activa-t Chapter 104 The Terrified General Enters the Capital!
Chapter 104 The Terrified General Enters the Capital!
Chapter 104 The Terrified General Enters the Capital!
Duan Tianya, Gui Haiyidao, and Cheng Shifei entered the main hall of the Dragon Guard Manor.
As usual, they saw Zhu Wushi wielding his brush and ink at his desk.
This time, however, the words he wrote were no longer about loyalty to the emperor and the country, or killing; instead, he wrote the word "endurance."
Tolerate!
With a knife above the character for "heart," Cheng Shifei and his two companions felt a tremor in their hearts as they looked at the dragon-and-phoenix dance of ninjas scattered all over the ground.
What exactly has Zhu Wushi been enduring all these years?
"You've arrived."
After catching a glimpse of the three people, Zhu Wushi finally stopped writing and picked up a warm towel to wipe his hands.
This is his habit after each calligraphy practice session.
After expressing my emotions through writing, my mood calmed down.
"Godfather!"
Duan Tianya and Gui Haiyi called him "godfather," while Cheng Shifei called him "divine marquis."
Zhu Wushi looked at the three people in front of him and a smile appeared on his lips.
The thing he was most proud of in his life was adopting his two adopted sons, Duan Tianya and Gui Haiyidao, and his adopted daughter, Shangguan Haitang.
Finally, they successfully located Cheng Shifei, the number one secret agent in the Yellow Division.
Although Cheng Shifei was not his adopted son, his martial arts skills were remarkable—
Thinking of Cheng Shifei's indestructible divine skill, Zhu Wushi's eyes deepened slightly.
"On the night of the full moon, atop the Forbidden City. A sword comes from the west, a celestial being descends from the heavens."
Have you heard of this?
Duan Tianya cupped his hands and said, "Godfather, is it about Ye Gucheng and Ximen Chuixue's duel on the Forbidden City?"
"Not bad." Zhu Wushi nodded. "I wonder what you all think after hearing this news?"
"Outrageous! Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng, you are utterly outrageous!"
Cheng Shifei was the first to shout, "Is the Imperial Palace the place for their decisive battle? Isn't this a slap in His Majesty's face?!"
"They should be killed!"
Duan Tianya said, "A subject should die for his ruler; both of them should be killed with a single sword stroke!"
Guihai Yidao succinctly stated: "He deserves to die!"
Zhu Wushi nodded in satisfaction: "Not bad, that's the kind of thinking a dutiful and loyal subject of the Ming Dynasty should have."
Then, Zhu Wushi's smile vanished, replaced by a frosty expression: "However, this duel between Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng at the Forbidden City is not as simple as an act of usurpation."
"It was the Prince of the Southern Kingdom who persuaded Ye Gucheng to take action. The Southern Kingdom's clan, like Ye Gucheng and Ximen Chuixue, is utterly despicable!"
Upon hearing that other vassal kings were involved, Duan Tianya and his two companions all frowned, but dared not utter a single word.
This is a family matter for the Zhu family. Only they can talk about it. For others to make unwarranted comments is to overstep their bounds!
Zhu Wushi looked at the three men and coldly ordered, "Duan Tianya, Guihai Yidao, and Cheng Shifei, listen to my command! You will immediately take the four secret agents named 'Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow' and proceed to the capital to await further orders!"
"Yes, Godfather!"
"You go first. I will personally lead the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals and Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends to the capital to meet you later."
"Yes, I'll take my leave!"
Duan Tianya and his two companions accepted the order and set off with secret agents bearing the four characters "Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow" to the capital to defend the emperor.
After everyone left, Zhu Wushi went to a secret room.
Approaching the Xuanbing Bed, Zhu Wushi looked at Su Xin, who was sleeping soundly with her eyes closed, and his heart trembled.
Twenty years! A full twenty years!
Zhu Wushi's temples were already white as snow, but Su Xin remained as before.
"Suxin, it'll be soon, very soon."
