The Romantic Journey Through Time: Huanzhu is Also Romantic 26

Chapter 121 Passion (Part Two)

Overjoyed, Ertai hurriedly placed the medicine bowl back on the bedside table. He then reached into his robes and pulled out a pair of deep flesh-colored stockings, before returning to his mother's beautiful feet.

Ertai's eyes fixed on his mother's feet again. They were fair and tender, well-maintained, even the soles were soft and white to the touch. The shapely, fleshy forefeet and heels had a light pinkish hue. Her delicate toes were long and neatly arranged, and her carefully manicured toenails were adorned with an alluring bright red clear nail polish. The fair skin on the instep was like translucent jade, making her feet appear exquisite and delicate!

What beautiful young woman's feet!

Ertai's favorite type of woman's feet was this type. He began very gently to help his mother put on stockings. This was only the second time he had done this for a woman; the first time was for Consort Ling, so he had some experience this time. He first rolled the stockings into a ball, then slowly pulled them over his mother's toes, then over her insteps and heels, and finally gently pulled the stockings over her fair, slender legs. As he did so, he took the opportunity to rub his hands on her legs, thoroughly enjoying himself.

Soon, Ertai had put stockings on both of his mother's legs, playing with and caressing them. He then stared intently at his 'masterpiece' with burning eyes. And it must be said, his mother, with flesh-colored stockings on her legs, was incredibly alluring and captivating!

At this moment, she was only wearing a loose-fitting little bodice, a thin, tight, semi-transparent pair of panties, and a pair of deep flesh-colored, hazy stockings that had just been put on her beautiful legs, exuding an astonishing explosive power and allure.

Such captivating charm made Ertai 'furious,' almost consumed by lust. He grabbed his mother's stockinged legs and hugged them to his arms, playing with them while carefully observing them.

His mother's beautiful legs were already extremely beautiful and sexy, but now, under the cover of deep flesh-colored, semi-transparent stockings, they appeared even more delicate and alluring. Her tender, snow-white, jade-like thighs were round and full, especially the skin on the inner thighs exposed outside the stockings, a patch of pure white, which contrasted sharply with the pubic hair that lingered along the bottom of her panties, dazzlingly white and glossy black.

Her calves were long and shapely, with beautiful curves, encased in flesh-colored, semi-transparent stockings that almost blended into her skin. Her ankles were slender and delicate, her toes long and white, with slightly high arches. The subtle, rounded curves were utterly captivating, enough to make one's nose bleed. Her small, exquisite toes were gracefully curled, alluringly encased in a deeper layer of flesh-colored stockings.

Through the darker layer of stockings that lightly covered her toes, her full, well-proportioned but not soft toes were revealed. As Ertai kneaded them, they were squeezed tightly and then slightly separated. Her toenails, painted with bright red nail polish, were as red as blood, shimmering hazily within the stockings.

How could the young and impulsive Ertai possibly resist the perfect feet of his mother, this earthly beauty? At this moment, his only thought was to enjoy his mother's beautiful feet. He began to knead his mother's left foot with increasing force, starting from the heel and slowly moving through the arch to the toes, gradually applying pressure and rolling in a circular motion.

Because they didn't want to disturb the Fujin's afternoon nap, the courtyard outside was extremely quiet, but inside the house, the silence suddenly became almost oppressive. Only the faint sounds of Ertai's mother's sleeping breathing and Ertai's agitated, restless heartbeat could be heard.

He held his mother's beautiful foot in his arms, stroking and pressing it while glancing at his sleeping mother. His heart felt like it was on fire, his body burning, and electric currents surged through him, making him dizzy and disoriented. His sleeping mother seemed to be experiencing the pleasure emanating from his beautiful foot in her dream; her originally clear eyes even welled up with tears, making Ertai's eyes almost sparkle.

Ertai leaped onto the bed in his slippers, squatted down in front of his mother's beautiful feet, and pulled them between his thighs to knead them. His mother's toes were just lightly touching his penis.

His mother, perhaps sensing something amiss in her sleep, let out a soft "Mmm..." moan. This exquisite sound, like a celestial melody, caused Ertai's already swollen penis to grow even larger.

Ertai's breathing grew heavier, and his gaze towards his mother was intensely passionate, like a flash of lightning.

His mother, seemingly aware of what was happening, trembled slightly in her beautiful feet. Then Ertai felt that the feet he held in his hands were no longer stiff, but soft and relaxed.

Ertai was overjoyed. He held his mother's beautiful feet, straightening her knees so that her feet could touch his engorged member as much as possible. Feeling dizzy, he pulled his mother's stockinged right foot to his mouth. Gazing at this enchanting jade foot, he couldn't help but half-close his eyes, opening his mouth wide to take all five of his mother's stockinged toes into his mouth. He sucked, licked, teased, and tasted them with great relish, drooling profusely.

After the toe of the stocking was wet with his greedy saliva, Ertai took his mother's stockinged toes out of his mouth, then bit the toe between her thumb and forefinger, tearing a small hole in it with his slightly sharp teeth. He then used his teeth to pry the hole open, completely exposing his mother's five white jade-like toes to the air.

At this moment, his mother was still wearing flesh-colored stockings on her legs and beautiful feet, except for her toes, which were exposed. This unique stimulation of being half-revealed and half-concealed aroused Ertai's lust. He couldn't help but kiss his mother's jade-like toes, then put them in his mouth and sucked on them. After licking each toe, he gently licked her soles with his tongue, then his tongue skillfully moved over the arches. The alluring fragrance of her beautiful feet and the faint sour taste of soy sauce made Ertai's heart flutter. He sniffed hard, hoping to smell more of the scent.

His mother's beautiful feet were tickled and excited by Ertai's licking, and even in her deep sleep, she couldn't help but moan softly, "Mmm..." Her toes, held in Ertai's mouth, instinctively twitched like snakes, seemingly teasing his tongue. This only intensified Ertai's pleasure, causing him to suck on each of his mother's toes with even greater ecstasy, lost in a dreamlike state.

His mother, enjoying the licking, slept soundly, her face flushed, her beautiful eyes brimming with desire. Ertai held her other foot, guiding it to his crotch, gently pressing it against his erect penis, tapping it lightly, feeling immense pleasure and comfort.

As Ertai sucked on his mother's beautiful foot, he gazed at her alluring figure with burning desire. Suddenly, he noticed a tiny, faint wet patch in the center of her panties. He was overjoyed, thinking that even in her sleep, his caresses had aroused her. That moist patch was a testament to his actions, an affirmation and encouragement.

Thinking of this, Ertai was filled with fighting spirit, intuitively feeling as if he were doing something incredibly good. He closed his eyes contentedly and put his mother's other silk-stockinged foot into his mouth to suckle. Ertai pulled his mother's half-naked foot, which had been licked, across his lower abdomen, and skillfully untied the belt around his trousers by grasping her soft toes. Then he slipped his mother's beautiful foot into his trousers, separated her big toe and forefinger, and clamped it between his erect penis, moving it up and down. Her heel pressed against his scrotum. Ertai was so happy that he almost cried out, sucking his mother's beautiful foot even more joyfully.

"Ah...it's so hot..."

Even in her deep sleep, Mother was aroused by Ertai's teasing, causing her to let out soft moans that sounded like babbling in her sleep. Her body trembled slightly, and her hands unconsciously climbed up to her breasts, gently scratching them with her fingers. It was clear that Ertai's stimulation had made her breasts extremely itchy, and she desperately needed to scratch them to relieve the itch.

Although he knew that his mother was instinctively scratching her breasts to relieve the itch, rather than actively caressing him out of arousal, Ertai still felt extremely proud. Adding to his excitement was the fact that he noticed her nipples were already erect beneath her bodice. His

excitement intensified, and he increased the intensity of his movements, his fingers, which were manipulating his penis through his mother's toes, moving more and more violently, bringing him to the peak of pleasure time and time again. Ertai's face was pressed against his mother's soles, emitting erotic moans as he rubbed them passionately, vowing in his heart to make his beautiful mother his woman.

Envisioning the perfect union of his mother and his own, Ertai felt himself going mad. He lowered himself and embraced his mother's soft, graceful body, his mouth eagerly searching for her lips.

He kissed his mother's soft, pink lips deeply,

letting out a satisfied "Mmm..." as if releasing a long-suppressed, burning desire. His mother, beneath him, seemed to sense the surging lust within the young Ertai. The hardness of his penis pressing against her vulva caused her to instinctively tighten her legs in her sleep. Her already slightly moist vulva, aroused by passion, now gushed forth even hotter fluids.

Ertai, naturally, noticed this change in his mother. His right hand, trembling with heat, grasped her small hand, which was also trembling with instinctive passion, and he gripped his penis tightly, kneading it rapidly. Even through his trousers, Ertai felt a sudden, intensified stimulation; his uncontrollable lust blazed fiercely.

