novelraw Chapter 862: Xuanji Sect Calls the Roll—Step Forward When Your Name Is Called
Chapter 862: Xuanji Sect Calls the Roll—Step Forward When Your Name Is Called
.....
An Wuyang said, "They went to suppress the water bandits and haven't returned since. No news either."
"When they first came, they were very direct. They said they wanted to assist me in ascending to the position of Crown Prince. They didn't even need any promises from me. They were willing to first offer the heads of the water bandit leaders as their pledge of loyalty for me to present to His Majesty."
"It gave me a feeling of great impatience."
Lu Ding remained silent.
He put himself in their shoes, calculating in his mind.
"If those two old men are indeed the two patriarchs of the Dong and Su families who fled, judging by their past behavior, there are only two possible outcomes regarding my arrival."
"First, they run away immediately. After all, they abandoned their families and ran before."
"Second, they set up an ambush, attempting to kill me........"
Lu Ding didn't even consider the first point. If they've already run, what's there to think about?The second point.......
These two old men are so shrewd their eyelashes are hollow. If they wanted to try and kill him...
The most likely place for them to lie in wait would be the water bandits' lair.
After all, once the news that he knows An Wuyang gets out, even a fool would think that An Wuyang would definitely tell his good friend about these two men.
Given his own personality, he might very well go investigate.
Then, going over there would be walking right into their trap.
However, Lu Ding wasn't afraid of this.
To deal with the locking mechanisms of array traps, he had [White Snake Shakes Scales], his non-stick pan.
Facing a frontal assault... Lu Ding didn't have absolute confidence of a complete victory over them, but he wasn't lacking in the courage to fight for his life.
In a battle of attrition, trading injury for injury, he could still manage to outlast two old men.
Even if he couldn't win in the end, he could use methods like the [Six-Dragon Incense Palanquin], the [Rivers and Mountains, Society and Millet Painting], [Three Thousand Thunder Movements], and others, stacking them to escape, and then wait for the next opportunity.
Regardless of success or failure, Lu Ding was definitely going to give it a try.
Even if he suspected there might be an ambush over there, he still had to go!!
That old man from the Dong family ran off with a dragon!!!
Right now, Lu Ding was only short three dragons to complete the [Nine Dragons Agarwood Chariot]. He had to fight for it!!!
He thought he would have a rare bit of leisure for a short while after today. He didn't expect it would be time to race against the clock again.
Checking the time, Lu Ding handed the portraits back to An Wuyang. "Let's go. It's almost time. After the matter at Xuanji Gate is settled, tell me the location of the water bandits' lair. I'll go check it out myself."
An Wuyang was somewhat worried. "You alone????"
"Those are two Spirit Refinement cultivators, and they're from Great Han too."
Although he believed in Lu Ding, a Spirit Refinement cultivator from Great Han carried more weight than one from Great Jing.
Lu Ding's tone was calm. "It's fine. If I can't win, I can run. That's why I said I'm going alone."
Facing two veteran Spirit Refinement cultivators suspected to be Dong Xun and Su Changhe, Lu Ding didn't dare to be overconfident and bring others.
An Wuyang opened his mouth. "How about... you take Prince Zhao with you?"
Lu Ding shook his head. "Forget it. This kind of unforeseen event can be avoided. If I go, and if it really is one of my targets, if I can't win, I can run. I can tell you with certainty, I can escape. Alone, I can manage anything."
"But if I bring Prince Zhao, there will be variables. One should hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. If something happens to Prince Zhao, you'll lose a major general who stabilizes the army's morale."
"Prince Zhao isn't just Prince Zhao. He also represents the army under his command."
"After this is done, I will leave Great Jing, but Prince Zhao won't. Therefore, he cannot have an accident. If something happens to him, his soldiers and officers would be leaderless. That would cause major problems."
One must consider all aspects of a matter.
Lu Ding himself could do anything on a hot-headed impulse, but once it involved other people, he had to weigh the pros and cons.
Such clear and logical thinking made An Wuyang sigh once again. It was such a waste that Lu Ding usually didn't like to use his brain much.
But even with Lu Ding's sharp mind, he would never have imagined that the two old men would end up at odds with the water bandits.
An Wuyang stood up. A faint, regal bearing was already manifesting from him.
His mindset was different now!
Since Lu Ding wanted him to be this Crown Prince, then he would take it seriously!!!
"Then let's go. Quickly resolve my matters here, so you can head over there as soon as possible to avoid unexpected changes."
