[{"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-274":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},2289109,4475,"Chapter 274: Purify the Court","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-274",274,"\u003Cp>Before the imperial palace gates, a line of black-clad iron-armored troops arrived, their murderous aura surging into the sky. They wore heavy armor, wielded long blades, and their eyes glinted with coldness. Like a pack of wolves, they were bloodthirsty and merciless, showing no distinction between friend or foe—anyone standing before them became their prey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The palace guards at the gate immediately panicked, trembling as they asked: “What are you doing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They wore brocade robes, held long spears, and their eyes revealed terror. Like a flock of lambs, they were weak and helpless, utterly lost—just by looking into their eyes, one knew their fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tall, thin officer at their head flashed a cold gleam, said nothing, and brought his blade down in a sweeping arc—the guard fell without a sound. The tall officer stepped over the corpse, the blood on his blade leaving a terrifying trail. He barked coldly: “Follow me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice carried resolve and killing intent; his eyes gleamed with ruthlessness and madness; his body radiated authority and dominance. Like a falcon, he was razor-sharp—just by watching his movements, one knew his purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The palace guards fell one after another as Feng Xi surged forward, roaring into battle. Suddenly, the front of Chongzheng Hall echoed with battle cries. Fei Hou, inside, was stomping and cursing—when he heard the noise, his face turned deathly pale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go see what’s happening—is Jiang Mingyu attacking?” he trembled, ordering the eunuch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the eunuch could leave the hall, a bloody human head was thrown inside. Fei Hou’s face turned ashen, his limbs went limp, and he stumbled backward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feng Xi sneered coldly: “Your Majesty, we’ve come to catch up.” He stepped closer, inch by inch, toward the trembling Fei Hou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Jiang Mingyu’s army was still marching swiftly along the distant road.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Feng Xi had already revealed his beastly fury, advancing on Fei Hou...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Zhuge Yu glanced at the map, then spoke to Jiang Mingyu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, less than ten li ahead lies the capital. Give the order.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice carried calmness and confidence; his eyes sparkled with anticipation and excitement; his body radiated authority and majesty. Like a mighty dragon, he was ready to spread his wings and soar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment of decisive battle had arrived. Jiang Mingyu cleared his throat and shouted loudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tukesiluo, Jiani.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two immediately spurred their horses forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At your command,” Jiang Mingyu cleared his throat and declared: “Tukesiluo, lead thirty thousand as vanguard—take the capital directly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice carried majesty and decisiveness; his eyes gleamed with determination and conviction; his body radiated passion and fervor. Like an eagle, he looked far ahead, unafraid of powerful foes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tukesiluo’s eyes flashed with cold light, his voice thick with suppressed hatred: “Brother, today I will take Fei Hou’s head with my own hands—to avenge you a hundredfold and wipe away our shame!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice carried rage and madness; his eyes glowed with hatred and killing intent; his body radiated strength and courage. Like a rabid dog, he gnashed his teeth, willing to pay any price.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu frowned and snapped: “Don’t act recklessly! The assault is merely a feint—under no circumstances must you disrupt the grand plan!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice carried warning and reminder; his eyes gleamed with concern and worry; his body radiated calmness and decisiveness. Like a fox, he was cunning beyond measure, never missing his chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tukesiluo chuckled mockingly and replied quickly: “Yes, I understand the gravity—it’s just to boost morale.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice carried obedience and respect; his eyes gleamed with awe and submission; his body radiated humility and loyalty. Like a wolfhound, he was utterly faithful, never failing his mission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu gave a slight nod and continued issuing battle orders. All generals bowed in response, readying their troops for deployment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Jiang Mingyu meticulously planned every detail, a premonition settled over his heart—this victory came too easily. Fei Hou would never willingly surrender. This was surely another trap, and one misstep could plunge them into it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His heart carried caution and doubt; his eyes held alertness and thought; his body radiated tension and pressure. Like a leopard, he moved with care, refusing to be careless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Jiang Mingyu was lost in thought, suddenly a white flag rose high above the city walls. The troops gasped, astonished and delighted, guessing its meaning. Jiang Mingyu froze—something felt off, though he couldn’t pinpoint why.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His heart carried surprise and doubt; his eyes held questions and inquiry; his body radiated curiosity and anticipation. Like an owl, he stared unblinking, missing no clue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the generals exchanged uneasy glances, a thunderous crash echoed—the perfectly sealed city gate swung open on its own. Jiang Mingyu’s heart tightened; he sensed the situation was far from simple. He shot a glance at Zhuge Yu, who wore an equally troubled expression...