The First Lackey Under The Empress

"With heads, exchange for the top spot!"

On the official ship, Zhao Du'an laughed and spoke these words, his voice amplified by his qi, rolling across the river and reaching the ears of everyone on the opposite giant warship.

At this moment, the expressions of everyone on both ships changed.

"Zhao Du'an!" Xu Jinglong's face suddenly darkened, his hands gripping the railing involuntarily, his veins slightly bulging.

His eyes seemed capable of killing.

As the Heir Apparent of Jing Wang, where did he go that he wasn't highly respected?

How long had it been since someone dared to provoke him so openly?

Especially since the other party was the Empress's lover, this unrestrained ridicule was practically writing the word "mockery" on his face.

"Ah—" From the second floor, the young men and women who were craning their necks to watch the excitement also exclaimed.

However, among the crowd, many women, besides being frightened, had a glint in their eyes, captivated by Zhao Du'an's bold words and spirit on the opposite official ship, which was clearly "smaller" in size.

Hai Tang and the other Jinyi also had strange expressions. Although she had seen Zhao Du'an's arrogant and domineering demeanor before, it was always in the capital.

She didn't expect that now, far away from the capital, he would be so uninhibited in this Huai River region.

However, Eunuch Hai was not surprised; instead, he found it interesting.

"Zhao Du'an! Do you know what you're saying?" Xu Jinglong's voice was low, "Are you trying to kill this Heir Apparent?"

Yes… Zhao Du'an thought in his heart, but he didn't give the other party a handle to grab. He withdrew his smile and said lightly:

"Is Your Highness unable to tell that this official is joking?"

A joke… Where did that sound like a joke?

The crowd looked at each other in dismay, but Zhao Du'an wouldn't really give the other party a reason to attack. He said calmly:

"Your Highness wouldn't take a few jokes seriously, would you? You look very angry. Why, coming over in such a large warship, you wouldn't be thinking of ramming this official, would you?"

Xu Jinglong was expressionless. Even though he knew that the Zhao fellow was deliberately provoking him, he couldn't do anything about it.

Of course, he couldn't openly order an attack on Zhao Du'an. Finding fault and stirring up some trouble was already the limit of what he could do at the moment.

If Duan Shuiliu took action, he could push the blame to Wu Di City for demanding the Six Talisman Armor. At most, he would just stand by and watch.

But if he really ordered a ramming, or if someone from the Jing Wang Manor attacked him, the nature of the matter would be different.

"Zhao Du'an, is it very interesting to show off your verbal skills?" Xu Jinglong said disdainfully.

Zhao Du'an sighed softly and shook his head regretfully:

"It seems that Your Highness doesn't dare to attack this official's ship. Then please move your ship, clear the way, and drive these Jianghu martial artists off the ship so that this official can reason with them."

"Don't push your luck!" Xu Jinglong said coldly.

The pomp and circumstance he displayed today was partly to give a show of force.

The real purpose was to influence the outcome of the market opening by confronting them, so that the people in the Lake Pavilion could see.

Naturally, it was impossible to move away, let alone abandon Duan Shuiliu.

Zhao Du'an's expression gradually turned cold. He looked up at the warship, but he didn't show any fear. Instead, he had an attitude of looking down:

"It seems that Your Highness is unwilling to dodge. Then don't blame the swords and arrows for having no eyes! Men!"

He suddenly shouted:

"Where are the Imperial Guards of the Capital? What should they do when encountering the enemy?"

Hou Renmeng grinned fiercely and took the lead in saying:

"The Pear Blossom Hall will fight to the death!"

In the corner of the deck, the Drunken Swordsman Lang Shiliu and the socially awkward female ghost Ji Yue raised their heads.

Zhao Du'an said in a deep voice: "Draw your bows, nock your arrows!"

There were no cannons on this official ship, but to prevent accidents, the accompanying Imperial Guards carried bows and arrows to deal with possible "water battles."

At this moment, at his command, the Pear Blossom Hall constables, who were already prepared, and a team of Imperial Guards drawn from various camps in the capital, rushed to get their bows and arrows and lined up in a row on the deck.

One yellow Yang wood bow after another was drawn, the bowstrings taut, the arrows raised, locking onto the third floor of the warship.

In the blink of an eye, one arrow after another, reflecting the light of the sun, locked onto the warship!

"Ah—" This time, those men and women watching the excitement finally panicked a little, screaming and dodging, worried about being accidentally injured by the rain of arrows.

