binnovel Chapter 791: Stop the Fight and Bring Brother Home
Chapter 791: Stop the Fight and Bring Brother Home
Wei Yan turned abruptly, the tip of his sword pointed directly at Sun Quan's trembling chest. His eyes were bloodshot, and his voice was filled with grief and indignation. "Second Young Master! All of our Lord's medicine and food were prepared by you! Our Lord suddenly died of poison. If it wasn't you who secretly poisoned him, who else could it be?!" The tip of his sword swayed slightly in the moonlight, illuminating Sun Quan's pale face.
Before he could finish his words, Zhang Hong suddenly shouted, "You bold lunatic! How dare you slander us before our lord's body is even cold!" His sleeves fluttered as Chen Wu and Quan Cong, standing behind him, thrust their spears forward, their tips flashing coldly as they aimed straight at Wei Yan's vital points. A chaotic battle was about to break out.
"Stop!" Zhou Yu's roar resounded like thunder, jarring everyone present to a standstill. Though the generals halted their attacks, they still gripped their weapons tightly, their hawk-like gazes fixed on Wei Yan, a chilling murderous intent emanating from their bodies.
Zhou Yu walked forward slowly, his face gloomy as steel. He stared at Wei Yan and said in a deep voice: "Wei Yan, since you are so sure that it was the Second Young Master who harmed the Lord, do you have any real evidence?"
Wei Yan's face was filled with agony. He sank to his knees, his voice tinged with tears. "General! That was the last time I gave him the medicine. I'd been running around protecting my lord for days, and I couldn't resist the sleepiness. I just dozed off for a moment. When I woke up, my lord had died of the poison... I... I didn't see him poison him myself!" At this point, he pounded the ground, his regret and unwillingness evident in his words.
Zhou Yu frowned, his eyes flashing coldly: "Since there is no evidence, why did you kill the medical officer?!"
Wei Yan was speechless for a moment, hesitating for a moment before saying, "The doctor said that the lord died of a sudden illness...but the lord was clearly poisoned! I was filled with grief and anger. Moreover, the lord died of poison, so the doctor must be responsible! That's why I beheaded him in a rage!" His excuse echoed in the silent dock, but it seemed so pale and powerless.
Sun Quan suddenly shook off the supporting guards, staggered forward half a step, his eyes bloodshot, and laughed wildly, shaking the night fog: "Wei Yan! What else do you have to say?! Brother Gongjin! How can I comfort your spirit in heaven if I don't get rid of this traitor?!" He pointed at Wei Yan with trembling hands, and the black mourning robe slipped off his shoulders, revealing his undershirt soaked with cold sweat.
Before Zhou Yu could even speak, Wei Yan leaped up like a trapped beast. His eyes were bloodshot as he thrust his bloodstained sword towards Sun Quan's nose, the tip of the sword nearly piercing the young man's trembling brows: "You heartless beast! You're even more pretentious than the actors on the stage, even in mourning!" The veins on his neck bulged, and every word cut like a knife. "You pretend to be a brotherly and respectful person on weekdays, but secretly you're ruthlessly harming our lord! You're a ruthless beast with a wolfish ambition. Today, I'm going to rip out your venomous heart and see if it's truly black!"
Sun Quan stumbled back, knocking over the candlestick behind him. The moment the flames erupted, Lü Meng unsheathed his longsword with a dragon's roar, moonlight streaming down its spine like a silver thread: "Don't be so presumptuous, madman!" Lü Dai, Quan Cong, and the others also unsheathed their swords. Seven cold rays of light wove into a web in the night mist, and the cold light reflected from the swords' edges cast a chilling chill over the river.
"You want to protect this brother-killer?!" Wei Yan suddenly threw his head back and laughed heartily, tears of blood splashing onto his sword, creating a white mist. "Come on! Even if I, Wei Yan, get my blood splattered on the spot today, I will uncover this vile truth and seek justice for my lord who died unjustly!" He swung his sword at the nearest Lü Meng, his move so brutal that the gust of wind ripped the soul-calling banners on the shore into rags, which floated like blood in the night sky.
Amidst the icy glint of the clashing swords, blood suddenly burst from Wei Yan's left rib. Lü Meng's longsword, like a venomous snake, slashed a half-foot-long wound through the seam of his leather armor. Blood gushed out, spattering Sun Quan's pale robes, startling the young man and causing him to let out a short scream.
