Song of Adolescence

Chapter 378 Youths Should Act Like This

Within the palace walls, all was quiet in an instant.

In that instant, everyone looked on with intrigue in their eyes.

But it only lasted for that instant.

In the next instant, Zhuo Xin Gonggong rose from the ground and aimed a palm at Xiao Lingchen. He didn't have time to think too deeply about Xiao Lingchen’s insinuation but he was certain of one thing, this was different from what they had planned. Now that Xiao Lingchen had destroyed the Dragon-Sealed Scroll, it was clear he had no intention to succeed the throne!

"Break!" Xue Duanyun yelled and his arrow soared through the air and aimed straight at Zhuo Xin Gonggong’s back. But, it was already too late. In addition, the other two Grand Eunuchs, Zhuo Sen and Zhuo Luo, had also attacked Xiao Lingchen at the same time. Xiao Lingchen sneered, and with a wave of his hand, he pulled his long sword out. "Execute the rebels!"

"Stop!" Xiao Se cried out anxiously, but everything happened too fast and even he wasn’t prepared for it.

Xiao Lingchen was obviously no match for the three former Grand Eunuchs on his own.

But, when he came up the stairs, there was a guard accompanying him. A long staff appeared in the guard’s hand and with one swing, the staff deflected the folding fan and arrow straight for the three Grand Eunuchs.

The attacks from Zhuo Xin and the other two missed.

The guard pulled Xiao Lingchen's collar and furiously retreated another three zhang. The guard took off her helm and flicked her head, scattering a head full of silvery white hair.

Bai Xiao Hall, Ji Xue.

Xiao Lingchen gasped lightly to catch his breath. "Thanks muchly, Miss Ji."

Ji Xue held up her staff and pointed at the three old eunuchs. "You three Gonggong, there’s no place you can retreat now."

The startling turn of events happened in a blink.

Of the people still present, Mingde Emperor opened his eyes, his expression still calm. Lanyue Marquis smiled slightly, finally letting go of the hilt of his sabre. Xiao Se and Lei Wujie exchanged a glance, ready to take down the three old eunuchs any time. Xiao Chong still frowned, but didn't know what to do next. Xiao Yu raised his eyebrows lightly, and his eyelids twitched.

Five hundred miles out of Heavenly Revelations City.

General of the Beili Upper Army, Cheng Luoying, led his army as they galloped forward. The Beili Upper Army was called the "Wind Army'' because they were known to be as swift as the wind. The army of thousands rode furiously at high speed and soon, that majestic city which reigned all under Heaven was right before their eyes.

But the army suddenly came to a stop.

Cheng Luoying, who was sitting in the carriage, opened his eyes and pulled aside the curtain. "Why have we stopped?"

"Reporting to the general, the scouts report that there’s an army ahead," the deputy general replied.

"Army? Has Chen Kui's Lower Army come to join us? Considering the speed of his army, they shouldn’t be here yet." Cheng Luoying frowned slightly.

"It's not Chen Kui's Lower Army." A scout dressed in black rushed over hurriedly. "It’s the army that guards Heavenly Revelations City, the Wang Li Heavenly Army!"

"The Wang Li Heavenly Army!" Cheng Luoying frowned. "According to His Highness Red Prince’s plans, they should be on their way to Heavenly Revelations to engage the Langya Army right now. I shall look for myself." Cheng Luoying got out of the carriage, flipped onto his horse, and galloped towards the front of the great army.

That was where he saw an army of 20,000, each of them astride a fine yebei horse and armed with armour and spear paid as tribute from the Blacksmiths City. Each soldier wore a helm which covered their faces, their appearance solemn and imposing. They were certainly His Majesty, the Emperor’s personal Wang Li Heavenly Army.

Leading them was a person in a green dress who was particularly conspicuous. Indeed, she was Ye Ruoyi, daughter of Ye Xiaoying.

"Could Ye Xiaoying have found out about us?" Cheng Luoying was stunned for a moment, and was about to rush forward to get to the bottom of this.

But Ye Ruoyi suddenly raised her voice and shouted, "Crossbows, ready!"

