Gate of God

Chapter 515: Lethal Blow

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping bellowed at the city guards. He was extremely anxious. If the right Southern Region messengers escaped, he would not be able to absolve himself from blame.

As such, the city guards were not going to move away from the ministers.

They continued to hold their ground under the pretext that they were protecting the ministers. They didn’t move despite the constant screaming and bellowing.

The eight Southern Region messengers looked at each other, then charged through the servants and guards and tried to make a break for it.

“Stop them!” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping was on the verge of panicking.

He didn’t care if he was being surrounded by city guards. His body turned into a ray of light as he shot through them.

He sent eight city guards rolling on the ground spitting out mouthfuls of blood.

“Ah! The Prime Minister is killing us!”

“Prime Minister… we are trying to protect you!”

“Aiya!”

The city guards began to scream and shout as they fell to the ground when Yu Yiping charged through them.

The other city guards also shouted at the top of their lungs.

“Mercy, Prime Minister, mercy!”

King Duan drew his sword and lowered it in front of Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping.

“Prime Minister, why did you attack the city guards?”

“…” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping was bitter.

He knew exactly what King Duan was thinking but there were certain things that he couldn’t say. He had no choice but to charge through…

He had to try and stop the Southern Region messengers from escaping.

He grit his teeth and didn’t respond. He morphed into a ray of light and went around King Duan. He shot towards the fleeing messengers.

However…

King Duan had bought enough time for the city guards to intercept Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping once again. They formed a wall in front of him.

“Move aside!” A glow appeared in Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping’s palm. It was as bright as the moon.

As this glow lit up, an icy wave swept across the city guards and pushed them to the side. There was a layer of frost on the ground.

The surrounding citizens were all shocked to see what was happening.

“Run, they’re about to fight!”

“What’s going on? Why is the Left Prime Minister fighting the city guards?”

“Oh gosh… lives are going to be lost.”

The crowd began to run away in all directions.

Both the assistant ministers were speechless when they saw the chaos. They were incredibly bitter.

However, there was nothing that they could do about it.

They knew what Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping was thinking, but they were in a dilemma as well.

Ever since they were made assistant ministers, their minds had been focused on politics and wealth. They only used their mouth and were rarely required to take action.

But this was the capital.

The Left Prime Minister, a rank one official, had attacked the city guards! There was no way they could keep this under wraps.

The two of them made their decision almost instantly.

Since they couldn’t do anything to make this go away, they had to do what was most beneficial for them. That meant capturing the eight Southern Region messengers.

“The criminals are fleeing! Arrest them!”

“Have all the guards in the Ministry of Law surround and arrest them!”

“Arrest whoever dares to obstruct the course of justice!”

The two assistant ministers threw caution out of the window. Since King Duan was determined to stop them, they had no choice but to try to break out of this.

The guards and wardens of the Ministry of Law charged through the gates.

“Catch the criminals!”

“Move aside, we are trying to arrest criminals!”

The drew their swords and one group charged at some of the city guards standing guard at the gates. The other group tried to go around the guards.

Things were getting out of control.

King Duan chuckled icily. His blockade had given the eight Southern Region messengers plenty of time to run away.

As long as they managed to escape, Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping would never be able to absolve himself from blame.

King Duan could tell that these eight Southern Region messengers were ‘imposters’ and not the original eight sent to carry out the plan. It was a trap.

A trap designed by Fang Zhengzhi.

Even though he didn’t plan to follow Fang Zhengzhi’s plan all the way through, he was not about to pass up such a golden opportunity.

This was a chance for him to inflict some serious damage on Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping. If these men ran away and couldn’t be brought to justice…

It would cause some serious hurt to Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping.

However…

At that very moment, the eight Southern Region messengers stopped and looked around, almost as though they were choosing their escape path.

“Split up and run, dumbasses! How can you not know something so simple?” King Duan cussed them out in his heart. He scorned Fang Zhengzhi’s choice of people.

Why would he find such idiots?

Don’t they know how to escape?

The Shadow Sect…

They weren’t so great after all!

Just as he was thinking about it, a few voices cut through the air.

“Let’s run to the Southern Gate! The Eastern Gate is heavily guarded, we will charge through the Southern Gate!”

“Okay, we will all go there!”

“Yes! Let’s charge together! We will live as long as we manage to break the defences!”

The Southern Region messengers screamed enthusiastically. Their voices could be heard by everyone on the streets.

“…” King Duan’s eyes were on the verge of popping out of their sockets. He really wanted to fall to the ground. He had never seen such idiotic criminals in his life.

Not only did they not split up, they announced where they were running towards! They wanted to fight their way out? Where did they think they were?

This was the capital!

Why were they that stupid?!

King Duan was furious and bitter. He hated the fact that these eight people were so useless. He hated Fang Zhengzhi’s choice of men.

If they were caught, it was all over.

This was great news for the ministers! Their eyes brightened almost instantly.

“South Gate?”

“Quickly, take the shortcut and cut them off!”

“Cut them off at the South Gate!”

The two assistant ministers gave the order almost immediately.

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping looked at a servant standing behind him and threw him a token.

“Get soldiers to the South Gate!”

“Yes, sir!” The servant retrieved the token and sprinted away.

King Duan was furious. He knew that the Southern Region messengers could not possibly escape. He was extremely bitter.

Victory was so close, yet so far.

“Is it a bluff? They may have split up towards the East and North Gate.” King Duan thought that there was a good possibility of that happening.

However, Lady Luck was not on his side.

Because…

After the eight Southern Region messengers finished their discussion, they sprinted towards the Southern Gate, screaming as they did so.

“Charge!”

“Charge!!”

“…” King Duan was speechless. He couldn’t believe that it was possible for people to be that idiotic.

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping was equally confused.

The Southern Region messengers sounded like they wanted him to pursue them. They were announcing where they were running towards!

He felt like something was amiss.

There was even more to it. These Southern Region messengers always kept within his sight. Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping had no choice but to give chase.

“Move aside!” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping’s body disappeared in a flash of light as he pursued the eight fleeing figures.

…

Inside the courtyard of the Stabilization Constabulary.

Xing Yuanguo held a chess piece in his hand as he pondered.

At that moment, a black lifeform shot down from the sky and landed on Xing Yuanguo’s shoulder.

It was a messenger bird.

This was widely used by the army.

Chi Hou was rather shocked to see this. These birds were only used for urgent reports or orders.

However, Xing Yuanguo didn’t seem surprised or anxious. He calmly removed the letter container from the bird’s claws and took out the letter.

“What’s wrong?” Chi Hou asked.

“Nothing.” Xing Yuanguo placed his piece on the board and smiled. “Brother, I’ve lost!”

Lost?

Chi Hou was stunned. Xing Yuanguo was conceding? Shouldn’t he have conceded a long time ago? Just as Chi Hou was about to speak, he realized that this meant the round was over.

“Brother Yuanguo, are you saying that this round… is over?” Chi Hou whispered.

“Mm, this round is over. I will accompany you for a walk now as per our agreement.” Xing Yuanguo nodded and stood up from his chair.

“Brother Yuanguo, you can rest first if you’re tired. I’ll just go walk around myself.” Chi Hou murmured after some hesitation.

“No worries, I’m not tired.” Xing Yuanguo shook his head.

Then, he pulled Chi Hou out of the yard by his hand. He was walking rather quickly.

This made Chi Hou slightly suspicious.

He could tell that Xing Yuanguo was trying to stall for time during the chess game. But if that was the case, why was he walking so fast now?

Was it the note?

He didn’t think too much and Xing Yuanguo didn’t explain. Most importantly, Xing Yuanguo was almost sprinting out of the yard.

He shot towards the gate.

“My lord!”

“My lord!”

The soldiers guarding the Stabilization Constabulary greeted them respectfully as they approached.

Xing Yuanguo nodded lightly but didn’t stop.

Before long, they were out the gates.

“Brother Yuanguo, where are we going?” Chi Hou was rather curious about why he was being dragged out. Most importantly, he had something on his mind.

Something he couldn’t stop thinking about.

He knew for a fact that the capital was not peaceful tonight.

“We are almost there. Brother Hong, you will know when we are there.” Xing Yuanguo didn’t offer up any additional explanation. He continued sprinting away, a purple light flickering on his body.

The wind brushed by their ears.

Chu Hou’s body glowed green. He knew exactly how fast Xing Yuanguo and he were traveling.

However, he didn’t know…

Why they had to run so fast…

Was something about to happen?

Just as he was thinking about it, he saw some figures in the distance.

The capital was usually bustling and there were many people roaming the streets. However, Chi Hou was rather shocked to see these figures.

He recognized them.

“Fang Zhengzhi?! Ping Yang! Yan Xiu… why are they here?” Chi Hou looked at Xing Yuanguo, trying to read his expression.

However, Xing Yuanguo remained calm and expressionless.

Was it a coincidence?

No!

Chi Hou dismissed that thought almost immediately. All the events over the past few moments couldn’t possibly have been a coincidence.

If it wasn’t a coincidence…

Then what was it?

Could it be that Fang Zhengzhi and Xing Yuanguo had conspired? Was Xing Yuanguo involved as well?

Chi Hou didn’t believe that. Even though Fang Zhengzhi and Xing Yuanguo had interacted on Cang Ling Mountain and in the Southern Region, Xing Yuanguo would never help Fang Zhengzhi with this.

