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墨書 Inktalez
Although Tuguhun is not considered a barbaric land, it does not practice the teachings of the Sage or respect the ways of Confucius and Mencius. If it were not for the introduction of Buddhism to guide people towards goodness, it would be little different from the uncivilized.
Even after decades of governance by Qizong Nongsan, the populace still flows with wild and brutal blood, quick to resort to murder over trivial disagreements, a frequent occurrence.
The Xu Zhen has long been accustomed to the actions of such barbarians after years of campaigning. When Qinsuo Luo gave the order, he had no doubt about these people's courage and determination.
His long knife was still sheathed at his waist, and he was well-equipped with throwing knives and various Illusion artifacts. Although these officials appeared imposing, they usually only patrolled the city of Lhasa for civil affairs. They could not compare to a peerless warrior like the Xu Zhen. If it came to a fight, these men would hardly be a match for her.
However, the Xu Zhen is ultimately a diplomat from the Tang Dynasty and does not represent personal will. If she acted impulsively and sparked a war between the two nations, leading to widespread suffering, how could she bear it?
Seeing the Xu Zhen hesitate, Qinsuo Luo thought she was timid. The officials surrounded her and Lu Dongzan, preparing to forcibly take them away!
"Qinsuo Luo! You truly have guts!" Lu Dongzan exclaimed in anger. As a Great Minister of Tuguhun with high public esteem, he was second only to one person. Qinsuo Luo had always been opportunistic; if he claimed no one was behind him, no one would believe it. Yet unexpectedly, this fence-sitter showed such resolve today—clearly, the hawks were ready to act!
Qinsuo Luo struck a pose; having already offended Lu Dongzan, he decided to go all out. If he failed to take down Lu Dongzan this time, he could not withstand the latter's revenge!
"Take them down!"
The officials drew their swords with a clanging sound. One of the leaders brandished his sword as if merely putting on a show. Little did he know that a figure darted out from the side; before he could react, his sword handle shook violently, and two fingers along with his waist knife fell away!
"Ah!" The leader clutched his hand tightly as the others looked on in shock. Zuo An appeared like a ghost, his gaze sharp as that of a leopard or wolf. His twin blades spun in his hands like windmills before being sheathed with a crisp sound!
"Who dares to touch my lord!"
Zuo An had learned assassination techniques from Caesar and deeply grasped the essence of Illusion under Xu Zhen's tutelage. He had endured hardships for years and practiced day and night; in terms of assassination skills alone, he might surpass even Xu Zhen herself. Just as she was about to be captured, his protective instincts flared up, stunning everyone with a single move!
Seeing this situation unfold, Lu Dongzan felt uneasy. The Xu Zhen furrowed her brow; indeed, as many officials hesitated to act, a sharp whistle sounded from beside Qinsuo Luo. Suddenly, a group of over thirty armored soldiers surged into the courtyard!
These armored soldiers were equipped with superior weapons and exuded an aura that far surpassed that of the previous street officials. They stood ready with their blades drawn, their murderous intent palpable!
"Indeed, it is Qiang Bang Se's Guard!" Lu Dongzan felt a tightness in his chest as Qiang Bang Se entered under the protection of his personal guards. His eyes were red and swollen, heavy bags under them; the pain of losing his son made him appear even older. However, his gaze was filled with hatred.
As a great Lord of the Tibetan Nobility, Qiang Bang Se's entry into Lhasa was no different from that of other Lords. He could bring personal guards, but their numbers were strictly limited due to the enmities among these Lords. Coming alone would be too risky, as these personal guards were elite soldiers.
Having lost his son, Qiang Bang Se was like a mad dog, even deploying his personal guards. These soldiers were not like those mediocre officials; even if Xu Zhen and Zuo An exerted all their strength, they could only end up in mutual destruction.
Lu Dongzan was extremely frustrated at this moment. For future plans, he had entrusted his underground forces to his son Qinlin in Nepal. Although the Great Discussion House had arranged for guards, given his status and reputation, Lu Dongzan had voluntarily proposed to remove them.
Qiang Bang Se entered with a dark expression, pressing down with his hand and then snorting coldly. Without looking at Xu Zhen, he said to Lu Dongzan, "Gor Dongzan, this person has a grudge against my son. I will bring him to justice; killing someone requires paying with one's life, and debts must be repaid. Is it possible that you truly want to disregard the Rule of Law and harbor him, allowing my son to rest in peace?"
Lu Dongzan raised an eyebrow slightly and retorted sharply, " Xu Zhen is a Tang envoy and has no connection with your son. There are no past grievances or recent enmities; how could she kill anyone? It is you who barged into the Great Discussion House without reason. Where does that leave me, Galdongzan?"
"Is Galdongzan the only Great Minister in Tuguhun? Can a Great Minister casually harbor a murderer? If you weren't a Great Minister, would I even need to argue with you? If you do not release him today, we will have no choice but to be rude!"
"You dare!"
Although Lu Dongzan was usually gentle and cultured, having held the position of Great Minister for so long made him unable to be threatened like this! All the servants in the mansion rushed out, armed with kitchen knives, candlesticks, and clubs, their faces filled with loyalty and determination to protect their master!
Seeing that things were about to escalate into violence again, Xu Zhen gritted her teeth and finally stepped forward.
"The Great Minister's intentions are understood by Xu Zhenxin. However, justice is clear; Xu Zhen has done nothing wrong. What is there to fear? Let me accompany you all for a while."
"Master!" Zuo An exclaimed in alarm upon seeing Xu Zhen compromise. How could he not sense the murderous intent in Qiang Bang Se's and Qinsuo Luo's eyes? If Xu Zhen were captured and taken back, her life would be in danger!
