[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling":3,"chapter-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-100":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Top Scholar of Da Ling",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2288935,4475,"Chapter 100","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-100",100,"\u003Cp>Tukeslo’s eyes narrowed slightly, a dark smile creeping across his thin lips as he sneered: “Is this all you’ve got? The famed Yang Dazhangjia of Heifeng Ridge is clearly all talk and no substance—I’m deeply disappointed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He deliberately stressed the word “zhangjia,” dragging out the syllables, his tone brimming with mockery and scorn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Dazhuang frowned deeply, sweat streaming down his face as he strained to twist his neck away from the blade, his whole body trembling like a terrified quail about to be roasted for wine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pleaded: “Brother, no—sir, please spare my life!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tukeslo snorted in disdain and sneered: “Someone like you dares to join this line of work? No wonder bandit gangs are declining.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he finished speaking, his smile vanished and his tone turned icy: “Order your men to stand down at once—or I’ll take your life!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he pressed the tip of his sword lightly against Yang Dazhuang’s neck, drawing a thin red line of blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Dazhuang’s face turned ashen; sweat dripped from his brow. His eyes widened, yet his gaze was vacant, as if he’d lost his mind, kneeling there motionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu struggled to rise from the ground, his legs still shaking as he barely managed to mount his horse. He tore at his throat, shouting with all his strength: “Stop! Everyone, stand down!” His voice echoed through the valley, startling everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yang Dazhuang is captured! Lay down your weapons now, and you might yet save your lives! Resist further, and you’ll all perish together!” Jiang Mingyu’s shout instantly silenced the remaining bandits who were still fighting desperately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the clatter of falling weapons, the remaining hundred-odd bandits knelt obediently. Li Goudan raised his hand, and dozens of soldiers instantly pressed their blades against the vulnerable napes of the captives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu coldly scanned the kneeling prisoners and said: “Who fired that arrow at me just now? Step forward now!” He added calmly: “I’m in a decent mood today. If you confess honestly, I might spare your life. But if I find out on my own, you’ll die without mercy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Li, kneeling among the crowd, froze, lowering his head as if nothing had happened, his heart pounding with terror, afraid Jiang Mingyu would recognize him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from Yang Dazhuang and a few insiders, the rest of the bandits exchanged confused glances, utterly baffled by what was unfolding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu walked slowly up to one of the bandits, bent down, and curled his lips into a sinister smile as he whispered: “Tell me—who did it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bandit turned pale, beads of cold sweat breaking out on his forehead as he stammered: “I... I don’t know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu kept a warm smile on his face, his tone even approving: “Good. A true man of the green woods—courageous, loyal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bandit’s face lit up with joy at the praise, but before he could even smile fully, Jiang Mingyu added: “Take him down. Execute him.” His voice was casual, as if dismissing a trivial matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bandit’s smile froze. Seeing Li Goudan stride forward with a blade, he screamed: “Wait! I’ll tell! I’ll tell!” His life hanging by a thread, he abandoned all notions of brotherhood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s smile didn’t fade as he said slowly: “Too late to speak now. Be wiser in your next life.” With a slight wave of his hand, he signaled Li Goudan. The bandit had no time to beg further before being dragged aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s voice drifted like a whisper, as if speaking of something utterly ordinary. The bandit’s terrified grin had long since stiffened on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Goudan strode forward, his blade gleaming coldly; the bandit’s forehead dripped sweat as he screamed: “Wait! I’ll tell! I’ll tell!” His life flickered like a candle in the wind—he no longer cared for bandit codes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu kept his gentle smile as he spoke slowly: “Now it’s too late to speak. Be wiser in your next life.” Before he finished, he gave Li Goudan a slight gesture. The bandit was still begging when he was dragged away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flash of cold steel, a spray of blood—the bandit writhed violently before collapsing, headless, his blood melting the snow beneath him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu walked to another bandit. Before he could speak, the man began pounding his head against the ground, trembling as he cried: “It’s him! My lord—it’s him!” He pointed frantically at Old Li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face contorted with fear, he spoke rapidly: “His name is Old Li—he’s the best archer in the village. Last night, Yang Dazhangjia himself ordered him to fire that fatal arrow, saying that if he hit you, Old Yu would capture you alive. They believed that as long as you were in the boss’s hands, even your ten thousand troops couldn’t threaten them. My lord, I was on guard at the gate that night—I heard every word of their plot, clear as day, no lies, no embellishments. My lord, I’ve told you everything I know. Please, have mercy! Spare my life!