Crunch—— —The wheels crushed the snow and ice.
Horse hooves clattered, uniformly lifting and falling at the same time, chilling and oppressive.
The horses puffed white vapour out its nostrils and mouth, fusing into one with the cold mist in the air, indicating that they had just experienced a long and difficult journey and the exhaustion of their body.
These were all frontier warhorses, able to carry armed warriors to charge across the battlefield——but at this moment they were all exhausted. Thus, it can be imagined what kind of terrifying things they had been through before.
Hundreds of black-armoured mounted soldiers were escorting a black carriage. Their bodies were protected by a black iron armour and wore a wolf mask made of fine steel over their head. This was the Wolf Army that had swept through the world, known across the Divine continent.
They were specially trained by the head of the Lu family Lu Xingkong. Although the number was small, but they triumphed in every battle and won every fight, charged and broke through enemy lines, and were invincible.
When Lu Xingkong left the battlefield, he only brought the hundreds of the Wolf army to return to Tiandu with him. These people were the main forces that protected Lu Xingkong and defended the Lu mansion.
Now that the Wolf Army had appeared in the wilderness, it indicated that there must be important people of the Lu family nearby.
Crunch——
Wheels rumbled——
Huchi Huchi——
The warhorses neighed.
The wind died away and the snow stopped. There was a round cold moon appeared in the sky.
It was also this full cold moon and the glistening silver snow across the vast land that guided their way. Otherwise, without lighting torches and using illuminating pearls in this desolate area it would have been difficult to quickly move forward in such deep snow.
It would have been dangerous it they accidentally went to a cliff or pothole.
Snow, all over the world was blood snow.
Blood, a continuous line of red blood appeared in the heavy snow.
How far the convoy went was how long the line of blood was.
Someone in the group of people had been wounded, but they still carried on the journey. They had encountered seven interceptions along the way, and did not even had the time and energy to bandage up the wounds.
In the direction of a destination that they did know about either.
Ka——
The two black-armoured mounted soldiers at the front came to a halt.
A mounted soldier raised his right hand, and the wolf soldiers at the back immediately reined their horse to a halt and clutched at the hilt of their swords.
Silence.
A deathly silence.
The mountainous road was steep, and the cold moon was lonely and still.
Amid the heavy snow, hundreds of black horses were crowded around a carriage.
They did not advance forward, nor retreat.
They quietly stood in the same place, fixed their eyes ahead, hands clasping the hilt, silent and still.
The horses seemed to have felt danger, twisted their bodies uneasily and digging the ice and snow beneath their feet.
However, under the control of the black-armoured mounted soldiers, they could only stay where they were, unable to run, unable to escape.
Kacha——
Ahead, in the dark end of sight, a man clad in a three-headed snake uniform and with a large red cloak draped over him appeared.
Then there was a second one, then the third one——
Numerous men in black, hordes of the Monitoring Division.
It was as though the entire Monitoring Division of the Kingdom had been dispatched.
Cui Jian looked at the elites of the Wolf Army and said admiringly: “As expected of the invincible Wolf army. A huge gift was prepared for you ahead yet you could sense the danger early and did not take a step forward——If such an elite division was wiped out, it would be a great pity. If you"re willing to surrender, then I would like to give you a chance to live and forgive your past misdeeds.”
The black armored figures remained rigid, staring with brooding eyes.
The hundreds of soldiers of the Wolf Army did not say a word.
They didn"t think Cui Jian was here to praise them.
Cui Jian twitched his mouth, seemingly not minding. His gaze shifted to the black carriage that the Wolf Army crowded around, and the corners of his mouth curved in a sarcastic smile. “Madam Lu, I trust you have been well since we last met? It is cold and windy outside, but Madam Lu brought Young Master Tianyu to play on the mountain. Be careful of catching a cold.”
No one answered.
The black carriage stood quietly there, and the Black Wolf army also stood there quietly.
No one wanted to speak to Cui Jian. No one wanted to respond to his sarcastic question.
Cui Jian raised his brows and spoke again, “Madam Lu, Junior, I, had come all the way up the mountain to pay my respect. Shouldn"t you at least say a word? Madam Lu is also from a prestigious family. The Gongsun family is one of the top aristocratic families of the Kingdom. The gold coins in your home must be piled up taller than the distant Black mountain, right? We all live on the same street of Tiandu, one on the east of the street and the other on the west, and can be considered as neighbours——What was that saying? Neighbours are dearer than distant relatives. Cui Jian have come to pay visit, but Madam Lu is not even saying a word. That"s not the etiquette of n.o.bles, right?”
Inside the carriage, it was still silent.
Cui Jian scrunched his brows, turned to look at one of the men of the Monitor Division, and asked: “You are sure that Gongsun Yu and that little b.a.s.t.a.r.d of the Lu family are in the carriage?”
