Blazing Island, Crimson Flame Army's camp.
Zhu Jinghong sat behind a desk, leisurely going through some documents. As the first rank pillar of the nation and the commander-in-chief of the eight hundred thousand Crimson Flame Army, Zhu Jinghong had handsome features and an elegant bearing. He wore a jade-colored Daoist robe all year round. Even when he sat in the camp, he looked confident and at ease. He was like an elegant scholar in the forest.
In the Fire Nation's royal court, Zhu Jinghong was also known for being gentle and reserved. He was also one of the few generals with a different surname who commanded a large army.
The Crimson Flame Army was responsible for protecting the Fire Nation's capital. Although their status was not as high as the imperial army, they were more important. Zhu Jinghong's gentle personality allowed him to handle all kinds of relationships appropriately, which was why he was able to gain Huo Tianlie's trust and become the commander-in-chief of the Crimson Flame Army.
Huo Tianlie was killed by Gao Zhengyang in front of everyone in the Moon God Capital, and the Fire Nation fell into an extremely dangerous situation. The experts of the other six countries all rushed to the capital, Blazing Island, and used all kinds of methods to extract benefits.
In the past few years, the powerful Fire Nation had become a lonely boat in a storm, as if it could be swallowed by the ferocious waves at any time. From the princes to the commoners, everyone was terrified. They didn't know what would happen tomorrow.
At the crucial moment, the usually gentle Zhu Jinghong behaved abnormally calmly, and steadily controlled the order of the capital. His outstanding performance also caused everyone to look at him in a new light. His importance also increased day by day.
The envoys of the six countries all tried to persuade him to switch sides, and the princes of the Fire Nation also tried to rope him in, wanting to get his support.
Zhu Jinghong behaved abnormally smoothly, and calmly moved between the various powers, not offending anyone, but also not leaning towards any side. This kind of almost-transcendent neutrality also maintained a fragile balance between the various powers.
Whether it was the six countries, the princes, or the ministers, no one wanted the order of the capital to collapse. The neutral and capable Zhu Jinghong also became an irreplaceable important figure.
Zhu Jinghong was also used to this kind of life, and was quite satisfied with it. Although the situation was worsening day by day, at least he could protect himself, protect the Crimson Flame Army, and protect the billions of people in the capital.
He also did not have such great ambitions, nor did he have the fighting spirit to turn the tide. In the stormy days, he was content to protect the boat from capsizing as much as possible.
"Master, I've brewed the Six Spirit Tea. Do you want to try it?"
Xu Youtong, the strategist who was brewing tea at the table next to him, smiled and invited him. Xu Youtong was Zhu Jinghong's personal advisor, as well as his good friend. Naturally, the way he addressed him was different from the others.
Zhu Jinghong looked at the rest of the documents. There was nothing particularly important, so he nodded and said, "Okay, let's try this Six Spirit Tea."
He got up, walked to the tea table, and sat down. He drank a cup of Six Spirits Tea and felt the fragrance of the tea seeping into his organs and cleansing his mind. He couldn't help but praise, "Good tea."
"This was sent over by King An."
Xu Youtong stroked his beard and said with a smile, "He also invited you to attend a banquet at the Wan Chun Pavilion tonight."
Zhu Jinghong couldn't help but sigh. He flicked the celadon teacup that was as thin as paper and said, "There's really no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Don't even think about drinking a cup of tea for free."
He looked refined, but his hands were meaty and his fingers were short and stubby. Although the way he flicked the teacup looked elegant, the meaty fingers made the elegance disappear, and it looked a little funny.
Xu Youtong quietly shifted his gaze away from the stubby fingers and smiled. "Although Huo Tian Tian is a little domineering, he's considered a talent among the remaining people. If he's lucky, he might even become an Emperor in the future. "
"An Emperor, heh …"
Zhu Jinghong sneered and said, "The Six Nations will not allow anyone to ascend to the throne. Moreover, even if the Six Nations allow it, Gao Zhengyang won't agree. He said that he wanted to exterminate the Fire Nation's royal family. "
As he said this, his face was full of mockery. "If I were Huo Tian Tian, I would run as far away as I can. I would find a place where no one knows me and stay obediently. Otherwise, when Gao Zhengyang arrives … "
Zhu Jinghong shook his head sympathetically. "That's hard to say."
Xu Youtong shook his head and said, "My Lord, Gao Zhengyang does things unscrupulously, and his words have always been arrogant. At his age, there's no need to take his words seriously. I don't think he'll go so far … "
"Ai, you can't look at Gao Zhengyang so simply. This person may be willful, but his thoughts are very deep!"
