Rise of the Sword Son-in-Law

Chapter 289: Xu Ping’an’s Ordeal

Early the next morning.

Qin Mu left the Imperial Capital City with his people.

Inside the Imperial Palace, Consort Hua’s face was filled with astonishment.

"Are you saying Qin Mu left on his own? And he took with him his four Seventh Rank subordinates?" Consort Hua asked in disbelief.

"Yes, the Ninth Prince has left, and Xu Ping’an didn’t go with him. Xu Ping’an stood alone at the North City gate, seemingly waiting for someone. However, the Ninth Prince left his Eighth Rank Strongman with him," replied the palace maid.

"Interesting, Qin Mu actually abandoned Xu Ping’an? In this way, Xu Ping’an is bound to die without a doubt. Without Qin Mu, even if Qin Hanshuang truly helps him, he’s doomed, and I can even take the opportunity to cut off Qin Hanshuang’s hands and feet, killing two birds with one stone," Consort Hua said with a radiant smile.

Heaven really was helping her.

"Do we all mobilize this time?" the palace maid asked.

"Let’s all mobilize, just in case. Also, have Hei Yu keep a close eye on Qin Mu’s Eighth Rank guy. As long as he doesn’t make a move, it’s fine. With our ten Seventh Ranks and the five from Tiankui Sect, Xu Ping’an is certain to die," Consort Hua said.

"Yes!"

The palace maid immediately responded.

Fifteen Seventh Rank Experts, if they still couldn’t kill Xu Ping’an, then it would truly be a joke.

Then the palace maid disappeared on the spot, heading towards the North gate where Xu Ping’an was.

At the same time inside the Imperial Palace, the Sovereign of Great Qin was playing chess alone.

Black Shadow appeared once again.

"Is Shuang’er planning to make a move?" the Sovereign of Great Qin asked.

"Yes, the Tenth Princess has already mobilized; she’s taking her seven Seventh Rank Dead Soldiers towards the North gate," Black Shadow said with a strange tone.

He couldn’t understand how Xu Ping’an had persuaded Qin Hanshuang.

He also didn’t understand why, if Xu Ping’an could indeed persuade Qin Hanshuang, he would let Qin Mu go.

"You don’t need to look at me like that; I don’t understand either. Every move Xu Ping’an makes is somewhat beyond my expectations. I knew he would try to break the game, but I didn’t expect him to seek out Shuang’er, let alone that Shuang’er would agree," the Sovereign of Great Qin said with a smile.

"Your Majesty, do you think Xu Ping’an is setting up the Tenth Princess?" Black Shadow said somewhat helplessly.

"It might not be a setup, perhaps he is helping?" the Sovereign of Great Qin said with a smile.

"Help? If the people around the Tenth Princess all die, then her situation will become dangerous," Black Shadow hurriedly said.

"But if Xu Ping’an helps Shuang’er kill those around Shao Hua, isn’t that helping her?" the Sovereign of Great Qin said.

"But to kill Consort Hua’s people, how easy could that be? This time Consort Hua has deployed a full fifteen Seventh Ranks," Black Shadow said anxiously.

"Don’t worry, there might be surprises beyond our expectations," the Sovereign of Great Qin said, placing a chess piece while smiling.

To be honest, he also felt that Xu Ping’an couldn’t possibly succeed, but if the plan was not convincing enough for Qin Hanshuang, his daughter wouldn’t have taken action.

So he was quite curious what Xu Ping’an had used to persuade his daughter.

Perhaps Xu Ping’an really could show him a miracle.

...

Xu Ping’an silently stood at the North City gate, not leaving the city.

He knew there were at least ten spies surrounding him, closely watching his every move.

These spies came from various forces; some belonged to Consort Hua, while others were merely onlookers waiting for drama to unfold.

"Being famous really isn’t great, every move one makes is under surveillance. Today, outside this North City gate, blood is destined to flow like a river," Xu Ping’an said with a light chuckle, a glint of murderous intent flickering in his eyes.

To tell the truth, Xu Ping’an was truly furious this time.

He had no grudges against the so-called Consort Hua, and they hadn’t even met before, but she wanted him dead.

