Chapter 445 Just Mediocre

Chapter 445: Nothing Special

Zhou Hao whipped his head around in disbelief.

Under the moonlight, Cheng Ge's face was clearly visible, a faint smile still hanging at the corner of his lips.

"You—!"

His voice came out as if someone had a grip on his throat—shrill and piercing.

"You're not dead?!"

Cheng Ge looked at him, the smile at the corner of his mouth deepening by a fraction.

"I appreciate Your Highness's concern."

His voice was low, even gentle, yet the blade against Zhou Hao's neck didn't waver in the slightest.

"With His Majesty's blessing, I'm sure to live a long life."

Zhou Hao's chest heaved violently as he stared at Cheng Ge, at that face.

There was no fear in those eyes, only something bone-chilling.

But a few breaths later, he suddenly laughed.

That laugh was different from before—tinged with something sinister and certain.

"Is that so?"

His voice dropped low.

"I wouldn't be so sure."

Cheng Ge ignored him.

He simply shoved Zhou Hao forward, gesturing toward Lin Zhufeng. "Grand Tutor, let's go."

Lin Zhufeng looked at him, utterly astonished, but then an inexplicable joy surged up.

So this kid Cheng Ge wasn't dead after all! That meant his grandson wouldn't have to end up alone.

His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but no words came out.

But knowing the urgency, he didn't linger and just nodded.

The old ministers helped each other along as they followed Cheng Ge out of the hall.

The guards stood rooted to the spot, swords still in hand, but dared not move—the Second Prince was in their hands; what could they do?

The hall doors were pushed open, and the night wind swept in, carrying the scent of blood.

Cheng Ge marched Zhou Hao out the door.

Lin Zhufeng followed behind him, with Zhang Gelao, Minister Wang, and Reader Li close on their heels.

Just as they crossed the threshold—"Fwoosh—bang!"

A signal flare suddenly exploded in the night sky.

Its orange-red light tore through the darkness, illuminating the entire palace as bright as day.

Everyone stopped dead in their tracks.

The light fell upon their faces, making every expression clearly visible—

Lin Zhufeng's brow furrowed, Zhang Gelao's expression darkened, Minister Wang clenched his sleeve.

Cheng Ge's pupils constricted slightly.

Zhou Hao stood before him, a blade still at his neck, yet he suddenly burst out laughing.

The laughter was soft, but every word reached everyone's ears clearly.

"Lord Cheng—"

He paused.

"I told you so—"

Before he could finish, Zhou Hao's eyes flew wide open as half a steamed bun was jammed into his mouth.

He glared at Cheng Ge, making muffled "mmph" sounds from his throat, but not a single word could escape.

Cheng Ge pulled his hand back and slapped him across the face.

"Smack!" The sharp sound cut through the night wind.

"Shut up! Keep yapping and I'll make sure the Zhou family line ends with you."

Zhou Hao's eyes bulged even wider.

He opened his mouth, trying to speak, but that half bun plugged it up tight, leaving only muffled "mmph" sounds.

Lin Zhufeng stared up at the sky.

Zhang Gelao stared up at the sky.

Minister Wang and Reader Li all stared up at the sky at once.

A night breeze swept by.

The light of that signal flare still lingered above, fading like scattered stars.

All of them seemed to have suddenly developed a great interest in astronomy.

Cheng Ge paid them no mind.

He simply raised his head and looked toward the palace road in the distance.

There, torches were already blazing—many torches, surging toward them.

"Move!"

He barked in a low voice, shoving Zhou Hao forward, leading the group as they hurried off in another direction.

---

The doors of the two side halls were suddenly flung open.

The door slammed against the wall with a thunderous bang.

Before the people inside could react, a barrage of curses came crashing down.

"Chen Zhengqi! You traitor! You should die a thousand deaths!"

"You've got the nerve to show your face?! You're worse than an animal!"

"You maggot that crawled out of a cesspool—"

The cursing cut off mid-sentence.

Wu Zhongzi stood at the front, mouth hanging open, frozen mid-curse, but his eyes kept getting wider.