At the same time, his hand, which was around his mother's neck, slipped inside her bodice and grasped her full, tender breasts. Her nipples, already swollen and erect from previous teasing, were quickly flicked by Ertai's fingers, causing them to throb. Seemingly unable to withstand this stimulation, his sleeping mother's breathing quickened, her body went limp, and her legs clamped even tighter, instinctively and uncontrollably interlacing and rubbing together, as if trying to rub away the inexplicable surge of desire.

Ertai then freed his other hand, squeezing it between his mother's crossed legs and caressing her central honeypot.

"Ah...so good...harder...ah ah..." At this moment, with Ertai's movements, his sleeping mother suddenly felt as if she were sleepwalking and flying high in the sky. Her sexy toes, painted with bright red nail polish, instinctively curled, and soft, continuous moans escaped from her lips.

In a daze, Mother seemed to feel an irresistible heat coming from someone's palm. With the rise and fall of that hand, waves of heat emanated from her panties, making the front of them completely wet. The heat in her vagina made her feel an intense longing in her dream, a longing for the pleasure to come even more fiercely.

"So good...so good...faster...ahhh..."

Mother, who was sleeping soundly in her dream, kept uttering waves of sleep-talking. Ertai had already reached his hand to Mother's waist, wanting to pull down her already wet and stained panties.

Chapter 122 Passion (Part 3)

When Ertai's big hand went to pull down Mother's panties, Mother 'gurgled' as if she felt the stimulation from someone. Then her beautiful body turned over again, and Ertai, who was busy on Mother's body, was quite startled and broke out in a cold sweat.

Although he knew his mother had taken a "cold-dispelling powder" and wouldn't wake up for a while, he still felt guilty and couldn't help but feel extremely uneasy. He quickly hid under the bed, and after a while, seeing his mother snoring again, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"You scared me to death!"

Ertai patted his chest to calm his rapid and chaotic heartbeat. After calming his mind, he couldn't suppress his urge to explore her beauty. He couldn't help but place his hand on his mother's waist again, hardened his heart, and without hesitation, pulled down his mother's panties.

"Wow! It's so beautiful!"

He pulled his mother's panties down to her knees, his eyes fixed on the exquisite vulva before him. He thought to himself that seeing his mother's beautiful vulva was worth it, even if his mother found out and scolded him severely.

Ertai never imagined that his mother, who had given birth to two children, could still have such a beautiful vagina. It didn't look like a mature woman's vagina at all; it was comparable to that of young girls. He truly couldn't believe that Fulun was so lucky to marry such a stunning woman as his mother.

Some people say that a woman's beauty lies in her face and figure, but that's not true. The vagina is just as important, even more so than face and figure. Some women have excellent looks and figures, but once they get older or have given birth, their vaginas become dark and loose. Although their appearance remains beautiful and can still make men's hearts flutter, once they're in bed, they lose all interest in enjoying it.

But his mother was different. Although she was already a mature woman, she still retained her charm and radiance. What was even more precious was that her vulva was as radiant and beautiful as that of a virgin, dazzling and captivating. The pink and fresh labia, the delicate clitoris of varying sizes, the deep and alluring opening, the gently flowing vaginal fluid—everything about it was so alluring to Ertai.

He couldn't tear his gaze away, his heart pounding, his eyes burning. He could no longer bear the stimulation before him, and, as if possessed, he reached out and gently touched his mother's vulva.

"So beautiful, so soft, so warm..."

The vulva is a woman's most mysterious and important part, its sensation irreplaceable by any other organ. Even with just a slight touch, before he could fully appreciate it, Ertai couldn't help but praise it.

This wasn't just idle speculation; only through personal experience could one truly understand the subtleties and differences. Ertai had already been intimate with many women, and in terms of appreciation and discernment, he could be considered a connoisseur of vaginal openings. Even without using his penis, just by feeling with his fingers, he could tell that his mother's vagina was of the highest quality!

"Truly remarkable!"

Ertai couldn't help but exclaim inwardly, so absorbed in admiration that he forgot his own physical needs and desires until his penis swelled violently, bringing him back to his senses.

His fingers slowly massaged his mother's beautiful vagina, using every technique imaginable—hooking, teasing, scraping, flicking, and inserting. His other hand vigorously rubbed her breasts, teasing and stroking her erect nipples until he felt her vagina was thoroughly wet. Only then did he guide his penis towards her vagina!

During this process, Ertai was overjoyed, practically bursting with happiness. He exclaimed, "Heaven is helping me!" He could so easily enter his mother's body and enjoy herself. He closed his eyes slightly, his gaze burning as he stared intently at his mother's beautiful vulva, unwilling to look away for a moment, while slowly bringing his engorged penis closer…

"Hiss!" His hot glans gently touched the labia of his mother's vulva. The intense stimulation made him gasp, and his glans instinctively throbbed with pleasure.

Ertai was incredibly excited. His mother's body was already in 'zero' contact with him; if he moved forward even slightly, he could directly possess her. The thought of soon enjoying his mother's body and making her his woman made Ertai want to jump for joy.

However, in the midst of extreme pleasure, he clearly forgot the principle of 'extreme joy begets sorrow'. The reason why a woman's vulva is the most important part of her body is not simply because it can receive a man's baptism and bear children for him, but also because it is connected to the eight extraordinary meridians and the central nervous system in the body. Once this place is invaded by a foreign object, even if the woman is asleep, she can feel it.

As mentioned earlier, those who take the "cold-dispelling powder" will fall into a deep sleep. Unless stimulated by something like banging drums or gongs, they will only wake up when the effects of the medicine wear off. However, the stimulation of a woman's most important area, her vulva, is far more intense than that caused by banging drums or gongs.

Ertai's mother naturally felt this stimulation. Her fair forehead suddenly furrowed, and her slightly trembling body suddenly shivered. She couldn't help but let out a soft moan, "Ah...ah...ah..." which sounded like both pain and a groan.

Ertai, who was already on edge, was somewhat distracted by the sensual scene before him, but his senses were still sharp. He suddenly realized that his mother seemed to be waking up, so he quickly took off her stockings and, without even pulling up his trousers, slipped into his mother's dressing room.

He had just left when Mother groggily opened her sleepy eyes, shook her groggy head, and slowly sat up. Suddenly, her eyes fell upon her disheveled state.

Her bodice was undone, pushed up above her fair, full breasts, which swayed as she sat up. Her panties were also pulled down to her knees, and her beautiful private parts were gushing with aroused fluids.

This… she was completely bewildered. Her eyes darted around quickly, but she didn't notice anyone had come in. Her face flushed slightly, and she thought shyly, "I vaguely felt someone touch my body just now. Could it be that my body hasn't been touched in a long time, and the emptiness has made me have a wet dream?"

Hmm… There’s no one else in this room, it must be a wet dream… How embarrassing… I’m such a grown woman, yet I’m having wet dreams like a little girl in puberty… And… I even… masturbated…

Seeing that there was no one else in the room, she was convinced that she had just had a wet dream, and that she had even been masturbating in her dream. Embarrassed, she put her undergarment and panties back on, tying the ties with her small hands, and sighed wistfully, thinking to herself, “This dream was so short…” "...

Just as she put on a light veil, she heard a soft knock on the door. A maidservant hurried in and, seeing that the Lady was awake, happily said, "Lady, a maid from the Fu family has sent word that the Lady invites you to play cards."

The first "Lady" the maidservant referred to was Ertai's mother, and the second "Lady" was Fuheng's wife, the mother of the two brothers, Fu Chang'an and Fu Kang'an. In her youth, she was a beauty who captivated the equally young Emperor Qianlong.

Fuheng, at only twenty-nine years old, became a Grand Councilor, and in his thirties, he was granted the title of Prince by Emperor Qianlong. Therefore, his wife was the proper Lady! The so-called "playing cards" was simply the wives of officials gathering to play mahjong and dominoes when they were bored, hence the name "playing cards."

"Oh, I see. Go fetch a basin of clean water. I'll go to the Fu residence after I bathe,"

Jing Shu (a fictional name, not found, referring to Fu Lun's wife) instructed the maid. Her panties were soaked with the sticky fluid flowing from her aroused state, making her very uncomfortable.

"Yes,"

the maid replied crisply and then withdrew.

Seeing the maid leave, Jing Shu walked gracefully towards the dressing room where Ertai was hiding. Hearing footsteps, Ertai hurriedly hid behind the screen. Fortunately, his mother, Jing Shu, didn't come this way. Instead, she sat in front of the dressing mirror, looking at her flushed face, a hint of melancholy in her eyes. Perhaps… she was still reliving that 'spring dream'.

