Chapter 546: Shuozhou New City

February 27th.

The north wind cuts like a knife, slashing the cold night of the New City.

Atop the city walls of New City, Shuozhou's administrative seat, the night is as black as ink, shrouding everything between heaven and earth in profound silence.

The three Lu brothers of the Fan Yang Lu clan stood side by side, their dark robes rustling in the cold wind, their gazes fixed on the western horizon.

Lu Mianzhi, the Inspector of Shuozhou, stood tall at the edge of the city wall, letting the biting wind whip his hair, yet seeming to feel no chill at all.

His brows knit, his face as heavy as iron, he stared at the silent wilderness to the west in the vast night, his tone full of anxiety and unease: "The appointment with the Grand Preceptor of Zhou State was set for tonight; why haven't they arrived yet!"

"Not even a single silhouette!"

Even as he spoke, the inner agitation could not be hidden; his hands unconsciously clenched the sword at his waist.

How could Lu Mianzhi not be anxious?

This time, the Fan Yang Lu clan was betting the fate of their family!

Lu Huichun stood beside him, forcing calm, his eyes narrowed to slits, also watching the western direction intently.

His right hand was hidden behind his back, yet beads of fine sweat seeped from his fingertips, sliding down his knuckles, and he said in a deep voice: "Mianzhi, in great matters one must keep composure!"

"Grand Preceptor Yuwen has always been cautious; he would not disregard delays. He must be close by..."

Even so, the slight tremor in his voice revealed his inner tension and apprehension.

His gaze kept scanning the darkness below the city, fearing any mishap.

Lu Zhaoqun furrowed his brows, exhaled a heavy breath of stale air, and the white mist vanished instantly in the cold night.

He turned to the two brothers, his tone full of worry: "Even so, the longer we delay, the greater the danger!"

The New City lies on the border of Qi State, adjacent to Zhou State.

Now they are covertly contacting Zhou State; if the affair is exposed, not only will Shuozhou be plunged into a storm of blood and carnage, the Lu clan will face annihilation.

Just as the three brothers grew uneasy, a man in ordinary attire standing nearby spoke slowly.

His expression was calm, his eyes deep; it was the disguised embroidered messenger Li Guanyue.

He gave a slight nod, his tone steady as he soothed: "Gentlemen, stay calm! The one coming to meet you is Chen Yan, the Supreme Pillar of the State!"

"Chen Zhuguo's great army will arrive soon!"

Li Guanyue, an embroidered messenger of the Tian Shu Guard, covertly operating within Qi territory.

He was ordered to cooperate with the Lu brothers, purge New City officials not of the Lu faction, fully seize Shuozhou, and block all news…

And the news just received is that Chen Zhuguo himself is leading troops to meet them!

When Lu Mianzhi heard the name, the tension in his shoulders eased slightly, his inner anxiety washed by a clear spring, and he murmured softly, "Chen Yan, the Supreme Pillar of the State?"

Past accounts of his exploits flashed through his mind; the fame of that Great Zhou war deity had long thundered in his ears.

He steadied himself, his tone much calmer: "He is reliable; with his arrival, there should be no mishaps."

Beside him, Lu Zhaoqun still could not hide his worry, slowly shaking his head, gazing at the endless darkness, whispering: "I have never found this long night so hard to endure."

Each passing second seemed to drag a heavy shackle.

The cold wind atop the wall carried unknown peril, tightening one's nerves.

The crowd, in their anxiety, waited another incense‑burner's length of time, the cold night remaining terrifyingly still.

At that moment, the distant western night sky suddenly tore open with a dazzling blue light.

Like a meteor cutting the ink‑black firmament, it stood out starkly in the darkness.

Lu Huichun's sharp eyes were the first to catch the sudden phenomenon; his brows knit instantly, a warning flaring in his mind, and he exclaimed in surprise: "What's happening?!"

The night was deep, the border usually silent; such abrupt brilliance was truly abnormal.

Lu Mianzhi also jerked his head upward, the blue light descending slowly in the pitch‑black sky, his brows furrowed, his face puzzled as he exclaimed: "How can this black night suddenly produce movement and a blue light?!"