"Stop it!" Zhou Yu's roar mixed with the sound of the river crashing against the shore. He suddenly drew his sword and slammed it down on the stone pillar beside him, sending pebbles flying. "Anyone who moves again will be responsible for the death of our lord!"
However, the crowd, mad with killing intent, turned a deaf ear to him. Lü Dai's long sword grazed Wei Yan's throat, and Quan Cong's sword went straight for his face. At the critical moment, Taishi Ci unsheathed his long sword, and the cold light slashed across like a thread. The coiled dragon pattern on the sword's spine was faintly visible in the night. His figure was like lightning, and he suddenly plunged into the melee crowd. The blast of air from the sword forcibly shook the fighting people apart. Pointing the sword directly at Lü Meng, he said in a deep voice: "Commander Zhou has ordered! Anyone who dares to attack again will be punished by military law!"
The dock fell into a dead silence, with only Wei Yan's heavy breathing echoing in the bloody air. Zhou Yu slowly stepped forward, pointing his sword at the bloodstains winding on the ground. "From tonight, no one is allowed to leave without permission. Anyone who dares to fight privately will be punished by military law!" His eyes swept over the bloody weapons of the crowd, finally landing on Sun Quan's trembling fingertips. "The cause of our lord's death must be thoroughly investigated."
The river fog was as black as ink, enveloping the dock like an icy cave. As Sun Quan stumbled backward, his lower back slammed against the cold anchor, his Adam's apple rolling violently as he swallowed back his panic. He hurriedly straightened his crooked mourning scarf. As the white cloth brushed against his nose, the scent of Wei Yan's splattered blood lingered. "Brother Gongjin, you are very perceptive! I swear to heaven that I will uncover the true culprit..." Before he could finish his words, the night wind ripped them apart.
Zhang Hong's wide sleeves brushed against Sun Quan's trembling shoulders, and his old hand pressed imperceptibly against the young man's back, as if to comfort him, but more like a warning. "What the commander-in-chief said is absolutely true." His fingers turned slightly pale as he twirled his beard, but a dark tide surged in his eyes. "At this moment, only a careful investigation can comfort the heroic spirit of our lord."
Zhou Yu approached, treading on the messy ground. The crisp sound of his black boots crushing broken porcelain pieces startled Wei Yan and made him tense up. "Wen Chang, if you wield the sword only to seek death, you will truly bring shame to Bo Fu." He suddenly pressed down on Wei Yan's sword-wielding wrist, and the dragon-patterned wrist guard caused the wound to bleed. "If you really want to find out the truth, put away this cowardly courage."
As Taishi Ci untied his cloak and tore it into strips, the bronze wristbands clanged. He pressed Wei Yan's bleeding arm, feeling the muscles trembling beneath his fingers. "Bear with it." Before he could utter the word "brief," the strips of cloth had already tightly bound around the wound, blood instantly soaking through the plain white fabric.
Zhou Yu suddenly turned, his stern gaze sweeping over Lü Meng and the others. "Our lord, armed and wielding sharp weapons, charged forward, and yet you, these fierce generals, return unscathed?!" He slammed his sword sheath against a stone pillar. "You failed to protect your master, and even..." His words trailed off, yet a wave of shock washed over them. Lü Meng and the others knelt in unison, their armor clashing against each other. Cold sweat already dripped from Lü Dai's forehead.
The river wind swept through the crowd, carrying a bloody smell. Lü Meng and the others knelt on one knee, the sound of armor clashing harshly in the silence. Zhou Yu looked at the white coffin on the main ship and said in a low voice like thunder: "Mr. Zigang, the most urgent task is to escort the lord's body back to the palace. The city has heard the tragic news so suddenly that it is probably in chaos."
Zhang Hong bowed slightly and glanced at Sun Quan. The young man, waking as if from a dream, quickly cupped his hands and said, "I'll follow Brother Gongjin's instructions!" Even as he lowered his gaze, the fist clenched tightly in his sleeve refused to loosen, the blood splattered by Wei Yan still staining his fingers.
The situation was finally somewhat under control, and Zhou Yu slowly boarded the main ship, each step weighing a thousand pounds. The guards around him held torches, their flickering light illuminating Sun Ce's corpse.
