Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 198 Jiang Xingzhou and Fei Wuxin, evenly matched!
On the night of the Lantern Festival, the lights of Luoyang illuminated the night sky as if it were daytime.

On Zhuque Avenue, thousands of glass lanterns hang high, and colorful ribbons flutter, reflecting light onto the bluestone pavement.

Young masters, dressed in fine clothes, with jade pendants jingling at their waists, held folding fans and pointed out riddles on lanterns;
The daughters of officials moved with graceful steps, their maids carrying silk lanterns behind them, their hairpins swaying as they covered their lips and giggled.

The cries of street vendors rose and fell, and the sweet aromas of sugar figurines, lanterns, and candied fruits mingled with the smoke of firecrackers, creating a warm atmosphere in the cold night.

At the corner of Tianjie Street, an inconspicuous gray-tiled restaurant is hidden in the lamplight.

In the private room on the second floor, the window was half-closed, and a cold wind suddenly swept in, causing the candlelight to flicker violently.

A man in a straw hat silently sat down by the window, his wide robe sleeves hanging down, revealing his pale and thin face, his knuckles lightly tapping the table.

The colorful light from the lanterns outside the eaves reflected on the edge of the straw hat, but it couldn't penetrate those deep, still eyes.

"Ah"

Fei Wuxin let out a soft laugh, and a mocking smile curved her thin lips beneath her bamboo hat, waiting to see a good show.

Just then, the commotion on the street suddenly changed—the clanging of prison cart chains approached from afar.

"Squeak-"

The wooden door to the private room creaked open, and the scholar in the blue robe slipped inside, a hidden arrow peeking out from his sleeve.

He bowed and said, "Your Highness, General Tian Qian has escorted the prison cart carrying the Snow Wolf Demon Marquis past Yongning Ward."

Fei Wuxin paused with a slight pause.

Suddenly, snowflakes began to pelt the windowpane, and the flickering lanterns cast his ghostly long shadow on the white wall.

"very good!
"Tian Qian and Snow Wolf Demon Lord, these two chess pieces have finally arrived!"

The whispers mingled with the distant rumble of prison carts, and suddenly the straw hat was slightly raised, revealing half of the pale chin.

In that instant, all the city lights became mere background noise, with only the prison van on the street crushing the shimmering light and shadows as it approached.

He—Fei Wuxin, a rebellious scholar and Hanlin Academician, travels between the Great Zhou, the barbarian wilderness, and the snowy mountains of the demon kingdom. Wuxin Palace's spies are spread all over the world.

The deployment map of the Great Wall's surrounding armies, the secret messages from the barbarians, and the decisions of the demon kingdom were all laid out in his hands like a chessboard.

Information in this world is sharper than swords and more deadly than poison.

This time, however, he merely casually handed over a pawn—revealing the hunting route of a demon lord from the Snow Wolf Kingdom to General Tian Qian, the commander of the Great Zhou Town, through a secret letter.

General Tian Qian, who had guarded the border for twenty years, had temples already streaked with the frost of the frontier, yet he had never been able to achieve any great merit.

When the secret message was delivered into Tian Qian's military tent by a flying arrow, Fei Wuxin could almost hear the boiling blood beneath Tian Qian's armor.

Fei Wuxin sneered, her fingertips caressing the celadon wine cup, reflecting the flickering lights outside the window.

really.

Commander Tian Qian set up a poisoned arrow trap on their only route and led his troops in an ambush, successfully capturing the Snow Wolf Demon Lord and thirty-six demon generals in the border snow pine forest!

He knew all too well that Commander Tian Qian had been guarding the border for many years without any victories and was eager to make a name for himself and return to the court based on his military achievements.

Having successfully captured the Demon Lord of the Wolf Kingdom, we will surely send him to Luoyang before the Lantern Festival ends to present him as a captive to His Majesty.

Because only during the Lantern Festival are the city of Luoyang the most crowded, making it the easiest time to create a sensation and spread fame far and wide!

