Chapter 1: The Lord of the State
Wei Yu coughed lightly, shaking off the accumulated snow in front of him, and said with a smile: "After all, this is to plunder the grain supplies of the court; is it not a bit too ostentatious..."
After a thunderous roar, the earth was left in a vast expanse of white, devoid of any trace
The voice of the attendant emerged from beneath the leather guard, carrying a tone of somber gravity. Zhu gazed at the snow and wind halfway up the mountain, remaining silent, only leisurely stroking his right wrist.
It turns out that the sky in the northwest is filled with so many stars
He coldly snorted and said, "What of such a great person? They still died in such a humble and humiliating manner"
It is as if ink has splashed upon flawless snow, or as if a shadow has suddenly risen amidst the bright moon. The dense and continuous tattoos appear fearsome and terrifying against the snow-white skin
The barbarians of Xieguo are truly rude, having killed over 100 people, and they even managed to cause an avalanche
The soldiers needed no further instruction and stepped forward to dig. That corner was likely situated at a slightly elevated position, with the snow measuring no more than half a foot. With a slight scrape, figures emerged, some tattered and others in vibrant colors. Instantly, shouts of "Sir" and "Long live" erupted. Some even knelt down to pay their respects.
The sound of the wind is crisp, reminiscent of days gone by, all secrets are buried in the snow, never to reveal their traces again
This, is this Juyuan ... ... ? ! ''
On the vast, empty land, only the snowflakes drift gently by, and the sound of the wind is quiet in the ears, filling everyone's heart with a sense of chill
He stared at the pair of pearls on the tips of his shoes, which shimmered under the reflection of the snow, resembling the brilliance of the rising sun and the moonlight
Upon hearing this, everyone focused their attention forward, only to see, at the far end of the mountain where the Juyuan Border Post is located, wisps of snow mist swirling in the air. Amidst the blizzard, if one did not look closely, it was impossible to discern any clues.
With such thoughts in mind, he inexplicably picked her up and handed her over to the attendant. Subsequently, he turned his gaze towards the excavation in another area
Snowflakes gently drifted by, resembling the delicate hands of a beautiful woman, brushing against the sword-like brows of Zhu Wen... The woman appearing before him lay sideways in the snow, her body speckled with droplets of blood.
top-notch expert
As if fearing that others might mistakenly perceive him as benevolent, he added, "The palace is in need of manpower, and they are the spoils of this expedition"
Except for these individuals, all the defenders perished
Zhu Wen cast him a sidelong glance, half-smiling, and said: "If we are to speak of ostentation, you renting out all the top courtesans of Xuanji Pavilion for a night is truly something astonishing..."
He squinted his eyes, and his gaze, deeper than the night, swept over the high-flying banner of his team. The bright red character "Xie", as large as a fist, fluttered wildly and freely, while beneath it, the dragon and tiger intertwined, exuding a fierce and domineering presence.
The snow fog is indeed peculiar, swirling in layers, yet it spreads deep and wide, with silence enveloping the surroundings, as if it were a ghostly realm
After the cold, mocking curse, they scattered and resumed digging in the snow.
The marks left by the snow
The team set out, yet there were slightly more than when they arrived. The wind and snow swept in, quickly drowning out the noise of the surroundings
He stepped forward quickly, bending down to closely examine the area surrounding the avalanche; the more he looked, the colder his gaze became
Pondering this thought-provoking outcome, Zhu Wen looked at the chaos around him and realized it was not wise to linger. He then commanded, "In light of this turn of events, the entire army shall turn back!"
Wei Yu stepped forward and inquired
Endless ice and snow cascade from the cliffs, obscuring the vast night sky, devoid of day or night, love or hate
... ...
It is ... ... an avalanche !
... ...
