Chapter 152: Mourning and Honor

y rank catchers all have blue waist badges, different from the ordinary black ones, people often call them Blue Badge Catchers.Because of this promotion rule, Qi State's headhunters are usually strong...Xincheng, the temple of sacrifice.

Dong A's death was for the country.

He died in battle while serving as vice-phase and should be honored.

So his coffin is now resting on the sacrificial hall.

After the dust settled on the national war, Zhuang Gaoen and Du Ruhui immediately returned to Xincheng. They were so eager to return that they didn't even bother settling their troops first, leaving only Huangfu Duanming, who was seriously injured, to deal with things alone.

A segment can die, He Bai Dao can die, as long as their death holds value.

But Dong'a's death was a matter that shook the country.

It is easy to find talent, but difficult to find a match for it.

>

To be frank, Dong A's death directly shook the entire battlefield, forcing Zhuang Gao Xian to launch a decisive battle prematurely.

Looking back, Dong A's death created a void in talent after Du Ruhui, and prevented Du Ruhui from focusing on his cultivation, which impacted Dong Zhen.

Because besides Dong A, no one else has the ability and prestige to take over the position again.

Now Dong An's dismembered corpse lay inside the coffin.

The various parts of the body are merely assembled together in a simple manner.

With eyes wide open, the expression on his face as he died was a smile.

Dong'a hadn't smiled in many years, no matter if he was promoted or his cultivation improved, his face was always solemn and serious. For so many years, he didn't even have a polite smile. Even Du Ruhui had forgotten that he could smile.

And he laughed so wildly, so unrestrainedly.

This guy has been with him for so many years.

Unknowingly, I have grown from a rigid and proper boy into a serious and upright middle-aged man.

From a lowly constable who was constantly met with setbacks and injuries, he grew into a formidable, highly reliable Vice Minister of State.

Then died, becoming the fragmented corpse it is now.

Du Ruhui lowered his head and gazed into Dong A's wide-open eyes, as if trying to see the murderer's face in them.

Of course, this is futile.

Those eyes, must have etched the murderer's face into memory.

It had already dissipated.

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Even though Du Ruhui was a peerless warrior, a top-tier divine general, he couldn't find the answer in those eyes.

The Zhuang Kingdom won the Battle of Yong, but a deputy prime minister died. The killer remains unknown. There were no signs of involvement from Yong, Luo, Mo, or Cheng.

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The earliest investigation into the cause of death was conducted by Lin Zhengren, one of the Six Masters of the National Academy. However, no useful clues were found.

This body will never speak again, never stand up to oppose his views.

It sounds like a good thing, but it's not that simple.

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Du Ruhui watched silently, in a long silence.

Zhuang Gao'en stood beside him, looking at his expression, and felt that his prime minister was truly getting old.

"What kind of jade is this" Zhuang Gao Xian asked.

He reached out and from Dong A's body, at the position of her heart, picked up a piece of jade pendant that was green in color.

Dong's relics were all well-preserved, even the most precious Two Realms Ruler was not lost. This jade bi disk was one of the relics. It is said that when the body was discovered, this jade bi disk was placed just like this, no one had moved it.

>

Du Ruhui took a glance, pondered for a moment, and said: "If my memory serves me right, it should be the legacy of Zhang Xinglei, a close friend of Dong A."

"Zhang Xinliang" Zhuang Gaoxian seemed unfamiliar with the name.

Du Ruhui sighed: "Your Majesty, you shouldn't forget him. He died from exhaustion at the Jiuxiao Altar on Yujing Mountain to secure resources for Zhuang Guodaoyuan."

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"It was indeed a hero from my state of Zhuang." Zhuang Gao said with an awed and solemn expression: "I should not have forgotten him."

Du Ruhui did not say anything more, he just reached out and took the jade pendant, then was about to put it back into Dong A's heart.

But when the jade's warm touch reached his fingers, he suddenly frowned: "I remember Dong A, it seems like she hasn't worn this jade for a long time."

“You’re saying…” Zhuang Gaoxian also turned around: “This jade pendant could have been left by the murderer”

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"I suddenly remembered something Dong A once told me." Du Ruhui rubbed the blue jade bi in his hand and suddenly said.

Zhuang Gaoxian looked at him, his eyes questioning.

"Liu Yian, the former lord of Fenglin City, had previously demanded an explanation for the fall of Fenglin City and said he would kneel to death before the Temple of Worship."

Du Ruhui pointed outside the hall: "It's probably about there."

"What then" Despite being a question, Zhuang Gaoxian's voice was devoid of any fluctuation.

"Dong A killed him to avoid any influence, and spread the word that he died of illness."

"Dong A did the right thing," Zhuang Gao Xian said in a tone as if he were overlooking mortals from atop a cloud. "But Liu Yi'an's family should also receive compensation. His children and descendants could be selectively admitted to the Daoist Academy for cultivation."

“Liu Yi'an had no children. Because of his declining cultivation, when he stepped down from the position of city lord, he didn't take anything…” Du Ruhui's face was expressionless as he shook his head and said, "Dong A told me about this matter, not to claim credit, but to plead guilty. He said he shouldn't have recklessly killed a meritorious official, and asked me to depose him."

After arriving at Dongzhen, Zhuang Gaoxian focused on consolidating his cultivation and exploring new realms of practice. As for national and regional affairs, Du Ruhui continued to handle them. Therefore, Liu Yi'an's matter remained unknown to him.

Only until now has his expression finally become somewhat serious: “Master Du, that was our joint decision.”

"No." Du Ruhui continued to shake his head. "Your Majesty, you are a wise and benevolent ruler, you cannot have the slightest blemish. That is my own decision. I just..."

He finally just sighed: "Dong at that time seemed like he wanted to tell me something, but he didn't."

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The expression on his face finally became dull.

Just like enduring a long, arduous winter, what awaits is the depth of autumn.

“Duke Dǒng was buried with the rites of a sovereign.” Zhuang Gao sighed in admiration.

To have treated the funeral with national rites is already the utmost in honor and respect.

Du Ruhui gripped the azure jade pendant in his hand, silent for a moment before saying: "I think I know why Zhu Wei suddenly knew the truth about Fenglin City and chose to betray the country."

Zhuang Gao's eyes were deep: "Does he know the murderer"

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This jade pendant, originally belonging to Zhang Xinyiang and later worn by Dong Asui, appeared in the hands of the murderer. The possibilities are not many.

Dong A has always been straightforward and honest, and he is not attracted to women. He has never married and therefore it's impossible for him to have any illegitimate children.

And when it came to Zhu Wei's sudden betrayal, the scope narrowed considerably.

The Fenglin City domain, or the Fenglin City Daoist Academy, someone survived...

"This person must die."

Du Ruhui, holding a jade pendant tightly, said earnestly: "No matter who he is."

"Naturally," Zhuang Gao Xian said, "The deputy prime minister of the state of Zhuang cannot die without a reason."

Du Ruhui clutched the jade pendant in his fist, silent for a moment.

This is the end of a paragraph.

Then Zhuang Gao Xian bowed deeply to the person, turned and flew away!

>ategic goals and can be said to have triumphed. From today onwards, Zhuang's territory has extended beyond Qichang Mountains and, using Luolong Pass as a stronghold, it now stares down upon Yong's hin...