Chapter 292: Supreme Commander Lou is about to be bombed
Shadowrain had yet to climb up the city gate tower when a ripping sound rose up from Ning Xiaoluo's position. The officials had spared no effort in their tug-of-war and ripped the dragon robe in half. On a summer day, one couldn't wear too many clothes. So once the dragon robe was torn, the undergarment slid down from Third Young Master Ning's body; leaving him standing bare-shouldered in front of everyone.
Those who were standing closest to Ning Xiaoluo were the first to stop fighting. Gradually, the fight in front of the palace gate came to a halt. Everybody stared at Ning Xiaoluo. This is what the Grand Preceptor calls a despicable wench? Doesn't one have to be a woman before she could be considered a despicable wench?
Grand Preceptor Xie was dumbfounded. How is this possible?
"Xie Wenyuan, what do you have to say now?" Grand Preceptor Xie was challenged by someone standing not far from Elder Li.
"You are not Ningyu." Grand Preceptor Xie muttered. This person can't be Ning Yu!
"You're also not Xie Wenyuan!" Ning Xiaoluo rebuked, "Who the heck are you? State your name if you have the guts, I'll allow you to die in one piece!"
Grand Preceptor Xie instantly raised his head to look toward the city gate tower. Is he Ning Xiaoluo? Or, did Ningyu find a young man who completely resembles her?
Shadowrain stood in the tower, pulled the string of his bow and released an arrow at Grand Preceptor Xie.
Just then, the head guard accompanying Grand Preceptor Xie raised his head to sight at the tower and saw Shadowrain drawing his bow. The head guard pulled Grand Preceptor Xie to the side and avoided the arrow before Shadowrain finished making his move.
"Kill him ah!" Ning Xiaoluo screamed at the top of his lungs when he saw the arrow hitting air.
"Protect the Grand Preceptor!" Grand Preceptor's head guard and his men shouted in unison.
Standing at the palace entrance, First Young Master Ning whispered something to Shadowthunder.
Shadowthunder looked at Ning Xiaoyao. Ning Xiaoyao could hear what First Young Master Ning said to Shadowthunder. She swung her arm to give Shadowthunder the go-ahead, "Listen to Big Bro Ning!"
Shadowthunder sprinted out of the palace gate to Ning Xiaoluo's side and said in a booming voice, "His Majesty decrees, if you give up resistance and submit to seizure now, His Majesty will pardon you all for treason!"
"Didn't you see that I was beaten up?" Ning Xiaoluo glared at Shadowthunder. Everyone is already waving their weapons and yet you want to pardon those rebels and traitors?
Shadowthunder glanced at Ning Xiaoluo and replied in a low voice, "This is an order from First Young Master Ning."
Ning Xiaoluo said no more. If he didn't listen to his big brother, he'd suffer a fate worse than death.
Grand Preceptor Xie saw that many of his men stood still in response to the decree, so he ordered, "Go."
The head guard hastened to crouch down, letting Grand Preceptor Xie climb on his back before they set out to leave.
Shadowgale wanted to take men and give pursue, but Grand Preceptor Xie's troops started to swing their blades at the officials standing at the side. After the news of the emperor's death from assassination spread out, all of the court officials had gathered at the palace entrance. Earlier, the rebel troops, the Elite Imperial Guards and the Dragon Guards hadn't bothered to pay attention to these frail and unarmed officials. But now that the rebels troops had suddenly turned target to chop at these officials, the other two forces were rendered in a momentary stupor.
"Quick," First Young Master Ning's expression turned grave as he commanded, "Go rescue them!"
In order to gain power over the country, one heavily relied on military generals. Similarly, scholar officials were essential to governing a country.
There was no way First Young Master Ning could stand by and watch while the court officials were being massacred.
"Bastard!" Ning Xiaoyao couldn't suppress her rage any longer. She used a handkerchief to cover up her face before dashing out of the palace.
Since Ning Xiaomu had focused all of his attention on the court officials, he didn't notice Ning Xiaoyao slipping away. By the time he realized Ning Xiaoyao had ran outside the palace gate, it was impossible to stop her even if he wanted to.