Xing Yuanguo represented the 13 Constabularies.

Xing Yuanguo’s stand was the same was that of the 13 Constabularies. If Xing Yuanguo interfered in this, it would also mean that he was interfering in the battle for the throne.

Xing Yuanguo would never do that.

As such, why would they meet Fang Zhengzhi and company here? What were they doing here?

What…

What in the world happened in the capital?

Chapter 516: Chaos Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

Chi Hou didn’t understand it. However, his eyes widened in shock. He realized that there were eight figures sprinting towards Fang Zhengzhi from the other direction.

“Southern Region messengers?!” Chi Hou recognized them instantly and prepared to strike. Then, he saw another figure behind the eight messengers.

This figure’s speed…

Was almost as fast as Xing Yuanguo and him.

However, his red official robes were easily recognizable. He knew that this was Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping.

“What’s wrong?” Chi Hou saw how anxious Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping was and felt a wave of suspicion.

Even though he was not an official in the capital, he knew Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping quite well. Yu Yiping was rarely flustered.

Furthermore, soon after Yu Yiping appeared in the distance, two other figures entered his field of vision.

The Center and Left Assistant Ministers of the Ministry of Law.

They were surrounded by wardens and guards in black. King Duan and the city guards followed closely behind.

This was quite the ridiculous sight.

This was the capital.

Chi Hou was extremely shocked. He knew that the capital would not be peaceful tonight, but even this was beyond his wildest imagination.

Chi Hou turned to look at Xing Yuanguo.

Xing Yuanguo was as calm as ever. He looked like an independent observer as he looked at the sprinting figures.

“Brother Yuanguo, should we…” Chi Hou asked as he tried to figure out what was unfolding before his very eyes.

“No need. We will just observe from here.” Xing Yuanguo shook his head and settled down about 200m away from Fang Zhengzhi’s position.

“Here?” Chi Hou wanted to say something when he saw the tree in front of him. However, he still nodded, “Sure, we will do as you say.”

At that moment, the eight Southern Region messengers went around Fang Zhengzhi and disappeared into a dark alley.

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping and the two assistant ministers began to panic when they saw this. As they prepared to rush in after the messengers, they spotted Fang Zhengzhi, Yan Xiu, and Ping Yang.

Fang Zhengzhi looked at Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping, his eyes glittering as he smirked.

“Prime Minister, you seem to be in a hurry… where are you headed?” Fang Zhengzhi waved and greeted Yu Yiping.

“Move aside, I have official matters to attend to!” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping had no mood to entertain Fang Zhengzhi.

“Official business? Are you talking about the escaped criminals?” Fang Zhengzhi pointed to the alley.

“So what if it is?” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping had no intention of stopping.

When the two assistant ministers and the guards saw Fang Zhengzhi, they raised their swords.

They were ready to strike at a moment’s notice.

“Move aside!”

“Do you know the penalty for obstruction of justice?”

Two of the guards bellowed when they saw Fang Zhengzhi.

“Scram! How dare you raise your voice in front of me?” Ping Yang bellowed and stepped forward.

“…” The two guards retreated almost instantly. They didn’t dare to speak again and chose to hide behind the two assistant ministers.

It was clear…

They were scared of Ping Yang.

“Fang Zhengzhi, I am pursuing criminals right now! If you continue to stand in my way, I will not show you any mercy!” He knew how domineering Ping Yang was, but he had no other choice now.

“Prime Minister, I think you’re mistaken. I am Fang Zhengzheng.” Fang Zhengzhi replied.

“I don’t care if you’re Fang Zhengzhi or Fang Zhengzheng! Step aside! Now!” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping’s glare was icy.

He knew why Fang Zhengzhi was waiting for him here.

“Left Prime Minister, there is no need to hurry! You are just trying to catch some escaped criminals. I can swear on my life that I will make sure that they are brought to justice. If I obstruct justice tonight, I will take all responsibility!” Fang Zhengzhi chuckled lightly.

“What do you mean?” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping was stunned.

The guards and the assistant ministers standing behind Yu Yiping were equally confused. Even King Duan couldn’t figure out what was happening.

King Duan wasn’t surprised that Fang Zhengzhi was here.

This was a way to delay Yu Yiping.

However, why would Fang Zhengzhi take responsibility for this delay? That was not wise!

“What I mean is… since I happen to be in the area, I can’t watch idly by as the criminals escape.” Fang Zhengzhi replied calmly.

“You can’t watch idly by as they escape?” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping glared at Fang Zhengzhi solemnly.

He knew that these men were Fang Zhengzhi’s.

So why would he stop them from escaping?

Did he think that Yu Yiping was an idiot?!

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping was not falling for that! There was no free lunch in this world!

The two assistant ministers didn’t believe Fang Zhengzhi either.

King Duan was shocked when he heard what Fang Zhengzhi said.

However, Fang Zhengzhi had no intention of explaining himself. He turned into the alley and whistled.

“Ah!”

“We will never go to jail!”

“Brothers, we will do better in our next lives!”

After Fang Zhengzhi whistled, shouts echoed through the alley and a few figures walked out.

These were members of the royal guard.

The leader was the deputy commander, Bai Qi.

The royal guards held eight bodies in their arms. There was blood flowing from those bodies and it stained the ground red.

“You… you killed them?” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping stopped in his tracks as his eyes widened.

“How is that possible? Prime Minister, you heard it yourself! They committed suicide! We only surrounded them!” Bai Qi waved Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping off.

“Mm, I can verify that!” Fang Zhengzhi nodded.

“I, Princess Ping Yang, can too!” Ping Yang nodded.

“Mm, these people clearly committed suicide.” Yan Xiu replied.

“Committed suicide?” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping believed that his mercenaries would commit suicide. However, these were Fang Zhengzhi’s men.

Why would they commit suicide?

Just as he was thinking about that, Bai Qi leaned over and felt the faces of one of the Southern Region messengers. Then, his eyes brightened.

“Your Highness, I think that these men are wearing masks. If I am correct, they are imposters.” Bai Qi asserted.

“Imposters? Then why don’t you remove the masks and let me take a look?” Ping Yang exclaimed in shock.

“Take off the masks? I would like to… no!” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping was about to nod. Then, he realized what was happening and he felt a shiver down his spine.

He finally understood what was happening.

But…

It was too late.

Bai Qi was quick, and so were the other members of the royal guard. They removed the masks quickly and efficiently.

Time seemed to freeze as the masks were ripped off.

Everyone leaned in to take a look at the true identities of the eight assassins. When they saw these men, they felt a chill rise up from the base of their feet.

King Duan also looked at the eight “Southern Region messengers”. He too was shocked by what he saw.

Then…

He chuckled.

However, his joy did not last long. He too felt a chill down his spine.

Now that things were this way…

He finally figured out Fang Zhengzhi’s plan.

It was a vicious plan!

It was even more vicious than he had ever expected!

Initially, he had already thought that Fang Zhengzhi’s plan was perfect and vicious. However, only now did he realize how vicious and thorough Fang Zhengzhi was.

Prior to this, Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping may have been in some trouble, but he still had a chance to recover.

But now…

His entire future was ruined.

There was absolutely no way he would be able to recover from this. Fang Zhengzhi had used facts to pin the crime on Yu Yiping.

There was no way to overturn this.

The eight assassins were not Southern Region messengers. Three of them were mercenaries in Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping’s residence.

The other five were leaders in the army.

With the ‘testimony’ of these men in front of the crowd and King Duan and the city guards as witness, coupled with their bodies as evidence…

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping would be buried!

“Hahaha… what a great plan!” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping’s body shuddered as he laughed. Tears formed in his eyes, “Good, very good, I am in awe!”

At that moment, he knew exactly what had happened. In fact, he had understood this plan from the moment Bai Qi wanted to remove the mask.

Fang Zhengzhi had used eight men to impersonate the eight assassins Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping sent.

Then, his men were to reveal the plot against Fang Zhengzhi that night, and even make up a story that the real target was Yan Xiu.

Then, when Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping tried to chase them…

They would disappear into an alley and they would present the prepared bodies.

This was a solid case.

The eight assassins were dead. The dead could not testify. The Emperor would have no choice but to believe the evidence in front of him.

The two assistant ministers stared at the eight bodies. As ministers in the Ministry of Law, they knew that there was no chance to overturn a case like that.

“That’s it, that’s it…” The two assistant ministers looked at each other. They knew what was about to happen.

After Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping was destroyed, they would have no chance to recover either.

They were the ones who had helped Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping smuggle these men out of the jail. They were already implicated from the start.

The countless guards and wardens were extremely bitter as well. They would be implicated too.

The streets were silent.

In the near distance, Chi Hou stared at the eight bodies from under a huge tree. He was in shock and awe.

“Brother Hong, what do you think?” Xing Yuanguo asked.

“I… I don’t know.” Chi Hou shook his head and looked away from Xing Yuanguo.

“You do know. And based on your abilities, I am sure you can deduce what happened without knowing what happened at the Ministry of Law.” Xing Yuanguo replied calmly.

“Brother Yuanguo… yes I have to admit that Fang Zhengzhi’s plan was perfect and vicious!” Chi Hou replied after some hesitation.

