Chapter 45: The Summoning

"Ding! Please remove two characters for the host."

"System, remove Lü Bu and Zhang Churang, and summon from the remaining three: Chiyou, Luo Shixin, and Houyi!"

The contrast in levels among these five individuals is quite distinct, making the choice relatively straightforward.

After all, Lü Bu and Zhang Churang have only preliminary reached the level of Divine Generals, whereas Chiyou and Luo Shixin have already attained a considerably high tier among Divine Generals.

As for Houyi, although his 106 rating is also considered a newcomer's entry, as a legendary archer of mythology, he undoubtedly possesses extraordinary capabilities.

"Ding! Congratulations to the host for acquiring Houyi. Command: 81, Might: 106, Intelligence: 76, Politics: 72, Charm: 95.

Current age: twenty-three. Three years ago, the host assisted Houyi's sickly mother. To repay the host's kindness, Houyi became the host's personal guard and joined the Eastern Garrison Army.

Meanwhile, Houyi is also one of the three great Divine Generals of the Eastern Garrison Army. However, because he rarely makes a move, true knowledge of his actual strength remains hidden from the world.

Hearing that the host was ambushed on the way to the capital, he traveled alone by order to protect the host and is currently waiting outside the Drunken Dream Pavilion.

Carrying the Sun-Shooting Bow."

Among the four regional general mansions, the Eastern Garrison Army and the Northern Garrison Army are the two strongest, each boasting two Divine Generals, though all of them are newly entered into the divine tier.

On the other hand, the Western Garrison Army and the Southern Garrison Army each possess only a single Divine General, similarly at the newly entered divine tier, with base might levels at either 105 or 106.

Yet, with the arrival of Houyi, the Eastern Garrison Army now commands three great Divine Generals.

"Who dares to harm the son of I, Lü Shenmo!" A furious shout rang out, and the person who was supposed to arrive finally appeared. However, Lü Shenmo had arrived somewhat faster than Wang Yu had anticipated.

Today, Cheng Zhe had originally brought Lü Chong along simply to foster goodwill with his eldest nephew, Lü Chong, and incidentally because the premier courtesan, Ye Wanqing, was rarely scheduled to perform, prompting their visit.

Who could have expected that after getting drunk, Lü Chong would commit such foolish acts? Even if Lü Chong failed to recognize the factions he had provoked, how could Cheng Zhe possibly fail to recognize them?

Realizing that a major catastrophe was imminent, Cheng Zhe immediately whipped his horse into a frenzy to seek out Lü Shenmo. After all, Cheng Zhe alone could never hope to quell this mess.

Yet, upon leading Lü Shenmo to the Drunken Dream Pavilion, he was already met with the news that Lü Chong's arm had been severed.

Consumed by rage, Lü Shenmo refused to listen further or inquire into the root cause of the incident. He hoisted his battle halberd and, throwing caution to the wind, charged straight in.

As soon as Lü Shenmo arrived, the crowd instinctively parted to both sides, revealing the prominent figures at the front. Of course, there was also Lü Chong, who had been knocked unconscious by a single palm strike.

At this moment, out of humanitarian considerations, the Drunken Dream Pavilion had merely applied a simple bandage to Lü Chong, whose appearance was utterly wretched.

"Chong'er!" Catching sight of Lü Chong's condition and hastily inspecting his injuries, Lü Shenmo cried out in anguish, his tone laden with an uncontrollable, surging fury.

Even so, Lü Shenmo did not act rashly. By this point, he had clearly observed the faces of those in the front row. Aside from the Fourth Imperial Prince and the Princess, although he only recognized Wang Yu and Zhao Kuangwei among the others, he dared not act imprudently.

After all, those capable of sitting in the same front row—how vastly different could their respective statuses and influences possibly be?

"Greetings to the Fourth Imperial Prince!" Suppressing the rage in his heart for the moment, out of courtly etiquette, Lü Shenmo bowed first to the Fourth Imperial Prince, Huangfu Mingfeng.

