Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 180 In the chaos of war, the Duke's mansion removed the head to cure a stubborn illness.

Even after nightfall, the Eastern Capital remained bustling.

Along the way, lanterns are everywhere, their magnificent lights reflecting on the streams that nourish the royal western garden, creating a gentle, ethereal river of stars.

"Is this Young Master Zhou's first visit to Luoyang?"

"Yes."

Lu Chu said, “Since the Grand Canal opened and the five major water systems were connected, Luoyang has become the central hub of transportation and commerce in the world. There are quite a few Sogdians, Persians, Arabs and so on. It’s a pity that the visibility is poor at night, otherwise it would be great to take a carriage tour. I can arrange it.”

He turned his head to look at Zhou Yi's reaction.

“I do need a guide. If I hadn’t been traveling with Lu Neishi, I would have been completely lost in this city, not knowing where to go.”

These words struck Lu Chu as both honest and astute, and he also keenly sensed something amiss.

"Young Master Zhou, does the Dugu Clan leader not know you are coming here?"

"You're not stupid," Zhou Yi casually replied. "I only said I would go to the Dugu family, but I didn't set a date."

Ok?
Lu Chu nodded, feeling even more puzzled. So you're saying you're quite difficult to invite, and going to the Dugu family is actually a favor to Dugu Feng?
Despite the current chaos in the world, no one dares to underestimate the Dugu Clan.

Leaving aside external relations, the Dugu clan controls the Imperial Guards in both Dongdu and Jiangdu.

On the Guanzhong Li clan side, Dugu Xin's fourth daughter was Li Yuan's biological mother, and she was the sister of Yang Guang's mother, Dugu Jialuo.

Regardless of which side ultimately prevails, the Dugu family will have nothing to worry about.

Lu Chu shook his head slightly at this thought. No, that's not right either. It seems that the Dugu family is not having an easy time either.

The last time I saw Dugu Feng, the old man also looked worried.

The Grand Commander Zhou of Jianghuai has taken over Bashu, and now his power is overwhelming. Even the various families in the Eastern Capital feel threatened. If the heroes in the south cannot stop him, then it will be the turn of these people in the north to have a problem.

The Dugu family had no connection with the Taoist sect, let alone the Celestial Master.

It's no wonder that old man Dugu Feng mentioned this matter last time, complaining that the Bashu forces were useless and that he would only be happy if the Li clan won against Bashu.

Lu Chu chuckled inwardly, realizing he had gone astray, and quickly pulled his thoughts back, pointing ahead as he walked to introduce Zhou Yi:

"It's not difficult to get familiar with this place. First of all, take the north-south axis as the central axis, and the Luo River runs through the whole city, dividing Luoyang into the north and south districts."

"Furthermore, four large bridges connect the city, and the Luo River within the city is connected to the Yi, Chan, and Jian Rivers, making the city's waterways meander and bringing the beauty of the mountains and rivers into the city, thus giving people a sense of natural harmony."

"..."

Zhou Yi listened attentively, as did Tuoba Yu and Chunyu Wei.

Lu Chu spoke patiently and meticulously. Having lived in Dongdu for many years, he was a good guide in himself. Through his words, he left a city outline in Zhou Yi's mind.

The new imperial city built by Guangshen is truly vast, situated between the Zhou Dynasty capital and the ancient city of Han and Wei.

It stretches east beyond the Chan River, south across the Luo River, west to the Jian River, and north to the Mang Mountain, with a city circumference exceeding fifty li, making it magnificent and spectacular.

All the inns in the city were full, and it took us more than half an hour to walk there.

The journey was peaceful, and nothing unexpected happened.

As they approached Lu Chu's residence, more than ten people came running in a panic.

The leader was an old man with a completely white beard, thick calluses on his hands, and heavy breathing; he looked like a master of external martial arts.

Lu Chu's heart sank when he saw the old steward's expression:
"What happened?"

He glanced at his own residence but saw nothing amiss.

"Master, the Duke of Lu's house is on fire!"

Lu Chu didn't ask any more questions. He first called on the dozen or so people behind the old steward to help, and then asked Zhou Yi and the others for their opinions. The three of them followed Lu Chu, heading towards the Duke of Lu's house while listening to the old steward recount the details.

It turns out they had only recently received the news themselves.

The weather was dry, and although a fire was bad, it wasn't enough to cause them to panic.

I only heard that the Duke of Lu's residence was on fire, but strangely, no one went to put it out immediately.
“Dangdangdang~~!”