The Jing Wang Manor's private soldiers on the deck also changed color one after another, looking up at the third floor, waiting for the Heir Apparent's order.

"You dare!" Xu Jinglong finally changed color, "Do you dare to attack and kill a member of the royal family?"

Zhao Du'an smiled and said:

"Your Highness, don't misunderstand. We are only going to shoot and kill this reckless Jianghu man. Your Highness, don't stand with him, lest you be accidentally injured later. When this official enters the city, how will I explain it to Prince Jing?"

Xu Jinglong was annoyed. How could he not understand that they were coming for him?

From beginning to end, Zhao Du'an had not even spoken to Duan Shuiliu.

His thoughts flashed, and he was about to speak, but he only heard Zhao Du'an, completely devoid of martial ethics, decisively shout:

"Release the arrows!"

A series of continuous bowstring vibrations.

Xu Jinglong's pupils narrowed, clearly seeing a dense rain of arrows rising against the current, pouring towards him from the official ship below, a blatant posture of killing!

He really dares? How dare he? Doesn't he know that this is the Huai River, not the capital?

Where does this guy get the confidence to still be so arrogant?

Many thoughts flashed through his mind, but Xu Jinglong did not dodge. His expression was still calm, but he looked at Duan Shuiliu beside him.

A moment before Zhao Du'an ordered the arrows to be released, the middle-aged man, who had been ignored since his appearance, was short in stature and wrapped in a gray robe, had a somber face, and anger flashed between his eyebrows.

He took a step forward, and his heavy step landed on the deck without any fireworks!

At this moment, a powerful and domineering force, in a posture of "hitting a cow across the mountain", instantly went from top to bottom, penetrating the deck of the three-story building without damaging the deck at all. However, the abundant force was like an iron bull entering the sea, passing into the river water.

"Ah!" Amidst the exclamations, the huge warship actually swayed with Duan Shuiliu's step!

With just one step, the ironclad warship almost lost its balance!

What a terrifying force this was!

And when that force entered the river water, in an instant, a series of "rumbling" sounds erupted on the river surface, like thunder.

Under the watchful eyes of the public, the river water between the two ships was suddenly raised stiffly, and the cold river water condensed into a water wall, blocking the middle of the arrow barrage!

"Puff!"

"Puff!"

"Puff!"

… …

The dense arrows, enough to pierce leather armor, all crashed into the magnificent water wall, were all bounced off, and turned into black dots like ants burned to death by flames, scattering into the river water.

What magnificence!

… …

Far away.

Inland from the Lake Pavilion pier, a series of buildings were built on a hillside adjacent to the river.

At this moment, on the rooftop at the top of the tallest building.

Princess Xu Junling, with an oval face, elegant and generous, and with the reputation of "The Number One Talented Woman in Jiangnan," followed her father and brother to watch the battle here.

Prince Huaian Xu An, who was stout and had the title of "Gluttonous Prince," was holding an object similar to a telescope in his hand, one end pressed against his eye socket, overlooking the battle between the two ships.

This "Thousand Li Tube" was not a magic weapon, but it was originally an object produced by the Tianshi Mansion and later popularized in the army.

With Prince Huaian's ability, he could naturally obtain it to compensate for his lack of eyesight.

"Father, Zhao Du'an actually dared to release arrows directly? What exactly did Xu Jinglong say to lead the situation in this direction?"

Xu Qian, the direct son of Prince Huaian, who was also holding a Thousand Li Tube and observing the distance, took off the metal tube, unable to hide his shock.

Xu Junling did not use this thing, because the huge water wall was already so large that it could be seen with the naked eye.

She said calmly:

"Xu Jinglong still acts with principles, even if he provokes, he controls the situation, but Zhao Du'an doesn't."

Xu Qian, as the elder brother, looked at his sister, who had a greater reputation than himself, in surprise:

"Are you saying that Zhao Du'an, facing the suppression of the warship and the threat of Duan Shuiliu, took the initiative to release arrows to provoke? Does he think this is the capital? Is he really not afraid of dying a violent death here?"

Xu Junling glanced at her brother and looked at the battlefield on the river with a very complicated expression. She shook her head and said:

"Because you haven't met Zhao Du'an. If you had, you would know that Xu Jinglong is no different from a clown compared to him."

Xu Qian was a little unconvinced and was about to retort.

Suddenly, he heard his father, Prince Huaian, who was focused on watching the show, say:

"Look quickly!"

Thanks to Sword Heart Kyoto for the big reward!