The weight he had just set down in his heart rose again in an instant.

Lu Zhaoqun watched the fading blue glow, inhaled a gasp of cold air, his complexion paling slightly, and voiced a startling conjecture: "Could it be a celestial omen?!"

"Such an omen, we cannot tell if it is auspicious or ominous!"

At this life‑or‑death moment, any abnormal sign inevitably leads one to imagine the worst.

Just as the three Lu brothers grew uneasy, Li Guanyue, standing nearby, saw the blue light and instantly brightened, a gleam flashing in his eyes, and hurried forward to soothe: "Gentlemen, do not worry!"

"This is a good omen, not a strange phenomenon!"

He raised his hand toward the west, explaining: "This is called a signal flare, a messenger device created by Chen Zhuguo!"

Upon hearing Li Guanyue's explanation, Lu Zhaoqun's anxiety vanished instantly, replaced by an uncontrollable joy, almost blurting out: "So, Chen Zhuguo is not far away?!"

Between the lines, urgency and anticipation abound.

The earlier clouds of worry had long been driven away by this sudden hope.

Li Guanyue smiled and nodded, his tone firm: "Exactly!"

He lifted his gaze to the west, watching the fading blue light, paused to calculate, then replied: "From the distance and fading speed of this light, Chen Zhuguo's army should be less than ten li away!"

Lu Huichun's spirit jolted, his face instantly breaking into ecstatic joy, his prior composure gone, and he shouted: "Quick! Quickly open the city gates!"

"Immediately mobilize troops, prepare to receive Chen Zhuguo's King's Army!"

His voice echoed in the cold night, brimming with uncontainable excitement.

The city's guards had already been on standby, and upon hearing the command they moved at once.

The heavy gates, turned slowly by the winch, opened, and torchlight illuminated both inside and out.

Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

On the wilderness surrounding the New City, a rapid gallop of hooves approached from afar, breaking the night's silence like thunder.

Over two thousand dark iron cavalry thundered forward, their hooves shaking the ground slightly, dust swirling in the night.

At the front of the column, Chen Yan tightened the horse rein, letting out a steady, forceful "huh," and the warhorse halted, pawing anxiously.

Then, looking up, he saw that in the darkness, the western gate of the New City was wide open.

The light of the torches illuminated the area inside and outside the city gate as bright as day, and the figures waiting under the gate were faintly visible.

A faint arc curled at the corner of his mouth as he murmured, "So this is New City?"

Outside the West City Gate, Li Guanyue, leading the three Lu brothers, had already been waiting for some time.

Seeing the Iron Cavalry approaching, they quickly stepped forward to greet them.

When Chen Yan dismounted, Li Guanyue stepped forward and respectfully introduced, "Lord, this is the Supreme Pillar of our Great Zhou, Lord Chen Yan!"

Then he turned to Chen Yan and introduced the three Lu brothers: "Supreme Pillar, these three are Lu Huichun, Lu Zhaoqun, and Lu Mianzhi of the Fan Yang Lu clan!"

Such a young face—truly not yet twenty years of age!... Lu Huichun looked up at Chen Yan, his gaze inadvertently sweeping across his face, and he couldn't help but marvel inwardly.

Legend had it that Chen Zhuguo rose to fame as a youth, brave and skilled in battle. Seeing him in person today, he found him even more awe-inspiring. To possess such prestige and bearing at this age was truly rare.

Composing himself, he stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Chen Yan: "This old man, Lu Huichun, pays respects to Chen Zhuguo!"

As soon as the words fell, Lu Zhaoqun followed closely, clasping his hands and bowing at the waist, his tone full of reverence: "This old man, Lu Zhaoqun, pays respects to Chen Zhuguo!"

Lu Mianzhi beside him was not to be outdone; he also cupped his hands and bowed, declaring in a clear voice: "This old man, Lu Mianzhi, pays respects to Chen Zhuguo!"

