Chapter 49: Testing
Song Mingde raised his hand. The jade ring on his thumb was stained with traces of blood, giving it a sinister and dangerous look. He looked past Zhao Xuanxu and fixed his gaze on Wen Yao beside him. He said coldly, "Don't stop them. Tell them to come over."
The guard swallowed his words and nodded. The guards around him, holding their swords at the tip of their weapons, lowered their long swords slightly and took a step back. The road in front of Wen Yao and Zhao Xuanxu became wider.
Zhao Xuanxu's black sleeves covered the back of his hand, and as he grasped the reins, the blue veins of his hand jutted out slightly from the skin. He yanked the reins, and the fine horse beneath him snorted, its iron hooves clattering resoundingly on the ground. Amidst the scowls of the surrounding barbarians, the Prince of Yan, without hesitation, steed his horse towards Song Mingde, his face almost touching that of Governor Song.
Zhao Xuanxu frowned, his dark eyes looking downwards, with no intention of looking down.
Song Mingde sneered, his lips still red as he twitched, "Feather Guards, Tiger Guards, His Royal Highness Prince Yan, what a grand display! You've come so quickly, what advice do you have for us?"
As one of the "two" he mentioned, Wen Yao also stayed on her horse. It wasn't that she was impolite like Zhao Xuanxu, but she was inexplicably distracted. At first, she didn't even hear what Song Mingde said clearly. She frowned slightly and sniffed lightly with the tip of her nose.
Incense was burned year-round in Qiongyu Tower, and every time Wen Yao approached the vermilion gate, she could smell the sweet fragrance. But for some reason, she felt the incense in Qiongyu Tower was different today, seeming extraordinarily dull and thick, with a subtle, strange quality.
But she quickly came to her senses and looked at Song Mingde.
When they met on the narrow road of Cunying Mountain, Governor Song was in the same situation. He was guarded by a group of blue-clothed foreigners. His every word and action revealed the air of an arrogant and ruthless official. He made it clear that he was the most ferocious jackal, leopard and poisonous snake in the factory supervisor's den, and he wanted everyone to retreat.
She couldn't understand Song Mingde.
Logically speaking, as the eunuch in charge of the imperial pen and the head of the factory, Song Mingde had already reached the highest position a eunuch could achieve, relying on the emperor's power. If he still had ambitions to climb higher, his only remaining option was to kill the young princes, support a young prince, and control the government. If he simply wanted to preserve his wealth and glory for the rest of his life, he should have chosen a master early and supported him during the future emperor's retreat. This would ensure he could avoid being liquidated after the change of dynasty and continue his prosperity.
Excluding Zhao Xuanxu, Prince Yong was cunning, Prince Qin was fierce, and Prince Xiang was indifferent but no fool, making them all difficult to deal with. If the second path was chosen—there was no news of Song Mingde contacting Prince Yong or Prince Qin, but he did have an inexplicable cooperative relationship with Zhao Xuanxu, neither an enemy nor a friend. Wen Yao didn't know which side to put him in.
Zhao Xuanxu's hand gripping the reins shifted, and he ignored his sarcastic tone and asked, "Why did you lead people to besiege Qiongyu Tower?"
Whether at the main gate or on the river boats, Qiongyulou was surrounded by the factory supervisors and the imperial guards. No pedestrians were allowed to pass, and no boats were allowed to leave. Everything was a mess.
Unlike ordinary brothels, the Jade Tower often hosted poetry banquets during the day, attracting a constant stream of nobles and talented men. Now, as soon as they left the house, they were forced back with swords at their necks. At first, they were afraid, but when they saw that the thugs didn't make any further moves, their fear faded a little. They gathered at the door and began to question and shove, making the scene even more chaotic.
Of course, some people also recognized Prince Yan on his majestic horse and the gloomy factory supervisor. Although they didn't know what was going on, their hearts suddenly sank and they shrank back, not daring to say a word.
Gentlemen are generous, while villains hold grudges. Song Mingde was no gentleman. He had risen from the filth and dirt of life to where he was today, a ruthless and vindictive villain. For example, he would repay the blow from the Red Pavilion assassin a thousandfold.
