Chapter 221: Xue Lu, Deserved Death!
Translator: KurazyTolanzuraytor Editor: Lucas
The Embroidered Uniform Guards were bound to shock the entire Imperial City tonight.
It had only been a few days since his majesty the Emperor of the Crimson Sky Kingdom passed down the decree to establish the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard had already killed the City Guard Army’s Commander, Xue Lu.
The actions of the Embroidered Uniform Guard caused many people in the Imperial City to tremble with fear, and practically all these people had grudges with Duan Ling Tian.
Third Prince’s Estate
Bang!
Within the building at the center of the lake, the expression of Third Prince, who’d just received a report from his servant, went gloomy. He threw the wine cup in his hand to shatter on the ground, causing some of the young geniuses to be unable to restrain themselves from shaking with fright.
"Everyone, the gathering today is over. We’ll gather again another time." Third Prince took a deep breath and spoke to see off his guests.
After all the young geniuses present left, Third Prince’s eyes flashed with an awe-inspiring coldness. "Since I’m already like fire and water with him, then I don’t have to hold back. I must destroy his arrogant air…Go make preparations, I want to enter the palace and see my Imperial Father first thing tomorrow!"
"Yes." The servant accepted the orders then left.
"Duan Ling Tian, do you really think that achieving a small meritorious service allows you to act in an unbridled manner? I really want to see how my Imperial Father will punish you!" Third Price’s incomparably cold voice seemed like it came from the depths of hell.
Fifth Prince’s Estate
Within the pergola, the white-browed old man was respectfully reporting to the Fifth Prince about the matter that was spread and gave rise to much discussion in the Imperial City.
"What? Duan Ling Tian actually brought along his subordinate Embroidered Uniform Guards and killed Xue Lu?" Fifth Prince was startled by this news, then his face sank. "He really hesitates for nothing and is unscrupulous!"
"Your highness, I heard that the one who carried out the deed was one of his subordinate Embroidered Uniform Guards. That Embroidered Uniform Guard ought to be an existence at the ninth level of the Nascent Soul Stage." Slight fear was contained within the white-browed old man’s tone.
"Looks like the Divine Might Marquis is still concerned about the friendship he had with Duan Ru Feng all those years ago…and actually went to such great lengths to send a ninth level Nascent Soul Stage martial artist for Duan Ling Tian to order about." Fifth Prince’s eyes flickered with coldness, and his tone was depressed and low.
"Your highness, what should we do now?" The white-browed old man asked.
The Fifth Prince flicked his sleeve and said, with cold and indifferent voice, "Hmph! Now we don’t have to do anything. I’ll go to the palace to see my Imperial Father tomorrow. This Duan Ling Tian’s really too audacious, actually even daring to kill the City Guard Army’s Commander….Tomorrow, my Imperial Father will dismiss him from his post as the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!"
"Your Highness is wise." The white-browed old man nodded.
Prime Minister’s Estate.
Gu You Ting sat before the stone table in the front courtyard as he savoured the fragrant tea with a tranquil mind.
Before long, a hurried figure whistled in and said, in a respectful voice, "Lord Prime Minister, the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Duan Ling Tian, took along his subordinate Embroidered Uniform Guards and killed the City Guard Army Commander, Xue Lu!"
"Xue Lu?" Gu You Tong brows raised. "Just a boorish fellow….However, this Xue Lu’s father isn’t simple."
As he muttered, a trace of a gloomy brilliance flashed within Gu You Ting’s eyes.
The next day, Duan Ling Tian had only just arrived at the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s residence when he was summoned into the Imperial Palace.
It was still the same resplendent palace from before, and Duan Ling Tian walked in with large strides. He noticed that besides the Emperor, who sat on the imperial throne, and Prime Minister Gu You Ting, who stood beside him, there still stood two people nearby.
These two people weren’t unfamiliar to Duan Ling Tian.
Third Prince, Fifth Prince!
