Starting as the young master of a medicine shop, he practiced swordsmanship for twenty years.

Chapter 366 The Peng family is humiliated, and the prince is publicly whipped!
Outside the prison, the scorching sun baked the bluestone slabs, sending up distorted waves of heat.

An old general clad in golden armor led several hundred elite troops slowly to the Peng family.

His figure was as imposing as a mountain, and his armor gleamed with a dazzling golden light in the sunlight.

Every step he took carried the chilling aura of a seasoned veteran.

"The Lady of the State..."

The veteran clasped his hands in a salute, a rare look of embarrassment appearing on his dignified face.

He looked at the Peng family matriarch kneeling at the very front.

The old woman, with her full head of silver hair but upright posture, unconsciously softened her voice.

"Please, sir, go back."

The veteran's men looked at each other, none of them daring to step forward and drive them away.

These valiant warriors, however, now felt as if they were walking on thin ice.

Behind these seemingly frail women, children, and the elderly stands the Crown Prince!
"General, there's no need to be troubled."

Old Madam Peng slowly raised her head, her wrinkled face filled with determination: "I only ask for justice."

Her withered finger pointed to the prison: "My master has rendered great service to the Wenjing dynasty, yet now..."

Before he could finish speaking, the sound of orderly footsteps suddenly came from afar.

A troop of black-armored imperial guards strode in with chilling steps, led by none other than... Ninth Prince Lu Xuyang!
The veteran's expression changed drastically, and his body under the golden armor tensed instantly.

He knew all too well what the prince's appearance at this moment meant—an even bigger storm was about to break!
"Chen Denglou! How dare you!"

"You dare to make Old Madam Peng kneel before you!"

The Ninth Prince Lu Xuyang's cold voice came from afar. Even before he arrived, his sarcastic tone made everyone present tremble.

A troop of black-armored imperial guards parted like a tide, and Lu Xuyang, dressed in a dark yellow python robe with a jade pendant jingling at his waist, slowly approached.

Chen Denglou's face beneath the golden mask instantly turned ashen, his mind a jumble of thoughts, a thousand curses running through his mind!
This Ninth Prince Lu Xuyang is clearly lying through his teeth!
When did he make Madam Peng kneel down?

Madam Peng clearly knelt down and begged for her life!
"This humble general pays his respects to Your Highness the Ninth Prince."

Chen Denglou, who was inwardly cursing Lu Xuyang, knelt down on one knee and bowed without changing his expression.

After offering his friendly greetings, his voice turned cold and hard, "Your Highness, the Ninth Prince, how could this humble general dare... make the Lady of the State kneel?"

"Even if you gave me ten thousand lives, I wouldn't dare to do something so heinous."

"How dare I?"

Lu Xuyang suddenly raised his voice, his folding fan snapping open to cover half of his handsome face, "Then why is Madam Peng kneeling here?"

"Ok?"

Lu Xuyang dragged out the last "hmm" sound, his eyes flashing with malice.

Even a fool could see through this behavior.

Ninth Prince Lu Xuyang is using this as an excuse to deliberately humiliate the Peng family!
Madam Peng's wrinkled face twitched slightly, and a sharp glint flashed deep in her cloudy eyes.

Her thin fingers clenched the hem of her clothes, and the veins on the back of her hands were clearly visible.

Just as she was about to speak in rebuttal—

"Mother!"

Suddenly, the daughter-in-law beside her gripped Madam Peng's sleeve tightly, with such force that it almost tore the fabric apart.

The young daughter-in-law, tears welling in her eyes, shook her head almost imperceptibly and said urgently in a voice only she and her mother-in-law could hear, "Father is still in their hands... and Brother Tiansheng has been taken away too..."

These words were like a bucket of ice water poured over Madam Peng's head.

She suddenly woke up.

At this moment, any inappropriate remark could be transmitted through the omnipresent imperial guards to the ears of the emperor, whose temperament has drastically changed, deep within the palace.

The old lady took a deep breath, straightened her back, and then hunched over slightly.

She stared intently at the patterns on the bluestone slabs on the ground, as if trying to etch those patterns into her very being.

His fingernails dug deep into his palm, drawing blood, but he was completely unaware.

The Peng family members kneeling around also lowered their heads, even their breathing was extremely soft.

They are acutely aware of their current situation.

The master was accused of treason, and Peng Tiansheng, the chief guard of the Eastern Palace, was also secretly detained.

If the Ninth Prince were to seize upon this opportunity to exaggerate the situation, it would be extremely detrimental to the master.

Upon seeing this, a hint of disappointment flashed in Lu Xuyang's eyes.

He intended to provoke the Peng family members so that he could then accuse them of "great disrespect".

I never expected the old woman to be so calm.

If these members of the Peng family were to get into a dispute with him outside the prison...

Then his ruthless father would surely become suspicious.

If these things were to reach the Emperor's ears, wouldn't it confirm the Peng family's crime of "disrespecting the Emperor"?

Thinking of this, a sinister glint flashed in Lu Xuyang's eyes.

