Chapter 652: Emperor Ling of Han's Shock
Chapter 652: Emperor Ling of Han's Shock
2017-09-25
In the city of Luoyang, He Jin was stunned by the sight of a blood-soaked army marching slowly towards the city gates, their every step exuding an aura of iron and blood.
Despite his disdain for Lu Haikong, He Jin had to admit that the army below the city walls was the most elite force he had ever seen. He had always scoffed at Lu Haikong's battle reports, thinking them to be fake, but at this moment, he believed.
The aura of blood and fire that had been tempered through countless battles was so powerful that even a butcher-turned-official like He Jin, who had been living a life of luxury and had been corrupted by wealth and power, felt a surge of excitement and wanted to join them in their battle.
However, as the excitement surged through him, He Jin managed to maintain his composure and was clear about what he needed to do at this moment.
He Jin had originally intended to embarrass Lu Haikong, but with tens of thousands of civilians present, especially in such an atmosphere, he couldn't make a scene that was too excessive. But he couldn't be too lenient either. He had to follow the rules and give Lu Haikong some sort of reception.
He Jin quickly recovered and prepared to go down to the city gates, but at that moment, his steps suddenly froze. He saw someone who shouldn't have been there...
Below the city of Luoyang, Lu Haikong led the Bloodstained Legion, activating the 'Ignited Blood Battle' with the Bloodstained Legion and slowly approached the main gate of Luoyang City.
In fact, the reason Lu Haikong's entrance was so impactful was due to the activation of the 'Ignited Blood Battle' legion trait.
This trait not only increased the overall combat strength of the Bloodstained Legion by 5 points but also exuded an aura that stirred the blood of those around them. Combined with the legion's existing aura, forged from blood and fire, it created an incredibly impressive scene.
So far, Lu Haikong was pleased with his grand entrance, but his mood quickly soured.
Just as Lu Haikong was about to lead the legion into Luoyang City, the soldiers guarding the city gates suddenly stopped him and his group.
"Local forces, without a transfer order, cannot enter the city! Get out of the way immediately!" A military officer pointed at Lu Haikong and shouted with righteous indignation.
Everyone was stunned by this turn of events, especially the civilians. They were too far from the city gates to hear what the officer was saying, but seeing Lu Haikong's group being stopped, they became upset with the guards.
Lu Haikong furrowed his brows and narrowed his eyes.
Being an outsider, he wasn't familiar with certain protocols, even after becoming successful. He hadn't expected to be stopped like this as soon as he arrived in Luoyang, especially during his grand entrance.
The situation became awkward. Lu Haikong's impressive entrance was about to become a joke if he was stopped here.
As Lu Haikong hesitated, wondering how to handle the situation, a sharp voice suddenly rang out.
"How dare you! You blind fools, don't you know who you're blocking? This is Lu Haikong, Lu Daren! Do you think you can stop him?"
As the sharp voice continued, a small eunuch ran over, shouting.
The officer who had stopped Lu Haikong was startled by the eunuch's words. He knew that the eunuch was under Zhang Rang's command and was not someone to be trifled with. However, he maintained his composure.
"I don't care who he is. This is the rule. Without an order, no one is allowed to enter the city!" The officer's face was filled with righteousness, standing firm against corruption.
Lu Haikong's eyes flashed with determination as he witnessed the officer's stance. He realized that someone was trying to give him a hard time, and he knew he had to take some measures.
Just as Lu Haikong was about to take action, a somewhat weak voice sounded from above the city walls.
"Then I shall give the order!" The voice, though weak, carried an innate air of dominance.
"Who are you?" The officer impatiently looked up, and the once-confident general became terrified.
Lu Haikong, startled, also looked up and saw a fat man in yellow dragon robes, his face flushed, being carefully assisted by He Jin's men. The fat man pointed down from the city walls.
Lu Haikong's gaze met the fat man's.
As the fat man noticed Lu Haikong's stare, his face turned even redder. Pointing at Lu Haikong, he excitedly said to those beside him, "Do you see? Do you see? This is my divine general! This is my divine general!"
At that moment, no one could understand Emperor Ling of Han's excitement. He had heard countless tales of Lu Haikong's exploits from Zhang Rang.