When the Dragon Guards protecting Ning Xiaoyao noticed their emperor had rushed out of the palace, they hurriedly drew their swords and chased after her.
The Destruction Prisoner Army soldiers clenched tightly onto their weapons, but without an order from their first young master, they didn't dare to run after her.
"Endure." Ning Xiaomu told them, his gaze fixed at the outer side of the palace entrance.
Outside of the palace gate, everyone was in the midst of a chaotic battlefield. No one noticed a masked little miss wearing floral dress hurling out from inside. When Ning Xiaoyao passed by the bare-shouldered Ning Xiaoluo, Ji Yuerong was sheltering him as she escorted him inside away from the gate. Ning Xiaoyao took a quick glance at them before she headed towards the direction of Grand Preceptor Xie's escape.
"D-do we keep shooting?" On the city gate tower, an Elite Imperial Guard asked Shadowrain.
Shadowrain dropped his bow and wiped his face. His Majesty and his men have closed up on Grand Preceptor Xie's group. How are they supposed to shoot?
Ning Xiaoyao was about to catch up to Grand Preceptor Xie when she overheard the latter's conversation with one of his guards.
"Grand Preceptor, Lou Zigui is almost at the front street. Our men are in place."
Ning Xiaoyao halted her steps. Their men are in place? What does that mean?
"Stop!" shouted a Dragon Guard.
Ning Xiaoyao regained her wits and dashed forward. She stretched out her hand and aimed at Grand Preceptor Xie's head. She wanted to pull Grand Preceptor over by grabbing his hair.
"Xiaoyao!" The little sparrow Wheat finally found Ning Xiaoyao among the crowd. Wheat didn't have time to worry about public eyes as he landed on top of Ning Xiaoyao's head and chirped, "Not good, Xiaoyao, the Grand Preceptor has smuggled cannons into the city!”
Ning Xiaoyao: Σ(△ ° ︴, Cannons exist in this world?
Wheat continued, "Just right on the front street. I heard those bad guys say they want to kill Supreme Commander, chirp!”
They wanna use the cannon to blast Supreme Commander?
Ning Xiaoyao began to panic. No matter how capable she was at saving lives, she wouldn't be able to save Supreme Commander if he was bombarded into pieces of meat. Ning Xiaoyao asked Wheat, "Where on the front street?
"Head straight from here." Wheat showed Ning Xiaoyao the direction.
"I'll be back to kill you!" Ning Xiaoyao dropped cruel words as she passed by Grand Preceptor Xie. After that, she sped off at an insane speed.
The Dragon Guards following Ning Xiaoyao were flabbergasted. Grand Preceptor Xie was right here in front of their eyes, what did their emperor run off to do now?
Ning Xiaoyao's feet kicked up currents of air as she ran like mad to the front street, only to discover that this was the long street facing the imperial palace. At this moment, Ning Xiaoyao didn't see a single little animal on this street, let alone a human being. The scene evoked a sense of nostalgia as it reminded her of those abandoned towns back in the apocalypse.
"The bad guys are right upfront." Wheat flew ahead to lead the way.
Ning Xiaoyao tilted her head to listen. There were sounds of horse hooves coming down the street, as well as the sounds of breathing from every building on the street. It seemed that everyone was hiding in their houses.
"Xiaoyao!" Wheat yelped. Ning Xiaoyao ran forward along with Wheat.
"Why are there sounds of fighting again?" At the crossroad of the front street, Deng Rong was talking to Lou Zigui, "Did they resume the battle?"
Lou Zigui scanned the long, empty street in front of him. This long street had a 90 degree corner that separated it in two halves. Lou Zigui couldn't see the upper half along which Ning Xiaoyao was running with all her life. He could only hear the screams and shouts echoing from the imperial palace.
"This street is too damn quiet." Deng Rong muttered to Lou Zigui. There were still sights of people on the roads when they'd passed by, but there wasn't a single person on this front street.
Lou Zigui unsheathed his sword and instructed his subordinates, "Be careful. If you see Xie Wenyuan, kill him.”
Deng Rong immediately confirmed, "We can kill Xie Wenyuan now?"
"Yes." Lou Zigui replied with a single word before he urged his horse down the street.
