiao, Yuan Xiao, and the other two did not try to get close to Li Sande. Li Sande did not talk to just anyone. He gave Wu Fuzi face because he was the coach of the polo team, and he gave Mu Chuan face because he was the eldest son of the Mu family.
The identities of the remaining three are somewhat...
Li Sande glanced around and saw Gu Jiao with a birthmark on her left cheek, pausing slightly.
This appearance is truly rare.
The other party's demeanor was also exceptionally rare.
Logically speaking, people with facial deformities would all feel inferior, but this young man was tall and handsome, exuding an untamed and arrogant aura.
No way?
How can someone who looks like that be so arrogant?
"Eunuch Li?" Mu Chuan conveniently blocked Eunuch Li's view, not wanting anyone to focus too much on Xiao Liulang's appearance and thus look down on him.
Li Sande snapped out of his daze and gave an awkward smile: "We'll be there soon. By the way, why didn't Young Master Su come this time?"
Mu Chuan said, "My fourth brother had something come up and has already asked Consort Xian to apologize to His Majesty."
Consort Wang, the eldest daughter of the Wang family, is the younger sister of the Mu family patriarch, and her sister-in-law, Old Madam Wang.
Li Sande sighed: "Sigh, you guys are really bold to dare to exchange rewards with people from Canaan Academy. Aren't you afraid of His Majesty's wrath?"
Gu Jiao nodded, "That's right!"
Hurry up and return her gold!
Mu Chuan laughed and said, "Canaan Academy was opened by the Imperial Preceptor's Hall. His Majesty has let them into the palace to play ball countless times. Why would he want to see them again?"
He asked Consort Xian, and she said it was okay, so he did it.
They walked along a long, bluestone-paved palace path. There was a checkpoint at both Fengtian Gate and Duan Gate. Beyond Duan Gate lay the location of the outer court.
Mu Chuan introduced to Gu Jiao: "Look, to the east are the Imperial Clan Court, the Six Ministries, and the Court of State Ceremonies. The Imperial Observatory was also located here in the early years, but it was moved away after the National Preceptor Hall was built. To the west are the Court of Judicial Review and the four Commandant's Offices: the Front, Rear, Left, and Right Commandant's Offices."
As they spoke, they arrived at the Meridian Gate.
The checkpoints at the Meridian Gate were noticeably stricter than those at the previous three gates. If Li Sande hadn't stopped them, Gu Jiao and her group would have almost been searched.
"It's to prevent us from carrying weapons," Mu Chuan explained softly.
This journey took quite a while, but thankfully we finally entered the Meridian Gate.
The magnificent and imposing Golden Palace comes into view, like a majestic lion under the sky, exuding a solemn and awe-inspiring aura.
Mu Chuan thought they were going to the Golden Palace, but Li Sande took them to the Zhonghe Hall behind it instead.
Li Sande said with a smile, "His Majesty is still holding the morning court session. I will take you to the side hall to wait first."
The group arrived at a side hall of the Zhonghe Hall, where Li Sande had his servants serve fresh lychees and pastries.
Perhaps realizing that his presence would make them uncomfortable, Li Sande considerately went to stand guard at the entrance of the side hall.
Apart from Gu Jiao, everyone else in the room began to feel excited or nervous.
"Yes, yes, yes, I want to meet the Emperor!" Master Wu picked up his teacup, his hands trembling.
Zhao Wei and Yuan Xiao's hands didn't shake, but their legs did.
Mu Chuan was filled with excitement and anticipation; he was finally going to see the king!
Although he had been to the palace, he had only paid his respects to the ladies-in-waiting or caught a glimpse of the king from afar at a palace banquet; he had never been summoned by the king face-to-face.
He felt he could brag about this for the rest of his life!
Gu Jiao seemed somewhat absent-minded.
Was Nangong Li stupid? Or did he simply lack the courage to chase him into the palace?
If we don't act soon, they'll be heading back after seeing the king.
Gu Jiao stood up.
Mu Chuan asked, "What are you doing?"
Gu Jiao said "Oh," and then said, "Go to the latrine."
"Do you want me to come with you?" Mu Chuan asked considerately.
Gu Jiao glanced at him: "No need."
Mu Chuan said, "Oh, let me go with you! It's your first time in the palace..."
Gu Jiao asked, "Are you going to help me support myself or what?"
Mu Chuan choked violently!