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Desperate for even a sliver of hope, he spilled every secret he had, without reservation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu ignored him, walking slowly to Old Li, whose face had turned as white as snow. He studied him up and down, squinted, and clicked his tongue: “A master archer? Impressive. If not for Tukeslo’s alertness, I’d already be dead. Tell me—how should I repay your great kindness?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Li trembled violently, his teeth chattering, cold sweat beading on his forehead, his face as pale as snow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kneeling on the ground, Old Li pressed his forehead hard against the earth, his voice thick with sobs: “My lord, my lord, listen to me.” He lifted his head, tears blurring his eyes, his face contorted with terror. He wiped his tears with trembling hands, his voice breaking: “The ambush was all Yang Dazhuang’s idea, my lord—it was entirely his doing!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words came faster now, as if desperate to finish: “I’m just a lowly follower—I’d be dead last night if I’d refused him!” He slammed his head against the ground again, the thuds echoing loudly, as if begging for Jiang Mingyu’s mercy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, every word I’ve said is true. The brothers who were there that night can testify for me.” Old Li lifted his head, eyes pleading: “I’m only an accomplice—please, show mercy. Spare my life!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike Old Li, Yang Dazhuang knelt nearby, his eyes blazing with fury. Hearing the accusation, he roared: “Old Li, you—” but Old Li cut him off, leaving him speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Li’s words left Yang Dazhuang with no rebuttal. He could only glare, fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, unable to find a single word to counter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Li’s lips trembled with rage. His small eyes bulged, bloodshot whites glaring like a furious bull. His voice rose shrill and sharp, echoing through the empty hall, spilling out in rapid bursts: “What? What? Which one of my words isn’t true? How long are you going to keep lying?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Yang Dazhuang’s face shifted from red to white, then to blue, twisting like dough kneaded too many times. His mouth opened and closed like a dying fish, emitting only meaningless syllables: “Y-you...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His pupils shrank to pinpricks, fixed on Old Li as if his eyes might burst from their sockets. His fingers curled into claws, digging deep into his palms, nails sinking into flesh, blood dripping freely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu watched coldly, his thin lips curling slightly, his eyes gleaming with undisguised delight at the spectacle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Yang Dazhuang had no reply, Jiang Mingyu smiled faintly: “So it seems you’re right—it was all Yang Dazhuang’s doing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Old Li’s face lit up with ecstatic joy. His frail body trembled violently, hope flickering in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he opened his mouth to flatter Jiang Mingyu further, Jiang Mingyu cut him off coldly: “I can see your words are true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, his lips curled slightly, his eyes flashing with weariness and mockery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But understand this: no matter the excuse, I will never spare a man who fired an arrow at me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s voice dropped low. The moment he finished, a flash of cold light flashed in his eyes, his brows furrowed slightly, and a chilling aura radiated from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sighed coldly, his tone dripping with indifferent arrogance: “Given your skill with the bow, I’ll grant you a relatively dignified death.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he raised his hand in a signal. The archers around him instantly raised their bows, aiming squarely at Old Li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Archers—ready. Let this master archer of Heifeng Ridge die pierced by ten thousand arrows. Let him die as he deserves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s words rang clear and sharp, his tone calm—yet Old Li’s face turned deathly pale. He collapsed to the ground, consumed by utter despair.\u003C\u002Fp>",1467,"2026-06-20T03:28:17.113Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b32c42a623a148398fb00a3f937df3b2a9321581f0dda6a031283a133ad2e1e7","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-101","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-99",392,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-top-scholar-of-da-ling-cover.jpg"]