In Zhang Rang's repeated mentions, Emperor Ling of Han developed a keen interest in Lu Haikong. Today, the bored Emperor Ling suddenly recalled that Lu Haikong was due to arrive in Luoyang, so on a whim, he decided to bring along his eunuchs and guards to see this young general who, according to Zhang Rang, had quelled the Yellow Turban Rebellion.
In truth, before meeting Lu Haikong, Emperor Ling's interest was merely that—an interest, and this interest arose solely because Lu Haikong had ended the rebellion that had plagued him for months. Even so, he only wanted to see what kind of person Lu Haikong was.
As fate would have it, Emperor Ling's arrival coincided with the scene unfolding before him.
When the Emperor, who had spent most of his life indulging in wine and women, witnessed the iron-blooded legion, a surge of excitement and an indescribable sense of pride welled up within him.
Upon realizing that this legion belonged to him and that the leading general had helped suppress the rebels across the land, a rush of adrenaline and an overwhelming sense of pride filled his heart.
This adrenaline-pumping experience was unprecedented for Emperor Ling, and it was at this moment that Lu Haikong truly entered his gaze.
In Emperor Ling's eyes, Lu Haikong was no longer just a name or a vague, intriguing figure, but a living, breathing person who had brought him a profound sense of pride.
Emperor Ling was not a wise ruler, and his mind was not particularly cunning; one might even say he was somewhat sentimental. In this moment, subconsciously, Emperor Ling placed Lu Haikong within his inner circle.
So, when he saw Lu Haikong being stopped, he couldn't help but lean against the city wall, disregarding his image, and shouted angrily.
It was in this moment of confrontation with Lu Haikong that he felt such intense emotions.
While Emperor Ling was overwhelmed with excitement, Lu Haikong was taken aback. He hadn't expected to encounter Emperor Ling here, but he quickly regained his composure and bowed towards the Emperor on the city wall.
"Your subject, Lu Haikong, pays respects to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand years!"
In the 169th chapter of the Book of Han, there is no mistake!
Lu Haikong, an illiterate man, was unaware of the Han Dynasty's etiquette or how to address the Emperor. He had planned to study up on it once he arrived in Luoyang, but he hadn't anticipated meeting the Emperor so soon. With no other choice, Lu Haikong could only shout what he had learned from television.
As Lu Haikong finished his greeting, behind him, a thousand Bloodstained Knights simultaneously clenched their fists and bowed, "Long live the Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand years!"
This seemingly flattering phrase, when shouted by the iron-blooded legion, carried no trace of sycophancy. Instead, it was a sincere wish from the depths of their hearts.
The thousand voices of the Bloodstained Legion echoed throughout the outskirts of Luoyang.
The onlookers outside Luoyang hadn't actually seen Emperor Ling, but when they heard the enthusiastic cheers filled with fervor, they instinctively joined in.
In an instant, nearly a hundred thousand people in Luoyang's outskirts, led by Lu Haikong's Bloodstained Legion, roared in unison.
"Long live the Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand years!"
"Long live the Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand years!"
"Long live the Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand years!"
The resounding shouts, led by the Bloodstained Legion, were devoid of any sycophantic undertones.
Many didn't even realize the meaning of their words; they only felt a connection with the thousands around them as they shouted.
At that moment, without thinking about the meaning, they wanted to express their excitement and release the emotions stirred by witnessing the legion and their hero.
The enthusiasm of the crowd further amplified Emperor Ling's excitement.
Since ascending the throne, he had known he was the most exalted among millions, but he had never truly experienced the feeling of being worshipped by tens of thousands.
As an emperor, his life was mundane, and he rarely had the chance to meet so many people or hear such grand tributes.
Witnessing this scene, seeing tens of thousands paying homage to him, Emperor Ling deeply felt the honor of being an emperor for the first time.
This sensation surpassed everything he had experienced before.
Today could undoubtedly be considered the most awe-inspiring day of Emperor Ling's life.
At this moment, the ruler who had been immersed in wine and women seemed to undergo a transformation.
Whether Emperor Ling's transformation was for better or worse is uncertain, but the current situation was undoubtedly the best for Lu Haikong.
For it was Lu Haikong who had brought about this scene before Emperor Ling.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
