Tang Dynasty Puppet Doctor

Chapter 157 Execution of Lai Junchen

The Queen of Silla looked stunned and incredulous for a moment, but she offered no explanation and simply insisted, "What do you want?"

"Exchange your life and your throne for it!"

After saying this, Tanxin drew a three-foot-long sword from his hand. With a clang, the sword was drawn, and its dazzling light shot out like a rainbow, instantly illuminating the entire post station.

With a loud "boom," dark clouds suddenly gathered in the sky, and large raindrops began to fall with a pattering sound, quickly soaking the clothes of the Silla Queen and her envoys.

All the Khitan envoys hidden in the post station also came out with guns and fought with the Silla envoys.

As the man's longsword struck, the Queen of Silla's long whip also shot out like a serpent, the raindrops flying wildly as the sword light spun around.

"aunt--"

Just as Hui Shan was about to get off the carriage to help, she heard another sound of hooves approaching. She couldn't help but feel secretly delighted: Could it be Xiao Muchen?

Just as she was about to open the carriage curtain, she felt a chilling glint coming from behind the carriage.

"Princess, be careful!"

A loud shout reached her ears, and Hui Shan reflexively bent down. Almost the instant she bent down, a long arrow pierced through the carriage wall and grazed her back.

It turns out the visitor was an enemy, not a friend!
Who is it?
Hui Shan also leaped out of the carriage, drew a sword from the horse's back, and turned towards the direction from which the sound of hooves and murderous intent came. He saw a dense group of cavalrymen dressed in cavalry uniforms, holding long spears, rushing towards them.

The leader, a sinister smile playing on his lips, shouted as he saw Hui Shan escape from the carriage, "Kill them!"

"I am an envoy of Silla. Even in times of war, envoys are not killed. Who are you people who dare to assassinate us? Do you intend to provoke a war between our two countries?"

"You're right. I intend to provoke a war between our two nations so that your queen's son will be homeless, and then you can truly welcome him back!"

"So, you're after Xiao Muchen? You want to use our deaths to frame him? Who ordered you to do this?"

"Then I'm afraid I have no comment, beautiful princess. Unfortunately, I'll be using your head to advance my own career!"

After Lai Junchen finished speaking, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and he shouted loudly. His horse reared up high, and the long sword in his hand pointed directly at Huishan. Just then, a "clang" sound was heard, as if a short arrow had pierced the air and struck Lai Junchen's sword.

The force of the clashing swords and arrows caused Lai Junchen to stagger back several steps before regaining his footing.

"Who is it?"

He shouted angrily, and a woman suddenly appeared from outside the post station and landed.

The woman, dressed in black, held a short knife in her hand. A smile played on her lips, and her eyes were cold and sharp. She stood tall and imposing like a goddess statue, exuding an aura of overwhelming power.

"Madam Xiao? Murong Huan?"

No, no, she looks different now. Although Murong Huan's wife was a bit aloof and cold, she was far less imposing and intimidating than she is now.

"Imperial Censor, on whose orders did you come to ambush and kill the Silla envoy?"

"Why should I tell you?" Lai Junchen sneered.

"None of that matters. I'll write down your crimes myself. How do you want to die?"

"What an arrogant tone, young lady. I have long admired you and was planning to invite you on an autumn outing and have some tea. Now it can be resolved right here."

"Okay!"

Li Linghuan smiled, then suddenly leaped into the air, his toes touching the horse's back, and thrust his short blade straight at Lai Junchen's throat.

Such speed! Such a fast knife!

Lai Junchen's expression suddenly changed drastically. He only had time to grab a Qianniu Guard next to him to shield himself. He heard a "thud" sound and the Qianniu Guard fell to the ground with wide eyes before he could even shout.

Lai Junchen also stepped back, causing the Qianniu Guards around him to rush forward. He turned around and was about to run away.

But just as he reached the side gate, someone wielding a long sword lunged at him.

This person was Xiao Muchen.

"Was General Wang Xiaojie's defeat and death caused by your conspiracy with Su Honghui? And when did you begin colluding with the Tibetans?"

"Did the King of Liang instruct you to do these things?"

Xiao Muchen asked a series of questions, and Lai Junchen's expression changed. Finally, he smiled and said, "Xiao Muchen, what's the use of saying all this now?"

This post station is teeming with Khitan ambush troops, along with the Thousand Bull Guards I brought, and the most powerful assassin from legends. Your mother is doomed!
You, a dying man, have no right to question me!

