Chapter 599: Counterattack
King Qi's face darkened, he grabbed a whip and pointed at Lu Zhaoyan's nose, angrily reprimanding, "Lu Zhaoyan, you're at death's door and still stubborn! I'd advise you to be sensible and not refuse the wine only to drink the punishment wine, forcing me and Third Brother to torture you! Where have you hidden the Emperor in collusion with the Miao King? Confess quickly!"
Lu Zhaoyan didn't even flinch: "Whether you kill or torture, suit yourself, if I plead, consider me defeated."
King Qi's fingers tightened.
He looked at Lu Zhaoyan's unchanged expression, an inexplicable fury rose in his heart.
He threw down the whip in his hand, and said to the prison guard, "Bring the branding iron!"
The prison guard was shocked and raised his head in disbelief.
King Qi said coldly, "Are you deaf? I ordered you to fetch the branding iron!"
The prison guard was frightened to death: "But..."
King Qi raged, "But what? Delaying my business, and missing the chance to save His Majesty, even annihilating your nine generations wouldn't be compensation enough!"
The prison guard looked towards Prince Rui again.
Prince Rui was sitting in the chair, casually polishing his nails, as if he hadn't heard the conversation between the two.
The prison guard swallowed in terror, and walked slowly to the furnace, trembling as he reached out his hand to take a piece of branding iron that was heated red-hot.
-
The entrance to the Imperial Mausoleum is hidden on an estate south of the Imperial Palace.
The Tomb Guardian is disguised as a farmer guarding this place.
In leisure, he is no different from an ordinary hireling, capable of working in the fields and chopping wood on the mountain.
At this moment, these loyal Tomb Guardians lay down one by one in a pool of blood, no longer breathing.
Hu Lie scanned the bodies on the ground with cold eyes, and faintly instructed his subordinates, "Guard this place, kill any intruder!"
"Yes!"
-
Zi Wu was accused of colluding with the Miao King and was stripped of his title as State Preceptor. At this moment, he was sitting in an escape carriage, together with Liu Qingyun and Prince Ming.
Ever since Emperor Liang disappeared, the Imperial City had tightened its defenses, and no one was allowed to leave the city.
The little eunuch driving the carriage pulled out a Token.
The guard saw that it was the Token from the Princess Mansion, and went to report to the Guard Commander.
The Guard Commander was a trusted confidant of Prince Jin.
Prince Jin, wanting to firmly secure his throne, needed the Eldest Princess' support, so he had instructed to treat the people from the Princess Mansion with respect.
The Guard Commander asked why they were leaving the city.
Liu Qingyun said, "The Eldest Princess has invited a noble guest to the mansion, do you intend to defy the Eldest Princess' orders?"
The Guard Commander lifted the curtain.
Liu Qingyun was disguised as a stewardess, while Prince Ming was disguised as a handsome young man.
Thanks to Meng Qianqian's comment that "the Eldest Princess should moderate her bedroom affairs," the Eldest Princess' affairs of keeping concubines were now widely known.
The Guard Commander understood this and let the carriage pass.
After leaving the city, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Mr. Zi Wu emerged from beneath the carriage seat.
This had truly exhausted his old body.
The little eunuch stopped the carriage by the roadside: "Crown Princess Consort, Prince Ming, I can only escort you and Mr. Zi Wu this far, I must return to my duties, if I'm discovered missing, I'm afraid your whereabouts would be exposed."
Liu Qingyun nodded.
Prince Ming asked, "Sister-in-law, where are we going now?"
Liu Qingyun pondered: "Where we go is not important, what's important is to hide and not let Prince Jin and the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion people find us."
Mr. Zi Wu calculated with his fingers: "Oh no! They're coming after us!"
-
"Han Qi, you lost."
Meng Qianqian proclaimed each word with clarity and determination.
Han Qi stared at her, seeing his own amazement and awkwardness reflected in her ink-black pupils.
"These moves...who taught you?"