“The Double Dragon Roll Champion would shock the world, and bring peace to the world… I don’t get it sometimes either. Could it be that there may still be changes?” Xing Yuanguo murmured as he looked at the stars.

“Changes? What changes could there be? No matter how smart he is, he is still a crippled man! Brother Yuanguo, don’t you have faith in your niece?” Chi Hou frowned.

“Mm…” Xing Yuanguo nodded, then looked to the gates, “Brother Hong, why don’t you guess how Yan Qianli would react when he hears that Yan Xiu was the target of an assassination?”

“Yan Xiu? The target of an assassination? What do you mean?”

“Fang Zhengzhi had his imposters say that the Left Prime Minister sent them to kill Yan Xiu under the guise of killing Fang Zhengzhi.”

“Ah?! Is… is Fang Zhengzhi crazy? Is he trying to cause chaos?!”

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Chapter 517: Prince Yan has arrived Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

“Chaos?” Xing Yuanguo didn’t rebut Chi Hou. He knew how Yan Qianli was like.

As the leader of Western Liang, Yan Qianli was renowned for being strict and tough with his sons and grandsons.

The only thing that could be said…

The quality of the sons of the Yan Family was testament to the success of Yan Qianli’s teaching methods.

Yan Qianli was notorious for being domineering and strict.

Yan Xiu was the target of an assassination? In the capital?! If Yan Qianli got wind of this, the consequences would be catastrophic.

…

King Duan took advantage of the situation whilst Xing Yuanguo and Chi Hou thought about the ramifications of Fang Zhengzhi’s plan. 　 “Prime Minister, what do you have to say for yourself?” King Duan smirked as he looked at Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping. 　 “I have nothing to say.” Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping shook his head. 　 With things as they were, there was no way he could explain his way out of this situation. He had to find some way to maintain his composure.

The two assistant ministers lowered their heads when they heard this. All hope was lost the moment Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping gave up.

“Arrest them!” King Duan ordered without hesitation. 　 “Yes, sir!” the city guards replied in unison as they surrounded Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping and the two assistant ministers.

Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping allowed the city guards to arrest him without resisting.

The two assistant ministers didn’t resist arrest either.

King Duan looked at Fang Zhengzhi after he made sure that Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping and the two assistant ministers had been arrested.

After a moment of hesitation, he walked over.

“Fang Zhengzhi, you have contributed a lot to the arrest of these criminals. If you don’t mind, I would like to invite you…”

“King Duan, your highness, are you speaking to me?” Fang Zhengzhi blinked as he looked at King Duan. 　 “Of course.” King Duan nodded. 　 “Then, did you call me by the wrong name?” Fang Zhengzhi reminded. 　 “Ahem… yes, I forgot. Fang Zhengzheng, you have contributed a lot to the arrest of these criminals. If you don’t mind, my residence is nearby. You can come over for some rest…” 　 “Your Highness, thank you for the invite, but… I’m busy!” Fang Zhengzhi shook his head as he looked at Yan Xiu. “Yan Xiu, are you free?”

“I’m not either.” Yan Xiu shook his head.

“Since we are all not free, let’s just go back and have hot pot.” Fang Zhengzhi waved to King Duan apologetically after Yan Xiu replied.

“Great! I love eating hot pot!” Ping Yang shouted in excitement even before Yan Xiu could speak.

“None for you!” Fang Zhengzhi’s lips twitched.

“Humph! I don’t care! If you’re making it, I want to eat it!” Ping Yang pouted, then leaned in, “You were right. Sometimes dead men are more useful than live ones.”

“Can we talk about the bet that you lost?”

“What did I lose? It’s just 450,000 silvers! It’s no big deal! I am not someone who will go back on my word.”

“But you are!”

“Am not!”

“You are!”

“Am not!”

“…”

King Duan watched Fang Zhengzhi and Ping Yang bicker, his face turning red and paling in quick succession.

He was a king! He just invited Fang Zhengzhi to rest in his residence! Yet, he had been rejected?

Furthermore…

The reason given was so lame.

Most importantly, they were planning to eat hot pot back at their own residence! They were clearly free!

King Duan clenched his fists, feeling the looks from the city guards and the wardens.

“Fang Zhengzhi, how dare you humiliate me?!” King Duan wanted to flip out. However, he felt a chill down his spine when he thought about Fang Zhengzhi’s plan to defeat Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping.

Fang Zhengzhi’s plan was nothing short of perfection. Furthermore, the viciousness unsettled him greatly.

“He managed to send Wan Chong to jail and implicate Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping and two other assistant ministers within 10 days of his arrival. As for the Ministry of War…”

That was a pity… even though there were five members of the ministry who were assassins in this plot…

It would be quite a long shot if they tried to tie this to the Minister of War.

Based on what he knew of the Crown Prince, there would be someone else in the ministry who would take the fall for this.

Hang on!

No!

King Duan turned to look at Fang Zhengzhi and company, who had already begun walking away. He felt another chill down his spine.

This chill was even more intense than the previous one. He realized that this involved someone else. That person was Prince Yan, Yan Qianli.

When it came to Yan Qianli… 　 Things…

Would not end so easily.

…

Ping Yang’s residence…

There were a few guards in golden armor standing by the gates. There was one man standing in the middle, Ninth Prince Lin Yun.

He was slightly shocked to see Fang Zhengzhi, Yan Xiu, and Ping Yang walk towards him. After some hesitation, he decided to walk forward to greet them.

“Brother, stay and eat hot pot with us.” Ping Yang greeted him enthusiastically.

“Hotpot?” Ninth Prince Lin Yun nodded after recovering from the shock. Then, he seemed to recall something, “Didn’t… didn’t King Duan invite the all of you over to his place?”

“He did.” Ping Yang replied.

“Then… why aren’t…”

“This guy rejected his invite. He said that he wasn’t free! Hahaha, it was hilarious! You should have seen the look on King Duan’s face!” Ping Yang pointed at Fang Zhengzhi and guffawed.

“Rejected? Erm… Young Master Fang, I don’t know if it is appropriate to say this.” Ninth Prince Lin Yun was slightly hesitant.

“Please speak.” Fang Zhengzhi nodded.

“Even though I do not participate in politics, I think you should choose King Duan especially since you’ve already antagonized the Crown Prince.”

“Is he the best choice?” Fang Zhengzhi chuckled.

“He may be your only choice.” the Ninth Prince replied.

“Yes, he is my only choice, but, why does it matter?” Fang Zhengzhi nodded and queried.

“Young Master Fang, since you know that it is your only choice, why do you antagonize him? There was a great opportunity presented to you today.” Ninth Prince Lin Yun was rather confused.

“What if I told you that I never planned to choose between the Crown Prince and King Duan? Would you believe me?” Fang Zhengzhi looked at the Ninth Prince.

“Erm…” Ninth Prince Lin Yun’s mouth twitched. He wanted to say something but decided against it when he saw the look in Fang Zhengzhi’s eyes.

“Would you like to eat hot pot?” Fang Zhengzhi smiled.

“Of course!” Ninth Prince Lin Yun shuddered before accepting the invite.

“Come on then.”

“I heard that the Emperor paid you when he ate your hot pot. I will get someone to bring over some silvers.” Ninth Prince Lin Yun nodded.

“No need for that. Tonight’s meal is on me.” Fang Zhengzhi shook his head.

“Free?” Ninth Prince Lin Yun was shocked. Fang Zhengzhi’s love for money was well known throughout the empire.

“Brother, what are you waiting for? Come on in! He is rarely this generous! I am getting hungry already! I want to eat my fill tonight!” Ping Yang waved to Ninth Prince Lin Yun.

“Okay…”

…

It was going to be a long night. Both the Crown Prince’s and King Duan’s residence were well lit and packed with officials.

The night dragged on for ages.

Dawn, the next day.

It was dark and breezy. The atmosphere was rather somber and it looked as though a storm was brewing overhead.

There was a man in his 40s seated in the Ministry of War. He was the current Minister of War, Shen Ming.

As one of the six ministers, he was known for his composure and calm demeanor. This made him the prime choice for Minister of War.

But now…

Shen Ming seemed extremely anxious. He kept shifting around in his seat and he was visibly uncomfortable.

In fact, the entire Ministry of War felt the same way. Every official simply couldn’t keep still. They knew the storm that was coming for them.

“He’s coming, he’s coming. Minister…” A figure appeared at the door and fell to his knees.

“Who is here?!” Shen Ming paled as he looked at the kneeling figure. He stood up from his chair.

“The Crown Prince… the Crown Prince is here.” The kneeling figure replied.

“Then what are you waiting for? Let him come in!” Shen Ming heaved a sigh of relief.

“Yes, your honor!” The figure disappeared through the door.

Before long, Crown Prince Lin Tianrong entered the room. He wore his trademark silver robe. He frowned as he looked at Shen Ming.

“Your Highness!” Shen Ming walked up and fell to his knees.

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong waved him off, signaling Shen Ming to stand. Then, he looked at the other officials.

“Leave us alone.” Shen Ming bellowed when he saw the look on Crown Prince Lin Tianrong’s face.

“Yes, your honor!” The officials immediately took their leave.

Shen Ming and Lin Tianrong were left alone in the room.

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong nodded when he saw everyone leave. He went to sit on the Minister’s chair.