Xiao Muchen's eyes changed drastically, and he asked coldly, "How did you know my mother was here? It seems that you not only collude with the Tubo, but also serve the leaders of the Khitan and the Legendary Sect, is that right?"

Lai Junchen did not answer. While ordering his men around, he frantically slashed at Xiao Muchen with his long sword. But just when he thought the sword would land on Xiao Muchen's neck, he suddenly felt a pain in his back. In his peripheral vision, he saw a gleaming blade tip emerge from his chest, bringing with it gushing blood.

When he turned his head, he saw Li Linghuan smiling at him.

"Do you remember how Zhou Xing died? The 'luring the enemy into the trap' torture method was one of your inventions, wasn't it?"

"you……"

Lai Junchen no longer had time to think about what she meant, nor could he understand it. At the moment he breathed his last, his head flew off in an instant.

Li Linghuan, carrying Lai Junchen's head, leaped onto his horse and, using the momentum, jumped onto the city wall of the post station. He addressed the group of Imperial Guards, saying, "Lai Junchen colluded with the enemy, plotted to kill the envoy, and provoked a conflict between our two nations. I have already obeyed the Emperor's orders to behead him. Do you still wish to aid and abet this evil, dragging our Great Zhou into injustice and bearing eternal infamy?"

Upon seeing the blood-dripping head held in Li Linghuan's right hand, and the corpse of Lai Junchen lying prostrate on the ground, the Qianniu Guards all wore expressions of horror and disbelief.

Unexpectedly, Madam Xiao possessed such martial prowess; within just a few moves, she had taken Junchen's head from the encirclement of dozens of people.

Soon, the inner guards brought by Xuan Yu arrived in an instant. The sound of horses' hooves and neighing outside the post station caused the Qianniu Guards to immediately drop their weapons and lie prostrate on the ground.

"We are willing to obey Prime Minister Xiao's orders!"

"In that case, take up your weapons, kill these Khitan spies who are trying to sow discord between our Great Zhou and Silla, and save the Queen of Silla!"

"Here!"

"Here!"

The guards shouted in unison, picked up their spears, and surged towards the Turkic soldiers who were fighting the Silla envoys and the assassins brought by Tanxin.

The sounds of swords piercing bodies and screams filled the air.

Blood flowed like a river within the post station.

When Queen Silla was knocked back several steps by Dam Shin's stab and almost lost her footing, Xiao Muchen rushed to her side and helped her up.

The Queen of Silla looked up, both shocked and overjoyed, at Xiao Muchen. "Ah Chen, what brings you here? Go back! Don't arouse suspicion from your Great Zhou's Empress!"

“Mother, do not worry, I have come here with the saint’s permission!”

As he said this, Xiao Muchen felt as if his vision was being obscured by mist, while the Queen of Silla felt as if her long-empty chest was instantly filled by a warm spring, and she smiled and said, "Okay."

As soon as the word "good" was uttered, the Queen of Silla was no longer immersed in the emotion of having regained what she had lost. Instead, she stood firm, shielding her son behind her, and faced Dam Shin, whose face was filled with hostility and murderous intent.

"So you are Tanxin? The creator of the legend?"

Tan Xin turned his gaze to Xiao Muchen, as if he saw a familiar face on his face. His expression froze for a moment, then he grinned and said, "I am not the creator of the legend, but I once stormed up Kunlun Mountain and was the leader there, that is, the sect leader. However, I am no longer there now."

"Kunlun Mountain, so the legendary organization is located in Kunlun Mountain?" Xiao Muchen suddenly realized, then asked, "Did you send someone to assassinate A Huan's mother, who was also Emperor Li Hong's secret guard?"

Tan Xin smiled again: "Perhaps so. Legendary assassins kill for money; it's their way of life. But I don't remember sending anyone to do that."

At this point, he changed the subject again, "But why should I tell you all this?"

"Xiao Muchen, that's your name, right? You really look like Chenxi when he was young!"

As he spoke, his expression changed drastically once again.

"If it weren't for you, or your father, Chenxi wouldn't have suffered this pain of separation from her family. Xiao Muchen, have you ever considered her difficulties?"

"Tanxin, stop with the nonsense and give me the last ingredient!"

The Queen of Silla interrupted him, saying, "I can grant you any request, within my power."

