Blood sedge

Chapter 1173: Lieutenant General Zhang Xiong (Part )

"This..." Xunzhen's words once again stirred up a wave of emotions in everyone's heart.

"Luoyang is peaceful and tranquil, with no fighting or chaos. What could possibly be so worthy of Wang Dechen investing such an important chess piece here..." Ling Qing hadn't finished speaking when an idea suddenly occurred to him. He then looked at Sui Zuo's body in shock and said in amazement, "Could it be for him..."

"Impossible! Zhang Xiong had already taken office before the Anti-Traitor Conference. Who could have expected Sui Zuo to die at that time?" Xie Xuan interrupted Ling Qing's guess with a firm tone, "Zhang Xiong must have other intentions when he took office in Luoyang. Maybe... since the death of the previous Luoyang General Wang Xutong, the Mongolian court has been dissatisfied with the situation in Luoyang City, or dissatisfied with the underworld forces headed by the Xianwang Mansion and entrenched in the Luoyang area. In addition, a series of turbulent situations such as the death of the Northern Xianwang, the change of ownership of the Xianwang Mansion, and the Anti-Traitor Conference caused a turmoil in the city. Luoyang City once became the target of public criticism. They must have hidden concerns, so they sent a strong-handed person to help the current weak Luoyang General control the situation."

"According to Palace Master Xie... Zhang Xiong's target is not just one sect or one school, but all the underworld forces entrenched in Luoyang City?"

"That's right!" Xie Xuan carefully recalled the news reported by his disciples in recent days. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that his inference was correct. "I have been busy with the anti-traitor meeting for some time and have no time to pay attention to the major and minor events in Luoyang City. Now I think about it... since Zhang Xiong took office, it seems that he has been in constant friction with the sects and families in the city. It's just that he has never caused trouble for the Xianwang Mansion, so I didn't care."

"There are constant frictions?" Xiao Zhirou asked suspiciously, "Does General Luoyang allow Zhang Xiong to do whatever he wants? Isn't he afraid that he will cause trouble?"

"Well..."

"That..." Before Xie Xuan could hesitate, Xu Heng timidly interrupted, "That... I also heard that Zhang Xiong and the current Luoyang General Guo Xian seemed to have a lot of disagreements, and the two were not on good terms."

"Are you serious?" Xie Xuan was secretly surprised and asked suspiciously, "How do you know they are not in harmony?"

"Rumors in the market don't count." Xu Heng was worried that his intelligence might be wrong and would ruin Xie Xuan's plan, so he waved his hands and explained, "I didn't see it with my own eyes, so... it can't be ruled out that it was just a rumor."

"This……"

"I don't know whether Zhang Xiong is loyal to Shangguan, but I know he definitely has bad intentions towards us." Yun Zhuiyue smiled contemptuously, "Jin Fuyu sent Sui Zuo's body here with great fanfare, which just gave him a perfect excuse to lead his troops here in broad daylight and gnaw on the toughest bone in Luoyang City."

"What does he want to do?" Li Haitang was puzzled. "Does he really dare to break up with Brother Liu? Or... is he just trying to scare us?"

"It's hard to say." Xie Xuan's face was filled with worry, and he shook his head slowly. "If Zhang Xiong really had the 'Imperial Sword' hidden, and had a big shot backing him up, he would naturally not be afraid of falling out with anyone. But... he didn't take any action during the Anti-Traitor Conference, which caused such a big commotion. It doesn't seem like he's going to fall out with anyone."

"I don't care what Zhang Xiong intends to do, and I don't care what conspiracy they have. I just hope they won't bring disaster to Xun Yi." Although Xiao Zhirou's tone sounded very calm, it gave people a chilling feeling. "My son has suffered too much, and now he has finally escaped death. I will never let him fall into danger again."

Hearing this, Yun Zhuiyue's mind moved, and she looked at Su He with a look that did not hide her inner cunning, and asked with a hint of meaning: "You are so familiar with Zhang Xiong, could it be... that you are also under Wang Dechen's command?"