“Official Shen, why do you look so gloomy today?” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong asked as he looked at the pale-faced Shen Ming.

“Your Highness, please save me!” Shen Ming fell to his knees. He couldn’t be bothered about anything else.

“The responsibilities of the Ministry of Law are to select and qualify generals! You are also supposed to manage the logistics of the army. Even though you do not directly control the army, you have quite a heavy responsibility. Am I right?” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong added.

“Yes, you are absolutely right!” Shen Ming nodded.

“It is inevitable that you are unable to oversee everything that happens here. Sometime, some of your generals in training might choose to interfere in politics.”

“Yes, but I did have a lapse in judgment.”

“You just have to admit to a lapse in judgment. You will also have to find the people in charge of those men. Official Shen, you have been in this position for seven years. I am sure you don’t need me to teach you these things.” 　 “Of course, of course… I have already found them in the night. They are currently being dealt with by the Right Assistant Minister. However, I still have to take responsibility for what happened.” Shen Ming nodded.

“Yes, go on the record!”

“I have already prepared my statement. Please take a look at it!” Shen Ming retrieved his statement.

“No need for that. The Emperor might be at the Ten Mile Lake right now, but he should be returning soon. You should do this personally. Go kneel in front of the throne room!” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong waved him off.

“Kneel in front of the throne room?” Shen Ming was stunned.

“Is there a problem?”

“No, no problem at all! I’ll be on my way right now!” Shen Ming stood up and was about to take his leave.

Just as he walked out of the hall, he saw a figure rushing towards him. This figure crashed right into him.

“What is so urgent?” Shen Ming’s expression was filled with rage. He questioned the figure solemnly.

“He’s here… he’s here…”

“Who’s here? This is the Ministry of War! Who dares…”

“Prince Yan! It’s Prince Yan!”

Chapter 518: No one can stop the Yan Cloud Cavalry

“Prince Yan? Yan Qianli!” Shen Ming’s expression changed. He knew that Yan Qianli would come, but he didn’t expect it to be so soon.

Just as he was about to ask about Yan Qianli’s current location, he heard the whinnying of horses.

“Surround this place!” An animalistic bellow could be heard from outside.

Then, the officials began to stream in. They all looked to Minister of War Shen Ming with panic in their eyes.

“Minister… things are not looking good. It’s the Yan Cloud Cavalry, the Yan Cloud Cavalry… they have…” One of the officials started to stammer.

Then he stopped. He saw the expression on Shen Ming’s face.

Shen Ming had completely paled. He knew that Yan Qianli was a domineering man, but this was the capital!

The center of the Empire!

The capital of the Great Xia!

Who were the Yan Cloud Cavalry? They were soldiers of Western Liang! That meant that they were not soldiers of the capital! How could they be here!

It was a heinous crime for other soldiers to barge into the capital! It almost bordered on a rebellion!

Where were the city guards?

Why did nobody stop the Yan Cloud Cavalry from entering the city?

The city guards were supposed to protect the city! Yet, they allowed the Yan Cloud Cavalry to enter and surround the Ministry of War!

“Is he mad? Is Yan Qianli crazy? How dare he bring soldiers into the capital!” Shen Ming nearly crumpled to the ground. He refused to believe what was happening.

However, the facts were all there in front of him. Yan Qianli was here. Even the Emperor had to respect this ‘madman’.

The law…

That was the bedrock of the Great Xia Empire.

However, there was one man who didn’t care about the law. This was Yan Qianli, a man who had sacrificed all his brothers to save the Great Xia.

He managed Western Liang single-handedly.

He had secured the borders of the Great Xia! Nobody dared to come within a hundred mile radius of Western Liang.

And now…

He was in the capital! He even brought the Yan Cloud Cavalry along to surround the Ministry of War! How could Shen Ming keep his composure?

“Your Highness, this…”

“Is Yan Qianli the only one who has returned from the banquet?” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong asked the messenger.

“Yes yes yes, what about the Emperor? Where is the Emperor?” Shen Ming replied, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“No, the Emperor is still at the Ten Mile Lake. I heard that he will only return after lunch.” The figure replied.

“Return after lunch?! Erm…” Shen Ming was shocked as he shuddered. He nearly crumpled to the ground.

He knew what that meant…

If Yan Qianli knew about the events of last night, the Emperor would know them too. The Emperor had chosen to stay at the Ten Mile Lake whilst Yan Qianli returned to the capital…

The meaning of that was obvious.

What was he going to do?

There was no one, bar the Emperor, who could hold Yan Qianli back.

Shen Ming turned to look at Crown Prince Lin Tianrong. Lin Tianrong was his only hope in this situation.

However…

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong didn’t seem like he was about to take any action. He simply stood in his position and looked like he was thinking about something.

Shen Ming didn’t dare to ask the Crown Prince what he was thinking about.

The Crown Prince was actually thinking about why the Emperor would choose to stay at the Ten Mile Lake till after he had his lunch.

However, the Yan Cloud Cavalry had no intention of giving him much time to think.

“Neigh!” the horses whinnied.

Then, the gates to the Ministry of War were smashed open as hundreds of soldiers in black cloaks stormed in.

Every soldier rode a war stallion. They looked like a domineering black cloud that suffocated everyone in the Ministry of War.

“Kaboom!”

A bolt of lightning shot across the sky and the somber atmosphere was broken by torrential rain. The glistening armor under the black cloaks began to show.

Shen Ming’s lips twitched as he tried to find words to express himself. At that moment, one of the squad leaders stepped forward and looked at the officials.

Finally…

His gaze rested on Shen Ming.

“Arrest him!” The leader commanded icily.

The Yan Cloud Cavalry sprang into action.

“Woosh woosh woosh!” The Yan Cloud Cavalry drew their bows and pointed them at Shen Ming.

Their arrows glistened in the rain.

Shen Ming shuddered when he saw this. He began trembling in his spot. He never expected to be threatened like this in his own ministry.

Furthermore, the Crown Prince was standing beside him! How dare they do this?

“How dare you! This is the Ministry of War! The Yan Cloud Cavalry… should not be here!” Shen Ming grit his teeth and bellowed.

The Ministry of War oversaw the armies.

As such, they were also guarded by soldiers.

When Shen Ming bellowed, almost 500 soldiers rushed out from within the Ministry of War and lowered their spears at the Yan Cloud Cavalry.

These soldiers were elites in their own right.

However, the Yan Cloud Cavalry were the creme de la creme. No one even came close.

“Shen Ming is resisting arrest, kill him!” The leader’s expression didn’t change when he saw the soldiers run out. He still remained as composed as ever.

“What?!” Shen Ming was stunned.

He couldn’t believe what was happening to him. The fact that he was being surrounded in his own ministry was unfathomable. However… he was floored when he heard the order to kill him.

He was a minister!

Even if his crime was deserving of death, he should be properly tried and sentenced! Right now, he was about to be shot to death without a trial.

How is this possible?

Most importantly, the Crown Prince was standing next to him!

He simply couldn’t believe that this was happening. However, an arrow had already been shot the moment the order was given.

“Zoom!”

The arrow pierced through the air and rain and looked to strike Shen Ming in the head.

This was meant to be a lethal shot.

At the moment the arrow was released, hundreds of others were too. They shot towards Shen Ming as well.

Shen Ming’s eyes widened.

He never expected that the Yan Cloud Cavalry would really attack him. They were attacking him without any hesitation or consideration!

“Madman, he really is a madman!” Shen Ming’s limbs sprang into action when he saw this.

He had some abilities too.

However, it was not easy to dodge away from all these arrows at such a short distance. The was a screen of light in front of him as he rolled to the side.

“Boom boom boom!”

The arrows fell to the ground, piercing holes in the ground. Each one was embedded deep inside the earth.

Crack lines began to form and widen…

This one volley of arrows had virtually shredded the floor of the Ministry of War. This was how powerful the Yan Cloud Cavalry were.

In the face of such power…

The 500 soldiers were completely flawed.

Ordinarily, they would have sprung into action by now. They had a responsibility to protect the ministry. However, none of them moved.

They knew that anyone who could shoot at the Minister of War would not hesitate to kill them either.

The soldiers had a duty…

However, that didn’t mean that they were willing to die in such a pointless manner.

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong looked at Shen Ming, who had tumbled to the side. He was slightly shocked to see the arrows in the ground.

Even though the arrows had gone around his body, they had brushed close enough to him to lift his robe as they passed.

“Yan Cloud Cavalry! Is this the Yan Cloud Cavalry?” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong had seen them before. However, he had only seen them in exercises in Western Liang. He had not interacted with them up close.

At that moment, he finally understood why the Emperor would choose to stay at the Ten Mile Lake. He also understood why none of the 13 Constabularies were stationed in Western Liang.

The army that stood in front of him was a true powerhouse.

This was a powerful army that was virtually impossible to match.

There was only one way to describe it.

Western Liang wasn’t conquered by the Great Xia. They were only able to consider Western Liang one of their territories because of the negotiating prowess of their ancestors. Most importantly, this powerful army had done their job.

This powerful army was the only reason why the Great Xia had managed to survive. At the battle of the Ten Mile Lake, the Yan Cloud Cavalry had traveled over 1000 miles to arrive at the battlefield within the week. They then proceeded to fight for three days straight without any breaks.

30,000 of them had held off an army of 150,000 demons.

