Chapter 83

【Walking into the inner courtyard of the Western Depot, there is a different scene inside.】

【You walk all the way.】

【There is a patio in the inner courtyard, a square courtyard, and you can see the sky when you look up.】

【Talking about the vastness of the sky.】

【After entering the courtyard, Ma Bao stands to the side, not speaking.】

【In the courtyard, four people have already arrived first.】

【Three men and one woman!】

【The three men have different temperaments; they stand there quietly, examining the two of you.】

【You don't pay attention, but focus your gaze on the only woman in the field.】

【She is dressed in plain white, sitting quietly on a chair; although her body is imprisoned and unable to move, her eyes reveal urgent anxiety.】

【Her face is as pale as frost, her lips are cracked from dryness, her hands are tightly clenched into fists, and blood has already seeped between her nails.】

【Her face is delicate, with some similarities to your uncle's outline, but her temperament is more gentle.】

【It should be that her appearance inherited more from her mother; mother said that her aunt was a knowledgeable Jiangnan woman.】

【She died of illness a few years ago, and uncle aged a lot in one day.】

【She is your cousin, the woman named Wei Yue whom mother once mentioned to you.】

【An inexplicable sense of intimacy arises in your heart; that is the bond of blood.】

【You give her a reassuring smile.】

【Wei Yue appears even more uneasy.】

【Lu Yu transmits his voice to you, telling you there is no ambush around, just three Grandmasters here.】

【Seemingly thinking that the three Grandmasters of the world are enough to kill the two of you.】

【Chen Sanzhong sighs on the side: "With the Junior Guardian's wisdom, naturally understanding the danger of this place, yet still choosing to come, it is indeed admirable."】

【"Knowing there are tigers on the mountain, yet heading towards the tiger mountain."】

【When you returned to the capital back then and met the current Empress Dowager, that Nine-Thousand-Year-Old was serving by her side.】

【You don't respond directly.】

【Instead, you cast your gaze towards the other three.】

【One of them, an old monk, is exactly the Foolish Monk of Lingxi Temple, famous throughout the world.】

【He lowers two white eyebrows like snow, his face is sad, his hands are pressed together, he nods slightly to you, and chants lightly in his mouth:】

【"Amitabha, Benefactor Lu, have you been well?"】

【You and the Foolish Monk also had a meeting in the north; you remember that when the imperial decree to withdraw troops was issued back then, this high monk came to the northern camp in person, trying to explore your intentions.】

【At that time, the compassionate Foolish Monk, who had never taken a life in his life, had a trace of killing intent that could not be hidden in his eyes as he broke into your camp.】

【Just waiting for your answer!】

【Meeting again today, the killing intent in the old monk's chest has not diminished, just like in the north back then.】

【You find it strange in your heart.】

【There are so many people in the world who want to put me, Lu Chen, to death.】

【Am I really unforgivable?】

【Among them, there is also a middle-aged man you have never met, Jiang Xiaoyue of Pingniu Ridge!】

【This Grandmaster famous for his palm technique, you feel a trace of contempt from him, the arrogance unique to the Grandmaster realm, where no one in the world is in his eyes.】

【Jiang Xiaoyue crosses his arms on his chest, his eyes cold as ice.】

【He glances at Lu Yu, his voice without a trace of temperature: "The three of us, first kill Lu Yu, then execute Lu Chen."】

【One Grandmaster is worth the three of them joining forces.】

【It is already a certain death situation!】

【Chen Sanzhong nods, but is not in a hurry.】

【"Finally, the Empress Dowager still has a few words to tell the Junior Guardian."】

【You are curious, raising your eyes to look over.】

【Chen Sanzhong speaks slowly: "The Empress Dowager said that back then at Hulao Pass, defending against Northern Wind was still thanks to the Junior Guardian, but this is ultimately the world of Great Qing."】

