Patrol Captain

"Chen Yuan of Jiannan Circuit brings a severed head as a congratulatory gift!"

Outside the vermilion gate, a slightly trembling voice, as if it had mustered all its strength, distorted its tone, passed through several layers of vermilion gates, along the central hall, through the front hall, the square, and the inner courtyard hall, hovering above the Prince's Palace.

Long tables were set up along the long corridor leading to the main hall of the inner courtyard, stretching from inside the hall to outside, with guests flowing in and the scene was grand.

At this moment, ceremonial music was playing, gongs and drums were beating loudly, congratulations were endless, and the banner of the Northern Liang King was fluttering in the wind.

In the main hall of the Prince's Mansion, Prince Xiao Ye sat on the throne, wearing a python robe and exuding confidence, receiving congratulations from the envoy from Kucha in the Western Desert, while his elder brothers in the side and back seats secretly watched with envy and restraint.
The imperial envoy, Xu Liang, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, sat opposite him, drinking alone with his head down, secretly amazed by the scale of the crown prince's investiture ceremony. Almost all the powerful and noble families of Beiliang were present.

Outside the hall, in the plaza below the steps, there was an open-air banquet with long tables on both sides. At the table where Dongxuan Mountain and his group were having their banquet, Lu Yuanjun, the young master of Qingfeng Pavilion, with the demeanor of a gentle and mild gentleman, came to invite Shen Jian, Han Zhong and the others to congratulate the young master.

"Brother Shen suffered yesterday, and I am still heartbroken. Why don't you come with me to congratulate the young master and let this matter rest to avoid future trouble? It would be even better if Senior Han could come along!" The young master spoke sincerely.

The one-armed Shen Jian kept his head down, drinking in silence. Feeling the mocking gazes around him, his body trembled. He tried to get up, but a hand patted his shoulder and pressed him down. His second senior brother, Qiao Lang, glared at him coldly and spat out a single word at Lu Yuanjun.
"roll!"

Lu Yuanjun's expression changed slightly, as if she had thought of something. She chuckled, clapped her fan in her hand, turned around, and glanced sideways.

"The Primordial Lord advises you all not to act impulsively."

As he spoke, he glanced at the gloomy faces of the others and prepared to leave.

Just as he took a step, a loud voice came from outside the gate of the Prince's Mansion in the distance.

"Chen Yuan of Jiannan Circuit brings a severed head as a congratulatory gift!"

"Chen Yuan of Jiannan Circuit, bring his head."

The sound seemed to travel through a winding corridor, echoing endlessly and rising ever higher.

In that instant, the noisy congratulations vanished eerily. Many people stopped what they were doing, and gazes followed the sound, passing through the vermilion gate and the square, looking at the gate of the Prince's Mansion with surprise, doubt, and confusion.

Do you suspect you misheard?
Just then, a small black dot flew from a distance toward the inner courtyard, accompanied by a rapid whooshing sound, heading straight for the main hall.

Next second,
“ceng”

“ceng”

“ceng”

The metallic clang of swords being drawn was crisp and clear.

Before the inner hall gate, several clanging sounds of battle rang out, and more than a dozen blades shattered the flying black dot—an ebony box.

Amidst the flying sawdust, an object fell from the broken box, landed on the ground, and then rolled down the steps in front of the main hall.

"gollum"

"gollum"

This object bounced and rolled rapidly down the steps, along the red carpet, to the long table banquet below.

Finally, by sheer coincidence, it rolled to a stop about ten feet away from the feet of the young master of Qingfeng Pavilion!

At the bottom of the steps, once the guests saw what was rolling down the steps, a commotion arose, followed by the sound of them getting up in surprise and knocking over tables and chairs.

It was a head covered in blood!
The head was covered in blood, its long hair was disheveled, its eyes were wide open like copper bells, its pupils flashed with fear and resentment, blood vessels like spider webs covered the whites of its eyes, and its mouth was wide open.

Even ferocious!

He has already died!

"Heads".

"Damn it, who dares to be so bold?"

"."

The guests were horrified. Who was so bold as to give such a gift on such an important occasion? Did they have a death wish?
There was an uproar.

In front of where the head stopped, Lu Yuanjun, the young master of Qingfeng Pavilion, stared at the head. The slight smile on his lips froze, and his pupils widened suddenly.

"uncle!"

He recognized the owner of the head as his uncle, Lu Jiang, who was stationed in the Northern Liang Garrison.

This uncle held an important position in the Northern Liang Commandery, serving as a commander. He also held a pivotal position in the Lu family. Half a year ago, he was transferred by the court to support the Shu region. How could he have died here?
Lu Yuanjun's heart was filled with turmoil. In front of the inner hall, the clanging of armor clashing rang out. A large number of Northern Liang soldiers wearing heavy black armor quickly moved out and guarded the hall in layers. Swords and spears were like a forest, their cold light gleaming.

Inside the main hall, the ceremonial music ceased.

