Supreme Golden Palace

Chapter 38: The Beginning of the Fifth Year (Part )
In the fifth year of Kaihuang,
In January, in the depths of winter, a thin mist shrouded Daxing. The morning bells of the Buddhist temples in the city rang melodiously, and the wind chimes on the pagodas inside the temples jingled in the cold wind.

Lü Shang rode a purple-black precious horse and galloped out of Jingyao Gate. The Four Treasures General Shang Silang followed closely behind him, wearing a horse-ming helmet, a seven-feather armor, holding an eight-treasure spear, and riding a thunder leopard.

After Lü Shang was equipped with his weapons, armor, and mount, Lü Yongji asked the Shang Silang to stay with him and help him adjust to these weapons. Although Lü Shang's weapons, armor, and mount were all top-notch, even the best weapons required time to adjust and adapt.

Therefore, during this period, Lü Shang and Shang Silang often rode out of Daxing, discussing martial arts and wrestling in the suburbs, honing their riding and archery skills. Shang Silang was reviewing the old to gain new insights, while Lü Shang simply became familiar with the military equipment.

With the help of Shang Silang, a great expert, Lu Shang made rapid progress and easily mastered the BMW's habits, speed and endurance. The cooperation between the rider and the horse became more and more tacit.

It is no longer the time to use brute force to hold down the horse's head and violently suppress its ferocity when it was just brought back home.

tread!tread!tread!
After leaving Jingyao Gate, the biting cold wind, carrying the smell of wild grass in the suburbs, blew in his face. Lu Shang pulled the reins, and the horse under his crotch neighed. Looking back at Shang Silang, he saw that the night pearl on Shang Silang's horse helmet was faintly glowing in the daytime.

Lü Shang took a deep breath of the cold air and said with a smile, "Zizhao, my Purple Lightning Frost is a royal horse sent as tribute by the Kingdom of Dayuan. It is said to travel a thousand miles a day and eight hundred miles a night. Your Thunder Leopard is also a rare precious horse in the world. Its roar is like that of a tiger or leopard, and it can scare away a group of beasts."

"We're both divine horses. I wonder if your Thunder Leopard is more powerful, or my Purple Lightning Frost Chasing Wind and Lightning?"

"Why don't we have a competition today? The stakes are one hundred coins."

Shang Silang raised his whip slightly and said in a loud voice, "Prince, my Hu Leibao has been with me for many years and has never lost in speed. If you lose, you must give me one hundred coins."

After saying this, he squeezed his legs against the horse's belly, raised his front hooves high, let out a deafening roar, and shot out like an arrow from a bow.

"One hundred coins is one hundred coins. I want to see if your Hu Lei Bao can compare to my Dayuan Divine Horse."

Seeing this, Lü Shang let out a low shout, and Purple Lightning Frost's hooves galloped forward, their manes rustling fiercely in the wind. In an instant, they caught up. The two horses galloped along the suburban road, kicking up a cloud of dust. The clatter of their hooves was like the pounding of drums, striking the stillness of winter.

During this time together, Lü Shang and Shang Silang gradually became close. This was also Lü Yongji's purpose, under the pretext of having Shang Silang help Lü Shang improve his military equipment, to create an opportunity for Lü Shang to win over Shang Silang.

Lu Yongji may not have great wisdom, but he has his own little cunning. Over the past month, Lu Yongji has realized that his only precious child may not be as bad as he thought.

At least we can see the clues from the cautiousness and care that Shang Silang shows every time when facing his son.

------

Duke of Qi's Mansion,

In the gardens of the palace, the central courtyard pond, although the water surface was not completely frozen, it was still bone-chillingly cold.

By the pond, Lu Yongji, dressed in a brocade robe, held an exquisite fishing rod, while Lu Quan beside him was carefully sorting fish food.

"Master, the prince has left the city with Mr. Shang again," Lu Quan's voice broke the silence around them.