【"The monarch is the monarch, the subject is the subject; for today's situation, blame the Junior Guardian's merits for being too high and his reputation for being too prominent."】

【"The Empress Dowager originally had a compassionate heart, wanting to leave a line of life for the Lu family, but considering the endless future troubles, she gave up; the Empress Dowager hopes the Junior Guardian will not blame her."】

【"After the Junior Guardian dies today, there will be no survivors left in the Lu family."】

【He pauses and continues: "However, the Empress Dowager also said that after a hundred years, there will naturally be great scholars to argue and clear the Junior Guardian's name."】

【Hearing this!】

【The anger on Lu Yu's face is already hard to restrain, but you just smile faintly.】

【Chen Sanzhong tries to find a trace of expression change on your face.】

【Nothing gained!】

【The Empress Dowager ordered that after these words are conveyed, she wants to know if Lu Chen will be shocked or look fearful.】

【Unfortunately, it will disappoint the Empress Dowager!】

【Chen Sanzhong sighs in his heart: "Truly worthy of being the commander of three armies; before life and death, his face is like a calm lake."】

【He recalls back then, this Junior Guardian carried the great momentum into the capital.】

【Now he has ended up like this, and he cannot help but sigh.】

【Know that the things ordered by the master cannot be messed up.】

【Wei Yue hears this, her face changes drastically, appearing even more anxious, and tears slide down like broken pearls from her bright eyes.】

【Chen Sanzhong continues: "Junior Guardian, please rest assured, since Miss Wei came to the Western Depot, we have never had any disrespectful behavior towards her, nor have we harmed her in the slightest."】

【"However, this young lady has a strong personality and is determined not to eat."】

【At this time, the Foolish Monk standing on the side speaks.】

【He feels that Lu Chen's entry into the capital this time is different from before, so he asks】

【"What is the Junior Guardian's intention in entering the capital this time?"】

【You don't speak, but look at Wei Yue!】

【This cousin you have never met.】

【Your mind conjures up uncle's strong and heroic face, the man holding a wine glass by the campfire in the north, shouting to go to the battlefield to kill the enemy.】

【Wei Yue inherited more from her father; a blood letter is enough to show her ambition.】

【You see urgency, guilt, self-blame, worry, and a trace of fear in her heart.】

【Urgency for you to leave.】

【Guilt and self-blame for you coming to save her, worrying about your safety.】

【Finally, fear.】

【Fear! How can she not be afraid? She is only seventeen years old now, at the age of a flower.】

【You suddenly look up at the sky; the square courtyard is separated, showing the sky is very blue.】

【Uncle would rather bite his tongue and surrender at the Grand Court of Justice, worrying about implicating you.】

【You take a deep breath!】

【Shouldn't it be me, Lu Chen, who implicated you father and daughter?】

【It seems mother is also like this, feeling sorry for you, Lu Chen.】

【You cannot help but think in your heart!】

【If you hadn't practiced Dao on Mount Zhongnan.】

【Father, mother, uncle, and cousin Wang Yue.】

【Would they have lived more freely!】

【Father always wanted to go back to the north to see the ancestral land, but hasn't left the capital for so many years, isn't it because he was worried about you two brothers attracting suspicion.】

【Mother wouldn't have to work so hard either.】

【Uncle wouldn't have to hide in the capital either.】

【Cousin wouldn't have to hide in the Lu family's mansion every day and could live a normal life.】

【You turn back and look at the Foolish Monk; he asked you the same question in that camp back then.】

【At that time!】

【You just said, "Entering the capital this time, I, Lu Shenzhou, only wish to resign and retire, practicing Dao on Mount Zhongnan."】

【The generals in the camp all sighed and lowered their brows under the candlelight, and the old monk left.】

【At this time!】

【You said the first sentence after entering the courtyard.】

【Fifteen years later, you answered this question again.】

【You say lightly:】

【"Entering the capital this time, I, Lu Shenzhou, want to control the world's troops!"】

(End of chapter)