Zhu Jinghong sighed. Although Xu Youtong was a strategist, he wasn't very good at judging people. His forte was military strategy and strategy.
He explained, "You don't understand the thoughts of the strong. To Gao Zhengyang, he hates the Fire Nation's royal family. Hence, they should die. "
"There are more than a hundred thousand members of the royal family. They control the internal and external affairs of the Imperial Court. Gao Zhengyang has the ability to do so, but if he kills all of them, the Fire Nation will be finished!"
When Xu Youtong thought of this serious consequence, he couldn't keep his cool anymore. His old face was full of shock. More than half of the tea in his teacup spilled.
"I don't think he cares about the Fire Nation's life or death."
Zhu Jinghong said solemnly, "With his status, he will do what he says. If he doesn't keep his words, how can others trust him? "
Xu Youtong hesitated and said, "He disappeared for three years. Maybe …"
Although they were in the main tent of the Red Flame Army, Xu Youtong had some scruples. He didn't dare to say that something happened to Gao Zhengyang. He could only express his thoughts vaguely.
"It's normal for a strong person like him to cultivate for decades."
Zhu Jinghong said, "In short, whether it's Fire Nation or the other royal family, don't get close to him."
Xu Youtong nodded silently. He had hoped to build a relationship with Fire Nation because he was optimistic about Fire Nation's future. But after hearing what Zhu Jinghong said, he didn't dare to get close to Fire Nation anymore.
The atmosphere was a bit heavy. Zhu Jinghong drank a few cups of tea and was no longer in the mood to chat. He returned to his desk and was about to continue reading the documents when he noticed a piece of white paper on the desk. There was a line of words written on it: Wan Chun Pavilion has prepared some wine. Please enjoy the new moon together.
Zhu Jinghong was shocked. He definitely didn't see this paper when he was reading the documents. He remembered it very clearly. The place where he drank tea was only ten steps away from here. He would know even if a mosquito flew by, let alone a piece of paper.
Being able to hold the position of Red Flame Army's commander-in-chief was not only because of his intelligence, but also because he was a peak rank nine expert. In the entire Fire Nation, the number of people who were stronger than him could be counted on one hand.
Without the nation's divine weapon, Zhu Jinghong didn't think he was inferior to any of the strong people in Fire Nation in terms of cultivation. Ever since Huo Tianlie and Huo Tianfa were killed, Zhu Jinghong dared to say that he was the number one expert in Fire Nation.
But what was with this paper!
Zhu Jinghong's mind was blank. After a while, he forced himself to calm down. He picked up the paper and looked at it carefully.
It was a simple line of words, but the handwriting was wild and unrestrained. It was like a general brandishing a spear or a broadsword. There was a heroic and unyielding aura that penetrated through the paper.
Zhu Jinghong loved calligraphy and had high attainments in it. He could tell that the person who wrote it had ordinary calligraphy. The handwriting was not in any of the known styles. However, this ostentatious and domineering aura was stronger than all the calligraphers he had seen before.
There was a line of ink on the paper. There wasn't even a signature, but it had an unyielding aura that could not be rejected.
Zhu Jinghong was smart. With a thought, he guessed who the person who left the words was. His heart couldn't help but sink. It was as if he had suddenly fallen into a bottomless abyss. He was frightened, but also had a hopeless feeling.
"Master, what's wrong?"
Xu Youtong, who was cleaning up the tea set, noticed Zhu Jinghong's abnormality. He hurriedly walked over and asked with concern.
Zhu Jinghong's face was pale. His eyes were filled with despair. His shoulders were still trembling. He looked like a child who was scared by a ghost. This also gave Xu Youtong a fright. He followed Zhu Jinghong's gaze and saw the white paper.
"Ah! Come, come. "
Xu Youtong, who was extremely shocked, couldn't help but cry out. He instinctively wanted to open his mouth to call for the guards, but before he could shout, Zhu Jinghong had already pressed his shoulder.
Zhu Jinghong's primordial essence was so strong that he immediately suppressed the voice that Xu Youtong was about to shout back.
"There's no need to call for help."
Zhu Jinghong smiled bitterly and said, "It's useless even if I call."
Xu Youtong was puzzled. "Who did this?"
"To be able to enter this place without a sound and leave an invitation in such a bold manner without us knowing anything about it. Who do you think it is? "
Zhu Jinghong calmed down and asked unhurriedly.
Xu Youtong was a strategist, so he was naturally an extremely intelligent person. He thought of something and said, "Gao."
He said one word, but he didn't dare to say the name after. He didn't care about the small talk just now, but when he thought of the note that Gao Zhengyang had just left in the big tent, Xu Youtong was really afraid.