This marquis holds the flag of the Xie Kingdom, precisely to assert the authority of my father before the court
Soon, results were reported back
Snowflakes clung to the long hair, making the hair color appear as a deep, dark blue, almost blending into the sky as it fluttered in the wind
He urged his horse forward, and soon headed towards the other side of the mountain, with his guards hastily following behind. A flurry of horses and men rushed past, shattering the silence almost completely
Zhu Wen glanced disinterestedly, but immediately, his pupils constricted to a point
Zhu Wen gently helped her up, and all at once, her dark hair cascaded down, seemingly absorbing the radiance of the moonlight.
The soft whispers, however, are overshadowed by the overwhelming force of the avalanche; in the fleeting moment of life and death, they pale in comparison to a single glimmer of light amidst the vastness of the Milky Way.
Seeing where his gaze fell, the attendant approached somewhat uneasily and asked: "My lord, should we take down the flag?"
There was a local sergeant, trembling as he spoke
The cold gleam of the armor appeared even more chilling under the reflection of the ice and snow, the bend of the fine iron bow polished to a smooth finish, moving silently yet exuding a sense of oppressive severity
It is probably beyond saving
He repeated, facing Wei Yu's astonished gaze, Zhu Wen sighed with emotion: "The traces left by this avalanche are truly ingenious, so cleverly crafted that they precisely avoided the slave camp—this is the work of a top master using true energy to strike, causing the air currents to vibrate, which in turn triggered the avalanche"
At this moment, a faint sound suddenly reached everyone's ears. Looking up, they saw a few tattered tents peeking out from a corner in the northeast, where voices could be heard straining to dig.
Zhu Wen cast a glance at him, did not respond, but silently gazed at the snow-covered ground, lost in thought
Wei Yu observed clearly from the side and expressed with some regret: "This is a punishment of tattooing imposed for committing a grave act of treason."
As pure as snow, yet the touch is thin and soft, so thin it could be torn apart—who in such a harsh and cold land has gone mad enough to dare wear such attire
A true man in this world, even if he commits evil deeds, need not do so in secret, let alone...
Zhu Wen was momentarily stunned, and then he reached out to sense the woman's breath. He felt it was as faint as a wisp of silk, hanging by a thread of life. Within her pulse, there was an additional chill—likely due to her delicate constitution, having endured the winds and snows of the borderlands, the cold had already accumulated within her.
The military leaders gazed at their lord, yet none dared to speak up—between the lord and King Xie, although they were father and son, their relationship was strained and enigmatic. The lord repeatedly invaded the territories of the court, yet he did so under the banner of King Xie. When it comes to ulterior motives, it is truly unspeakable
Juyuan is merely a forward military outpost, with only a little over one hundred soldiers stationed there. Even if an invasion were to occur and they were killed, there are still garrisons stationed fifty miles behind. Not to mention the major passes such as Yumen and Kunlun. What kind of master, with what kind of purpose, has caused such a significant upheaval in this inconsequential place?
Compared to before, they can be considered utterly unrestrained, carelessly digging out and severing people's bodies. After a chaotic digging, someone finally exclaimed as if they had found a treasure: "Here it is!"
In the palace of the night where Zhu Wen resided, there were beautiful women from various places, dazzling in a myriad of colors, yet he had never seen skin like this before
In the bitter cold of the northwest, as the long night reaches its midpoint, it is precisely the time when the cries of ghosts echo across the hundred-mile expanse, and no human figure can be seen. Yet, on the snowy plain, there is a group of figures riding horses and drawing bows, heading towards the east.
One month later
He lowered his gaze, the light in his eyes flickering, but suddenly, it was as if he had discovered something in the snow beneath his feet
He crouched down, gazing intently, and what his fingertips touched was unexpectedly a corner of fabric
Suddenly, he took off his shoes, and with a whistle, everyone turned around
He glanced at the trembling slaves and women, thought for a moment, and ultimately said: "Take them back as well"
Your Excellency, ahead is the Juyuan Border Post...