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong’s mouth twitched. He could stop this all but he had to make sure that it was worthwhile.

Was it worthwhile to antagonize Yan Qianli over a Minister of War?

He may have considered it before he saw the Yan Cloud Cavalry. He had already lost the Ministry of Law and Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping…

He didn’t want to lose the Minister of War either.

However, when he saw the Yan Cloud Cavalry, he understood at that moment that he could not antagonize this army.

Even if he was the Crown Prince…

Even if he was to be the Emperor someday, he could not antagonize this army, not whilst Yan Qianli was alive.

“Greetings Prince Yan, I am Lin Tianrong, third son of the Emperor!” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong ignored Shen Ming and bowed to the Yan Cloud Cavalry.

As a Crown Prince, he could not possibly greet Yan Qianli before he had shown himself or greeted him.

This meant that he was accusing Yan Qianli of disrespect.

As such, he didn’t introduce himself as the Crown Prince. He merely introduced himself as the third son of the Emperor. In that position, he was of lower rank and it was acceptable for him to greet Yan Qianli first.

All of the pale-faced officials of the Ministry of War were slightly shocked to see this.

However, no one asked any questions. The person on the other side was Yan Qianli. He was definitely worthy of the Crown Prince showing some humility.

It continued to pour.

The rain pummeled the bodies of the Yan Cloud Cavalry but they did not move. They looked at Crown Prince Lin Tianrong solemnly.

No one spoke or moved.

At that moment, a flag was raised from within the ranks. It was a golden flag embroidered with six blood-red clouds.

There was a red “Yan” in the middle of the flag! It was just quite the domineering symbol.

This was a stark difference from the flag they had carried to the Northern Mountain Village when facing the Red Pinion Squad.

This was the real flag of the Yan Cloud Cavalry!

All the soldiers of the Yan Cloud Cavalry parted to the side when the flag appeared. They opened up a path through the middle.

The path was only wide enough for one man to pass through. Right now, there was only one man there.

This man’s stallion was the same as everyone else’s. Even his black cloak and armor were the same as the others.

He did not ride in a carriage or wear anything discernibly different. He too had a sword and a bow.

The black cloak covered most of his face.

Usually, people would not be able to see that this man was different from the other members of the Yan Cloud Cavalry. However, when they saw this man in the middle of the path, only one name came to their minds.

Yan Qianli!

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Chapter 519: Single guy and lady

Yan Qianli never traveled in a carriage. Furthermore, the fact that he dressed and traveled in the same way as the other members of the Yan Cloud Cavalry was an open secret.

However, even though he did not seem any different from the others, his reputation was enough to cause everyone to retreat subconsciously.

Even Crown Prince Lin Tianrong shuffled his feet.

There was no domineering aura or killing intent. His name alone was enough to send shivers down everyone’s spine.

This was Yan Qianli.

“Your Highness, I see that you are here too.” A raspy voice echoed through the air. Yet, despite its raspiness, it still sounded rather grand and powerful.

There was no need for an explanation.

To Yan Qianli, some things did not require an explanation. People could infer what he meant.

He did not see Crown Prince Lin Tianrong.

Even though hundreds of soldiers from the Yan Cloud Cavalry stood in front of the Crown Prince… even though they were less than five meters apart… no one dared to question the validity of that claim.

This was how powerful Yan Qianli was.

Yan Qianli wasn’t disrespectful or arrogant. Ever since he took over leadership of Western Liang, he had always paid the taxes on time. He never sent out any less than he was supposed to, even during times of crisis.

Furthermore, he had never levied soldiers from elsewhere. The strength of his guards and Yan Cloud Cavalry had remained constant and he maintained them at the numbers agreed upon with the Great Xia.

This was what made him famous through the lands.

He was almost untouchable, yet he remained fiercely loyal to the empire. He was given complete autonomy, yet he never flexed his muscles and always kept his word.

As such…

He was given quite a bit of leeway.

“Prince Yan, I was unable to greet you at the gates, I’m…”

“Your Highness, you need not apologize for that. I am aware of the hierarchy. Your Highness, are you here to plead on Shen Ming’s behalf?” Yan Qianli interrupted the Crown Prince.

It was a very simple question.

However, Crown Prince Lin Tianrong felt a chill down his spine. His mouth opened and closed but he couldn’t find any words to express himself.

“Your Highness, if you don’t have anything to say, I will take him with me.” Yan Qianli had no intention of staying any longer.

“Okay.” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong grit his teeth. He had no idea what Yan Qianli would do to Shen Ming or where he would take him.

He had already decided to give up on this Minister of War. Shen Ming’s fate was now irrelevant.

“Your Highness…” Minister of War Shen Ming instinctively looked to Crown Prince Lin Tianrong. He had thought that the Crown Prince had stepped forward to save him.

But…

The Crown Prince had decided to leave him in the lurch.

Shen Ming finally understood what was going on. The choice between him or Yan Qianli was not difficult to make.

“Kaboom!”

The lightning flashed across the sky and thunder boomed.

A red flag was raised and the Yan Cloud Cavalry merged together.

They went back to their initial formation.

However, this time, no one questioned the army that was in front of them. No one even thought of stopping them.

“Arrest him!” The leader bellowed.

Four members of the Yan Cloud Cavalry stepped forward and surrounded Shen Ming.

Shen Ming didn’t resist it anymore. He knew that his fate had been sealed the moment Crown Prince Lin Tianrong replied with ‘okay’.

Politics was constantly evolving. One could be at the top now but no one knew when the fall would come.

He didn’t blame anyone.

He knew the rules. Only the victorious survive.

The four Yan Cloud Cavalry soldiers worked efficiently and chained Shen Ming up. Then, they hoisted him on the back of a horse.

They proceeded to rejoin the formation.

The rain continued to pummel the bodies of everyone present. The stallions whinnied as they stepped on puddles of rainwater.

A black flag was raised.

The Yan Cloud Cavalry turned in unison and trotted to the gates of the Ministry of War. They were gone in an instant.

No one dared to stop them. The officials, guards, and soldiers merely watched on, rooted to their positions.

They only recovered after the Yan Cloud Cavalry disappeared from sight.

“Was that Prince Yan?” One of the officials heaved a sigh of relief when he saw the Yan Cloud Cavalry disappear.

He felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

That being said, no one could believe what had just happened.

When they thought about it, Yan Qianli had not done anything. He didn’t dismount and his face was completely covered by his cloak.

He barged into the city, surrounded the Ministry of Law, arrested a rank two official, and did all of this in front of the Crown Prince. That was unbelievable!

But the fact was that Shen Ming had been taken away.

No one knew where he was being brought to.

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong looked into the distance. He simply stared at the horizon. No one knew if he was waiting for the rain to stop or the sun to rise.

…

The gate to King Duan’s residence.

Old Wen watched thoughtfully as a figure sprinted towards him in the rain.

“Old Wen, Shen Ming has been arrested!” The figure reported.

“Where has he been brought to?”

“Prince Yan didn’t say and the Crown Prince didn’t ask. However, the Yan Cloud Cavalry were headed to the Ten Mile Lake.” The figure replied.

“Ten Mile Lake? Okay, I got it, you may leave now!” Old Wen nodded as he looked up into the sky. “The Left Prime Minister and two of the Assistant Ministers of Law have been arrested. Now, Shen Ming has been taken away too. This plan is even bigger than I expected. If there is more to this plan… I can’t imagine the consequences!”

Old Wen turned and walked into the residence, ignoring the rain that pummeled his body.

…

Emperor Lin Mubai returned to the capital in the afternoon despite the rain.

Yan Qianli didn’t follow him back. The Yan Cloud Cavalry continued to stay at the Ten Mile Lake. However, there was one man kneeling on the banks.

Minister of Law Shen Ming.

There was a fiery red stone tablet in front of Shen Ming. There were many words inscribed in red on the tablet.

This was the tablet that marked the battle here.

It seemed rather plain and unassuming. Every name was carved on the tablet and adorned with red clouds.

It was difficult to imagine…

But that was how things were. The person who had made this decision was Yan Qianli. He didn’t want this place to be renovated.

The reason he gave was simple.

“The Ten Mile Lake should not be touched. The blood there is still red and the fire is still burning!”

“Prince Yan, are you here to partake in the battle for the throne?” Shen Ming didn’t turn to look at the figure behind him. He knelt in front of the tablet and examined each name as the rain continued to assault him.

“I am if you think I am. I am not if you think I am not.” A raspy voice rang out behind him.

“I am extremely bitter. I did send people to the Seven Star Lane. However, the target was Fang Zhengzhi, not Yan Xiu!” Shen Ming shuddered and replied when he heard this voice.

“Mm, I know.” The raspy voice rang out again.

“You know about this?! Haha… I understand now. However, I never expected that you would allow yourself to be used like that!”

“You might think that I am being used, but I prefer to think of it as a win-win situation. Since I am here, I will bring the Yan Cloud Cavalry into the capital. It is just a matter of time. Since you gave me such a great opportunity, I decided to take it.”

“It is no wonder you are Prince Yan. However, I am still the Minister of War. Even if I am guilty, I should be sentenced by the Emperor and tried by the Ministry of Law. Aren’t you… overreaching a little here?”

“I am not, and I do not plan to try or sentence you. After you kneel for three days, I will hand you over to the proper authorities!”