Zhu ignored Su Xin's brows and eyes, his eyes filled with tenderness.
"Wait a little longer, just a little longer, I'm about to find the Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom."
"Once I find the remaining two Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom seeds, we can be together forever."
"When that time comes, whatever you want to do, wherever you want to go, I will be with you, always by your side—"
Before he knew it, Zhu Wushi's eyes were already wet. Every time he saw Su Xin, he couldn't help but feel emotional.
Zhu Wushi took one last, incredibly longing look at Su Xin before leaving the secret chamber and leading the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals and Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends to the capital!
A strategically important town on the border.
Datong Prefecture.
An imperial edict was delivered to the military camp. The eunuch delivering the edict looked at the grim-faced soldiers in the camp, forcibly suppressing the panic in his heart, and shouted loudly.
"The imperial edict has arrived! General Ling Luoshi, behold, come forth immediately to receive the decree!"
-
A moment later, the central command tent opened wide, and a large, imposing general slowly walked toward the eunuch who was delivering the imperial edict.
Behind him followed four trusted generals.
The deputy general was Yu Yibian, Emperor Dazong of Tang, and also Xiao Jianseng and Yang Jian.
The terrifying General Ling Luoshi approached the eunuch delivering the imperial decree, his murderous aura emanating from him overwhelming.
Looking at Ling Luoshi's face, the eunuch delivering the imperial decree felt his legs begin to tremble.
"Your subject, Ling Luoshi, respectfully obeys Your Majesty's decree."
Ling Luoshi clasped his hands and knelt before the eunuch delivering the imperial edict. The eunuch took a deep breath before unfolding the edict.
"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:"
"The Commander-in-Chief of Datong Prefecture, upon hearing of the alarm from General Ling Luoshi, is ordered to immediately return to the capital to report for duty!"
"So be it!"
"Your subject, Ling Luoshi, obeys the imperial decree!"
Ling Luoshi accepted the imperial edict expressionlessly, then turned and left.
The eunuch delivering the imperial decree was under immense psychological pressure and dared not linger. He turned to leave, but was stopped by Xiao Jianseng.
The eunuch delivering the imperial decree was already under immense psychological pressure, and when he was suddenly grabbed, the pressure was so great that he screamed in fright.
"Ah! What are you doing?!"
Xiao Jianseng smiled slightly and handed a bag of silver to the eunuch who was delivering the imperial decree.
"Father-in-law, you must be tired from your journey. Please take this and have some tea."
The eunuch delivering the imperial decree clutched the heavy bag of silver, his legs trembling even more: "No, no, no, this servant—this servant cannot accept the General's silver—"
The eunuch delivering the imperial decree felt as if the bag of silver was burning hot, and quickly waved his hand to decline.
Without saying a word, Xiao Jianseng forcibly stuffed the silver into the arms of the eunuch who delivered the imperial decree.
"Take it. I have military duties to attend to, so I won't see you off, Father-in-law."
After Xiao Jianseng finished speaking, he, Tang Dazong, Yu Yibian, and others followed Ling Luoshi back to the commander's tent.
The eunuch delivering the imperial decree had never felt the silver so heavy; it was like a hot potato, impossible to hold onto or put down.
The central command tent.
Ling Luoshi sat in the main seat, with the other four standing on either side of him, bowing and congratulating him: "Congratulations, General, on your return to the capital to report for duty."
"Hmph." Ling Luoshi snorted lightly: "Last year, I asked Yu Huatian to deliver a letter to His Majesty, requesting to return to the capital to report on my duties."
"I never imagined that His Majesty's delay would last until now."
Xiao Jianseng cupped his hands and said, "It's not too late for His Majesty to let the general return to the capital now, which shows that His Majesty still trusts the general from the bottom of his heart."
Ling Luoshi lowered his head, looking at the imperial edict in his hand, his tone somewhat indignant: "If I hadn't led my troops to the scene in time last year, the Wuliangha people would have already fled back to the grasslands."
"It will take a lot of effort to wipe out the Uriyangkhai on the grasslands."