He understood Lu Ding's personality and knew that many situations Lu Ding encountered could be avoided precisely because of his character.
Although An Wuyang couldn't learn Lu Ding's swift and decisive style of handling affairs in terms of hardware, he could cooperate. He could also strive, strive to possess a similar kind of confidence as Lu Ding to support his own learning of Lu Ding's decisiveness.
"The time is almost up. Going a bit earlier is fine too."
Lu Ding said.
As the two stood up.
Everyone in the venue, whether eating or drinking, uniformly put down what they were holding, stood up together, their gazes sharp and focused.
With a grand wave of his hand, Lu Ding announced, "Target, Xuanji Gate. Move out!!!"
The people from White Eagle saw them off, watching as Lu Ding led his people into the distance.
Zuo Lan said to Philip beside her, "You've worked hard. After I return, I will definitely request commendations for you from our superiors."
"No hardship. Everything is for a better White Eagle."
The two smiled at each other.
Today, they took a small step in the friendship between White Eagle and Lu Ding, but it was a giant leap from nothing to something.
At the same time.
Xuanji Gate.
The fifth watch of the night gradually arrived.
The gathered crowd all harbored anxious hearts, eagerly awaiting the break of dawn.
It seemed like a habit etched into human DNA.
No matter what one faces, as long as the sky brightens, everything will be fine...
Little did they know, the darkness before dawn is the most profound.
Dong... dong... dong...
The bell tolled, heralding the arrival of the fifth watch.
The great gates of Xuanji slowly opened.
Everyone's gaze turned, eyes filled with anticipation, hoping to see the Jing Emperor, or perhaps, a eunuch messenger.
They never expected.
When the gates cracked open, that familiar face slowly came into view.
Someone exclaimed in shock, "An Wuyang!!!!?"
Then the exclamation grew even sharper, "Lu Ding!!!!"
Following their gazes.
An Wuyang stood at the very front, his handsome and majestic face composed. As the gates slowly opened wider, revealing the full picture, it also included Lu Ding, standing beside him with a face like carved jade, arms crossed, black smoke rising around him as if blurring the edges of his silhouette, his pressure dialed to the maximum!!!
This was a ruthless setup by the royal family!!!
The crowd retreated step by step.
An Wuyang advanced forward, while Lu Ding walked through the air.
In the surrounding shadows, atop the city towers, figures of 749 Bureau investigators gradually appeared with the forward movement of the two, like an inescapable net, leaving these people with no escape, no place to hide.
The Assistant Minister of Rites who had cursed An Wuyang's entire family, finding himself at the forefront, still wanted to explain, "Fi... Filial Prince, Your Highness, there's a misunderstanding between us, I........"
Smack!!!
A palm shaped like bamboo jade clamped onto his face. Lu Ding looked down upon the crowd, arrogance self-evident, his aura stirring a cold wind that blew the black smoke. He spoke, "All of you, follow my command......."
"Kneel!!!!"
A slash attack, cutting horizontally above chest level, swept across. Figures were severed at the waist, blood splattered.
Lu Ding couldn't be bothered with any nonsense with them.
Kneel first. After kneeling, they could settle accounts slowly. Those who don't kneel can just go die!!!
Who cares about your proud bones and self-respect? Lu Ding didn't believe they could be harder than his [Way of the Jinche].
As for those who died, whether they felt wronged or not, if they had anything to say, they could go say it to An Wuyang's 'King of Hell's ledger'.
Seeing the remaining people who had just experienced a life-and-death crisis, each with pale faces, terrified expressions, displaying fear to the extreme, Lu Ding was quite satisfied.
His gaze lingered for a moment on Ning Xiaofan and An Xuancheng before he gestured for An Wuyang to step forward, moving aside himself.
Fu Xinghe, who had followed behind, flipped through the scroll An Wuyang had recorded earlier, doing what an assistant investigator should do. "Alright, now we begin the roll call. Those whose names are called later, please stand up consciously, line up, and come forward. Maintain quiet."
[Household Department Minister's family: Evil servant spoke mockingly of me. Eldest son called me a wild dog from the common folk. Youngest son deliberately picked a fight, killing the maid from my residence who went out to buy snacks for me]...
Fu Xinghe opened his mouth, calling the roll like the King of Hell. "First, Household Department Minister Ni Bei, Ni family's eldest young master Ni Hui, young master Ni An, step forward!"