Song of Adolescence

Chapter 292 Heavenly Revelations Brave Tiger Guards

"Fortunately, the Marquis knew this important person and rushed through the night to return. This has certainly ensured His Majesty’s health." Outside the Hall of Supreme Peace, State Preceptor Qi Tianchen held his horsetail whisk and bowed his head towards Lanyue Marquis.

Lanyue Marquis returned a bow. "State Preceptor has overpraised me. Even if I didn’t bring the little genius doctor back, State Preceptor would have found your own way."

Qi Tianchen nodded, not humble in the slightest. "But there is one other matter that will require Lanyue Marquis to make another trip?"

Lanyue Marquis blinked. "Why do I have to make another trip? I just came back. I am the regent of the country appointed by His Majesty. Instead of supervising state matters in Heavenly Revelations, why am I running around out of the city at such a time?"

"That person has left Snow Moon City," Qi Tianchen said slowly.

Lanyue Marquis was taken aback. "What? He left?"

"And it seems that he left on his own," Qi Tianchen added. "No one from Snow Moon City was accompanying him."

Lanyue Marquis was shocked again.

"After that, many people, whether in the martial world or in the imperial court, started to make their moves," Qi Tianchen gave his final warning.

Lanyue Marquis reached his limit and he yelled, "Li Changqing!"

Hearing his shout, Li Changqing, personal bodyguard of the Emperor and captain of the imperial palace Brave Tiger Guards, walked out of the Hall of Supreme Peace. He asked in confusion, "Marquis, why did you suddenly call for me? His Majesty is still asleep, we mustn’t disturb him lest it affects his health."

"Li Changqing, let me ask you. How many people do you have now in the Brave Tiger Guards?" Lanyue Marquis asked.

"We have one hundred and twelve Brave Tiger Elite Guards and one thousand three hundred Brave Tiger Guards," Li Changqing replied.

Lanyue Marquis nodded. "What about the Imperial Army?"

"We have three thousand in the Imperial Army," Li Changqing replied again.

Lanyue Marquis paused to think before he nodded. "Alright. Lend me eight hundred of your Brave Tiger Guards. I’m making a trip out of the city."

"Eight hundred Brave Tiger Guards?" Li Changqing was shocked. "Does Marquis understand what you’re asking for?"

"Three thousand in the Imperial Army, five hundred Brave Tiger Guards, and one hundred and twelve Elite Guards. That’s sufficient for you to keep the order in Heavenly Revelations." Lanyue Marquis patted Li Changqing on the shoulder. "Don\'t worry, lend me the eight hundred Brave Tiger Guards. I promise that after His Majesty wakes up, you’ll be promoted and bestowed nobility."

"But…" Li Changqing still hesitated.

Qi Tianchen suddenly interjected, "Don\'t worry. The golden Lanyue Marquis, his word is gold, everyone in Heavenly Revelations knows this. He wouldn’t deceive you."

Li Changqing was deep in thought for a while before he finally nodded and handed a Tiger Tally to Lanyue Marquis. "Marquis, please go to the Brave Tiger Guards barracks to deploy the soldiers. You said eight hundred, right… You must remember to keep five hundred…"

"I got it. Look at how stingy you are. No wonder after so many years, you’re still the Captain of the Brave Tiger Guards and Commander-in-chief of the Imperial Army, and can’t get promoted to a captain in the three armies. Only eight hundred, no more, no less." Lanyue Marquis accepted the Tiger Tally, did not look back, and immediately rushed out of the palace.

Jin Xuan Gonggong walked out and looked at Lanyue Marquis’ retreating back. He murmured, "Is Lanyue Marquis leaving the city again?"

Qi Tianchen smiled and said, "Does the Grand Eunuch know why, back when all the other Princes were enfeoffed with the title of Prince and sent to their own fiefs of land, this youngest brother was left behind?"

"His Majesty has loved his youngest brother since he was a child. All under Heaven knows about this," Jin Xuan Gonggong replied.

