After all, Lan Yu possessed martial arts skills. It was impossible for Yun Zhonghe to succeed in lashing him. It was a piece of cake for him to grab hold of the whip.
"Trash…" Lan Yu sneered.
Then his eyes fell on the bead that was at the tip of the whip. What was that?
Why set a bead on the whip?
However, at that very moment, the bead suddenly exploded.
"Bang!"
It exploded like a firecracker.
The gunpowder inside, along with the iron filings, shot towards Lan Yu's head and face.
Not good! That stuff is lethal.
Lan Yu retreated at the speed of lightning. Then he used his sleeve to shield his face.
But the iron filings that were blasted out were simply much too fast. Their speed practically surpassed all other kinds of secret weapons.
Even though Lan Yu had dodged at lightning speed, his arm was still directly hit by dozens of iron filings from the spray of explosives.
Then, he soon felt half his arm going numb.
"You're courting death…" Lan Yu flew into a rage. With his other hand, he swiftly drew his sword and rushed towards Yun Zhonghe.
Yun Zhonghe immediately darted over to hide behind Lady Cold Jade's back.
"Sister Cold Jade, save me. A centurion of the Embroidered Guard Division is openly trying to murder his superior in the street." Yun Zhonghe let out a scream that sounded like a pig being slaughtered.
Lan Yu was intent on charging over to beat up Yun Zhonghe until he was half dead. But that treacherous thief saw to it that he was always circling around Lady Cold Jade, and very shamelessly, he squatted behind Lady Cold Jade's bottom. It seemed the only thing he was short of doing was hugging her legs tightly.
Lan Yu dared to beat Yun Zhonghe, who held a more superior rank than him, but he did not dare lay a finger on Lady Cold Jade.
Of course, even so, he alone was more than enough to finish off Yun Zhonghe.
After all, Yun Zhonghe was a useless piece of trash who was no match for even a ten-year-old child.
But his mind was getting increasingly groggy, and his vision was becoming more and more blurry.
It was very obvious that he had been hit by Yun Zhonghe's anesthetic poison.
This was a kind of anesthetic that was extracted from a unique species of vine. It could even put down a tiger, let alone a man.
"You moron. Hurry up, come and hit me, come and hit me…" Yun Zhonghe was encircling Lady Cold Jade as he provoked the other party.
During the course of events, Lady Cold Jade stood motionless the entire time. She just wanted to see how far those two b*stards could go.
After giving chase for a few rounds, Lan Yu suddenly felt as though the world was spinning around him.
"Swish…"
He eventually missed his target and, on the spur of the moment, slashed his sword at Lady Cold Jade's armor.
Then, as though he was struck by lightning, he went motionless.
Yun Zhonghe suddenly shouted loudly, "Someone help. Someone help. There is an assassin who wants to kill Lady Cold Jade. Someone is staging a rebellion!"
Lady Cold Jade said coldly, "Someone, arrest these two evil creatures."
At her command, several warriors of Black Blood Hall rushed over like packs of wolves and tigers, and directly arrested both Yun Zhonghe and Lan Yu.
"Take them into the residence of the castellan and get the lords to mete out punishments," Lady Cold Jade ordered.
Yun Zhonghe and Lan Yu were both brought to the residence of the castellan together.
"Lady Cold Jade, then what about this convict?" a warrior asked.
"Take everyone to the residence of the castellan," Lady Cold Jade said in a cold voice.
Men of the Embroidered Guard Division came with official documents and wanted to take Xu Antiing away. Lady Cold Jade made no refusal, but in her heart, she was still very unhappy.
It's fine for me to cooperate with your Embroidered Guard Division. But shouldn't you, Chu Zhaoran, come in person? You actually sent a mere centurion here to take a convict away? Aren't you thinking a little too highly of yourself?
***
Inside the residence of the castellan!
Jing Zhongyue was in a horrible mood because she had just received a confidential letter, and in it was a piece of extremely bad news.
The person that she had sent to get close to Ning Qing had actually been sent back with two broken legs.
Who was Ning Qing?
First of all, she was a widow, and the most well-known widow in the entire Land of No King. She was the highest-ranking widow and the most powerful one of them all.
Secondly, she was the younger sister of Lord Ning Chengzhu, the second most powerful lord in the Land of No King.
And finally, she also had one other identity that was of even greater importance. She was the head of the investigation group sent by the Baronage Alliance.
What had she come to investigate? That would be the truth as to why war broke out between the Valley of Torn Gust and the City of Autumn Waters.