Gu Jiao stepped out of the door and asked the palace maid in the corridor where the urinal was. The maid gave her directions.
Gu Jiao walked out of the side hall and headed towards the urinal.
As they passed a small garden, a young palace maid came rushing towards them. The maid wasn't looking where she was going and bumped straight into Gu Jiao.
Gu Jiao's lower body was as steady as a rock, and she didn't move at all. Instead, she bumped into something and fell to the ground.
Several gold ingots fell out of her arms. She hurriedly grabbed them back into her hands, glanced at Gu Jiao quickly at first, then lowered her head guiltily and hid the gold ingots behind her back: "I'm...I'm sorry!"
"It's alright," Gu Jiao said.
She bowed slightly to Gu Jiao, then ran away without looking back.
Was it a theft at the palace?
Given Gu Jiao's personality, she naturally wouldn't meddle in such trivial matters.
Gu Jiao continued walking forward.
As they approached the restroom, an unfamiliar young eunuch caught up, panting, and asked, "Is that Young Master Xiao up ahead?"
Gu Jiao stopped in her tracks and looked at him calmly: "I am. Who are you?"
The young eunuch, hunched over with his hands on his thighs, gasped for breath, "I am Xiao Dengzi. His Majesty... His Majesty summoned... Eunuch Li and the others went... I... I've come to take... Young Master Xiao there... Young Master Xiao, hurry... come with me... Don't keep His Majesty waiting... Otherwise, if His Majesty blames you... Young Master Xiao will be in trouble..."
"Oh." Gu Jiao turned around readily. "Then I'll trouble you to lead the way."
The young eunuch wiped the sweat from his neck with his sleeve: "This way, please!"
Gu Jiao followed him and walked forward.
“This isn’t the way I came from,” Gu Jiao said.
The young eunuch said, "That road is too late; the corridor takes forever to navigate. Let's go this way, and we'll be at the Golden Palace in no time!"
Gu Jiao: "Oh."
The young eunuch continued to lead the way, his fawning smile gradually freezing, replaced by disdain and calculation.
Gu Jiao followed them out of the Zhonghe Hall and came to a lush grassy area. To the east of the grassy area was a small flower house, and to the west was a small woodshed for storing tools.
"We'll be there soon," the little eunuch said with a forced smile.
“It’s okay if we don’t come,” Gu Jiao said.
The young eunuch was taken aback.
He glanced at the small woodshed without leaving a trace.
Gu Jiao hummed in agreement: "Aren't you going to take me to the woodshed for a while?"
The young eunuch was taken aback again.
Gu Jiao said calmly, "Then I'm really leaving."
Having said that, she walked past the eunuch and went through the door of the small woodshed.
The young eunuch's eyes flickered, and he subconsciously reached out his hand, seemingly wanting to grab Gu Jiao, but ultimately he didn't have the courage.
Just as he was hesitating, the door to the woodshed was suddenly pulled open from the inside.
Two burly eunuchs strode out, one carrying a rope and the other a sack.
Gu Jiao looked at the sack and raised an eyebrow: "Oh."
They're one of us.
The eunuch carrying the sack said coldly to the junior eunuch, "Why waste words with him? Arrest him now!"
"Uh...yes...yes!" The little eunuch received the order, steeled his heart, and mustered his courage to pounce on Gu Jiao.
The junior eunuchs didn't have martial arts skills, but the two senior eunuchs did, though not very high.
If the person entering the palace today were the real scholar Xiao Liulang, this lineup would be more than enough, so Nangong Li did not underestimate Xiao Liulang's strength.
Nangong Li never expected that the person who entered the palace would be Gu Jiao.
Gu Jiao didn't have time to waste with them and knocked the three of them down in the blink of an eye.
The three of them fell to the ground, their faces contorted in pain.
"Didn't you say you didn't have any martial arts skills?"
"Who knows? Ouch, my back..."
Gu Jiao looked down at the three of them and asked, "Where is Nangong Li?"
The three exchanged a glance and remained silent.
Gu Jiao tilted her head, stepped on one of the men's shoulders, and dislocated his arm on the spot: "Don't make me ask a third time."
The man was in excruciating pain, his veins bulging, cold sweat pouring down his body, and he could barely breathe. With his last ounce of willpower, he forced down the excruciating pain and said, "You... what are you saying... we don't understand... this is the palace... how could General Nangong... possibly come here..."
Gu Jiao said calmly, "How can he be at ease if he doesn't watch me die with his own eyes?"
