Mountain Patrol Military Officer-Chapter 1084 - 707: Emperor Wu’s Wrath
The setting sun was like blood, splashing over the glazed tiles of the Dragon Court. The palace walls stretched like a sepia-colored giant python, coiling in the twilight, twisting as the dusk moved eastward.
The sound of rapid hoofbeats came crashing from the end of the long corridor at the Vermilion Bird Gate, the four hooves surging like waves of fire.
"Open the palace gates," a sharp shout pierced through the solemnity of the palace city.
"Boom, boom, boom"
The nine palace gates opened sequentially from the outside in, with the vermilion copper-studded doors grinding heavily over the green stone slabs, emitting a dull rumble like a giant beast waking up slowly and opening its eyes.
The copper nails of the first gate reflected the russet light of the setting sun, the ring of the second gate clanged crisply, the third gate, the fourth... As the doors opened and closed, the afterglow of the sunset gradually disappeared on the distant horizon, the light leaking through the gates narrowed inch by inch.
Then, a fiery red horse, like a streak of flame, forcibly cleaved a path. The sunset afterglow chased that fiery red figure, and as the final palace gate closed, the last ray of afterglow disappeared from the horizon. Night fell like spilled ink, pouring from the sky, flooding over the palace walls, the halls, drowning those standing stone lions...
As the night spread, the palace lights of the Dragon Court flickered on in succession, the yellowish halo spreading in the twilight, trapped within the carved window lattice, illuminating the mottled shadows on the window paper.
The fiery red horse passed through the imperial path and stopped in front of a long corridor, the rider, Lü Tianji, swiftly dismounted, walked a few steps forward, crossing the corridor, gazing at the shadow of a grand hall ahead under the night sky.
Taiji Palace!
This grand hall resembled a True Dragon coiled, the palace lanterns lit under the night appeared like the eyes of a giant dragon, instilling fear in all under heaven.
At this moment, a palace attendant carrying a lantern took quick, small steps across the White Jade Square in front of the grand hall, coming to greet them.
It was a lantern-holding eunuch, more elegantly referred to as a lamp holder.
"Vice Commander Lü, Your Majesty knows you’ve returned, and has ordered me to come welcome you." The eunuch habitually bent low, his voice seemingly pinched.
Lü Tianji smelled the scent of blood on the eunuch, furrowed his brows, feeling a bit restless and a hint of unease buried in his heart.
But he kept this unease deeply hidden, not showing it outwardly, maintaining a cold face, his voice icy and firm,
"Lead the way!"
The lamp-holding eunuch responded with a sound, saying no more, bent low with the palace lantern in hand, leading the way ahead.
The two proceeded one after another through the White Jade Square, climbed the grand hall’s steps, reaching the solemn and serious exterior of the Taiji Palace.
At this moment, outside the Taiji Palace, the gilded palace lanterns swayed in the night wind, their light fragmented by the window lattice.
Outside the hall, on the stone slabs made of Han Baiyu, several young eunuchs in blue palace robes knelt on the ground, hands pressing on wet rags, heads bowed, buttocks raised high, scrubbing the floor, where faint crimson traces lay hidden in the damp cracks. Despite the scent of water-washed floors in the air, it couldn’t hide the lingering smell of blood in the air.
When Lü Tianji arrived at the door with his companion, the floor-cleaning eunuchs scrambled to either side, instinctively shivering, heads buried into the ground, wishing they could burrow into the floor.
The doors of the Taiji Palace were closed, the light inside dim, and the oppressive night air felt suffocating. The guiding lamp-holding eunuch couldn’t help but lighten his steps, bending even lower as he softly spoke toward the palace door,
"Your Majesty, Vice Commander Lü has returned to report." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺
With this announcement, the thick doors of the hall opened, and the creaking sound was inexplicably breath-catching.
Subsequently, an imposing voice that made one’s heart tremble sounded from within,
"Come in!"
Upon hearing the Emperor’s voice, Lü Tianji’s heart tightened. He shook his sleeves, dusted off the travel dust from his body, then composed his features and stepped into the hall.
Inside the hall, candle flames flickered, his footsteps echoed clearly as if stepping on the tips of people’s hearts.
Lü Tianji, this Vice Commander of the imperial guard, a Dragon and Tiger strongman, at this moment felt a heavy and restless sensation in his heart.