Thinking of this, Song Mingde couldn't help but raise his hand to press his chest again, where the pain was still dull. His cold eyes swept across Wen Yao and said grimly, "We naturally suspect that Qiong Yu Lou is involved with Hong Ge. Who knows, the assassin might be hiding in Qiong Yu Lou right now. We are reasonable people. The owner of the building has one stick of incense. Either he comes out, or he hands over the assassin. If he can't do either, we will kill all the girls and servants in Qiong Yu Lou today."
He spoke of suspicion, but his tone was firm. Like the Three Officials, the Factory Supervisor was granted special authority by the Emperor and did not require evidence to carry out his duties. Even with only a sliver of suspicion, Song Mingde could easily surround the Qiongyu Tower.
Wen Yao met his gaze, her expression unchanged and frank. She thought to herself, "It's just a threat, but if he wants to see what she does, he should be looking at Lou Chengyi."
But thinking about it carefully, there was no point in saying it to Lou Chengyi. Even if Song Mingde killed everyone in Bianliang and piled the bodies into a mountain in front of Lou Chengyi, Lou Chengyi would not react except to the stench and ugliness.
Song Mingde said "one stick of incense," and someone literally brought over a copper censer and lit a stick of incense. Ashes fell, and the stick of incense vanished in a flash. After the last flicker of incense had faded, Lou Chengyi was still nowhere to be seen at the gate of Qiongyu Tower.
The two guards at the door immediately advanced, their knives drawn. A moment later, they pulled two screaming, gauze-clad girls from the building and hurled them to the ground. The cold, gleaming blades pierced through the gauze, pressing against the girls' chests. The outer layer of gauze was instantly pierced, shattering the flesh. The girls, pale and trembling, kept begging for mercy, "Master!"
Song Mingde was still looking at Wen Yao.
His behavior did not seem like he wanted Lou Chengyi to come out of Qiong Yu Tower, but rather like he was testing the relationship between Wen Yao and Qiong Yu Tower.
Wen Yao's expression remained unchanged as he let him look at him.
But swords and knives are merciless. Seeing that the foreigner's wrist was slightly turning, and the white knife was about to go in and the red knife was out, Wen Yao's hand holding the reins finally loosened, and under Song Mingde's gaze, he slowly pressed on the Xingyi sword.
At the critical moment, a shout suddenly came from Qiongyu Tower: "Wait!"
Wen Yao stopped moving, looked in the direction of the sound, and saw Ning'er hurriedly walking out of the building.
Her attire today was very different from usual. It was not a beautiful and elaborate dress with jingle ornaments hanging on it, but rather a simple and plain one. However, this did not diminish her beauty at all, but instead made her look more calm.
She didn't even look at the girl kneeling on the ground and trembling, but only looked at Song Mingde. Even when the swords of the surrounding bandits were pointed at her, she was not afraid.
"Sovereign Governor Song has already been to Qiong Yu Lou once." Ning'er looked directly at Song Mingde and said, "I informed you that day that the master was not in Bianliang, and the governor led a search but could not find him. Prince Yelu was with him at the time and can serve as a witness. Besides, regardless of whether Qiong Yu Lou was accused of rebellion, I would never be able to conjure up a master out of thin air for you."
She spoke logically and in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for people around her to hear clearly.
"You're quite the sharp-tongued person," Song Mingde said, a smile breaking across his face. He usually didn't smile, but when he did, it was filled with a murderous aura that sent a chill down one's spine. "Prince Yelu... the Prince Yelu you're talking about just died today. And since you're Lou Chengyi's confidant, if he doesn't come out, I'll smash your teeth, peel off your skin, and hang you at the entrance of Qiongyu Tower for him to see. How do you say that?"
Coming from Song Mingde, these words were definitely more than just threats. When it came to skinning and pulling out tendons, his men were incredibly skilled, as skilled as anyone at Jiutai.
Ning'er gritted her teeth secretly, but her entire body seemed to be shaking. Her face was pale and she looked a little bit incredulous. "Prince Yelu is dead... How, how could it be? He was clearly fine a few days ago."
