Chapter 475 Two Heads
Two red suns slowly rose over the eastern horizon in succession.
As the dawn wore on, the morning mist dispersed.
A new day had arrived.
For the Northern Song, that day might be pinned by shame.
Because the most beautiful woman in the empire, also the most gorgeous pearl of the empire, was about to be forced to marry the master of the Nangong family.
The bride was an 18-year-old girl in her prime, while the bridegroom was an old man who already had many wives and concubines and had a reputation for infidelity.
For any woman, such a marriage was undoubtedly a disaster.
The imperial palace was decorated with lanterns and streamers.
The disciples of the Nangong family were all beaming with joy. They frequently went in and out of the imperial palace as if it were a boisterous market.
Nangong Chunliang, though not a royal, had completely occupied the imperial palace. The emperor of the Northern Son was forced to give him the Imperial Palace as a place for his wedding.
Over the past few days, some of the Nangong family’s clansmen and some disciples attached to the Nangong family, entered and exited the Imperial Palace at will, and stirred up a lot of trouble. It was said that some palace maids were raped, and even some of the imperial concubines and princesses of the Northern Song were molested. As the news spread, it raised a babel of criticism, but the royal family of the Northern Song had no way to deal with it.
Nangong Chunliang, who was 249 years old, was dressed in a red robe. He stood at the gate of the Hall of Diligence and looked out around the imperial palace, feeling very pleased with himself.
That day was of great importance for him and the entire Nangong family.
He had absolute faith in his son.
The Nangong family had remained dormant for 1,000 years. Now, they finally soared to the heavens.
The number one martial arts cultivator was a member of the Nangong family.
Because of that, he, the family master, had the opportunity to become the first one to rise above the three great empires in the history of the Divine Land. Just thinking about it made him tremble with excitement.
The suns rose in the east.
“Master, the Northern Song emperor and the others have already followed your instructions and are waiting outside the imperial palace. They are about to go with us to pick up the bride.” A young man in black with a cinnabar mole between his eyebrows came over and reported respectfully. He seemed to have a strong temperament.
He was Zhang Yue, the eldest disciple of Nangong Chunliang.
“Is Yu’er back?” Nangong Chunliang asked.
Zhang Yue said, “Young Master’s flying shuttle went out last night and hasn’t returned this morning.”
Nangong Chunliang smiled and said, “Yu’er is still at leisure before the battle. He must be sure of this victory. There’s no need to worry about him. He won’t miss today’s event… Let’s set off.”
The experts serving the Nangong family immediately gathered together.
Surrounded by hundreds of people, Nangong Chunliang arrived at the gate of the imperial palace.
The emperor of the Northern Song, whose sideburns already went grey, stood at the gate like an attendant, a bitter look on his face. The other members of the royal family were also seething with rage but too scared to complain. They followed the experts of the Nangong family as if they were their servants.
Along the way, there was a hubbub of voices.
Experts from a.s.sorted sects and families who came to watch the ceremony had lined up on the streets. Among those present, members of the martial arts society alone amounted to tens of thousands. Together with many civilians of the Northern Song that were forced to come to watch the ceremony, the streets were flooded with people. The scale of the event was extremely grand.
For every member of the Northern Song, that day was doubtlessly humiliating.
Soon, the Lord Virtuous the Eighth’s residence was in sight.
Half a month ago, the Nangong family started taking full control over the entire manor. Entrances to the manor were allowed, but no one could make an exit.
“Hahaha, I, the master of the Nangong family, have arrived. Why don’t I see the bride come out to welcome your husband?” Shouted Nangong Chunliang rather overweeningly.
In fact, he did it deliberately in front of all those spectators in order to provoke Li Mu. He believed that Li Mu must have come that day. Perhaps he was hiding in the crowd and waiting for an opportunity to rescue the bride.
He just wanted to use that way to undermine Li Mu’s martial art spirit.
He felt great to rise to power by stepping on a respected martial arts legend.
The servants of the residence led by Lord Virtuous the Eighth slowly walked out of the gate.
