[{"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-233":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},2289068,4475,"Chapter 233: Unblinking in Death","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-233",233,"\u003Cp>Tang Youli clenched his teeth, saying not a word. Jiang Mingyu wasn’t angry—he raised his hand and slapped him hard, the sharp crack echoing through the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you still won’t speak, I’ll sever your cultivation. Do you think I won’t go hard on you?” Jiang Mingyu threatened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Youli’s expression remained resolute, showing no hesitation, as he coldly spoke:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiang Mingyu, I am the one who poisoned you, and no one else is involved. I long to kill you with my own hands, but your luck is too strong—my plot was uncovered before it could succeed. Remember this: I will become a vengeful ghost, haunting you endlessly until your soul is scattered by the weight of my hatred!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s face darkened; he seized Tang Youli’s jaw, forcing him to meet his gaze: “I advise you to confess who’s behind this. Otherwise, I’ll take you to the camp and let you feel every instrument of torture.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Youli bit his lip in silence, his eyes filled with stubbornness and venom. He was determined to protect his master, willing to die rather than betray a single secret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing he refused to speak, Jiang Mingyu’s eyes glinted with icy frost. He waved his hand, and two warriors roughly dragged Tang Youli forward, shoving him toward the torture chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ll regret this—I’ll make you beg for death!” Jiang Mingyu’s voice rang from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Youli stumbled but marched with unwavering resolve—he had already prepared to die. Even if his body was broken beyond repair, he would endure every pain without uttering a single word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiang Mingyu, you’re just a man—what right do you have to trample my dignity?” Tang Youli spat, the saliva flying straight onto Jiang Mingyu’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu flew into a rage, snarling: “You wretched bitch—I’ll make you wish you were dead!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He roared at the guards: “Throw her into the dungeon—I want her to scream until her mouth bleeds!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a strange smile appeared on Tang Youli’s face. He lunged forward, throwing himself onto the guard’s blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wet gurgle rang out as half the bloody blade pierced through Tang Youli’s back, blood gushing down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiang Mingyu… you monster… you’ll pay for this someday…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Youli whispered faintly, his voice fading until he collapsed into a pool of blood, motionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s enough to drive me mad!” Jiang Mingyu roared, kicking Tang Youli’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jiaqi and the others were stunned by Tang Youli’s sudden suicide—no one had expected him to choose death to atone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s goal remained unfulfilled; the identity of Tang Youli’s mastermind was still unknown. Yet now, all present felt only profound sorrow for this stubborn man who sacrificed his life for vengeance, their hearts heavy with mixed emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu snarled: “Send for all troops! Even if I turn Xiangcangzhou upside down, I’ll find that mastermind—I’ll flay him alive to quench my rage!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Ge Yu urged: “Master, this is unwise. We don’t even know what the mastermind looks like—if he stood before us, we wouldn’t recognize him. Our army departs tomorrow; a massive mobilization isn’t prudent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu snapped: “Then what do you suggest? Do we just wait to die? I’m leaving soon, but everyone’s families are still here—I can’t let them be in danger!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Ge Yu sighed: “For now, we can only wait and watch. Let the assassin reveal himself—we’ll have a chance to act then. Increase the guards protecting them; that’s the safest course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu reluctantly said: “Fine, that’s all we can do. Order: double the guards for everyone! You, too—deploy spies to monitor the city closely. Hang Tang Youli’s body on the main street, keep it under strict watch, and interrogate anyone suspicious immediately—better to kill ten innocents than let one guilty man slip away!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jiaqi said sadly: “It seems I can’t join the campaign after all—I can’t bear to leave with this hanging over me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Ge Yu asked Guanqie ly: “You won’t go out this time? I’ll assign guards to protect you—you must be careful yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu said: “Jiaqi, I understand your heart. But Zhu Ge Yu is right. I’ll assign extra men to keep you safe—you must stay away from danger.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Jiaqi replied: “Thank you, Brother Jiang and Master Zhu Ge. I’ll take care of myself. Just promise me you’ll return safely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Ge Yu said: “Rest assured—I’ll guard everyone’s safety. Master, focus only on your campaign and return victorious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next morning, after Zhu Ge Yu had made all arrangements, Jiang Mingyu led eighty thousand troops and Liu Yifei out of Xiangcangzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After traveling one day, Jiang Mingyu, still deeply uneasy, turned to Liu Yifei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yifei,” Jiang Mingyu called softly. In the morning sunlight, he saw her beautiful face, and warmth and longing stirred in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm?” Liu Yifei responded. In the morning light, she saw his handsome, graceful figure, and sweetness and attachment rose within her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Be careful,” Jiang Mingyu said. “This trip to Lanzhou isn’t a game—it’s a thorn in the Western Xia’s eye. If you face danger, come back immediately. Business doesn’t matter—you do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know,” Liu Yifei replied. “You be careful too. This isn’t a leisure trip—it’s the front line of war. If you’re in trouble, find me immediately. Military pay doesn’t matter—you do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They exchanged a quiet smile, perfectly in tune. Both knew the other’s words came from care, not true belief. Each had their own ideals and duties, unwilling to abandon them. Each wished to protect the other, not burden them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So they said no more, only embraced tightly, whispering softly into each other’s ears: “I love you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then they mounted their horses, each leading their own troops, riding off in opposite directions.\u003C\u002Fp>",951,"2026-06-20T03:28:18.279Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","156a259deee48cc9a3fbe74ea09e5de1634a529226f8ed8570e6e4d3b4d70be9","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-234","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-232",392,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-top-scholar-of-da-ling-cover.jpg"]