The beauty held her heart in her hands, her expression and demeanor filled me with pity. Some in Qiongyu Tower couldn't bear to see her, secretly cursing the eunuchs for their lack of sympathy for women. How could the incident in the palace have anything to do with Qiongyu Tower? It certainly had nothing to do with Miss Ning'er.
Song Mingde remained unmoved, looking at Ning'er with the same cold, icy gaze he would use on the bricks, stones, and plants on the ground. His subordinates acted similarly, actually moving forward and reaching out to grab Ning'er.
Wen Yao was thinking about where Lou Chengyi was now, and what kind of excuse he should find to rescue him, while his hand holding the Xingyi Sword tightened again.
"Swish!" There was another harsh sound of metal friction.
Zhao Xuanxu remained silent. The feathered guards nearby drew their swords the moment the guards approached. A cold gleam flashed across everyone's eyes, and the blades rested on the guards' necks. The factory supervisors, following their overseer's domineering ways, showed no fear of the Twelve Guards and drew their swords one after another to confront them.
The atmosphere was tense, but the Imperial Guards, fearing no offense, held back. They exchanged glances and retreated, making room for Prince Yan and Governor Song.
Wen Yao was still misinterpreting the situation. Zhao Xuanxu and Song Mingde, two of the most powerful hooligans in Bianliang City, would fight to see who had the bigger fist, no reason or logic needed.
"Your Highness Prince Yan." Song Mingde said with a half-smile: "Are you going to stop us?"
"I told you, no one is allowed to act rashly." Zhao Xuanxu sat on his horse, his hands folded, his brutality and brutality oozing through his beautiful and seductive appearance. "Aren't you a human?"
The smile on Song Mingde's lips suddenly turned cold. "Qiong Yulou has connections with the Hongge rebels. His Majesty was assassinated, and Prince Yelu was killed. Your Highness is not worried at all, and even protects Qiong Yulou in front of our family?"
After saying this, Zhao Xuanxu was immediately accused of a serious crime.
Wu Peiming, who had hurried over from afar, heard this upon arriving and immediately became anxious. He strode aside the surrounding Imperial Guards and the factory supervisor, squeezed into the center circle, and shouted, "Song, Governor, your words are biased. Your Majesty has authorized the Three Departments to assist in the investigation of this matter. These people should follow me back to the Eagle Palace. Even if they need to be skinned and torn apart, the Eagle Palace should handle it!"
Song Mingde just sneered, with a murderous look between his brows.
Wen Yao's gaze passed over the crowd and fell on Ning'er. Two servants came up behind her and pulled the girl up from the ground. As Wen Yao looked over, Ning'er immediately looked up at her, her eyes gentle, and she shook her head gently at Wen Yao.
Um?
Wen Yao raised his eyebrows slightly.
What does this mean?
Wen Yao soon understood what this meant.
The next moment, a deafening roar suddenly erupted in the Qiongyu Tower. Everyone was so close, so caught off guard, that the commotion left them half-dead, their hearts pounding.
Then, scorching flames and thick smoke poured down from the heights of the Qiongyu Building. Broken wooden beams fell from outside, crushing several people who were nearby to death on the spot.
Wen Yao reacted very quickly, his pupils shrank slightly, and he shouted loudly: "Get out of the way!"
Without waiting for the various groups blocking the way outside to leave, the trapped people inside Qiongyu Tower could no longer remain. They threw on their clothes and, ignoring the guards blocking the entrance, rushed out, one after another. No one understood what was happening, but no one wanted to be trapped and die in the sea of fire.
When they came out, the entrance of Qiongyu Tower, which was already crowded with officers and soldiers, suddenly became even more chaotic.
A sharp whistle erupted from somewhere, and two people in the crowd quickly approached, one on each side pulling Ning'er up. Ning'er quickly ripped off her outer robe and tossed it aside, revealing her sharp, athletic attire underneath. She wore a flexible sword strapped to her waist, and the frail look on her face vanished. Her beautiful features took on a sharp edge, and she looked as energetic as when they'd first met, squatting by the inn window, serving Wen Yao wine.
Seeing this, Song Mingde drew out his golden sword without hesitation and chopped down several people who came up to him, shouting: "Stop them!"
