thefictionvixens Chapter 195 Deep Brotherhood! The Death of Ye Gucheng!
Chapter 195 Deep Brotherhood! The Death of Ye Gucheng!
Chapter 195 Deep Brotherhood! The Death of Ye Gucheng!
When Chu Yang returned to the Prince's Mansion, Lu Xiaofeng also returned, looking very unhappy.
In just a few days, too many strange things happened in the capital.
Everything seemed to point to tonight's duel.
"Ye Gucheng is injured. He said he was hit by a hidden weapon, but he shouldn't have been injured so easily, even if the other party was from the Tang Clan."
Lu Xiaofeng sat on a stone bench in the courtyard and, unusually, started biting his nails.
This is an action he only takes when he is very anxious.
"Many people died, and all of them died for no apparent reason. The biggest commonality was that they had met someone before. It was less a murder and more like a cover-up."
"And this person..."
At this point, Lu Xiaofeng looked at Chu Yang.
Chu Yang said speechlessly, "Why are you looking at me? It's not like they've run into me."
Lu Xiaofeng asked, "Your Highness, do you know a chief eunuch surnamed Wang?"
Chu Yang nodded and said, "I know. He was the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial when the late Emperor was alive. Later, he lost the Emperor's favor and was overthrown by Wei Zhongxian to climb to the top. His former underling became his current boss. You can imagine how difficult his life must have been."
Lu Xiaofeng blurted out, "This Chief Steward Wang must harbor a great deal of resentment towards the Emperor, right?"
Chu Yang said meaningfully, "It's not just the emperor; he harbors a great deal of resentment towards the entire cold Forbidden City."
Lu Xiaofeng frowned, seemingly wanting to speak but holding back.
Chu Yang laughed and said, "Little Lu, just spit it out, okay?"
Lu Xiaofeng sighed, "The situation is complicated. Your Highness, you must be careful tonight. No one in the capital knows that you killed the Demon King yet. The palace will likely underestimate you. This is your only advantage."
Chu Yang said nonchalantly, "So what if he knows? He could stuff all the grandmasters in the world into the palace, and the result would be the same."
The two sat in the courtyard and chatted for a while longer. As darkness fell, a series of hurried footsteps soon echoed outside the Prince's Mansion.
The old butler's voice suddenly rang out.
"Your Highness, someone from the palace has arrived."
Chu Yang and Lu Xiaofeng stood up at the same time.
Lu Xiaofeng let out a long sigh of relief and said, "The Forbidden City will be very lively tonight."
……
The eunuchs carried Chu Yang into the palace in a magnificent sedan chair.
As Chu Yang passed by the palace gate, he looked out through the crack and saw that a large number of people had gathered there.
Although no one was carrying weapons, one could still feel a strong sense of the martial arts world.
There were also many Imperial Guards patrolling around to prevent anyone from causing trouble. Each of them held a repeating crossbow, which looked extremely menacing in the bleak night.
Just as Chu Yang passed through the palace gate, he unexpectedly saw Chai Hu's figure.
What is he doing here?
Chu Yang then felt relieved.
Given Chai Hu's personality, he certainly wouldn't just stand by and watch Guo Bujing die. The reason he didn't express his opinion at the Prince's mansion that day was probably because he was afraid that Guo Bujing would use force to keep him there.
He looks honest and unassuming, but he has quite a few ideas. But then again, he can hang out with people like Sikong Zhaixing, and he's a notorious bandit, so he's probably quite shrewd.
To dare to intervene at this time shows that he is a man of steel.
Chai Hu stood silently in the crowd, watching Chu Yang enter the Forbidden City. The thought of risking his life later made him a little nervous.
"Hey big oaf, what are you doing lurking around here?"
Lu Xiaofeng appeared beside Chai Hu without warning and slapped him on the shoulder.
"You scared me to death, you surnamed Lu!"
Chai Hu raised his hand and elbowed the person next to him.
Lu Xiaofeng grabbed Chai Hu's arm and asked with a smile, "You're here to watch the duel between Ximen Chuixue and Ye Gucheng? Why don't you go in and watch?"
Chai Hu rolled her eyes at him. "Nonsense, if I could get in, I would have gone in already."
Lu Xiaofeng asked in surprise, "Aren't you also a member of the Imperial Guard? Don't you recognize me?"
Chai Hu said speechlessly, "I've only been here a few days, and I can't even recognize all the dogs, let alone people."
"Come with me!" Lu Xiaofeng first looked at him with disdain, then smiled mysteriously and swaggered toward the palace gate.
As expected, the guards stopped him.
Without saying a word, he took out a waist token from his pocket and showed it to the guard.
A miraculous scene unfolded: the guards politely made way for the two of them to enter.
After passing through the palace gates, Chai Hu asked in a low voice, "What kind of thing is so useful?"
Lu Xiaofeng smiled and said, "Tickets."
Chai Hu asked curiously, "Who gave it to you?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Xiaofeng suddenly stopped and turned to look at Chai Hu, a hint of worry flashing between his brows. "Do you know Wei Ziyun?"
