Daqin Zhentiansi

Chapter 615 Twenty Grandmasters Enter the Eastern Territory
"The Black Ice Guard's flying cavalry sent a message: the Marquis was intercepted and killed by three Grandmasters, and his fate is currently unknown."

The confidant knelt on the ground, mud and water rolling down his raincoat.

The wind and rain pouring in from outside the tent seemed poised to extinguish all the candles.

The bronze tongue of the bronze water measuring vessel trembled wildly in the torrential rain. Cao Jiada slowly stood up, his palm tightly gripping the river-opening command arrow personally bestowed by the Marquis of Qingyang.

The river workers' camp was torn open by the gale, and the lightning that struck down illuminated the "Complete Map of the Donghan River Canal" in a stark white light.

The four characters “Nine Rivers Return to the Sea” written by Marquis Qingyang were hanging three feet above his head.

His knuckles cracked as he gripped the command token. Cao Jiada took a deep breath to steady himself: "Last night the postmaster said the Marquis was inspecting the camp, how could this be—"

“My lord,” said Wang Huanzhi, the water management official, his voice trembling, “the current situation… if something truly happens to the Marquis, and the supply of provisions and clothing is disrupted, the millions of river workers mobilized will likely…”

Wang Huanzhi stared wide-eyed, unable to imagine what the scene would be like.

People may be as insignificant as ants, but they can still gather together to form a tower.

At this moment, towers were being built along the thousand-mile-long river embankment.

Cao Jiada looked at the continuous night rain outside the tent and shook his head: "As long as there is no order from Marquis Qingyang, the river will be opened on time, without delaying by even half an hour."

"Even if I, Cao Jiada, die here, I will ensure that the river repair project goes perfectly."

Wang Huanzhi looked up, his expression shifting, unsure of what to say.

Cao Jiada slowly turned around and looked at the "Complete Map of Donghan River Canals" behind him.

"When the Marquis handed me this map, he said that even if the officialdom in the Eastern Territory is completely rotten, the dikes built by the laws of Qin will not collapse!"

……

------------------

Donghan County, the ancestral home of the Lu family.

As the warhorses galloped through the night rain, Lu Changwu leaped off his horse and went straight into his ancestral home.

Lu Changwu strode into the back hall, bowed and clasped his hands in greeting.

"Master, Lu Changwu has returned."

He was originally hundreds of miles away, but his clan sent someone to invite him back overnight.

The nine-curved interlocking lock hanging from the eaves swayed in the lightning. Lu Chengzong, the head of the Lu family, glanced over it and handed over a secret letter that had been soaked by the rain.

Lu Changwu reached out and took it. The words "Qingyang Marquis was assassinated and seriously injured, his fate unknown" were stained like bloodstains.

"Master Hou!"

Lu Changwu trembled and his eyes widened.

Lu Chengzong's voice rang out: "The Marquis of Qingyang was assassinated, and the Black Riders rushed into the city. Many people saw it, and now many aristocratic families are already making arrangements..."

"Our Lu family has offended half of the Eastern Territory by offering up the mineral vein. If we back down now, it might not be too late!"

“Stop?” Lu Changwu looked up at Lu Chengzong.

"The Marquis of Qingyang represents the Emperor of Great Qin. Even if he died in the Eastern Territory, let alone if he didn't die, the one we should be worried about is His Majesty's wrath and the rivers of blood flowing in the Eastern Territory. What do we, the Lu family, have to worry about?"

"We will complete the tasks assigned by the Marquis to the best of our ability without any compromise."

After saying that, he turned and walked out.

Lu Chengzong's expression changed, but before he could speak, Lu Changwu's voice rang out from outside the door.

"The Marquis of Qingyang once instructed that the Eastern Territory can exist without powerful families, but it cannot exist without the laws of the Great Qin!"

The Qin Dynasty Law.

Lu Chengzong looked at the faint morning light in the night rain outside the door and nodded gently.

Uphold the laws of Qin, and watch the changing winds and clouds over the eastern border.

……

The Great Qin Imperial City.

The Fifth Prince's Mansion.

The Fifth Prince, Ying Li, paced anxiously in the main hall, his hands behind his back.

"Lord Zhao has arrived."

A voice announced the arrival of someone outside the door, and Zhao Wenhua, dressed in a blue robe, strode in.

"Your Highness, it is time for court, why did you summon me—" Before he could finish speaking, the Fifth Prince stepped forward and grabbed his sleeve, lowering his voice: "The Marquis of Qingyang is dead."

Zhao Wenhua was startled, and his brows furrowed.

"Your Highness, where did this news come from?"

The Fifth Prince clenched his fist and said quickly, "News from the Eastern Territory indicates that Marquis Qingyang was surrounded and attacked by two Grandmasters and is seriously injured. He will not live much longer."