"Then why does His Majesty love him?" Qi Tianchen continued to ask.

Jin Xuan Gonggong looked at Qi Tianchen, "The State Preceptor is saying…"

"Because Lanyue Marquis truly doesn’t want to be the Emperor at all," Qi Tianchen said pointedly with a flick of his horsetail whisk.

Barracks of the Brave Tiger Guards.

Lanyue Marquis drew out his long sabre. It was a beautifully shaped long sabre and under the sunlight, it gleamed with a faint blue light along the length of its blade. Lanyue Marquis raised his long sabre. "All Brave Tiger Guards receive my orders."

The Brave Tiger Guards in the barracks all knelt down on one knee, bracing their spear on the ground.

"Twenty-three years ago, your forefathers guarded His Majesty and killed their way through a blood bath all the way to the Hall of Supreme Peace. Many of them died in that bloody battle, but their glory remained. Now, that honour and glory flow in your blood." Lanyue Marquis swept his gaze over the Brave Tiger Guards and raised his voice. "Your forefathers killed through a path of blood for His Majesty, are all of you willing to blaze a path of blood for our future Emperor!"

The present Emperor was still alive and more importantly, he had yet to designate an heir to the throne. Under such circumstances, Lanyue Marquis’ words could be considered treasonous and punishable by death! But, Lanyue Marquis didn’t care. Even when Mingde Emperor was awake, he dared to speak nonsense. What\'s more, when the Emperor was now in a coma. He was the regent of the country, the most powerful man in Beili. More importantly, he knew very well what words he had to use to make the blood of these Brave Tiger Guards boil into a fervor.

"Are all of you willing to blaze a path of blood for our future Emperor!" Lanyue Marquis shouted again.

"We are willing!" All the Brave Tiger Guards raised their right hands and placed it on their right shoulders.

There was a tiger’s head embroidered on their shoulder. The symbol of the Brave Tiger Guards. The symbol of their honor.

Lanyue Marquis turned his horse\'s head. "Prepare the full force. We leave in an hour!"

An hour later, a battalion of Brave Tiger Guards, fully armed, opened the gates of Heavenly Revelations and left the city.

The man leading them held a long sabre in his hand, his face as handsome as the luminous moon in the sky. He sighed softly in his heart: Emperor-gege, Langya wang-xiong, back then, did you also use this method to deceive those one hundred soldiers to put their lives on the line for you?

Behind him were the Brave Tiger Guards. One thousand three hundred men in total, not one less.

After hearing the news, Li Changqing almost shattered the hilt of his sabre. "I shouldn\'t have trusted him!"

On the official highway.

A group of men with horses were advancing at full speed.

"Da-shixiong, how much longer?" Someone asked softly. They had been on the road for three whole days, and they were all getting exhausted.

"Tired already?" The leader shook his head. "But we can\'t stop. We cannot stop even for a moment." But just as he said this, he suddenly pulled his horse’s reins and stopped. He pulled off his hood, looked at the person who suddenly appeared in front of him and asked in confusion, "It’s you?"

Everyone hurried to follow and also came to a stop.

A youth in red had appeared without warning and was now standing in front of them. The youth held a sword, his red shirt looking like a blazing flame burning in the wind as he bared his chest to reveal his knotted muscles. The youth smiled slightly and faced the person in the lead. "I know you. You’re Lu Yuzhai, head disciple of Unrivaled City."

Lu Yuzhai readied his spear. "I remember you too. You’re from Snow Moon City, Lei Wujie."

"You’re wrong." Lei Wujie shook his head.

"How am I wrong? I\'m not like my idiot shidi. My memory is excellent. I can remember everybody I’ve met," Lu Yuzhai said seriously.

Lei Wujie drew his sword. "The name is right, the title is wrong."

"You’ve left Snow Moon City?" Lu Yuzhai asked.

"Not really, but I’m not here on behalf of Snow Moon City." Lei Wujie braced his sword on the ground. "Four Guardians of Heavenly Revelations, Guardian of the East, Qinglong."