Chapter 1049: Opponent
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Wu~
Luo Yunchang could no longer contain her emotions. She had shed so many bitter tears these years and now could not help but cry again. Yue’er consoled her, “Sister Yunchang, master being alive is a good thing. Why…”
“That rotten b.a.s.t.a.r.d, he hadn’t sent a single word of how he’s doing, letting us think he was gone, with even his corpse destroyed…”
Wiping the tears, Luo Yunchang whined but her eyes were dancing with joy, with a little hint of resentment hidden within, “I’ll find that dead guy and have him return what interest he owes me from these years plus more!”
The others smiled, with Yun Shuang looking happy as she said, “Sister Yunchang, you’re not the only girl who brother Zhuo owes. Have you prepared yourself?”
Luo Yunchang blushed and glared at her, “Fine, you can come.”
“Of course, grandfather had me stay by his side and help him, so coming along is only natural.” Shuang’er giggled.
Tuoba Tieshan waved the soldier away then said, “Miss Luo, I hope you don’t mind, but take Lian’er with you as well. Ever since Zhuo Fan left us five years ago, Lian’er could no longer smile…”
“Five years ago?”
Luo Yunchang gave him an odd look, “Commander Touba, have you got it wrong, perhaps? After Tianyu’s war, Zhuo Fan had gone to the Demon Scheming Sect, then made his name in the Double Dragon Manor before he had been trapped and lost his life. When did he have the time to see your daughter?”
Tuoba Tieshan shrugged, “It was when news of his death went around everywhere, he appeared in Quanrong, ruining Beast Taming Sect and vanis.h.i.+ng again. Lian’er misses him with a pa.s.sion…”
“Steward Zhuo destroyed the Beast Taming Sect?”
Leng Wuchang said, “Why hasn’t Double Dragon Manor’s investigation in Quanrong Empire brought any results?”
Tuoba Tieshan shook his head with a sigh, “It involved the Quanrong imperial family’s shame. His Majesty ordered everything covered up. Zhuo Fan only destroyed the Beast Taming Sect while His Majesty ordered me to kill those royal sons and the casualties that followed. We kept our lips sealed when Double Dragon Manor came around, letting not a single word about this or Zhuo Fan, afraid the secret might leak. Finally, His Majesty wanted to kill me to silence me as well, but it’s all thanks to the Luo Alliance that I’m alive with my family…”
“Yeah yeah, we got it from here.”
Leng Wuchang cut him off, “I just want to ask one thing. Commander has been one of us ever since you joined the Luo Alliance. You knew of Steward Zhuo’s survival and saw the young miss in pain so why didn’t you say anything?”
“Yeah, why didn’t you?”
Luo Yunchang stared daggers at him, “I’ve always been respectful to you, senior, yet you’re so cruel. Why haven’t you spoken of it to any of us?”
They all surrounded him with savage glares. Luo clan’s usual righteousness and upright stance forgave everything, except this one time. They deserved to be petty for once.
[You knew how much we care for Steward Zhuo yet you said nothing, not even if he was alive. You’re evil!]
Tuoba Tieshan sighed, “I had my reasons for not revealing it. I’ve been a commander in Quanrong and a loyal official to His Majesty, even if he discarded me. Saying anything would lead to the Quanrong imperial family’s scandal coming out. I am loyal to my country and could not afford such a thing to rock my home.
“Also, I noticed Zhuo Fan wanted obscurity. Saving me and my family, the least I could do was abide by his wishes.”
The others nodded. The old commander was loyal to a fault, so they could understand.
“Humph, the least you could’ve done is tell me!”
Luo Yunchang would not have it, glaring at Tuoba Tieshan in anger, “Commander Touba, do you have any idea how many tears I’ve spilled for that heartless man?”
Tuoba Tieshan bowed, “I am terribly sorry, young miss, ha-ha-ha…”
“It’s all in the past now. Brother Zhuo is back so let’s leave it be.”
Luo Yunhai understood the commander’s loyalty and s.h.i.+elded him from his sister’s wrath, “Where were we again? Oh, the order, it’s really…”
“Ingenious!”
Tuoba Tieshan spoke firmly, his eyes twinkling.
Leng Wuchang’s face twitched, “Commander Touba, did we not just hear you call the leader an infantile moron?”
“That was when I didn’t know who gave it.”
