Chapter 515 - 281: A Firearm Stuck Out...
Lu Mansion.
The rear kitchen had prepared a full feast, and the Maids brought the dishes to the table one by one.
Lu Yuan, Su Liyan, Zhao Qiao’Er, Song Meiqin, Gu Ziye, and the three children—Lu Ruyan and her younger siblings—all gathered around a large table.
Although Lu Ruyan was young, she was no ordinary child.
When her younger sister and brother couldn’t even speak yet, Lu Ruyan, who was born a few months earlier, could already run. By the time she was one and a half, she had already experienced her ancestral awakening.
At the dinner table, all eyes turned to Lu Yuan.
Lu Yuan glanced around at everyone, raised his cup, and said, "Aunt Zhao, Aunt Song, shall we have a toast?"
Zhao Qiao’Er and Song Meiqin didn’t speak, just smiled and nodded.
After all, Zhao Qiao’Er and Song Meiqin were Lu Yuan’s women, and he was the master of the house.
Through his own abilities, Lu Yuan had multiplied their annual income several times over.
Holding his wine cup, Lu Yuan cleared his throat. He wasn’t sure how to begin, so he fell back on the kind of speech he’d heard his bosses give in his past life.
He began slowly, "In the past year... in the new year..."
Lu Yuan summarized the past year, looked forward to the new one, and concluded with a final sentence:
"Let us raise our cups and toast to this family!"
The four women exchanged glances, struggling to suppress their smiles.
’My man is quick-witted and highly skilled,’ they thought, ’but he really needs to practice his dinner-table speeches.’
’Just bragging at the dinner table won’t cut it!’
Everyone rose to their feet and raised their cups. "Cheers!"
Seeing this, the old steward in the courtyard quickly signaled to the servants outside the Mansion Gate.
The old steward waved his hands upward at the servants and said, "Light them!"
Seven or eight servants began to light the fireworks that had been arranged on the main street in front of the Mansion Gate.
WHOOSH~
WHOOSH~
Fist-sized fireworks shot into the sky, and with a series of BANGS, they blossomed into multicolored flowers against the night.
The display was visible to all the common folk of Taiping City. Many children pressed their faces to the windows, shouting to their parents:
"Mom, come look! There are fireworks!"
...
While households everywhere were immersed in the joy of family reunions, the Yan Mansion in Yandu felt somewhat desolate.
King Yan, Gu Di, tapped the table with his chopsticks and said, "Eat!"
Gu Gaochi and Gu Gaosui looked at their mother, who sat beside them with a hint of sorrow.
Princess Consort Yan picked up her bowl, brought a mouthful of rice to her lips, and slowly swallowed.
After that one bite, Princess Consort Yan suddenly put down her bowl and chopsticks. She looked at King Yan, Gu Di, and said, "My Prince, there’s still no word from our son, Gao Xu. I don’t know where he is or what hardships he’s suffering right now."
At this, Princess Consort Yan covered her face with her sleeve and began to weep.
King Yan, Gu Di, scolded her with a cold expression, "What is there to cry about! Who would dare defy a decree from His Majesty the Emperor? Is this something you or I can control?"
Gu Gaochi and Gu Gaosui swallowed hard and didn’t dare to interrupt.
On the night of New Year’s Eve, Gu Gaoxu swayed inside his horse-drawn carriage.
Due to the snow-covered roads, the column of horses moved very slowly.
To reach the Imperial Capital on time, several Jinyi Guards were escorting Gu Gaoxu through the night along the official road.
Compared to the mounted Jinyi Guards outside, Gu Gaoxu was having a grand time.
Inside Gu Gaoxu’s carriage, a heater powered by a Spirit Stone provided warmth, keeping the entire cabin toasty.
The accompanying Jinyi Guards could only watch in envy, their hands gripping the reins, frozen nearly stiff.
Gu Gaoxu held a roasted drumstick in his left hand and a wine cup in his right.
A bite of meat, a sip of wine—he couldn’t be happier.
Accustomed to a life of leisure, Gu Gaoxu didn’t miss home at all. With wine and meat to keep him company, life was as delightful as could be.
From the villages on either side of the official road, the occasional sound of fireworks could be heard.
The entire convoy was guarded by only a few Jinyi Guards, but the bandits and robbers along the route didn’t dare to make a move on them.
Far behind the main convoy, the Imperial Cavalry led by Lan Tai, part of the Government Army Guard, followed closely.
