In the tranquil forest outside the Buddhist temple, one could still smell the fragrance of incense drifting from the Buddhist wall. However, Luo Wei had no intention of contemplating this serene and far-reaching atmosphere. He was focused solely on riding his horse towards the stone pavilion he remembered.
After following Luo Wei for a while, Long Yi finally spoke up and asked, “Your Highness, where exactly are you going?”
“We’re almost there,” Luo Wei replied shortly.
A corner of the stone pavilion peeked through the dense green leaves.
Looking at this corner of the eaves, the five Dragons were secretly prepared to take down Long Yi in one fell swoop.
“Your Highness!” Luo Tingchao was waiting anxiously in the pavilion. Hearing the sound of hooves coming closer from the forest, he was already standing outside the pavilion waiting for Luo Wei.
When Luo Wei arrived at the pavilion, he dismounted and greeted Luo Tingchao, who was holding his horse’s reins. “Master Luo, it has been a while since we last met.”
Long Yi was shocked when he saw Luo Tingchao.
As Luo Tingchao was about to respond to Luo Wei, he looked up and saw Long Yi, and was also startled.
“Do you two know each other?” Luo Wei glanced at the two of them and asked, his gaze sweeping over Ten.
The five Dragons on horseback immediately made their move against Long Yi. Since Luo Wei wanted this man dead, they wouldn’t show any mercy and attacked with all their strength, trying to take Long Yi’s life with every move.
“Speak up,” Luo Wei didn’t even look at the six people fighting over there, only asking Luo Tingchao, “Do you know him?”
Luo Tingchao looked at Luo Wei’s somewhat smiling face, cleared his throat, and said, “Your Highness, this humble one has met him before. He visited Qilin Mountain Villa.”
“Have you spoken to him?” Luo Wei asked.
“He came to inquire about Wei Lan,” Luo Tingchao said, “and even mentioned His Majesty, claiming he was investigating Wei Lan on His Majesty’s secret orders. However, I only told him that Wei Lan is an orphan, and I didn’t say anything else.”
Luo Wei turned his head to look at the six people fighting. Would Luo Tingchao, the master of a villa, know where Wei Lan’s hometown was? Luo Wei thought to himself, with Wei Lan by his side, this Luo Tingchao wouldn’t fail to inquire about him. This person must have known that Wei Lan was from Xuanzhou. “Are you sure you didn’t say anything?” Luo Wei asked Luo Tingchao again.
“Your Highness,” Luo Tingchao said with a bitter face, “even if news of Your Highness’s death spread throughout the world at that time, I would still be subject to the control of the Luo family of Youyan. I knew the purpose of this person’s visit to my mountain villa. Revealing things about Wei Lan’s identity could very likely harm Your Highness. I wouldn’t do something that harms others and does not benefit myself.”
After listening to Luo Tingchao’s explanation, Luo Wei didn’t say anything more. Instead, he said to the five Dragons, “What are you doing? Do you want to fight with him until night falls? Or do you want Master Luo to come and help you?”
“Your Highness?” Luo Tingchao thought Luo Wei really wanted him to help.
Luo Wei raised his hand to silence Luo Tingchao.
“That man’s martial arts are very high,” Luo Tingchao pointed at Long Yi and said to Luo Wei.
How could he become the head of the Dragon Cavalry Guards if he weren’t skilled? Luo Wei frowned. “They can’t defeat him?” he asked Luo Tingchao.
“The outcome is almost decided,” Luo Tingchao said. “Your Highness, please wait a little longer. The victor will emerge soon.”
Luo Wei could only stand here and watch, harboring suspicions about Luo Tingchao in his heart. However, he needed to use this person now, so some things should be investigated behind the scenes. If Luo Tingchao had mentioned Wei Lan’s hometown, Luo Wei glanced at him and decided that he wouldn’t spare this person either. “I called you here because there’s something I want you to do,” Luo Wei suppressed his murderous intent towards Luo Tingchao and said, “Do you know the Chang family in Lingnan?”
Luo Tingchao replied, “The current Empress is from the Chang family of Lingnan. Naturally, I know this prominent clan.”
“Could you do me a favor?” Luo Wei asked.
“Your Highness, please speak,” Luo Tingchao replied hurriedly.
“Go and wipe out this whole family,” Luo Wei said in a low voice.
Luo Tingchao stood there in shock. The Chang family from Lingnan was a relative of the current dynasty, and he was being asked to kill them?
“Are you afraid?” Luo Wei asked Luo Tingchao, seeing Ten’s sword piercing Long Yi’s left shoulder as he was addressing him.
“Your Highness,” Luo Tingchao said, “how could someone like me from the Jianghu dare to act against the Chang family?”
“What’s there to fear?” Luo Wei said. “Their martial experts are all away serving as generals. At most, there will only be guards in their old mansion. Can’t you handle that?”
“Just because the influential members of the Chang family are all away, if I act, will they spare this humble one in the future?” Luo Tingchao asked.
“Do you have to let everyone know when you kill someone? Are you not the master of Qilin Mountain Villa?” Luo Wei said. “You don’t know how to cover your face?”
Luo Tingchao wore a bitter expression. How could he dare to do this task?
“I’m currently residing in the palace,” Luo Wei said. “The Empress is just someone who’s fallen out of favor. You don’t need to worry about the Mother of the Nation. It’s all just a façade.”
“What about General Chang?”
“He’s the one I most want to kill. You needn’t worry about him.”
“Must Your Highness really take the lives of this family?”
Luo Wei glanced at Luo Tingchao and said, “Later, I will give you something. Don’t worry, no one will suspect that you’re responsible for the Chang family’s demise.”
After Luo Wei’s words fell, Long Yi was pushed to the ground by Ten in front of Luo Wei.
“Your Highness,” Long Yi lay on the ground and looked up at Luo Wei. His face was not bloodied, but he looked deathly pale.
Luo Wei bent down, looked at Long Yi, reached out, and took a waist token from Long Yi’s waist. Without even looking at it, he tossed it into Luo Tingchao’s hand and said, “Take this and go. Do you know what needs to be done?”
Luo Tingchao looked at the waist token. Only then did he realize that the person who came to his Qilin Mountain Villa to inquire about Wei Lan was actually a member of the Dragon Cavalry Guards.
“Master Luo,” Luo Wei turned to look at Luo Tingchao, “do you know what to do now?”
“I understand,” Luo Tingchao hurriedly replied. When it came to framing others, he certainly knew what to do.
“After you finish this, you won’t have to be controlled by me anymore,” Luo Wei said. “I’ll give you the antidote.”
Luo Tingchao didn’t quite believe Luo Wei’s words, but he dared not disobey. He quickly thanked Luo Wei, saying, “Many thanks to Your Highness. I’m willing to work for you, so Your Highness need not worry about my matters.”
“I never treat those who work for me badly,” Luo Wei said. “Rest assured, after this is done, you will see my sincerity.”
“Yes,” Luo Tingchao bowed to Luo Wei and said, “I will take my leave.”
Luo Tingchao mounted his horse and quickly rode away.
In front of the stone pavilion, only seven people remained. Luo Wei didn’t speak but listened with the five Dragons to Long Yi’s gentle wheezing due to the pain of his wounds.
“Do the Dragon Cavalry Guards always have such a low tolerance for pain?” Luo Wei asked.
Long Yi had more than a dozen wounds on his body, with the most severe one on his lung, almost suffocating him.
“Speak up!” Twelve kicked Long Yi.
After receiving this kick, Long Yi coughed up a few mouthfuls of blood, then said to Luo Wei, “Your Highness, are you planning to kill me?”
Boundless Dao 
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