Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 48 Secret Guard Intelligence, Lu Xiaofeng's Distress

Yan Yimei continued to report the unusual things in the Ming Dynasty that the Xuanjia Secret Guards had noticed.

"Your Highness, except for Li Xunhuan."

"The secret guards also discovered that many people who had long since disappeared from the martial arts world have become active again."

Although there is no direct evidence to prove that these martial arts masters who suddenly returned to the public eye were invited by the emperor, Li Xunhuan's return has aroused the vigilance of the secret guards, and they naturally became more cautious about those masters who suddenly became active in the martial arts world.

"Are there any experts?"

"This..." Yan Yimei was suddenly choked. According to the intelligence obtained by the secret guards, although many masters of Zhixuan suddenly appeared in the martial arts world, even two masters of Tianxiang who were supposed to have retired appeared.

But if we talk about threats, apart from Li Xunhuan, there is only half one.

Zhu Jinzhen looked at Yan Yimei in surprise: "Half?"

"Your Highness, the reason it's half is because the secret guards are still unsure whether that person will return to the underworld."

"Who?"

"Excalibur Villa, Xie Xiaofeng!"

"Is it him?" Zhu Jinzhen raised his eyes, revealing an interested look. "I'm not sure if he'll return to the martial arts world. Does that mean the emperor has already sent someone to contact Xie Xiaofeng?"

"Yes!" Yan Yimei nodded affirmatively.

"A few days ago, a mysterious individual entered the Excalibur Villa. Although well-disguised, they were still exposed. They didn't stay long at the Villa and seemed to be just a messenger. To avoid alerting the enemy, the secret guards dared not move rashly."

"But later, through the tracking of the secret guards, it was confirmed that he was indeed from the Imperial Palace."

"A man from the Imperial Palace suddenly comes into contact with Xie Xiaofeng, the Sword God who has been in seclusion for nearly twenty years?" A cold light flashed in Zhu Jinzhen's eyes. From all the signs, it was hard not to make him connect the emperor and him being framed for treason, and the emperor wanting Xie Xiaofeng to take action against him.

"Keep a close eye on the Divine Sword Villa. If we find out that Xie Xiaofeng has really left the Divine Sword Villa..."

Zhu Jinzhen did not say how to deal with it because it was not clear whether it was an enemy or a friend.

But, if it is confirmed that he is an enemy.

He didn't mind choosing a burial place with a beautiful view for this old sword master.

……

There is an inn in Jiayuguan.

Lu Xiaofeng sped all the way to the place where he had agreed to meet Ximen Chuxue and Hua Manlou.

The voice arrived before Lu Xiaofeng even entered the door.

"Is it done?"

"It's done, but the trouble is far from over." Lu Xiaofeng appeared in the room in a flash, took out the token of "As if I were personally in charge" that Zhu Houzhao had just given him from his arms, and casually placed it on the table.

Ximen Chuxue looked at Lu Xiaofeng, his cold eyes surging with emotion: "Like I personally do?"

"You must have guessed who I'm going to see. This token was given to me by His Majesty the Emperor." Lu Xiaofeng shrugged and directly picked up the tea on the table and brought it to his mouth.

"Two tokens, two forces."

"Lu Xiaofeng, it seems the trouble is much more difficult than expected."

People like Hua Manlou always have a bright smile on their faces, like a spring breeze, but today his smile is a little ugly, because he knows that the more deeply Lu Xiaofeng is involved, the greater trouble he will get into in the end.

If possible, Hua Manlou would rather Lu Xiaofeng go to Chunhualou and order fifty top performers, living a life of drunkenness and debauchery for several months, rather than being involved in such a vortex of power and conspiracy.

"You really are the worm in my stomach."

Lu Xiaofeng lazily lay on the table, looking worried, "Hua Manlou, do you want to guess why I rushed back in such a hurry?"

"No need to guess, I know it's related to Prince Su."