Ertai peeked out from behind the screen, admiring his mother's allure from behind. She was clad only in a milky-white undergarment and a pair of semi-transparent milky-white trousers, making her appear even more alluring and captivating than

if she were naked. His mother's back was fair and smooth, completely exposed to Ertai's eyes. The thin, delicate straps of the undergarment tied at the center of her back added to her seductive charm. The trousers were transparent and tight, accentuating her fair, plump buttocks, revealing glimpses of her white flesh and deep cleft. Her legs were long and shapely, instantly arousing lust. Her feet were exquisitely beautiful, her left foot gently crossed over her right, rubbing lightly, her toes, painted with bright red nail polish, playfully curling upwards, utterly captivating.

Coupled with the occasional sighs of his mother's melancholy, Ertai secretly vowed to make his beautiful, dignified, and sexy mother his woman, to cherish her and let her experience the long-lost pleasure and love...

A moment later, several maids entered the dressing room, each carrying a piece of cold water and a piece of boiling water. They slowly approached the screen, and Ertai hurriedly tried to hide again. However, the room was cramped, and there was nowhere to hide. His mother was sitting in front of the dressing mirror behind the screen; she could see him if he went out. Left with no other choice, Ertai hid behind the gauze curtain beside the bathtub.

The curtain was semi-transparent; even a fleeting glance would reveal Ertai's figure. Fortunately, the maids had no idea that a man was hiding in the princess's dressing room; they were busy adjusting the water temperature for her and didn't pay any attention to the curtain, not even glancing behind it out of the corner of their eyes.

Even so, Ertai still broke out in a cold sweat. If the maids discovered him, his mother would surely know that what he had just witnessed wasn't a dream... but rather the result of her son Ertai's audacious flirting and caresses.

He just wanted to leave this 'place of trouble' as soon as possible; even staying for a minute longer was torture. Fortunately, it didn't take long for the maids to adjust the water temperature. Several of them carried the empty basin out of the room, while the remaining two personal maids helped the princess towards the screen.

As soon as the princess's body passed behind the screen, Ertai darted out of the dressing room in a flash, the whole action swift and decisive, completely unnoticed.

Reaching the door, Ertai, who had been on edge with fear of being discovered, finally let out a long sigh of relief. Although he desperately wanted to see his mother's alluring figure while bathing, he had to reluctantly give it up. If his mother discovered his inappropriate behavior, he would suffer the consequences, perhaps even a severe scolding that would sever their relationship. After all

, Ertai and Jingshu were mother and son; he couldn't rush things if he wanted her to become his woman. As the saying goes, "One must take things one step at a time, choose one path at a time, and cultivate love step by step."

Although he hadn't succeeded today, Ertai was still satisfied. After all, he had gotten quite a bit out of his mother, hadn't he? Furthermore, he now knew about his mother's sorrows and anxieties, which would provide him with ample opportunity to "take advantage" in the future.

Hehehe!

Chapter 123 Pre-Battle Deployment

It was already late afternoon when Ertai left the Fu family. He rode a fast horse to the Nine Gates Admiral's camp. The guards at the gate, seeing that it was Fu Lun's second son, Fu Ertai, hurriedly knelt down to pay their respects, "This humble servant greets Second Master Fu!"

"No need, no need,"

Ertai said, dismounting and handing the reins to the soldier before quickly walking towards the admiral's tent.

Upon entering the tent, he saw his father, Fu Lun, seated high on the general's throne. Below him sat deputy commanders, generals, lieutenants, guerrillas, captains, and garrison commanders—all Fu Lun's trusted confidants, whom Ertai also knew. Seeing him enter, they quickly stood up to greet him.

Although many of these men held higher ranks than Ertai, they dared not underestimate him, for he was the son of their superior.

Moreover, setting aside Ertai's status as a son of the emperor, Ertai himself was not to be underestimated at this time. He was a favorite minister of Emperor Qianlong, the Empress Dowager, and Consort Ling, and could be considered a rising star in the Qianlong court. He was even more powerful than Fukang'an and Heshen (in normal history, Heshen was just born at this time, but novels and TV series inevitably contain embellishments, so please don't take it too seriously).

However, Ertai was a humble man and would never act arrogantly in front of these military officers in charge of the capital's garrison. Following Qing Dynasty etiquette, he greeted each of the officers present, earning them numerous compliments. They all said that Second Master Fu was indeed worthy of being from a military family, like father, like son, and that his family upbringing was excellent. Ertai smiled and thanked them.

After the greetings, Fu Lun rose from his general's seat, stepped aside, and cupped his fists towards Ertai, saying, "Ertai, please take a seat!"

Seeing his father Fu Lun's actions, Ertai felt a surge of emotion. He knew his father was openly advocating for him, fearing that these officers, who had spent years on the front lines, might not respect him because of his young age and lack of merit. Furthermore, the Fu family had been loyal and virtuous for generations, strictly adhering to Qing Dynasty etiquette. Ertai was carrying the Empress Dowager's decree, and Fu Lun had every right to respectfully invite him to take a seat. This was out of respect and reverence for the Empress Dowager, just as one's parents would kneel before a concubine returning to her family home.

However, Ertai was a transmigrator, and he followed a different set of etiquette. In his heart, with his father present, there was no reason for him to take the seat of honor; otherwise, he would be punished by heaven!

So he quickly cupped his hands and replied, "Father, please take the seat of honor."

Seeing Ertai's firm and unquestionable expression, Fulun wanted to persuade him further, but he couldn't insist any longer. Fortunately, Ertai had already made his stance clear, and he didn't care about seating arrangements. So he sat down again and ordered someone to add a stool to the left of him, inviting Ertai to take the seat of honor.

The generals didn't show the slightest surprise at Fulun's arrangement. Fulun had just explained to everyone that Ertai was acting on the Empress Dowager's orders to temporarily take over the command of the Admiral's Camp, and all the generals would obey Ertai's commands. Whether the generals were truly convinced or not, only they themselves knew. Ertai didn't care much. Besides, as long as he captured the Red Lotus Sect rebels in one fell swoop and made a great contribution, why would he worry about the generals not genuinely respecting him?

He bowed slightly to Furen in gratitude, then strode confidently and without shame to the high platform, sitting down beside Furen with an air of commanding presence.

Following Furen's polite gesture, Ertai cleared his throat and began to speak eloquently about his plans and deployments. His voice was loud and clear, full of energy, without the slightest hesitation, clearly demonstrating his confidence and mastery.

Seeing Ertai's performance, many military officers present muttered to themselves, "No wonder Ertai is favored by the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and Consort Ling. His composed and boastful demeanor is reminiscent of his father. If a mere lad were to replace Ertai in this setting, he would be stammering with nervousness, unable to utter a word. How could he possibly discuss military strategy in front of us, officers who live on the edge of a sword?" However, a few harbored disdain, thinking to themselves, "Hmph, is he just all talk and no action?" "A mere showy spearhead is fine, but real fighting requires real skill, not just empty talk from a scholar!"

Ertai said enthusiastically, gesturing with his hands to emphasize his point. However, his sharp eyes constantly swept across the faces of the crowd, guessing their thoughts quite accurately. He naturally sensed that several people seemed unconvinced by him, but he paid particular attention to one person: the renowned General Agui of the Qianlong era, who was now among those 'unconvinced' by Ertai.

"General Agui!"

Ertai called out to Agui as he stood up after finishing his overall plan.

"Your subordinate is here!"

At this moment, Agui was the commander-in-chief of the Nine Gates Admiral's Camp. He was originally a Grand Councilor, but because of his fiery temperament, he always contradicted the ambitious and extravagant Emperor Qianlong, and thwarted Qianlong's plans to build a large garden several times, which angered Qianlong, who then demoted him three ranks to the position of commander-in-chief of the Nine Gates Admiral's Camp.

Hearing Ertai's address, Agui stood up, clasped his hands in a fist and replied loudly, displaying an air of arrogance and self-importance.

"Hehe, General Agui truly deserves his reputation as a general who has repeatedly achieved great military exploits. Just looking at your imposing manner, I have nothing but admiration for you."

Ertai praised with a smile. These words came from the bottom of his heart. Back then, Nian Gengyao was undoubtedly the greatest general of the Yongzheng era. He commanded 300,000 troops to quell the rebellion in the Northwest. Over the years, he lost a total of 120,000 soldiers. On the other hand, Agui led 185,000 troops to the Northwest and quelled the rebellion in less than a year. On the day of his triumphant return, he brought back 171,000 soldiers, with a mere 14,000 casualties. He can be called a divine general!

Therefore, Ertai felt only a growing respect and admiration for Agui. His demeanor and tone unconsciously revealed this reverence for General Agui. However, the straightforward and proud Agui paid no heed, replying calmly, "Second Master Fu, you flatter me. Agui doesn't deserve your praise."

"Hehe, General Agui, there's no need for such modesty. I think everyone here truly admires you. Think of the pacification of the Dzungars in the west, the southern campaigns against the Greater and Lesser Jinchuan—which battle could have been fought without your command?"

