Chapter 1070: Chapter 1069: I Know Your Father’s Whereabouts_1
The entire troop came to a sudden halt.
The soldiers in the formation were clothed in golden armor, wrapped tightly from head to toe, revealing only their eyes and hands, their murderous aura so intense that the commoners on both sides of the road didn’t dare to breathe a word.
These were the ’Golden Frost Guards,’ one of the two most elite guards of the Zrin Kingdom, each soldier brave and good in battle, rumored to be able to take on thousands alone. In the entire Zrin Kingdom, the only one who could command them was the most beautiful and noble princess herself.
When a voice came from the curtained carriage, the entire street fell silent.
Immediately after, the curtains were lifted by a pair of hands as delicate as white jade, prompting gasps, swallowing sounds, and low exclamations from the crowd.
Even Shi Xiaole was impressed.
The woman was dressed in the unique white velvet garments of the Zrin Kingdom and wore a white leather hat to match. Strands of thread hung from the brim of the hat, adding a haziness to her already ethereal beauty.
The woman’s appearance was so exquisite that she could stand shoulder to shoulder with Gui Fuling, Qiu Yuchu, and the other great beauties. The people of the Zrin Kingdom, both men, and women, were all transfixed.
"You, come here."
Er Miba’s gaze bypassed everyone present, focusing directly on that outstanding figure in green, her tone unquestioning and tinged with urgency, likely due to habit from giving orders.
Both the Golden Frost Guards and the commoners on the scene thought the person called would excitedly step forward, submitting to the most noble princess. But after three full breaths, there was still no movement.
Er Miba’s eyes, bright as gems, shone more intensely, and she called out, "Come here!"
Is she talking to me?
Shi Xiaole was a bit puzzled and didn’t like her tone, so he turned and walked away.
"You scoundrel, halt!"
The leader of the Golden Frost Guards had been watching Shi Xiaole all along, and seeing the young man’s arrogance, ignoring even the words of the princess, the guard leaped forward, reaching out with a fierce grab, revealing himself to be a high-level master from the Divine Barrier Realm.
"Don’t injure..."
Er Miba hadn’t finished speaking when she opened her mouth wide in shock. The Golden Frost Guard leader was frozen mid-motion, his face stiff, while the greenshirted youth stepped away, vanishing at the end of the long street as if he were an immortal from the heavens.
Thud.
The leader of the Golden Frost Guards fell to the ground, drenched in cold sweat.
It wasn’t until this moment that the crowd around them realized what had happened, but nobody could clearly explain the event.
"The National Master once mentioned he might have a son; this person looks so much like the National Master, even their stature and demeanor are similar, there has to be a connection... oh dear, I was too hasty!"
Er Miba stomped her foot in frustration, her annoyance apparent, then shouted at the surrounding Golden Frost Guards, "What are you standing around for? Go and find the whereabouts of that man for me, but do not be disrespectful to him. Any news must be reported to me at once!"
"We shall obey the princess’s decree."
The Golden Frost Guards, though confused, saw the princess hurry back into the curtained carriage, her voice emerging once more, "Quick, return to the royal city."
Immediately, some of the Golden Frost Guards dispersed into the streets and alleys, ready to deploy the power of the royal family to investigate Shi Xiaole, while the rest stayed close, dutifully fulfilling their protective duties.
As soon as she returned to the royal city, Er Miba rushed through layers of protection and burst into a palace. Upon seeing the man on the bed who was barely breathing, her eyes reddened.
"National Master, National Master, wake up, Er Miba is back, don’t sleep anymore, to think you’re supposed to be a teacher... The Central Plain’s classics you asked me to memorize last time, I’ve learned them by heart, do you want to hear them?"
Er Miba grabbed the National Master’s icy hand, her heart turning just as cold, overwhelmed with waves of regret, and she cried out, "Where are the imperial physician and the doctors, where have they gone, someone come quickly!"
No one responded.
Whether they came of their own accord or were brought by force, after all the doctors had examined the National Master’s wounds, they came to the same conclusion: not even great immortals could save him.
Er Miba wept helplessly, crying beside the bed for a while. She didn’t know when a hand had landed on her shoulder. Turning her head, it was the ruler, Er Pingzhi.
"Wang Jie, do not grieve too deeply. I believe the National Master will surely be safe and sound. What in this world can possibly bring him down?"
As Er Pingzhi spoke words of comfort, his voice, though, couldn’t help trembling.
Er Miba looked pained and a bit bewildered, murmuring to herself, "We have dragged down the National Master. He should have been an immortal, free to wander the world, tracing paths across the four seas, yet we mortals have pulled him into this filthy mortal world. And now he has to pay with his life, heh heh heh..."
Er Pingzhi lowered his head, recalling the encouraging words the National Master had offered a few days ago; by then, the latter must have already sensed his own condition. Scenes of the past flashed before his eyes, filling Er Pingzhi’s chest with an admiring affection so intense it felt as if his heart was being torn apart.
"Wang Jie, I have decided to hold a grand ceremony to pray to the heavens soon and will pass on the throne to my younger brother."
Er Miba looked up in shock, seeing in her brother’s face an unprecedented coldness and resolve, and she could guess what he intended to do, involuntarily opening her mouth in surprise.
"I have disappointed our father’s expectations, let down the National Master, and caused Zrin Kingdom to fall into the trap of scoundrels. I’m useless."
Er Pingzhi laughed heartily as he prepared to leave—every second he stayed only added to his guilt.
"Wait."
Er Miba seemed to remember something, suddenly saying, "Today, in the marketplace, I saw a young man, and he bore a striking resemblance to the National Master."
Er Pingzhi didn’t turn around, but his body swayed slightly before steadying itself.
The National Master had mentioned his offspring, but, burdened by incomplete memories, even he didn’t know the whereabouts of his child. Er Pingzhi had witnessed all of this and often felt regret on behalf of the National Master.
Hearing Er Miba’s words, he couldn’t help but fantasize that if that was the National Master’s son, he would use every means possible to find him. It was just that in the vast world, people resembling each other weren’t unheard of, and it was likely just a vain joy.
Though thinking this way, Er Pingzhi quickly gathered some men and ordered them to search secretly in the capital. This was one of the few things he could do.
...
Inside the small building.
Shi Xiaole, as usual, had finished practicing his swordsmanship. Uncle Wang and Yan Zhenning had not returned. In fact, with the speed of the two, they wouldn’t need long to browse the entire capital, but the sensing range of the Nine Ancestors clay sculpture was limited, so they had to try multiple routes.
"The move ’Lightning Startling Swan’ is close to perfection."
Shi Xiaole smiled, pleased with his progress. Yet remembering the continual prying eyes these past days, he felt a sense of resignation. After thinking it over, he decided to retreat outside the city to practice until the move was perfected, then return.
"May I come in, Young Master in the room?"
Just then, a familiar voice came from outside the door—it was the princess from the other day.
"I don’t believe I have offended Her Highness, so there’s no need to meet."
Shi Xiaole did not know what she was up to and had no interest in finding out. After all, as soon as the affairs were settled, he was going to leave Zrin Kingdom—he was just a passerby.
With a sweeping motion, Shi Xiaole floated out the window like a drifting green cloud.
Outside the door, Er Miba panicked, fearing Shi Xiaole would leave before she had finished speaking and then she would truly have nowhere to cry to. She hurriedly shouted, "I know the whereabouts of your father, don’t go, don’t leave!"
