106: Chapter 96: Leaving the Royal City!
Destined Encounter with Zhi Yan!_2 106: Chapter 96: Leaving the Royal City!
Destined Encounter with Zhi Yan!_2 “Never forget, we will always wait in the royal city for our master’s summon, and if you don’t need us, we will completely beco lost souls…”
Suddenly, Suo Ningbing could no longer hold back, and tears surged forth.
Wiping away her tears, Suo Ningbing said, “Are all family samurai prepared?”
Ye Jingyu replied, “One hundred family samurai have prepared enough bows and arrows, each with two horses, and sharp swords, ready to set off for battle at any ti.”
Suo Ningbing said, “Good, keep your hands on the reins at all tis, as soon as Suo Lun returns, we will imdiately leave the royal city and join up with my older brother Suo Hanyi.”
“Yes,” Ye Jingyu said, “All samurai, keep your left hand on your sword and your right hand on the reins.
As soon as the master returns, mount up imdiately and go to find Lord Suo Hanyi.”
“Understood,” all the family samurai shouted in unison.
…
Half a quarter of an hour later, Suo Lun, dressed in military attire, entered the Earl’s residence and saw the tearful servants in the courtyard.
He had just gone to Duke Zhi Ting’s residence to request his protection for these servants.
“I have already found accommodations for you, as well as a shop, for you to manage,” Suo Lun said.
“Duke Zhi Ting has agreed to offer you protection, so no one will bully you.
Wait peacefully in the royal city, and as soon as I retake Tianshui City, I will imdiately bring you ho.”
“Yes,” the steward and all the servants said.
“Let’s go, this eunuch will take you to your new residence,” Suo Lun said.
The eunuch said, “Please follow , you are lucky to have encountered such a compassionate master.”
Then, the eunuch from Zhi Ting’s side bowed to Suo Lun and said, “Lord Suo Lun, I wish you a swift recapture of Tianshui City right here.”
“Thank you,” Suo Lun said.
Under the steward’s lead, dozens of servants and maids knelt down and kowtowed three tis.
“Go, no crying,” the steward shouted, “Rember, our master will definitely retake Tianshui City, and we will be able to return ho.”
Then, under the steward’s lead, dozens of servants and maids, carrying packs and Gold Coins, followed Duke Zhi Ting, and with constant backward glances, left the Earl’s residence, leaving behind their master.
Ye Jingyu brought Suo Lun a snow-white steed, and Suo Lun mounted the horse, looking back at the hundred fully ard family samurai.
Suo Ningbing, also dressed in tight-fitting warrior clothes, ca to Suo Lun and said, “Little brother, the family samurai believe we should go and et up with our older brother.
What do you think?”
Suo Lun replied, “Who said we’re going to find Suo Hanyi?
Follow , and don’t ask where we’re headed.”
This statent took all the family samurai aback.
Suo Lun raised his voice once more, “Follow , and don’t ask where we’re going.”
“Yes,” the family samurai shouted decisively.
Taking one last look at the Earl’s residence, Suo Lun flicked the reins, spurred his horse forward, and said, “Let’s go, out of the city!”
Then, one hundred samurai and two hundred battle horses, struck the streets of the royal city, tearing through the dark dawn, thundering away at great speed.
On both sides of the street, many windows opened, revealing the eyes behind them.
Filled with sadness and pity, they watched the fading figures of Suo Lun and his n.
In their eyes, once Suo Lun left, he would never be able to return alive to the royal city, let alone alive to Tianshui City.
“The Suo clan has perished today!” the nobles lanted in their hearts.
…
Suo Lun led more than a hundred family samurai out of the royal city through the east gate.
Suddenly, soone blocked the way ahead, it was the chief eunuch Li Chenglian from Zhi Li’s side.
“My master cordially invites Lord Suo Lun for a talk,” Li Chenglian said.
Suo Lun did not dismount but followed Li Chenglian to a carriage.
Zhi Li disembarked from the carriage, looked at Suo Lun and said, “Tianshui City has fallen, you have been relieved.
So how about staying and helping ?”
Suo Lun did not respond and still did not dismount.
Zhi Li said, “There is no place left in the world for you.
Once you leave the royal city, what awaits you is a path to death.
Staying loyal to is the only way to live.”
Zhi Li’s words were no longer a threat but an open indication to Suo Lun that leaving the royal city would an facing a multitude of dangers.
“To live is to have hope,” Zhi Li said.