“Yo, the great lord has come out to welcome me personally. But why haven’t I seen the countess?” Nangong Chunliang walked up to him with a smile on his face and said, “Haven’t I asked the countess to come out in the wedding dress and welcome me? She already doesn’t listen to her husband even before getting married, huh?”
Lord Virtuous the Eighth’s face turned livid, but he did not say anything.
Zhao Ji in white finally couldn’t stand it and countered, “Master Nangong, why are you so aggressive? Since ancient times, there has been no reason for the bride to come out to welcome the bridegroom in personal. Are you humiliating the countess on purpose?”
Nangong Chunliang’s gaze fell on Zhao Ji as he asked, “Who are you?”
“Northern Song’s Zhao Ji.”
At that, Nangong Chunliang gave a disparaging smile and teased, “Right, I’ve heard some rumors saying that there is an idiot in the Northern Song whose name is Zhao Ji. He was actually a talent in the Northern Song, and once championed the imperial exams. Sadly, he coveted a beauty. For years, he had an unrequited crush on Countess Huanzhu. For her, he gave up his promising career and stooped down to be a pet dog that could occasionally amuse that woman… How sad that is!”
With his face full of resentment, Zhao Ji snapped, “Anyway, it’s much better than being a bully and a looter like the Nangong family!”
“Give me my sword.” Nangong Chunliang extended his hand.
Zhang Yue handed over a plain-looking ancient sword.
Nangong Chunliang held the sword in his hand and said calmly, “This is the sword Dao Ling used to carry around. He was the head of the Qingcheng Sect, one of the Holy Clans in the Northern Song. Dao Ling had guarded Mount Xuankong. As he didn’t obey the order of my Nangong family, no force wanted to align themselves with his party. My remarkable son, Nangong Yu, has killed him in Mount Xuankong and the Qingcheng Sect has been destroyed. The sword is in my hand now. What you said just now is enough to make you die 10,000 times. However, as you used to be a talent, I’ve decided to not kill you today If you can take one blow from my sword.”
Then, without waiting for Zhao Ji’s reply, he thrust his sword out.
The air parted like b.u.t.ter.
Zhao Ji paled, feeling that the shadow of death befell him in an instant.
He was the champion in the literary contest back then and only started to learn martial arts after that. So, how could he be a match for Nangong Zhengliang, the master of martial arts family with a history of a millennium? How could he have the luck to survive Nangong Chunliang’s one sword strike?
Puff!
The sword light hit Zhao Ji.
He spilled a mouthful of blood. Like a kite with broken strings, he flew backward for dozens of meters and fell on the ground before the gate of Lord Virtuous the Eighth’s manor.
Nangong Chunliang withdrew his sword and smiled. “I changed my mind. I’m so happy today. It’s not the right time to kill people. So, I’ll spare your life and let you see how I’ll lead your crush into the bridal chamber. Haha… Guards, hang him up at the gate of the mansion.”
Lord Virtuous the Eighth could not bear it any longer. He took a step forward and said, “Master of the Nangong family, don’t go too far on this.”
Nangong Chunliang grinned and said, “Back off, lord. I don’t want to destroy our friends.h.i.+p today.”
Lord Virtuous the Eighth s.h.i.+elded Zhao Ji, who was seriously injured, and snarled, “Humph, what kind of friends.h.i.+p do we have?”
“Well, you’re already an old man, but why are you still so ignorant? Some things should be said, some words shouldn’t.” Nangong Chunliang sheathed his sword, and his eyes gradually grew cold.
Lord Virtuous the Eighth seemed to have made up his mind and would not give in to the slightest extent. He boomed, “I’ll make it clear to you then. You have no way to marry Yu’er today unless you have my blood splash five meters and my brain smashed in front of the gate of this manor.” His expression and tone were extremely resolute.
“Haha, you’re really senseless,” Nangong Chunliang shook his head and said with a crooked smile on his face. “Old man, I’m afraid you can’t stop me. It’s a pity to bury an old man like you today. I’ll give you one last chance. Back off!”
Lord Virtuous the Eighth’s expression was resolute and fearless. He said, “I’ve already told you. You have to walk over my dead body.”
