HMIME Chapter 51: The Correct Way to Speak Ill of Others Behind Their Backs

In the dead of night, the carriage slowly stopped in front of a large mansion on the outskirts of the city.

Bai Lu peeked through the curtain and saw under the pitch-black night sky that the atmosphere of this mansion was eerie and terrifying. The vermilion gates were mottled, cold wind whispered through the cracks, and the lanterns hanging from the eaves were tattered. Moss covered the steps, giving the impression of an abandoned mansion.

Full of suspicion, Bai Lu wondered if the economic benefits of the Sky Wolf Sect were so poor that they had to live in an abandoned mansion.

After getting off the carriage, Bai Lu followed them through the uneven threshold and entered the outer courtyard.

The outer courtyard was still dilapidated, with the central relief screen already collapsed, and weeds growing in the corners. The blue stone bricks beneath his feet were cracked.

However, upon passing through the moon gate into the second courtyard, the scenery immediately changed. The aura of decay dissipated, and clean white walls and blue tiles surrounded them. Stone lanterns lit candles inside, making it look like a normal mansion.

Bai Lu pondered in secret. It seemed that the dilapidated appearance of this mansion was just to deceive outsiders and conceal themselves.

They wandered through the mansion, and after some twists and turns, Bai Lu finally saw Chen Hu in the brightly lit hall.

This man, about thirty or forty years old, was tall and strong, with a fierce and vicious look. He had a stubbly beard and wore a black eye patch over his left eye.

Bai Lu immediately recognized him as Chen Hu because he perfectly matched the image of a bandit leader from a TV drama. He looked like a bad guy who would be taken away by the police even if he went out to buy groceries.

If the second-in-command was so ferocious, how terrifying would the leader be? Would he even eat human flesh and drink blood?!

Chen Hu sat on a grandmaster chair, with several burly men standing beside him, all of whom looked formidable.

Chen Hu picked up a wine cup and drank it all, then slammed the cup heavily on the table, glanced at Bai Lu with a rough and angry voice, and ordered, “Come here!”

Bai Lu steadied his mind and walked over, stopping a few steps away from him. Calmly, he said, “Second-in-command.”

Snap!

Chen Hu suddenly grabbed the wine cup next to him and smashed it directly on Bai Lu. The cup fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.

Bai Lu was hit on the arm, feeling a bit painful, but he didn’t pay attention for the moment. He didn’t know what Lin Xiaoan’s original personality was like. Should he be scared and cry after being hit, or should he remain indifferent, or even fight back desperately?

Fortunately, Chen Hu spoke again soon, “Useless trash! We

conspired to send you into the palace to assassinate the emperor, but you ended up living a comfortable life in the palace! Do you even know your identity and purpose?”

Bai Lu didn’t dare to speak. Chen Hu glared angrily and slapped the table, shouting, “Speak! Are you mute?!”

Bai Lu had to speak, “The… Emperor has many people checking his food for poison every day. Ordinary people cannot touch the food from the Imperial Kitchen. I never had the chance to do anything.”

“Now you dare to talk back!” Chen Hu shouted furiously, and even the solid octagonal table seemed to crack under his palm.

“If you couldn’t poison him, fine, but after half a year in the palace, you didn’t even send back any useful information. What have you been doing?! Do you know that all the informants we planted in the harem have been eliminated by the emperor, and all their connections are dead?! If you had noticed it earlier and leaked information, we wouldn’t be in such a plight now! Keeping you is worse than keeping a dog!”

Bai Lu was slightly startled. What did he mean? Wasn’t Chu Ya saying that he wouldn’t pursue the remaining people? How did they die?

Was Chu Ya lying to him again?

The toxicity of Wushi Powder is extremely harmful to the body. Those who took forbidden drugs deserve no sympathy. Bai Lu didn’t pity them, especially those like Consort Mei who not only took forbidden drugs but also sold them, harming others. However, were those who were deceived into addiction or threatened into entering forbidden areas really unforgivable? Bai Lu was sure that among those eleven people, there were such cases; otherwise, Chu Ya wouldn’t deceive him.

Bai Lu clenched his teeth slowly, trying to suppress the growing suspicion and distrust towards Chu Ya in his heart.

But Chen Hu thought he was disobedient, suddenly stood up, raised his hand high, and was about to slap him fiercely.

At this critical moment, another person rushed in from outside, hurriedly saying, “Second Master, the First Master is back!”

Chen Hu’s face turned black, and he no longer paid attention to Bai Lu, cursing, “Damn it, why did he suddenly come back?”

Seeing his attitude, it seemed that he really hated the big boss. It seemed that what Chu Ya said about the big boss and the second-in-command of the Sky Wolf Sect being incompatible was true. Also, Chu Ya mentioned that he had planted an undercover agent in the Sky Wolf Sect, but he didn’t know who it was. If he could contact the other party, maybe he could find a way to escape.