“Tianshui City is lost, so don’t hold onto it any longer.
Your life, and your sister Suo Ningbing’s life, are the most important things.
If you go now, not only will you die but everyone with you will die too.
I’m sorry, but I have no choice, yet you still have a choice.”
Suo Lun looked at Zhi Li and, from Zhi Li’s words, he understood everything.
Aside from the capital, about a hundred miles away, we would face countless pursuits and assassinations.
With my strength and that of a hundred family samurai, there was no way to evade this endless slaughter.
The only outco would have been the annihilation of our entire force, the extinction of the Suo.
According to Zhi Li, staying in the capital and remaining loyal to him was the only way to survive.
It seed to be the only choice as well.
Suo Lun said, “Zhi Li His Highness, how about we make a bet between the two of us?”
“Speak,” Zhi Li said.
Suo Lun said, “Give five months, if I can reclaim Tianshui City within five months, then I win.
If I don’t, then I lose.”
Zhi Li asked, “What happens if you lose?
And if you win?”
Suo Lun said, “If I lose, I will completely give up all my obsessions and wholeheartedly assist you, no matter what enemy you face, even if that enemy is the ruler of the kingdom.”
“You, you’ve seen through it?” Zhi Li’s gaze suddenly narrowed as he spoke.
Then he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said, “Fine, I’ll give you five months.
If you don’t reclaim Tianshui City within five months, then you will belong to .”
Afterward, Zhi Li got onto his carriage and said, “Suo Lun, during these five months, I will not send anyone to kill you.
However, I will do everything in my power to prevent you from reclaiming Tianshui City.
As for others killing you, I cannot control that.
We both must go all out for this bet.”
Having said that, Zhi Li left in style.
Five months, Suo Lun had only a re hundred samurai by his side, no territory, no army.
To recapture Tianshui City, guarded by tens of thousands of rebels, was as difficult as reaching for the heavens.
At least, it was more difficult than when he topped his graduating class.
Indeed, there was no glimpse of hope for success.
“Leave the city,” Suo Lun commanded, leading his family’s samurai, charging out of the capital, racing eastward toward the unknown path ahead.
…
Speeding like the wind, in a mont, they were ten miles out of the city.
Suddenly, a group of snow-white horses appeared on the wide official road ahead.
Astride them was a woman.
A woman of such beauty that she seed to monopolize the world’s splendor, a beauty gathered from the world’s essence.
A woman more beautiful even than Zhi Ning or Suo Ningbing.
A peerless beauty Suo Lun had never seen before, neither before his ti-travelling nor after.
She was dressed in a snow-white gauze dress, holding a simple sword, riding alone and heading toward Wangcheng Zidu.
That cold, jade-like face, those clear, water-like eyes, that detached and tranquil temperant.
Her arrival seed to turn everything around her into a re backdrop.
The scene with her beca a painting in an instant.
Her beauty seed to crystallize the surrounding air.
Although Suo Lun did not recognize her, he imdiately called out her na in his heart.
Princess Zhuyan, King Zhi Bian’s only child, the strongest descendant of the Dragon God Temple.
Such a noble personage, yet going back to the capital alone and on horseback.
Upon seeing Suo Lun’s troops, Princess Zhi Yan gently pulled the reins, moving to the side of the road.
Suo Lun led a hundred riders, swiftly passing by her side.
Their eyes crossed just as swiftly, and in that instant, Suo Lun felt as if her eyes shone as brightly as the stars in the sky.
In the blink of an eye, Suo Lun’s troops marched on.
A trail of dust rose behind them, eventually fading from sight.
But Princess Zhi Yan remained immaculate, gently spurring her horse back onto the road and continuing toward the capital.
Suo Ningbing drew closer to Suo Lun and whispered, “Brother, where are we going?”
Suo Lun said, “To Linhai City, to marry Gui Qinshao, and also to call on my father-in-law, Lord Gui Xingfu, to repay the enormous debt of gratitude from over twenty years ago and to borrow his soldiers, his money, and his territory.”
Suo Ningbing said, “This, this will be difficult.
There are many to add frosting to the cake, but none to send charcoal in the snow, even if Gui Xingfu owes us a trendous debt.”
Suo Lun said, “If I say I want to borrow, he will have no choice but to lend.
If I say I want to marry, she will have no choice but to wed.”
His words were filled with absolute confidence.
To reclaim Tianshui City in five months, this defiance of the heavens, would begin from Linhai City, starting with his fiancée.
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