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Chapter 814: Fury
Chapter 814: Fury
September 25th, 2017
Within Luoyang City, the news of Lu Hai Kong's potential collusion with some rebels to instigate a civil uprising and open the city gates had spread, causing unease among the ministers.
Despite He Jin's implementation of a city-wide lockdown and initiation of a large-scale purge, the ministers remained anxious.
The ministers' perception of Lu Hai Kong had undergone a significant transformation in just a few days.
From initially viewing Lu Hai Kong's strength as a reckless act, they now perceived him as a formidable threat. Some even suggested that if He Jin's strategy failed, they should appeal to the Han Ling Emperor to dispatch troops from the regions to capture Lu Hai Kong. In just a few days, such a dramatic shift in sentiment was indicative of the immense pressure Lu Hai Kong's actions had placed on the ministers.
This was due to two primary factors: Lu Hai Kong's formidable military prowess and his background as a mountain bandit.
The ministers felt that someone with a bandit background couldn't be on the same level as them. Once Lu Hai Kong entered the city, they believed he would go on a killing spree, and even those who impeached him would likely face misfortune.
However, not all ministers advocated for immediate confrontation with Lu Hai Kong. Some believed that He Jin should be used to appease Lu Hai Kong. These ministers had their own interests at heart, but given the current situation, no one dared to voice alternative opinions. Everyone could see that the Han Ling Emperor deeply resented Lu Hai Kong.
So, regardless of their stance on Lu Hai Kong, the ministers unanimously agreed to close their study doors and watch He Jin's performance, at least for now, as he remained the protagonist.
What they didn't know was that He Jin had been manipulated from the very beginning.
He had been a mere pawn in someone's hands, from the initial plot to assassinate Lu Hai Kong to the current city lockdown.
Every move He Jin made, which he believed to be in his own interest, actually benefited someone else entirely.
In Luoyang City, the same commoner and the man in the black robe met once again, but this time with less composure and more tension.
"How are your preparations coming along?" the man in the black robe asked directly.
"Thanks to Lu Hai Kong's blessings, everything is going smoothly," the commoner replied. "The city is under lockdown, and even the Imperial Guard has joined the operation. Currently, the Imperial Guard within the palace is less than half of its usual strength, and they're all stationed on the palace's periphery. Additionally, Dong Zhuo is on his way here and will arrive within two days."
"So, we're all set?" the man in the black robe asked excitedly.
"My side is ready. What about your preparations for entering the palace?"
"It's all taken care of. When should we act? Now?" the man in the black robe asked eagerly.
"Not yet. The lockdown has just begun, and we're in the most tense state. Let's wait for a day, and tomorrow night, we'll make our move," the commoner replied without hesitation.
"Alright!" The man in the black robe exclaimed, "By the way, should we spare Lu Hai Kong when the time comes? After all, he nearly got assassinated for our cause, lost his wife, and even killed all his trusted followers in Luoyang City. We should give him some consolation."
"Forget it, no need for such cruel humor," the commoner said with exasperation.
"Can't help it. He's the first outsider, and seeing such a high and mighty figure, I just want to play with him," the man in the black robe pouted.
"From your status, you're also high and mighty. Forget about Lu Hai Kong. He's just a pawn to us. Once used, we can discard him. Go back and prepare well. Tomorrow's matter cannot afford any mistakes!"
"Don't worry, it won't happen!"
After nodding to each other, the two men turned and left.
In the Imperial Palace, the Han Ling Emperor had been unable to sleep since receiving He Jin's report. This was nearly unimaginable for him.
His health had never been robust, especially in recent times, with his emotions fluctuating wildly. His mental state had deteriorated significantly, and his physical condition was weaker than before. Logically, he should be able to fall asleep as soon as he lay down, but at this moment, he couldn't sleep.
In truth, the Han Ling Emperor's feelings had changed since learning of Lu Hai Kong's arrival at the city gates.