Yun Zhuiyue's question seemed to be from Xiao Zhirou's perspective, examining everyone related to Zhang Xiong. But in fact, she was taking the opportunity to instigate the relationship between Su He and the people present, and thereby tying herself more closely to Xiao Zhirou, Xie Xuan and others.

There are many ways to unite and integrate. Standing on the same side and establishing a common enemy is undoubtedly an effective tactic.

If Yun Zhuiyue's interrogation of Su He had taken place in other situations, someone would have stepped forward to smooth things over. But now, since this matter concerned Liu Xunyi's success or failure, and even the fate of all people, no one would "care about this little thing".

Feeling the hidden hostility in Yun Zhuiyue's words and seeing the silence of Xie Xuan and others, Su He knew that his Mongolian identity would create a barrier between him and these people and that he could not fully trust them. His eyes gradually became dim.

"Su was invited by General Wang to go to the Mobei camp to teach soldiers and horses, and worked with Zhang Xiong for some time."

"So you are friends?"

"We can't be considered friends, we can only be considered acquaintances." Su He answered neither humbly nor arrogantly, "To be precise, with Zhang Xiong's personality and character... I'm afraid no one in this world can be his friend."

"This……"

"Mongolia only needs loyal warriors, not friends who sell out their masters for fame and fortune. Su He was highly respected, but he betrayed the Khan, the grassland, and his people because of a Han Chinese. I cannot understand it, let alone comprehend it. Getting to know him is the greatest shame of my life."

Suddenly, a hoarse voice mixed with indifference and contempt came from outside the meeting hall, immediately alerting everyone in the hall.

Before he finished speaking, five Mongolian men with fleshy faces and burly bodies rushed into the hall with big strides, completely ignoring the intimidation and obstruction of the two disciples of the Xianwang Palace who were leading the way.

The leader had a bun with braids on both sides hanging down to his shoulders, swaying back and forth with his steps, which was particularly eye-catching.

Looking closely, this man is about forty years old, eight feet tall, with a sturdy figure. He is wearing a blue-gray armor that makes him look both cold and upright. His big, round, black face is dotted with flat facial features, especially his narrow and thin eyes. From a distance, it is almost impossible to tell whether they are open or closed. But even so, through the narrow slits between his upper and lower eyelids, one can still inadvertently glimpse a breathtaking and sharp light. This man is none other than Zhang Xiong, the lieutenant general of Luoyang General's Mansion, who led his troops to besiege Danfeng Garden and ruthlessly challenged Su He.

"I believe you must be General Zhang, whose name is well-known. I am Xie Xuan from the Xianwang Mansion. I hope you will forgive me for not coming to greet you!"

Although Xie Xuan was dissatisfied with Zhang Xiong's rude remarks, due to the current occasion and Zhang Xiong's identity, he had to suppress his anger, stood up with a smile and greeted him with a bow.

"Xianwang Mansion? The golden plaque at the gate of the garden clearly has the three characters 'Danfeng Garden' inscribed on it. Am I illiterate, or are you illiterate?" Zhang Xiong stared at Xie Xuan, whose smile was gradually fading. He neither returned the greeting nor said anything polite. He spoke in a condescending and aggressive manner, "What? Can someone from Xianwang Mansion be the owner of Danfeng Garden?"

Seeing Xie Xuan standing in the hall with his hands clasped together, looking awkward and in a dilemma, and the arrogant Zhang Xiong still pretending to be ignorant, Xiao Zhirou, who was already in a bad mood, could no longer tolerate it and sneered: "Your Excellency can't even figure out the relationship between the Xianwang Mansion and Danfeng Garden. What gate are you visiting today? Who are you visiting?"

"I've heard that Han Chinese women are gentle and kind. Today I saw it with my own eyes. It turns out that what they said is not true." Zhang Xiong didn't even need to look at Xiao Zhirou. He was still arrogant and provocative. "It is said that Han Chinese people are strict with rules. Why is there no man in charge of such a large manor? Instead, a woman is allowed to show up and talk nonsense?"

"Here, no one dares to say anything against her! You are courting death..."

"Eh!"