Although he’d guessed that the Emperor summoning him was about the matter from yesterday, he never thought that the Third Prince and the Fifth Prince, who were usually in conflict, would actually tacitly unite for the sake of him.
Looks like his face was rather outstanding.
"Your Majesty." Duan Ling Tian looked at the Emperor and lightly nodded.
"Presumptuous!" Third Prince’s and Fifth Prince’s faces went gloomy as they berated.
"Presumptuous?" Duan Ling Tian looked at the two of them and smiled indifferently. "Princes, I wonder how I am presumptuous."
"Duan Ling Tian, you didn’t kneel when you saw his majesty the Emperor. Is this not presumptuous?" Third Prince asked, in a deep voice.
"Not kneeling when you see his majesty the Emperor is a crime of great disrespect! Duan Ling Tian, do you know your crime?" The Fifth Prince added insult to injury.
Duan Ling Tian didn’t even pay any attention to what the two said and instead looked at the Emperor.
"Alright, you two brothers, that’s enough." The Emperor spoke out.
"Imperial Father!" The Third Prince and Fifth Prince were both stupefied, and looked at the Emperor with a puzzled expression.
The Emperor said indifferently, "I’ve already promised Commander Duan that he’s exempt from kneeling when he sees me in the future….You two don’t have to make a fuss about nothing."
Exempt from kneeling?
Third Prince’s and Fifth Prince’s pupils constricted and they both had astounded expressions.
They never imagined that their Imperial Father would treat Duan Ling Tian so generously….
However, when they thought about Duan Ling Tian’s deeds yesterday, their hearts calmed.
As far as they were concerned, just the incident yesterday was sufficient to cause Duan Ling Tian to fall from heaven into hell and forever be unable to rise again!
"Alright, now that Commander Duan is here, what do you two have to say?" The Emperor looked at Third Prince and Fifth Prince and asked indifferently.
"Imperial Father, this Duan Ling Tian obtained your favour and was even conferred as the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard by you. He should make an example of himself and serve my Imperial Family….But unexpectedly, at dawn yesterday, he actually lost all judgment to the point that he forced entry into the City Guard Army’s campsite and killed Commander Xue Lu!" Third Prince had a face full of anger. "Imperial Father, Commander Xue Lu was a pillar of our kingdom; however, he died in the hands of this ignorant kid. I hope Imperial Father will uphold justice for Commander Xue Lu!"
"Yes, Imperial Father! Duan Ling Tian killing Commander Xue Lu is a heinous crime. I hope that Imperial Father will dismiss him from his post as Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and heavily punish him as a warning against others." The Fifth Prince joined in and pleaded as well.
From beginning till the end, Duan Ling Tian had a carefree expression, as if he didn’t care about what was happening before him.
And in actuality, Duan Ling Tian indeed didn’t care about what was happening, as to him, this was all just a farce!
"Commander Duan, what’s this about?" The Emperor’s gaze descended onto Duan Ling Tian.
Duan Ling Tian understood the moment he saw the Emperor’s calm gaze that the Emperor absolutely didn’t just find out about the matter and probably had found out last night. Now he was just putting on an act before the Third and Fifth Princes.
The Emperor’s gaze seemed to have a trace of meaning mixed within.
Duan Ling Tian saw through what this trace of meaning meant, and it was that the Emperor hoped that Duan Ling Tian would give him a way to extricate himself….
Although for the sake of him being the only one capable of refining the poison removal pill, it would be impossible for the Emperor to punish him, but the Emperor was the Emperor after all, and he possessed supreme dignity. Now the Emperor required a way to extricate himself.
"Your majesty." Duan Ling Tian gave the Emperor a gaze that said he understood, then slowly said, "The differences between me and Xue Lu all arose because of his son, Xue Lang. I presume your majesty has heard of it….However, your majesty doesn’t know that nearly five months ago, during the journey I followed the Crimson Wyrm Army to leave the Imperial City and head to the northwest border, someone wished to kill me!"