After passing through several streets, the sound of gongs blared loudly, and someone shouted at the top of their lungs, "Fire! Fire!"

The Duke of Lu's mansion was quite grand, and it was even more magnificent at this moment. The firelight illuminated half the sky, and the stone lions at the entrance were coated with a layer of red light.

At this point, we must invite the Three Immortals of the South Sea.

Their Seven Kill Technique can draw away the air; as long as the three immortals work together to form the Seven Kill Formation, extinguishing the fire is a piece of cake.

"There's a fight going on inside."

Tuoba Yu reminded Lu Chu that he and Chunyu Wei were standing at the door watching from the sidelines. The Duke of Lu had no connection with them whatsoever, so there was no reason for them to interfere.

However, Lu Chu, a hothead who was unfamiliar with the rules of the martial world, led his men in without saying a word.

"Lord Yuan, Lord Yuan, where are you?!"

Lu Chu shouted anxiously.

He and Yuan Wendu were very close friends and worked together in the court. How could he turn a blind eye to his old friend's troubles?

"Master Yuan? Brother Wendu!"

The clash of weapons was followed by a chaotic clatter and screams.

The pungent smell of blood, mixed with the aroma of burning pine and pear wood, wafted through the air. More and more corpses were appearing in the corridor, and screams and cries of terror echoed from inside and outside the rooms.

The sounds of fighting could still be heard inside.

Lu Chu discovered a corpse holding a broadsword at the entrance of the Moon Cave and cried out in alarm, "Brother Feng!"

“He’s dead.” Zhou Yi pressed his hand against his chest; the man’s heart was completely shattered.

Lu Chu's eyes twitched: "He is Yuan Wenfeng, the younger brother of Wendu, and also an elder of the Yihe Sword Sect."

At that moment, a scream from inside interrupted his words.

The voice sounded incredibly familiar. Lu Chu's eyes widened, a sense of foreboding washing over him.

"Quickly, eliminate the assassins!"

A loud sound came from outside, the thumping footsteps of a large group approaching, making the ground seem to tremble.

Lu Chu, who knew the way, walked in front, with Zhou Yi half a step behind him.

Tuoba Yu, who had followed in in a daze, took the lamp that Chunyu Wei had taken from the corridor and shone it on a corpse by the window. The person's neck had been twisted and was hanging down, with a dark claw mark above it.

This wound looks somewhat familiar.

Chunyu Wei quickly flipped the dead man's eyelids and found that his eyes were filled with dark blood, making it impossible to see his pupils.

"It's the Eighteen Claws of the Returning Soul!"

She recognized the origin of this skill and thought to herself that the Demon Commander was here.

But they had never heard that the Demon Commander intended to attack the Seven Nobles of Luoyang, so why would he come to the Duke of Lu's mansion to kill people for no reason? It seemed he intended to wipe out the entire family.

Could it be that the Duke of Lu has offended the Demon General?

Back then, the Demon Commander was defeated by the Flaming Sun Technique in his battle with his master, but he still became famous throughout the world and was a top master in the martial arts world.

Moreover, he accompanied Jieli Khan for many years, so how did he get involved with the Seven Nobles of Luoyang?
Chunyu Wei thought of many things in an instant, her heart filled with doubts. Tuoba Yu said urgently, "It's not necessarily the Demon General."

“Look at the six marks on his neck. Either the person who made the move has six fingers, or he made two moves and the first move was blocked. Either way, he can’t be the Demon Commander.”

Upon closer inspection, Chunyu Wei confirmed that it was indeed true.

Master said that the Eighteen Returning Soul Claws is a combination of melodious and profound slowness with endless variations, which can break through the opponent's various defenses of fists, palms, knives and spears.

Since the first claw has already broken through the defense, the opponent is doomed and will never be able to make a second move.

Who could that be?

As she was deep in thought, she suddenly felt a strong gust of wind hit her face, and all the large lanterns in the corridor, each one large enough for one person to hug, rattled loudly.

The two of them flipped over and leaped onto the roof, rushing forward.

Look closely into the spacious courtyard inside.

In the firelight, several figures stood together. Lu Chu dragged one out and shouted, "Brother Wendu!" His voice was filled with sorrow.

The man kept vomiting blood but didn't respond.

Then a strong gust of wind struck again!

A white figure joined the battle in the courtyard, its claws flashing, and killed four people in succession.

Tuoba Yu and Chunyu Wei could see clearly that the method he used was similar to the one he used outside Luoyang.

At this moment, the observers could see it clearly.