Truly a master
Wei Yu murmured almost in a daze
It is said that when the snow-capped peaks collapse and bury everything, it is the mountain god's wrath, intent on destroying all living beings. Although many do not believe this absurd tale, witnessing such a grand and tragic scene with their own eyes causes them to tremble in their hearts
The cold wind whistles, sweeping across the icy plains, causing the grasses to wither and bend. The snow gradually descends from the sky, crystal clear yet as large as pigeon eggs, striking the skin with a painful sting
Zhu Wen's lips curled slightly, revealing an extremely relaxed and carefree smile. His light voice, however, startled the attendant into a cold sweat.
Several figures rushed forward, arriving before this snowy wasteland
It was a wristband carved from a solid piece of crimson chalcedony, its brilliance shimmering and dazzling. At first glance, it seemed like a fragile object that would shatter upon contact, yet when it accidentally collided with the elbow guard, the crisp and resonant sound revealed its extraordinary toughness.
Could it be an ambush
He simply took the long knife from the guard's hand, using the back of the blade to dig deeply. A moment later, the owner of the fabric finally appeared before his eyes
As if the color of jade penetrates the bones, crystal clear and translucent, with a jade-like neck raised upwards, pale to the point of near transparency due to blood loss
His laughter elongated the sound, bringing an almost deliberate mockery to the words "Father King," which appeared even sharper amidst the wind and snow
The wind and snow swept past his coldly mocking thin lips, and his fair face featured delicate features, starkly contrasting with the ruggedness typical of the Northwest. If he were to dress properly, he would surely not be inferior to any elegant young gentleman from Jiangnan. However, the owner of this handsome appearance seemed indifferent to it, not even using a hairpin, simply tying his long hair casually to one side like an ordinary soldier.
What appeared before everyone's eyes after crossing the mountains was an unbelievable scene
Everyone was taken aback—just as the world was in turmoil, the court was in a period of recuperation and could not pay attention to the northwest for the time being. Juyuan was merely a small post, and the garrison had always been limited. However, if this trip were to alarm the enemy and disrupt the plan to raid Yumen for supplies, it would completely fall through.
A swift horse passed over the mountain peak, halting before reaching the base of the mountain. Juyuan was originally a forward outpost, with military tents spread out along the valley. Over a hundred soldiers, along with a dozen female slaves toiling under harsh conditions, formed quite a presence. However, now it is thickly covered by ice and snow, and all the tents and dwellings have vanished without a trace
Zhu Wen's brows were almost furrowed into sharp blades, his thin lips pressed tightly together as he softly uttered two words: "Masterful!"
His voice grew increasingly cheerful, and that smile reflected in the eyes of the crowd was even more shocking than that of a hellish demon.
She sat quietly, gazing up at the sky with a faint smile, allowing the snow to swirl around her as blood flowed freely
Zhu Wen's gaze was cold, yet his smile deepened even further, "Whether it is a person or a ghost, just go and see clearly."
Those are the wretched slaves serving the garrison and the camp prostitutes... They are indeed fortunate to have salvaged their lives
Wei Yu only felt a soreness in his jaw, as if he were listening to a legendary tale of gods and demons. He smiled wryly and said, "How does this expert compare to you, Your Excellency?"
The leader of the Men in Black disdainfully remarked, yet it was inferred based on the circumstances present.
As if under a spell, he extended his hand and gathered the strands of hair, and in the next moment, what appeared before him was—
... ...
Wei Yu was deeply indignant and was about to retort with a sarcastic remark when he heard Zhu Wen sternly say: "Silence... the situation seems off!"
Why didn't you include them in the calculations as well
The excavated female corpse bore tattooed markings on her face, already swollen from the rocks and snowmelt that had struck her, rendering her features unrecognizable. Upon closer inspection, the individual finally discovered a pair of jade-patterned silk shoes on her feet
Zhu Wen exerted a bit of force, yet he nearly tore the fabric; the weight made him feel as if there was someone underneath!
It is her!
Laughter erupted all around, and one bold individual stepped forward to say: "Strategist, you truly are generous. When will you share some with us..."
What happened
A snow-white face marked with blue-black tattoos