“Yes. Censorate official. When General Song led troops to storm the Defense minister"s residence, he was met with a fierce counterattack by the City Patrol led by Li Kefeng. Madam Gongsun implemented the "Spring Breeze plan", and they lit fire to the official Lu residence and adjacent sites. Before that, they had stored a large amount of oil and coal in the Lu residence, and those things were set to flames all at one. Even the gale and snow could not drown it out.”
“Trash, I"m asking if you are sure that Gongsun Yu and the little b.a.s.t.a.r.d of the Lu family are in this carriage——you just have to answer my question.”
“Yes, Censorate official.” The man of the Monitor Division hurriedly apologised and explained, “When General Song wiped out all the troops of the City Patrol and Li Kefeng, he rushed into the Lu residence that was already in flames. General Song sent someone to search the Lu mansion, but did not find the bodies of the servants and maids——They must have evacuated early through a secret path. Now General Song is going after them. Our men had been watching the movements of the Wolf Army, and when they picked up a carriage in the back coutyard of the Lu mansion they immediately fled out of the city of Tiandu——”
Cui Jian"s expression changed, “you mean, if Madam Lu and the b.a.s.t.a.r.d of the Lu family are not among the group of people that Song Lang is chasing after, then they would be in this carriage——is that right?”
“Subordinate is incompetent.” The Monitor Division bowed in apology.
“No matter.” A sinister smile spread across Cui Jian"s face. “Since Madam Lu is unwilling to speak, then I will personally ask her to get off the carriage——I"ll go and tear down her carriage, and see if she can still sit in the car at ease. Perhaps she would feel cold and throw herself into my arms——”
“Older Cousin——” A man also clad in a three-headed snake uniform of the Monitor Division frowned. “No matter what, Madam Lu is an elder——”
“Elder?” Cui Jian gave a biting cold stare at the man, “Yan Xiangma, do you know how their Lu family killed Cui Zhaoren?”
“I know, but——”
“But what? They killed Cui Zhaoren, and not even a bone or flesh of his could be found. He didn"t even have the chance to be buried in the ancestral grave of the Cui family——Cui Zhaoren will always have to wander around as a lonely soul.” Cui Jian roared. “They killed Cui Zhaoren, and that old b.a.s.t.a.r.d of the Lu family and that Chu Xianda put on an act and said that Li Muyang is a young hero, a hero of Tiandu——If someone who kills is a hero than what about Cui Zhaoren?”
“They treated our Cui family like that, and you still think that woman is an elder——I don"t see an elder, only an enemy. Whether it is a man or a woman, whether an elderly or a woman, as long as someone is part of the Lu family, they are the enemy of our Cui family——”
Cui Jian thoughtfully stared at Yan Xiangma and asked in a ruminative tone, “Yan Xiangma, you are not sympathising with the Lu family, right? Or could it be that the conditions that Old thing Chu Xianda offered you has tempted you?”
“Older Cousin——” Yan Xiangma"s eyes showed a hint of rage. “A n.o.ble should maintain the manners of a n.o.ble. I just don"t want you to humiliate a pitiful woman who can be called an elder. Besides, when did I agree to the terms of Chu Xianda? After he spoke to me, didn"t I inform Grandfather——Did I hide anything?”
“Yan Xiangma, other people may not know you well, but I do.” Cui Jian smiled. “After Chu Xianda talked to you, when did you tell Grandpa? It was the night of the next day. What did you do that day? Where did you go? It was such an important matter yet you dragged it out and only said it the next night——Chu Xianda must have said what you were thinking at the bottom of your heart, right? Remove and replace the Cui family. The Yan family has a chance. Is that not very tempting? Didn"t you want to take a gamble with them?” “
“Older Cousin, don"t accuse me——when did I have such thoughts?”
“You know and I know, the heaven and earth know. There are some things that everyone are aware of without saying.” Cui Xiaoxin"s cold eyes sent chills down one"s spine. “You think you can fool Grandfather with a little cleverness? For thousands of years, in which conflict and change of situation was my Cui family not the biggest beneficiary? You think your Yan family can remove and replace the Cui family? Yan Xiangma, don"t you think you"re too stupid?”
“If Older cousin insist then I have nothing to say.” Yan Xiangma said coldly. “
“You obviously have nothing to say because you"re guilty.” Cui Jian did not want to let go of this opportunity to beat Yan Xiangma. “Of course, you can also prove your innocence. I know you were friends with that Li Muyang when you were in Jiangnan. In that case, go kill those people in front of you——kill Gongsun Yu, kill Lu Tianyu. Then I will believe you have not been persuaded by Chu Xianda, and your Yan family is still with our Cui family——Will you prove your loyalty? Prove the loyalty of your Yan family?”
Yan Xiangma"s face darkened, eyes filled with blood.
Che!
He unsheathed the sword in his hand and slowly stepped towards the Wolf army.