Безопасность - Глава 13
Tang Leyan stepped forward, stretched out her palm, and gently placed it on Xiao Di's back.
In an instant, victory or defeat was decided.
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Chu Gexing withdrew his hand after playing a single note, and Tang Leyan simultaneously withdrew hers.
Xiao Di retreated, still in mid-air, his sword twirling before returning to its sheath. He caught the sword in his hand, landed, and turned around.
Chu Ge cried out "Ouch!" but no one helped him up, and he immediately fell to the ground, yelling, "It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!" He was just too unpopular.
Chu Gexing glanced at him, knowing he was alright, smiled slightly, and stepped forward.
"Your Excellency, who is this gentleman?"
"This is Xiao Di."
"Is he the top scholar's attendant?"
"Hey~~~ I can't say that, we're friends and," she glanced sideways at the cold back and smiled, "my cute, willful little brother."
Xiao Di, with his back to the two of them, snorted coldly.
"Oh... the top scholar really knows how to talk."
"That's just the truth."
"But even if he is the top scholar's own brother, how should we deal with the matter of him assassinating a court official at the Meridian Gate?" Chu Gexing smiled faintly, reaching out to examine his fingers.
"Where did the assassination claim come from?" Tang Leyan smiled nonchalantly. "My little brother simply heard that the two Lords Chu were masters of unparalleled martial arts, and couldn't resist having a match with them."
"Does the top scholar think he can get away with this by avoiding the important issues?" Chu Gexing laughed like a fox that was full but still wanted to eat more.
Tang Leyan smiled and said, "Does the Nine Gates Admiral intend to beat me up again?"
Chu Gexing said calmly, "Assassinating an official of the imperial court is a capital offense."
Chu Gexun had already gotten up from the ground, angrily patting the dirt off the ground, and walked over to Xiao Di with his knife in hand: "You brat, your martial arts are not bad."
Xiao Di didn't turn around, and coldly said, "I'm better than you."
Chu Ge was choked with anger and drew his sword, shouting, "One more time! I refuse to believe it!"
Xiao Di kept her head down, not even looking at him. Her long eyelashes drooped, and her bangs covered half of her eyes, making her look as if she were already asleep.
Her red lips parted slightly, but she said, "You'll still lose if we do it again."
Chu Ge Xun yelled, "You dare underestimate me! I'll beat you to a pulp!"
Xiao Di sneered, not even bothering to look at him.
Chu Ge Xun, like a restless flea, circled around Xiao Di.
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Only then did the court officials realize that something was amiss, and they immediately surrounded him: "What is it? Does General Huwei want to have a contest with someone?"
Who is this young man?
Why is General Huwei's hand bleeding?
"I think I tripped and fell just now..."
They all talked at once, making no sense.
Because Xiao Di's attack was too fast and Chu Gexun's response was swift, everything ended in less than a minute. Apart from a few people who were close, most of the ministers were still immersed in the heated conversation about "how the male prostitutes at Duoqing Tower were doing" and had not yet come to their senses.
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Tang Leyan watched this scene with a grin, then turned to Chu Gexing and said, "Admiral of the Nine Gates, General Huwei seems quite interested... Does this... look like an assassination attempt on a court official?"
Chu Gexing glanced at his oblivious and slow-witted younger brother and said, "Keep your people in check, or you won't be so lucky next time."
Tang Leyan smiled and bowed, holding her fan and saying, "I obey."
Chu Gexing gave a cold snort and said nothing more.
Chu Zhen stepped forward, frowning as he looked at the smiling red-clad boy in front of him.
I feel uncomfortable, really uncomfortable.
His excessively bright eyes, that familiar smile…
It's so uncomfortable.
Chu Zhen suddenly felt a surge of inexplicable anger, especially as Chu Zhen smiled more brightly, the more uncontrollable his anger became.
Why has my unwavering resolve, cultivated over more than a decade, crumbled...?
Chu Zhen shook hands, but ultimately said nothing and strode forward.
Chu Gexing followed, brushing past Tang Leyan.
Tang Leyan maintained a bowed posture throughout, waiting for the two gentlemen to pass by, her smile unwavering.
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Meanwhile, Chu Gexun, who was jumping around Xiao Di, suddenly felt his hand go empty.
With a "crash," the once perfectly fine sword suddenly shattered into a pile of shattered fragments on the ground.
Xiao Di snorted coldly, turned around, and followed Tang Leyan away.
Chu Ge Xun suddenly felt a cool chill on his neck.
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The historian of Shun Kingdom recorded: In the fourth year of Chengjia in Shun Kingdom, the martial arts champion, Lord Leyan, was so excited by his first victory and presumably due to numerous social obligations that he was late for his first audience with the emperor. He was the first champion in our dynasty to be late, a truly astonishing sight… The Commander of the Nine Gates requested permission to “exchange martial arts skills” with the champion. The two then shook hands and chatted amicably, without any resentment, standing side by side in the court, showcasing a harmonious scene among the ministers of Shun Kingdom, a true model for all officials. As for General Huwei's claim that “the champion was late because he was asleep” or the rumors circulating that “the champion dined and dashed,” these are fabrications. How could such a thing happen to the handsome and refined champion? This official absolutely refuses to believe it.
As for the terrifying sword strike at the Meridian Gate that sealed his fate, I regret to say that the historian Fang Kedao did not witness it. It wasn't until later, after Tang Leyan entered the court and met Fang Kedao, that the upright historian, who wanted to revise previous history, found himself in a situation "beyond his control." Of course, that's a story for later, and we'll leave it at that for now.
