266 Confidential Mission
In the imperial study in the palace.
Just as the empress changed into her usual dragon robe, she heard Li Tianyi shout from outside, “Your Majesty! Someone requests an audience!”
“Summon!”
The empress sat down in front of the desk. Then, the door opened and a white-robed young man walked in.
After Li Tianyi closed the door outside, the white-robed young man knelt on the ground and shouted, “I’m from the Golden Guards of the Five Elements Imperial Guards. Instructed by the commander of the Earth Guards, Tu Baichuan, I’m here to ask Your Majesty to issue the decree!”
The empress raised her eyebrows. “What decree?”
“The criminal, Lin Ran, fled in fear of punishment. When Commander Tu tried to capture him, he was injured by Lin Ran. Your Majesty, please issue a decree to arrest Lin Ran!”
“Is that so?!”
The empress exclaimed and slammed the table as she stood up. The aura of an emperor instantly spread out. “Someone!”
Li Tianyi hurriedly entered. “What can I do for you, Your Majesty?”
The empress’s expression darkened as she shouted coldly, “Pass down my order. Mobilize all the border guards to arrest Lin Ran!”
“Who?”
Li Tianyi was stunned when he heard this. He looked at the white-robed young man kneeling on the ground and asked softly, “Your Majesty, is the Lin Ran you mentioned just now… the previous commander of the imperial guards in the palace, Lord Lin?”
The empress frowned. “Didn’t I make myself clear enough?”
Li Tianyi looked troubled. “But is there a misunderstanding? If I remember correctly, this is the third time Lord Lin is wanted by the entire dynasty. The first two times were all a misunderstanding…”
The empress’s eyes turned cold. “Are you telling me I’m wrong?”
“I wouldn’t dare!”
Li Tianyi hurriedly bowed and apologized before running out.
The empress looked at the white-robed young man again. “How is Commander Tu doing?”
“Fortunately, he’s fine for the time being!”
“That’s good.”
The empress nodded. After thinking for a moment, she instructed, “Order the Five Elements Imperial Guards to set off immediately to catch Lin Ran… Since Commander Tu is injured, let Meng Shinian, the commander of Water Guards, take over the position of the commander of the Golden Guards for the time being!”
“Yes!”
The white-robed young man cupped his hands and accepted the order. Then, he stood up and left the imperial study.
The imperial study fell silent. Worry appeared in the empress’s eyes. She slowly turned to look in the direction of the Great Yong Dynasty and said something, but her voice was so low that only she could hear herself.
…
Northern Border, Fort Liushi.
General Guo Fuzhen, who was training the new recruits on the training ground, suddenly sensed an extremely powerful aura approaching from the south. Then, his expression froze as he shouted, “Be on guard!”
With Guo Fuzhen’s order, the soldiers on the training ground immediately started moving.
After running to their respective posts, they nocked their arrows and unsheathed their swords, looking at the sky with cold expressions vigilantly.
Seeing that the newly recruited soldiers reacted so quickly, Guo Fuzhen could not help but nod in satisfaction. Then, he strode towards the general’s residence in the city.
As soon as Guo Fuzhen reached the entrance of the general’s residence, a figure descended from the sky without a sound.
“It’s been a few days since we last met. Lord Lin, your cultivation has improved again!”
Guo Fuzhen cupped his hands and praised. Before Lin Ran landed, he had already recognized this person. After all, in the entire Heavenly Saint Dynasty, only Lin Ran had such a powerful aura.
Moreover, the imperial edict had yet to reach the border, so he did not know that Lin Ran had become a wanted criminal again.
“General Guo, I’m flattered.”
Lin Ran smiled awkwardly. Guo Fu thought that he had meticulous control over his internal energy, but only he knew that the reason why he landed so lightly was because the killing intent inside him made him not dare to activate too much internal energy.
Guo Fu really didn’t know what Lin Ran was thinking. He looked around and asked in confusion, “Lord Lin… came alone this time?”
“That’s right.”
Lin Ran nodded. “His Majesty sent me to do something.”
Hearing this, Guo Fuzhen’s eyes flickered. He lowered his voice and probed, “Lord Lin, you passed by this place… Could it be that you’re going to the Great Yong Dynasty?”
“No, no!”
Lin Ran quickly waved his hand. “I specially came to Fort Liushi to look for General Guo. Do you still remember what I asked you to keep last time?”
“How can I forget?”
Guo Fuzhen laughed and said, “Wait a moment.” Then, he walked in and took out a small cloth bag.
Lin Ran thanked him and took the cloth bag. After opening it, it was filled with tokens and other things that could prove his identity.
When he sneaked into the Great Yong Dynasty last time, Lin Ran was worried that his identity would be exposed, so he left these things with Guo Fuzhen. However, now that he was considered famous in the Great Yong Dynasty, these things might be of some use when he went there this time.
After checking to make sure that there was nothing missing, Lin Ran put away the cloth bag and cupped his hands at Guo Fuzhen. “Thank you for keeping it for me, General Guo, but I have a request. I hope you can agree.”
Guo Fuzhen laughed heartily. “Lord Lin, you’re being too polite! Just tell me!”
Lin Ran’s expression turned serious. “This is a confidential mission, so no matter what happens, don’t let anyone know that I was here.”
Guo Fuzhen frowned when he heard that. “What will happen?”
“No matter what happens.”
Lin Ran said seriously, “Even if His Majesty comes to the Northern Border in person, General Guo, please keep it a secret for me!”
“His Majesty sent you on a confidential mission, but I can’t even tell His Majesty if he asks?”
Guo Fuzhen revealed a suspicious expression, but in the end, he nodded. “Lord Lin, don’t worry. I swear in my father’s name that no matter what happens, I will keep my mouth shut!”
“Thank you.”
Lin Ran bowed deeply to Guo Fuzhen and immediately rode his sword away.
Guo Fuzhen stood rooted to the ground and watched, but even after Lin Ran disappeared into the horizon, he still couldn’t figure out what was going on.
Guo Fu sighed and shook those messy thoughts. He was about to return to the training ground to continue training when another aura suddenly approached quickly. He looked up and saw a messenger flying over on his sword.
“General! An emergency order from the capital!”
Before the messenger landed, he shouted anxiously, “His Majesty has ordered that the deputy general of the Northern Battlefront, Lin Ran, is guilty of assassinating the general of Golden Guards and must be arrested and brought back for punishment!”
Guo Fuzhen’s expression changed drastically. He flew forward to take the imperial edict. After opening it and confirming that the message was correct, a hesitant expression immediately appeared on his face.
“Lord Lin… What are you doing?!”
Guo Fuzhen rolled up the imperial edict and muttered softly. His originally fierce face was filled with conflict, and his hand that was holding the imperial edict trembled slightly…