Seeing this, Chen Yan smiled calmly, stepped forward, and gently supported Lu Huichun's arm, speaking in a cordial tone: "The three of you need not stand on ceremony!"

"Waiting late into the night is already toilsome enough; there's no need for such formality."

Lu Huichun straightened up, a gratified smile appearing on his face as he said, "We are indebted to Chen Zhuguo for traveling such a great distance to come to our aid!"

"Our Lu clan, and even the people of Shuozhou, are all grateful for the Supreme Pillar's great kindness and virtue!"

Chen Yan waved his hand, his expression turning a few degrees more serious: "Duke Lu, what are you saying!"

"Saving the people from misery is precisely the duty of men like you and me."

Having said that, he exchanged a glance with Li Guanyue beside him, their eyes meeting.

Then, raising his hand to point at the wide-open city gate of New City, he said, "The night is deep, and it's not convenient to linger. Let's enter the city!"

Lu Zhaoqun quickly stepped aside to clear the path, making a gesture of invitation, and declared in a clear voice: "Supreme Pillar, please!"

"This Lu has already prepared food in the city for the Supreme Pillar and all the officers and soldiers. After a long ride, the men must be starving. Entering the city will also allow everyone to rest a little."

Chen Yan nodded in thanks: "I appreciate Duke Lu's thoughtfulness."

Having said that, he turned and waved his hand at the Iron Cavalry behind him, saying in a deep voice: "Men, follow this Duke into the city!"

"As you command!" Over two thousand Iron Cavalry answered in unison, following closely behind Chen Yan as they walked toward the city.

The night was like ink splashed across the streets and alleys of New City.

The Inspector's Office was brightly lit with lamps; in the warm chamber, the hypocaust burned vigorously, its cozy warmth dispelling the chill of the night.

A round table of rosewood stood in the center, laden with a dazzling array of Qi State delicacies: amber-colored drunken crabs, plump and rich; golden-thread crispy sparrows, a lustrous gold; crystal-clear sliced fish, glittering and translucent; accompanied by amber-hued fine wine in Glass Cups, the fragrant aroma wafting, whetting the appetite.

Chen Yan sat in the seat of honor. On his left sat, in order, Yuwen Ze, Yu Yan, Lu Ming, Feng Muye, Peng Chong, and Ye Zhuxi.

On his right sat the three Lu brothers.

Chen Yan set down his wine cup, his gaze falling on Lu Huichun beside him. A smile curled at the corner of his mouth as he praised, "Duke Lu, this food of yours has a truly unique flavor!"

Lu Huichun nodded at this, a gentle smile appearing on his face as he cupped his hands and said, "I'm glad the Supreme Pillar likes it!"

As soon as the words fell, he shifted the topic, a hint of deep meaning flashing in his eyes as he slowly said, "This old man would like to introduce someone to you..."

Hearing this, a flicker of surprise passed through Chen Yan's eyes. He then blinked and said with keen interest, "Oh?"

Lu Huichun said no more, slowly stood up, raised his hand, and gently clapped twice.

As the clapping faded, the carved wooden door of the warm chamber was pushed open gently, and a figure slowly walked in.

The newcomer was a woman, dressed in a brocade long skirt embroidered with intertwining lotus patterns, the hem trailing on the ground. As she walked, her figure swayed, exuding an air of elegance and nobility.

Her hair was coiled high, adorned with a red-gold and kingfisher-feather dangling hairpin. Though her skin no longer had the tenderness of a young maiden, it possessed a mature and dignified charm.

The woman walked to the front of the feast, gathered her skirts, bent her knees, and gracefully performed a bow, her voice gentle and pleasant: "Greetings to the Supreme Pillar!"

"A woman?"

Yuwen Ze's gaze had long since fallen on the woman. The hand holding his wine cup paused slightly, his eyes full of scrutiny.

He studied the woman carefully, noticing the fine wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, yet they could not conceal her composed demeanor. He couldn't help but murmur inwardly, "With those wrinkles on her face, she must be quite old, right?"

"These three aren't thinking of offering this past-her-prime woman to A Xiong, are they?"