NABC Chapter 17 Everyone, slap yourselves in the face.
Chapter 17 Everyone, slap yourselves in the face.
"Clang!"
Clang!
More than a dozen embroidered spring knives were instantly drawn half an inch from their sheaths, their chilling gleam reflecting on the furious faces.
Lu Zhen stared at Xu Ming, his eyes beneath the iron mask surging with undisguised killing intent.
If looks could kill, Xu Ming would have been tortured a thousand times over by now.
I don't like the look in your eyes.
Xu Ming looked at him and smiled.
That smile wasn't angry, it wasn't mocking, it wasn't even aggressive.
It was a condescending, nonchalant smile, like looking at a disobedient pet.
Then he raised his hand.
Snapped!
Another, even louder slap landed squarely on Lu Zhen's face.
This time the force was greater than before, and Lu Zhen was knocked half a step to the side. The iron mask made a muffled "hum" sound, as if someone had hit a gong.
His head was tilted to one side, and the veins on his neck bulged out like twisted earthworms.
The Imperial Guards around them, who had already drawn their swords, were completely dumbfounded.
Their hands were still gripping the hilts of their knives, but they were completely frozen in place, as if under a spell. Their mouths were slightly open, their eyes were wide open, and their pupils seemed to be trembling.
madman!
This is a complete madman who doesn't play by the rules!
What are the Embroidered Uniform Guards? They are the emperor's henchmen, the nightmare of officials, and a force to be reckoned with in the capital.
But this madman actually slapped Qianhu twice.
In front of several Imperial Guards.
"You...want to rebel?"
Lu Zhen's teeth were clenched so tightly that each word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying a bloody taste.
His cheeks bulged high, and his jawbone rolled under his skin, as if something was about to burst out.
His hand rested on the hilt of the knife, his thumb already pushing the guard open.
"rebel?"
Xu Ming felt as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.
Then, he slowly pulled out a golden object from his pocket.
gold medal.
It is made of gilded bronze and is about the size of an adult's palm.
The front is engraved with the character "敕" (chì), with strokes as sharp as a knife; the back has four seal characters – "如朕亲临" (rú zhèn qīn lín).
Xu Ming held the gold medal up in front of Lu Zhen and waved it.
"Did you see it clearly?"
His voice was very soft.
But Lu Zhen's body froze the moment he saw the gold medal. It was as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water over his head, chilling him from head to toe.
Those four words—"As if I were personally present"—were like four red-hot branding irons pressed against his eyes.
Xu Ming tapped Lu Zhen's dented faceplate with the gold medal, making a soft "clang" sound, like striking a bell.
"Seeing this gold medal is like seeing His Majesty."
His voice suddenly turned cold, like the north wind in winter, cutting into Lu Zhen's face.
"You just drew your sword and pointed it at me?"
He paused.
"Do you want to kill your lord?"
The last four words, like four nails, were driven into the minds of everyone present.
Kill the emperor!
This charge is enough to crush Lu Zhen and his entire family into dust.
Not just him. It was everyone present.
The smile on Xu Ming's face vanished completely.
He raised the gold medal higher, and the sunlight fell on it, making it radiate golden light.
"Kneel down before me!"
These five words, spoken with a fierce tone, were like a thunderclap!
Lu Zhen's body trembled violently.
It's like a tree that's been chopped down from the roots.
His knees were buckling, his wrists were trembling, the veins on his hand gripping the knife hilt were bulging, and his knuckles were turning an eerie white from the force he was exerting.
He was having an internal struggle.
Pride. Dignity. The dignity of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. The prestige earned through more than a decade of living on the edge.
All of this is utterly crushed before the words "as if I were personally present."
Lu Zhen was not afraid of death. After more than a decade in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he had long since disregarded life and death.
But his entire family—his parents, wife, children, brothers, nephews, and nieces—should not be sacrificed because of his momentary impulse.
Disobeying an imperial edict is a heinous crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family.
He can't handle it.
"thump."
Under the watchful eyes of his men, Lu Zhen, a commander of the Imperial Guard, slammed his knees heavily onto the cold stone slab.
The sound was dull and solid, like someone throwing a bag of sand onto the ground.
He knelt down.
Head down.
The metal mask was facing down, so his expression was not visible.
But everyone could see that his shoulders were trembling slightly—not from fear, but from humiliation.
A humiliating disgrace.
Xu Ming didn't even glance at him again.
It was as if Lu Zhen was just a rock in the way, something that could be kicked away and that would be the end of it.
His gaze slowly swept over the people around him who were still in the position of drawing their swords.
Those people froze in place, in various postures—some half-squatting, some turning to the side, some bending over, as if someone had pressed the pause button for a frozen moment.
"And you all."
Xu Ming's voice returned to its lazy tone, as if he were talking to a group of disobedient children.
"Do they also want to rebel?"
He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Kneel down!"
The several Imperial Guards looked at each other in bewilderment.
They looked at the kneeling commander, then at the gleaming gold medal in Xu Ming's hand, their faces filled with humiliation and resentment.
Are you suggesting they kneel before a spoiled brat?
dream!
Who are they? They are the Embroidered Uniform Guard! The Emperor's personal guard!
A scholar can be killed, but not humiliated.
No one moved.
No one was willing to be the first to kneel down.
Everyone's gaze instinctively fell on Lu Zhen, who was kneeling on the ground.
Lu Zhen lowered his head and closed his eyes.
His lips trembled slightly, as if he were silently reciting something. His chest heaved violently a few times, as if in a final struggle.
Then, he squeezed out two words through gritted teeth: "Kneel down."
"Splash—"
A sound of rubbing together rang out, dense and crisp, like someone beating an iron drum.
The sound of embroidered spring knives being sheathed rose and fell, creating a continuous clanging sound.
Then, several Imperial Guards knelt down in humiliation.
His knees slammed against the bluestone slabs with a dull thud.
Their heads were bowed, their jaws clenched, and their cheeks bulged out.
Xu Ming looked down at the Imperial Guards kneeling on the ground, a faint smile on his lips.
"I'm still not happy with the way you're looking at me."
Xu Ming strolled past the group of kneeling Imperial Guards.
His pace was neither hurried nor slow; his boots clattered on the bluestone slabs, making a "tap, tap, tap" sound, like a ruler measuring distance.
He walked from left to right, and then from right to left.
His gaze swept across the faces of each kneeling Imperial Guard.
Some of those faces were flushed, some were deathly pale, and some were ashen.
Some lowered their heads, not daring to look at him, while others secretly raised their eyes to glare at him, their eyes filled with resentment and malice.
Xu Ming withdrew his gaze.
He stopped and stood in the middle of the kneeling Imperial Guards, and said calmly.
"Looks like he's really not convinced."
No one speaks.
"Since you're not convinced—"
Xu Ming's voice suddenly turned cold.
"Then we'll beat you until you submit."
His gaze swept over Lu Zhen and then over several Imperial Guards.
"Everyone, slap yourselves."