His initial rage had subsided after a few days of reflection, and he had been sorting through the recent events in his mind.
Deep down, he knew he was at fault in this matter, but he was unwilling to admit it.
On one hand, he was anxious and restless, fearing death. On the other hand, he was also contemplating the last thing he wanted to do, and the mess Lu HaiKong had made of it, or rather, the mess he himself had created.
No matter how much he wanted to give up, the shattered pieces of the broken jar still lay scattered on the ground. Even if he tried to ignore them, the sharp fragments were still there, piercing his feet as he stepped on them, leaving his feet bloody.
As he came to his senses and looked at the sharp fragments on the ground, and the blood on his feet, Han Lingdi sometimes wondered if things would have been better if everything could be turned back to before it all happened.
The answer was undoubtedly yes. If everything could be rewound, Han Lingdi felt that perhaps he could have resolved Lu HaiKong's issue in a more perfect manner, and maybe none of this would have happened.
He wouldn't have to fear Lu HaiKong's return, killing him and taking his short life. Perhaps he could have lived a few more years, even if his original plan didn't go as smoothly as he hoped, and he could have passed on his throne to his young son.
Everything would have been wonderful, but as Han Lingdi emerged from his fantasy, he bitterly realized his regret. To put it more clearly, Han Lingdi knew he had made a mistake.
But the most tragic part about people is not that they can't recognize their mistakes, but that even when they know they are at fault, they can't turn back," Han Lingdi thought to himself. He was well aware that he had made a mistake in this matter, but he couldn't turn back, had no way to turn back, and even less willing to do so.
He was the Emperor, the master of the Great Han. In this world, everyone could make mistakes, but not him. He never had to bow his head like others.
In the 69th book, he read it without a single mistake!
He spoke to himself in a proud tone, pushing himself step by step towards the abyss.
...
Outside Luoyang City, about a mile from Lu HaiKong's military camp, a small figure staggered forward.
This little guy seemed to be severely injured. Although he had received some basic bandaging, it was of little use.
His stamina had been almost entirely depleted after escaping the city, and he had relied on sheer willpower to make it this far.
This little guy was none other than the beggar Lu HaiKong had met before. In reality, the beggar's skills weren't so poor that he would be in such a sorry state, but he had exposed himself trying to snatch the token from those soldiers, and although he managed to escape their grasp, he was slashed by their blade, suffering a severe injury.
In fact, the token the little guy fought so desperately for was merely a proof of Lu HaiKong's identity.
Lu HaiKong's organization in Luoyang was a scattered one, even including some scattered members of the Outsider families. Lu HaiKong had given that token to Xu Li, intending it for the scattered members of the Outsider families. Even if this token is lost, it's not a big deal."
But this was just Lu HaiKong's perspective. Neither Xu Li nor the beggar cared much for it; in their eyes, this token represented Lu HaiKong himself.
So, even knowing the danger, Xu Li first hid the token, and the beggar, aware of the risk, still charged forward to retrieve it.
Lu HaiKong never imagined that one day, he would lose two loyal subordinates over a token.
Yes, two. Although the beggar had escaped, and he had nearly reached the outskirts of Lu HaiKong's camp, he eventually collapsed.
When Lu HaiKong saw the bloodstained token and the beggar lying in a pool of blood, he fell silent for a long time.
This beggar had been recommended to Lu HaiKong several times by Chen Ping, and Lu HaiKong had taken a liking to him. This little guy had high-level talent, just a step away from the top-tier. Although Lu HaiKong had only met him once, he had taken a liking to him and intended to cultivate him in Bingzhou. But he never expected the beggar to die so soon.
In front of the beggar's corpse, Lu HaiKong stood speechless for a long time. Finally, he ordered the body to be cremated, and the ashes brought back to Bingzhou before turning to leave.
But in that moment of turning, his eyes clearly revealed a chilling murderous intent.
(End of Chapter)
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