“Three days? Hahaha… three days! Yes, after three days, there is no way I could still be the Minister of War.”

“I don’t care about such trivial matters.”

“…”

…

Inside Ping Yang’s residence.

Fang Zhengzhi lay down on a chair inside an exquisitely designed room. Ping Yang grabbed his arm and refused to let go.

Fang Zhengzhi smiled bitterly.

They were alone in the room and Ping Yang was tugging at his limbs. This was highly inappropriate and could cause misunderstandings easily.

“Why don’t you let go and give me some space? You are a princess, can you show some class and elegance?” Fang Zhengzhi tried to be assertive.

“No, I will not! Not unless you tell me what you have planned after this!” Ping Yang pouted and grabbed Fang Zhengzhi’s arm. She didn’t seem to notice that she had pressed her chest against his arm.

“What do you want to know?” Fang Zhengzhi was rather exasperated. He didn’t mind Ping Yang grabbing his arm, but Ping Yang had already matured.

It was rather inappropriate now.

“Ministry of Law! Yes… the Ministry of Law! What are your plans there? And the Ministry of War! What do you have in mind?” Ping Yang replied.

“I am not the Emperor. Does my opinion even matter?” Fang Zhengzhi’s lips twitched.

“Erm… that’s true as well! But I don’t care! Just guess! Guess who the next Minister of Law and Minister of War would be!” Ping Yang added.

“I don’t have to guess. They will decide on the next Minister of Law tomorrow morning.” Fang Zhengzhi wanted to push Ping Yang away but her grip was too tight.

“Tomorrow morning?”

“Yes.”

“But the Emperor hasn’t attended court for many days now. Are you sure he will be there tomorrow morning?”

“Of course. There are so many things to settle. He would have no other choice.”

“That’s true, but you haven’t answered my question!”

“Haha… I am not stupid. If I really told you, you are likely to run to the palace and tell the Emperor that this was my plan all along!”

“How do you know? Okay then… I promise not to rat you out!”

“Then let’s talk about money. 100,000 silvers per question.”

“100,000? That’s daylight robbery!”

“You can choose not to ask!”

“Okay then, I’ll ask. Who is your choice for Minister of Law?”

“Are you sure that’s your question?”

“Yes!”

“That is such a silly question. There are only three assistant ministers there. Now that two of them have been disposed of, there is only one person left to take the position.”

“Wen Chuan! Right Assistant Minister Wen Chuan! Is it really him? Hang on, Wen Chuan is Wen Dabao’s father! You… no, no… your plan last night… you couldn’t be sure that the Left Prime Minister would be there. You had no intention of taking down the Left Prime Minister and the Minister of War. They simply wandered into the fray. You merely wanted… to target the two assistant ministers. You did all of that so Wen Chuan could be the Minister of Law?” Ping Yang’s eyes brightened.

“Oh? You suddenly became smarter?”

“Hmph! I am extremely smart! I… I have another question.”

“200,000 silvers.”

“Okay, since you have no interest of participating in the battle for the throne, why would you go to such lengths to have Wen Chuan become the Minister of Law?”

“To overturn my case.” Fang Zhengzhi replied.

“Overturn your case?! You want to?! When??” Ping Yang released her grip on Fang Zhengzhi’s hand in shock.

“Probably in 2-3 days.”

Chapter 520: No need to wait any longer

“2-3 days?! You must be crazy. Even though the Crown Prince has lost the Ministry of Law and War, he still has the support of the other four ministries! Why don’t you just wait a little longer?” Ping Yang was confused.

“Wait till when?” Fang Zhengzhi replied.

“Of course you should wait till…” Ping Yang stopped talking at that moment. She wanted to say ’till after the Crown Prince loses his position’. However, the Crown Prince was still her brother and she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

“The Crown Prince is the Crown Prince. My case has nothing to do with him. If I wait till then, my case would be meaningless.” Fang Zhengzhi knew what Ping Yang was trying to say.

He could actually wait.

He could wait until King Duan had the advantage. He could also wait till the Crown Prince lost his position. However, whether he overturned his case then would be meaningless.

“Isn’t it difficult to overturn your case now? Furthermore… do you have any evidence?” Ping Yang nodded hesitantly but she quickly thought of another question.

Fang Zhengzhi wanted to overturn his case using the Minister of Law?

It was too difficult!

Furthermore, Wen Chuan hadn’t even assumed that position. Even if he did, he may not have the respect of his subordinates.

Most importantly, Wen Chuan had no evidence.

It was quite difficult for him to overturn the case without any evidence on hand.

The Emperor would never agree to that.

“Evidence? Of course… I don’t have any.” Fang Zhengzhi shook his head. The only people who knew what really happened were the Crown Prince, Su Qing, and the eight mercenaries.

The eight mercenaries had already been disposed of.

Su Qing was the only one who knew the truth and he was currently in the Northern Region overseeing the Northern Five Constabularies. Most importantly, Su Qing would never testify against the Crown Prince.

“How do you want the Emperor to quash your case without evidence?” Ping Yang asked.

“We’ll find out when we try.” Fang Zhengzhi didn’t couldn’t actually explain how it would work. To be honest, he didn’t even know if he would be successful.

“Okay then, when do you plan to try?”

“She should be here in the next two to three days!”

“Her? Are you talking about…”

“Mm.” Fang Zhengzhi looked out the window and watched the rain. It had been more than a year…

…

The rain slowed to a drizzle through the night.

Inside a serene residence in the capital.

A figure sat inside a small pavilion, her smooth and soft hands playing the Guqin in front of her.

The wind caused some of the rain to splatter inside and wet her dress. Her dress had glowing spots under the moonlight.

This was Yun Qingwu, the Young Master of the Demons.

Yet, she was in the capital of the Great Xia Dynasty. This was quite the unfathomable truth.

“Young Master!” A figure completely hidden behind a black cloak appeared in front of Yun Qingwu.

“Mm.” Yun Qingwu acknowledged this man’s presence.

“Young Master, I have news to report. Wu Yuer is currently on the way back to the capital and the Queen of the Southern Region should be here in two days!”

“Two days. Wu Yuer, the Queen of the Southern Region, and Yan Qianli… Mm, I understand.” Yun Qingwu nodded and lifted her hands off the Guqin. She looked into the sky. “Did you find out where Bai Xing is being held?”

“No, but…” the man was about to make a deduction but he stopped himself. He knew that Yun Qingwu didn’t like deductions.

Yun Qingwu only valued facts as intel.

“It’s okay. Just send this letter to Ping Yang’s residence.”

“Yes!”

…

Dawn the next day…

The rain stopped and the sunlight lit up the golden throne room. The roof of the throne room was stained a golden color by the sunlight.

Hundreds of officials congratulated a middle-aged man as they walked out of the throne room.

That man was Wen Chuan.

He was now the Minister of Law.

No one could have predicted that the battle for the position would have ended this way. Two assistant ministers had been incarcerated.

Wen Chuan was the only one left.

Even though everyone knew that Wen Chuan was the only person left for that role, the process had still left them in shock.

“Hahaha, Official Wen, congratulations on your promotion. Please don’t forget us!”

“I heard that your son is already of mature age and doesn’t have any marital arrangements. My daughter is available…”

“Official Qin, your daughter is only 14-years-old right? Official Wen, why don’t you consider my niece? She would be perfect for your son!”

The officials continued to jostle for Wen Chuan’s favor.

The jump from assistant minister to full minister had always been a large one. Many had failed the jump. However, once you made the jump, you were set for life.

Minister of one of the six ministries.

Your name would be recorded in the annals of history.

“My son is still young and immature. It is his honor to be held in such high regard by all of you. However… I still have to ask him for his opinion.” Wen Chuan bowed and waved them off.

“Yes, that is definitely necessary!”

“Official Wen, it is no wonder you are our superior. You are impartial and fair. The Ministry of Law is in good hands!”

“Indeed, Indeed!”

The officials did not seem angered by Wen Chuan’s refusal. Instead, they continued showering him with compliments.

At that moment, Crown Prince Lin Tianrong appeared from the throne room, his silver robe glistening in the sun.

“Ahem!” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong cleared his throat and walked briskly over to Wen Chuan.

All of the officials were slightly shocked to see Crown Prince Lin Tianrong. After all, this was the entrance to the throne room.

There was a rule that the members of the royal family were not to interact with the officials.

Was the jostling going to start now?

All of the officials parted to the side when they saw the Crown Prince.

“Official Wen!” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong greeted.

“Greetings, your highness.” Wen Chuan bowed to the Crown Prince.

“Mm, you need not be so formal. I heard that your son was once in the Mountain Breaking Army. There are few young men who have trained with such an elite squad. If you are free, do bring your son to the East Palace for a walk.” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong said calmly.

All of the officials knew what was going on. The Crown Prince was starting to position himself to recruit Wen Chuan.

Even though the Crown Prince seemed a little impatient…

His impatience was understandable. The Left Prime Minister had been arrested and Wan Chong was in jail. Shen Ming was also kneeling at the Ten Mile Lake.

It was impossible for the Crown Prince not to panic a little when faced with such a chain of events.

“Thank you, your highness. I will definitely bring my son to meet you one day!” Wen Chuan nodded respectfully.

