Chapter 170: Take Your Head, Rivers Run Red===GLOSSARY=== [{

"I never expected that the Young Protector himself had heard of my humble name—it is indeed an honor beyond measure," Deng Ping said, his voice tinged with three parts excitement and a radiant smile.

"This truly calls for a great toast."

The tense, sword-drawn atmosphere instantly softened.

Wang Shi'an stood to one side, watching Deng Ping converse warmly with you; his anger was unbearable, his face flushed red, his hands trembling.

Yu Chen, seeing this, quietly reached out and tugged lightly at Wang Shi'an's sleeve, his eyes filled with warning, silently shaking his head.

This man comes from a distinguished family; his character is still decent. How could he lose composure at such a critical moment—especially in this ever-shifting scene?

Yu Chen himself was shrouded in confusion; the current situation was impossible to fathom.

Behind Deng Ping stood the southern aristocratic clans; it seemed he had already formed some unspoken understanding with this mysterious Young Protector—undercurrents churned beneath the surface.

The Young Protector's arrival in the capital was far more complex than it appeared on the surface.

Rumors swirled throughout the capital: fish-borne letters, stone stelae falling from heaven—all pointed to Lu Chen's boundless ambition, his rebellious heart laid bare.

Memorials from the Censorate fell like snowflakes, piling into mountains, all directly accusing Lu Chen.

It seemed a storm was gathering solely to strike Lu Chen.

The Grand Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and even the southern aristocratic clans of the capital all appeared entangled in a meticulously laid chess game.

The Grand Empress Dowager and the Emperor longed to eliminate Lu Chen at once, yet his network of power was deeply entrenched.

Was this "driving the tiger to devour the wolf," or "the tiger entering the flock of sheep"?

Wang Shi'an could no longer contain himself—he violently shoved Yu Chen aside, his eyes locked on Deng Ping, barking:

"Deng Da-ren, are you also defying the Emperor's command?"

Deng Ping turned slowly, his gaze lingering only briefly on Wang Shi'an before a cold smirk curled his lips. "I speak with icy calm."

"The Five Camps of our Northern Army operate by their own rules. When did it become your place, a mere Chief of the Dalisi, to give orders?"

He paused, his eyes sweeping the crowd, finally settling on Wang Shi'an—every Dalisi guard with drawn blades lowered their heads.

Deng Ping's tone grew even colder: "Moreover, Grand Secretary Dai has not spoken—what are you, exactly?"

"Had it not been for General Wang Yang's favor, I, Deng Ping, would have severed your head today and presented it before the Emperor as a warning to others!"

"You—" Wang Shi'an trembled with rage, his face crimson, speechless, only able to roar.

"Dare you kill me? I am the descendant of General Fu Bo, the eldest son of the Wang family, personally appointed by the Emperor as Chief of the Dalisi —my status is noble!"

"Deng Ping, you're a lowly dog bred by southern aristocrats—how dare you bark at me? How dare you lay a hand on me?"

Deng Ping smiled with deep meaning: "Even Wang Yang would not speak to me this way."

Yu Chen, hearing this, quietly closed his eyes, sighing inwardly.

A youth's arrogance, untempered by wind and rain, will ultimately become a blade that wounds himself.

Wang Shi'an's impulsiveness and arrogance now risked plunging him into an abyss whose consequences he could not foresee.

Yu Chen had no Wang family behind him—he had a wife and children. He would not wade into this murky water; he had neither the right nor the courage, so he stood silent.

At these words, the crowd erupted in uproar; soldiers shouted angrily: "Insolent!"

The entire hall seemed to tremble.

Deng Ping's gaze suddenly turned to you, his eyes holding hidden meaning.

And at that moment—

Wang Shi'an lost control again—he pointed directly at you and screamed:

"Your Lu family are nothing but mud-stained peasants from the north! Now that you're in the capital, you cling to the Wang family's name! What are you, anyway?"

"Tomorrow, I will petition the Emperor for an edict to exterminate your entire Lu clan!"

Dai Zhong, standing nearby, gave a cold laugh.

You listened, then shook your head.

Do all people under heaven wish to kill me, Lu Chen?

You slowly turned to Wang Shi'an. You had the gift of judging men—he came from a noble lineage, raised amid praise and flattery, advanced in office under the Emperor's favor, always moving among the highest households.

He appeared upright, law-abiding, speaking for the people—but behind closed doors, he was steeped in filth.

His hatred for you had long festered.

He sought always to destroy you.

According to recent messages from "White Phoenix," after your father's arrest, he secretly hired ruffians from the capital to surround the Lu household, harass your mother, even attempt assassination!

Do all people under heaven hate me, Lu Chen, this much?

Do they wish me to die a miserable death?

You looked toward the open ground outside the Imperial Surveillance Office—how many commoners had gathered to watch?

The Emperor, the Grand Empress Dowager, these court ministers—all watched this place.

Years ago, the three of you waited outside the palace for an entire night; when news reached the north, the land erupted in fury.

At that time, you were determined to cultivate on Mount Zhongnan; the Lu Army was dismantled piece by piece.

Many in the Lu Army grew weary of war and chose to retire, returning south—many were secretly assassinated by court factions, dying with bitter resentment.

Even those who had once served in the Lu Army were targeted by local gentry—but these brothers, who had fought life and death, never denied their identity as Lu Army men.

They spent their lives fighting, defending home and country—where was the wrong?

The letters, military reports, and official documents sent by "Mercury" to Mount Zhongnan over the years—you never read them. But you carefully reviewed every record of those Lu Army men who chose to settle in the south.

You wondered—if you had still been in court, would these men have had more courage? Would they not have died without even troubling you, fearing they might disrupt your cultivation?

You gathered your scattered thoughts, a flash of resolve in your eyes.

"Since you all crave to see rivers of blood, then today—let the black banner of the Lu family fly once more over the capital."

Long ago in the north, when the Lu family raised the black banner, they never lowered it until their swords were sheathed.

Each time the banner rose, the north trembled and fled.

Lu Yu clearly understood your decision. He stepped forward slowly to Wang Shi'an's side, his face as cold as ice:

"Had it not been for my brother's mercy toward Wang Yang's only grandson, you would have been dead the moment you sent assassins into the Lu household to kill our mother."

Wang Shi'an froze in terror—his actions had been so secret, even his father knew nothing.

Fear surged like a tide.

Wang Shi'an could barely stand.

Deng Ping, hearing this, recalled a saying: "Mercury spills on the ground—seeps through every crack."

It was the Lu Army's intelligence division.

"It will be quick—no pain."

"No! Don't kill me… Grandfather won't spare you!"

Wang Shi'an now knew fear—his face was drenched in terror, yet his eyes stared in shock at his own body toppling backward.

Lu Yu held his severed head in his hand.

The capital plot ends here. In truth, based on earlier setup, there should still be the Three Courts Trial and the Spring Imperial Examination—every scholar, every monk in the temple, every foolish monk, all had future roles. But my benefactors said the plot has been dragging lately, so I listened and cut it. Rest assured, this section was slow—but the real climax is coming next!

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(End of Chapter)