Meanwhile, the esteemed Snow Wolf Marquis—the youngest prince of the Wolf Demon Kingdom—was locked in a sturdy black iron cage, his collarbone pierced with demon-suppressing nails, as he rode with General Tian Qian's triumphant convoy through the magnificent streets of Luoyang.

These are nothing!
Timing is the most ingenious and decisive move in this game.

Fei Wuxin lightly tapped the window frame with her fingertips, gazing at the city lights that made it as bright as day.

The Lantern Festival—the most solemn festival of the Great Zhou Dynasty—has now become the perfect cover for this operation.

Hundreds of delegations from various barbarian and demon kingdoms, along with numerous barbarian merchant caravans, arrived in Luoyang one after another at this time.

At this moment, in the city of Luojing, barbarian caravans and even pure-blooded demon envoys can be seen almost everywhere in the streets and alleys.

On Zhuque Avenue, the sounds of camel bells and horses' hooves mingled.

Barbarian merchants, draped in fox furs, were haggling with merchants from the Central Plains, their scimitars hidden beneath brocade.

The demon envoy walked through the crowd, scales faintly visible on his sleeves.

Countless caravans and crowds entered the imperial city of Luoyang from all directions of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

This is the time when the traitorous scholars of his Wuxin Palace, as well as the barbarian assassins, are most likely to infiltrate Luojing City and take advantage of the chaos to carry out assassinations.

"The Palace Master's calculations are brilliant."

The scholar in the blue robe whispered, "Our people have already infiltrated Luoyang City today! In addition to the traitorous scholars, there are also more than a hundred barbarian and demon assassins that we have arranged."

Furthermore, they contacted several vassal kings of the Great Zhou who had long harbored resentment towards His Majesty, and secretly offered to provide manpower to help create chaos!

Beneath the straw hat, Fei Wuxin's smile deepened.

No matter how elite the Imperial Guards are, could they possibly distinguish the real assassins from tens of thousands of barbarian demons in the city overnight?
Wait until tomorrow, when the sun rises.

The entire city of Luojing will be submerged in a pool of blood, chaos, and panic—and all the evidence will vanish with the ashes of the burning lanterns.

No one would have known that it was Fei Wuxin who instigated and stirred up this chaos in Luojing!

As for Jiang Xingzhou, Jiang Jieyuan!

This enemy planted the "On the Love of Lotus" in his heart, which took root and sprouted, tormenting him for months.

A foe I hate to the core!
In the midst of this chaotic demonic chaos, he was "accidentally" attacked and killed by the demons. Who would be surprised?!

"boom--"

The ear-piercing sound of chains dragging on the ground abruptly shattered the city's festive atmosphere.

On the main street, the crowd dispersed like a tide, and the prison cart churned up colorful silk scraps, carving a chilling trail in the brightly lit heart of the street.

Inside the black iron cage, the Snow Wolf Demon Lord's silvery-white fur was stained with blood, and every chain pierced through its demon bones, leaving winding blood trails on the bluestone slab.

"Look! It's a living Demon Lord!"

Exclamations erupted as people crowded both sides of the street, peering out with a mixture of fear and excitement.

Some children were held tightly in their mothers' arms, but still peeked through their fingers—the scarlet vertical pupils of the caged beast were reflecting the lights all over the sky.

"General Tian, ​​have you captured a live Snow Wolf Demon Lord?!"

"General Tian, ​​that's incredibly impressive! This is the first time in nearly ten years that you've captured the Demon Lord alive, isn't it? That's quite an achievement!"

"This Demon Lord is equivalent to a Hanlin Academician of the human race! The Demon Lord's close combat strength even surpasses that of a Hanlin Academician of the human race!"
Moreover, the demon race is extremely fierce in nature, preferring death to surrender!

In the teahouse, a scholar's teacup trembled slightly. "General Tian actually managed to capture him alive this time?"