Xu Youtong was silent for a while and couldn't help but ask, "What should I do?"
"What can I do? He has already sent an invitation. Can I refuse? "
Zhu Jinghong couldn't help but sigh deeply again. As long as he didn't want to die, he couldn't refuse this invitation.
Gao Zhengyang wasn't an envoy of the six countries, nor was he a prince or a prince of the Fire Nation. Although he wasn't a temperamental person, his temper wasn't very good. If he was tired of living, he could try to refuse.
Xu Youtong also smiled bitterly. That was indeed the case. Who would dare to refuse Gao Zhengyang's invitation?
Gao Zhengyang's reputation was built up from the corpses of many Grade 9 powerhouses, and it really made people tremble in fear. After the defeat of the Saint Ranker Yun Jiutian, he became the number one person in the world.
Towards this expert with a strange temper but unusually vicious methods, there was no one in the six countries who didn't fear him. Even the emperors of the six countries would definitely obediently go after receiving this invitation.
Xu Youtong was also very loyal, "Master, I will accompany you tonight."
Zhu Jinghong saw Xu Youtong's enthusiasm and was very touched. He consoled, "You don't have to worry too much, he is a very decisive person. If he wanted to kill someone, he wouldn't have written an invitation."
"I will still go with you. I'm just an insignificant person, he probably won't make things difficult for me. "
Xu Youtong was very determined. Zhu Jinghong treated him as a Kingdom Scholar, and he would naturally repay him as such. At this critical juncture, even if he couldn't do anything, he wouldn't abandon Zhu Jinghong.
"That's good, you can also get to know this important person."
Zhu Jinghong had thought it through, and forced a smile, "In the future, it will be very good to tell others. Haha … "
"Haha …"
Xu Youtong also laughed along. But their smiles were full of bitterness, without a trace of happiness.
The Thousand Spring Pavilion was located at the center of the Fire Island, beside the Melting Sun Lake. It occupied hundreds of acres of land, and had countless pavilions. It was filled with plum blossoms, peach blossoms, chrysanthemums, and other plants. There were also many natural hot springs, and according to the different styles of the hot springs, various palaces were built.
Some of the palaces were even more extravagant and flashy.
The Thousand Spring Pavilion never lacked scenery, food, wine, and beauties. This also made the Thousand Spring Pavilion the most famous brothel in the Fire Nation.
The Fire Nation's Emperor, Huo Tianlie, loved the Thousand Spring Pavilion when he was alive, and often came here to have fun. This was also an open secret that everyone in the imperial court knew.
Although Zhu Jinghong didn't really like this kind of atmosphere, he was in a high position, so he couldn't avoid socializing. He often went in and out of the Thousand Spring Pavilion, so he was quite familiar with this place.
The Red Flame Army's camp was located on the west side of the Fire Island, a few hundred miles away from the Thousand Spring Pavilion. The invitation was also very brief, saying something about enjoying the new moon together.
Zhu Jinghong was afraid that he would be late, so he brought Xu Youtong to the Thousand Spring Pavilion before the sky turned dark. Although he was traveling lightly, how could the receptionist not recognize him?
"Pillar of the Nation, you're here. Prince An has booked the Xiyu Pond, I'll bring you there …"
The greeter quickly came up to greet him. Prince An had already greeted him, so he naturally thought that Zhu Jinghong was here for a banquet.
"I have other things to do, it has nothing to do with Prince An." Zhu Jinghong waved his hand, "You don't have to be so busy."
The greeter was very embarrassed. He hurriedly bowed and apologized, "I'm sorry, I spoke too much. But where are you going? "
Zhu Jinghong was also in a difficult position. He didn't know where Gao Zhengyang was, so he couldn't ask the greeter anything.
Xu Youtong cleverly interrupted from the side, "Which place is suitable for admiring the moon?"
"Admiring the moon?"
The greeter was a little strange. The Thousand Spring Pavilion was a place for entertainment, so it was rare to see people admiring the moon here. However, there were some scholars and poets who liked this kind of atmosphere.
He thought for a while and said, "Then let's go to the Green Crane Residence. It's the highest place and has a wide view. You can admire the moon from the top and the lake from the bottom … "
The greeter said with some embarrassment, "Great General, the Green Crane Residence has been booked by someone."
"Who booked it?" Xu Youtong asked.
The greeter said, "The Third Prince of King Jing's family …"
Zhu Jinghong said indifferently, "No matter who booked it, go and tell them that I'm going to use it today."