Ertai, eager to befriend Agui, unconsciously revealed a hint of flattery and obsequiousness in his words.

If he had said this to anyone else, they would have been flattered and eager to curry favor. After all, to gain the appreciation of Ertai, a rising star and the most favored man in the Qianlong Emperor's court, was an immense honor.

However, A-Gui was different from others. He wasn't particularly interested in Ertai's attempts to be friendly, and his tone remained indifferent as he said, "That's because our Emperor is wise and mighty, with all barbarians submitting and bandits trembling in fear. I, A-Gui, am merely a beacon of divine favor."

"Uh..."

Ertai was taken aback and felt somewhat displeased. Since he transmigrated, everyone had fawned over him to the extreme, unlike A-Gui, who remained unmoved. However, despite his inner annoyance, he didn't show it on his face and laughed, "Hehe, General A-Gui, let's not dwell on the past. Let's just talk about the present. How dare those mere Red Lotus Sect bandits rebel against us? This is intolerable! I order you to lead ten thousand personal guards as a mobile force and execute my deployment!"

"Your subordinate obeys."

A-Gui's expression remained aloof, and he responded crisply. He then said nothing more, and without even glancing at Ertai, he turned and walked straight out of the tent.

Seeing his somewhat arrogant demeanor, the generals present were all displeased. Even Fu Lun, standing beside Ertai, showed his displeasure. After all, Ertai was his son, and Fu Lun was also embarrassed by Agui's disrespect towards Ertai.

Seeing the atmosphere in the tent become somewhat awkward, Ertai smiled and smoothed things over, saying, "Haha, General Agui is just like that. Even the Emperor can't do anything about him. Let's continue our discussion; after all, important matters are paramount."

"Hehe, Second Master Fu is absolutely right. General Agui is indeed that stubborn, haha."

"Yes, yes—"

The generals echoed casually, and the atmosphere became lively again. They discussed the later deployments and arrangements with Ertai, who responded to them with a smile and an enthusiastic expression. Fu Lun, standing to the side, secretly observed his second son with great interest, muttering to himself, "This second son of mine is really hiding his true abilities. I used to have a feeling that he was like Er Kang's shadow, his brilliance completely overshadowed by Er Kang. But now, looking at his shrewdness and cunning, I'm afraid he's no less cunning than He Shen. It seems that gold will always shine, and you can't hide it!"...

After leaving the tent, A Gui quickly mustered his soldiers, then mounted a warhorse and, in an orderly and efficient manner, directed his soldiers to follow Er Tai's plan to infiltrate the official road in South China in batches and along different routes.

He was well-versed in military strategy from a young age and spent half his life in the military. He was a brilliant general in terms of troop deployment and tactics, and his military prowess was unparalleled. Enemies would often feel fear and trepidation at the mere mention of Agui's name. In addition, his numerous victories and glorious military achievements fostered his arrogant and proud personality. Once his stubborn temper flared up, he dared to defy even the emperor, let alone Ertai, who had not achieved any merit and had only risen through the ranks by the Empress Dowager's favor and promotion.

Although Agui was arrogant towards Ertai, he greatly approved of Ertai's military strategy, believing it to be ingenious and the best possible plan. Moreover, if the plan didn't suit Agui's taste, he would have vehemently rejected it long ago, regardless of whether Agui liked it or not. In his mind, the key to military success was to achieve the greatest victory with the least loss!

Because of his approval of Ertai's strategy, he executed Ertai's orders without question, swiftly deploying his ten thousand soldiers to the South China official road, deliberately leaving some clues along the way.

Meanwhile, the Red Lotus Sect's spies in the Zhili branch relayed this news back to the North Hall, reporting, "Reporting to the leader, we have discovered that the Nine Gates Admiral's soldiers have disguised themselves as ordinary farmers and are secretly infiltrating the South China official road, numbering approximately ten thousand."

"How did you discover this?"

Leader Han Yun stood up, frowning as he asked.

"It's truly a stroke of luck for my Red Lotus Sect. Although those soldiers were dressed as farmers, a sudden gust of wind blew open many of their clothes, revealing the Green Standard Army uniforms underneath,"

the informant replied.

"Very good, continue scouting! If this succeeds, I will reward you handsomely."

Hearing the informant's reply, Han Yun's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Yes, Master,"

the informant happily accepted the order and left.

After the informant left, Han Yun paced excitedly around the room, clapping his hands together and muttering to himself with delight, "Truly, heaven is on my side! Heaven is on the side of the Red Lotus Sect! Haha, I guessed it right! The South China official road was just a decoy. The

Empress Dowager will definitely take the North China official road back to the palace." "Your subordinates wish you a resounding victory and a swift success, Master!"

The three hall masters of the branch had initially suspected something was amiss, but dared not disobey Han Yun because of his insane desire to achieve great merit. Now, after hearing the informant's report, all their doubts vanished, and they stood up, cupping their fists in flattery to Han Yun.

"Hahaha."

Hearing his subordinates' flattery, Han Yun laughed excitedly, as if the Empress Dowager was already firmly in his grasp. "Once I capture the Empress Dowager and achieve a great feat, the Sect Leader will surely be pleased and reward me handsomely, promoting me. And you will all be rewarded as well, hahaha..."

"Thank you for your promotion, Master!"

The three hall masters were also beaming. Damn, they could collect their rewards again! Wahaha! To hell with the great cause, the overthrow of the Qing and the restoration of the Ming, the saving of the common people! Only the hard-earned money is real!

Before long, an informant rushed in, cupped his fists, and said, "Reporting to the leader, the Empress Dowager is confirmed to be returning to the palace the day after tomorrow, and judging from the ceremonial procession and carriages they've prepared, she will only be escorted by a few hundred guards." "Good, good, good, hahaha!"

Han Yun clapped his hands and said "good" three times, clearly feeling extremely pleased!

He then waved for his spies to continue gathering intelligence, while he himself composed himself and solemnly gave orders to the three hall masters. Although time was tight, Han Yun managed to mobilize approximately seven thousand men from the Zhili region with a single command. He personally led the two hall masters of the East and West Halls, along with five thousand men, to intercept and assassinate the Empress Dowager on the North China official road. The assassination attempt was to take place near Xishan Temple on the North China official road. This location was remote, far from the inner city and the Qianlong Emperor's capital army camp. Regardless of which camp sent reinforcements, it would take two hours for them to arrive. In two hours, five thousand men against a mere few hundred would be as easy as taking candy from a baby.

However, the five or six thousand Green Standard Army soldiers secretly lying in ambush along the official road in South China were a cause for concern for Han Yun. Although South China and North China were separated by dozens of streets, if a large army arrived quickly, it wouldn't take more than half an hour. Whether they could successfully abduct the Empress Dowager was uncertain.

Therefore, he dispatched Scarface, the leader of the Northern Hall, to personally lead two thousand Red Lotus Sect members to guard the two intersections leading from the South China official road to the North China official road. As long as they could successfully hold off the government troops for an hour, even if the government troops eventually rushed over, it would be of no use. The Empress Dowager was already firmly in his grasp. ...

While Han Yun was deploying his troops and feeling smug, Ertai was also stepping up his preparations. Under the cover of night, he secretly returned to Xishan Temple, waiting for the next day to wipe out the Red Lotus Sect's rebels hiding in Zhili.

Chapter 124 Take Down These Scoundrels (Part 1)

The Red Lotus Sect had spies in secret, and so did Ertai. Lian Gui had already reported everything his men had gathered to Ertai. After listening, a playful smile appeared on Ertai's lips. "Hehe, seven thousand men! That means the entire Red Lotus Sect's rebel faction in Zhili has come out in full force, right?" "Even if they didn't come out in full force, it's close enough," Lian Gui

said with a sinister smile.

"Then let's wipe them all out in one fell swoop, hahaha!"

Ertai laughed loudly, thinking that with this achievement in hand, he could easily secure the title of Imperial Envoy. Afterward, he could take the opportunity to meet the charming Xia Yuhe and Xia Ziwei, mother and daughter, at Daming Lake. Who knows, he might even achieve a 'two birds with one stone' feat! How wonderful, exhilarating, wonderful, and delightful!

Wahahaha! ...

Time flies like water, and a day quickly slips through our fingers. Finally, the day for the Empress Dowager to return to the palace arrived. At dawn, Ertai arrived at the courtyard where the "Empress Dowager" resided. Entering the room, he addressed Rong Mama, who was dressed as the Empress Dowager, saying, "I promised Her Majesty the Empress that I would save your life, but whether you survive depends on your fate!"

"Thank you so much, Second Master Fu, for saving my life!

