Chapter 87: The Schemes of the Great Families

Chu Han was instantly enraged by the other man’s rude manner and contemptuous gaze. He was always tolerant of how others treated him, but if anyone dared to lay a hand on Tang Hao, then the matter was no longer so simple.

“I’m giving you a chance. Take those words back now, or don’t blame me for being rude.”

Clenching both fists, Chu Han still did not strike at once. After all, this was the army, and the emperor had always treated their father and son fairly. He ought to show the emperor some respect. But if this man dared speak insultingly again, then Chu Han would show no mercy.

Tang Hao tried to hold him back, not letting him move, but Chu Han shook off his hand at once. This was his bottom line; if anyone crossed it, he would never let them go.

“So what if I said it was you? What are you going to do to me? Get lost. Even fighting you would dirty my hands...”

Before the words were even finished, Chu Han had already rushed forward. The man did not even see his movement clearly, only a flash of lightning, and then Chu Han’s enormous fist was already before his face. It was too late to dodge.

The blow struck his cheek, and he was sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground. His face was already covered in blood, and he immediately fell unconscious.

The instant Chu Han made his move, more than a dozen soldiers rushed over in a clamor, surrounding father and son and standing ready to attack. Chu Han merely gave a cold snort, took out Tang Hao’s viscount token, and said, “Open your dog eyes and see what this is.”

A man who looked like a squad leader stepped forward, took the token, and then was greatly startled. Looking at Chu Han and Tang Hao, he said, “So it’s the viscount who struck a man. What an offense. You’ve come, and yet didn’t say so beforehand. Truly, I’m sorry. Since the viscount only just took up his post, my men did not recognize you.”

Though the captain was apologizing, no one could mistake the expression on his face for sincerity. It was still full of disdain and mockery. Chu Han’s heart stirred; it seemed the other side had come prepared.

A captain like this would never dare speak to a viscount in such a way, so someone must be backing him from behind. Thinking of this, Chu Han grew more cautious. It seemed this inspection of the army would not be so simple.

“No matter. The ignorant are not to be blamed. We came to inspect your equipment. I’m sure you’ve heard already: the viscount is responsible for forging the army’s equipment and weapons. Lead the way.”

Chu Han smiled faintly. Though he loathed these people, he did not show it on his face. He still wore that easy smile, keeping joy and anger hidden alike. He had long since mastered such composure in his previous life.

The other man nodded and ordered that the burly man who had just been struck be dragged away. Then he personally led Chu Han and Tang Hao to inspect the equipment.

After entering the storage room, Chu Han made a brief survey and found nothing amiss. Only then did he let out a breath of relief.

“Father, stay here and watch. I’ll go outside and take a look first. If anything happens, just call me.”

After Tang Hao agreed, Chu Han finally stepped out of the room, leaving Tang Hao alone inside to inspect the weapons and equipment.

Yet no sooner had Chu Han left than a blurry human shadow appeared behind Tang Hao, a dagger in hand. Tang Hao, however, remained wholly absorbed in checking the equipment, feeling nothing at all.

Just as the dagger was about to plunge into Tang Hao’s body, a figure flashed by, pushing Tang Hao aside. Then a right hand seized the attacker’s wrist. With a slight exertion of force, the dagger fell to the floor, and the man’s wrist was crushed.

This figure was none other than Chu Han. His earlier pretence of going outside had been false; in truth, he had never left the room. The moment he entered, he sensed that something was wrong. A thick killing intent lingered in the storage room, refusing to disperse, and only then did he devise this plan.

Sure enough, the moment he stepped out, the other side moved, and it was an expert in assassination. He seemed far inferior to Xue Ming, but he was more than enough to kill Tang Hao.

“Speak. Who sent you? Tell me, and I’ll spare your life.”

Chu Han crouched down and looked at him coldly.

The other man still said nothing. His gaze remained icy, and his expression was fiercely resolute, as though he had made some great decision.

Suddenly, Chu Han thought of something and was greatly shocked. Just as he was about to move, he realized it was already too late. The man clenched his teeth hard, collapsed to the ground with a thud, his face turning black and his lips a dark purple. He had already been poisoned to death; there was no saving him.

Chu Han felt somewhat frustrated. It seemed he had still been careless. They had actually sent a dead soldier assassin, one who, if the assassination failed, would immediately kill himself. They had hidden poison in the gaps between the teeth in advance, so that a single bite would let him die by poison.

He had seen such killers before in his previous life, yet he had still underestimated them this time. An uneasy feeling stirred faintly in his heart. Such an assassin could never truly threaten him, and yet one had still appeared. There had to be a plot behind it.

The thought had barely formed when more than a dozen men rushed in. Seeing the corpse on the ground, they were all stunned.

“Viscount, why did you kill one of our soldiers? You should know that this is a capital offense. Even I can’t help you now.”

Looking at the other man’s expression and his feigned shock, Chu Han gave a cold laugh, understanding that the other side had come for him. Right now they were in the army; he could not possibly explain himself clearly. They would certainly make this corpse disappear, and then there would be no evidence left to prove their innocence.

“Drop the act. Just say what you want. My father may only be a viscount, but the death of a single soldier won’t be enough to do us in.”

Chu Han was not foolish either. Father and son were now favored before the emperor. Losing one soldier was not enough to bring them down. But it was better to avoid trouble if possible. The other side surely had conditions; it could not be this simple.

However, the man glanced at the soldiers around him and smiled faintly.

“As expected of Chu Han. Since you put it that way, I’ll be direct. You offended the Xue family, so this is your own fault. Today, you will absolutely not leave this military camp alive, so savor your final moment in peace.”

He laughed heartily, then led the soldiers away.

Chu Han could clearly feel that the storage room was already surrounded, and that the others were all experts at the very least at the level of the three palaces of the Dao Palace realm. Their numbers were many. Today would be a bitter battle indeed.

“Father, wait here for a while. They won’t be able to keep us here so easily. I’ll go break through them and then take you out.”

Chu Han’s face darkened.

Again it was the Xue family. He had known they would come looking for trouble sooner or later, but he had not expected it to be so soon. It seemed that even after he had brought down the Tang Prince’s Estate, he still had not made the great families of the imperial capital behave themselves. Once today’s matter was settled, he would have to strike again.

He extended his right hand and formed a barrier in the storage room, blocking the people outside from rushing in and protecting Tang Hao. Then he slowly walked out on his own, his expression vicious and twisted.

“Han’er, be careful. They are not easy to deal with.”

Tang Hao was somewhat worried. After all, the other side had come prepared; this would never be simple.

“Father, rest assured. They still cannot do anything to me. Just wait here properly, and do not take a single step out of this storage room.”