Hearing the commotion outside, some people frowned in surprise, but didn't take it to heart. They thought to themselves, "Those who can sit in the main hall are all powerful figures. What trouble could possibly happen?"
I was even wondering, who exactly is Chen Yuan from Jiannan Circuit?

Among them was the newly enthroned Crown Prince Xiao Ye, who was enjoying the height of his life when he was abruptly interrupted. He frowned and looked out of the palace with murderous intent.

But soon, the sound of a wine glass shattering suddenly rang out in the hall, like a silver bottle breaking and water gushing out, instantly stirring up the atmosphere in the hall.

Several officials from the royal palace and several generals from the Northern Liang army stood up abruptly, their eyes fixed intently on the outside of the hall.

This commotion surprised everyone else in the hall.

They saw Yan Sun with his wine cup on the ground, and their expressions showed surprise upon discovering this chief secretary of the Prince's mansion.

The generals of the Prince's Mansion all stood up, their faces solemn, and their powerful Musashi aura burst forth like swords drawn from their sheaths, ready for battle as if facing a formidable enemy!
What made everyone's faces change color the most was that the prince, who sat on the throne with an imposing and domineering presence, also stood up, his eyes gleaming with a piercing light as he stared intently at the gate of the palace outside the hall.

This caused a stir among everyone in the hall. They stood up and focused their gaze on the distant vermilion gate. The oppressive atmosphere made everyone hold their breath!

All this happened in a flash.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the clanging sound of armor clashing against each other echoed from outside the vermilion gates of the Prince's mansion.

Soon, a flash of armor light appeared, and a group of black-armored warriors retreated from outside the gate, taking one step back at a time.

Hundreds of elite Northern Liang soldiers, who had fought fiercely on the battlefields of the Western Regions, now seemed to be terrified, their faces filled with fear, and they kept retreating.

It seemed like there was something ahead that terrified them!
Slowly, amidst the clash of swords and spears, and through the vermilion gates, a tall figure stepped into the Prince's mansion!
He stood tall and imposing in a white robe, his eyebrows like swords with a gold line between them, and his eyes like specks of gold lacquer!

One person, bearing the weight of hundreds of soldiers and armor, walked leisurely through the crowd's sights as if strolling in a garden.

Behind them, a man and a woman followed on either side. Under the intense gazes of the onlookers, the two could not hide their panic, but they tried their best to remain calm, holding their heads high, chests out, and gripping their swords tightly.

These two are none other than Chu Yu and Qiong Le, the senior and junior siblings!
This was the first time the two of them had ever witnessed such a grand scene, especially one involving a disturbance at the Northern Liang Prince's residence. How could they not panic? But thinking of the person who had come with them, they couldn't tarnish the reputation of their senior!

As the trio made their grand entrance, countless gazes converged, with scrutinizing, surprised, and strange looks shining forth.

Someone recognized the two disciples from Dongxuan Mountain!
Especially their master, Han Zhong, whose pupils shrank drastically when he saw his two disciples appear in this scene, and his eyes almost went black.

How did they end up here and get involved?
"Master, it's Third Senior Brother and Fifth Junior Sister!" Second Senior Brother Qiao Lang exclaimed urgently, his face turning pale, a stark contrast to his usual rugged appearance.

He knew exactly what kind of occasion this was.

Moreover, what happened yesterday has put them in a very difficult position.

The appearance of the junior brothers and sisters at this moment is like adding fuel to the fire!
This is a matter of life and death!

"Old Han, what exactly is going on?" Elder Qi was completely bewildered, losing all his elder's dignity and looking terrified.

"Who is that young man?" This was a question not only he wanted to ask, but also many prominent families and elders present on the periphery.

This place is located in Beiliang. Chen Yuan is famous throughout the world, but people only hear about him through rumors. How many people have actually seen him with their own eyes?
His fame spread far and wide, but he still needed to be addressed with a respectful title; who would dare to call him by his real name?

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the trio stepped on the scarlet carpet, moving step by step through the forest and courtyard. More and more soldiers and armored figures appeared in front of them as they retreated, but no one dared to make a move.

The atmosphere became eerie!
It was as if a formidable enemy was imminent!

Even the most clueless observers could see through the charade.

Soon, the many onlookers witnessed a shocking scene: a series of figures flew out of the inner hall with a whooshing sound.

The officials of the Prince's Palace, dressed in various official robes, stood in two neat rows on the square, with Yan Sun, the Right Chief Secretary, at the head.

His gaze sharpened, and he loudly waved away hundreds and thousands of elite armored soldiers.

"Get out!"

"An angel has come; how dare you stand in his way!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the soldiers and armor parted like a tide, automatically clearing a path!
Then, under the shocked gazes of the onlookers on both sides, the chief secretary of the prince's residence led the officials in bowing deeply to the white-robed youth approaching from the opposite side.

"Welcome, Imperial Envoy! The arrival of the Martial Saint himself is an honor to our royal residence!"