"With his death, the Eastern Territory will inevitably collapse. If I were to request permission to go to the Eastern Territory—"

"No!" Zhao Wenhua's voice interrupted the Fifth Prince's urgent words.

The Fifth Prince was taken aback.

“Your Highness, unless we see the official court gazette,” Zhao Wenhua’s eyes gleamed, “we cannot believe a single word of any other news.”

"But—" Before the Fifth Prince could finish speaking, the light and shadow in the sky trembled, and streaks of light shot out.

"Om-"

The twenty-eight demon-suppressing bronze pillars of the Heavenly Suppression Bureau emitted endless golden light, causing the entire imperial city's defensive array to appear.

The interplay of light and shadow reaching the sky transformed into a mystical array pattern.

"Your Highness, please wait a moment. I'll head to Qianyang Palace now." Guo Wenhua turned and walked away, but stopped outside the door and turned back to look at the Fifth Prince.

"Your Highness, we must not move until we receive definite news."

The fifth prince nodded.

……

On the 14th day of the sixth month of the 23rd year of the Yuankang era of the Great Qin Dynasty, Zhang Yuan, the Deputy Commander of the Eastern Frontier Campaign, the Garrison Commander of Donghan County, and the Marquis of Qingyang, was assassinated and seriously injured.

The Emperor of Qin was furious and summoned the Inspector General, Marquis Su Jing of Changning, Grand Tutor Lu Jun, and several officials from the Imperial Palace to the Qianyang Palace.

Half a day later, the Imperial City Teleportation Array was activated.

The Imperial City enshrined six Grandmasters, including the Purple City Taoist and Yu Wanjun, nine Grandmasters including Lu Tianshu and Lei Hao from the Zhen Tian Division, and the head of the Secret Medicine Division, Yao Puti. In addition, there were several Grandmasters from the Imperial City's Internal Affairs Department, Jianghu sects, and the Imperial Guards, totaling twenty Grandmasters, who went straight into the Eastern Territory.

Commander Zheng Qiaoshan personally led 100,000 imperial guards, traveling by land-based flying boats, and sailed down the Yuncang River directly to Donghan County.

These are land-based flying boats that can cross rivers and seas. Each boat is a thousand feet long and can carry 20,000 soldiers.

Accompanying Zheng Qiaoshan were the royal grandmaster, Prince Linglan Ying Chongxiao, and Princess Yu Ruo.

Princess Yu Ruo went to the Eastern Border as the fiancée of Marquis Qingyang.

Many people in the capital speculated that once Marquis Qingyang passed away, Princess Yu Ruo would take over all the forces he had built as his widow.

Although the Marquis of Qingyang has only been in power for a short time, he holds a high position and enjoys considerable prestige within the Zhen Tian Division.

In addition, Marquis Qingyang is known for his righteousness and has befriended many martial arts experts, and has many loyal followers under his command.

"Even Princess Yu Ruo has gone; I'm afraid Marquis Qingyang is truly in grave danger..." In the imperial city, someone looked up and sighed softly.

"Alas, Marquis Qingyang has committed too many killings; this calamity is his destiny. I can only hope that he can overcome it." Someone shook their head, their expression complicated.

In the imperial city, there were those who respected Marquis Qingyang, Zhang Yuan, but even more who hated him.

As the Qin imperial army mobilized and powerful warriors emerged, news of the assassination attempt on Marquis Zhang Yuan of Qingyang, whose life hung by a thread, spread rapidly throughout Yongtian Continent.

The whole world was shocked.

If Marquis Qingyang dies in the Eastern Territory, a great war between the five kingdoms and three regions will likely break out.

Amidst the upheaval in the Qin court and the martial world, the states of Qi and Zhao sealed off their borders, prohibiting all caravans from entering or leaving, and banning grain and supplies destined for Donghan County.

The Wei Kingdom directly launched a massive military offensive, heavily guarding Luoying Gorge. Wu Daoling, the Nine Yang Sword Immortal, personally led 800,000 sword cultivators from the Nine Yang Sword Sect to deploy troops at Tianhai Pass.

At this moment, a wooden carriage sped along the official road of the Eastern Wei Dynasty.

Inside the carriage, Qiu Han's long sword rested across his lap as Zhang Yuan sat opposite Lu Wenzhao, a Grandmaster-level elder of the Seven Profound Sword Sect.

"My lord, did my Seven Wounds Sword Technique manage to harm you?"

Lu Wenzhao looked up at Zhang Yuan, a slight smile on his face.

Zhang Yuan nodded and said calmly, "I tempered my body with lightning on Qingtian Continent, and my body is already indestructible. Mr. Lu also held back five-tenths of his sword intent, so there is naturally no problem."

He raised his hand, and a faint sword light swirled in his palm.

"However, this Seven Wounds Sword Intent is quite interesting."

(End of this chapter)