Tuoba Tieshan raised an eyebrow, “Anyone else would have rotten brains for giving such an order. But Zhuo Fan is someone I once fought with, who loves to be mysterious. He has guile, he has awareness, striking out of nowhere with his baffling plans. Who can understand them? That’s why I am sure this order is no different!”
Zhuge Changfeng waved him off with a smile, “Commander, did you notice something to call it ingenious?”
“It’s because I can’t find it ingenious. If any random guy can figure it out, wouldn’t the enemy do the same? What’d be the point of it then? That’s why I’m saying Zhuo Fan has some weird yet masterful plans, despite not being in the military. This is what makes them so dangerous.”
Tuoba Tieshan watched them in sympathy, “Luo Alliance’s sages, did any of you notice anything?”
The trio shook their heads, “Steward Zhuo’s style has no guidelines. We wouldn’t have suffered at his hand if we could read him back then, ha-ha-ha…”
“Then the order…”
Tuoba Tieshan turned to Luo Yunhai and grinned. Luo Yunhai’s eyes flashed and shouted, “Notify all western lands forces, they are to make swift departure for Double Dragon Manor!”
“Yes, sir!”
The guards outside shouted and ran to their duties…
At the border of the central area and northern lands, in the central area army’s commanding tent, Prime Minister Baili Jingwei sat in the main chair with the Dragon Cleaving Sword King at his side.
Glancing at him, Baili Jingwei smiled, “Dragon Cleaving Sword King, it must be what you wanted, leading the army to attack northern lands.”
“What do you mean?” Danqing Shen kept a smile on.
Baili Jingwei leaned over, “Sword King is from western lands and knows it the most, making an attack on it most suitable. But I know Sword King cares too much for western lands still and am afraid that you’d be overcome by emotion and would let your old friends go. Unlike Sword King Feiyun, jumping to attack eastern lands the moment he heard. He hates the Shangguan clan to the core and wants to end them at his own hand and return to glory, ha-ha-ha…”
“Ha-ha-ha, Prime Minister Baili’s consideration has us terrified.” Danqing Shen smirked, “Prime Minister, we’ve been waiting for so long in northern lands so we must be waiting for the right moment to attack, yes?”
Baili Jingwei nodded, “Correct, Patriarch has long since ventured deeper in northern lands. I am just waiting to coordinate with him and take it all in one strike, ha-ha-ha…”
“Report!”
A shout came from outside the tent.
“See, the time is night!” Baili Jingwei grinned with pride, “Enter!”
A soldier burst in and bowed with a jade slip in his hands, “A message from within containing valuable information!”
“We’re all friends here, speak!”
Baili Jingwei picked up a wine cup from the table without a care, “Is Sea Bright Sect’s barrier broken? Ha-ha-ha, it’ll make Patriarch’s attack that much easier.”
The guard bowed, “Prime Minister, Sea Bright Sect’s barrier is broken and the Heaven Sealing Sword was stolen, but from what the jade slip contains, it’s not him who did it, but a third party.”
“Someone is after Heaven Sealing Sword as well?”
The cup shook in Baili Jingwei’s hand, then chuckled, “No matter, as long as the barrier is down, they can no longer hide. It matters not who did it. In any case, once Patriarch steps in, the Heaven Sealing Sword is as good as his, ha-ha-ha…”
The man’s brow shook, “His jade slip isn’t to inform, but to warn the Prime Minister to be cautious. The one who stole the sword is very sharp. Three days ago was in jail, but he talked his way into earning the respect and wors.h.i.+p of all leaders of the alliance, making him the Grand Marshal of their forces. He said this person is highly likely to be the greatest opponent Prime Minister ever had. He hopes that the Prime Minister will exercise extreme caution.”
“My greatest opponent?”
Baili Jingwei mocked, “I’ve been going unchallenged among the lands for years and hardly are there people that I pay attention to. Since when do I need a spy to tell me to be careful of anyone? Ha-ha-ha, absurd! Now who is he speaking of?”
The man took a deep breath and spoke, “He said he was western lands’ best disciple, Zhuo Fan. He had also fought with sir in the central area, under the alias Gu Yifan.”
“What? Zhuo Fan… Gu Yifan?”
Baili Jingwei’s hand flashed and took out a jade slip. But then he showed a crazed smile, “I had men investigate western lands to look into Gu Yifan, only to find an otherworldly genius, Zhuo Fan. I knew they were one and the same, ha-ha-ha. Good, he is indeed a good adversary. We meet again, only this time, we will see just who will have full grasp of the lands, old enemy!”