“Very well.” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong nodded. He was about to say something when he saw another figure walk out of the Throne Room.

King Duan was visibly happier than the Crown Prince.

After all, the current situation was extremely favorable for him. It was no secret that Wen Chuan had not been valued despite his work in the ministry.

Wen Chuan had never been truly valued by the Crown Prince.

Now that Wen Chuan was the Minister of Law, this was something that King Duan could capitalize on.

“Official Wen!” King Duan ignored Crown Prince Lin Tianrong and greeted Wen Chuan.

“Your Highness!” Wen Chuan bowed respectfully.

“I heard that Young Master Wen had trained and served with the Mountain Breaking Army. The army has an open position that I think he will be apt for. I wonder if you would be willing to let him take it up?” King Duan chuckled.

“Haha… King Duan, you kid me. It would be his honor to train in the army. I would like to thank you on his behalf!” Wen Chuan replied.

“Good. I think that tomorrow is a good time. If he is free, ask him to come to visit me!” King Duan nodded.

“Brother, are you rushing things a little?” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong frowned.

“Am I? I think you’re the one in a hurry!” King Duan replied.

“Humph!” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong snorted and turned to look at Wen Chuan, “Official Wen, I have to prepare for the arrival of the Southern Region. I’ll see you soon!”

“Crown Prince, take care!”

“Crown Prince, safe travels!”

Wen Chuan and the other officials bowed respectfully when they heard this.

King Duan smirked when he saw Crown Prince Lin Tianrong leave. “The Queen of the Southern Region is coming. I have to help with the preparations. I will be taking my leave now.” He added quickly.

“Safe travels, King Duan!”

“Take care, King Duan!”

Wen Chuan and the officials bowed again.

The officials couldn’t help but sigh when they saw Crown Prince Lin Tianrong and King Duan leave.

Normally, the Minister of Law was not considered a hot commodity. There were more popular ministries to court. However, today, Wen Chuan was extremely popular now.

Anyone in the position now would be hot commodity.

It was rare that the Crown Prince and King Duan would jostle for position just outside the throne room.

Too many things had changed over the past few days.

All of this…

Only one name surfaced in the minds of all the officials. This was a name that they had disregarded before.

Fang Zhengzhi!

He had sent Minister of Law Wan Chong into jail the day he entered the city. Then, he implicated Left Prime Minister Yu Yiping and Minister of War Shen Ming days after.

Right now, Wen Chuan was the Minister of Law. No one could tell for sure where Wen Chuan’s allegiances lay.

After all, all of the cases against Wan Chong, Yu Yiping, and Shen Ming had to go through him.

He was the gatekeeper.

In other words, Wen Chuan could make or break the Crown Prince’s hold on power! This would also directly impact King Duan.

…

Noon, two days later.

Red silk adorned the eastern wall of the capital. There was a festive atmosphere in the air.

Two rows of armed soldiers in glistening armor stood at attention.

Countless citizens gathered at the gate.

The Queen of the Southern Region was coming. This was a huge event for the people of the Great Xia. After all, the Southern Region was the largest vassal of the Great Xia.

This was an important relationship.

Furthermore, this was the first delegation to visit the Great Xia since the war a year ago. Furthermore, the head of the delegation was the Queen herself.

“I heard that the Queen is not even 20-years-old yet!”

“Yes, I heard that she is very pretty! I would love to see her.”

“Shush! Don’t let others hear that! You may be executed for that.”

The crowd whispered amongst themselves.

At that very moment, there was a black dot in the distance. This dot grew bigger and bigger. It was accompanied by loud booming sounds.

“Woo!”

A long, droning horn echoed through the air.

“The Queen of the Southern Region is here!”

“Wow! This is such a grand entourage!”

Their eyes brightened as they watched the delegation approach the city. Everyone could not help but gasp in awe.

After all, this was a rare opportunity for them to witness the Queen of the Southern Region entering the capital.

—————————————————————————————————————

Chapter 521: Interruption during the festivities

The approaching entourage was over 5000 strong. This was a squad that was made up of all sorts of beasts. Their roars echoed through the air.

Each beast had a red silk tied around its body. These danced in the spring breeze.

There was a huge beast over three yards high in the middle of the formation. It was protected by thick white scales and it had snow white fangs. This was the leader of the beasts.

There was a silver carriage on top of it. A lady in a leather robe sat on it. She had beige skin, black eyes, and smooth hair.

A crown adorned with five gems and three seven-colored feathers sat on her head.

This was Shan Yu, the Queen of the Southern Region!

“The Queen of the Southern Region! She is so pretty!”

“We are extremely lucky to witness her beauty!”

“How do they manage to control these many beasts? Aren’t they afraid that the beasts would run amok?”

“What are you talking about? These are all domesticated and trained! Why would they rebel?”

The crowd gasped in awe as they watched the approaching entourage.

By the time the entourage reached the gates of the city, the eyes of the crowd were on the verge of popping out of their sockets.

They could feel the powerful and domineering aura of the beasts.

“Roar!”

The thunderous roars echoed through the air.

The crowd instinctively took a step back in fear. After all, this was the first time that many of them had seen such beasts.

At that very moment, a middle-aged man in black official robes walked up to the lead beast.

“Welcome, I am Qin Yuan, the Minister of Rites!” Qin Yuan bowed and waved to the soldiers behind him.

At that moment, all of the soldiers walked forward.

According to Great Xia traditions, Emperor Lin Mubai would be waiting to welcome her at the gates of the palace, accompanied by the other officials. As such, the duty of welcoming her at the gates fell to Qin Yuan.

“Wooo!” The sound of the horn pierced through the air.

The entourage continued to move and entered through the eastern gates. With Qin Yuan leading the way, they began making their way towards the palace.

…

At the gates of Ping Yang’s residence…

Wen Dabao was in good spirits today. He swayed from side to side as he sauntered about.

In fact, from the moment he had stepped out of his house today, there were dozens of people waiting for him outside the gates. Some brought him flowers, others invited him for drinks, whilst others invited him to the Seven Star Lane…

However…

Wen Dabao rejected them all.

The reason was simple. His dad had taught him that he will only be able to gain more by learning to reject.

Wen Dabao didn’t really understand it before. However, he was starting to understand it now. Over the past two days, the people trying to court him were bringing him more valuable items.

They started bringing him antiques, works of art, even money…

“Reject them! I will only be able to gain more if I learn to reject!” Wen Dabao resisted the temptation to accept these items.

In the end, he was the one who was rejected.

“Young Master Wen, I’m sorry. The Princess has made it clear that there will be no visitors today.” The guard at the gate stopped Wen Dabao before he could enter.

“Brother Li, do you not recognize me? I am Dabao! Won’t the Princess meet with me?” Wen Dabao had spent much time in Ping Yang’s residence.

He had also ‘rewarded’ the guard with silvers.

As such, he was able to move in and out of Ping Yang’s residence with little to no obstructions.

“The Princess’s orders are for no one to enter!”

“Oh…” Wen Dabao sighed in exasperation. He knew that the guard was not going to budge on that position.

Was this retribution? It was his turn to be rejected now…

But…

Why would Ping Yang and Fang Zhengzhi refuse to meet with him?

Something was wrong!

He was able to enter the residence when his father was an assistant minister. Why was he denied entry now that his father was the Minister of Law?

Wen Dabao couldn’t figure it out, but the glistening spear in the guard’s hand stopped him from trying to barge in.

Wen Dabao shook his head and began walking towards the palace.

After all, the Queen of the Southern Region was arriving today.

It would be a waste not to go and take a look and see what was happening.

Ping Yang’s residence was nearby the palace. Wen Dabao had wanted to find a good vantage point inside the residence.

But now…

He had no other choice but to squeeze with the crowd.

Even though this was not his first choice, he still picked up his pace and walked briskly over to the palace.

Before long, he was at the entrance to the palace. The crowd was huge! The royal guards formed two rows and opened a path for the entourage to pass through. Emperor Lin Mubai was waiting for the arrival of the entourage inside the palace. He was flanked by all his officials.

Wen Dabao quickly spotted Ping Yang, who was standing by Emperor Lin Mubai’s side. He was slightly shocked to see her there.

“She was here so early?” Wen Dabao could understand why he had been rebuffed at the gates of her residence. However, he didn’t understand why the guard would not tell him that Ping Yang was already at the palace.

And…

Where was Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu?

“Woo!”

At that moment, the sound of the horn pierced through the air and interrupted Wen Dabao’s train of thought. The grand entourage appeared on the horizon.

The roar of the beasts and the domineering aura they exuded caused the crowd to step backward instinctively.

“Wow! White Jade Stone Elephant! That is the most powerful beast of all! And then there are the Silver Horned Wolves! The elite squad of the Southern Region!” Wen Dabao dismissed his doubts and craned his neck in excitement.

The crowd began to part to the side as the entourage approached. There was plenty of space for the Southern Region delegation to pass.

Emperor Lin Mubai looked like he was in a good mood.

His golden robe danced lightly in the wind. Four servants held up a golden umbrella above him to protect him from the heat.

The princes and princesses flanked Emperor Lin Mubai. They were led by Crown Prince Lin Tianrong and King Duan Lin Xinjue.

The Ninth Prince was also at the palace today. However, he stood far away.