He found the claw technique even more amazing; the four men were skilled in martial arts, yet they couldn't withstand a single move from him.

If they hadn't been familiar with the Eighteen Claws of Returning Soul, they might have even suspected that the Demon Commander himself was behind this amazing defense-breaking technique.

Zhou Yi pulled out the Heavenly Demon and killed four people in succession.

The remaining men in the Duke of Lu's mansion breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, a bald monk on the rooftop, who had killed one person, turned back. He crossed his hands in a gesture that resembled Zen but was not quite, and unleashed a strange force.

Lao Mufan, the leader of the Yihe Sword Sect, roared and slashed with his sword.

"Tsk~!"

Upon hearing the strange noise, Lao Mufan sensed something was wrong. Sure enough, the sword energy was devoured and a hole was created as soon as it touched the strange force.

Moreover, a surge of true energy within his body was being drawn away by the longsword.

He quickly withdrew his strength and jumped backward.

But this opening was exposed, and the monk grabbed the Buddhist beads made of dark gold skulls and swung them fiercely at the opening in his chest.

Even if Lao Mufan doesn't die, he will be seriously injured.

He raised his sword to defend himself, but in his panic, he saw the monk withdraw his attack. The black gold skull bead that was originally aimed at him suddenly changed direction and swept towards the unfamiliar man in white.

The man in white had his right hand hanging down, palm facing outward, and his fingers, which were originally extended downward, suddenly lifted up.

The force of the energy surged forward, and the two henchmen beside the monk were unable to resist. With two loud bangs, they crashed into the half-person-high artificial hill and slumped to the side, unable to get up. A guard from the Duke of Lu's mansion rolled on the ground and pressed down with his blade, killing the two men.

Even with such a strong aftershock, the monk's prayer beads, caught in the gust of wind, shattered, and he was struck in the chest by a black gold skull.

He coughed up blood with a "whoosh".

The Buddha's eyes, brimming with anger, glanced at Zhou Yi, and an uncontrollable look of fear appeared within them.

"Let's go~!"

At his shout, the thieves fled in haste.

The monk was both clever and ruthless. He moved closer to his three companions, and despite being injured, he was faster than them.

Zhou Yi gave chase, and his three companions, as expected, turned around and attacked him in fright.

His evil scheme succeeded.

To his surprise, in the blink of an eye, those three figures, whom he considered quite formidable, were instantly killed as if their souls had been stolen when the white-clad man attacked with his claw.

The sound of wind breaking grew closer.

The monk harbored great malice and forced all his Buddhist energy into his fingertips. While fleeing, he let out a miserable cry, pretending to be seriously injured and staggering. When Zhou Yi closed in, he suddenly turned around and, with a vicious look on his face, stabbed Zhou Yi in the heart meridian with his finger.

"what?!"

Zhou Yi felt a strong gust of wind pass by, affecting his senses. Caught off guard, his five senses were weakened for a moment.

Then I felt a suction force from the other person's fingertips, which not only had the effect of breaking the Qi, but also seemed to be able to pull the internal Qi along with the released true Qi.

The monk was greatly surprised.

Why can't I absorb his true essence?!

The monk exhausted his strength, and before he knew it, there were overlapping hand shadows. He felt a sharp pain in his wrist as his pulse point was seized, and then he began to shiver from the cold.

A surge of intense, cold energy swept into his Ren and Du meridians like a whirlwind, causing his lips to turn white and his upper teeth to constantly collide with his lower teeth.

The Yellow Court and Golden Furnace in the Dantian are frozen, let alone the ability to circulate true qi.

At that moment, he was like a frozen salted fish, barely able to move his muscles.

"Who are you?"

The monk shivered from the cold, his voice trembling, never imagining that the Duke of Lu's mansion had such a helper.

"And who are you? Which temple do you come from?"

The monk said, "Of course it's Jingnian Temple. Boy, I advise you not to interfere in the Yuan family's affairs, otherwise..."

Before he could finish his threat, Zhou Yi pressed his palm against the monk's chest, his true energy shooting out and severing all eight of the monk's meridians, causing him to shudder violently and feel an unbearable pain in an instant.

A low, painful scream rolled down his throat; the monk hadn't expected Zhou Yi to act so suddenly.

He kept his words bottled up inside, dying with his eyes wide open in disbelief.

What kind of bastard dares to threaten me?

Zhou Yi was initially curious about his martial arts techniques, but his interest was suddenly spoiled, and he was given a painful way to die.

As if searching for clues, he casually touched the monk's body.

There were no martial arts manuals whatsoever.

