sbdcsierra Chapter 483 Uproar at Xuanwu Gate
Chapter 483 Uproar at Xuanwu Gate
At Cao Huachun's command, the guards surrounded him. Because this was someone the emperor had specifically requested to retain, the guards didn't draw their weapons, but instead rolled up their sleeves and threw punches. In their view, if the imperial guards wanted to arrest someone within the palace, who would dare resist?
But none of them expected that this burly man from Qiongzhou, though strong and powerful and fond of violence, was a complete novice in politics. He disdained any power except absolute strength, or rather, he simply did not know how to be afraid. After all, for someone who had dealt with county magistrates for many years, the emperor, the Directorate of Ceremonial, and the Director of the Eastern Depot were far too distant. The power of the Director of the Eastern Depot and the majesty of the imperial guards were nothing more than a show for the blind.
Several guards rushed towards Lin San, but their outstretched fists were firmly caught by the other man's large, fan-like hands, which then spun them around and flung them out into the air.
With a "thud," several guards fell to the ground like tattered sacks, feeling as if their internal organs had shifted, and they couldn't get up for a long time.
The remaining guards were dumbfounded. There really was someone who wasn't afraid of death, daring to fight the imperial guards inside the palace? The imperial guards on duty at Xuanwu Gate were even more dumbfounded. They had been standing at this gate for several years and this was the first time they had seen such a fierce man. Wasn't he afraid of having his entire family executed?
Lin San shook his head disdainfully, "I thought the people in the palace were so powerful, but they're all just pretty faces with no substance! I could pick a few of my men and beat you to a pulp! If I hadn't held back, you would all be dead already."
The guards blushed with shame, but could not refute him. Most of them were sons of meritorious officials or powerful nobles, sent by their fathers to serve as imperial guards to secure their future, not to engage in fighting and killing. Perhaps some of them still possessed some real skills, but in the comfortable environment, most had neglected them. How could they possibly be a match for Lin San, who was born with superhuman strength and had been trained on the battlefield?
After mocking his opponent, Lin San strode towards the Xuanwu Gate. The imperial guards at the gate were at a loss, unsure whether to let him pass or stop him. At this moment, Cao Huachun shouted in a deep voice, "Are they all deaf? His Majesty wants this man to stay. Anyone who lets him go will be punished as an accomplice!"
The soldiers snapped out of their daze and charged forward, brandishing their spears. Lin San impatiently shouted, "Is this never going to end? Grandpa doesn't want to play with you anymore." He dodged the spear in front, tucked it under his arm, and lifted the soldier holding it into the air. With a flick of his wrist, the soldier flew out and knocked over several soldiers behind him.
More soldiers surrounded him, a dense barrage of spearheads thrusting forward. However, fearing they might kill Lin San and be unable to explain themselves, they aimed for the lower body, avoiding the chest, abdomen, and face.
Lin San roared, leaping into the air and landing on a row of spear shafts. His weight made the spears unable to support him; the soldiers' hands went numb, the spears slipped from their grasp, and the spearheads slammed heavily into the ground, sparks flying. Then Lin San pulled out the spear he had been carrying under his arm, turned it around, and used the spearhead like a club. With a sweeping motion, he knocked down more than a dozen soldiers, several of them suffering broken arms and ribs, rolling on the ground howling in pain.
Seeing the situation was turning against him, Cao Huachun realized he had originally intended to curry favor with the emperor, but now it seemed he was about to botch things up. This burly man, seemingly a bit dim-witted, appeared completely oblivious to the dire consequences of acting rashly at Xuanwu Gate, yet a group of guards and the Imperial Guards on duty were powerless against him. Cao Huachun's mind raced, and he quickly made up his mind: he had to capture this reckless military officer no matter what. If, under the siege of so many people, the officer managed to escape unscathed, Cao Huachun, the eunuch, would become a laughingstock throughout the court.
He had assigned a quick-witted imperial guard a few instructions, which the guard understood immediately. He turned and left, shouting as he went, "Assassin!"
Although Lin San didn't understand the royal rules, he wasn't stupid. Hearing the phrase "assassin," he knew the dead eunuch was trying to sabotage him—he was planning to call for reinforcements, even going so far as to portray himself as the assassin. Lin San was furious. "I have no grudge against you, why would you try to frame me?" he thought.
Driven by anger, Lin San went berserk. He roared, dragged his spear backward with his left hand, strode over, and reached out his right hand to grab Cao Huachun.
Seeing the giant hand, the size of a palm-leaf fan, reaching out in front of him, seemingly ready to snap his neck at any moment, Cao Huachun was startled and turned to run away, his previous aura vanishing without a trace.
The guards cried out, "Protect Eunuch Cao!" and drew their weapons, slashing at Lin San. Injuring this fellow would be difficult to explain, but it would be even more difficult to explain if a high-ranking eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial were to have an accident right under their noses. Between two evils, they chose the lesser and decided to stop Lin San first.
Lin San swung his spear with one hand, deflecting several waist knives that were slashing at him. A series of chaotic and crisp sounds rang out, and several waist knives were knocked away and flew into the air. The guards looked at their empty hands and exchanged bewildered glances.
After intimidating the guards, Lin San focused solely on pursuing Cao Huachun. Cao Huachun was terrified and fled into the palace with all his might. At this point, the titles of Grand Eunuch or Imperial Eunuch were useless; he finally realized that this guy was a madman, and his status couldn't be intimidated. The only thing to do was to escape to a safe place first.
The guards were also frightened, fearing that Cao Huachun would be held responsible if something happened to him, so they all chased after him, those with weapons and those without.
Thus, a bizarre scene unfolded near Xuanwu Gate: the dignified Director of the Eastern Depot and Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial was being chased in a sorry state by a burly man, while more than a dozen imperial guards followed behind him, forming a long line that ran towards the palace.
After running for several dozen steps, Cao Huachun was out of breath, panting heavily, looking utterly disheveled. But he was furious: I am the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, the Director of the Eastern Depot. Why have I been chased so badly by a fool, making a fool of myself in the palace? If I could deal with this guy, I would tear him to pieces.
But anger aside, no matter how much Cao Huachun might torture Lin San to death afterward, he had to run away now, no matter how pathetic he was. Only by saving his life could he talk about anything else.
Just then, their savior appeared: a large group of imperial guards walked towards Cao Huachun and Lin San. Cao Huachun, tears welling in his eyes, felt as if he had seen family. He rushed over, crying, "Help! Stop this madman!"
These men were guards responsible for protecting the various palaces and halls. They usually only performed their duties and rarely overstepped their boundaries. However, if an assassin appeared in the palace, a portion of the guards from each palace would be transferred to assist in capturing the assassin without prior permission. Therefore, the guards were not only quick to arrive but also very well-informed.