"Not only did His Majesty not bestow any reward upon me, but he also deliberately ignored me for so long. It must be those petty people in the capital who are attacking me behind my back!"
"Upon returning to the capital this time, I will certainly root out those treacherous officials to cleanse the court of corrupt officials!"
Emperor Taizong of Tang bowed and praised, "General, you are a man of great wisdom and your achievements are unparalleled!"
"The Ming Dynasty has a general; it is His Majesty's good fortune! And even more so, the good fortune of all the people!"
Xiao Jianseng, Yu Yibian, and Yang Jian all lowered their heads, their faces stern, and dared not make any statement.
Ling Luoshi chuckled dismissively twice, then resumed his previous cold and aloof demeanor.
"Yu Yibian".
"Your subordinate is here."
Ling Luoshi looked at Yu Yibian and ordered, "After I return to the capital to report on my duties, you will temporarily take command of the garrison in Datong Prefecture."
"If the border defenses of Datong Prefecture suffer even the slightest mishap, I will hold you solely responsible!"
Yu Yibian bowed and accepted the order: "Yes, General!"
"Yang Jian, you stay behind to assist Yu Yibian. Emperor Tang and Xiao Jianseng, you two go and gather my personal guards. Have them prepare themselves and return to the capital with me immediately!"
"Yes, General!"
Ling Luoshi issued various instructions swiftly, and the four of them immediately bowed solemnly and accepted the orders.
Ling Luoshi was very strict in disciplining his troops, and no one dared to joke around with him when it came to military orders.
Emperor Tang Dazong and Xiao Jianseng immediately went to gather their personal guards, and Yu Yibian and Yang Jian prepared to lead the troops.
Ling Luoshi then said to Yibian, "Go and fetch Xiaodao for me."
"Yes, General."
Ling Xiaodao is the daughter of Ling Luoshi and his legal wife Song Hongnan, and also the only offspring that Ling Luoshi cares about.
Ling Xiaodao grew up in the military. She is kind-hearted, loyal, obedient, cute, and innocent.
Ling Luoshi had protected Ling Xiaodao very well since she was a child, preventing her from being exposed to his bloody world, and only teaching Ling Xiaodao some basic self-defense martial arts.
A moment later, Ling Xiaodao entered the command tent, smiling as she said, "Father, you were looking for me?"
Looking at the innocent and carefree Ling Xiaodao, Ling Luoshi rarely smiled: "Haven't you been saying you wanted to go to the capital for a visit?"
"His Majesty has just summoned Father to the capital to report on his duties. Would you like to go with Father?"
Ling Xiaodao's eyes widened, then she nodded vigorously: "Yes, Xiaodao wants to go to the capital with Father!"
Ling Luoshi nodded slightly: "Then hurry up and pack your things. Tell your mother we're leaving right away."
"Yes, Father!"
Upon hearing that he could enter the capital, Ling Xiaodao happily left the commander's tent and went to pack his things.
Ling Luoshi looked at Ling Xiaodao, who had grown into a graceful young woman, and whose beauty was inherited from Song Hongnan, and nodded repeatedly.
He was very satisfied with his daughter.
Before long, everyone was ready and could set off at any time.
In the middle of the military camp, on the drill ground, more than two thousand of Ling Luoshi's personal guards sat solemnly on their horses, awaiting Ling Luoshi's orders.
Emperor Tang and Xiao Jianseng were also fully prepared and waiting for Ling Luoshi's arrival.
Ling Xiaodao carried the most things, and she couldn't carry them all by herself, so Xiao Jianseng helped her carry a lot of them.
Fortunately, Ling Xiaodao knows how to ride a horse, so there's no need to prepare a separate carriage for her.
Ling Luoshi arrived at the training ground, first scanning the crowd around him, then mounted his tall horse and led the way out of the military camp.
"All men, heed my command! Follow me into the capital!"
"Yes, General!"
Ling Luoshi led two thousand personal guards and immediately rushed to the capital!