Was it the Valley of Torn Gust that had initiated the invasion of the City of Autumn Waters?
At that point in time, what fatal crisis was the Valley of Torn Gust facing?
It was unable to reclaim the Fallen Leaves Territory and might possibly also face the trade sanctions imposed by the Baronage Alliance.
As everyone knew, the only product that the Valley of Torn Gust manufactured was salt, and that was why it was incredibly wealthy.
But the Valley of Torn Gust did not produce iron ores, nor did it produce food grains.
Without iron ores, they could not forge and make weapons, and in turn, it could not expand its army. And in the wars to come, they might possibly end up being defeated.
It was even deadlier to be without food. There were 400,000 hungry mouths to feed in the entire Valley of Torn Gust. If they did not have food to eat, it would not be long before the governing body of the entire Valley of Torn Gust would fall apart.
What was the reason for the Baronage Alliance wanting to impose trade sanctions against the Valley of Torn Gust?
It was because of the illegal invasion of the City of Autumn Waters.
And the Valley of Torn Gust had firmly asserted that the City of Autumn Waters was the first to cross the borders and invade the Valley of Torn Gust.
Therefore, it was the City of Autumn Waters that first made the move to illegally invade the Valley of Torn Gust, while the latter was just counterattacking passively.
So, the report of this investigation group was of utmost importance.
Once it was determined that this was an illegal invasion initiated by the Valley of Torn Gust, it would be extremely disadvantageous to Jing Zhongyue.
The next thing that she might have to face was possibly a punitive expedition and a sanction imposed by the Baronage Assembly.
At that time, the Mo Clan of the City of Washed Jade would have ample reason not to return the Fallen Leaves Territory.
Once the sanctions against the Valley of Torn Gust were officially in place, the Jing Clan would be said to have lost half its ardor.
An absolutely fatal crisis!
That was why the report of the investigation group was of the utmost importance.
To be more precise, Ning Qing's report was of the utmost importance.
Because this was not just a report, it also represented the attitude of the Ning Clan. They were the second most powerful family of lords, and they carried a lot of weight in the Land of No King.
In a way, part of the fate of the Valley of Torn Gust, at that point, lay in the hands of this woman, Ning Qing.
That was why when Ning Qing arrived with the investigation group under her lead, Jing Zhongyue consistently sent people over to convey warm greetings, as well as to shower Ning Qing with gifts.
This time, she even sent a great talented scholar to deliver gifts comprising precious calligraphy treasures and scroll paintings from a thousand years ago, which were all Ning Qing's favorite things. Every single piece was an invaluable treasure.
But now, everything was returned, and the talented scholar even had both legs broken and thrown onto the streets with only a last breath of life left in him. He had also become a eunuch.
This was an extremely bad sign.
Could it be that the Ning Clan was also going to take the side of the Mo Clan of the City of Washed Jade? And were they also going to sentence the Valley of Torn Gust to death?
And at that moment, Lady Cold Jade's voice sounded outside.
"My Lady, your subordinate has something to report."
***
A moment later!
Jing Zhongyue's eyes were filled with murderous intent as she looked at Yun Zhonghe and Lan Yu.
She was originally in a terrible mood, having just received a huge piece of bad news.
Now, the Valley of Torn Gust was in an extremely precarious situation, where it was facing an imminent and highly destructive catastrophe.
In order to deal with this crisis, she had specially established the Embroidered Guard Division.
Especially to Yun Zhonghe, she was literally fighting against tremendous pressure by directly promoting him from a beggar to the position of the third official registrar of the Embroidered Guard Division.
Now, there were already people cursing her in their hearts, making her out to be a stupid and decadent ruler.
And there was also Lan Yu!
You are Blue Immortal's disciple, so I have also indulged you a little.
Yet this is how you all are going to repay my trust?
The Embroidered Guard Division has just been established. Even before its bureau can be officially set up, you two officials of the Embroidered Guard Division are already fighting each other in the street?
"Reporting to my Lady. I have received the order to go to Black Blood Hall to escort a convict. When this guy, Yun AoTian, saw me, he actually lashed his whip at me right away." There was a bewildered look in Lan Yu's eyes as he said, "My Lady, I suspect he is doing this on purpose. He wants to cover up for and rescue the convict. Please investigate this thoroughly, my Lady. This Yun AoTian and the convict definitely share some kind of secret relationship that cannot see the light of the day."
This Lan Yu was really a vicious one.