"It's good to go out of the city. I feel relieved that Shang Silang is with me."

Lu Yongji said, "The day of the Enke Military Examination is getting closer and closer. Some gangsters have already started to leave from various counties and prefectures. Just wait and see. Daxing will definitely become more and more lively in the near future."

"Those guys from Wuhou Mansion and Jingzhao Yin are busy now!"

The Left and Right Wuhou Mansions were one of the twelve imperial guards. Their duty was to patrol day and night, to guard against thieves and other illegal activities, and to protect the safety of the capital.

The Enke Martial Arts Examination is not only a stepping stone for martial artists to advance, but also an opportunity for the common people in the martial arts world to gain fame and reputation.

Even if one didn't become an official at the imperial court, being able to leave one's name on the Enke Wuchang field was a real honor, and anyone who joined the Green Forest Road would look up to them. According to Lü Yongji's friends in Jingzhao Prefecture, some prominent Green Forest Road bandits even changed their names and prepared fake identity documents to participate in the Enke Wuchang field test.

The imperial court was aware of all this, but as long as it was not prohibited by law, it was free.

Yang Jian's Zhaowu Order clearly stated that no matter their origin or background, when selecting talents for the country, even if it meant selecting a big bandit, as long as he could be used by the court, Yang Jian would not be stingy with high positions and generous salaries.

However, these green forest figures looked down on Yang Jian's high official position and generous salary. What they wanted was fame. It is said that there is no first in literature and no second in martial arts. In the eyes of the green forest figures, being able to win the first place in the official imperial examination held by the court would mean defeating all the martial artists in the world.

For the sake of this title, Daxing City is destined to be extremely bustling in two months.

Just as Lu Yongji was gloating over his misfortune, the governor of the palace came running to the edge of the courtyard and said, "My Lord, the Duke of Ying has been sentenced to death by His Majesty."

Lu Yongji's face changed drastically. Although he knew that Wang Yi was in a bad situation, he did not expect that Wang Yi would die so suddenly.

This was a great founding father, and his death was so silent that it would make anyone feel a chill in their heart.

"How did he die? What crime was he convicted of?" Lu Yongji asked after a moment of silence.

"He was given wine and died,"

The governor replied, "Someone has reported that Wang Yi has close ties with Yuan Xie, the Grand Secretary, and others, and that their private conversations have been inappropriate."

"Your Majesty was furious, so he was sentenced to death."

Lu Yongji sighed and asked again, "What did your majesty's imperial edict say? This statement was inappropriate, and in what way was it inappropriate that your majesty ordered the death of the founding fathers?"

The governor lowered his head, not daring to look at Lü Yongji. He simply whispered, "It's said that Wang Yi has sinister intentions, that his house is full of sorcerers and witches, that he talks nonsense, and that he claims to be a divine saint. They also say that he spreads prophecies, claiming he has a divine mandate. They say there's a Yi star in the sky, located at the foot of the Tao and Lu rivers, at the foot of Qizhou, and that in the year of Chen and Si, he will rise to the throne."

"To establish an imperial career?"

Lu Yongji laughed: "Wang Yi has no army, no power, and all his former subordinates and confidants have been replaced. How can he still build an empire?"

"You go down,"

After thinking about it, Lu Yongji waved his hand and asked the governor to leave.

After the governor left, Lü Quan stepped forward and said, "Sir,"

"Alas, my cousin is so cruel and ruthless, he goes back on his word and leaves no room for maneuver. Although I knew Wang Yi was going to die, I never thought it would be this way."

"Tsk tsk, what a disgusting statement! This is the crime your majesty has convicted Wang Yi of."

Lu Yongji held the fishing rod, looked at the ripples on the water, and said softly.

"How could I not be trembling with fear and walking on thin ice when I have a cousin like that?"

"Even though I know that as long as I don't make any mistakes, he can guarantee me a lifetime of wealth and prosperity, but I'm still afraid!"

(End of this chapter)