Deng Rong and the rest followed closely. They were all thrilled at the thought that they could finally kill Xie Wenyuan today.
When they were about to reach the street corner, a person from the highest story of a restaurant suddenly shouted out loud, "Lou Zigui!"
Lou Zigui didn't stop his horse. If he stopped now, it would only give his opponent the chance to kill him.
"Watch out for horse-trapping rope!" Deng Rong reminded the soldiers behind him in a loud voice.
Gradually, the sound of cart wheels smashing down the square-stone street echoed from the other side of the corner. From the sound alone, Lou Zigui's party instantly knew that the cart carried some heavy object.
Meanwhile, Lord Protector and his cavalry had arrived at the crossroad of the front street.
"Lord Protector, Supreme Commander is up ahead." A military officer reported to Lord Protector the instant he caught sight of Lou Zigui's group.
"Go." Lord Protector led his troops into the long street as well.
At this moment, Lou Zigui saw a round, pitch black hole peeking out its head from the blind side of the street corner.
"Stop!" Lou Zigui abruptly pulled on the reins.
Little Red let out a loud neigh and reared straight upon being pulled at.
"Retreat!" Lou Zigui gave order in a booming voice, his body remained steady even when his horse was rearing almost vertically.
Deng Rong also saw the cannon's mouth from right behind Lou Zigui. However, he didn't immediately stop his horse. Instead, Deng Rong only pulled on the reins after his horse had passed by Lou Zigui. He wanted to shield Lou Zigui with his body.
"Go!" Lou Zigui shrieked. The instant Lou Zigui heard sounds of horse hooves coming from behind, he screamed without knowing who was coming.
Lord Protector hastened to stop his horse as well.
From the corner, several soldiers wheeled out a cannon -the kind that was used in raiding cities.
"F**k!" Lord Protector instinctively turned his horse around.
Deng Rong threw his sword and accurately nailed the soldier nearest to the cannon touch hole onto the ground. However, another soldier immediately moved towards the touch hole with a fire source and ignited the fuse.
"Supreme Commander, go!" Deng Rong hollered at Lou Zigui.
Sparks flew from the fuse and emitted sizzling sounds.
Lou Zigui took a quick glance at the fuse, which was obviously cut off (to shorten the ignition time), "Charge forward!" Lou Zigui ordered. As long as they got behind the cannon's back, they'd be safe.
"Lord Protector!" a soldier from Lord Protector's troops cried out in terror.
Behind Lord Protector, another cannon was being wheeled out by some soldiers, its cut-short fuse was also emitting sparkles.
Lord Protector gave up all hope. Charging forward or retreating would make no difference anymore.
Deng Rong wanted to dash over and kill all of the soldiers wheeling the cannon. However, there were also men shooting from the highest floors of the shops on both sides of the street, forcibly stopping Deng Rong from moving forward.
Right at this time, Ning Xiaoyao appeared from the other side of the corner.
Lou Zigui's face was unchanged even when he saw the cannon fuse close to burning up. But the instant he saw Ning Xiaoyao running out from the corner, his expression faltered in the blink of an eye. He was anxious to call out but not a sound came out of his throat.
Ning Xiaoyao didn't have time to check who was here at the moment. She dashed to the cannon, lifted it up and hurled it at the cannon on the other end of the street.
Ning Xiaoyao didn't spare a single ounce of her strength this time. As soon as she threw off the cannon, she sat down on the ground in exhaustion.
The cannon soared across the long street and smashed down on the cannon at the crossroad with precision, making a deafening sound. Right after that, the two ignited cannons fired consecutively onto the ground.
Boom!
Thundering sounds of explosion echoed from deep underneath as the ground quaked violently, taking ten buildings down with it. The people inside didn't have time to run and were all buried underneath the collapsed buildings.
Ning Xiaoyao heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing that the cannons hadn't successfully bombarded anyone to death. But when she stood up from the ground, she spat out so much blood that it formed a puddle on the ground.
Ai ma! Prior to losing her consciousness, Ning Xiaoyao thought to herself. She has used up all her accumulated energy from her happy eating since arriving into this world…