His carefully planned scheme was designed to force the Peng family to lose their composure, so how could he allow it to fail?

If any member of the Peng family dares to show the slightest disrespect, they can be accused of "gathering a crowd to cause trouble and showing contempt for imperial authority" in court tomorrow.

At that time, not only will that old scoundrel Peng Lie be doomed, but the entire Peng family will be uprooted!
It might even implicate his beloved elder brother—His Highness the Crown Prince!
At this moment, Lu Xuyang's lips twisted into a ferocious arc, and his eyes flashed with a vicious light.

He suddenly raised his voice, making it shrill and piercing: "Is your Peng family openly defying the imperial decree?"

Lu Xuyang no longer held back, raising his right hand and pointing directly at the kneeling Madam Peng.

"His Majesty has explicitly forbidden anyone from pleading for Peng Lie, yet your Peng family has gathered to besiege the imperial prison. What are your intentions?"

As he spoke, he suddenly turned to Chen Denglou, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "General Chen, you are the deputy commander of the Heavenly Prison,"

"Not only do they not disperse these rebellious traitors, but they also allow them to make a ruckus here..."

Lu Xuyang's voice suddenly lowered, carrying a seductive malice: "Could it be... that you also think His Majesty's decree is inappropriate?"

These words were like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, each one piercing the heart.

The Peng family members kneeling on the ground were deathly pale, and several young children were trembling with fear.

Chen Denglou's face beneath the golden mask was ashen, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, but he dared not lash out.

This is clearly driving them to their doom!
"Your Highness!"

Madam Peng suddenly looked up, her aged voice carrying a resolute tone, "This old woman simply..."

"Just what?"

Lu Xuyang interrupted sharply, a triumphant glint in his eyes, "Does the Emperor's decree seem like a child's play to your Peng family?"

He deliberately glanced around at the imperial guards and officials who had rushed over at the sound of his voice, his tone growing increasingly arrogant: "Today you dare to besiege the imperial prison, tomorrow will you...?"

"Lead troops to storm the palace and seize the throne!"

Chen Denglou trembled all over, and his golden armor made a faint metallic scraping sound with his heavy breathing.

His eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at his distorted reflection on the bluestone slabs of the ground.

Click... Click-click...
The golden wristbands he wore groaned under the immense pressure of Chen Denglou's strength.

The armor plates, crafted from fine gold, began to deform slightly.

This veteran general was like an enraged lion, his murderous aura almost tangible.

"General Chen...please calm down."

Seeing Chen Denglou almost losing control, the deputy general beside him whispered a warning in alarm.

They were afraid that their commander might lose control and smash the Ninth Prince's hateful face to pieces.

That's a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family!

After being reminded by his own people, Chen Denglou took a deep breath and forced himself to look at the ground.

On the bluestone slab, several large beads of sweat slowly seeped into the cracks—proof of his suppressed anger.

As a veteran who has guarded the border for more than ten years, how could he have ever suffered such humiliation?
But for the sake of the lives of the thousands of soldiers guarding the prison behind him, he had to... endure!

"What? Does General Chen have a problem with me?"

"Or is it that I, the prince, have seen through your treacherous ambitions!" Lu Xuyang's sarcastic voice came again. He even deliberately walked in front of Chen Denglou and swung the hem of his python robe into the old general's lowered line of sight.

This humiliating gesture caused the surrounding soldiers to grip their sword hilts tightly.

Chen Denglou suddenly looked up, his bloodshot eyes staring directly at Lu Xuyang.

Just as the Ninth Prince, Lu Xuyang, was so frightened by that gaze that he took a half-step back—

"This humble general... dares not."

Chen Denglou's voice was terribly hoarse, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth.

He slowly loosened his fist, revealing five deep finger marks on the golden wristband!

This scene made everyone present gasp in shock.

Damn you!

The smile on Lu Xuyang's face finally froze at this moment, and his handsome face was twisted into a near-grotesque expression.

He stared intently at Chen Denglou's loosened hand.

The five deep finger marks on the gold wristband seemed to be silently mocking his incompetence.

Damn it... they all deserve to die!
These damn bastards!
Lu Xuyang roared inwardly, his temples throbbing.

His meticulously planned schemes were repeatedly thwarted by these old guys!

Chen Denglou, that old scoundrel, was clearly furious to the extreme, yet he still managed to suppress his anger and bow his head in submission.

The women and children of the Peng family were completely unyielding, leaving him no room for any maneuver!
“You… are very good…”

Lu Xuyang forced out these words through gritted teeth, his eyes bloodshot. He abruptly turned and scanned the entire room.

Wherever his gaze fell, everyone lowered their heads and made way.

The feeling of being completely ignored almost snapped his rationality.

"Your Highness..."

The accompanying strategist cautiously approached, but was pushed away by Lu Xuyang.

The Ninth Prince, who was known for his demeanor, was now like a gambler who had lost everything, and he didn't even care about the most basic manners.

A glint of madness flashed in Lu Xuyang's eyes, and his cold gaze swept over the Peng family members like a venomous snake.