Chai Hu nodded, a picture of a burly, bearded man flashing through his mind, and said, "Commander Wei is very generous. He often treats his brothers to drinks and is quite famous in the Imperial Guards, but he's not liked by Lord Guo."
Lu Xiaofeng asked curiously, "How so?"
Chai Hu continued, "Lord Guo said that he seems easygoing, but in reality, he is very ambitious and capable, but his mind is fickle, and he will cause trouble sooner or later..."
Lu Xiaofeng took a deep breath and then said nothing more. His inner unease was like a wild horse that had broken free of its reins.
at the same time.
A dark cloud drifted in from somewhere in the sky.
Completely block out the moonlight.
The entire Forbidden City was as if covered by a curtain, so dark that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.
The sedan chair carrying Chu Yang landed.
The surroundings immediately became quiet.
Only the sound of the wind could be heard.
He lifted the curtain and came out. This place was neither the emperor's study nor any elegant garden, but a vast training ground.
This is where the emperor used to inspect the imperial guards!
Boom!Boom!Boom!
The ground suddenly trembled violently.
The sound of synchronized footsteps.
The sound of armor clashing violently.
The clear echoes continued to resonate in Chu Yang's ears.
The dark clouds finally drifted away.
The bright Mid-Autumn Festival moonlight shone on the earth, illuminating the Forbidden City once again.
A large number of soldiers clad in black armor surged from every corner of the training ground, forming a black wave that seemed intent on engulfing Chu Yang's figure.
A well-organized army is a warrior's nightmare.
Whether before or now, this truth has never been overturned.
Cao Zhengchun, Yu Huatian, Cao Shaoqin, Ma Jinliang, the supervisors of the East and West Depots, and the chief officers walked in front of the soldiers.
The continuous stream of Imperial Guards seemed to give them a different kind of confidence. All four of them had murderous intent on their faces, as if Chu Yang was already in their grasp.
Besides them, there were a dozen or so eunuchs dressed in red robes staring at Chu Yang around the Imperial Guards.
These red-robed eunuchs possessed extremely robust qi and blood, and were almost all experts who had undergone nine blood transfusions, making them comparable in strength to Cao Shaoqin and Ma Jinliang.
His aura was a bit strange, as if it was mixed with something, lacking the pure blood and qi of an ordinary martial artist.
"Is that all the people?"
"Your Highness, rest assured, the 800,000 Imperial Guards are all here; they will ensure your satisfaction."
"Isn't my imperial brother left without anyone by his side?"
"Even at this late hour, the Prince is still worried about His Majesty. Such deep brotherly affection is truly touching!"
"We're brothers, I hope he dies by my hand."
"What a coincidence, His Majesty thinks the same way."
…………
At the top of the Forbidden City.
Lu Xiaofeng and Chai Hu rushed over and found a large group of people here, including not only the leaders of various sects, but also many martial arts figures whose names they did not know.
With more people watching, there were naturally more imperial guards on patrol.
"Why does it look like a wet market?"
Chai Hu stared in disbelief at the sea of people before him.
"Didn't you say that Commander Wei would cause trouble sooner or later? Well, he has!" Lu Xiaofeng said helplessly.
His unease eventually became a reality, but he had no time to worry about it. He could only raise his head and look towards the highest palace.
At the top of the palace, two figures faced each other in the moonlight.
Lord Ye Gucheng of Baiyun City.
Sword God Ximen Chuixue.
Two of the most outstanding swordsmen of their time, one might even say sword immortals.
Although there were many spectators, not a single extra sound could be heard. Everyone was holding their breath, afraid of missing a single move between the two.
If you listen carefully, you can even hear intermittent chirping of insects.
Lu Xiaofeng glanced at Ye Gucheng, then at Ximen Chuixue, and clenched his fists involuntarily.
He had already met Ximen Chuixue before the duel even began; in fact, Ximen Chuixue saved him, as Lu Xiaofeng had been poisoned during his investigation.
When he woke up, he saw Ximen Chuixue, who helped him detoxify and persuaded him to give up the duel that night.
There are too many unpredictable things going on, as if a powerful hand is controlling everything behind the scenes. Lu Xiaofeng can't be sure what will happen tonight.
However, it was impossible to get Ximen Chuixue to give up the duel; he was a proud man.
"I hope I'm just overthinking it..."
Lu Xiaofeng stared intently at Ye Gucheng on the other side. He and Ye Gucheng were old acquaintances, but ever since they met in the capital, he felt that Ye Gucheng had become increasingly unfamiliar to him.
Recalling Chu Yang's evaluation of Ye Gucheng, Lu Xiaofeng's heart tightened.
"Lu Xiaoji, don't you think Ximen Chuixue is a bit strange?"
Sikong Zhaixing suddenly appeared behind Lu Xiaofeng, startling him.
"What are you doing here?"
"That waist badge was given by that bearded commander. It's so easy to counterfeit; you can make a fortune just by selling one!"
"Are you out of your mind?!"
"It's none of my business. I didn't counterfeit it. I'm just responsible for posting it and getting a share of the profits afterwards."
Lu Xiaofeng was so angry that she wanted to use her Lingxi Finger to poke a hole in his forehead.
