Chapter 288
Book 25 Chapter 11 - Exacting Sweet Vengeance
At the darkest hour before dawn, a long procession of nearly three thousand human beings is entering Windstorm Valley in silence. Their only source of illumination and guidance is a few torches.
From the appearance of the procession, it is evident that these refugees are in a state of panic and disorder. Intermittently broken up into several sections, each batch of travellers are moving in an uncaring manner. Leaving the women and children to their own devices at the back of the procession, no a.s.sistance is rendered to the fallen.
Although everybody detests Lu Buwei to the core, they are filled with sympathy at the sight before their eyes.
Xiang Shaolong pondered: "I only wish to take the life of Old Traitor Lu. Is there a way of singling Lu Buwei out from so many people?"
Xiao Yuetan coldly chortled; "Given Old Traitor Lu’s self-seeking character, he would definitely be at the head of the pack."
Pointing to the front of the convoy, he indicated: "There are a few human-pulled carts. Old Traitor Lu must be inside one of them."
Xiang Shaolong instructed: "In this case, once the first batch of hundred odd individuals exit the valley, we can seal the valley with wood and stones. It’ll be easier to capture him this way! Except for Old Traitor Lu, the others can go free!"
The minute Lu Buwei and his immediate group of hundred-odd refugees left the mouth of the valley, several tree trunks and countless giant boulders came cras.h.i.+ng down suddenly from the top of a cliff. Momentarily, the area was engulfed by a huge cloud of dust and the booming noises of the falling objects shocked everyone out of their wits.
The wood and rocks that are pushed off the cliff instantly separated the procession in the most heartless manner. Falling into disarray, the refugees on both sides of the obstruction fled for their lives in opposite directions among the cries and shouts for help.
Some of them naturally fell down and were trampled all over by their fellow travellers. It felt like the apocalypse.
For those who managed to leave the valley, they are blindly running away when scores of torches are being lighted. As two hundred Wu Family Warriors rode towards Lu Buwei from all directions, they did not harm any of the porters and followers. They simply encircled the wretched-looking Lu Buwei who is presently protected by ten odd bodyguards.
In a split second, Lu Buwei is completely surrounded and he has reached the end of his tether.
Standing in the centre of a protective circle formed by his family warriors, Lu Buwei’s face is deadly pale and he is panting non-stop.
Together with Tu Xian, Xiao Yuetan, Teng Yi, Jing Jun and Ji Yanran, Xiang Shaolong rode out from the crowd. Perched high up on his horse, he thundered: "Lu Buwei, years ago when you ambush my forces and murdered my wife and maids, did it ever cross your mind that there will be a day like today?"
Noticing Tu Xian and Xiao Yuetan, Lu Buwei was bristling with anger and hatred. As his body shook uncontrollably, he pointed his finger at them and bellowed: "Well done! To think that I, Lu Buwei, have been treating you two with benevolence, how dare you conspire with outsiders against me."
With a ‘pui’, Tu Xian spat a glob of saliva on the ground. Clenching his teeth, he cursed: "Shut your smelly mouth. I should be the one using these words against you. Despite my unwavering loyalty, you chose to sacrifice my bosom buddies in order to direct suspicions away from yourself. You are not fit to be human."
Xiao Yuetan scorned: "In the face of death, you are still incorrigible and full of shameless nonsense. Today, I am personally here to witness your demise because I want to prove the justice and righteous ways of Heaven. How dare you dispute the truth and make willful accusations?"
Lu Buwei was briefly dumbfounded. Noticing the hundreds of arrows aimed at his heart and waiting to be released, he lost his tongue.
In her shrill voice, Ji Yanran admonished: "The late King has always treated you with kindness. However, you cold-bloodedly poisoned him to death. Lu Buwei, you are worse than a beast." Teng Yi roared: "The deaths of Xu Xian and Lu Gong were all because of you. Heaven must be blind for keeping you alive for the past few years."
Jing Jun instead bellowed: "You bunch of fools, are you thinking of accompanying him to his deathbed? Throw down your weapons at once and scram as far as your legs can carry you."
The family warriors exchanged glances with one another. After the first weapon is discarded, everyone disappeared in a flash. What’s left is a freshly betrayed-by-his-men Lu Buwei standing alone in the centre of their encirclement.
Xiang Shaolong and his companions leapt off their horses and advanced towards Lu Buwei.
JIANG!
Xiang Shaolong unsheathed Hundred Battle Sabre.
Within a second, his mind has experienced countless flashbacks of the most heart-wrenching moments of his life, and they are all triggered by Lu Buwei.
Chunying and her fellow maids, his trusted subordinates, one by one, they started bleeding and eventually collapsing on the ground; in the prime of her youth, Zhao’s Third Princess turning into a lifeless corpse in his arms; the look of grievance in King Zhuangxiang’s eyes as he pa.s.sed away; Lu Gong dying with his eyes wide open, these images simultaneously recurred in his vision.
Feeling as if a huge boulder has been casted into his tranquil, mental lake, he is now overwhelmed by turbulent waves of grief.
Out of the blue, he discovered the Hundred Battle Sabre in his hand has penetrated the abdomen of Lu Buwei.
It was Lu Buwei’s body that suddenly lunged forward and pierced itself against his Hundred Battle Sabre. Actually, Lu Buwei was smacked in the back by Teng Yi’s Mozi Sword, causing him to stumble forward. In the ears of Xiang Shaolong, he could hear Teng Yi praying: "Princess Qian, this is for you. May your soul in heaven be appeased."
By the time Lu Buwei slumped