The World's Number One Medical Hall

Chapter 185 Influence

In broad daylight, a group of barbarian soldiers were beheaded in the street in full view of the public, their bodies displayed as a mound of corpses, and the word "kill" was written in the blood of their general. Such a horrifying event was no small matter in Mingzhu, a place already intimidated by the barbarians' brutality.

This time, there was no way to block the news like last time. There were too many people present, and too many people fled in all directions out of fear of the barbarians' retaliation. Not to mention that the barbarians wouldn't dare to act rashly, even if they did, they wouldn't be able to really kill everyone.

With word of mouth spreading, this sensational news seemed to have wings, spreading at lightning speed to every corner of the people.

Actually, it wasn't that sensational at first. Although the news was spreading rapidly, such news was actually quite common among the people of Mingzhu.

The heroes sent by the dynasty slaughtered countless barbarians there...

Once again, countless brave and indomitable men from the South fought a bloody battle against the barbarians...

Taoist practitioners, moved by the suffering of the common people, rose up, wielding three-foot-long swords, and charged through the rain and dew. Their white robes remained unstained by blood, yet they slaughtered countless foreign beasts, leaving their heads in pieces…

Indeed, there are not only many such legends, but they are so numerous that they are countless.

Each transmission was exciting and inspiring, but as time went by, people could not help but find that the barbarians' power was growing and fewer and fewer dared to resist them. Gradually, no amount of news could dispel the fear of the barbarians in their hearts.

"These barbarians are not to be trifled with; provoking them could lead to the extermination of your entire family!"

I don't know when it started, but this idea has taken root in people's hearts in many heroic legends.

Actually, it's not complicated.

No matter how many legends there are, they are still just legends.

No one could see the barbarians showing the slightest fear in these legends, nor did they see them showing any restraint. Therefore, their lives continued in darkness, and the light seemed to grow ever more distant.

However, this time...

"Thump! Thump! Thump..."

"Quickly, search for me!"

"You dare spread rumors? Beat them up!"

"Everyone, squat down!"

"Don't run!"

Squads of barbarian soldiers marched into the streets in a flurry of activity, wielding muskets and exuding their characteristic awe-inspiring power.

Countless lackeys also began to busily create a tense atmosphere everywhere.

The barbarians reacted quickly, immediately adopting an unquestionable attitude; they would not tolerate any challenge to their authority.

They launched a massive intimidation campaign in every corner of this pearl, aiming to suppress any daring that might rise in anyone's heart.

But they probably couldn't have imagined it.

This time, as the rumors still echoed in the ears of the common people, and they saw them making such a grand show of it, a burning passion began to rise in their hearts.

Some people remained squatting on the ground, afraid to look up.

Someone was hiding in the crack of the door, cautiously peering out.

Some people were so frightened by the distant gunshots that they trembled with fear.

But if you look closely, you can see that their crouching bodies are trembling slightly, they are tightly embracing their families by the crack in the door, and they are clenching their fists with inexplicable excitement amidst the gunfire.

"It seems like something really bad has happened this time!"

"Those damned barbarians, causing such a ruckus, there's no mistake, those heroes must have killed their high-ranking official..."

"Have you heard? Those heroes come and go without a trace. This isn't the first time they've killed barbarians. Every time, they leave behind the word 'kill,' written in blood, a terrifying shade of red..."

"Good, good, well done. See that? These damn beasts are scared out of their wits..."

"Honey, is there any wine left at home? I'd like to have a couple of drinks!"

For the vast majority of people, this terror did not feel so dark.

Even though they were still afraid and still bowed their heads before the barbarians, a long-lost glimmer of light finally rose in their eyes.

They finally saw it; even the barbarians were afraid.

They had finally found someone under this sky who could protect them.

For the vast majority of people, today is an exciting and exhilarating day.

But for some, it is a sad and aggrieved situation.

Although Mingzhu has fallen, the place has never stopped being bustling with activity.

Calling it the intelligence hub of the Great Xia Dynasty is no exaggeration.

The largest military, weapons, intelligence, and financial transactions are still taking place here every moment.

Every minute, even the smallest movement here could affect some aspect of the battle, or even its overall direction.

Various countries are constantly active in this war-torn land, pursuing their own interests.

The Great Xia was even more complicated.

The imperial court, southern forces, major warlords, Taoist sects, and even martial arts societies are all entangled in this region.

The battlefield without gunfire is always complex; people die silently every moment, and people emerge silently every moment.

Today, for these people, it should have been the same as always, continuing to walk a tightrope in the dark.

But then, an unexpected event occurred.

The barbarian suddenly went berserk!

They suddenly unleashed unimaginable power, launching a brutal and devastating attack on intelligence organizations from all sides.

In an instant, the air was thick with the cries of the cranes, and all the major powers suffered heavy losses!

To be honest, they really felt wronged.

This sudden turn of events gave them no time to react, and they were swept away to the greatest extent possible.

In fact, this was an unprepared struggle. Even in the darkness, they should have their own rhythm. In the intelligence battle, we are all intertwined, and it is an unspoken understanding among us.