As a large reinforcement force arrived, the sounds of fighting and shouting at the Duke of Lu's mansion gradually subsided, but the cries of agony and the sounds of firefighting still filled the air.

"Young Master Zhou is also proficient in Buddhist martial arts?"

Tuoba Yu seemed to see him using a Buddhist hand seal. The hand seal looked simple, but it was not based on Buddhist teachings and Zen methods, so it could not exert any power.

Therefore, the threshold is very high, and it is exclusively for senior monks.

Zhou Yi replied dismissively, "I just happened to have read some Buddhist scriptures; it's nothing to mention."

Do you know the background of this monk?

Chunyu Wei replied indifferently, "Then you've asked the wrong person. We don't pay much attention to Buddhism in the Central Plains."

"How is Lu Neishi?"

"He was very impulsive, but luckily he didn't get hurt."

Zhou Yi wanted to ask about the "claw injury" again, but when he heard Lu Chu's voice, he turned back.

Chunyu Wei whispered, "Senior brother, have you figured out his background?"

"No."

Tuoba Yu pinched his chin, looking puzzled: "According to Master, the more profound one's martial arts become, the more focused one must be. A thousand mundane skills are not as good as a single, magical skill. But no matter how I look at it, I feel that what he has learned is mixed up."

"His claw techniques are somewhat similar to those of the Demonic Image Sect, his hand seals belong to Buddhism, and his true energy seems to be from the orthodox Xuanmen sect."

"Aren't these things contradictory?"

Chunyu Wei said, "Of course there's a conflict, that's why he's so strange."

She crossed her arms and said, "If Master sees him, he might doubt what he said. I think he's good at everything."

Tuoba Yu coughed and said with shame, "Perhaps it's because our skills are not good enough and our eyesight is poor. What Master sees is different from what we see."

"Young Master Zhou, is there any hope for Lord Yuan?"

Lu Chu looked at Zhou Yi anxiously, seeing him as his last hope, knowing that he was capable of treating the old lady Dugu and that his medical skills must be superb.

Zhou Yi looked at the Duke of Lu lying on the ground and waved his hand slightly. "The man is dead. What's the point of treating him?"

"Find someone to help Duke Lu get out of trouble."

Lu Chu was stunned for a moment, then cried out in despair:
"Brother Wendu~~!"

"This is Luoyang City, Brother Wendu! You're still at home? Who on earth is so lawless as to harm you like this!"

His words conveyed not only the sorrow of his old friend's tragic death, but also a sense of shared grief for the fallen.

He wasn't the only one who felt this way.

While others were putting out the fire, four men emerged. Zhou Yi recognized one of them; he looked very much like the young master Guo whom he had rescued on the Xuanyuan Pass mountain road.

Judging from his appearance, he is Guo Wenyi.

Beside Lao Guo was a man of similar age, whom someone had just called Zhao Shilang. He should be Zhao Changwen, the Yellow Gate Attendant.

There was also a stern-faced old man who remained silent the whole time.

Of the seven nobles, only Huangfu Wuyi could be considered his equal.

This man was not only an honest and upright official, but also the Right General of the Martial Guard who commanded troops. When Yang Guang went south, he appointed him as the garrison commander of Luoyang, which shows the trust he placed in him.

The last man was stroking his beard while observing the surroundings of the Yuan residence, his gaze extremely obscure.

Someone just now called him Duke of Chen, so he must be Duan Da, whose status among the Seven Nobles is second only to Wang Shichong.

Including the deceased Yuan Wendu, the Seven Nobles have now gathered six of them.

Apart from Lu Chu, no one else spoke.

at this time
"Lord Yuan!!"

The voice comes before the person.

A moment later, a tall and imposing man appeared in the courtyard. He wore a dark brocade robe, a gold ribbon around his waist, and had a deep and dignified face.

He had a high nose bridge and deep-set eyes. His mixed Han and non-Han features, combined with his sinister eyes, gave him a very deep and calculating look. Yet, at this moment, he wore a sorrowful expression, which seemed completely mismatched.

Zhou Yi looked at the newcomer and guessed that he was Wang Shichong.

Should we suddenly strike and kill him?
This is a good opportunity.

"Who is it? Who is so arrogant and vicious, does the capital really think there is no one like me?"

Wang Shichong let out a cry of anger and grief, and squatted down beside Yuan Wendu.

The people around him looked wary.

At this moment, someone carried in the monk's corpse: "Duke of Zheng, this is the monk who killed Duke of Lu."

