novelapdf Chapter 167 Heavenly Wedding Gown
Chapter 167 Heavenly Wedding Gown
Chapter 167 Heavenly Wedding Gown (Second Update)
Shui Miaozheng was very angry.
What she hated most in her life was people talking about her marriage.
Of all the men in the world, she really couldn't find one she liked.
Of course, we have to exclude that bastard named "Little Jiang" from this.
Xiao Jiang is different.
Even with Xiao Jiang, she only dares to keep him in her heart for now, and has never hoped that they could actually become a couple.
Not to mention Yan Wu, a man she has absolutely no attraction to.
Because the other party was a longtime friend, Shui Miaozheng suppressed her displeasure and didn't directly turn hostile. Instead, she subtly expressed her dissatisfaction in a harsh tone: "Xiaotong, you braved the wind and rain to come all the way from the capital to Yancheng. You didn't come just to be my matchmaker, did you?"
Xun Xiao noticed the anger in Shui Miaozheng's eyes and immediately stopped, no longer dwelling on the topic.
She suppressed her smile and said seriously, "Let's end our reminiscing here. I've been ordered to come here with two main tasks—no, to be precise, three."
On my way here, I heard that Commander Yang's only son, Hall Master Yang Tianci, had died at the Yancheng garrison, so I came here first to see for myself.
Brother Wu, Miaozheng, what exactly is going on?
Who would dare to kill the only son of the Commander of the Imperial Guard?
When the conversation turned to serious matters, Shui Miaozheng's expression also became serious, and she said in a deep voice, "It was done by the demons of the Red Umbrella Sect."
These demonic cult members were extremely rampant; they not only killed Yang Tianci, but also attempted to assassinate another hall master in Huzhou City, fortunately without success.
Yan Wu, who was standing nearby, quickly added, "Xiao Tong, we have carefully investigated the scene afterward, and it is undoubtedly a special evil technique of the Red Umbrella Cult."
We have submitted a detailed report to the Capital Command, but we have not received any news from them yet.
Xiao Zhuang, now that you are a trusted subordinate of Commander Yang, I hope that when you return, you can truthfully explain to the Commander that it was not our fault for not protecting you properly, but that we were simply unable to guard against it.
Xun Xiao gave Yan Wu a meaningful look, then covered his mouth and teased, "Brother Wu, why are you in such a hurry to explain? Are you worried about losing your official position, or are you afraid that the Imperial Guard's anger will drag our delicate Water Commander down with you?"
Shui Miaozheng's pretty face turned cold again, and she turned her head away coldly.
Yan Wu's secret was exposed, and his face turned red. He coughed awkwardly twice and quickly tried to make amends, saying, "Ahem—what I meant to say is that Chief Water has been working tirelessly to protect Yan City and is very concerned about Young Master Yang's safety. Unfortunately, those treacherous and cunning people from the Red Umbrella Sect are too cunning and unpredictable."
Yan Wu was genuinely worried.
Although Shui Miaozheng's father was the former chief commander, he held a prestigious position.
But as the saying goes, once the person leaves, the tea cools.
The dead cannot defeat the living.
Yang Qintian is a favorite of the current emperor.
If Yang Qintian completely loses his mind due to the pain of losing his son and wants to take his anger out on others, secretly making things difficult for Shui Miaozheng, that would also be troublesome.
Yan Wu continued, "Xiao Tong, you have no idea. These past few days, Chief Shui has been heartbroken because of Young Master Yang's unfortunate death."
I felt so guilty that I couldn't eat or sleep.
We've all seen it; go ask other people if you don't believe me.
99
However, Shui Miaozheng was unmoved by Yan Wu's defense.
She said calmly, "Manager Yan has misunderstood. I'm not sad for him."
Her heart is small.
All that weariness and tears were shed for that man named Xiao Jiang.
As for arrogant second-generation rich kids like Yang Tianci?
She's dead, so be it; it's not worth wasting any of her emotions on her death.
Yan Wu's expression stiffened, and he gave an awkward laugh, forcing himself to say to Xun Xiaotong, "Ahem—anyway, we hope Xiaotong can put in a good word for us."
Xun Xiaozhuang gave Shui Miaozheng a deep look and nodded, saying, "Don't worry, Brother Wu. Commander Yang hasn't given any direct instructions yet, so he's probably still on some secret mission out of town."
When I return to report, I will give a truthful account and will also try to put in a good word for you and Miaozheng in front of the Commander.
But as you all know, the pain of losing a child is no small matter.
Lord Yang's temper is probably not so easy to calm down. In short, I'll do my best and leave the rest to fate.
Yan Wu nodded with a sigh of relief and said, "I understand, I understand. Thank you."
Just then, Xun Xiao changed the subject: "In addition, on my way here, I also heard some rumors."
I heard that there's a young gang leader in Huzhou City named Jiang Mu who had a major conflict with Young Master Yang Tianci. The two even fought in public, and Jiang Mu arrogantly beat Young Master Yang into serious injury?
Miaozheng, is this true?
"No!"