"You can imagine how if that person was successful, then I’d be unable to cooperate with the border army and the Crimson Wyrm Army to capture the Southern Barbaric City and spread the might of my Crimson Sky Kingdom!" Duan Ling Tian said, with a clear voice.
"There was still such an incident?" The Emperor’s face sank. "Do you know who it was?"
Duan Ling Tian nodded. "This is exactly what I want to say next…That person was a member of the City Guard Army, who was acting under the orders of the City Guard Army Commander, Xue Lu, to sneak into the Crimson Wyrm Army with a desire to kill me on the way, and take revenge for his son!"
"Nonsense!"
"Bullsh*t!"
Third Prince and Fifth Prince spoke at almost the same instant.
However, under the dignified gaze of the Emperor, they both shut their mouths.
"Continue." The Emperor looked at Duan Ling Tian.
Duan Ling Tian nodded, "Your majesty, I know that the two princes suspect that what I speak of isn’t true…But this matter is something Commander Xue Lu admitted himself yesterday at the City Guard Army campsite. I originally didn’t intend to do anything to him, and only wanted him to pay a small compensation. This isn’t too much, right?"
"However, that Xue Lu didn’t appreciate my kindness; he threatened to kill me and the Embroidered Uniform Guards under my command…. All this is something the thousands of soldiers within the City Guard Army campsite heard with their own ears. If the two princes don’t believe it, feel free to investigate." As Duan Ling Tian finished speaking, he looked at the Third Prince and Fifth Prince.
Their faces instantly sank.
Duan Ling Tian continued. "In the end, for the sake of self-preservation, I could only order the Embroidered Uniform Guards under my command to kill Xue Lu before he killed me…otherwise, the one that died would’ve been me and my Embroidered Uniform Guards. I hope your Majesty understands."
The Emperor nodded.
"Imperial Father!" Right at this moment, a clear and melodious voice that was pleasing to the ear sounded, then a drop dead gorgeous figure walked swiftly over under the escort of palace maids.
This was a young girl with a peerless appearance that caused one to be unable to restrain oneself from being lost within her beauty with just a glance.
"Princess Bi Yao." Duan Ling Tian was slightly surprised, as he’d never thought that he would meet Princess Bi Yao here.
"Bi Yao, you seem to be in such a hurry….Do you have some urgent matter?" The Emperor’s face revealed a trace of amiableness when he saw Bi Yao, this was something that wasn’t present when he faced Third Prince and Fifth Prince, and it was sufficient to show how much he doted upon this daughter of his.
"Imperial Father, I heard you’re going to punish Commander Duan, right? Imperial Father, can you not punish Commander Duan? He wouldn’t kill another without a reason." Princess Bi Yao was slightly short of breath as she spoke.
Instantly, everyone present was stunned.
As no one had expected that Princess Bi Yao coming over in such a hurry was actually to plead on behalf of Duan Ling Tian.
Third Prince and Fifth Prince’s expression was incomparably gloomy.
As for the Emperor, he glanced at Duan Ling Tian deeply. As he was an experienced person, he was able to discern that his daughter ought to have secretly fallen for this youth of similar age. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have forcefully entered the throne room.
"Bi Yao, who said that Imperial Father is going to punish Commander Duan?" The Emperor shook his head with a smile. "Commander Duan’s already explained earlier, he isn’t in the wrong in this matter, it’s the fault of the City Guard Army Commander, Xue Lu….Xue Lu, deserved death!"
Third Prince and Fifth Prince knew that they’d wasted their time today when they heard what the Emperor said.
Princess Bi Yao’s beautiful face flushed bright red when she heard what the Emperor said, as she never thought that the outcome of her rushing over here would be like this.
So it turned out that even if she didn’t come, Duan Ling Tian would’ve been fine.
For a moment, she was embarrassed to the point that she felt too ashamed to show her face.
"You two!" The Emperor’s gaze quickly moved onto the Third Prince and Fifth Prince, and he said coldly, "Next time, don’t disturb me before you’ve investigated the matter clearly!"