In truth, this was not really what he had in mind. He felt that this was purely because of a personal grudge with Yun Zhonghe.
Because, from start to finish, Yun Zhonghe had not even glanced at the prison carriage.
Lan Yu went on to say, "My Lady, though I am merely a subordinate, I am still on official business. And yet Yun AoTian, as the third official registrar of the Embroidered Guard Division, not only obstructed me from doing my job, he even beat up a fellow officer in the street. How can scum like him have the face to take up a position as an official of the Embroidered Guard Division? Won't he simply become a great big laughingstock? I implore you to punish him, my Lady."
And just then.
A gentle voice sounded outside.
"Yue'er."
Momentary helplessness flashed in Jing Zhongyue's eyes, and she said, "Auntie, what is it?"
The woman outside said, "I heard you all had arrested Xu Antiing and everyone else with her?"
Jing Zhongyue was taken aback and said, "Xu Antiing? Who?"
Lady Cold Jade said, "It's the convict that Lan Yu was trying to escort away just now."
Jing Zhongyue said, "What's the matter with her?"
Lady Cold Jade said, "She is an excellent guqin player. Almost all the popular courtesans in the entirety of the City of Torn Gust are her students, and one of them turned out to be a spy of the Order of Black Dragons of the Great Ying Empire. As she has contact with this spy, we have arrested her."
The woman outside said, "Yue'er, I greatly admire Xu Antiing's skills in playing the guqin. Can you give your Auntie face and release her?"
Jing Zhongyue said, "Auntie, go back first. I will talk to you tonight."
"Alright." The woman walked away.
Was that Lady Musk? What a beautiful voice, so pleasing to the ears, simply so soft.
***
Next, Jing Zhongyue looked at Yun Zhonghe with eyes that flashed like lightning.
"Yun AoTian, is this how you repay me for trusting you?" Jing Zhongyue said in a cold voice.
Yun Zhonghe did not say anything to argue back or defend himself. Instead, he directly admitted his mistake and said, "I am in the wrong; it's all my fault. Please reprimand and punish me, my Lady. Don't get so angry that your health is affected. Then your subordinate here really deserves to die. Hit me, punish me!"
Jing Zhongyue said, "Fine. Then I shall satisfy you."
Then she gave her orders, saying, "Men, take him to the backyard and give him fifty lashes of the whip. Life or death doesn't matter."
"Yes."
A few lady warriors, who resembled packs of wolves and tigers, immediately picked Yun Zhonghe up like they were wringing a little chicken and brought him to the backyard.
A moment later, his extremely miserable screams were heard.
Lan Yu found the cries very pleasurable to listen to.
Yun AoTian, you had this day coming.
Want to fight with me, you're still a little wet behind the ears.
In Her Lady's heart, you're nothing more than a dog. Or maybe not even comparable to a dog.
***
Half an hour later!
Jing Zhongyue met with Yun Zhonghe in private.
He had cried out so miserably just then, so by that time, he should have already been half dead.
It was fifty lashes of the whip. With that weak physique of his, it was highly possible that he could be killed.
But he was completely safe and sound, without even the slightest trace of a bruise.
"Do you know why you were not really whipped?" Jing Zhongyue asked coldly.
Yun Zhonghe said, "Because this body of mind is very valuable and cannot be damaged."
Jing Zhongyue said coldly, "You… have disappointed me greatly."
Yun Zhonghe was silent.
Jing Zhongyue said, "Do you know how much pressure I have endured just to promote you? Do you know how many of those old veteran officials have been criticizing me?"
Yun Zhonghe continued to remain silent.
Jing Zhongyue said, "Do you know what kind of crisis the Valley of Torn Gust is facing right now? If we make the slightest mistake, it will spell doomsday for us. With this absurd incompetence of yours, how do you expect me to use you or keep you?"
Yun Zhonghe was still silent.
Jing Zhongyue said again, "Yun Zhonghe, can I trust you?"
Yun Zhonghe said, "Of course!"
Jing Zhongyue said, "There's a critical mission that concerns the fate of my Valley of Torn Gust. It's very tough, very dangerous. But once it's accomplished, you will have made a meritorious contribution. But you only have five days. Do you dare to take it on?"
"Yes!" Yun Zhonghe answered.
"Good, now come with me!" Jing Zhongyue said.
A moment later, Yun Zhonghe and Jing Zhongyue were sitting in a carriage that drove off to the southeast.
Two days later, Yun Zhonghe arrived at some unknown place.
***