Bai Lu didn’t think for long before a steady and dense footsteps came from outside, followed by the door being pushed open directly, and several people entered in a line.

The leader, Bai Lu speculated that he was the big boss Xuan Gui, because he wore a pure black mask on his face, finely crafted and delicate, vaguely resembling the silhouette of a evil spirit.

Xuan Gui wasn’t as ferocious as Bai Lu had imagined. He was tall and slender, wearing black clothes, with a calm and composed demeanor. He seemed to be a more reasonable person. However, he seemed to deliberately suppress his killing intent and pressure, probably out of the habit of a superior.

Bai Lu thought to himself that he must be the villain who never died in the TV series. If Chen Hu was the cannon fodder bandit leader who couldn’t survive three episodes, then Xuan Gui in front of him must be the mastermind behind the scenes, planning meticulously and having a charismatic villain identity, gathering a large wave of little fans.

The few people who came in behind him were probably Xuan Gui’s trusted subordinates. Bai Lu, with the habits of a professional boxer, subconsciously observed their hands and walking posture, and could tell that they were all highly skilled.

Chen Hu stood aside, his face black, saying, “Welcome back, Master.”

But the tone was extremely bad, completely swallowing his pride.

Xuan Gui didn’t care, just nodded lightly, walked straight over, and sat on the grandmaster chair on the left, which was the position where Chen Hu had just sat.

In the Chu Dynasty, left was respected, so Bai Lu looked at Chen Hu a little more, thinking that he had just occupied the position of the boss. You are really bold. You are not afraid that the boss will suppress you forever?

After Xuan Gui settled down, his subordinates immediately stood beside him. Two of them stood with their hands behind their backs between him and Chen Hu, looking like they were guarding against Chen Hu’s party.

Xuan Gui raised his hand slightly, and someone immediately came over to clean up the broken bowl on the ground and brought a new cup of tea.

Xuan Gui took a sip leisurely, and then looked at Bai Lu with a low voice, “Is this the assassin you sent into the palace to assassinate the emperor without my knowledge? He looks a bit weak, but what achievements has he made?”

Chen Hu’s face was extremely ugly. He kicked Bai Lu in the leg, “Useless thing! You’ve been in the palace for several months, but you haven’t found any information.”

He had great strength, and Bai Lu was kicked back a few steps, barely stabilizing himself. He frowned slightly and couldn’t help but rub his sore waist.

Xuan Gui seemed to have anticipated his failure and smiled, “The incompetence of the subordinates is actually due to the inadequate guidance of the master. What is his name?”

Chen Hu said coldly, “Lin Xiaoan.”

“Oh, Xiaonan, I think this person still has some potential. Why don’t you let me train him for a few months and return him to you after he’s cultivated? Consider it as…” Xuan Gui deliberately paused, and Bai Lu could imagine the sneering expression behind his mask, “Consider it as a gift from the master to the second Master.”

These three words “second Master” sounded extremely mocking in Chen Hu’s ears. “Command” was certainly a good word, but adding “second” before it completely changed its meaning. Xuan Gui was reminding him not to forget his identity. As long as the Eldest Master was in power, he would always be suppressed and have no chance to turn things around!

And now that Xuan Gui asked for Lin Xiaoan, he probably came back only once in more than half a month to show his authority and give Chen Hu a slap in the face. It was not because he was really interested in a prostitute like Lin Xiaoan.

Lin Xiaoan was taken away, and he probably wouldn’t come back again. Even if he was really sent back, would Xuan Gui dare to use him after he had trained him? Similarly, Xuan Gui would definitely not use Chen Hu’s people. So once Lin Xiaoan went, whether he lived or died was uncertain.

However, Chen Hu was too lazy to keep a useless person. He originally thought that he had obtained some information in the palace, which was why he sent someone to rescue him. But now it seemed that he had no use at all, so it was better to throw him away.

Chen Hu said, “If the Eldest Master likes it, just take him away. There’s no need to return him to me. Let him stay with you. Although this person is useless, his face looks good. He can be used as a reward.”

At this point, Chen Hu suddenly remembered something malicious and said, “Of course, if you don’t mind, you can let him serve you in bed. However, he has been in the palace for months. I’m afraid he has already been deflowered by the emperor. If you don’t mind, it’s fine.”

Xuan Gui casually placed the teacup on the table and asked in a flat tone, “Is that so? How did the emperor treat you during your half-year in the palace?”

Bai Lu didn’t expect Xuan Gui to suddenly ask this question and was stunned.

Then his little brain started to work quickly, thinking that everyone in the room seemed to hate Chu Ya very much. If he wanted to survive, he could only say what they wanted to hear.

However, he and Chu Ya were deeply in love, and how could he commit such an unjust act of speaking ill of him behind his back?

So Bai Lu straightened his back, cleared his throat, and said firmly, “That’s right, the emperor is a downright bastard!”