Nangong Li had already failed once, and she didn't believe he would dare to gamble a second time.
"I don't care about your lives at all," Gu Jiao said coldly. She stomped down, and with a cracking sound, the eunuch under her foot instantly lost consciousness.
The other two were completely terrified.
What's going on?
Did this kid kill Old Cao?
Where did the frail scholar go?
Gu Jiao looked at the young eunuch and the other senior eunuch: "Only one of the three can live. Which of you is going to say it?"
"I'll talk! I'll talk!"
"I'll talk!"
The two spoke in unison.
"I'll go first!" The young eunuch, taking advantage of his age and quick wit, blurted out, "General Nangong is..."
call out!
A hidden weapon flew through the air with barely a sound and incredible speed, aiming straight for Gu Jiao's neck.
Gu Jiao twitched her ears, flicked her fingertips, and shot out a crabapple blossom needle!
The crabapple needle struck the hidden weapon, sending it flying onto a tree branch not far away.
"It turned out to be a stone."
Gu Jiao calmly moved her foot away, turned around, and looked coldly in the direction from which the hidden weapon had been shot.
Unsurprisingly, she saw Nangong Li flying over using his lightness skill.
Nangong Li had lost an arm, leaving his right sleeve empty. However, even if he used his left hand, Gu Jiao would not have fared well if she had been hit by that blow.
Gu Jiao was not at all inferior in terms of aura when facing the famous general of the Great Yan Kingdom.
The two were about ten feet apart. She took a few steps forward without fear and said with a half-smile, "Long time no see, General Nangong."
Nangong Li's eyes narrowed slightly: "You're not Xiao Liulang! Who are you!"
Gu Jiao had met Nangong Li twice, both times in the shadows, without ever showing herself.
Gu Jiao took another step toward him with her hands behind her back: "General Nangong, aren't you investigating me? Can't you guess who I am?"
She used her own voice.
It's a woman!
Nangong Li's pupils suddenly contracted: "You...you are Gu Jiao!"
Nangong Li was completely devastated!
After tracking Xiao Liulang for so long, it turns out to be this country girl!
Nangong Li investigated Xiao Heng and learned that he faked his death and left the capital, hiding his identity as Xiao Liulang. He then rose through the ranks of the imperial examinations and returned to the capital. At that time, he had a woman named Gu Jiao who had come from the countryside with him.
She is said to be a noblewoman from a noble family who had fallen into poverty and lived among the common people.
Nangong Li didn't care.
He, a general of the superior state, doesn't even put the emperor of Zhao in his eyes, let alone a daughter of a marquis.
Therefore, he never investigated Gu Jiao in depth.
It was Gu Jiao who entered the palace, not Xiao Liulang, so why would he come chasing after Gou Dan? That's extremely risky!
Nangong Li turned and left!
"Trying to leave?" Gu Jiao shot out a crabapple blossom needle.
Nangong Li felt a chill run down his spine and quickly leaped up, his toes landing on a tree trunk as he somersaulted to avoid the attack.
"Are you insane!" Nangong Li steadied himself and glared at Gu Jiao with uncontrollable rage. "Do you want to die with me? When His Majesty discovers that I trespassed into the palace, I'll expose your impersonation! You don't think your fate will be much better than mine, do you?"
Gu Jiao raised her hand and snapped a long tree branch off from above her head. Using the branch as a spear, she coldly pointed it at him: "Who wants to die with you? If I kill you, then no one will know that I'm impersonating someone else?"
Nangong Li wondered if he had misheard. What did this girl say?
Kill him?
In the palace?
Where did she get the confidence to think she could kill him?
Even with one arm missing, he could still crush her as easily as crushing an ant!
However, there is still a risk of being discovered.
It's worth taking this risk for Xiao Liulang, but it's really not worth it for a girl who's impersonating him.
Footsteps could be heard from not far away.
Nangong Li sneered, "Girl, someone has already come looking for you in the side hall. Don't force me to kill you."
"I know, so please, go die!"
With a light tap of her toes, Gu Jiao leaped into the air, her "spear" lashing out at Nangong Lipan like a shrill dragon!
It was just a tree branch, yet she used it with the power of mountains and rivers!
Nangong Li stared at the familiar marksmanship, his eyes widening in disbelief almost instantly.
This is... the spear technique of the Xuanyuan family!
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(End of this chapter)
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