The Young Swordsman of Dalu

Inside Wenxian Pavilion, Li Chaoyang received messages from Wen Fei sent by carrier pigeon from the Western Regions.

"That Bulu is a shameless bastard!" Li Chaoyang cursed after reading the message.

"What's wrong?" Nangong Xun asked.

Li Chaoyang handed the message to Nangong Xun. After reading it, Nangong Xun said, "I knew this matter wasn't that simple. It seems that Na Bulu wants to follow in his father's footsteps!"

“It seems he has been planning this for a long time. The Western Regions have always been eyeing our Great Lu Kingdom. We have underestimated him!” Li Chaoyang said.

“Wenfei and Miss Wei wrote in their letter that they are going to the northern desert,” Nangong Xun said.

"The most important thing now is whether our Emperor can strategize effectively," Li Chaoyang said worriedly.

"News keeps coming from the palace that the emperor's condition has worsened and he may not make it through the winter," Nangong Xun said.

"These are truly turbulent times!" Li Chaoyang said.

Panic gripped the royal palace of the Great Lu Kingdom. Since the fall of Pingcheng on the northeastern border, Zhou Muyao had been consumed by anxiety and his already frail health had deteriorated further, leaving him bedridden. The court officials were all worried about whether the emperor's health could withstand this ordeal.

The old imperial physician Liang had no choice but to live in the palace for a long time, serving the emperor at all times.

Crown Prince Zhou Shiyao was worried that the emperor might suddenly die, and he was unable to control the old ministers in the court. He was also uneasy and prayed to the emperor for a speedy recovery.

Knowing that his days were numbered, Zhou Muyao summoned the court officials to his bedchamber while he was still relatively lucid. He saw the officials kneeling before his bed and glanced at Crown Prince Zhou Shiyao kneeling there, and couldn't help but feel sad.

“My days are numbered. I have summoned all my beloved ministers here today to make arrangements for what will happen after my death,” Zhou Muyao coughed.

"Long live the Emperor!" the ministers cried, prostrating themselves on the ground.

"I am but a mortal being, and I will pass away sooner or later. Please don't be sad for me," Zhou Muyao said.

"Father! Your son can't bear to part with you!" Zhou Shiyao collapsed to the ground in tears.

"My child, you must be strong. After your father is gone, you must learn to face all of this alone!" Zhou Muyao said. "My beloved ministers, after I am gone, I hope you can assist the Crown Prince as you have assisted me. The current situation is unfavorable to our Great Lu Kingdom. I hope you can unite and stand together against external forces! Our Great Lu Kingdom will surely stand strong! I entrust this to you all!" Zhou Muyao said.

"Your Majesty! Your subjects obey the decree! We will do our best to assist Your Highness and help our Great Lu Kingdom overcome this difficult time!" the ministers said.

"With you assisting the Crown Prince, I am at ease!" Zhou Muyao coughed violently again.

The old imperial physician Liang stepped forward to examine the emperor's condition. After taking his pulse, he shook his head in disappointment.

"Imperial Physician Liang! How is Father's illness?" Zhou Shiyao asked.

"Your Highness! This old minister is powerless to help." The old imperial physician Liang knelt on the ground.

Zhou Shiyao knelt down beside Zhou Muyao's bed and wept bitterly. Zhou Muyao stroked Zhou Shiyao's head and said, "Child, don't be sad. I entrust the heavy responsibility of the Great Lu Kingdom to you. You must shoulder it!"

"Father, I would rather you live than have anything else!" Zhou Shiyao said, weeping.

"I should rest now! But before I leave, there is one thing I can't let go of," Zhou Muyao said.

"What is it, Father?" Zhou Shiyao asked.

“Your uncle Zhou Moyao is currently in Huangling. He has never been a peaceful person. I have let him off the hook many times because of our brotherly bond. If he is still restless after I arrive, then you don’t need to worry about our kinship anymore,” Zhou Moyao said.

"Did Father hear something?" Zhou Shiyao asked.

“These past few days I’ve had my imperial spies keep a close eye on your uncle. He’s indeed restless, still plotting to join forces with outsiders to seize the throne. So after I’m gone, you don’t need to hold back; you must strike first,” Zhou Muyao said.

“Your subject has remembered everything,” Zhou Shiyao said.

"You may leave! I need to rest." Zhou Muyao closed his eyes.

The following day, Emperor Zhou Muyao of the Great Lu Kingdom passed away peacefully, and Crown Prince Zhou Shiyao subsequently ascended the throne, becoming the third emperor of the Great Lu Kingdom after its founding.

The passing of Zhou Muyao cast a pall of grief over the State of Lu, and the combined internal and external troubles pushed the people of Lu to the brink of misery once again.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Zhou Muyao, you finally couldn't outlast me! It's time for me to show my skills!" Zhou Muyao laughed loudly in Huangling without any restraint.

"Father, when shall we proceed?" asked Zhou Shilin, Zhou Moyao's eldest son.

"No rush! Let's wait for news from the Western Regions. Kid, the Great Lu Kingdom will soon be ours." Zhou Moyao said arrogantly.

“Congratulations, Father!” Zhou Shilin said.

Li Chaoyang felt uneasy when he learned of Zhou Muyao's passing. Although the Zhou family father and son were very wary of him, he, Li Chaoyang, could not stay in Wenxian Pavilion so leisurely without their tacit permission.

Li Chaoyang still set up a mourning hall in the main hall of Wenxian Pavilion and kept vigil for Zhou Muyao for three days to express his respect for this emperor of the Great Lu Kingdom.

Li Chaoyang was still worried that the Western Regions would take the opportunity to launch a large-scale attack on the Great Lu Kingdom. A letter came from the front that General Chai Gu was still on his way, and General Wei Qiao had just arrived outside Pingcheng and set up camp, waiting to fight the Western Regions army.

Shangguan Xingyun took a walk on the streets of Pingcheng and heard the news of the death of the Emperor of Da Lu. She also learned that General Wei Qiao had already stationed troops outside Pingcheng.

She immediately returned to the valley and told Yin Shuo and his soldiers the news of the emperor's death. Upon hearing this, everyone kowtowed and wept in the south, and Shangguan Xingyun also shed tears.

Yin Shuo felt a pang of sadness looking at the few remaining soldiers.

"It's all my fault for being an incompetent commander, causing so many brothers to die on the battlefield!"

"General Yin, you have done very well! General Wei Qiao has already led the vanguard to set up camp outside Pingcheng," Shangguan Xingyun said.

"Really?" Yin Shuo asked.

“Absolutely true!” Shangguan Xingyun said.

“Let’s go to General Wei Qiao and tell him about the situation here,” Yin Shuo said.

"General Wei is here! That's wonderful!" the soldiers exclaimed happily.

"Brothers, let's go find General Wei!" Yin Shuo waved his hand and led the remaining soldiers toward Wei Qiao's army.

Inside General Wei Qiao's camp, General Wei Qiao said sadly in his tent, "I never expected His Majesty to leave so soon. He didn't even get to hear the news of our great victory."

"General, we desperately need a great victory to boost the morale of our soldiers."

"Yes, General! We should turn our grief into strength and win a victory!"

"Good! You are all outstanding soldiers. Let's all contribute our ideas and strive to win a battle to boost the morale of our troops," Wei Qiao said.

Inside the military tent, everyone pooled their wisdom and efforts, for a major battle was imminent.