Ning'er looked deeply at Wen Yao, and then the two of them soared into the air, their toes tapping on the heads and shoulders of those around them as they instantly rushed to the periphery. Suddenly, three horses ran out from the alleyway, and the three of them landed on their backs with perfect accuracy. With a crack of their whips, the horses sped away.
The explosions continued. Across the river, the extravagant and splendid Qiongyu Tower, a den of decadent excess that had stood in Bianliang for over a decade, a world-renowned den of extravagance and decadence, collapsed in a blaze of flames.
Wen Yao's pupils were slightly brightened by the flames rising into the sky, and he keenly sensed that something was wrong.
Even if Qiong Yu Building was mostly made of wood, it shouldn't have burned so quickly. It wasn't until a piece of wood fell before her eyes and the greasy smell that had been faintly there before resurfaced in her nose that Wen Yao suddenly realized what was happening.
She recognized the smell.
It's pine oil. Today, the bricks, tiles and crossbeams of the Qiong Yu Building should be coated with pine oil.
Lou Chengyi had long expected that someone would come to Qiongyu Tower to look for him.
Originally, the Feathered Guards and Huben Army were numerous, more than enough to stop Ning'er and the other two. However, the soldiers remembered the King of Yan's instructions and refused to act rashly. They stood still like statues and did not pursue. The Imperial Guards and the Factory Supervisor were pinned down, unable to stop the enemy, and they actually let them escape.
Song Mingde's face instantly turned darker than the bottom of a pot. He gripped the golden knife tightly in his hand and leaped onto the horse that the guard had brought. The thin whip broke through the air with a loud sound, and he drove the horse out at full speed without paying attention to the person under his hooves.
Wen Yao licked his lips, suddenly pulled the reins in his hand, turned around and chased after him.
Bianliang has three city walls. Outside the imperial city is the inner city, and outside the inner city is the Luocheng.
After the assassination, the gates of Bianliang should have been closed. But Wen Yao, crouching on his horse, watched Ning'er and the other two galloping with a clear sense of purpose, and he had a feeling that something was amiss.
When she came to Bianliang, she had also taken the northern wall. If she remembered correctly, Ning'er was heading towards Anyuan Gate. Anyuan Gate was one of the largest gates in the north, heavily guarded. Escaping in this direction was basically a dead end. Ning'er didn't seem to be panicking, so if that was the case, then—
Wen Yao propped herself up and straightened up, looking forward. Amidst the turbulence of the horse's back, she could see a distant glimpse of a magnificent city gate, as well as corpses scattered across the ground, covered in blood.
Of the nearly fifty guards at one city gate, not a single one was left alive.
The Anyuan Gate, which should have been closed following the imperial decree, was now wide open. Several figures stood atop the towering city walls. The most eye-catching figure was Lou Chengyi, standing at the front, facing the wind and holding a longbow inlaid with pearls and jade.
He was wearing no bright, flashy clothes today, the only striking touch of color being the ruby headband pressed against his forehead. The men accompanying him were all tall and didn't look like they were from Tianshui.
One person saw the group of people following closely behind Ning'er, his expression changed slightly, and he persuaded: "Your Highness, let's go."
Firstly, the Tianshui soldiers were following very closely, and secondly, the woman was placed in Qiongyu Tower as a target to attract the attention of Tianshui soldiers, so there was no need to go through the trouble of rescuing her.
Another person hesitated and said, "She knows too much. What if she gets caught by the Tianshui people and her mouth isn't shut tight..."
These people spoke Liao language, and all their words fell into Lou Chengyi's ears, but they all left at the same moment.
He stood motionless, the headband on his forehead shining brightly, his eyes passed through all the people chasing him below and landed accurately on Wen Yao, locking onto him like an eagle.
His silence puzzled the others nearby, and they were about to speak up a second time when Lou Chengyi's emerald eyes suddenly flashed, and he suddenly pulled an arrow from his back. His shoulders tensed in a powerful arc, and he grasped the ten-stone bow firmly in his palm, pulling it open. The tip of the arrow flashed with a cold light, and he released it without hesitation!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