Casting a long line to catch a big fish is an indispensable tactic in intelligence warfare.

Sometimes, even when I know you've discovered me, we can still use our own methods and resources to continue pursuing our own goals.

But today, I'm speechless!

The barbarians have gone mad. Han Zaikou was enraged and issued a strict order to sweep away Mingzhu.

The various organizations below immediately felt unparalleled pressure. They no longer cared about playing the long game; they were all worried about being taken advantage of for poor performance.

So what? Just arrest them if you find them. As for whether the trail goes cold after they're arrested, that's a problem for later.

And so, the clinic where the murder took place disappeared without a trace, but damn it, the intelligence system was in complete chaos. For a time, it was really hard to say who won this battle.

Perhaps they all lost.

In short, regardless of the long-term impact of the Qi Kingdom's actions, the major powers are certainly furious.

The people you've painstakingly placed in Mingzhu have suddenly suffered a devastating blow; they certainly can't be happy about that.

And it is precisely because of this that the impact of this incident has finally begun to expand.

Or rather, after many years, the Ming King has finally stepped onto the stage once again.

Because there is a key figure in this incident that no one can ignore.

"Princess Consort Ming?" The magnificent imperial palace of the Ming Dynasty still stands as it always has, seemingly forever radiating majesty within the capital city of Pingjing.

However, at this time, the master of this palace, the once supreme ruler who once shook the world, also had his hair turn white and the wrinkles between his brows deepened during these difficult years.

Fortunately, although there was an unavoidable weariness in his eyes, the overwhelming light within them still shone brightly.

He sat in the imperial study, head slightly bowed, his expression somber as he murmured a name: "Lin Suyin..."

To his left stood a man who, upon hearing the name Lin Suyin, lowered his head and looked at her with a mixture of vicissitudes and complex emotions in his eyes.

He is Zhang Bangli!

Zhang Bangli, who suffered a crushing defeat in the Ming Dynasty incident.

Back then, the Ming King influenced too many people and caused too many deaths.

Lin Huayao has rebelled!

The Crown Prince is dead!

The dynasty is in chaos!

And he, the person at the center of this incident, is still standing here.

He raised his head slightly, and his face was no longer what it used to be; he looked old, and his first impression was one of old age and silence.

Like an old man who has not seen the sun for many years, slumbering in darkness and suffering greatly, the temperament he exudes is no longer the undisguised sharpness of his youth, but a deep and reserved one.

At this moment, he was no longer the Chief of Staff of the Imperial Court, but the secret intelligence chief of the current Emperor Dingwu.

"Your Majesty, this incident happened suddenly, caused by a discussion about the Dao. Princess Ming was shot by an arrow from Cui Chaoyuan, the master of the Qi Kingdom..." Zhang Bangli did not comment on Princess Ming, as mentioned by Emperor Dingwu. He simply and clearly recounted the whole incident.

Although Emperor Dingwu addressed her as Lin Suyin, Zhang Bangli could only refer to her as Princess Ming.

Emperor Dingwu already knew about Lin Suyin being shot by an arrow at the time, but he did not interrupt Zhang Bangli's narration at this moment, but listened in silence.

"Princess Ming stayed behind for treatment, but the Qi Kingdom followed closely behind, attempting to seize her under the pretext of protecting the younger generation of the Daoist sect. According to our intelligence analysis, the Qi Kingdom's move is likely intended to exploit Princess Ming's reputation and sow discord between the Daoist sect and Lin Huayao..."

Zhang Bangli paused slightly at this point.

Emperor Dingwu sat above, his eyes flickering slightly, his hands gripping the armrests of the chair tightly.

The Flag Kingdom was not merely a tool to sow discord between the Daoist sect and Lin Huayao.

The dynasty also sought to humiliate the clinic, using the label "Xia bandits" to define it.

What is Xia Fei?

Xia Fei is a member of the imperial court's network in Mingzhu. Xia Fei insulted the Ming Princess. How insidious is that?

This not only made the dynasty unbearable humiliation, but also made the southern forces even more irreconcilable with the dynasty, making the entire Xia dynasty increasingly chaotic.

Seeing that His Majesty remained silent, Zhang Bangli continued, "But in the end, they came up empty-handed. That clinic was prepared. Not only was Princess Ming nowhere to be found, but all the forces that had appeared at the clinic had also vanished without a trace. And then, they launched a swift counterattack. More than thirty masked men, with lightning speed, beheaded a squad of Manchu soldiers in the street, leaving none alive, and arranged them into a mound of heads, leaving behind three 'kill' characters... This method was used once five months ago. That time, they even killed Han Zaikou's adopted son, which ultimately led Han Zaikou to angrily order the sweeping of Mingzhu. Our intelligence system suffered considerable losses, so we had to remain silent for the time being!"

After hearing everything, Emperor Dingwu pondered for a moment, but instead of asking further questions, he focused on other directions: "What's the reaction in the south and at Shangqing Mountain?"