Yan Sun lowered his head, bowed almost ninety degrees, and spoke in a loud voice, showing great courtesy.

Whether in name or based on the other party's strength.

In name, Chen Yuan was officially appointed by the imperial court as the Imperial Inspector in charge of the three southwestern circuits, and Northern Liang was within his jurisdiction.

In terms of strength, he is universally recognized as a martial saint, and his glorious achievements have made him untouchable.

The moment that sound came out, everyone present was astonished!

Like a thunderclap from a clear sky, the onlookers erupted in uproar.

All officials in the royal palace had to bow their heads in greeting, including the Imperial Envoy, the Martial Saint, the Jiannan Circuit Intendant, and Chen Yuan.
One by one, these people, even those who don't understand, are no longer worthy of sitting at this table. Their hearts were in turmoil, and they dared not look directly at him, lowering their eyelids. Wherever this Martial Saint passed, the spectators all stood up.

What a joke! The Martial Saint himself is here, and all the officials in the royal palace are bowing to welcome him. Are you sitting here to make a fool of yourself?
At this moment, as Yan Sun waited with his head bowed, a pair of feet stopped in front of him. A faint aura made Yan Sun feel his whole body tense up, as if his whole body had been seen through. This feeling left him with no power to resist.

Immediately afterwards, a light, airy voice reached his ears.

"I haven't served as a patrol envoy for a long time, so there's no need for such formalities!"

"I, Chen, have come today to celebrate your young master's death."

"Of course, it's not free!"

He chuckled softly as he spoke.

Then Yan Sun saw this Martial Saint disappear from his sight.

He quickly raised his head and hurriedly turned around.

Chen Yuan then leaped dozens of feet in one step, appearing directly beside Lu Yuanjun, the young master of Qingfeng Pavilion.

Because this young master had concealed the head of his uncle, Lu Jiang, which was a "small gift" prepared by Chen Yuan.

"Do you know him?" Chen Yuan asked, his hands behind his back and his gaze shifting to the side.

With just that one sidelong glance, the elegant-looking young master turned pale and stood there dumbfounded. He never imagined that his uncle's death would involve such a powerful figure.

"I don't know him!"

As if he had been tainted by something dirty, Lu Yuanjun quickly threw the collected Lu Jiang's head to the ground.

"Boom"

The blood-soaked, wide-open, angry head rolled to the ground again.

Then, Chen Yuan's next sentence sent a chill down the young master's spine, and his whole body froze.

“Pick it up. This is my congratulatory gift. Who told you to throw it away?”

Lu Yuanjun could no longer maintain her gentle and refined demeanor. She quickly did as she was told, squatting down and retracting her uncle Lu Jiang's head. At the same time, she felt an unknown fear for being a member of the Lu family.

I don't know how my uncle offended such a person.

"Sir, please put it away!" He lowered his head, cradling his tucked-in head in his hands, like a timid little chick.

"Not bad!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yuanjun was overjoyed, but the next second, Chen Yuan's words sent him plummeting from heaven to hell.

"Help me send it up as a congratulatory gift to the newly established heir of Northern Liang."

Lu Yuanjun's face flushed and paled in anguish.

"grown ups."

Chen Yuan grunted "Hmm?" and with a flick of his hand, Lu Yuanjun was restrained by a powerful force and sent flying like a human courier towards the inner palace, which was wrapped up in layers.

A gasp of surprise came from inside the inner hall.

At that moment, Chen Yuan glanced to the side behind him and saw the pair of senior and junior disciples following behind him, their lips moving slightly, their expressions rich and varied.

On the seats next to them, their master, senior brothers, and fellow disciples were all looking anxious and secretly communicating with each other.

Chen Yuan glanced sideways, and their master and fellow disciples' eyelids twitched. They quickly lowered their heads, clasped their hands, and bowed.

"See senior!"

"You two should stay with your master!"

After saying that, Chen Yuan put his hands behind his back, leaped up the stairs, his sleeves fluttering, and rushed straight into the inner hall.

Then, the soldiers in front of the inner palace automatically parted and did not obstruct them.

And so, Chen Yuan stepped into the inner hall in full view of everyone.

Upon closer inspection, directly opposite, stood Xiao Zhongtian, the King of Northern Liang, dressed in a black python robe, on his throne.

The gold paint in Chen Yuan's eyes gleamed.

This prince has a pair of slanted eyes, and his royal aura is imposing without anger. He also carries the murderous aura of many years of battlefield experience. He has the majesty of a king, and the golden light behind him indicates that he is blessed with good fortune!
interesting!
A smile appeared on Chen Yuan's lips as he looked away. At the same time, he spotted an acquaintance in the hall.

Seated in the first position on the lower right of the throne was a middle-aged man with graying temples, wearing a scarlet official robe.

Xu Liang, Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices!
As he strolled into the main hall and casually looked around, everyone inside sensed that this Martial Saint General was up to no good, and their expressions involuntarily tightened.

The atmosphere became incredibly quiet for a moment! (End of Chapter)