The speaker was Lao Mufan, the leader of the Yihe Sword Sect.

None of the seven nobles of Luoyang spoke.

Suddenly, a voice came from outside. "Where did this wicked monk come from, daring to act so presumptuously in the Eastern Capital!"

Zhou Yi glanced over and saw that the newcomer was of medium height, around sixty or seventy years old, and his face resembled that of Dugu Ce and Dugu Sheng. His slightly narrowed eyes on his hooked nose were scanning over with a sharp gaze.

No introduction is needed; everyone knows who he is.

"How did the Dugu Clan leader arrive so quickly?"

As soon as Wang Shichong opened his mouth, Lao Mufan stood quietly to the side without saying a word, as he could not afford to offend either of them.

"I just happened to be passing by. How could I stand idly by when the Duke of Lu is in trouble?"

Dugu Feng's hooked nose creased with wrinkles, a hint of anger that had surfaced after he saw Yuan Wendu's corpse.

He glared at Wang Shichong and said to Lao Mufan, "Sect Leader Lao, are you sure you're not mistaken?"

"The Duke of Lu possesses formidable martial arts skills. If this monk was able to kill someone under your protection, why couldn't he escape?"

When Sect Leader Lao looked at Zhou Yi, he drew everyone's attention.

"Lao was no match for him. It was this friend brought by Lu Neishi who killed the evil monk and avenged the Duke of Lu."

After hearing this, Wang Shichong, Dugu Feng, and Duan Da all looked at Zhou Yi.

Huangfu Wuyi also took a closer look at Zhou Yi. A look of surprise flashed across his cloudy old eyes, and then he stared intently at Lu Chu.

Lu Chu felt a sudden unease and looked towards Dugu Feng.

What is that old man Dugu up to?

Young Master Zhou, wasn't he the one you invited to treat your mother's illness? Why don't you recognize him now?
"Good job."

Wang Shichong stared at the evil monk's corpse, then smiled and praised, "I wonder what your relationship is with Brother Lu?"

Lu Chu glanced at Zhou Yi, a thought flashing through his mind.

He reacted quickly, speaking before Zhou Yi could say anything: "Young Master Zhou was invited to my residence as a guest."

"Why are you being so vague? Is there something you're ashamed to tell others?"

Dugu Feng frowned when he noticed that Lu Chu had looked at him strangely earlier, and suddenly remembered the old grudge.

"So that's how it is. You were unwilling to give your youngest daughter to my son last time because you were waiting for this son-in-law?"

He was somewhat displeased and inquired:
“Brother Lu, tell us where you found such a good son-in-law. We are all grateful to him for helping Brother Wendu avenge his father.”

Lu Chu's facial muscles twitched slightly.

He stared at Dugu Feng and said, "My mother is unwell, and this young master Zhou is skilled in traditional Chinese medicine, so I invited him to my residence."

This is both a hint and a test.

From Dugu Feng's bewildered gaze alone, Lu Chu gleaned even more previously unknown information.

Duan Da, Guo Wenyi, and Zhao Changwen remained silent and observed.

Huangfu Wuyi suddenly said, "Let's not get sidetracked. Please tell us more about what happened at Lord Yuan's residence. These people alone probably couldn't have caused such great damage."

The Duke of Lu's mansion suffered heavy losses, with most of its guards killed.

Attendants and family members were either killed or injured.

If no one helps, not a single tile of the Duke of Lu's mansion will remain tonight.

Master Lao took a deep breath and recounted the whole story.

It turns out that far more than just these people were involved in the attack. The initial thugs killed most of the experts in the mansion and then fled. The monk was the one who covered their retreat.

Master Lao's face showed horror:
"What impressed me most was a very tall man. Elder Yuan Wenfeng of our sect is no less skilled than me, but when he encountered that man, he didn't last a second move. I just checked his wounds, and his heart meridian was completely shattered."

"At that time, I was protecting the Duke's granddaughter on the north side. I came out a little late. If I had entered this place earlier, I would be dead by now."

Zhao Changwen, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, said, "There are many experts entrenched in the city, so it is really not easy to find out who did it."

"I wonder what this monk's background is?"

No one answered him.

Dugu Feng then looked at Zhou Yi: "Since it was Young Master Zhou who killed him, did you hear what he said?"

"When I asked him about his background, he did respond."

Wang Shichong asked with a smile, "What did he say?"

Zhou Yi read out four characters: "Jingnian Zen Temple".

Everyone was horrified, and even Lu Chu thought he was talking nonsense.