Behind her, thousands of crossbowmen readied their crossbows and aimed it forward.

The Wang Li Heavenly Army, Covert Crossbow Formation.

Cheng Luoying hurriedly reined in his horse. He was still a distance from Ye Ruoyi and could only make out a vague figure. They were too far apart to speak, but the other party didn’t seem to want to talk to him.

But, with the military strength of his Upper Army alone, this Wang Li Heavenly Army of 20,000 was not a threat, no matter how well-equipped they were, no matter how troublesome the Covert Crossbow Formation was. If he gave the order, his army was a raging tempest who could reduce them into minced meat. But if he did that, he would lose a lot of his men. And, if he rushed to Heavenly Revelations City in the name of saving the emperor only to kill the Wang Li Heavenly Army on the way, then he would become the actual rebel army.

"Ye Xiaoying is indeed an old fox. What method did he use to get the Wang Li Heavenly Army to come here," Cheng Luoying cursed angrily.

The deputy general asked, "What should we do next?"

"Wait for news." Cheng Luoying turned his horse around and walked back.

Ye Ruoyi watched Cheng Luoying’s retreating back and smiled lightly. "I think Uncle Cheng must be cursing my father in his heart right now. But I’m sure he doesn’t know that he’s cursing the wrong person. Sometimes, when the person you’re serving is too brilliant, this counsellor can start to feel really superfluous. This game of chess is very big but we don’t know yet who’s the one playing the game?"

Heavenly Revelations City.

Inside the Imperial Palace, before the Hall of Calming Purity.

Another person passed through the Langya Army and fell in front of everyone - Eunuch of Sword, Jin Wei.

"Where's Jin Yan?" Zhuo Xin Gonggong asked.

"Ran away," Jin Wei Gonggong responded faintly.

Jin Xian Gonggong was stunned and he stepped forward. "Jin Wei, what are you doing? Have you gone crazy too?"

"You may have all forgotten shifu’s wish but Jin Wei has never forgotten." Jin Wei slowly drew his Abyssal Eye sword and pointed it at Xiao Lingchen. "I just didn't expect that the final piece we had to depend on was a piece of useless trash."

Xiao Lingchen scoffed coldly. "Useless trash? Back then, for your own benefit, you made use of my Marshal Father’s military might and his heart for the people and forced him to take the throne, causing disputes between the ruler and his subjects and chaos in the imperial court. My Marshal Father sacrificed himself for the greater good, and you thought you could force me to help you repeat this same old trick?"

"Langya Prince’s name was written on the scroll. He should have been the Emperor," Jin Wei Gonggong said solemnly.

"What a joke. I’ve only heard of people who want to be the emperor. I’ve never heard of anyone who must be the emperor. My Marshal Father didn’t like that position so he just didn’t want to do it. What can you do? I don’t want it either. What can you do about it?" Xiao Lingchen took a step forward. "You’re just a few eunuchs. How much of a storm do you think you can stir up? I came to Heavenly Revelations just to kill the people I want to kill. Zhuo Qing is dead. It’s high time you all die with him."

"General, what should we do now?" The battalion commander of the Ye Banner Battalion rode up to Ye Xiaoying's side.

Ye Xiaoying had a sullen expression and he remained silent.

The battalion commander noticed his expression, did not dare to ask further and slowly backed away.

"Da-ge, Lingchen still ended up doing what he wanted. Now, this situation has turned into a real mess. What should we do next?" Wang Pichuan asked Xue Duanyun in a low voice.

Xiao Zhanjiang turned his head to look at Ye Xiaoying, then said in a low voice, "The golden-armoured general doesn’t look happy. Once he gets angry, this will not end well. If we really can’t get through, we’ll save Lingchen first and run. Worse comes to worst, we’ll head back to the sea and float around for a while."

Xue Duanyun sighed. "What else can we do? Let’s just wait and observe for changes. Don’t think too much about it. Eventually, we won’t be able to avoid a fight."

Xiao Zhanjiang scratched his head. "After following two generations of Princes, why are they all so… reasonable?"

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