I am deeply grateful," Rong Mama stammered, looking at Ertai with fear. She had suffered greatly under Ertai's control, and was also afraid that the Red Lotus Rebellion's daggers would be merciless, and that she herself would be unlucky enough to become a victim of their blades!

"Damn it, behave yourself! You look like a coward! You have none of the Empress Dowager's dignity or bearing! If you wanted me, I would have granted your wish right now!"

Seeing Rong Mama's timid and trembling appearance, Ertai was immediately enraged and cursed viciously.

"Yes, yes, Master Fu, this servant dares not, dares not—"

Upon hearing that Ertai intended to kill her, Rong Mama was terrified and hurriedly begged for mercy, taking several deep breaths to suppress her anxiety and trying not to tremble with fear.

"Hmph! You old scoundrel!"

Ertai scolded unhappily, then instructed the maids, "When the time comes, you must take good care of Rong Mama, understand?"

"Yes, Master Fu, we understand."

The four maids responded crisply, indicating that they understood Ertai's meaning. Thinking about it, it made sense. The Empress Dowager had long been accustomed to the intrigues of the palace and had long since developed the ability to remain calm in the face of danger, unlike Rong Mama, who was timid, weak, and cowardly. They had to take good care of her to prevent her from embarrassing herself and revealing her true colors.

After the arrangements were made, the head eunuch, Gao, announced in his hoarse voice, "The Empress Dowager is departing for the palace!"

Then came a series of crisp cracking whips, the musicians of the ceremonial guard played music, the flag bearers raised the banners, and the guards stood at attention.

With all preparations complete, Ertai personally escorted the "Empress Dowager" down the mountain. At the foot of the mountain, the abbot and a group of monks were already standing on either side. Seeing the "Empress Dowager" descend, Abbot Huimo stepped forward and said, "Amitabha,

this old monk respectfully sees the Empress Dowager off." "Enough," Rong

Momo said, forcing herself to remain calm, using the Empress Dowager's usual tone and demeanor.

"Amitabha!"

Abbot Huimo replied.

Ertai then personally went to the imperial palanquin, where eunuchs had already set up footsteps. Ertai lifted the curtain, helped the Empress Dowager onto the palanquin, lowered the curtain, and then nodded to Eunuch Gao. The latter understood and shouted loudly, "The Empress Dowager is returning to the capital!" As

soon as he finished speaking, there was another burst of whipping, followed by musicians playing music, flag bearers waving flags, and the large procession slowly proceeded. When they reached the fork in the road, the main force headed towards the official road in North China. All of this had already been discovered by spies of the Red Lotus Sect, who reported it to Han Yun, who was hiding in the crowd watching the spectacle. An excited Han Yun turned to the two hall masters behind him and said, "As expected, the Empress Dowager's forces are indeed taking the official road through North China, and there are only a few hundred people accompanying them."

Upon hearing this, the two hall masters breathed a sigh of relief, followed by overwhelming joy. They excitedly rubbed their hands together and secretly signaled to their subordinates hidden in the crowd that everything should proceed according to plan. The leaders understood and squeezed through the crowd to give their orders.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the Empress Dowager's entourage slowly entered the official road of North China. From the street entrance, the streets and the two-story buildings on both sides were densely packed with people, all ordinary citizens who had come to pay homage to the Empress Dowager. When the people saw the imperial carriage in the center, they all knelt down and shouted in unison, "Long live the Empress Dowager! Long live the Empress Dowager!"

Every time the imperial carriage passed a place, the people around it knelt down and shouted, "Long live the Empress Dowager! Long live the Empress Dowager!" The voices rose higher and higher, truly living up to the saying, "The villagers are so enthusiastic!" Meanwhile, the Red Lotus Sect members, hidden in the crowd, looked solemn, each one reaching into their robes, waiting for the signal to leap out of the crowd and start a massacre to capture the Empress Dowager and the other empresses.

Ertai, riding a tall horse, stood guard on either side of the imperial carriage, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings, secretly checking for suspicious bandits. He noticed several people whose eyes were darting towards the Empress Dowager's carriage. Judging from the aura emanating from them, these men were likely experts from the Red Lotus Sect, tasked with capturing the Empress Dowager. He couldn't help but become more cautious.

The procession moved slowly, and after the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, they finally reached the center of the North China official road. The people prostrated themselves in worship, shouting loudly. Suddenly, three colorful lights shot into the sky from the rear of the crowd, exploding in mid-air. The sound drowned out the shouts of the people. Not only were the people startled, but even the horses in the procession were frightened, raising their hooves and neighing in panic!

Immediately following, three loud explosions rang out, and the suspicious individuals Ertai had previously noticed suddenly pushed their way through the crowd, leaping into the air and using their light-footed skills to traverse the void, flying towards the Empress Dowager's phoenix carriage.

Then, countless firecrackers exploded, and countless men, densely packed together, shed their civilian clothes, revealing black night-clothes hidden beneath, their faces covered with black veils and masks, and squeezed out of the crowd.

Caught off guard by the sudden appearance of assassins, the crowd erupted in chaos, horses neighing, and the people, terrified, scattered in panic as they saw the gleaming steel blades in the assassins' hands.

"Heaven has bestowed righteousness, aids the weak and poor, drives out the Tartars, and restores our Great Ming! The Red Lotus Sect is here to eliminate the traitors. Those who are not involved, leave immediately, or don't blame the swords and spears

for their indiscriminate killing!" The Red Lotus Sect's musicians shouted loudly, urging the people to leave quickly and not get in their way.

"Damn it, what a show-off. They even have a whole set of fancy words. What righteousness from heaven, what restoration of our Great Ming? If they want to rebel and become emperor, they should just say so!"

Ertai spat disdainfully.

At this moment, the Red Lotus Sect rebels, specifically tasked with capturing the Empress Dowager, leaped to the front of the carriage, brandishing their weapons and fiercely engaging the guards protecting it. The guards, caught completely off guard by the audacity of assassins attempting to kill the Empress Dowager in broad daylight, were utterly unprepared. The Red Lotus Sect assassins, on the other hand, had meticulously planned and executed their attack. In this disparity, the guards were already at a disadvantage. Coupled with their inferior martial arts skills and hasty response, they were quickly killed by the highly skilled Red Lotus Sect members.

Seeing the Empress Dowager's guards fall, the guards at the front and back of the procession hastily drew their swords to 'protect' her, but were immediately entangled by thousands of black-clad men who suddenly leaped from the crowd. In an instant, the entire procession descended into chaos.

"Don't panic, everyone... Protect the Emperor... Protect the Emperor..."

Seeing the scene descend into chaos, and the Empress Dowager about to be captured by those fierce assassins, Ertai was secretly overjoyed, but on the surface he feigned great alarm, shouting loudly. However, although his voice was loud, it was drowned out by the clamor, the deafening drumbeats, the shouts, and the sounds of killing, like a small stone thrown into a raging sea, not even causing a ripple.

"Damn it, protect the Emperor... protect the Emperor!"

Ertai shouted hoarsely, even he himself couldn't help but laugh at his own feigned panic.

The one inside the imperial carriage was Rong Momo; it would be better if she were stabbed to death by these rebels.

"Brothers, kill! Quickly finish this!"

Han Yun, who was directing the battle, had his eyes shining with excitement. He hadn't expected the guards around the Empress Dowager to be so incompetent. His side had so easily killed the guards protecting the Empress Dowager's carriage, and they were on the verge of capturing the Empress Dowager. He roared with joy, "Kill! Kill! Kill! A reward of ten thousand taels of silver will be given to whoever captures the Empress Dowager alive!"

"Roar! Kill!" A great

reward always brings forth brave men. Upon hearing their leader mention the ten thousand taels of silver, the Red Lotus Sect members were like they had been injected with chicken blood and taken stimulants. They fought desperately, swinging their steel swords and killing the guards. Soon, they had routed the hundreds of imperial guards, leaving them in disarray and in complete chaos!

"Damn it, protect the emperor..."

Seeing the procession scattered, Ertai feigned panic and frantic shouts, but no one could hear him. He could only spur his horse and ride in front of the imperial carriage, blocking the several highly skilled assassins.

'Clang! Clang! Clang!' Ertai, wielding his sword, engaged the assassins in combat. The clash of weapons produced a series of ear-piercing sounds. Driven by the lure of ten thousand taels of gold, the assassins were fighting with all their might. Their steel blades struck Ertai's sword, sending sparks flying, even in the bright sunlight! While

they fought with all their might, Ertai remained unfazed. Facing opponents of such strength, even dozens wouldn't be enough to fill his teeth! So, using only three-tenths of his strength, he was able to maneuver effortlessly among the group, neither killing them nor letting them touch a hair on his head. If the Empress Dowager were truly in the phoenix carriage, these incompetent assassins would be killed by Ertai's sword in a matter of seconds!