Before the words were finished, Tian Qian, the red-robed general imprisoned beside the demon lord's cart, suddenly reined in his horse and turned around. He stroked the newly added golden python pattern on his chest, and his laughter made the sword at his waist clang: "Fellow countrymen, you flatter me! This general is merely sharing His Majesty's burdens—"

He triumphantly raised his riding whip, the tip pointing directly at the cage, "Look closely, everyone! This is the fate of the wolf demon who invaded our great borders!"

Inside the private room of Zhuangyuanlou, amber-colored liquor rippled in a luminous glass.

Jiang Xingzhou, Gu Zhimian, Li Pan, and other scholars, along with the ambassador of the Niu Man Kingdom, the Third Princess of Niu Man, and other Niu Man people, toasted each other.

Just as they were enjoying their drinks, they suddenly heard a motorcade driving down the main street, causing a commotion.

Jiang Xingzhou couldn't help but walk to the carved wooden window to look around. The biting night wind, carrying the smell of rust, rushed towards him.

Thirty-six black iron prison carts rolled down the Heavenly Street, and the silver manes of the snow wolves in the cages were stained with blood, with wolf head gold pendants hanging around their necks.

"The Snow Wolf Demon Lord captured alive?!"

Jiang Xingzhou held a wine cup, curious.

He has fought against the demon race many times.

The Demon General is already qualified to independently command a demon army of thousands or tens of thousands of soldiers and become the chief of the demon race!
The Demon Lord is even more powerful than the Demon Commander, making him extremely difficult to deal with!
How did General Tian Qian, whose strength is only equivalent to that of a demon general, manage to capture the demon lord alive?!

"General Tian's contribution is considerable! It's enough for him to get a good job in the Ministry of War and be transferred back to Luoyang from the border town."

Li Pan exclaimed in amazement.

"Crack!"

Ambassador Niu Man's rhinoceros horn cup suddenly cracked, and he instantly recognized the wolf fang talisman that symbolized royalty.
"The Wolf Demon Kingdom is one of the most powerful demon kingdoms in the north, and they are extremely ferocious! The one imprisoned here seems to be the seventh prince of the Wolf Demon Kingdom!"
Their most valiant prince was captured alive by the Great Zhou?

The ambassador of the Niu Man Kingdom was also shocked.

The Third Princess of the Bull Barbarians pressed her hand to the curved sword at her waist, her muscles taut beneath her animal-skin skirt, and exclaimed in surprise, "In the past twenty years, I have never heard of a Wolf Clan Demon Lord being captured alive on the battlefield."

The roar of prison vans could be heard in the distance.

"Roar--!"

The Snow Wolf Demon Lord's unwilling roar was like a thunderclap, shaking the lanterns along the street.

The guards around the prison cart simultaneously gripped their sword hilts, only to see the demon lord's golden eyes bulge with bloodshot veins, and the black iron chain piercing his collarbone creaking under the strain.

A startled night crow swept past the eaves of the Scholar's Pavilion, and a black feather swirled and landed on Fei Wuxin's pale fingertip.

"The time has come."

Get started!
May these Lantern Festival fireworks illuminate the end of the Great Zhou Dynasty! Fei Wuxin slowly raised his hand.

"Yes!"

The scholar in the blue robe pulled out a specially made crimson bamboo tube from his sleeve, and the fuse lit the instant it was lit.

"Whoosh-!"

A crimson flame shot into the sky, mingling with the thousands of peaceful fireworks in Luoyang, tearing open a blood-red crack.

What exploded in the sky was not auspicious patterns like peonies or chrysanthemums, but a ferocious snow wolf totem, staining the night sky of the Heavenly Street blood red.

In an instant——

The rebellious scholars and barbarian assassins lurking in the shadows of Luoyang suddenly launched their attack upon seeing the wolf-head fireworks soaring into the sky!
The grain warehouse caught fire, and black smoke billowed into the sky;
Arrows pierced the air from abandoned houses, and people scattered in panic in the bustling city.

Dozens of hidden spies launched their attack simultaneously, raining down arrows and spreading fire, plunging the entire capital into chaos!
"The granary has been set on fire! Put out the fire immediately!"