Ultimately, they pinpointed those young daughters-in-law.

The women were dressed in extremely gorgeous clothes, and their elegant demeanor as ladies of noble birth was undeniable.

At this moment, however, they were trembling and hiding behind Madam Peng.

"Madam Peng..."

Lu Xuyang suddenly changed his tone, adopting a chillingly gentle one, and lightly tapped the young Peng family daughters-in-law with his folding fan.

"Don't worry, sir. If one day the entire Peng family is executed..."

He deliberately dragged out his words, "This prince will certainly take good care of your beautiful daughters-in-law."

wow——

As soon as this statement came out, the whole place was in an uproar.

Even the Imperial Guards brought by Lu Xuyang were so shocked that they took a half step back, and several generals stared at their master in disbelief.

How could such vulgar words be uttered by a prince of such high status?
"Lu Xuyang! You...you..."

Madam Peng was so angry that she trembled all over, and her cane broke in two with a "crack".

But the more intense reaction came from several of the younger members of the Peng family—

"brute!"

"I kill you!"

Upon hearing that their wives had been so humiliated, the three Peng family men could no longer contain themselves and rushed out with bloodshot eyes.

The eldest one had even drawn his personal short sword, its blade gleaming coldly in the blazing sun.

Seeing this, Lu Xuyang's lips curled into a smug grin.

That's exactly the effect he wanted—to humiliate the Peng family and embarrass the stubborn old man, Chen Denglou.

As long as the Peng family dares to make a move, he can do so legitimately...

Just as Lu Xuyang was about to add fuel to the fire, a dragon's roar that could shatter gold and split rocks suddenly came from the horizon!

Everyone looked up at the same time.

A golden streak of light streaked across the sky, hurtling towards the Heavenly Prison at an astonishing speed...

Lu Xuyang's face turned deathly pale instantly; he was all too familiar with that golden light.

It is clearly a national-level secret technique that only those with core royal bloodlines are qualified to cultivate.

"Nine Dragons Protection Scripture!"

boom…….
The golden light, like a meteor, crashed heavily onto the plaza in front of the Heavenly Prison.

The terrifying shockwave overturned dozens of imperial guards, sending sand and stones flying everywhere.

A tall, slender figure slowly appeared...

Everyone's hearts trembled—that faintly visible crimson figure was none other than... His Highness Crown Prince Lu Xuan!
Lu Xuyang froze, then slowly turned around!

Before he knew it, Lu Xuan was already standing three steps behind him.

Those golden eyes, which seemed to hold the shadow of a dragon, were coldly staring at him, as if he were looking at a dead man...

"Ninth Brother, you seem to be quite eloquent!"

That cold, clear voice froze the entire room instantly, like a chilling spring from the depths of hell.

Lu Xuyang froze, his pupils contracted sharply, and his voice caught in his throat.

"Big...Big Brother, the...Crown Prince..."

Lu Xuan stood before him with his hands behind his back, his crimson dragon robe fluttering even without wind, and his eyes, filled with golden light, seemed to be able to see through people's hearts.

Even more terrifying, Lu Xuyang clearly felt an unprecedented pressure that made his knees go weak uncontrollably.

"Younger brother, you greet...you greet your elder brother..."

Lu Xuyang forced himself to bow, his voice dry as if sandpaper was being rubbed.

All he wanted at that moment was to escape this terrifying place as quickly as possible: "Your subject... will take his leave now..."

As he spoke, Lu Xuyang turned to get into the car.

"When did I grant you permission to leave?"

This seemingly casual remark sent a chill down Lu Xuyang's spine, making him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

He was horrified to discover that his legs were not under his control, as if they were nailed to the spot by an invisible force!

Lu Xuan stepped forward slowly, each step feeling like it was treading on Lu Xuyang's heart.

When the two were only three steps apart, Lu Xuyang finally saw what Lu Xuan was looking at.

Those weren't pupils that humans should have; they were... vertical golden dragon eyes!

Lu Xuan ignored Lu Xuyang's fear and slowly raised his right hand.

On his palm, a dazzling golden light suddenly condensed, gradually transforming into a long whip shaped like a dragon's tail.

The fine dragon scale patterns on the whip are clearly visible, and the tip of the whip pulsates with a chilling golden light.

"Big...Big Brother!" Lu Xuyang's face turned ashen, and his voice trembled. "Your subject knows he was wrong!"

Lu Xuan ignored him and flicked the dragon tail whip lightly—

Snapped!
The first lash struck Lu Xuyang's right leg, the crisp sound of bone cracking echoing outside the prison along with a heart-wrenching scream.

The Ninth Prince instantly knelt down, his right leg twisted at an odd angle.

"Ah!!! Father, save me—"

*Smack! Smack! Smack smack...*
A dozen lashes struck his left leg without mercy, and Lu Xuyang's screams came to an abrupt halt as he fainted from the pain.

But Lu Xuan flicked his finger, and a golden light entered his brow, forcefully waking him up.

For the next half hour, chilling wails echoed across the flat ground outside the prison.

(End of this chapter)