Lu Dongzan felt a surge of blood rising in him at Xu Zhen's heroic spirit. If it weren't for his son's absence, Qiang Bang Se would not dare to barge in and cause trouble.
However, he knew very well that once Xu Zhen fell into their hands, someone like Qinsuo Luo could easily fabricate evidence or even resort to foul play to make Xu Zhen "die suddenly" in prison. A dignified Tang envoy dying unjustly in Tuguhun would surely not be easily overlooked by the Tang Empire; at that point, it would only serve to empower the war faction!
"General Xu, there is no need for such formality. Although I am old, my eyesight is still sharp. I want to see who dares to turn black into white and twist the truth!"
Seeing that Lu Dongzan insisted on defending the Xu Zhen, Qinsuo Luo couldn't help but sneer. With a wave of his hand, he commanded, "Bind them!"
The officials were still furious because their leader had lost a finger. Upon receiving the order, they moved to apprehend the individuals, but Zuo An pressed down on the hilt of his sword and sternly warned, "Who dares!"
The Xu Zhen felt a warmth in her heart at Zuo An's loyalty, but she had already made up her mind. With a light sigh, she ordered Zuo An to step back.
Seeing this, Qinsuo Luo instructed someone to disarm the Xu Zhen. She took off her long knife and coldly said, "This is the treasured sword bestowed by the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Who among you dares to take it?"
"This..." Qinsuo Luo immediately turned to Qiang Bang Se for guidance. The latter's lips twitched before he coldly snorted, "The Xu Envoy and Great Minister Dongzan always keep their word. There is no need for such theatrics; just lead the way."
Upon hearing this, everyone stepped aside. The Xu Zhen exchanged a smile with Lu Dongzan and walked proudly out of the mansion. Under the watchful eyes of Qiang Bang Se's guards, she entered the ox cart.
"Master!" Zuo An was anxious and wanted to lash out, but the Xu Zhen gestured for him to stop. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he could only stomp his foot in defeat.
Zuo An and Gem had been secretly protecting the Xu Zhen. They had initially left Gem as a backup plan, but upon seeing Qiang Bang Se's guards arrive, she dared not show herself easily for fear of alerting them. Unexpectedly, the Xu Zhen voluntarily fell into enemy hands.
Qinsuo Luo shot a vicious glance at Zuo An before taking away the Xu Zhen and Lu Dongzan.
This caused panic among everyone in the Great Discussion House. The Old Steward quickly ordered someone to ride swiftly to Nepal to inform Young Master Gerlqinlin, while Zuo An sent Gem into the palace to inform Li Wushuang. He then rode hard to the Post House to report everything to Caesar.
After Zhou Cang was secretly sent back by the Xu Zhen, Caesar took charge of the delegation's guards. Upon hearing the news, her face turned icy as she gathered the guards and stormed to the official office demanding their release. With her temperament, she would even resort to bloodshed if necessary to rescue the Xu Zhen!
However, upon arriving at the official office, those minor officials were bewildered; who would dare arrest a current Great Minister? Caesar did not believe it and barged into the office for a search but found no trace of the Xu Zhen!
Coincidentally, an official from the Great Discussion House came to inquire about news and recognized Zuo An. After discussing together, they suddenly realized something was amiss: if the Xu Zhen and Lu Dongzan were not in the official office, there was only one possibility—they must have been taken back by Qiang Bang Se to his fief!
"Let's go, intercept outside the city!" Caesar, fearless and straightforward, led many Guards out of the city. Those from the Tuguhun Garrison, seeing the banner of the Tang Dynasty Delegation, did not dare to stop them. However, Caesar was anxious about the Xu Zhen and, being accustomed to accompanying Li Wushuang, was unfamiliar with the terrain outside the city. He followed the tracks but discovered it was a merchant convoy heading to India. By the time he turned back to search, he had already lost track of Qiang Bang Se and the others.
Caesar returned to the city with his troops, planning to find three or five guides at the Great Discussion House. It would be best if they could gather some men and directly attack Qiang Bang Se's Tibetan Nobility!
But the Great Discussion House was in chaos. Lu Dongzan had lost contact, Gerlqinlin had not returned, and everyone was hesitant to take charge, saying they would wait for the young master to return before discussing anything.
Caesar and Zuo An could only leave the Great Discussion House and return to the Post House. They then entered the palace together to see if Li Wushuang had any good strategies.
Li Wushuang did not expect that by killing Anqiao, she inadvertently brought disaster upon the Xu Zhen. Although she held the title of princess, she knew she had no real power. She could not interfere with judicial matters; how could she save the Xu Zhen?
Just as she was feeling anxious, a Court Lady reported that Zuo's guards and Caesar's guards requested an audience. Li Wushuang quickly summoned them into the palace. After listening to their account, her eyes widened in shock.
"This is bad! Qiang Bang Se has taken them back to their fief; they intend to use my husband and the Great Minister's lives to incite chaos and war!" Although Li Wushuang had long resided in the deep palace, she was still aware of court struggles. Being the daughter of Prince of Jiangxia Li Daozong, she had been exposed to political intrigues since childhood and possessed a keen political instinct.
Now that Qiang Bang Se had captured Tang Dynasty envoys Xu Zhen and Great Lord Galdonzan and taken them back to their fief, their intentions were clear for all to see!
"Hurry! I need to see the King!"
Li Wushuang didn't even have time to change her clothes and hurriedly instructed her attendants to prepare for her audience with Qizong Nongsan.
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