Tuoba Yu said to Chunyu Wei, "That's what the monk said."

Wang Shichong broke the silence first: "Even monks can lie, so don't take it seriously, but we absolutely cannot ignore the death of Yuan Gong."

"Two days from now, I would like to invite you all to enter the capital city. We need to come up with a foolproof plan, otherwise, we will learn from the example of Lord Yuan."

Lu Chu frowned deeply: "Is this an arrangement by the Duke of Zheng?"

"No, this is the decree of the Emperor Tai."

Dugu Feng said, "How could I not know?"

Wang Shichong said, "If Chief Eunuch Dugu doesn't believe me, he can go into the palace and ask. Would I dare to spread His Majesty's edicts indiscriminately?"

After saying this, he stood up from beside the corpse of the Duke of Lu, made a move to leave, and then looked at Zhou Yi.

At this moment, a very sincere smile appeared on his face:
“Young Master Zhou, since Inner Historian Lu has invited you to treat my illness, your medical skills must be exceptional. I served the late Emperor in my younger years and developed a chronic brain ailment that is often accompanied by dizziness. I wonder if you could use your miraculous healing skills? If it is effective, I will certainly give you a generous gift.”

How could Zhou Yi trust such a fickle and unreliable person?

"I'll go to the Prince's Mansion when I have time to treat the Duke's brain."

"good very good."

Wang Shichong paid no attention to the feelings of Yuan Wendu's relatives and went out with a big smile on his face.

After Wang Shichong left, Dugu Feng didn't want to deal with the mess. He informed the remaining people and turned to leave.

They left the courtyard, but then returned.

Just as Lu Chu was about to ask, Dugu Feng walked up to Zhou Yi and said, "Wang Shichong is lying to you. He's not out of his mind."

He hesitated for a moment, then said, "If Young Master Zhou can cure Brother Lu's mother, please come to my house as a guest. My mother also has a chronic illness. If you can cure her, I will definitely give you a lot of benefits."

Lu Chu, who was standing to the side, was very unhappy with him and said at this moment:
"What benefits? Why doesn't the lord explain it clearly?"

Having just been mocked, Lu Chu now replied with a sarcastic tone:
"Young Master Zhou treated my mother's illness, and I, Lu, even sacrificed my youngest daughter. Brother Dugu, I've recently heard that you have a precious daughter who not only possesses extraordinary martial arts talent but also surpasses the beauties of Luoyang in appearance. Can you be as willing as I am to give her up?"

"you!"

Dugu Feng immediately revealed a hint of the domineering aura befitting a clan leader, and glared at him with his tiger-like eyes.

He glanced at Zhou Yi again, then turned and left.

The Duke of Lu's residence was still in chaos. Huangfu Wuyi said, "I will take care of this place. Brother Lu has also suffered today. Go back and rest. We will discuss the matter of the Eastern Capital when we arrive in the capital."

"I'm sorry to trouble you, Brother Huangfu."

Lu Chu left some men behind, then bowed and took his leave.

Along the way, he chatted with Guo Wenyi and Zhao Changwen for a few minutes before parting ways at a street intersection.

Lu Chu looked back at Yuan Wendu Prefecture and sighed.

They remained silent the entire way until Zhou Yi and the other two were brought back to the mansion.

Tuoba Yu and Chunyu Wei inquired about Ba Feng Han's whereabouts from the steward, but to no avail, so they went to rest.

The lights in the inner room were turned on.

After arranging the guest rooms, Lu Chu invited Zhou Yi over.

"Young Master Zhou"

Lu Chu hesitated for a moment, then continued, "Are you really here to treat Old Madam Dugu's illness?"

"Doesn't it seem like me?" Zhou Yi smiled. "Are you wondering why the Dugu Clan Chief doesn't recognize me?"

"Yes."

"Because he didn't invite me."

Lu Chu gave him a deep look: "Just now, when Dugu Feng invited you, Young Master Zhou did not respond. It seems that in Young Master Zhou's mind, even Dugu Feng had no chance of inviting you to his residence."

At this point, he poured tea for Zhou Yi as he spoke:

"From this perspective, Lu actually came out on a great deal."

Zhou Yi picked up his cup and said, "You can't say that. Without Lu Neishi, I don't know where I would stay tonight."

"Serious words."

Lu Chu gave a polite reply, but then a worry crept into his mind: "I thought the city was safe, but I didn't expect Brother Wendu to die at home. After tonight, I'm afraid every household will have to increase their guards tenfold. If this continues, they will be exhausted."