"Commander Lü, this Lü Chong first collided with the Imperial Prince and then attempted to harass the young ladies present. I wonder if General Lü routinely instructs his offspring in this manner!" Zhao Kuangwei chuckled lightly.

Wang Yu turned his head for a quick glance, inwardly marveling at this fellow's craftiness. With a single move, he had shifted the entire blame onto Lü Chong, pinning a heavy charge upon him right from the start. Under such preconceived notions cultivated by Zhao Kuangwei, the one facing a massive headache now was none other than Lü Shenmo.

After all, the things Lü Chong had done tonight could be interpreted as either grave or minor. Minimizing it, they were merely the drunken antics of an inebriated man. Maximizing it, it constituted a grave disrespect to the imperial family and a deliberate provocation against the major aristocratic clans.

True to expectation, the moment Zhao Kuangwei uttered those words, the oppressive aura radiating from the previously menacing Lü Shenmo involuntarily leaked away by a fraction.

"Never mind. Tonight is merely Young General Lü acting foolishly in his cups; it should not be taken to heart. I wonder what brings General Lü here tonight?" Huangfu Mingfeng spoke up, to the astonishment of everyone present.

Hearing this, the surrounding onlookers cast bewildered gazes toward Huangfu Mingfeng, unable to comprehend his motive for making such a statement.

In particular, Zhao Kuangwei and Dongfang Jiaonü—though it was Wang Yu who had severed Lü Chong's arm, they too had intervened tonight. This Fourth Imperial Prince seemed entirely capable of dragging them down into the mud with him!

Wang Yu felt a similar sense of surprise. The Fourth Imperial Prince's reaction was rather amiss; he had no logical reason to bail Lü Shenmo out!

Yet, the very next instant, a previously overlooked detail flashed brightly in Wang Yu's mind. Right at the beginning, it seemed to be this very Fourth Imperial Prince who had inadvertently drawn Lü Chong into their private compartment, setting off the subsequent chain of events.

Bai Ruolan and Beiming Qingying felt an identical undercurrent of dissatisfaction. After all, Lü Chong had just attempted to offend them. Yet Huangfu Mingfeng's remark effectively absolved Lü Chong of the greater part of his wrongdoing.

As for Sima Qingrou, he had remained in the position of a spectator from the very beginning. With acute perception, Sima Qingrou had sensed from the outset that tonight's events carried an unusual, extraordinary undertone.

However, correctly deducing that the night's machinations were not directed at him, Sima Qingrou had silently chosen to fade into an invisible presence.

Even so, Huangfu Mingfeng's intervention rendered the situation infinitely more complex. Furthermore, his words subtly hinted that far more layers were hidden beneath the surface.

"Many thanks to Your Highness for your magnanimity. May I ask if Your Highness can inform me precisely who inflicted such a heavy blow upon my unworthy son?" Lü Shenmo immediately cupped his hands and bowed.

Huangfu Mingfeng had indeed handed Lü Shenmo an unexpected reprieve. Under Zhao Kuangwei's accusatory query, Lü Shenmo had initially lost the initiative. But with Huangfu Mingfeng's declaration, Lü Shenmo reclaimed the upper hand.

After all, since an Imperial Prince had stated that Lü Chong's prior actions stemmed from drunkenness, then he was naturally drunk. Since an Imperial Prince had declared that Lü Chong's prior offenses counted for nothing, then they naturally counted for nothing.

Prompted by Lü Shenmo's inquiry, even before Huangfu Mingfeng could reply, many present subconsciously cast glances in Wang Yu's direction.

Lü Shenmo's strength fell only a hair's breadth short of the peak Divine General level. These subtle reactions naturally could not escape his perception. At that moment, even without anyone answering aloud, Lü Shenmo already knew the answer.

"You severed my son's arm. Today, you shall likewise receive one strike from me. Once that strike is delivered, all grievances between us shall be wiped clean!"

Lü Shenmo instinctively sensed something amiss, but even so, he could never let the severing of his only son's arm pass by easily.

Naturally, how that single strike would be executed was entirely up to him to decide!