Before Yan Wu could even speak, Shui Miaozheng categorically denied it, saying, "That wasn't a conflict; it was just normal friendly exchanges and friction between colleagues."
Moreover, I personally instructed them to take action that time.
Yang Tianci, relying on his family background, acted disrespectfully towards me, spoke rudely to me, and repeatedly violated discipline.
As the commander, it is only right that I have my subordinate, Hall Master Jiang, teach him a lesson and make him remember it.
Shui Miaozheng took the blame upon herself.
After listening to Shui Miaozheng's explanation, Xun Xiaotong said, "Oh, I see."
No sooner had he finished speaking than the inner guard standing to Xun Xiaochong's right let out a sneer, his tone sarcastic: "Chief Water, you're underestimating the inner guards with your words."
We, the Imperial Guard, command the capital region and oversee the entire realm. If we can't even uncover this basic information, then we might as well give up our official robes.
Young Master Yang's legs aren't something that can be broken casually.
"Shut up!"
Xun Xiaotong's expression turned cold. She turned around, glaring at him with an icy look, and snapped, "I'm catching up with an old friend. Do you have any right to speak here?"
The man's breath hitched, his face turned pale, and he bowed his head, saying, "This humble servant has overstepped his bounds; please forgive me, sir."
Xun Xiao snorted coldly, put on a warm smile again, and pulled Shui Miaozheng's hand apologetically, saying sincerely, "Miaozheng, don't bother with these uncouth people."
"Spending too much time in the inner guard has instilled in them a lot of arrogant and disrespectful habits. They're not strictly disciplined, so please don't take it to heart."
Shui Miaozheng narrowed her phoenix eyes slightly, but her mind was completely clear.
How strict is the discipline of the internal security forces?
Without Xun Xiao's tacit instruction or tacit approval, how could a subordinate dare to be so sarcastic in front of the two leaders?
It's clear that Xun Xiaozhuang already knows the inside story and is expressing her dissatisfaction.
Shui Miaozheng withdrew her hand without batting an eye, her expression turning indifferent, and her tone becoming businesslike: "Xiaotong, I won't beat around the bush with you."
Jiang Mu, the head of the Jiang family, is currently stationed in the defense zone of our Demon Slayer Division in Fazhou.
By now, he had single-handedly killed thousands of demons and blocked the first wave of the demon army's all-out attack.
If such a talented person were to make a mistake at this critical moment when a formidable enemy is at hand, due to some unfounded misunderstandings, I believe that not only would Elder Tian of Huzhou City be disheartened.
None of the demon slayers present would agree to this.
At this point, Shui Miaozheng straightened her body slightly, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in her beautiful eyes: "If the Imperial Guards insist on arresting people at this time, then Miaozheng has nothing to say."
But I will immediately take all my troops from Yunzhou City and withdraw from the defense of Yan City. At that time, I presume Elder Tian will also withdraw.”
Upon hearing this, the expressions of everyone in the hall changed drastically.
Yan Wu clenched his fists instinctively.
I felt a mixture of shock and anger, but mostly a bitter taste in my mouth.
In her eyes, Jiang Mu, that greenhorn, was actually more important than him, the head of Yancheng?
It was so important that Shui Miaozheng was willing to threaten her career with her official position, disregarding the lives of all the people in the city.
Xun Xiaozhuang clearly hadn't expected Shui Miaozheng's attitude to be so tough.
She took a deep look at her best friend whom she hadn't seen for many years, a strange glint in her eyes.
After a moment, she chuckled, breaking the deadlock once again: "Alright, alright, Miaozheng, look at you, why are you making it sound so serious? I just asked one more question."
Let's not talk about these troublesome things for now.
I was ordered to come here this time, not only for Young Master Yang's case, but also for two other core tasks. First, I am acting on His Majesty's secret decree to find the whereabouts of the "Black Armor Divine Weapon of the Mirror Kingdom."
"Black Armor Divine Weapons?"
Yan Wu frowned. "Didn't those things vanish along with the power of the Witch God when the Mirror Kingdom was destroyed?"
Xun Xiaotong's expression turned slightly somber, and he said quietly, "The imperial court originally thought so too."
My dead husband once led a team to investigate the ancient land of Jing Kingdom, but for some reason, his elite team was wiped out in the ruins, and not a single one of them came out alive.
They even released a black-armored figure next to them.
Latest intelligence indicates that the black-armored divine soldier is very likely to have appeared in the Yan City area, which is why I've come to investigate.
Upon hearing this, Shui Miaozheng's curled eyelashes trembled slightly.
She suddenly remembered that in the letter Tang Guixin sent back via the flying eagle, besides mentioning Jiang Mu's heroic assistance, she had also vaguely mentioned that they had caught a glimpse of a terrifying figure resembling a black-armored divine soldier in the mist of Bailu Peak.
However, because it was only a fleeting glimpse and there was no direct contact, the letter was not very detailed.
Shui Miaozheng's red lips twitched slightly, she hesitated for a moment, and finally chose to remain silent.
After all, Jiang Mu was involved.
She knew it was better to avoid trouble with the guards; she didn't want to cause Jiang Mu any more unnecessary problems.
