Chapter 148 Heavenly Revelations Undercurrents
This chapter is updated by Novelfree.ml
Heavenly Revelations City.
A carriage with a gold canopy and escorted by soldiers entered the imperial city at a slow pace. This group of soldiers had arrived suddenly. The commander in charge of the city gate did not receive any news in advance, yet he still summoned the entire city gate garrison to stand at attention on both sides of the gate, respectfully welcoming this group of no less than a hundred soldiers that suddenly appeared.
Only because the golden flags carried by the guards of honour were embroidered with the Great Divine Phoenix.
The Great Divine Phoenix was once the family crest of a prestigious family, until later, it became the symbol of the entire Beili. This family's name was Xiao. Therefore, the only people allowed to carry the Great Divine Phoenix flags were members of the imperial family.
"Were there any Princes coming to the capital recently?" The deputy commander of the city gate asked in a low voice.
The commander of the city gate looked into the distance, and suddenly, he blanched. "I don’t think it’s one of the Princes. The officer leading the soldiers… he’s Captain of the Imperial Palace Brave Tiger Guards, Li Changqing?"
The deputy commander took a closer look and exclaimed in surprise, "You’re right!"
"Impossible!" The commander shook his head. "We only received orders the day before yesterday, that the Emperor was returning to the capital, but that is at least seven days from now! But Li Changqing never leaves the side of the Emperor!"
While the two were talking, the Captain of the Imperial Palace Brave Tigers Guards, Li Changqing, had already led his entire troop surrounding the golden carriage slowly into the city. The commander of the city gate glanced at them, and without hesitation, took the lead to kneel down first.
"We respectfully welcome the Emperor back to the capital!"
"Long live my Emperor! Long live my Emperor!"
The entire city gate garrison put down their spears, knelt down in two rows, and shouted, "Long live my emperor!"
Even if you didn’t recognize Li Changqing, you must recognise the hundred Brave Tiger Guards. Every guard’s shoulder was embroidered with a tiger’s head. Only the personal bodyguards of Mingde Emperor, the Brave Tiger Guards, were allowed to use this emblem. Back then, they said that Mingde Emperor relied on these one hundred personal guards to fight his way before the Great Hall. Now, those guards were already old, and their descendants had taken over their swords and became the Mingde Emperor’s new personal bodyguards. Mingde Emperor bestowed upon them the tiger armor, named them Brave Tiger Guards, and their official position was equivalent to that of a general.
Li Changqing immediately pulled his horse to a stop, and his eyes passed over the city gate garrison who were kneeling on the ground to look at a man who was riding on a horse in the distance.
That man was dressed in a golden python robe, indescribably magnificent and expensive, and his face was extremely refined. Although he was definitely a man, he was a bit more stunning than any ordinary woman. It's just that a man who looked so delicate and slim had a huge and long sabre hanging from his waist. Beili swords, Nanjue sabres. In Beili, very few people used sabres. Especially a sabre such as the one this man wore on his waist, which was almost as large as a ten-year-old child.
This was a man so special that everyone would recognise him at a glance.
Some people called him the Golden Marquis, because of his golden python robe and he was from the imperial family.
"Lanyue Marquis," Li Changqing whispered to himself.
But that was his real title. Nobody knew of the orchids that grow in the deep valley, the Son of Heaven silently revolves around the full moon. Lanyue Marquis, personally bestowed by Mingde Emperor. He was also Mingde Emperor’s only brother who remained in Heavenly Revelations without an external title. In the past, he was the twelfth prince, Xiao Yueli. Standing behind Lanyue Marquis, there were very few nobles attending to him, only a few bodyguards who followed him cautiously. Lanyue Marquis’ popularity in the entire Heavenly Revelations had always been high, and he didn’t have disputes with either side. However, if someone really wanted to assassinate Lanyue Marquis on the street, then that long sabre in his hand would become the assassin’s nightmare.
"This subject and brother respectfully welcomes the Emperor back to the capital.
"Long live my Emperor."