Ximen Chuxue's cold voice sounded beside him.

Hua Manlou nodded with a smile on his face.

"You guys are really smart."

"The emperor asked me to bring a message to Prince Su." Lu Xiaofeng supported his chin with a sad face. Why did he take on such a crappy job?
"A word?"

Hua Manlou's smile froze, and he joked, "Could it be that the Emperor wants to punish Prince Su?"

"That's not true."

Lu Xiaofeng shook his head first, then pretended to be mysterious and lowered his voice: "But I feel it is more dangerous than this."

Ximen Chuxue glanced at him and said, "Stop keeping me in suspense."

"Ok."

Lu Xiaofeng shrugged: "He asked me to tell Prince Su to invite him to the banquet."

"Pfft~!"

Hua Manlou spat out the tea in his mouth and turned his head to look at Lu Xiaofeng in surprise.

He was obviously very frightened.

"It is extremely unexpected that the emperor has come to Shaanxi in disguise. It is not a good thing for him to meet with Prince Su privately at this time." Hua Manlou showed a worried look.

To put it bluntly, this is in Shaanxi, where King Su has absolute power.

If the emperor's identity was exposed, and Prince Su really had the intention of treason, the emperor, who was traveling incognito, would have no chance of leaving Shaanxi alive.

Ximen Chuxue glanced at Hua Manlou and said coldly, "A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall. The emperor must understand this principle. Since he understands his own situation, he still invited Prince Su to the banquet. I'm afraid he has some plan..."

Hongmen Banquet!
Although Ximen Chuxue didn't say it explicitly, Hua Manlou and Lu Xiaofeng still heard it.

“This is what bothers me the most.”

"Prince Su has the ability and means to plot rebellion and make the emperor disappear quietly. The emperor seems to have ulterior motives as well. I'm really afraid that if they collide, I'll be the one who suffers in the end!"

For the first time, Lu Xiaofeng had an urge to die.

"You've already gotten involved. It's too late to back out."

"Instead of worrying about these things, it's better to get this done sooner rather than later."

"Anyway, whether it's the Prince Su's Mansion or the Emperor's side, you have no influence and can't change anything."

Although Ximen Chuxue's voice was cold, it brightened the eyes of Lu Xiaofeng, who was at a loss at the moment.

"You've reminded me that I'm really making a fuss over nothing this time!" Lu Xiaofeng touched his nose and felt a little relieved. He wondered what the emperor wanted to do. Would Prince Su know that the emperor was on an incognito tour in Shaanxi and take action secretly?

These are not things that a mere Master Xiaozhixuan can decide.

Instead of worrying so much, it would be better to do what the emperor ordered as soon as possible and leave as soon as possible!
……

At the same time, in Daming, Shenjian Villa.

Cuiyun Peak, green water lake.

It was snowing heavily and the moon was shining brightly in the sky.

Amidst the falling snow stood a man, as if he had become one with the silver-white world.

Because he was too quiet, so quiet that apart from the indifference and fatigue that had penetrated deep into his bones, he also carried a kind of menacing murderous aura in the eyes of outsiders.

In this colorful snow, it is almost impossible to feel that there is a person standing there.

"Uncle, you've been standing there for a whole day and night!"

The visitor was Xie Yuan, the son of Xie Ting, the cousin of Xie Xiaofeng. Although he had no reputation in the martial arts world and even his martial arts skills were very rudimentary, he was a good manager.

Shenjian Villa prospered under his leadership.

Of course, that's a big part of the reason.

It is because everyone knows that the real owner of Shenjian Villa is the King of Swords, the God of Swords, the former Third Young Master Xie Xiaofeng, so no one dares to provoke him and he prospers.

Xie Xiaofeng withdrew from the state of near unity between man and nature, or rather, unity between man and sword. A hint of life finally appeared in his cold eyes: "I want to leave the village!"

(End of this chapter)