"It seems you also believe that Duke Lu was killed by Wang Shichong. He was the first to suggest luring Li Mi into the city, so Wang Shichong had a reason to kill him."

Lu Chu tacitly agreed, and Zhou Yi then asked, "Do you know who the expert who made the move is?"

"I don't know."

"Then let me ask you another question."

Zhou Yi's voice turned cold: "If I were to kill Wang Shichong tonight, would Dongdu be thrown into chaos?"

"will not."

Lu Chu affirmed, "The number of troops we command is far less than Wang Shichong's, but in terms of prestige, we are superior. There are many who are dissatisfied with Wang Shichong, but..."

Even if you launch a sneak attack, you won't be able to kill him.

"how do I say this?"

Seeing that he didn't believe him, Lu Chu reminded him in a deep voice: "Young Master's martial arts are even better than Wang Shichong's. If you launch a sneak attack, Wang Shichong in the Duke's mansion will definitely die tonight, but that may not be the real Wang Shichong."

"Could it be a stand-in?"

Zhou Yi was even less convinced; he believed it was Wang Shichong himself.

"You don't know this, but if Wang Shichong didn't have the means, he would have died four times over."

Lu Chu continued, "Some time ago, a man and a woman with extraordinary martial arts skills broke into Wang Shichong's mansion and killed him three times in a row. But the next day, he reappeared unharmed."

"Later, another assassin came to kill him, and Wang Shichong died again."

"As a result, the assassin died, but Wang Shichong is still fine. If you attack him tonight, you will fall into the same trap."

Why is it different from what I know? Zhou Yi was puzzled.

Schrödinger's Wang Shichong?
He frowned slightly: "Are you sure that after Wang Shichong's death, the capital will not be in chaos?"

"Convinced."

Lu Chu added, "With Wang Shichong dead, the overall situation will be in the hands of the Dugu clan and a few of us. At that time, the Eastern Capital court will be stable."

Seeing Zhou Yi deep in thought, Lu Neishi remained silent for a while.

Then, while refilling Zhou Yi's tea, he suddenly said:

"Emperor Tai was kind and generous by nature, which was very rare in chaotic times. I remember that in the ninth year of the Daye era, when the rebellion of Yang Xuangan was quelled, he personally led the imperial guards to fight alongside Fan Zigai. At such a young age, he was truly remarkable. Even the late emperor was pleased, so he kept him in the Eastern Capital."

"Furthermore, Huangfu Wuyi was also appointed to remain in charge."

He continued, "It's that little old man who stayed at the Duke of Lu's mansion tonight. He is known for his integrity. In all his posts, he never accepts invitations or gifts, and he is extremely cautious in handling government affairs."

"That great villain Wang Shichong pressed us step by step, which is why the Duke of Lu resorted to this desperate measure. Now that he is gone, I wonder if the rest of us can hold onto the last hope of the Sui Dynasty."

Zhou Yi smiled and shook his head: "Lu Neishi, you are a smart and interesting person."

Lu Chu gave a wry smile: "Young Master Zhou, is my tea even palatable?"

"of course."

Zhou Yi changed the subject: "By the way, do you have any night-clothes at home?"

Lu Chu was slightly taken aback, exchanged a glance with him to confirm, and then said, "Yes!"

"Young Master Zhou, what do you want?"

"Oh," Zhou Yi laughed, "The Duke of Zheng has a headache, I'll go and treat him."

Although Lu Chu did not approve of his actions, he still did as he was told.
……

"What?! Say it again! What did that person look like?!"

At the residence of Guo Wenyi, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, the young master of the Guo family, who had been carried back in the middle of the night, was recounting the events on the Xuanyuan Road.

Seeing his father's expression change drastically, Guo Xinhan quickly described the man's appearance in detail.

I will describe in detail everything about their clothing, hairstyle, sword and jade ornaments, height, weight, and even their eyebrows, eyes, nose, and mouth, as well as any other features I may have some recollection of.

"It's him!"

"It turned out to be him!"

Guo Wenyi's buttocks suddenly lifted off the chair, and he paced back and forth in the hall.

Legends of the Taoist Celestial Master are everywhere in the martial arts world, but he has never been to the Eastern Capital. Guo Wenyi has seen his portrait, but the portraits circulating in the martial arts world are all different, so how can one distinguish them at a glance?

After hearing his son's explanation, Vice Minister Guo finally understood the situation.

Although they both have the surname Zhou, there are many people with the surname Zhou, so how could they possibly be associated with each other?

What's more, he was with Lu Chu.