Lanyue Marquis sat on his horse, his voice lazy, not sounding even half respectful. Bringing his sabre before the dais, facing the Emperor without bowing - in all of the Beili court, there was only one man.
The carriage slowly moved forward, moving past the kneeling city gate garrison, while Li Changqing led the hundred Brave Tiger Guards right behind.
"You’ve worked hard." When the carriage passed the city gates, the city gate commander heard a low voice from within the sedan. He was stunned for a moment, then he recovered himself. He hurriedly prepared to cry out, “Thank you, Your Majesty!” but by then, the carriage had already passed and arrived in front of Lanyue Marquis.
Lanyue Marquis still remained mounted without kneeling, a lazy smile on his face. It’s one thing for the Emperor to allow you to face him without kneeling, but it’s another thing if you really didn’t kneel. But, Lanyue Marquis just had an air about him that was slightly haughty due to the Emperor’s indulgence, so even though he had a good reputation in Heavenly Revelations, the civil and martial officials considered his temperament to be somewhat unsteady and unreliable. Yet, this person who everyone regarded as unreliable, who was merely conferred the Marquis title instead of a Prince, this Lanyue Marquis was appointed the regent during this period when Mingde Emperor was on a state visit to the Western Regions. He was already a man standing above all other men.
"To the White Prince Residence." A low voice came from within the sedan.
"As His Majesty commands." Lanyue Marquis turned his horse's head, suddenly flicked his horse whip, and galloped straight for the White Prince Residence with the golden carriage behind him. This move that was as sudden as lightning didn’t seem like he wanted to visit his son, but seemed more like he was going to a battlefield. Within the time of an incense stick, the group had already arrived at the front door of the White Prince Residence.
The chief steward of the White Prince Residence ran out, his entire person trembling, as he knelt down. "I didn’t know that the Emperor was coming. This one prays for forgiveness!"
"Where is Chong'er?" Lanyue Marquis asked, striding forward on his horse.
"The Prince has fallen ill, and he is still resting in his room," the steward replied, his voice quivering.
Lanyue Marquis looked back at the carriage. Inside the carriage, Mingde Emperor was silent for a while. Then, he finally opened the curtain and stepped out. Mingde Emperor’s expression was resolute, his eyes sharp as a blade, and his brows were slightly furrowed. There was an air of majesty about him when he moved, which was completely different from the heavy smell of perfumed powder around Lanyue Marquis. Mingde Emperor took one step from the carriage and everyone was silent. Even Lanyue Marquis, who had a lazy smile on his face before, started to look serious.
"I'm going to see Chong'er," Mingde Emperor said simply, and started walking forward on his own.
"Form up!" Li Changqing spoke in a low voice, and all the Brave Tiger Guards immediately ran forward, spread out, and lined up in two rows at the gate of the White Prince Residence. These Brave Tiger Guards were now responsible for guarding this gate, while Li Changqing and Lanyue Marquis followed on either side of Mingde Emperor, and entered the White Prince Residence together.
The Residence’s chief steward, who was getting more and more pale, hurried to catch up, preparing to lead the way.
Lanyue Marquis smiled and looked at him. "Chief Steward Li, why are you trembling all over?"
Chief Steward Li wiped his sweat, and replied, "The Emperor is here. It’s inevitable for this one to be a little anxious."
"Come on, it's as if you’ve never met the Emperor." Lanyue Marquis waved his hand disdainfully. "We’ve known you since we were young. Back then, when you saw us, you weren’t so scared?"
"Yueli," Mingde Emperor called out softly.
"Fine, I’ll stop teasing you." Lanyue Marquis shrugged.
Mingde Emperor suddenly stopped, and Lanyue Marquis also turned his head. The corner of his mouth raised slightly, revealing a pointed smile.
They saw the young Prince who had a blindfold covering his eyes, dressed in a plain white robe, and didn’t have the appearance of a noble prince. Instead, he looked like a scholar in white clothes, as he stood there with respect.
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