"Damn it! Someone's causing trouble!"

The alarm was suddenly raised, and the Imperial Guards guarding the city beat drums to gather their troops. The Night Guards drew their swords and armor clanged as a large number of elite troops rushed to various fire sites and locations for surprise attacks.

Luoyang, Langya Prince's Mansion.

Prince Li Chong of Langya sat alone in the courtyard, his fingertips plucking the strings, and a resounding melody of "Ode to the Cold Pine" rang out.

The sound of the zither was clear and cold, like frost covering the strings.

They are separated by only one wall.

Outside the courtyard wall, a piercing howl and screams rose incessantly, and the firelight dyed the night sky blood red.

"Father!"

Prince Li Yiguang strode into the courtyard, his robes billowing in the wind. "Our palace has over a thousand retainers and elite soldiers. Shall we send troops to assist the Imperial Guards in quelling the rebellion?"

"save?"

Before the music had even stopped, Li Chong's lips curled into a sneer. "This is His Majesty's business. What does it have to do with our Langya Prince's Mansion?"
Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has held absolute power and treated us princes as worthless.

In recent years, they have ordered the reduction of the power of the feudal lords, the stripping of their titles, and the disarmament of their troops. Have they ever shown us, the feudal lords, even the slightest kindness?

With a flick of his finger, the strings of the zither trembled violently, producing a sound like tearing silk. "The demons are causing trouble in Luoyang; her henchmen will handle it."

I haven't sent anyone to cause her trouble; that's already more than enough!

The music suddenly turned somber and deep, like a venomous snake spitting its tongue.

"The more commotion there is, the more incompetent His Majesty appears, causing him to lose all prestige!"
We must not diminish His Majesty's prestige!

When will the ten feudal lords ever rise to power?
As for my Langya Prince's Mansion, I'll just guard the gates and watch her make a fool of herself!

In this capital city of Luoyang, countless people are watching this strange spectacle with cold indifference tonight!

Li Yiguang's pupils constricted sharply, and he was filled with horror.

It seems Father knew all along that there would be demons on this Lantern Festival tonight?!

Where did this intelligence come from?

Could it be that Father and the one causing the demonic disturbance...?
"Yes!"

Li Yiguang looked up at the towering flames outside the wall, his Adam's apple bobbing, before finally falling silent and retreating.

Above the celestial street, the moonlight was as white as frost.

The route taken by the prison van procession.

Suddenly, a sharp "whoosh" was heard, and the wolf-head fireworks tore through the night sky.

Almost at the same instant, a cold, sharp flying sword of a Hanlin scholar pierced through the air from the shadows, its light as fast as lightning, heading straight for the iron chains of the prison cart imprisoning the Snow Wolf Demon Lord.

"kill!"

Suddenly, shouts of killing erupted from the dark alleys and streets. A hundred or so rebellious scholars, barbarians, and demons swarmed out, their swords flashing as they approached the prison cart.

Although Tian Qian's guards were known as elite, they only brought a hundred men into the city this time, with only three guards on each prison cart, leaving their defenses stretched thin.

"Boom!"

Thirty-six iron prison carts exploded, scattering wood chips and iron fragments everywhere.

The flying sword continued its momentum, and with a flash of cold light, the thick iron chain snapped in two, leaving a clean, mirror-like cut.

The Snow Wolf in the cage suddenly raised its head, and the demon-suppressing nails all over its body clanged as they were forced out by an invisible force.

Moonlight poured down, illuminating its snow-white fur, where countless blood-red runes emerged from beneath its skin, moving across its entire body like living creatures, outlining eerie and unpredictable demonic patterns.

"Ow—"

With a deafening wolf howl, Snow Wolf Marquis's body swelled up, transforming into a giant wolf three zhang in length.

His wolf demon generals and demon commanders also broke free from their restraints, their sharp claws and fangs gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

Once they were freed, they charged at the guards in the surrounding prison wagons!
Tian Qian and his guards were in dire straits and immediately collapsed.