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It's past midnight! I need votes! I need votes! I need to add this to my favorites! ~~~~~~
Chapter Thirteen: Suspicion Arises
"Brother, why did that knife break by itself? You're in charge of the Nine Gates, did you use substandard products there?"
Chu Zhen, Chu Gexing, and Chu Gexun, the three uncles and nephews, went out of the Meridian Gate. Chu Gexun was puzzled and couldn't help but ask.
"Stop talking nonsense," Chu Gexing sneered. "That kid's sword is strange, and his internal energy is even stranger. If I hadn't acted in time, your arm would have been crippled, but..."
The scene at the Meridian Gate reappeared before Chu Gexing's eyes.
At that moment, Xiao Di slashed through the air with astonishing speed. Ge Xun tried to stop him, but ultimately couldn't, and was injured in the tiger's mouth, bleeding. Xiao Di's sword momentum did not diminish. If this continued, Ge Xun's knife would definitely be knocked away in pieces, and the sword would indeed pierce his heart.
Chu Gexing laughed, "Le Yan, you are truly not to be underestimated. Where did you find such a ruthless person?"
Just because I dislocated your left arm, you expect me to pay for it with my life?
He's really protective of you.
When Chu Gexing heard the faint sound coming from the knife, he knew something was wrong. He gave a slight snort and then flicked his finger lightly.
The force injected into the strike prevented Chu Gexun's sword from cracking. If Xiao Di hadn't withdrawn his sword, the force would have flowed straight through the sword and attacked Xiao Di's heart.
But……
Chu Gexing bit his lip: Leyan, is this kid that important to you?
If Tang Leyan hadn't struck Xiao Di in time, protecting his entire body with a palm strike to the back, even that light flick would have severely damaged his heart, causing him to vomit blood.
What a pity...
However, now that we're here, there must be an opportunity.
I refuse to believe... I can't kill him!
Chu Gexing chuckled softly.
Chu Ge found his brother and started talking for a while but couldn't continue. He was itching to ask more questions, but when he suddenly saw the terrifying expression on his face, he knew that this person was plotting a bloodthirsty scheme again. He felt as if he were being chilled by a winter wind and dared not ask any more questions.
Chu Gexing noticed his hesitation and glanced at him indifferently: "What, don't you understand? That kid's sword thrust was enough to shatter your precious sword. It was my flick that kept the sword from breaking for the time being. Then you carried it around and swung it around... Did you think it was made of iron? Humph."
My brother is so angry he's lost his mind... Chu Ge thought to himself: If this knife isn't made of iron, what is it made of? Is it made of gold?
Just then, Chu Zhen spoke up, "You two take your time, I have to go ahead first."
He usually had a cold and aloof demeanor, and he spoke to the two brothers in the same way. Chu Gexing and Chu Gexun did not dare to be presumptuous and bowed in unison, saying, "Uncle Zhen, please take care."
Chu Zhen nodded, stepped forward, and immediately a small black sedan chair approached. Someone lifted the curtain, and Chu Zhen bent down to enter. The sedan chair was then lifted again and drove away.
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"Uncle Zhen isn't that much older than us, so why does he look so old and gloomy? I've heard that no one has ever seen him smile. Brother, do you know why?"
"You really know how to worry. With that time, you should hurry back and practice your martial arts so you don't embarrass yourself again."
"What did I do that was shameful? I'm so heroic and extraordinary that everyone admires me. Oh, you mean today... well, the outcome is still undecided..."
"Hmph, all he does is talk big."
"Speaking of which, why didn't you help me up when I fell? Didn't you see that Xiao Di was helped up by Le Yan? Why don't you care about your little brother at all?"
"Do you think you're a woman? You're so tough, you can't possibly fall and hurt yourself. If you need help, go to the Duoqing Tower and find someone to help you."
"Brother, you're so cold to me, it hurts me."
"If you make that sound again, I'll slap you."
"His true colors are finally showing."
"I'm gonna fucking punch you!"
"How could you do this... Ah! Help... The Nine Gates Admiral is killing his own brothers!"
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The sedan chair of the First-Class Duke swayed and walked away into the distance. Behind him, at the entrance of the long street, the two brothers, the Nine Gates Admiral and Tiger General, were still having a "pleasant" chat.
Chu Zhen recalled the man in the court, his stubbornness hidden beneath his forbearance, his smiling face, and the man at the Meridian Gate, smiling without changing his expression, his mischievous and clever aura emanating from within, plus his red clothes and folding fan in his hand. At that time, he was standing next to him, watching him fight against Ge Xing. Although his martial arts were inferior to those people, Chu Zhen knew that if it weren't for his palm strike, the scene would have been different.
At that moment, his eyebrows lifted, and his resolute and heroic demeanor as he stepped forward at the last possible moment subtly stirred the image buried deep in his heart.
"How is this possible..." Chu Zhen suddenly felt a chill run down her spine for no apparent reason.
Fourteen years ago, he was young and ignorant, willful, and blinded by his emotions, which is why he couldn't recognize the woman in red who was right in front of him. Fourteen years later, he has developed a calm and capable mind. Although he wouldn't say he has a keen eye, he is at least worldly-wise and can see things more clearly. He is confident that he can still distinguish between men and women...