Empress, please lay down your armor, for I will save the world with a single sword!

When Qin Hongshao returned to the courtyard after arranging the lockdown, Wu Liang was stitching up the wounds of the injured person.

Keep your hands steady.

He looked focused.

The once arrogant and domineering Prince Xiaoyao, who had slain Zhi Xuan high in the sky, has now transformed back into a miraculous healer who saves lives.

Qin Hongshao stood by and watched for a while.

The anxiety of searching all night long.

The ecstatic joy upon seeing Wu Liang alive.

The fear he felt when he discovered that three Zhi Xuan were attacking him.

There was also Wu Liang's excitement and pride when he publicly killed Qiu Baichuan.

All these emotions piled up, causing a slight soreness to well up in her nose.

"What are you looking at?"

Wu Liang didn't even look up.

Qin Hongshao snapped out of her daze and let out a soft hum.

"He just vomited several mouthfuls of blood, but said he was fine."

"I have plenty of blood."

"..."

Qin Hongshao really wanted to punch him.

Considering that Wu Liang was indeed injured, he had no choice but to endure it.

"Mile and Sang Jiushu escaped."

"They also took Qiu Baichuan's body."

"Another man in a black robe also broke through the encirclement."

"That woman has been caught."

Wu Liang nodded.

"What about casualties?"

Qin Hongshao remained silent for a moment.

"Nine members of the Black-Clad Guards were killed in battle, seventeen were seriously wounded, and more than thirty were slightly wounded."

"Twenty-one of the patrolling New Army soldiers were killed in action, and almost all of the rest were wounded."

"Thirty-eight people from Gaotang Guard died, and the wounded are still being counted."

Wu Liang paused for a moment while stitching up the wound.

After a short while, he continued to treat his injuries.

"Those who died in battle were registered and recorded."

"The compensation will be doubled."

"Tell the brothers that I will avenge them."

Qin Hongshao nodded earnestly.

"I've got it."

It took Wu Liang more than half an hour to pull several of the most seriously injured soldiers back from the brink of death.

He washed the blood off his hands, got up, and walked out of the courtyard.

Mo Wanwan has already been brought over by Ye Zhiwei.

His hands and feet were all chained.

Several vital acupoints were also sealed by Yan Jingshuang.

Wu Liangxian glanced at Yan Jingshuang.

After confirming that she was not seriously injured, he turned his attention to Mo Wanwan.

"Have you searched me?"

Ye Zhiwei nodded.

"Searched."

"Not careful enough."

Wu Liang had someone bring a thick cloth and examined Mo Wanwan's cuffs, belt, shoe soles, and hair bun through the cloth.

She quickly found a black porcelain bottle the size of a fingernail in the lining of her belt, and then took out a hollow silver hairpin from her hair bun.

Ye Zhiwei stared at the silver hairpin, a wave of fear washing over her.

"What's in here?"

Mo Wanwan remained silent.

Wu Liang packed everything away.

"Take him back and ask him slowly."

Du Chengwu also brought several White Lotus Sect prisoners to the courtyard.

One of them was shot in the shoulder with an arrow, and a bronze plaque shaped like a white lotus was found on his body.

Wu Liang took the bronze medal and looked at it.

How many people were in the White Lotus Sect in Gaotang?

The man gritted his teeth and remained silent.

Du Chengwu kicked him in the back of the knee.

"The prince is asking you a question!"

The prisoners knelt heavily on the ground, still refusing to speak.

Wu Liang glanced at the others beside him.

"There are quite a few survivors."

"There will always be someone willing to speak up."

"They were all separated and detained, and interrogated in shifts."

"Whoever confesses first has a chance to live."

"If he wants to shoulder the burden for others, then let him shoulder it slowly."

Upon hearing this, several of the younger members of the church visibly panicked.

One of them was the first to succumb to the strain.

"I'll say it!"

"Lingzhao Temple is merely a outpost within the city!"

"We also set up branch altars in the south and west of the city. The sect developed its followers by distributing porridge, healing the sick, and lending money. We also bribed some officials and merchants..."

The White Lotus Sect expert kneeling in front suddenly turned around.

"Shut up!"

Du Chengwu slashed his mouth with the scabbard of his sword.

Several bloody teeth flew out.

The young believer trembled all over and could no longer care about anything else.

After the Prince of Ning's rebellion, the White Lotus sect began stockpiling kerosene, weapons, and poisons in Gaotang.

They originally planned to set fire to the granaries and armories when Prince Ning attacked Gaotang again, inciting refugees, prisoners, and believers in the city to rebel, and then find a way to open the city gates to let the rebels in.

The Patriarch Maitreya came to Gaotang in person for two reasons: firstly, for the Life and Death Talisman, and secondly, to prepare to oversee the city's operations.

Upon hearing this, Wu Liang's murderous intent grew stronger.

This action by the White Lotus Sect is no longer a simple case of江湖仇杀 (jianghu chóu, a term referring to a feud or vendetta within the martial arts world).

Gaotang was an important gateway for the imperial court to enter Hejian Road, and also the rear support for the Duke of Dingguo's army.

If the granaries are burned down and the armories are destroyed, and if the refugees and prisoners in the city riot again, Gaotang will inevitably fall into chaos.

The Prince of Ning's heir was then able to seize the opportunity to lead his army in a counterattack.

Even the Duke of Dingguo, far away in Yanyun Road, may find himself in a predicament of being attacked from both sides.

What the White Lotus Sect wanted to destroy was the entire campaign to quell the rebellion!

"Red tips".

"exist."

"Starting tonight, the Black-Clad Guards, in conjunction with the Gaotang Prefecture and the Gaotang Guards, will conduct a thorough investigation of the entire city."

"Temples, Taoist temples, abandoned houses, cellars, and wells—investigate them all."

"The White Lotus bronze plaque, the portrait of the Eternal Mother, scriptures, coded messages—anything related to the White Lotus Cult must not be overlooked."

"Send more people to thoroughly inspect the granaries, armories, prisoner-of-war camps, and the four city gates."

"Anyone whose identity is suspicious should be detained first, and then investigated gradually."

Wu Liang glanced at the White Lotus Sect prisoners in the courtyard.

"I will remove every single spies the White Lotus Sect has planted in Gaotang City as quickly as possible!"

Qin Hongshao clasped his hands in acceptance of the order.

"yes!"

Ye Zhiwei also turned around and went to make arrangements.

The bodies were carried away one by one.

The injured were taken to a nearby hospital.

The black-clad guards began searching house to house along the long street.

Wu Liang then looked at Mo Wanwan again.

Mo Wanwan was also staring intently at him.

Their eyes met in the darkness of the night.

Mo Wanwan thought of the Life and Death Talisman and her father, and her long-suppressed anger finally erupted.

"You scoundrel!"

"Kill me if you dare!"

"However, don't even think about using the Life and Death Talisman to control me!"

Wu Liang raised an eyebrow.

"When did I ever say I was going to place a life-or-death talisman on you?"

Stop pretending!

Mo Wanwan's eyes were bloodshot.

"You used the Life and Death Talisman to control my father, forcing him to work for you, and now you want to use the same method to control me!"

"Even if I die, I will not let you succeed!"

Wu Liang was stunned.

Her father?

Did she use the Life and Death Talisman to control her father?

A series of figures flashed through his mind.

Ye Zhiwei, Qin Hongshao, Chen Yuanshan...

None of them match.

Who's your dad?

Suddenly, a name popped into my mind.

Wu Liang stared at the exceptionally pretty and beautiful face before him, and his heart skipped a beat.

"etc."

"Your father..."

He took two steps forward.

"Who exactly is your father?"

……

……