"Don't be angry yet. Ximen Chuixue seems even angrier than you. What's going on?"
Upon hearing Sikong Zhaixing's reminder, Lu Xiaofeng carefully observed Ximen Chuixue's expression and indeed saw anger in his eyes.
It was the kind of anger that arises from extreme disappointment!
Why did Ximen Chuixue feel angry when facing Ye Gucheng?
A flash of inspiration struck Lu Xiaofeng, and he almost grasped the crux of the problem.
However, at that moment, Ximen Chuixue's voice suddenly rang out.
"Today's duel is now adjourned!"
"You... are not worthy to make me draw my sword!"
next moment.
A violent uproar erupted in front of the once quiet palace!
Everyone waited all night, but the duel ended abruptly instead of starting!
Ximen Chuixue's behavior was even stranger. If he wasn't going to fight, he wasn't going to fight, but why did he have to insult people?
What do you mean you're not worthy of my drawing my sword?
He doesn't fight, he just spouts some inexplicable harsh words. Is this the kind of mindset a Sword God should have?
Ye Gucheng panicked when he saw that Ximen Chuixue was about to leave.
But he only took one step forward when a whooshing sound rang out.
Lu Xiaofeng saw two white lights flash in the darkness, shooting towards Ye Gucheng.
hidden weapon!
"Be careful!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Ye Gucheng trembled and an expression of disbelief appeared on his face.
He fell off the roof and crashed hard onto the ground.
The sudden accident stunned everyone.
Ye Gucheng died just like that?
"Everyone stay still!"
With a dark expression, Wei Ziyun walked to Ye Gucheng's corpse and ordered all the Imperial Guards to seal off the scene and find out who had attacked Ye Gucheng.
The dignified Ye Gucheng died in this place so inexplicably. Where does he put his face?
Lu Xiaofeng was equally shocked. He stepped forward to examine Ye Gucheng's corpse, but was blocked by Ximen Chuixue, who was dressed in white.
He looked at Ximen Chuixue in confusion, and the latter whispered in his ear, "He's a fake."
fake?
Ye Gucheng is a fake!
Lu Xiaofeng recalled the anger that Ximen Chuixue had shown in his eyes earlier and suddenly realized that Ximen Chuixue was angry because it was a fake Ye Gucheng who had come to duel with him!
In order to prevent Ximen Chuixue from revealing that Ye Gucheng was fake, Lu Xiaofeng quickly grabbed his arm, and the two walked to the edge of the crowd.
Lu Xiaofeng asked, "How did you know he was a fake?"
"Sword energy and sword intent," Ximen Chuixue explained. "At first glance, the sword energy on his body seems quite impressive, but it lacks the support of sword intent. You can't feel any of the ethereal mystery of a celestial being descending from the heavens. It must have been simulated using a special technique."
Lu Xiaofeng said, "Don't tell anyone else yet."
Ximen Chuixue asked, "Is that important?"
Lu Xiaofeng nodded and said, "Very important!"
Ximen Chuixue nodded slightly, then fell silent. Since his friend said it was important, he would do it.
Lu Xiaofeng pushed through the crowd again, walked to Ye Gucheng's corpse, and said to Wei Ziyun, "May I examine his body?"
Wei Ziyun said, "Others may not be able to, but you, Lu Xiaofeng, can."
"Thank you." Lu Xiaofeng squatted down and began to examine Ye Gucheng's corpse.
Strangely, he didn't check the wounds, but instead kept groping the corpse's neck.
After a long while, Lu Xiaofeng seemed to have touched something and stood up. His face was terribly ugly. He had confirmed that Ye Gucheng was a fake, and naturally, he had also confirmed all the doubts in his heart.
"Commander Wei, where is the Emperor now?"
"His Majesty is in the Imperial Study. There's no need to bother him with such a trivial matter, is there?"
"Well, since Commander Wei says so, then let's leave it at that."
Wei Ziyun breathed a sigh of relief. If the emperor knew that he had failed in his duties and caused such a big mess, his official career would probably be severely tarnished.
Lu Xiaofeng gazed at the location of the Imperial Study, his whole body trembling slightly. He had indeed uncovered a shocking conspiracy, but he chose to say nothing.
It has nothing to do with the common people.
He, Lu Xiaofeng, cannot bear such a heavy responsibility.
He only hoped that his good friend could walk out of the palace alive...
I'd do anything, even if it meant tearing a hole in the sky.
The Imperial Study.
The emperor was standing by the window, gazing at the bright full moon of the Mid-Autumn Festival that night.
Having deployed so many assassins and emptied most of his savings, he felt increasingly uneasy.
After a moment, he muttered to himself with a self-deprecating tone, "It's really my inner demons at work."
outside the house.
A sword light arrived with incredible speed, like a celestial being descending from the heavens, amidst clear blue skies and white clouds, flawless and immaculate.
The emperor couldn't even react, let alone dodge.
Just as the sword was about to pierce the emperor.
The imperial study resounded with the roar of dragons!
"Hahaha, I am protected by the dragon vein! You lowly people, why don't you kneel down and accept your death!"
(End of this chapter)