Knowing that Zhang Xiong was deliberately looking for trouble, Xie Xuan stood in front of him before the furious Yun Zhuiyue could attack the outspoken Zhang Xiong. He bowed to Zhang Xiong again and said, "Whether it is the Xianwang Mansion or the Danfeng Garden, I am in charge of everything now. May I ask, General, what is the purpose of mobilizing so many troops here today?"

"Master Xie, why do you have to ask when you already know the answer? Who in the entire Luoyang City doesn't know about the great achievements of 'Xun Yi Xia'?"

"Hero Xunyi? Great achievements?" Xie Xuan pondered for a moment with a blank face, and then pretended to be enlightened. "General Zhang, are you talking about the carriage that was parading through the city in the morning? And... the unidentified corpse in the carriage?"

Facing the pretentious Xie Xuan, Zhang Xiong said nothing, but stared at him with a pair of bright eyes.

"Yes! Yes!" Xie Xuan ignored Zhang Xiong's contemptuous gaze and continued to immerse himself in his performance. "General Zhang may have some misunderstandings. I wonder where did that strangely decorated carriage come from? The horse seemed to be frightened and was running rampant on the street. It happened to be encountered by the disciples of the Xianwang Mansion, so I ordered them to stop the frightened horse and tie it in the garden to avoid disturbing innocent people and adding a few lawsuits to the general's mansion. As for the corpse in the carriage... We just found it and were planning to send someone to the general's mansion to report it, but unexpectedly General Zhang was so smart and arrived first. Good! Good! General Zhang is so smart and has saved us a lot of trouble."

After saying this, Xie Xuan hurriedly ordered Xu Heng and Ling Qing, "Go quickly! Hand over the carriage and the body to General Zhang for disposal."

"As ordered..."

"Thank you, Lord!" Before Xu Heng and Ling Qing could cooperate with Xie Xuan, Zhang Xiong's angry voice had already sounded, "From what you said just now, you don't want to admit that General Sui Zuo's death has anything to do with you guys?"

"Sui... General Sui Zuo is really dead?" Xie Xuan widened his eyes in surprise, crying out in disbelief, "How is it possible? General Sui Zuo was in his prime, how could he... Please forgive me for being so abrupt, this matter is too bizarre, could there be some misunderstanding?"

"General Sui Zuo's body is now in Danfeng Garden. Palace Master Xie has just seen it with his own eyes. What misunderstanding could there be?"

"General Zhang was talking about... could it be the rotting corpse in the carriage?"

"enough!"

At this time, Zhang Xiong had completely lost his patience for playing guessing games. While interrupting Xie Xuan with a harsh voice, he suddenly took a step forward, and he wanted to stick his burly body close to Xie Xuan who was so close.

"Be bold!"

"Boom!"

This scene immediately brought the atmosphere in the meeting hall to a freezing point. The disciples of the Xianwang Mansion, led by Xu Heng and Ling Qing, could not suppress their inner restlessness and drew their swords in unison. At the same time, the four Mongolian soldiers standing on the left and right of Zhang Xiong also drew their swords without saying anything, and formed a confrontation with the Xianwang Mansion disciples who were eyeing them covetously.

Although they were outnumbered, the four Mongolian soldiers were all veterans brought by Zhang Xiong from Mobei. They were tough guys who had survived the battles of thousands of troops and rolled in piles of dead bodies. Therefore, when they faced the disciples of the Xianwang Mansion who outnumbered them by several times, they were not afraid, but were full of fighting spirit and were not at all inferior in momentum.

"General Zhang, what do you mean?" Xie Xuan waved his hand to stop Xu Heng, Ling Qing and the others from moving. He still smiled and asked Zhang Xiong humbly, "Did I say something wrong just now?"

"General Sui Zuo and five thousand warriors were ambushed and killed. This matter has long been known to the streets. I don't believe that you are unaware of it." Zhang Xiong put on an arrogant attitude that could see through people's hearts. "You are talking sweetly in front of me, talking about other things, just to shirk the responsibility of killing Sui Zuo and provoking the power of heaven."

……