Yan Wu sighed, his face weary: "Yan City is simply bewitched. It's one thing for the demon army to attack the city, but how did even black-armored monsters suddenly appear? It's utter chaos."
Shui Miaozheng composed herself and asked, "And the second thing?"
"The second matter is nothing much, just tracking down a martial arts cultivator."
Xun Xiaozhuang seemed unwilling to elaborate on this topic. After giving a perfunctory reply, he smiled and said, "We need to stay in Yancheng for a few more days."
We hope that when you are out conducting reconnaissance and setting up defenses, you will keep an eye out for any traces of the Black Armored Divine Soldiers and notify us promptly.
Also, since we've finally reunited, I hope you can get together more often if you have the time.
After all, being in officialdom, the opportunities to meet will likely become fewer and fewer in the future.
Yan Wu nodded repeatedly: "Don't worry, Xiaotong, I will instruct the patrol team to keep a close eye on this."
Shui Miaozheng didn't follow her polite words, but stared directly into Xun Xiaotong's eyes and asked sharply, "Xiaotong, now that your inner guards are here, if the demon army outside the city really launches an attack, I want to know—"
Will your inner guards help defend the city?
Xun Xiao met her piercing gaze, her smile still gentle: "Miao Zheng, look at what you're saying."
"As long as we are ordered to assist in the defense, we, who are paid by the emperor, will naturally have no choice but to do so."
This is clearly a meaningless bureaucratic excuse.
Without orders from "above," their inner guards would not care about the lives of the Demon Slayers and the common people.
Shui Miaozheng nodded without saying anything more: "Alright, I'll keep an eye out for news about the Black Armored Divine Soldiers. However, I'm afraid we won't have time for the gathering. After all, you know the current situation with the enemy at our gates, we really can't spare the time. I'm sorry."
"It's alright, there will be time."
Xun Xiaozhuang didn't seem to mind. He stood up and straightened his sleeves. "I have official business to attend to. I need to go to the garrison commander's office to present confidential information to Garrison Commander Yuan. I won't disturb your discussion of military matters any longer. Farewell."
Shui Miaozheng's eyes flickered slightly, a deep meaning flashing in her gaze.
It seems that although the Imperial Guard's intelligence network is incredibly powerful, even someone of Xun Xiaozhuang's caliber still doesn't know that Yuan Qianfan is already dead, with only a wisp of his soul struggling to stay afloat—a top-secret fact.
Xun Xiao led two of his subordinates out of the Demon Slayer Division's main hall.
As she walked out of the Demon Slayer Bureau and into a secluded place, the gentle and familiar smile on her face gradually faded, and she reverted to the coldness and chilling demeanor unique to the Inner Guard.
She looked up at the gray sky, squinted and murmured, "Miaozheng, we've known each other for over twenty years, and this is the first time I've seen you protect a man like this."
-
Is it simply a matter of valuing talent? Or—”
The woman's lips slowly curled upwards. "If it's the latter, then that's interesting. Could this iron tree, which hasn't bloomed for millennia, really have been coaxed into bloom by a mere young boy?"
The subordinate who had spoken sarcastically earlier leaned forward and whispered, "Sir, should we send someone to find Jiang Mu right now?"
"There's no rush yet."
Xun Xiao shook his head, his eyes sinister. "If Jiang Muruo is truly as Shui Miaozheng said, capable of single-handedly slaying thousands of demons and blocking the demon army's advance, then at this critical juncture, he is Yancheng's get-out-of-jail-free card."
Even if Lord Yang himself came, if we wanted to take action against him, we would probably have to carefully weigh the pros and cons. We don't need to risk that.
She paused, as if remembering something, and turned to another subordinate, instructing, "By the way, keep a close eye on that girl Jiang Sheng'er."
That girl has been favored by Commander Yang since childhood and is loyal to the Yang family to the core. Now that Yang Tianci is dead, she's probably the first madwoman to go after Jiang Mu and take her life.
The Jiang Sheng'er that Xun Xiaozhuang mentioned was an adopted daughter of Yang Qintian in his early years.
Back then, when this girl was very young, her family was implicated in a major treason case and the emperor ordered the entire family to be executed.
When Yang Qintian was overseeing the execution, he seemed to take pity on the child because of his young age and pitiful state, and secretly adopted him.
He was secretly sent to a secluded sect for cultivation.
Later, the emperor learned of this matter.
However, because Yang Qintian was enjoying great favor with the emperor, the emperor turned a blind eye and did not investigate further.
However, Xun Xiaozhuang, who had spent half a year working in the internal security intelligence department, was well aware of some of the dark secrets involved.
How could a cold-blooded and ruthless official like Yang Qintian possibly save the daughter of a disgraced official out of so-called pity?
What he truly valued was Jiang Shenger's unique talent for cultivation.
As for the specifics of his talent, Xun Xiaozhuang didn't know much about it.
But she learned by chance that this girl had already obtained an enviable orthodox celestial position.
But that star position wasn't actually meant for her own use at all.
Rather, it was a wedding dress that Yang Qintian had carefully prepared for a specific person.