"Mother--"

Xiao Muchen was about to say that he was already cured and did not need the antidote, but then he thought that perhaps this antidote was the last hope to cure Ahuan, so he swallowed the words that were about to come out.

"Hahaha..." Tan Xin suddenly burst into laughter, "Fulfill all my requests? Chen Xi, do you know what I want most?"

"What I want most is for you... to stop working so hard for the people of Silla!"

Tan Xin's words made Xiao Muchen turn his head slightly, as if he had expected something. He actually saw a kind of light in the man's eyes that resembled heartache and pity.

"All the people of Silla worship you as their king, regarding you as an invincible deity. But who would have thought that you were also an ordinary woman who could cry, fall ill, and even grow old, who longed for love and filial piety from children? Your supreme glory was also an endless loneliness and suffering."
Chenxi, am I right?

The man's words struck Xiao Muchen's heart like a heavy hammer, causing him to stare intently at his mother.

He had long known the loneliness of those in power, just like the saints of today, whom no one dared to trust, and whose children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren avoided her like the plague.

But I have never felt it so deeply before.

This feeling, however, came from the mouth of the man who was their enemy.

The man grinned again: "So, Chenxi, what I want is the throne of Silla, and you to be my queen!"

"presumptuous!"

A sharp shout abruptly interrupted him. Tanxin turned his head sharply and saw that it was Huishan rushing over. She angrily rebuked him, "Tanxin, you traitor, what right do you have to be the king of my Silla? How dare you even try to lay a hand on my aunt?"

"Are you the successor chosen by Chenxi?"

"Then I'll kill you first!"

Before Tanxin could finish speaking, a sharp glint in his hand shot towards Huishan like a rainbow. The Queen of Silla tried to block it with her sword, but at that moment, another clang rang out, sparks flew, and a dark figure struck like lightning, pushing Huishan aside.

The short blade sliced ​​across Tanxin's sword, sparking a series of sparks, until it was about to slice towards Tanxin's head.

However, Tanxin was also a very agile swordsman. He quickly reacted and dodged the attack by tilting his head back.

"What amazing swordsmanship! Young lady, who taught you martial arts?"

"You don't need to know that, I'll come and take your head myself!"

"Hahaha... In all my years, no one has ever dared to say that to my face!"

Tan Xin narrowed his eyes and unleashed his sword light once more, but this time it was not a serpentine sword light that probed, but an overwhelming barrage of sword light.

"Go away!"

Li Linghuan gently struck Xiao Muchen with his palm, pushing the three of them aside, and then rushed towards the direction of the sword light.

"Ah Huan——"

Xiao Muchen shouted.

But Li Linghuan seemed not to hear at all. For her, the stronger the opponent, the stronger she became. She would never back down in the face of a strong person's provocation. As long as she could find a flaw in his sword light, she would be able to kill him with one blow!
At this moment, several more Khitan soldiers and assassins surrounded them, but at the same time, Murong Xian'er and Liu Sheng also arrived. Upon seeing this, the two joined the battle without hesitation.

After the fierce battle lasted for nearly half an hour, the Khitan soldiers either died or fled, leaving only Tanxin to fight Li Linghuan.

However, the battle did not last long, and ended with both sides suffering heavy losses after a single blow.

Tan Xin finally spat out a mouthful of blood onto the ground, staggered and almost lost his balance, finally using his sword to support himself as he looked at Li Linghuan, who had also spat out a mouthful of blood.

"You young lady, you are so young, yet you possess such formidable skills. Were you born knowing how to kill?"

"If that's how you see it, then so be it!"

"The people you brought with you are either dead or have escaped. Will you take your own life, or will I cut off your head?"

"Isn't there a third option?"

"Of course! If you live, you'll definitely come back stronger! Someone like you is only a menace if you're kept around!"

"Hahaha……"

The man wiped the blood from the corner of his lips and suddenly sighed, "There's no need for that. I learned to kill from a young age. If it weren't for the princess's guidance, I might never have understood what kindness is in this lifetime."

Now that I've brought you here, I'll give you the medicine!

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand and tossed a porcelain-white medicine bottle down from the sky, landing in Xiao Muchen's hand.

At the same time, Tanxin's sword was suddenly thrown into the air and slashed down, landing directly on his head.

Even as the sword flashed down, his gaze remained fixed on the Queen of Silla, a bright smile spreading across his lips.

Even the Silla Queen, who had been holding on, couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood.