Chapter 20: Ambushed in the Dead of Night (Seeking Recommendations and Bookmarks)

  "Report! General, Lord Qi has arrived and requests an audience."

  "Vertical Gonggong?" The people in the hall, including Qin Xiao Tian, were stunned for a moment, because they all knew that this Vertical Gonggong was a big shot next to the Emperor, and his appearances usually meant there was an imperial edict to be read. Of course, only Zhang Hua Ming did not know who Vertical Gonggong was.

  "Quickly, please come in." Qin Xiao Tian said as he himself stood up and walked to the entrance of the hall to welcome them.

  "General Qin is right." Zong Gong smiled and nodded at Qin Xiao Tian.

  "Mr. Chu has courtesy." Qin Xiao Tian and others returned the courtesy.

  "Congratulations General Zhang, felicitations General Zhang." Shu Gong Gong beamed with joy and bowed repeatedly to Zhang Huaming.

  "Ah!" Qin Xiao Tian and the others heard the vertical public's address to Zhang Hua Ming, each slightly stunned for a moment, the next moment every face had a smile.

  "Your Majesty's decree."

  "Long live, long live, long long live." Qin Xiao Tian led his subordinates to kneel down on one knee.

  "By the Emperor's decree, Zhang Hua is hereby awarded the title of Fierce Tiger General for his outstanding achievements in the battle at Yunzhong City. He is granted a noble mansion, 100 maidservants, 10,000 taels of gold, 1,000 taels of silver, and a Qilin warhorse... Let it be known."

  "Thank you for your imperial kindness."

  "Here's a little something, please accept it." When Qin Xiao Tian took over the imperial edict on behalf of Zhang Hua Ming, he secretly stuffed a few silver notes into the eunuch's sleeve.

  "General Qin, how can this be?" The eunuch immediately pulled out the silver note that Qin Xiao Tian had stuffed into his sleeve and desperately tried to push it away. As someone who could stand by the emperor's side as a favorite, he was no ordinary person. He understood that some people could put on airs, while others absolutely couldn't afford to be offended. And Zhang Hua Ming and Qin Xiao Tian were precisely the kind of people that even this favorite of the emperor didn't dare offend.

  "Ah! Officer, this isn't a bribe, just a little money for you to have a drink. If you don't accept it, then that's like looking down on me and my brother." Qin Xiao Tian said with a serious expression.

  When Shu Gonggong heard Qin Xiao Tian's words, his facial expression changed for a moment before he immediately put on a smiling face and said: "Since General Qin has spoken to this extent, if I were to retreat now, I would be too impolite. In that case, I will thank Generals Qin and Zhang on behalf of my brothers for their generous reward."

  "Haha! What are you talking about, Master? In the future, Qin and Zhang will still have to rely on your good words in front of others."

  "General Qin, now that we've spoken openly, if in the future you need me for anything, just give the order and I'll absolutely have no second thoughts."

  "Thank you so much, Mr. Gong."

  "Come in..." Qin Xiao Tian called out towards the doorway.

  "General."

  "Immediately order someone to arrange a table of fine wine and dishes, General will entertain you well."

  "General Qin, you're excused. I have other pressing matters at hand. Another day, another day."

  "Oh? Since Mr. Chu has something important to attend to, then Qin Mou will not stay long either. Next time there's an opportunity, Qin Mou will accompany Mr. Chu in a drinking bout until the end."

  "Definitely, definitely." The old man replied with a smile on his face.

  "Please."

  After Qin Xiao Tian and others sent off Master Zhang, everyone returned to the main hall, each with a smiling expression looking at Zhang Hua Ming.

  "Alright! Zhang, this time I think His Majesty has made a costly investment." Qin Xiao Tian said with a teasing expression, looking at Zhang Hua Ming.

  "Haha!" Zhang Huaming smiled slightly, but in his heart he admired Zheng Chenggong's emperor-like demeanor three parts. He was willing to spend such a large sum of money to win him over instead of getting rid of him. It seemed that every emperor had their own unique insight.

  "Haha! This time our Hu Tiger Team has produced two generals, Town General and Hu Tiger Team General. What an honor!" Wang Hu exclaimed with a face full of excitement, without any hint of jealousy.

  "This time, when that Liu fellow hears this news, he'll probably be so angry that he'll vomit blood." Wang Shi exclaimed with an excited expression.

  "Alright, everyone, don't be so excited. To be honest, this reward from His Majesty is actually nothing to Zhang." Qin Xiao Tian didn't find the emperor's reward strange at all, it was a very normal thing.

  In the dead of night, Zhang Huaming sat cross-legged in his room, circulating his internal energy and absorbing the external spiritual energy. Suddenly, a faint sound startled him awake.

  "Anyone there?" Zhang Huaming's eyes snapped open, a cold glint flashed across his face, and his figure slipped out of the window like a ghost.

  As soon as Zhang Huaming appeared on the rooftop, he saw a person wearing black clothes and a tight suit quietly approaching the wing of the house where he was. Seeing this scene, Zhang Huaming narrowed his eyes, slightly bent his body downwards, and held his breath, just like a hunting leopard waiting for its prey to arrive.

  "What's the cultivation level of the Martial King? Who is this person?" Zhang Huaming was secretly puzzled in his heart, because he felt the cultivator's realm of the incoming person. It's rare to have a Martial King in Xia Guo, and you can count them on one hand, but who among the four major families came tonight?

  Fifty meters...

  Ten meters...

  Five meters...

  Zhang Huaming's luck and true energy gathered on his fists and legs, his muscles tensed up instantly, ready to strike down the enemy.

  Splash!

  "Who's there?" Zhang Huaming shouted loudly, his voice containing a hint of Shaolin Temple's Lion Roar technique.

  "Ah!" The newcomer clearly hadn't expected to be discovered, and with the sudden roar of the lion, even though his cultivation had reached the Martial King realm, he was momentarily stunned.

  "Terrible." Liu Ming's expression changed, he never thought that his whereabouts would be exposed, and he immediately gathered the Wu Yuan in his hands to block Zhang Huaming's incoming fists.

  Boom! A loud explosion sounded in the void, and a figure flew out several meters. The incoming figure seemed to be impacted by some kind of force, continuously retreating over ten steps on the roof, causing the roof tiles to emit a series of cracking sounds.

  "Whirlwind Kick!" Zhang Huaming endured the pain in his fists, and with a tap of his toes on the eaves, his figure rose into the air like a wild goose, his legs whipping out like whirlwinds to kick the approaching person.

  "This kid." Liu Ming's mind was shocked, although he had received the news that Zhang Huaming was a high-ranking Wu Zong realm, but in the brief moment of their exchange just now, he found that the other party's attack power had actually reached the initial Wu Wang real strength. How is this possible?

  "So fast." Liu Ming felt a strong sense of threat surge up in that moment of shock, instantly abandoning his stunned state and quickly turning to dash towards the distance.

  "Boom!" The carriage house, having lost its target, instantly collapsed downwards.

  Swish swish! Several figures instantly appeared beside Zhang Huaming. The arrivals were none other than Qin Xiao Tian and his companions.

  "Zhang Lao Di, who is it?" Qin Xiao Tian's face turned serious and his expression changed.

  "I don't know." Zhang Huaming shook his head, a playful smile appearing on his face: "But I probably know who it is. Earth attribute technique, Wu Wang, heh heh! They really do think highly of me, Zhang Huaming."

  "Earth attribute technique? Wu Wang?" Qin Xiao Tian and the others were taken aback, their faces changing color. The next moment, Qin Xiao Tian sneered coldly: "Alright! This Liu family is getting more and more interesting, actually unable to hold back so quickly."

  "Alright Qin ge, it's fine now. There are a lot of flies around here, let's go down!" Zhang Huaming smiled and glanced at some corners before jumping down.

  After Qin Xiao Tian and the others landed, Zhang Hua Ming's expression changed slightly, and in the next moment, a mouthful of blood spurted out, his face suddenly turning pale.

  "Brother Zhang, younger brother..." Qin Xiao Tian and others saw this scene and immediately changed their expressions, shouting.

  "It's nothing." Zhang Huaming waved his hand, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes: "The Wu Wang realm is indeed extraordinary."

  "Big brother, find a quiet room for me, I need to meditate and recover from my injuries."

  "Alright." Qin Xiao Tian nodded and instructed Wang Shi and Wang Bao, who were supporting Zhang Hua Ming: "You two help Brother Zhang to the west wing house, Wang Hu."

  "Belonging to the lower class."

  "At night, you and Old Hu take turns on duty, strengthening the defense within the mansion."

  "Yes, General."

  "Thanks to you two brothers, go back and rest now!" Zhang Huaming said with a smile.

  "Alright, Brother Zhang, take a good rest and recover from your injuries. Tonight, my third brother and I will keep watch outside for you, so you can feel at ease and focus on healing." Wang Shi nodded and then left with Wang Bao.

  "Wu Wang, Liu family, haha!" Zhang Huaming sat on the bed with a cold smile, a flash of murderous intent in his eyes.