Seeing that their attack was unsuccessful, the group grew increasingly anxious. One of them, greedy for quick success, suddenly shifted his body, using his companion's cover to circle behind Ertai, brandishing his steel blade, intending to deliver a fatal blow from behind. "Qing Dynasty lackey, die!"

he sneered, his steel blade poised to cleave Ertai in two.

*Thud!* In that split second, the man suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, and with a *clang*, the steel blade he had raised high mysteriously fell to the ground. As the blade hit the ground, the man's body swayed, and he fell to the ground dead.

*Gulp!* A gash, as if slashed by a sharp blade, appeared on the neck of the man who had fallen to the ground. Thick blood gushed from the wound, and then his head was severed from his body, rolling around.

"Hiss!" The men who had been trembling with Ertai in front of him, initially sneering, assumed their companion, who had circled behind him, would kill him with a single blow. They believed that once Ertai was dead, they could storm the imperial carriage and capture the Empress Dowager—ten thousand taels of gleaming gold!

But just a second later, their smug smirks vanished abruptly, as if frozen in place, replaced by profound astonishment and fear. They gasped repeatedly, "Too terrifying, too terrifying—"

The group hadn't even seen how Ertai made his move, nor how their companion was killed; they only witnessed the gruesome and horrific manner of their demise, which stirred a desire to fight within them.

*Swish!* Another muffled sound of a blade slicing through a throat rang out. Another man, trembling with fear as he gripped his knife, was struck dead by Ertai's blade, his head severed from his body, blood gushing forth like a fountain.

"Ah..."

the remaining men screamed in terror, none daring to face Ertai directly. Gold was important, but survival was paramount!

They considered retreating, but Ertai grew ever more ferocious, relentlessly entangled them, refusing to let them escape. Just then, a loud roar rang out, "You all hurry and capture the Empress Dowager! Hand this man over to me!"

The owner of this voice was none other than Han Yun. He had been engrossed in fighting with the imperial guards and hadn't noticed Ertai's actions, much less witnessed Ertai's brutal killing of two of his trusted men. After killing another guard, he suddenly saw that the branch's experts were being held up by Ertai alone and unable to intercept the Empress Dowager. He was instantly enraged and, while roaring, flew over to help!

In his eyes, Ertai was just a handsome pretty boy, and his skills were nowhere near those of Han Yun, who was ranked among the top five in the Red Lotus Sect. The only reason Ertai was able to hold up his several experts was because he was focused on rescuing the Empress Dowager and had unleashed his potential. As long as he took action, he would make this man regret ever being born!

"Ah! Die!"

Han Yun's lightness skill was superb. In a few flashes, he rushed behind Ertai and then suddenly thrust his precious sword forward.

This strike was infused with all his strength, powerful and sharp. A whistling wind howled, accompanied by ear-piercing sounds, as if the surrounding air itself had been torn apart by the blade! The

'Wind-Splitting Blade' truly lived up to its name!

Chapter 125 Taking Down These Scoundrels (Part Two)

At this moment, Ertai was busy parrying the moves of several Red Lotus Sect experts in front of him, seemingly completely unprepared for the Wind-Splitting Blade behind him. When the powerful blade suddenly arrived, Ertai suddenly swayed and fell off his horse!

"Ah..."

Ertai fell from his horse, clutching his back in pain and howling, rolling on the ground.

Seeing that he had wounded Ertai, who was blocking their capture of the Empress Dowager, with a single strike, Han Yun was overjoyed. He inwardly scoffed, "Everyone says the Fu brothers are exceptionally skilled in martial arts. It seems the rumors are indeed unreliable. Such incompetent fools, I don't know how they became imperial guards. Looks like they're only getting there because of the Fu family's protection."

But outwardly, he shouted loudly, "I've wounded Fu Ertai, the court's henchman! Brothers, kill him!"

Hearing their leader say he had assassinated the enemy leader, Fu Ertai, they roared with excitement, feeling as if they were suddenly filled with inexhaustible strength, frantically hacking and slashing at the guards in front of them.

On the other hand, Ertai's side, upon hearing that Ertai had been wounded by the enemy leader, turned ashen-faced, utterly devoid of fighting spirit. Faced with an enemy force dozens of times their size, they were either wounded or fled, completely routed!

Seeing that the situation was settled, Han Yun glanced disdainfully at Ertai before rushing into the imperial carriage. He saw Rong Mama, dressed in a qipao, and, having never seen the Empress Dowager's face, mistook Rong Mama for her. Excitedly, he grabbed Rong Mama by the collar and lifted her up.

"Help! Help! Someone help me..."

Seeing the menacing Han Yun holding her in mid-air, Rong Mama was terrified, trembling all over, her arms and legs flailing helplessly in the air.

"Useless trash!"

Han Yun spat on the 'Empress Dowager's' face and cursed mockingly, "What a piece of trash! No wonder these soldiers are so useless. Like master, like servant."

He then lifted the 'Empress Dowager' from the imperial carriage, leaped onto the roof, and shouted to the crowd, pointing at the 'Empress Dowager' in his hands, "The Empress Dowager is in my hands! Brothers, follow me!"

"Roar! Roar! Roar!"

Hearing their leader say they had captured the Empress Dowager, thousands of men shouted excitedly, their voices deafening, feeling immense satisfaction. They then shielded their leader in the middle and fled north along the pre-arranged route, where reinforcements were already waiting.

However, they hadn't gone far when a sentry rushed in, panicked, reporting, "Leader, something terrible has happened! The street corner is full of soldiers!"

"What? Soldiers? Which soldiers?"

Han Yun was startled and immediately asked.

"I don't know!"

the sentry stammered.

"Damn it, you useless piece of trash!"

Han Yun slapped the sentry hard across the face, then roared at his men, "The rear guard becomes the front guard, change course to the south side of the street!"

"Report..."

another sentry reported, "Master, the south side of the street is also swarming with government troops."

"What?"

Han Yun was stunned, unsure how to respond. Immediately afterward, reports came from sentries on the east and west sides of the street, saying that their forces were surrounded by government troops from all sides, numbering no less than tens of thousands!

In reality, the actual number was only twenty thousand, but the sentries were panicked, seeing only a dense mass of government troops in front of them, and thus assumed it was tens of thousands.

Hearing his men's reports, Han Yun was utterly bewildered. He pounded his forehead, lamenting his bad luck, while simultaneously wondering where these tens of thousands of people had come from? Were they heavenly soldiers descended to earth?

However, the situation was critical, and he couldn't afford to think too much. He steeled himself and was about to shout to his men to break through the encirclement when he heard the West Hall Master beside him say, "Master, a mere tens of thousands of men! Even if they come with hundreds of thousands, millions, or even millions, what can they do? The Empress Dowager is in our hands; they wouldn't dare to do anything to us."

"That's right!"

Hearing the West Hall Master's words, Han Yun slapped his thigh, exclaiming, "How could I have forgotten that? With the Empress Dowager in our hands, who can do anything to me?" He then laughed triumphantly.

Watching his master's reaction, the West Hall Master couldn't help but shake his head, secretly sighing inwardly. People often say that those who achieve great things remain calm in chaos, unfazed even when Mount Tai collapses before them. But Han Yun, so flustered and indecisive—how could he possibly achieve anything great?

"Sigh..."

The West Hall Master couldn't help but glance again at the 'Empress Dowager' being held by Han Yun, and then at the wet patch on the ground beneath her. He shook his head and sighed even more. This woman was even more tasteless. She was the Empress Dowager of a country, yet she was so scared that she wet her pants...

After hearing the Hall Master's reminder, Han Yun laughed and shouted to his men, "Brothers, don't panic! The Empress Dowager is in our hands. They can't do anything to us. They'll have to obediently send us away, hahaha!"

"The Leader is wise! The Leader is wise! The Leader is wise!"

Upon hearing the Leader mention the Empress Dowager, the Red Lotus Sect members immediately felt relieved. They thought that the Empress Dowager's life was far more precious than all of their lives combined. With her in their hands, their lives were safe.

Meanwhile, the magistrate of the county along the official road in North China learned from his subordinates that the Empress Dowager had been assassinated.

He was so shocked that he collapsed to the ground, unable to get up for a long time, cold sweat pouring down his forehead that he couldn't wipe away. He stammered, "This...this matter...is it...really..."

"Master, how many heads do I have to joke about this?"

the servant replied anxiously and dejectedly.

"Then, then, how, how, what, do, do, ah..."

Originally, this county magistrate was a very articulate person, but upon hearing that the Empress Dowager had been assassinated in his jurisdiction, he suddenly became stuttering. He was simply too terrified. If anything really happened to the Empress Dowager, he would be in deep trouble. Being slowly sliced to death would be the least of his worries; he might even face the extermination of his entire family!

Damn it, how did this unlucky thing happen to me? I have to run for my life.