Nangong Chunliang laughed contemptuously and gave no reply.
With a sneer on his face, Zhang Yue, the eldest disciple, went straight over and seized the neck of the Lord Virtuous the Eighth in an extremely rough way. Then, he dragged him aside as if he were a chicken.
The old man was suffocating. He started making a squeaking sound, his limbs thras.h.i.+ng about.
Some other disciples of the Nangong family lifted Zhao Ji, who had pa.s.sed out, off his feet. Some of them even brought over an iron hook, ready to pierce it through Zhao Ji’s shoulder blade to hang him over the gate of the manor.
The faces of the members of the royal family of the Northern Song were all contorted with mortification.
The surrounding citizens of the Northern Song started to stir in irritation.
“Today, our Nangong family rule over the world, so we just need to punish them as a warning to the others. Hehe, whoever dares to disobey us will be killed without exception.” Nangong Chunliang looked around, and his eyes flitted across the faces of countless people of the Northern Song. His disdain and revulsion for them were written on his face.
His thunderous voice resounded around and reached everyone’s ears. “Nowadays, who in this world can stop the Nangong family? Li Mu, the deemed number one cultivator in the past, that the G.o.d of Broadswords in Taibai City, is also scared by my son’s sword. He is too frightened to show up today. Doesn’t have the nerve to save his woman. He is just a good-for-nothing, haha…”
As he was talking, abruptly, a figure stumbled his way toward the Imperial Palace from a distance. A long way away, she shouted, “Master, master, something really terrible has happened…”
Thump!
This figure fell to his knees in front of Nangong Chunliang and stuttered in panic, “Master, bad news, bad news…” It was Nangong Chunliang’s second-eldest disciple, Kong Gang.
A look of anger appeared on Nangong Chunliang’s face as he said, “Why are you so fl.u.s.tered? Get up now… get out of my way.”
His domineering speech had been interrupted. The atmosphere he created was spoiled. Thus, he was burning with rage.
“Kong Gang is usually very sensible and perceptive. But why is he so reckless today?”
Kong Gang, however, did not seem to feel his master’s wrath. Looking panicked, he explained incoherently, “Master, listen, the sky has fallen, the sky has fallen, I…”
Halfway through his explanation, Kong Gang suddenly froze on the spot.
He raised his head and looked up at the sky ahead. His face was horrorstruck as if he had seen something really dreadful. His pupils suddenly contracted, and he raised a finger to point at it. Trembling out of fear, he stammered, “Ma-ma-ma-master…”
Nangong Chunliang was startled, and a bad premonition arose in his heart.
His eyes followed Kong Gang’s finger in that direction.
So did everyone else.
A lanky man as thin as a bamboo pole was already floating in the air. His clothes were fluttering even though there was no wind. He carried an antique erhu on his back and held a rectangular jade box in his hand. With the air of an immortal, he looked down at the earth.
“Who… is that man?”
In front of the gate of the manor gathered many experts working for the Nangong family, as well as some experts from all parties. They were all the giants of martial arts. Nevertheless, none of them noticed when that lanky man had arrived.
“Master of the Nangong family?” Said the lanky man as he landed on the ground with great elegance, his eyes fixed on Nangong Chunliang.
Nangong Chunliang frowned, saying, “You’re…”
“I’m a servant from the Knife Hut in Taibai City. I’m here to give you a big gift,” said the lanky man. Then, he raised his palm, and the rectangular white jade box began to flow toward Nangong Chunliang as if it were as light as a feather.
“Taibai City? Knife Hut?” Nangong Chunliang came to his senses.
With a gentle force, he caught the jade box and held it in his hand. Then, he sneered and demanded, “You’re Li Mu’s man? Why didn’t Li Mu come here himself? Haha, what big gift? Is he afraid of me? If he is, tell him to come to our Nangong family and admit defeat in person. After being my slave for 100 years, maybe I can let him off the hook…”
As he said that, he opened the jade box.
A pungent smell of blood swept his face at once.
“This is…” Nangong Chunliang’s expression changed drastically.
There were two heads inside.
One was Nangong Yun’s.
And the other belonged to Nangong Yu.