Accompanying a sovereign is like accompanying a tiger; the one sitting on the throne, an Emperor of heaven and earth, holding the power of life and death over millions, wielding the nation’s Luck.
He stopped before the Imperial Desk, keeping his forehead slightly lowered, not daring to look at the Emperor sitting on the throne, then knelt directly on both knees, prostrating at the foot of the imperial steps, his back straight, his voice trembling yet each word clear,
"I have failed the holy mandate!"
"Your Majesty commanded me to secretly convey the edict to Helian National Master in the Southwest. I traveled day and night, through multiple transfers, crossing hundreds of thousands of miles, finally meeting Helian National Master. However, National Master Helian’s heart was with the border and he refused to return to the capital. Before I left, he entrusted me with a letter for Your Majesty, saying he would return after the border was secured..."
Lü Tianji’s voice was low, fearing to offend the figure behind the Imperial Desk. As he spoke, he reached into his bosom and took out a memorial, lifting it forward with both hands.
But in the next second,
"Enough!"
A thunderous shout exploded like a clap of thunder, carrying terrifying majesty.
On the throne, Emperor Wu leaned forward fiercely, like a True Dragon lifting its head from the mountain mist, suddenly slapping the desk, his eyes raging like a True Dragon’s fury, grabbing a paperweight from the desk, and hurling it downwards with a swift motion.
"Bang"
A dull thud echoed.
The paperweight made of Alien Gold directly hit Lü Tianji’s forehead, blood instantly spurting out, staining half of this vice commander’s face red under the flickering candlelight, appearing extremely fierce.
The hall fell into dead silence, only the sound of heavy breathing from the throne was heard.
And Lü Tianji just let out a muffled groan, allowing the blood to flow, his figure unmoving, rigidly kneeling there,
"I earnestly implore Your Majesty to calm your anger!"
"Calm my anger? How can I calm my anger? My esteemed National Master repeatedly disobeys my orders, making the court officials and those rebels mock me."
On the throne, Emperor Wu braced his hands on the Imperial Desk, the anger in his eyes not diminishing in the slightest, his gaze as sharp as a cold blade.
"I would like to see what my esteemed National Master has to say in his letter?"
"Feng Banban, bring it here, read it!"
"Ah?"
Beside the Imperial Desk, the Emperor’s chief companion, previously frightened by the Emperor’s rage, was startled then and, full of trepidation, walked down to receive the memorial from Lü Tianji’s hands, then stood aside and began to read aloud.
"I, the old minister Helian Mountain, am grateful for the holy grace, I respectfully report to Your Majesty: I heard the command summon, not waiting for the chariot to proceed, for this is the duty of a minister. However, in the Southwest, there is a demon threat to the west and a demon disaster to the south, the crisis is urgent and concerns the nation’s safety. As a minister, I am responsible for guarding the territory and cannot retreat. Upon receiving the edict to return to the capital, it is not a defiance of the sovereign’s command; if the Southwest is not stabilized, the Central Plains will not be at peace, the rebels will not stop... I have received the late Emperor’s generous grace and Your Majesty’s elevation, and I dare not cherish my life. The war is intense, and if I leave, past efforts would be wasted, and the country’s foundations might crumble. I beg for Your Majesty’s pardon for momentarily disobeying the sovereign’s command. Once everything is resolved, I will bind myself and plead guilty, awaiting Your Majesty’s disposal without a hint of regret!!"
"This old minister Helian Mountain bows again and again!"
These lengthy words made the Emperor’s chief companion sweat profusely, his voice getting lower.
He folded the memorial, then lowered his head, bowed, and took slow steps to the Imperial Desk, bending his body ninety degrees, presenting the memorial to the Emperor with both hands.
And as Emperor Wu took the memorial, his eyes seemed like they wanted to devour people, and he tore the memorial into pieces, then swept his sleeve and hand across the Imperial Desk.
With a clatter.
Everything on the desk was swept to the ground.
In the Taiji Palace, all the palace attendants, imperial guard, in terror and trepidation, knelt and prostrated on the ground, their heads touching the floor.
The Emperor’s wrath was true, and someone was going to suffer.
"Issue an order, summon the head of the Helian family to the palace. Since Helian Mountain is committed to loyalty, send his Helian family members to the front line to fulfill his loyal duty."
Emperor Wu’s voice, extremely gloomy, echoed within the Taiji Palace.