The greeter was stunned, but he didn't dare to say anything else. He hurriedly bowed and led the way, bringing Zhu Jinghong and the others through the main door. After arranging a horse carriage, he hurriedly ran to report this to the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper was also a little surprised. Zhu Jinghong had always kept a low profile, so why was he so tough today? However, a prince's son indeed couldn't compare to Zhu Jinghong. If Zhu Jinghong robbed it, then so be it. Even if it was King Jing, he wouldn't say anything.
However, King An had invited him first. Not only did Zhu Jinghong reject it, but he even went and booked a room himself. This was a little strange!
To be able to become the shopkeeper of the Thousand Spring Pavilion, of course, he was smooth and slick. He was quite familiar with all kinds of forces. His interest was also piqued, and he instructed in a low voice, "Have someone pay attention to who Great General Zhu invited."
The greeter said awkwardly, "What about King An?"
"King An has a bad temper. We can't afford to offend him. If he comes, tell him that Great General Zhu is holding a banquet here. "
"Yes …"
The greeter got the order and simply ran straight to the Green Crane Residence and busily gave out orders.
The Green Crane Residence was located at the top of the Purple Swallow Mountain. The wooden house was transparent on all sides and only had light muslin as a partition. The overall style was quiet and elegant.
When drinking wine on a clean wooden board, one could see the beautiful scenery of the Melting Sun Lake from afar.
Looking down from here, the Melting Sun Lake was like a red mirror, quiet and deep.
At this time, the sun just happened to be setting in the west. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the surface of the lake. Within the red was a gorgeous gold. It was unusually magnificent, like a dream.
There was a hot spring in the courtyard. The steam was dense, making the Green Crane Residence even more magical.
After Zhu Jinghong sat down, he was quite satisfied with the scenery here. He had been to the Thousand Spring Pavilion many times, but this was the first time he came to the Green Crane Residence.
Seeing the picturesque scenery, he couldn't help but feel relieved after being depressed all day.
The greeter was quite perceptive and saw that Zhu Jinghong was very satisfied. He took the opportunity to come over and said, "Great General, what wine would you like to drink today? What dishes would you like to order?"
"The strongest wine, the most expensive dishes, and the most beautiful woman!"
Zhu Jinghong also relaxed. Since he was going to treat, it must be the best.
However, things like wine and dishes were different according to each person's taste. There was no absolute superiority or inferiority. Since he didn't know what Gao Zhengyang's taste was, he could only order this.
The greeter was also a little surprised. Zhu Jinghong was acting strangely today. In the past, he didn't touch a drop of wine and had no interest in beautiful women.
Xu Youtong added on from the side, "Don't bring over the common rouge and powder. It must be the best! "
"Miss Feihong already has an appointment …"
The greeter had a bitter expression. The most famous person in the Wan Chun Pavilion was naturally Yan Feihong. It could be said that she was famous throughout the Seven Nations. Her status was also extremely noble. When she saw the guests, she would only accompany them to drink a few cups of wine and chat a little. At most, she would play one more song.
Even so, her appointment had long been lined up for three months.
Zhu Jinghong's sudden request put him in a difficult position.
"Just go and prepare. If there's anything, I'll take responsibility."
Zhu Jinghong usually didn't have a temper, but it didn't mean that he really didn't. How could an ordinary person lead an army of eight hundred thousand and obey every order without fail?
The greeter was intimidated by Zhu Jinghong's power and didn't dare to say another word. He slipped away to report to the shopkeeper.
"This Great General Zhu is still so heroic today. Strange …"
The shopkeeper thought for a while and said, "Since he said that, invite Feihong over. Prepare the best maids and let Chef Xu bring people over to prepare as well. I want to see which esteemed guest is coming today! "
Zhu Jinghong's status was extremely important. Since he was so serious, the shopkeeper also became serious.
The Wan Chun Pavilion was not just a place to eat, drink, and play. There were also all kinds of businesses in private, such as being a broker and gathering information.
Just as the Wan Chun Pavilion was making all kinds of preparations, King An Huo Tian arrived. Devil Master Zhao Ban was with him.
Zhao Ban now looked like Tiger Flying Zen. The only difference was that he had removed the "King" character on his forehead. His entire aura was extremely gloomy. He looked like a completely different person.
Huo Tian said, "The Wan Chun Pavilion is quite interesting. If Zhu Jinghong doesn't come, we'll play by ourselves …"
During this period of hanging out with Zhao Ban, Huo Tian had already treated Zhao Ban as one of his own. He spoke to him extremely intimately.
At this moment, the greeter came over and whispered, "Your Royal Highness, Great General Zhu is at the Green Crane Residence!"
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