Chapter 2282 - 2271: Twelve Funeral Bells

But... if the pursuit goes all the way, relying only on my Lianyun Empire’s experts, let alone avenging Dongfang Haoxuan, if I provoke the other side, I can’t even keep my position as Emperor!

Finally, Jiang Xuefeng, who has been by Liu Jihong’s side for years, could clearly see what he was thinking. After pondering for a moment, he hurriedly stood up and handed the parchment he was holding to Liu Jihong: "Your Majesty, these are from those few elders, told me to give to you. They also said, also said..."

The Green-clothed Venerable’s words were full of threats. Jiang Xuefeng didn’t know whether to tell Liu Jihong. Such words practically regarded the entire Lianyun Empire as ants!

What Jiang Xuefeng did not expect was that Liu Jihong was calmer than he imagined. After a brief moment, he recovered from the pain of losing a national minister; at least on the surface, there was no trace of sadness.

"What else did they say? Speak, even such a great matter as Dongfang Haoxuan’s death I can accept, what can’t be spoken?"

With a deep sigh, Liu Jihong’s words no longer carried the majesty of a king. At this moment, he stood in front of Jiang Xuefeng, more like a close friend.

"They also said that the Emperor should use the entire nation’s strength to capture this person. If he’s not found within a month, they’ll destroy our Lianyun Empire..."

Destroy our Lianyun Empire...

The extremely arrogant words made Liu Jihong, as the ruler of a nation, naturally filled with anger and a chilling killing intent on his determined face. His trembling hands opened the parchment that Jiang Xuefeng handed over and began to observe it with narrowed eyes.

His face was sharply contoured, with a hint of an elusive smile at the corners of his mouth. The more he scrutinized it, the heavier the gloom on Liu Jihong’s face became.

"Lin Zifeng... who exactly is this person? To cause such a commotion."

Speaking to himself, Liu Jihong coldly snorted and threw the parchment with Lin Zifeng’s face on the table behind him, absorbed in thought.

Understanding Liu Jihong’s character, Jiang Xuefeng did not dare disturb him, so he stood with his head down to the side, his expression unreadable. And Liu Fatty, although he knew Lin Zifeng, did not dare utter a single word seeing his father so angry, lest he bring trouble upon himself.

After a while, Liu Jihong’s voice broke the silence again. What slightly shocked Jiang Xuefeng was that Liu Jihong’s tone had regained the majesty of an Emperor!

"Transmit my command, using the full might of the nation, to relentlessly hunt this insurgent named Lin Zifeng, with the charge of assassinating the Emperor of Lianyun Empire!"

Jiang Xuefeng was taken aback, how could he not hear the implications in the words, Liu Jihong, the Emperor has... compromised with those people!

With a heavy response, Jiang Xuefeng’s once melancholic eyes regained their sharpness like blades. He... is just a pawn in the King’s hand, where the King points, his sword points!

Such words made Liu Jihong extremely angry, thinking that as the ruler of a nation, today he was forced to compromise by a bunch of unidentified individuals!

But this is the strategy of the moment, although losing a lifelong friend and a national minister, Liu Jihong, as Emperor of Lianyun Empire, has the mindset weighed with national matters above all else!

Losing the Empire’s greatest pillar was the limit of Liu Jihong’s tolerance; if he were to lose face further, how could he continue being the ruler of a nation?

Since he was no match for those few miscreants, Liu Jihong could only force all the charges onto Lin Zifeng, considering one person’s exchange for the safety of the nation, the weight of which speaks for itself.

For issuing this command, Liu Jihong harbored not a trace of mercy. If blame must be laid, it could only be Lin Zifeng’s bad luck, for provoking an enemy that even Liu feared!

Amidst his anger, Liu Jihong heaved several sighs, then only lifted his pen from the desk and drafted a document, determining that Dongfang Haoxuan’s death was due to a sudden encounter with an assassin, sacrificing himself to protect him, thus dying in duty and to be given the honors of a state funeral!

Solemnly accepting the document personally written by the ruler, Jiang Xuefeng deeply bowed and walked out of the palace. For a moment, in the vast hall, only the two Emperors of Lianyun Empire remained.

Patting the Dragon Throne beside him, Liu Jihong looked at his timid son next to him. In his melancholy tone, there was a hint of helplessness: "My son, in this national crisis, let your father sit on this Dragon Throne for a few more days, alright?"

Originally terrified to the point of breaking at the mere mention of the enemy, Liu Fatty was inwardly delighted upon hearing these words, but dared not show it outwardly, respectfully replying: "Father, you honor me too much, this Dragon Throne was always yours to pass to your child, if you wish to sit, you may at any time."

Seeming as though he knew Liu Fatty would say this, Liu Jihong was slightly satisfied as he nodded and dismissed Liu Fatty with a wave, only allowing his dissatisfaction to show on his face, softly murmuring: "Alas, could it be our Lianyun Empire’s destiny is at an end? My son, it’s not your father’s greed for power, it is indeed a move of helplessness..."

With a deep sigh, Liu Jihong placed his hands behind his back, the public-fronted Emperor’s narrowed eyes were filled with sadness, gazing in the direction of the Martial God Marquis Mansion, softly murmuring: "Haoxuan, don’t blame this old man for being weak. If this Dragon Throne weren’t meant for the Liu family, I’d sacrifice my life for your revenge!"

And beside him, Liu Fatty also felt uneasy. That scene in which Lin Zifeng battled several duchies has not been forgotten by him. Always trying to pull him in, he never expected it would lead to harm the National Guardian Martial God instead.

The figure of Jiang Xuefeng flickered within the Imperial Palace at night, delivering Liu Jihong’s personally penned decree to various chief ministers. With a command, the powerful machinery of the vast Lianyun Empire exploded with its mighty strength.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

In the palace, atop the final White Tower, Liu Jihong donned a white robe, and beside him, Jiang Xuefeng, wearing a white scarf, his hand gripping an iron rod bulging with veins, on his resolute face was an ominous severity, and he struck the funeral bell heavily.

The twelve resonant and mournful tolls of the funeral bell echoed throughout the capital of Lianyun Empire, waking the citizens who slept in the darkness, even Lin Zifeng, was no exception.

"This funeral bell... could it be that a royal or noble of Lianyun Empire has died? My arrival is truly ill-timed."

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Lin Zifeng chuckled lightly to himself, opened the window, and a slightly cool breeze dispelled his drowsiness.

On the street, a dozen soldiers donned in iron armor, with longswords at their waists, gathered at a wall, seemingly pasting something. Awakened by the bell, the townsfolk emerged from their homes, discussing among themselves and approached the wall where the soldiers were.

Shaking his head, Lin Zifeng saw there was nothing to do at the moment, so he changed his clothes and hurried out of the inn, squeezing into the crowd to observe.

"Damn, I don’t recognize these words above, this... why does this person look so much like me!?"

Upon seeing the notice, Lin Zifeng was initially worried because he didn’t understand the text of Lianyun Empire, but how could he not recognize the face depicted, wasn’t it his own!?