Chapter - 443 The Brides Pale Arms Parts the Red Clothing (18) (1/2)
By this time, one by one his personal bodyguards and warriors had caught up with them. Even though they knew the severity of Lu Zhangke's martial arts, upon hearing their prince shouting his order to seize the man, four of them stepped in to surround him.
Lu Zhangke was shocked and angered; thinking that the princess was taking advantage of their father-daughter relationship. Just because she was angry he had injured her boyfriend, she had unexpectedly framed him. Like the saying goes, 'blood is thicker than water'. The princess was exceptionally crafty. How could he retaliate to her? In the meantime, he swept away with his palm, forcing the four warriors to retreat. He sighed and said, ”Shidi [martial (younger) brother], let's go!”
He Biweng hesitated. Zhao Min called out, ”Mr. He, you are a good man, not a lecher like your Shixiong [martial brother]. Quickly arrest your Shixiong, my Father will bestow a high-ranking official position to you, and will reward you handsomely.”
The Xuanming Elders' martial art skills might be outstanding, but they were greedy of rank, fame and fortune. Ignoring the dignity of their master, they threw themselves into the Palace for worldly gain. He Biweng knew very well his martial brother's excessive lascivious nature. Listening to what Zhao Min had said, he was 70, 80% convinced. The offer of promotion had made his heart racing. Only, Lu Zhangke and he were not only martial brothers, they were also best friends; how could he make his move against him? So for a moment he was unable to make a decision.
Lu Zhangke's face showed his grief; with a trembling voice he said, ”Shidi, if you want promotion, come and arrest me.”
He Biweng sighed. ”Shige,” he said, ”Let's go!” Walking side-by-side, Lu Zhangke and He biweng left.
The Xuanming Elders' prestige had shaken the capital [orig. Jing Shi – modern day Beijing]; the warriors of the Ruyang Palace respected them as immortals. Who would dare to step out and stop them?
The Ruyang Prince shouted his order over and over again, but the warriors only put on an act of shouting and moving around; they just looked on as the Xuanming Elders went down the mountain.
”Minmin,” the Ruyang Prince said, ”You are injured. Quickly come home with me to recuperate.”
Zhao Min pointed toward Zhang Wuji and said, ”This Zhang Gongzi saw me being bullied by Lu Zhangke. Seeing the injustice, he went out of his way to save me. But Gege did not know the real story, he accused him of being some leader of the rebels. Father, I have an important business I need to take care with Zhang Gongzi. As soon as we are done, I am going to take him to see you.”
From her words, the Ruyang Prince deduced that his daughter wanted to marry this man, but his son had told him that this man was the Cult Leader of the Ming Cult. Right that moment, his leaving the capital heading south was to consolidate the troops, to deal with the Ming Cult rebels on the Huai Si and Henan-Hubei region. How could he let his daughter go with this man? He asked, ”Your Gege said that this man is the Devil Cult's Jiaozhu. Is that true?”
”Gege loves to joke,” Zhao Min said, ”Father, take a look at him and tell me how old do you think he is? How can he be the brain behind the rebellion?”
The Ruyang Prince sized Zhang Wuji up; he saw a young man, not more than 21 or 22 years old, his face pale from the injury, hence it was devoid of the heroic and valiant air he used to have, he looked even less like someone who was in charge of hundreds of thousands strong rebel army. But the Prince also knew that his daughter was very shrewd. In addition, the Ming Cult had caused the nation some major disasters. Perhaps this man was not the Cult Leader of the Ming Cult, but he must be one of the important characters within the Ming Cult. Certainly he could not let him go. ”Take him inside the city,” he finally decided, ”We'll examine him carefully. If he is not one of the Devil Cult people, I will grant him rewards.” He said that to save his daughter's face, so that in front of all these people she would not look like a spoiled brat.