Thinking of the magistrate suddenly scrambling to his feet, making a move to gather his valuables and flee for his life, the clerk, seeing his distraught appearance, hurriedly approached and asked, "Sir, what are you doing?"

"What...what...what...can...do...?Of...of course...I'm...fleeing... "

The magistrate glared at the clerk and roared unhappily, "Get...get...out of my sight... "

"Sir, it's alright if I get out of your way, but this whole world belongs to the emperor, where can you run to?" the

clerk reminded him with a pale face. The

magistrate abruptly stopped, turned around and looked at the clerk, and shouted, "Speak...speak down..."

"Sir, it's not that I'm criticizing you, but if you run away, what was originally a small matter will become a big one. Think about it, if the emperor finds out that you only care about your own escape and don't care about the Empress Dowager's life or death, that will be adding insult to injury."

the clerk said, his face flushed.

"What can we do? I only have a mere one hundred constables, not even enough to fill the teeth of the rebels!"

the magistrate said, his face contorted with tears, thinking that his best course of action was to flee for his life.

"My lord," the advisor advised, "listen to me. The most urgent matters now are, firstly, to send someone to immediately notify the palace and inform the Emperor, and secondly, to send someone to notify the garrisons in various regions to rush to the rescue. As for you, you should at least lead your constables to the scene, at least to show your determination to save

the Emperor. "

The magistrate, upon thinking it over, agreed and stopped stammering. He patted the clerk on the shoulder and praised, "You're the clever one! Let's do it your way. Men, come and help me rescue the Empress Dowager!"

Even without the magistrate's announcement, the news had already reached the palace. After all, in broad daylight, under the bright sky, in the prosperous reign of Emperor Qianlong, for rebels to dare openly kidnap the Empress Dowager was a serious matter; few would dare to remain silent.

Emperor Qianlong was currently discussing matters with several ministers in the Southern Study. Upon hearing this, he flew into a rage. *Smash!* He angrily smashed a teacup, disregarding his imperial image, and cursed, "You scoundrels! You're utterly audacious! Men, I will personally rescue the Empress Dowager!"

"No, absolutely not, Your Majesty!"

Upon hearing that Qianlong intended to personally rescue the Empress Dowager, the ministers knelt and pleaded.

"Don't try to persuade me! Get out of my way! If the Empress Dowager... I won't forgive you!"

Seeing his ministers trying to dissuade him, Qianlong was furious. He was a filial son, and hearing that the Empress Dowager was in trouble, he was extremely anxious and wished he could sprout wings and fly to her side immediately.

"No, Your Majesty, you must reconsider!"

Heshen knelt down again and pleaded.

"Reconsider my ass! The Empress Dowager could fall into the enemy's hands at any moment. How can I be at ease? If you try to persuade me again, I will kill you all!"

Qianlong roared at his ministers. Since becoming emperor, Qianlong's personality had become strange. Actually, this was not surprising. He was a womanizer, and now that he had lost his manhood, of course he was feeling awkward.

As they spoke, Qianlong tried to force his way out, but Heshen and his entourage blocked the doorway, resolutely refusing to let him out. "Your Majesty, even if I die, I will not let you leave this door!"

"Heshen!"

Qianlong glared at Heshen and shouted, "Are you trying to rebel?"

"This servant dares not!"

Heshen knelt and kowtowed.

"Since you dare not, then get out of my way!"

Qianlong roared.

"No, if you insist on saving the Empress Dowager, then step over this servant's dead body."

Seeing that he couldn't persuade Qianlong, Heshen could only resort to 'bullying' tactics. He lay down across the doorway, blocking Qianlong's path.

"Do you think I really can't bear to kill you?"

Qianlong asked through gritted teeth, his whole body trembling, clearly suppressing his anger.

"This servant only knows his master's heart, nothing else,"

Heshen said firmly, ignoring Qianlong's furious face. Although history portrays Heshen as a notorious corrupt official, his affection for Qianlong was genuine and profound.

"Hmph, so you say 'devoted to your master'? Well then, I'll grant your wish today!"

Qianlong roared, raising his foot as if to stomp down heavily. Heshen ignored him, closing his eyes as if to be trampled upon.

"Hmph, are you truly not afraid?"

Qianlong withdrew his foot. His affection for Heshen was also genuine and profound; otherwise, he wouldn't have protected Heshen and shown him such favor even after learning of his corruption.

"Not afraid!"

Heshen said with his eyes closed.

"Hmph!"

Qianlong abruptly flung his sleeve, turning away and panting heavily.

At this moment, Fukang'an cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I am willing to lead troops to rescue the Empress Dowager!"

"You?"

Qianlong turned around and stared intently at Fukang'an. Apart from Heshen, Fukang'an, his illegitimate son, was the person Qianlong trusted most.

"Yes, I am willing!"

Fukang'an emphasized his words, reiterating his stance.

"Very well, I will allocate all my Shenji Battalion, Shenwu Battalion, and Musketeer Battalion to you. You must rescue the Empress Dowager!"

Seeing Heshen and the ministers desperately trying to stop him, Qianlong could not insist on personally rescuing the Empress Dowager. Moreover, Fukang'an was a valiant general, experienced in battle, so it was best for him to go and rescue the Empress Dowager.

But with his mother's situation at stake, Emperor Qianlong was deeply worried. Fearing any unforeseen circumstances, he proposed transferring the three battalions he personally commanded to Fukang'an. The so-called Shenji Battalion and Shenwu Battalion were equivalent to modern-day artillery regiments, numbering around one or two thousand men, while the musket battalion was a unit of guards armed with muskets.

"Thank you, Your Majesty,"

Fukang'an accepted the order and quickly left.

After he left, Emperor Qianlong paced anxiously back and forth in the Southern Study, while the ministers hung their heads, not daring to breathe loudly.

The perspective returns to the streets of North China. The Nine Gates Admiral's troops have completely surrounded the streets, trapping thousands of Red Lotus Cult bandits. The admiral's deputy commander steps to the front of his troops and shouts at the Red Lotus Cult bandits, "You are completely surrounded! I advise you to lay down your weapons and surrender obediently, or don't blame me for my merciless attacks!"

Chapter 126 Taking Down These Dogs (Part 3)

At this moment, Han Yun holds the Old Buddha hostage, so he is naturally unafraid of the Nine Gates Deputy Commander's threat. He raises the Old Buddha in his hand and says disdainfully to the deputy commander, "Your Old Buddha is now in my hands. I advise you to obediently lay down your weapons and make way for us to leave, or else... hmph... don't blame me for killing the Old Buddha!"

"Kill the Old Buddha! Kill the Old Buddha!"

His men echo, their shouts shaking the heavens!

"Hmph, you scoundrel, you're incredibly audacious! I think you're asking for trouble. Since that's the case, further words are pointless. Men, kill them!"

The deputy commander of the Nine Gates was a hothead with a penchant for fighting. Seeing that the other party wouldn't listen to his advice, he stopped trying to persuade them. Instead, he gripped his broadsword and raised it high into the air. The soldiers behind him shouted in unison, deafeningly, "Kill! Kill! Kill!"

These Nine Gates officers naturally knew that the real Empress Dowager had been moved to a safe place by Ertai, and that the other party only had a palace maid in their hands. The soldiers of the Nine Gates, though somewhat puzzled, wondered why the deputy commander, knowing the Empress Dowager was in the other party's hands, still insisted on taking action. Weren't they afraid of pushing the other party too far and causing them to kill the hostage?

Despite their suspicions, the soldiers didn't ask many questions. It was common knowledge that soldiers were duty-bound to obey orders; they were used to following commands. So, at the deputy commander's order, the well-trained soldiers of the Nine Gates gripped their weapons, ready for battle.

Han Yun's side, however, was completely bewildered. Staring at the tens of thousands of ferocious soldiers, they exchanged wide-eyed glances, thinking, "Are these soldiers crazy? Don't they recognize the hostage in their hands as the Empress Dowager? Aren't they afraid we'll kill her to vent our anger? They…"

But the deputy commander of the Nine Gates gave them no time to breathe. Brandishing his broadsword, he shouted, "Brothers, kill them!"

and charged ahead towards the Red Lotus Sect bandits.

"Kill!"

Seeing their deputy commander leading the charge and bravely slaying several Red Lotus Cult members, the soldiers of the Nine Gates were as if they had taken a stimulant. Their blood boiled, and they eagerly brandished their weapons, charging forward after their deputy commander.

'Hiss hiss hiss!' 'Ahhh!' The disparity in strength between the two sides was too great. In addition, one side had come prepared, while the other, who had initially held the initiative, was now on the defensive. The air was filled with the deafening sounds of battle, blood gushing into the sky, and screams of agony. In less than twenty minutes, hundreds of Red Lotus Cult rebels had fallen in pools of blood.