Meng Qianqian twisted the broken knife from her palm into a boomerang and threw it sharply downwards.
A sharp shriek was heard as the bamboo pole beneath Lan Yeyue's feet was cut into two, causing her to slip and fall.
Yun Chaomu flew up, catching her with both hands.
The broken knife flew back into Meng Qianqian's hand.
Lan Yeyue was so furious she jumped: "I'm so angry! I'm so angry! I'm so angry!"
Xu Zhongping was still waiting for Meng Qianqian's answer.
Meng Qianqian gazed solemnly: "King Chu."
Xu Zhongping's eyes widened: "You are—"
Ji Li shielded his eyes from the glaring light with a folding fan, and shouted towards the high platform, "Hey, little Yin Hu, what are you talking about up there? Are you trying to renege on your debt? Xu Zhongping! Han Qi! I'm warning you! Honor the bet! If you dare renege, I'll be the first to take you down!"
Meng Qianqian knew what Han Qi wanted to ask.
She used to be anyone, but now she is Meng Qianqian, the new master of the Black Armor Army.
Meng Qianqian leaped down from the high platform.
As he watched her departing back, Xu Zhongping knelt on one knee: "Han Qi, take command!"
Duan Wenliang asked in surprise: "Fourth Brother, did the Great General really submit so easily? Didn't you say that even if I won, there would still be complications?"
Duan Mingyue smiled: "Because, you are not her."
Duan Wenliang furrowed his brows: "Fourth Brother, stop keeping me in the dark, who exactly is she? The more I think about it, the more I feel that today's set-up was actually intended for her."
Duan Mingyue chuckled: "Who says it wasn't?"
Duan Wenliang was greatly astonished: "Did you already realize it? Then why let me compete?"
Duan Mingyue sighed: "If you don't fight, how would you know that after all these years, your martial arts still haven't improved at all?"
Duan Wenliang: "..."
As Meng Qianqian brushed past Lu Qi, Lu Qi asked, "You are not an ordinary member of the Twelve Guards, who exactly are you?"
Meng Qianqian did not answer.
Lu Yuan crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows, stepping between Meng Qianqian and Lu Qi, blocking Lu Qi's gaze.
He coldly asked, "Lu Yuan, what are you plotting?"
Lu Yuan said to Chen Long, "Dear brother-in-law, tie him up, this boy could be a hostage."
And then pointed to Duan Mingyue, Duan Wenliang, and Lan Yeyue, "Tie these ones up as well."
Lan Yeyue shouted angrily: "How dare you?!"
Chen Long: "Are you ordering me around?"
Lu Yuan bowed: "Please, dear brother-in-law, take charge."
Chen Long went to tie people up.
Lu Yuan stroked his chin: "This trick sure works wonders."
Si Snake asked Meng Qianqian: "What do you plan to do next? Lead the Black Armor Army back to the Imperial City?"
Meng Qianqian replied: "Seize Lu Fengyin through strategy."
-
Lu Fengyin remained unaware of Duan Mingyue's failure.
She was in the small garden of the Princess Mansion, enjoying peonies with a concubine.
This was a concubine she had recently acquired, originally a pair of siblings, the sister was mute, and he made a living by transcribing letters for people.
The new concubine was delightful, and she hadn't summoned any other concubines for days.
"Huan Lang, if you keep this up, I'll get angry."
She playfully hit the new concubine with a coy expression and gently pushed her onto the couch, rejecting the wine he offered.
The new concubine placed the wine glass on the table, then picked her up horizontally.
She playfully struck him with her fists.
Afterwards, just when Lu Fengyin was waiting to share an intimate moment, the new concubine spoke.
"I knew you were coming, show yourselves."
From behind the green silk screen, a man and a woman stepped out.
Lu Yuan walked between Meng Qianqian and Lu Fengyin, blocking Lu Fengyin's vision.
Lu Yuan asked coldly, "How's your stay at the Princess Mansion, Young Master Luo?"