Chapter 443

Chapter 443: There’s an Assassin! Protect the Master!

“Your servant will forever be Your Majesty’s man.”

Wei kept bowing, his forehead turning red from the constant collision. A few more hits and it might break.

“Enough, enough. I was just saying things casually. Why are you overreacting so much?” Emperor Wu chuckled, “If I didn’t trust Ming, would I have appointed him as Commander? Use your brain a little, stand up.”

Wei swallowed hard and slowly stood up.

Emperor Wu looked at Wei, “But tell me, if I let Ming investigate Chancellor Xiao, what do you think?”

“Your servant… Your servant has short-sighted views, how dare to rashly judge national affairs in front of Your Majesty,” Wei said fearfully.

“You this servant, pretending to be dumb is quite convincing.”

Emperor Wu glanced at Wei.

“But both Zhuangyuan Lang and Chancellor Xiao are pillars of the country. How could I not trust them? However, I’ve heard that there are quite a number of remnants from the previous dynasty causing trouble in the capital city recently. This matter, let Zhuangyuan Lang investigate, establish authority. I’ve already written an imperial decree, take it and deliver it to Xu Mansion.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Wei quickly responded, grabbed the imperial decree on the table corner, wiped his sweat, and walked out of the Imperial Study.

Just when Xu Ming returned to Xu Mansion, he saw Eunuch Wei bringing several eunuchs to convey the imperial decree.

Xu Ming guessed Emperor Wu would assign him a task soon, but didn’t expect it to come so fast. It’s only been a few days, and he hasn’t even selected people for the Jinyi Guard yet.

Seeing Xu Ming return, Wei, who had been standing for about half an hour, coughed a few times, and loudly said, “Commander Xu Ming of the Jinyi Guard, receive the imperial decree!”

“Minister Xu Ming receives the imperial decree!”

Xu Ming respectfully bowed.

Inside Xu Mansion, those with official positions stood behind Xu Ming to pay respects, while those without knelt down, not allowed to look up.

“Emperor Wu decrees: Now within and outside the royal city, remnants from the previous dynasty disturb the peace of the nation, attempting to disrupt the stability of the Wu Kingdom. I know Commander has returned from the North Sea, weary from the journey, but only Commander can put my mind at ease. Today, I hope the Commander swiftly establishes the Jinyi Bureau, within two months, thoroughly investigate these remnants from the previous dynasty, and must completely eradicate them!”

Xu Ming thought indeed it came: “Minister receives the imperial decree!”

Xu Ming received the imperial decree.

On the other side, Lǎotàitai of Xu Mansion was helped up by Chun Ni, then she carried a plate of pastries forward: “Eunuch Wei has worked hard. Here are some pastries, hoping Eunuch Wei doesn’t disdain them.”

Though they were pastries, inside weren’t sugar fillings but silver notes.

This was a common bribery method, some officials used towels, some used pastries, others hid them in tea leaves.

“To alleviate Your Majesty’s worries is my duty, no need for Madame Lǎotàitai to worry.” Wei declined the pastries, “I still need to return to the Imperial Palace to report, won’t stay longer.”

Lǎotàitai looked at Xu Ming.

Without Lǎotàitai’s reminder, Xu Ming also knew what he should do.

“Eunuch Wei, let me see you off.” Xu Ming escorted Wei out of Xu Mansion.

At the entrance of Xu Mansion, Xu Ming inconspicuously slipped some more silver notes to Wei.

But Wei still didn’t accept them.

“Minister Xu, too kind, really unnecessary.” Wei smiled apologetically, “We all work for His Majesty, fulfilling our duties is enough. But Minister Xu must bear in mind what His Majesty instructed.”

“That goes without saying. Alleviating His Majesty’s worries is our responsibility as ministers.” Xu Ming nodded and stopped trying to give the silver notes.

Since the other party clearly refused, it meant they wouldn’t accept it. If he insisted on giving the silver notes, he’d just be making it difficult for the other party.

“Well, then I’ll take my leave first. Minister Xu, you’ve worked hard these days.”

Wei left with the eunuchs.

Watching Wei’s back, Xu Ming’s eyes narrowed involuntarily.

In the past, after Xu Ming gave Wei silver notes, Wei would quickly accept them after a few refusals.

But this time, Wei absolutely refused to take them.

Wei was Emperor Wu’s personal eunuch, and almost all of Wei’s actions followed Emperor Wu’s mood. Since Wei didn’t accept his gifts anymore, it meant something had changed on Emperor Wu’s side.

Maybe Emperor Wu started being cautious about him.

Thinking about this, Xu Ming couldn’t help but smile.

Not long ago, Emperor Wu treated him like a trusted confidant, talking freely.

Yet, how much time passed before Emperor Wu became cautious?

Honestly, Xu Ming thought Emperor Wu was somewhat bipolar.

Or maybe this was just how emperors were, always paranoid.

Actually, he had no interest in being a power-hungry minister, let alone the throne.

He was a cultivator. Being a good cultivator could grant him a lifespan of thousands or even tens of thousands of years.

Many emperors abandoned their thrones to cultivate. How could he shorten his life for a throne?

By rights, Emperor Wu should understand this.

If Emperor Wu didn’t understand this point, he definitely wouldn’t allow him to wield such great power.

Perhaps Emperor Wu thought, after these years in the Wu Kingdom, cultivating some loyalists to gain the throne, then he could live carefree?

This way, he could obtain plenty of resources and cultivate happily outside, without worrying about his lifespan.

But the problem was, if he wanted to support someone, it could only be your daughter, right?

“Whatever, it doesn’t matter. Let’s see step by step. Once I finish what I should do, I probably won’t come back here often.”

Xu Ming shook his head and returned to Xu Mansion.

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Wudu, a carriage swayed as it drove toward Wudu.

Inside the carriage, Pengda was eager to return home.

After several years, Pengda was finally returning to Wudu.

Pengda missed his mother and brother, but he didn’t know if Xu Ming was in the capital.

Nevertheless, this didn’t dampen Pengda’s anticipation.

And just as Pengda’s carriage got closer to the capital,

Suddenly, voices from outside the carriage shouted: “There’s an assassin! Protect the master!”

“Protect the master!”

“You take the master and go!”

Before Pengda could figure out what happened, the carriage suddenly sped up. Pengda lifted the curtain and looked out.

The masked assassins killed all his attendants in a short time, leaving only one coachman.

“Neighh!!”

The horse let out a painful cry as the carriage overturned. Pengda felt a dizzying sensation.

“Boom!”

Pengda only felt a loud explosion beside his ear as the carriage suddenly shattered.

Pengda kept rolling on the ground.

The assassin approached Pengda step by step.