He stared at the man in the doorway.

Stared at that face.

At those eyes.

His voice started shaking.

"Ch—Cheng Xiezhi?!"

He took a step forward, then another.

"So you really are okay!!"

He rushed over, grabbed Cheng Ge's arm, and looked him up and down like he was trying to bore a hole through him.

"Last night—last night I thought my old eyes were playing tricks on me, that I'd mistaken you for someone else!!"

His eyes welled up.

"Good, good, good!! As long as you're okay!!!"

Cheng Ge looked at him, and something softened inside him.

But he had no time. The sounds of battle were already coming from outside.

Chen Zhengqi had a lot of men in the palace; Cheng Ge had only managed to bring a small squad here.

Now that they'd been spotted, he could only fall back with his men to the Qianqing Palace to meet up with Zhou Xing.

He patted Wu Zhongzi's hand and pushed Zhou Hao forward.

"Lord Wu, watch him closely."

Wu Zhongzi was taken aback, looking down at the man tied up hand and foot, half a steamed bun still stuffed in his mouth.

His eyes went wide again.

"This... this is..."

Cheng Ge didn't answer. He just turned and waved at the people behind him.

"Stay behind me, don't run off!"

A lot of people had already gathered outside.

Torches flooded in like a tide, lighting up the whole palace corridor like it was daytime.

Cheng Ge charged out front, the Jinyiwei right behind him.

Their dark flying-fish robes fluttered in the firelight, Xiuchun Sabers drawn, gleaming with cold light.

They were the Imperial Guard—their fighting ability was far beyond that of ordinary men.

Even outnumbered, they could still hold their own.

Cheng Ge's blade came down, blood splattering across his face—warm and coppery-sweet.

He didn't flinch, didn't wipe it off, just kept charging forward.

Cheng Ge's saber split the spear thrust at him, then hooked upward in one fluid motion.

The shaft snapped, and before the soldier could react, a line of blood appeared across his neck.

As he fell, his eyes stayed open.

Cheng Ge didn't look at him. He'd already charged ahead.

Firelight danced across his face, casting his young features in flickering light and shadow.

Blood splattered on his face, on his body, on his right hand that gripped the saber.

The blood was hot and sticky, running down the blade, dripping onto the stone slabs—drop after drop.

Behind him came the clash of steel, muffled grunts, and the dull thud of bodies hitting the ground.

The Jinyiwei followed close behind him, Xiuchun Sabers flashing in the firelight, cutting through the shadows that surged toward them.

One Jinyiwei fell to the ground, blood gushing from his neck, spattering all over Wu Zhongzi.

Wu Zhongzi stood there, drenched in blood, his face covered in it, like he'd just been pulled out of a sea of gore.

He froze for a second.

Then he saw a soldier raise his blade and swing it at Lin Zhufeng.

Lin Zhufeng stood there, about to get cut down.

In that split second, Wu Zhongzi moved.

He bent down sharply, snatched up a Xiuchun Saber still warm from its owner, and drove it into the soldier.

"Thunk—" The sound of the blade sinking into flesh.

The soldier looked down at the blade in his chest, then at Wu Zhongzi, the light in his eyes fading bit by bit.

He crumpled.

Wu Zhongzi stood there gripping the saber, shaking all over.

Lin Zhufeng looked at him—at that face caked in blood, at those hands still shaking.

"Lord Wu, you've got some skills—"

His voice was low, but every word came through crystal clear.

"I'm impressed."

Wu Zhongzi froze for a moment.

He looked down at the blade in his hand, then at the corpse on the ground.

Then he swallowed hard.

"The Grand Tutor is too kind."

His voice was still shaky, but it had steadied.

"I only know the basics—"

He paused.

"Just the basics, that's all."

He stepped forward, moving in front of Lin Zhufeng.

"Get behind me."

His hand gripping the blade still shook, but he straightened his back.

"I'll keep you all safe."

"Wu Zhongzi: Chin up, chest out, taking the praise. Hey cuties, hit that 'power-up' button, and if you can, drop a few free flowers."