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His heart carried vigilance and danger; his eyes held calm analysis; his body radiated readiness and caution. Like a lion, he stood composed and unmoved, refusing to act rashly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the gate open, Tukesiluo roared: “All troops, on alert—prepare for battle!” His eyes bulged wide, as if facing a deadly enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice carried tension and alertness; his eyes gleamed with suspicion and wariness; his body radiated heaviness and pressure. Like a leopard, he moved with care, refusing to be careless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a civil official stepped out from the gate, raising his hands: “Please, Lord Jiang, calm your wrath. I am Feng Xi, here to surrender with fifteen thousand troops from within the city.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression was humble, yet his eyes betrayed cunning. His voice carried falseness and deceit; his eyes gleamed with trickery and malice; his body radiated weakness and servility. Like a rat, he bowed low, shameless and base.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu spoke gravely: “Lord Feng, you overstate your case. How can we trust your sincerity?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice carried majesty and scrutiny; his eyes gleamed with calm analysis; his body radiated coldness and decisiveness. Like a fox, he was cunning beyond measure, never missing his chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feng Xi laughed heartily: “I anticipated you’d ask that—so I’ve prepared a special gift. I hope you’ll accept it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gestured: “Bring them forward!” Dozens of high-ranking officials were dragged up—leading them was Fei Hou, the enemy Jiang Mingyu had longed to kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu’s eyes widened in disbelief. Feng Xi hurried to explain: “These are all Fei Hou’s corrupt ministers and confidants—we’ve captured them to present to you as proof of our sincerity. We beg Your Lordship’s mercy—accept our heartfelt offering!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice carried reverence and pleading; his eyes gleamed with fear and hope; his body radiated trembling weakness. Like a dog, he wagged his tail, begging for mercy, daring not to resist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu finally relaxed slightly. He dismounted and smiled at Feng Xi: “Lord Feng, you’ve worked hard. You’ll be richly rewarded.” Then he walked slowly toward Fei Hou, shook his head slowly, his eyes brimming with killing intent...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Mingyu walked slowly toward Fei Hou. His gaze was ice; his voice, a blade; his steps, a drumbeat; his aura, a mountain. He looked down at the kneeling Fei Hou, his lips curling into a cold smile, his heart swelling with satisfaction, his words like poison, his tone like a whip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fei Hou, do you remember this day last year? It was the day I left the capital—and the day you seized the throne. You said then: ‘Let living be your punishment. Let this world be the hell I give Jiang Mou.’ You said you’d make me live without peace, without home, without dignity, without hope. You said you’d make me suffer under your hand—endure torment, humiliation, agony, despair. You said you’d make me die before your eyes—humiliated, wretched, silent, nameless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You said so much. You did so much. You thought so much. What did you gain? You gained the throne, power, wealth, glory. You gained all this—what did you lose? You lost kinship, friendship, love, trust. You lost all this—what remains? You’re left with hatred, fear, loneliness, despair.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You thought you gained everything. You thought you controlled everything. You thought you could do as you pleased. You thought you were above the law. You thought you were lord of all, father of the people, child of the gods, invincible. You thought you were this—yet you didn’t know what you truly were. You are a joke. You are a tragedy. You are a criminal. You are a waste.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You sat upon the throne, yet you didn’t last a year. Your ministers, your confidants, your brothers, your sons, your lovers, your enemies, your friends, your comrades, your kind, your fellow countrymen, your people, your realm, your everything—all abandoned you. All betrayed you. All rebelled. All attacked you. All loathed you. All spat on you. All mocked you. All despised you. All forgot you. All erased you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You thought you were emperor. You thought you were Your Majesty. You thought you were the Son of Heaven. You thought you were a sage ruler. You thought you were this—yet you didn’t know what you truly were. You are a prisoner. You are a slave. You are a beggar. You are a worm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You thought you were Jiang Mou’s enemy. You thought you were Jiang Mou’s adversary. You thought you were Jiang Mou’s rival. You thought you were his equal. You thought you were this—yet you didn’t know what you truly were. You are Jiang Mou’s stepping stone. You are Jiang Mou’s springboard. You are Jiang Mou’s foil. You are Jiang Mou’s joke.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The insults you heaped on Jiang Mou—I’ve never forgotten. The men you sent to Shang Mu—I’ve never erased. The harm you caused Jiang Mou—I’ve always remembered. The cruelty you inflicted on Shang Mu—I will never forgive. The hatred you bore Jiang Mou—I’ve always answered. The challenges you issued—I’ve never feared. The oppression you wielded—I’ve always resisted. The hunts you launched—I’ve always fought back. Everything you did to Jiang Mou—I’ve responded. Everything you did to Jiang Mou—I’ve avenged.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But then again, had you not forced me that day, Jiang Mou would never have become who he is today. Had you not persecuted me, I would never have achieved this. Had you not despised me, I would never have reached this status. Had you not obstructed me, I would never have gained this prestige. Had you not provoked me, I would never have earned this glory. Had you not existed, I would never have known this joy. In this light, I truly ought to thank you—don’t you agree, Your Majesty?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words were needles piercing Fei Hou’s heart, blades slicing his flesh, acid corroding his bones, flames scorching his soul. His words turned Fei Hou’s face ashen, his eyes vacant, his lips twisted, his body trembling. His words shattered Fei Hou’s spirit, collapsed his will, withered his soul, rendered his life meaningless.\u003C\u002Fp>",1802,"2026-06-20T03:28:18.279Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","68bae31f75212b2854cedf0ecfa217c3aa49070d39a25f2c28fae578d4f5bcd8","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-275","the-top-scholar-of-da-ling-chapter-273",392,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-top-scholar-of-da-ling-cover.jpg"]