If it were to be Luo Tianhe, that would have been because Luo Tianhe had actively sought to kill him.

But she had dispatched no less than fifteen Seventh Rank Experts, which really was giving him too much credit.

Since she wanted him dead, naturally, he couldn’t just sit around and wait for death. Today, he was determined to make sure everyone who came would not return.

Just as Xu Ping’an silently stood at the North City gate,

Two figures were watching him.

"What is the Master’s stance? Should we intervene?" Zhou Mengyue asked the middle-aged beautiful woman beside her.

"The Sect Master’s intention is to hold our forces back, today is Xu Ping’an’s great tribulation, and I fear he might not escape this calamity," the middle-aged beauty said.

"Isn’t this the best opportunity to win him over by helping him now?" Zhou Mengyue furrowed her brows and said.

Ever since she received the Sect Master’s order to get close to Xu Ping’an, she had been adjusting her own mindset.

But just as she was ready to give it a try, the Sect sent word instructing her not to make contact with Xu Ping’an for the time being.

In her view, this was the only chance to mend her relationship with Xu Ping’an.

Yet the Sect was unwilling to take action, which greatly disappointed her.

"The Sect believes it’s not wise to offend Empress Hua. Empress Hua has joined forces with the Crown Prince, and their power is unstoppable. The Sect will not offend two such dignitaries just for Xu Ping’an, and he is unlikely to escape this tribulation. With fifteen Seventh Rank experts against him, it’s almost an assured death. It’s not worth making such a huge sacrifice for one Xu Ping’an," the middle-aged beauty said.

"Not worth it?" Zhou Mengyue sneered in her heart, her disappointment reaching its peak.

Others might think that Xu Ping’an was certain to die, but she felt it was not necessarily the case.

Because Xu Ping’an was not the kind of man to sit still and wait for death. Knowing this situation, he must have remained calm and composed because he had already thought of a solution.

The result might surprise everyone.

Of course, she didn’t voice these thoughts, because no one would believe her if she did.

Similar conversations were also taking place among other powers.

Everyone believed that Xu Ping’an was bound to die, so no one chose to help him.

And yet, Xu Ping’an remained calm and composed.

"Xu Ping’an."

While everyone was getting impatient, a voice sounded.

Then, the crowd saw Qin Hanshuang, clad in red armor, walking over with seven men wearing white robes and silver armor.

Seeing Qin Hanshuang, everyone revealed expressions of surprise.

Although they had already guessed, they were still astounded.

The Tenth Princess, Qin Hanshuang, had actually come, and she brought along seven strongmen from her retinue.

This was all the support she had. Was she really going to gamble it all on Xu Ping’an?

And Qin Hanshuang had come in person, did she not fear dying here?

The spies around were all astonished and hastily relayed the news back to their masters.

And these hidden forces, upon receiving the message, were also greatly surprised.

Even Empress Hua was taken aback when she received the news.

Qin Hanshuang actually came to escort Xu Ping’an herself?

Was she not afraid of being killed by me?

"Your Grace, what should we do?" a palace maid asked.

"What should we do? Since she’s come to us on her own, just kill her. Then even the Sovereign won’t have a reason to blame us," Empress Hua said.

"Yes!" the palace maid hastily replied, her heart filled with terror.

To kill the Tenth Princess!

This might really shake the entire empire.

Xu Ping’an was unaware of these developments. At that moment, seeing Qin Hanshuang, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

"Tenth Princess, I didn’t expect you would really come to see me off," Xu Ping’an said with a smile.

Qin Hanshuang looked at Xu Ping’an with a cold and arrogant demeanor: "I did not come to see you off. I’m only here to kill some lackeys. I hope you won’t disappoint me."

Upon hearing this, Xu Ping’an immediately said with a laugh, "I certainly won’t."

"Then let’s leave the city," Qin Hanshuang immediately said.

Xu Ping’an, upon hearing this, also looked towards the city gates and said with a smile, "Let’s leave the city then."

After speaking, Xu Ping’an, Qin Hanshuang, and the seven men in white robes and silver armor started walking towards the city outskirts.

And their actions instantly tugged at the hearts of many.

A great battle was about to begin.