Suddenly, Gu Gaoxu’s carriage lurched into a large hole, and the two horses pulling it neighed in alarm.
The drumstick in Gu Gaoxu’s left hand fell onto the carriage floor. He lifted the window curtain and asked, "What’s going on?"
A Jinyi Guard whipped his horse’s rump, urged it a few steps forward to Gu Gaoxu’s window, and reported, "Commandery Prince, the carriage is stuck in a mud pit!"
"A few of you, dismount and give the carriage a push!"
Gu Gaoxu lowered the curtain and actually lay down inside the carriage.
"HEAVE-HO!" "HEAVE-HO!"...
At that very moment—a whistling arrow shot toward the clouds, a signal to summon a thousand troops!
With a WHOOSH, a signal arrow soared into the sky and exploded.
Those who didn’t know better might have mistaken it for someone’s firework.
Dozens of figures emerged from the shadows on both sides of the road, blocking Gu Gaoxu’s path.
Lying in his carriage, Gu Gaoxu simply rolled over, not the least bit flustered. He muttered, "They’re here."
The handful of Jinyi Guards drew their Brocade Spring Sabers and took up positions in front of the carriage.
The two groups faced off in a stalemate, yet neither made a move, as if they were all waiting for something.
The few Jinyi Guards dared not advance; they were outnumbered several times over and could only defend their position while waiting for reinforcements.
Far behind the convoy, Lan Tai saw the signal arrow streak across the night sky and immediately drew the sword from his waist.
Lan Tai commanded the cavalrymen behind him, saying:
"Brothers, charge with me!"
"HYAH!"...
The Imperial Cavalrymen whipped their horses’ rumps, urging them to gallop down the snow-covered road.
After a stalemate of several minutes, Lan Tai and his armored cavalry arrived.
"Halt!"
Lan Tai ordered the cavalry to stop a short distance behind the carriage, then rode forward alone.
A Jinyi Guard, clutching his Brocade Spring Saber, glanced back before turning his gaze back to the ambushers. He said:
"General Lan, you’ve come at the perfect time. Let’s take down these rebels together."
SQUELCH!
A long spear pierced through his chest and was quickly withdrawn, spraying blood onto the carriage.
The impaled Jinyi Guard looked back at Lan Tai on his horse, pointing a finger at him as he tried to speak.
A mixture of saliva and blood dribbled from his mouth. "You... you..."
Before he could finish his words, the Jinyi Guard collapsed limply to the ground.
The remaining six Jinyi Guards froze for a moment, then quickly formed a protective circle around the carriage.
One of the guards banged on the carriage. "Prince Gu, Lan Tai has rebelled!"
From inside the carriage, Gu Gaoxu replied, "Rebels? Then just kill them."
"This..."
’Ambushers in front of us, armored cavalry behind us. How are a few of us supposed to be a match for them?’ the Jinyi Guard thought.
At this moment, Lan Tai was the picture of arrogance, his right hand holding his spear high.
With a single command, his two groups of men could annihilate these few Jinyi Guards.
"Capture them!"
Lan Tai pointed his spear at Gu Gaoxu’s carriage.
The men blocking the front of Gu Gaoxu’s carriage did not move.
However, at their general’s command, the Imperial Cavalry behind the carriage charged forward.
As Lan Tai stared in astonishment, exploding shells rained down from the sky, crashing into the Imperial Cavalry of the Government Army Guard.
The Imperial Cavalry was instantly thrown into chaos, with men and horses sent flying. Many of the warhorses panicked and bolted uncontrollably.
Lan Tai raised his spear and shouted, "Don’t panic! Hold your ground!"
The sound of the exploding shells was indistinguishable from the fireworks in the sky, adding a different kind of excitement to this New Year’s Eve.
"By order of King Yan, capture the traitor Lan Tai alive!" a general hidden in the shadows shouted.
Hundreds of men charged out from both sides of the official road—a dense mass of figures that couldn’t be seen clearly!
Lan Tai reined in his horse, still unable to comprehend what was happening.
He was supposed to be assassinating Gu Gaoxu on the road, but instead, he had fallen into someone else’s ambush.
Lan Tai’s armored cavalry clashed with King Yan’s Army, and for a moment, it was impossible to tell friend from foe.
After a few seconds of thought, Lan Tai steadied his mind and identified a weak point: Gu Gaoxu!
Lan Tai brandished his spear, striking down two Jinyi Guards. He leaped onto the carriage and used his spear to flick open the curtain.
The barrel of a firearm emerged from inside...