Sun Ce, lying on the couch, maintained the ferocious expression of the poison taking effect, his eyes wide open, and dark purple blood stains at the corners of his mouth, staining the dark brocade beside his pillow. That shocking black, like a venomous snake coiling around him, silently spoke of the horrific nature of death. Zhou Yu knew at a glance that it was the result of the poison, and a fishy, sweet taste suddenly rose in his throat.
He was about to step forward when his personal guards suddenly blocked the couch in unison, their spears crisscrossing like a net. Zhou Yu's eyes suddenly glared coldly: "How dare you!" His deep voice was filled with undeniable pressure, and the guards involuntarily took a step back.
Zhou Yu knelt before the couch, his hand trembling as he brushed Sun Ce's stiff brows. His Adam's apple rolled several times before he spoke with a choked voice: "Bo Fu..." Before he finished speaking, tears had already fallen on Sun Ce's bloodstained clothes. He carefully picked up the body, as if holding a rare treasure, but was afraid to hurt the person in his arms. "Don't worry, I will tear the murderer into pieces and avenge you!"
The guards wanted to step forward to help, but were startled by Zhou Yu's cold shout: "Back off!" His voice was hoarse and firm, with a stubbornness that bordered on stubbornness. Everyone stood there, bewildered, watching Zhou Yu, holding Sun Ce, slowly walk down the main ship, step by step.
The howling night wind rippled Zhou Yu's robes, but it couldn't dispel the sorrow in his eyes. He gently pressed his face against Sun Ce's cold forehead, his voice so soft only the one in his arms could hear: "Bofu, I'll take you home..." These whispers, wrapped in endless sorrow and promise, echoed on the silent river, startling a flock of crows.
The river fog, like lead, hung heavy on the dock. Zhou Yu, carrying Sun Ce's gradually cooling body, slowly descended the stone steps. His dark robe dragged across the steps, sweeping away tiny specks of blood. Every step felt like treading on the edge of a knife. The weight of his arms, combined with the memory of Sun Ce's laughter, jarred his chest. Lü Meng and the others ducked their heads, stepping aside. Sun Quan's pale face flickered in the torchlight. Only Wei Yan, wounded, remained stubbornly upright, his gaze fixed on the bloodied corpse.
Who could understand this heart-wrenching pain? The oath sworn at Luoyang still lingered in his ears—"We do not ask to be born on the same day, month, or year, but to die on the same day." But in Chang'an, his eldest brother, Ma Chao, was murdered by the emperor; now, on the deck of a warship, the horrific sight of his second brother, Sun Ce, bleeding from all seven orifices, pierced his eyes. Zhou Yu vaguely saw the images of his brothers, their fine clothes and galloping horses, intertwined with the corpse before him. His scorching tears fell on Sun Ce's neck, but they could no longer awaken those ever-bright eyes.
A sweet and fishy taste rose in his throat, and he bit the tip of his tongue tightly. He couldn't fall, he absolutely couldn't fall! Ma Chao's wife and children were still waiting for justice, Sun Ce's young son was still in swaddling clothes, and the foundation of the six Jiangdong counties was crumbling. Zhou Yu hugged the corpse tightly in his arms, letting the night wind lift the mourning belt, and his grief turned into a cold murderous intent: "Brothers, when I kill our enemies with my own hands, I will offer a blood sacrifice to your spirits in heaven."
Seeing Zhou Yu slowly descending, Sun Ce in his arms, Taishi Ci hurried over to the carriage he had prepared. The interior, layered with soft cushions and white silk, resembled a pristine sea. He strode forward, his bronze wrist guards clanging against each other as he and Zhou Yu worked together to secure Sun Ce's body. His throat tightened as his fingertips touched the cool robe.
"Arrange the army, and all the generals, come to the City Lord's Mansion to stand guard immediately!" Zhou Yu half-knelt before the carriage, his trembling hand stroking his brother's bloodstained temple. His voice was as deep as torn silk. The generals knelt on one knee to receive the order.
Taishi Ci drove the carriage, his long whip breaking the air, and three thousand cavalrymen surged like a black tide to guard the carriage on both sides. Their iron hooves crushed the cold night and galloped towards the city.