"Old Lu, you've ruined my life!"

"Father, what exactly happened?"

Guo Wenyi stared at his son, making sure there were no more Six Ears around, and cautiously said, "The Celestial Master is in Lu Chu's residence. I, as his superior, am afraid my heart is already in Jianghuai."

"Xinhan, what do you think?"

Guo Degang ranked low among the seven nobles, but this son brought him great comfort.

They often consult each other on matters big and small.

That's why the steward of the Guo family risked his life to save him on the mountain path.

Guo Xinhan said, "The Celestial Master saved my life, so why do you need to ask me, Father? If I were to say that I support the Celestial Master, wouldn't that hurt your loyalty to the Emperor Tai?"

"You go on."

"If the world were at peace, with Emperor Tai's benevolent nature and the legacy of the previous emperor, there might have been an opportunity to allow the people to rest and to pacify the land. Unfortunately, we are in this chaotic world, and the imperial power is precarious. Looking at the situation in the Eastern Capital, with numerous warlords vying for power, how can we talk about unifying the world and ushering in a new golden age?"

Guo Xinhan continued, "Looking at the martial arts world of Dongdu, the appearance of the He Shi Bi jade has sparked a scramble for it, but the major sects of the Holy Land all regard Emperor Tai as nothing. This is the end of the times."

Old Guo looked at his son and asked, "What is the purpose of the Celestial Master's actions?"

"Although the Celestial Master's martial arts are high, it would be extremely difficult for him to dominate in the Eastern Capital. The Jianghuai army cannot enter the Eastern Capital, so no matter what the Celestial Master's purpose is, the greatest victory he can foresee is the He Shi Bi jade."

Guo Xinhan frowned slightly: "But I think that the He Shi Bi jade is dispensable to him."

"Besides, this is a favor that's hard to do."

"If we were to get involved in such dangerous martial arts battles, our lives would be in danger."

Old Guo nodded: "Lu Chu isn't stupid; he must have thought of that."

"Ah."

Guo Xinhan said, "The value of the Eastern Capital City far exceeds that of the He Shi Bi jade. Father can ask Lu Neishi in private what his attitude is."

"Then do you think the Celestial Master has any hope of ascending to the throne?"

"There is hope, after all, the Celestial Masters have the greatest power. Once the Southern Alliance is defeated, the North will also be gradually devoured unless they unite."

Guo Xinhan solemnly said, "Therefore, the location of the Eastern Capital is very important."

"If we control the South, Sichuan and Chongqing, and then take control of the Eastern Capital, then it will only be a matter of time before the world is pacified."

"..."

That night, after talking with his son, Lao Guo couldn't sleep a wink.

On the same day, the eldest brother, Duke Lu, died, and the second brother pledged his loyalty to the Heavenly Master, promising to assist the Emperor together. However, they parted ways in the blink of an eye.

Guo Wenyi was very cautious and kept thinking about how to make the right choice and not fall behind.

While Lao Guo was deep in thought.

Under the moonlit night in the Eastern Capital, a dark shadow moved silently across the roof tiles of the Duke of Zheng's residence, like a ghost in the darkness.

at last
After bypassing the numerous guards, Zhou Yi made his way to the inner courtyard of the mansion.

This fickle old thief not only causes trouble for himself, but is also the previous generation of the Great Ming Zun Sect. Killing him will inevitably tilt the situation in the Eastern Capital in his favor.

Zhou Yi is not one to hold back.

He listened intently, and heard bursts of lewd music coming from the inner courtyard.

It was Wang Shichong's voice.

Zhou Yi was not in a hurry. When the lewd music reached its peak, a sudden lightning bolt struck down from the roof ridge.

A huge hole was torn open in the roof in an instant!
The man and woman in front of the swaying vanity mirror were completely caught off guard and didn't even have a chance to look up.

"Ah~!!!"

The man's screams and the woman's shrieks interrupted the high-pitched, lewd music, instantly waking all the experts in the Duke's mansion.

Zhou Yi slashed out with his sword, then leaped up, carrying the severed head.

He reached out and touched the terrified face, confirming that the man didn't have a human skin mask.

"An assassin!!"

Zhou Yi was not afraid at all when he heard the noise inside the mansion. He glanced at Wang Shichong's head and said, "You have a brain ailment, right? I'll help you cure it."

He casually tossed the head into the air and struck out with his palm.

With a loud bang, the force of the Cloud-Dispelling Palm was like a divine healer's technique, curing all kinds of stubborn ailments.
……

(End of this chapter)