High up in the restaurant

With a flick of her sleeve, Fei Wuxin unleashed a cloud of crimson powder, enveloping the prison cart.

The moment the top-grade healing medicine touched the wounds, the flesh and blood began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye. In the blink of an eye, all the demons were fully recovered and their ferocity was even greater.

Snow Wolf Demon Lord felt that his strength had recovered to about 60-70%.
Its silver eyes turned slightly, its gaze piercing through the billowing smoke, landing on the gray-robed man wearing a bamboo hat on the second floor of the street-side restaurant.

It grinned, revealing a hint of gratitude, "Palace Master Fei, I will forever remember this kindness!"

A low growl rolled from its throat, a mixture of gratitude and disbelief—this Palace Master of the Heartless Palace, a rebellious scholar, dared to mobilize such a vast force in the heavily guarded capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty to rescue it from prison.

What a huge risk this is!

"polite!"

Fei Wuxin said calmly.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his gray robe billowing slightly in the night wind, exuding an air of nonchalance.

That stupid wolf!

They probably couldn't have guessed that it was he who personally drew up a secret map of the Snow Wolf Kingdom's hunting routes and sent it to Commander Tian Qian in secret, which enabled them to successfully ambush and capture them with poisoned arrows that paralyzed them, and then escort them to Luoyang, the capital of the Great Zhou!
These most ferocious wolf demon armies are enough to unleash a bloodbath and chaos in Luojing!

He could take advantage of the chaos to get things done!

The night wind, carrying the stench of blood, swept across the street.

Fei Wuxin slightly raised his bamboo hat, his gaze sharp as a knife, piercing through the chaotic street below and reaching the Zhuangyuan Tower across the street—

On the second floor, by the window, a young man leaned against the railing, his clothes fluttering like a crane.

"Jiang Xingzhou"

A sinister smile curled at the corner of his lips as he ground the name between his teeth, like the hiss of a venomous snake.

On the top floor of the Scholar's Pavilion, Jiang Xingzhou suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

Someone is spying on me!
Suddenly looking up, a figure in a straw hat stood silently like a ghost through the window lattice of the gray-tiled restaurant across the street.

The moment their eyes met, his pupils contracted sharply: "Palace Master Wuxin! Fei Wuxin?!"

He gripped the railing tightly with his knuckles, and sawdust pierced his palm.

really,

The Snow Wolf Demon Lord's eyes flashed with ferocity. Without saying another word, he let out a long howl that shook the capital of Luoyang!

"Roar—! Kill them all!"

With a leap, its silver-white wolf body pounced on the crowd like lightning, spraying blood mist wherever it went.

Behind them, the wolf demon general and wolf demon commander roared and charged out, their sharp claws tearing flesh and blood, their fangs crushing bones and tendons, and in an instant the street turned into a battlefield of carnage!
They are already in Los Angeles and have no way to escape.

Only kill!

The more chaotic the killing, the better!
General Tian Qian's face was deathly pale, his long sword was already broken, and his hundred or so personal guards fell one after another, leaving very few.

He gritted his teeth and roared, "Retreat! Retreat now!"

Who would have thought?
Half a month ago, he set up a trap in the snowy forests of the North, with thousands of elite troops armed with heavy bows hunting them down. The arrows were coated with paralyzing poison, and only then were they able to capture the demon lord and dozens of his subordinates alive.

But now, amidst the bustling crowds on the streets of Luoyang, a rebellious scholar has suddenly launched an attack, barbarian assassins have sprung up, and now, with the escaped ferocious wolf demons joining the fray, how can they possibly withstand the onslaught in their panic?!

Finished!

The prison cart was hijacked in Luojing City, allowing a group of wolf demons to escape.

Commander Tian Qian staggered backward and crashed into a tavern on the side of the street with a "thud." All he could hear were the screams of his soldiers, and blood filled his vision.

(End of this chapter)