Seeing that the enemy outnumbered them several times over and were no less powerful, Han Yun was finding it increasingly difficult to resist and hold out. He was frantic with worry, completely at a loss. He could only turn to the two hall masters for advice, "What do we do? What do we do now? These soldiers are like madmen, completely disregarding the fact that the Empress Dowager is in our hands. What should we do? Say something!"

The two hall masters were equally anxious, even blaming and resenting Han Yun. They thought they shouldn't have listened to their hall master's orders to ambush the Empress Dowager. Now they had captured her, but the enemy didn't seem to care. The encirclement was shrinking, and they feared their lives were about to be lost!

However, they dared not disobey their leader's question. They didn't want to anger him; instead of dying at the hands of the Qing court's henchmen, they would be killed in his rage—how unjust! So the East Hall Master stammered, "Master, in my opinion, we should... notify the North Hall to come and provide support as soon as possible."

"Yes, yes, quickly arrange for someone to notify the North Hall, or it will be too late."

Hearing the East Hall Master's suggestion, Han Yun was like a drowning man grabbing a lifeline. Regardless of whether it could actually save his life, he hurriedly nodded and gave the order.

"Master, I'm afraid... sigh..."

Hearing his order, the West Hall Master sighed, hesitating to speak.

"Damn it, just say what you have to say, or shut up!"

Han Yun was already anxious and annoyed, and couldn't stand the West Hall Master's stammering, so he cursed unhappily.

"Master, judging from their appearance, they clearly came prepared, so I'm afraid... I'm afraid Beitang also..."

The West Hall Master steeled himself, wanting to reveal his suspicions, but before he could finish speaking, Han Yun interrupted him, "You mean they might have also met with misfortune?"

Although he was indecisive, he wasn't a fool, and naturally understood what the West Hall Master meant. His heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition surged into his mind. If it was really as the West Hall Master said, and Beitang had also met with misfortune, then wouldn't he be doomed here...

No, he was still young, with a bright future ahead of him, and Xiaolian, Xiaocui, and Xiaohua from Lanyue Tower were waiting for him. He couldn't just die here like this.

Thinking this, he vented all his anger on the 'Old Buddha' in his hand, turned around and glared at her fiercely, roaring, "These are your servants? Don't they care about your life or death? Fine, if that's how it is, I'll grant their wish!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he held the precious knife to the 'Old Buddha's' neck, almost shouting, "I'll give you one more chance. Make them stop, or this knife in my hand will slit your throat!"

"No, don't kill me, don't kill me—"

Rong Mama cried and pleaded, looking down at the precious knife in Han Yun's hand, her face deathly pale with fear, her whole body trembling, and another pool of liquid dripped to the ground.

"Damn it, useless thing!"

Han Yun threw a heavy punch at Rong Mama's stomach, while disgustedly wiping away the lingering stench in front of his face, spitting on her face in venting his anger.

"No...don't kill me, no, no..."

Rong Momo was now a far cry from her previous arrogance, the ruthlessness she displayed when bullying Ziwei, and the smugness she showed when she slandered the Empress Dowager and had her kill Xiang Fei. All that remained was deep fear and pleading.

"Is this the kind of person an Empress Dowager is? No wonder your subordinates refused to save you. Even if they did, it would be a disgrace to the Chinese people!"

Han Yun roared at the 'Empress Dowager' in anger. Seeing that the Nine Gates soldiers showed no sign of stopping, determined to wipe them out, he was consumed by rage. The sword he had been holding to Rong Momo's neck plunged into her abdomen with a 'thud,' then he pulled the sword out and threw Rong Momo to the ground.

He didn't bother to look at this useless, good-for-nothing 'Old Buddha' again, and shouted loudly to his men who were protecting him, "Brothers, we were born members of the Red Lotus Sect, and we will die members of the Red Lotus Sect. Since Heaven wants to destroy us, it is our destiny. It is the gods, the heavenly gods, calling us back. We must die gloriously and with honor. Let us show the spirit of the Red Lotus Sect and fight them to the death!"

"Kill! Fight them to the death!"

For the first time, the Red Lotus Sect bandits had heard their usually ambitious but indecisive and bloodless leader utter such inspiring and morale-boosting words. They were instantly excited, as if they had taken aphrodisiacs, and roared as they charged back at the Nine Gates warriors in front of them.

"Brothers, if you have any blood in your veins, fight your way out of this encirclement with me. If we unfortunately die here, the heavenly gods will give our souls a proper burial!"

Han Yun continued to inspire morale.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

the cult members echoed, their roars tearing the heavens and earth.

"Brothers, I've already killed their patriarch! Now let's fight them to the death and take them down with us!"

Han Yun continued to shout, his figure flashing like lightning to the front of the ranks. He raised his treasured sword and engaged the Nine Gates warriors in battle.

Han Yun was a Grandmaster at the late-stage peak, a master in the martial world. With each stroke of his sword, a cold glint flashed, and several jets of blood shot into the sky like fountains.

"Roar! Kill!"

Seeing their leader's valiant fighting prowess, wielding his blade to claim several lives with a single stroke, and further inspired by his words, the Red Lotus Sect followers, whose spirits had plummeted to rock bottom, were reignited with fierce fighting spirit. They desperately lashed out at the Nine Gates soldiers with their weapons.

In war, morale is crucial, and now, spurred on by Han Yun's encouragement, the Red Lotus Sect members were as if injected with a stimulant. Although their bodies were already at their limits, the surging fighting spirit in their minds ignited the hidden potential within them, increasing their strength more than tenfold, giving them the aura to tear the Nine Gates soldiers to pieces.

In contrast, the soldiers of the Nine Gates were exhausted by the enemy's fierce counterattack. The enemy was fighting like cornered beasts. At this moment, all the brave soldiers of the Nine Gates who rushed forward to fight were killed by the enemy's blade. Fortunately, the Nine Gates soldiers outnumbered the enemy several times over, so they were not completely routed. As one fell, another took his place.

However, the human wave tactic was not what the deputy commander of the Nine Gates wanted. Although he could wear down the enemy with the advantage of numbers, how could he not be saddened to see his former brothers die one by one under the enemy's blade?

Just then, someone in the crowd shouted, "Brothers, the Empress Dowager has been killed! We will fight to the death to avenge her!"

That was all they said, but the words resonated deeply with every soldier of the Nine Gates present. Although they didn't understand why their deputy commander didn't rescue the Empress Dowager, but instead allowed her to be held hostage and fight recklessly, the news of her death still made their hearts skip a beat.

In ancient times, with its strong feudal ideology, the concept of "the ruler is the guide for the subjects" was deeply ingrained in people's hearts. Upon hearing of the Empress Dowager's tragic death and the enemy's fall, the soldiers of the Nine Gates were filled with grief, as if they had lost their own parents. Hearing the words, "We will avenge the Empress Dowager even at the cost of our lives," their sorrow was instantly transformed into boundless motivation. With roars echoing through the sky, the soldiers of the Nine Gates charged back at the Red Lotus Sect bandits with reckless abandon!

As the saying goes, "a desperate army is bound to win," and the Red Lotus Sect bandits were fighting like cornered beasts. Both sides were bloodthirsty, and the battle was fierce and evenly matched. This was exactly the outcome Han Yun wanted to see. His earlier words of encouragement were simply meant to urge his men to fight to the death while he seized the opportunity to escape the encirclement.

He had already decided that once he escaped the encirclement, he wouldn't return to the Red Lotus Sect. He'd amassed enough wealth over the years, and he'd take Xiao Lian, Xiao Cui, and Xiao Hua to a secluded island to live a carefree life!

At this moment, the two sides were locked in fierce combat, presenting him with the perfect opportunity to escape. Taking advantage of his men's intense fighting and their inattention to him, he secretly turned and rushed northwest.

Desperate to survive, he used all his skills, quickly carving a bloody path. After breaking through the encirclement, he didn't look back at his dwindling numbers and the shrinking encirclement, focusing only on his escape.

Finally, he saw a glimmer of hope: the street was right in front of him, unguarded, as all the Nine Gates warriors had already reached the front lines. Overjoyed, he further activated his lightness skill, fleeing forward.

"Hahaha! I've broken through the encirclement! Those laughable idiots of the imperial court! They never expected me, Han Yun, to be so cunning. If there had been guards here, how could I have escaped so easily? Hahaha!" Reaching the street corner and seeing no one around, he laughed triumphantly, mocking the Nine Gates soldiers.

"Hahaha, you've finally arrived! I've been waiting for you for a long time, hahaha!"

Unexpectedly, before Han Yun's laughter subsided, a mocking laugh, a hundred times more triumphant and full of scorn, rang out.

Immediately following, a figure appeared as if descending from the sky, blocking his path. The figure slowly turned around, revealing a handsome face filled with mockery.

"It's...you?"

Upon seeing the face, Han Yun's pupils contracted sharply.

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