Xing Yuanguo of the Stabilization Constabulary and Chi Hong of the Divine Constabulary led the delegation of ministers and officials. All of them smiled in a show of friendliness.

“The Queen of the Southern Region has arrived!” Qin Yuan’s voice pierced through the air. Everyone in the vicinity of the palace could hear him clearly.

When his voice rang out, the convoy stopped in its tracks. All of the beasts let out a low rumble.

“Music!”

“Performance!”

“…”

The voices echoed through the air.

Music filled the air as red silk danced in the sky. More than a hundred ladies in red dresses dangled from red silk. Finally, they landed on the red carpet in front of the palace.

Each one of them held a sword in their hands.

“Woosh Woosh!”

The swords cut through the air as the ladies began to dance.

The Great Xia Empire valued rites, tradition, loyalty, and benevolence.

The sword dance was one of the traditions used by the Great Xia to welcome important visitors. There was also poetry and art to accompany this dance.

Once that was over, the Queen of the Southern Region would be invited into the palace to dine with the officials. There would also be a cultural exchange.

This was going to be a festive occasion.

However…

The festivities didn’t last long. The ladies stopped dancing all of a sudden. There was a youth standing in front of them.

This youth had stepped out from the crowd.

He did not walk very quickly. In fact, each step he took was slow and deliberate. However, everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at him.

They were not alone. The Royal Guards were equally shocked to see that someone had managed to get around them.

By the time they managed to react, the youth had already made his way to the sword-wielding ladies.

He didn’t look at Emperor Lin Mubai or the Crown Prince. He didn’t even look at King Duan, Ping Yang, or the officials. He simply stared at the White Jade Stone Elephant and the lady sitting on top of it.

The music stopped.

Everyone looked at the youth with his blue long sleeved shirt dancing in the wind. They couldn’t believe their eyes.

Most of their eyes were on the verge of popping out of their sockets.

“What is he trying to do?”

“What is the Royal Guard doing? Why isn’t anyone stopping him?!”

“This is rubbish!”

All of the officials were initially shocked to see this youth. This shock quickly turned to panic.

“Roar!”

The Silver Horned Wolves roared when they saw this figure. Every one of them glared at this youth.

They remembered who this youth was.

Everyone stared at this youth in shock. They recognized him instantly.

Their shock stemmed from the fact that they knew who he was.

Because…

He was Fang Zhengzhi.

Most importantly, he was the one who had killed Shan Ling and violated Shan Yu.

How could he possibly dare to show himself in front of thousands of Southern Region soldiers?!

“Quick, arrest him!”

“He is disrupting the festivities and affecting the course of diplomacy! Execute him!”

“Royal Guards!”

The officials recovered quickly and began bellowing orders to the Royal Guards.

The Royal Guards immediately surrounded Fang Zhengzhi and lowered their spears at his throat.

“Surrender!”

“Young Master Fang, please don’t make things difficult for us.”

Bai Qi stared at Fang Zhengzhi and frowned. He had no idea why Fang Zhengzhi would show himself here.

However, he knew that Fang Zhengzhi would not be able to escape the death penalty once he showed himself.

Fang Zhengzhi ignored Bai Qi completely. He didn’t even look in that direction. He simply stood his ground and allowed the spears to be lowered at his throat.

He never looked away from the lady sitting atop the White Jade Stone Elephant.

The current Queen of the Southern Region…

Shan Yu!

At that moment, another figure walked out from the crowd. He wore a white robe embroidered with lotuses. His expression was icy.

He didn’t go around the Royal Guards. He simply squeezed his way through and walked over to Fang Zhengzhi.

His body was glowing red.

Yan Xiu.

“Young Master Yan, you…” Bai Qi’s Spear trembled when he saw Yan Xiu approach.

He was shocked to see Fang Zhengzhi. However, he couldn’t believe that Yan Xiu was in on it as well.

He knew that Yan Xiu knew exactly how important this event was. Yet, Yan Xiu chose to take Fang Zhengzhi’s side.

There was only one way that this was going to end…

Something bad was going to happen!

“Is the Queen of the Southern Region really going to do nothing now that your brother’s murderer is standing in front of you?” A calm voice echoed through the air.

The voice was not loud, but everyone in the vicinity could hear it clearly.

Chapter 522: She has feelings for him?

Everyone in the crowd stared at Fang Zhengzhi. They were shocked to hear what Fang Zhengzhi just said.

“Your brother’s murderer? In front of you?”

“What is he trying to do?”

“Is he tired of living?”

“Isn’t he the murderer? Didn’t he kill the Crown Prince of the Southern Region?”

No one could understand what Fang Zhengzhi’s intentions were. He had already gotten himself out of the situation by using the name Fang Zhengzheng. Why he would step out at such a time and raise this issue was a mystery.

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong’s expression darkened when he heard this. He knew exactly what Fang Zhengzhi was trying to do.

However…

He couldn’t believe it.

The arrival of the Queen of the Southern Region was a big deal! Why would Fang Zhengzhi raise this issue right now and in this manner?

How could he be this audacious?!

The expressions of the other officials were equally contorted and ugly. Fang Zhengzhi had already been deemed a guilty man.

Now, Fang Zhengzhi was still alive and in the city. Why would he choose such a time to reopen this case?

Everyone’s eyes were on the verge of popping out of their sockets. They had a bad feeling when they saw Fang Zhengzhi step forward.

It was a feeling…

A feeling that eventually materialized. Fang Zhengzhi did bring up this issue! And he did so in front of the Queen of the Southern Region.

What were they to do now?

What was going to happen?

Wen Dabao wanted to go forward and stop Fang Zhengzhi. However, he was not Yan Xiu and he knew that he was in no position to stop anything.

Emperor Lin Mubai squinted when he saw Fang Zhengzhi appear. His golden robe danced in the breeze.

He was the leader of the Empire…

He was furious at the fact that his welcoming of the Queen of the Southern Region had been disrupted by one man. However, he contained his anger.

The reason was simple. He was the leader of the empire.

Every decision of his would be recorded in the annals of history. He had to wait, think, and consider his options…

Xing Yuanguo, Chi Hong, Ping Yang, and many others were waiting as well. Their expressions were all different, but they didn’t speak.

King Duan and the Crown Prince were waiting as well.

Silence. Pin-drop silence.

The breeze caressed everyone in the crowd.

Shan Yu didn’t speak.

Shan Yu remained silent throughout the entire time. It was almost as though she didn’t even see Fang Zhengzhi.

However, she was clearly staring at Fang Zhengzhi.

She had been looking at him from the moment he appeared. It was almost as if she wanted to see right through him.

Time ticked away…

Yet, no one made a sound. It was pin-drop silence.

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong smiled when he saw that Princess Shan Yu didn’t move. Fang Zhengzhi may be audacious, but Shan Yu was no idiot.

The Southern Region…

They were a vassal of the Great Xia…

Without the support of external powers, the Southern Region would never have dared to betray the Great Xia Empire and antagonize him.

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong didn’t think that Princess Shan Yu would do something that idiotic.

Princess Shan Yu had been smart to lay low and maintain the peace over the past year. Furthermore, if the Southern Region wanted to overturn the case…

They would not possibly pin their hopes on Fang Zhengzhi.

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong shot a look at one of the officials behind him.

“Royal Guard, what are you waiting for? Arrest this audacious revel!” The official on the receiving end of the look understood the Crown Prince’s intentions instantly.

“I’m sorry, Young Master Fang!” Bai Qi grit his teeth. Just as he was about to strike, he saw a figure appear in front of him.

At the same time, a red light screen appeared from the ground.

It was like a crystal wall, but it was icy and hellish, almost as if it was made up of the souls of the fallen.

The Dao of Asura.

“Young Master Yan, today is a big day for the Emperor and the Southern Region. Are you not afraid that Prince Yan would be implicated as well?” Bai Qi’s arm trembled.

He didn’t dare to strike without the Emperor’s orders.

There were 3000 Yan Cloud Cavalry still camped out at the Ten Mile Lake with Yan Qianli.

“The Royal Guards should act like the Royal Guards!” Yan Xiu’s expression was just as icy as before.

Bai Qi was stunned but recovered quickly.

As the deputy commander of the Royal Guards, he did not report to the officials. However, he did have a responsibility to ensure that today’s event ran smoothly.

As such…

He stepped forward to stop Fang Zhengzhi.

There was nothing wrong with that. However, Yan Xiu’s words reminded him that neither the Emperor nor the commander had given any orders.

He released his grip on his spear.

Even though his spear was still held at Fang Zhengzhi’s throat, Bai Qi did not speak anymore.

“Deputy Commander Bai, what are you waiting for?” The official asked again.

However, Bai Qi ignored the official. He closed his eyes and stood his ground like a statue.

The crowd looked at each other in disbelief and confusion.

Why didn’t the Royal Guards arrest Fang Zhengzhi?

At that moment, Fang Zhengzhi chuckled. He didn’t hesitate any longer. He turned and looked at the Royal Guards around him.

Then, he began to walk back into the crowd.

The guards instinctively looked to Bai Qi for instructions. Bai Qi looked at the walls of the palace and the silent figure on the walls.

That was an armored figure. However, that person’s armor was clearly different from that of Bai Qi.

Because…

That was a lady’s armor.

The only lady’s armor in the 50,000 strong Royal Guards.

She was the only lady, and she was also their commander!

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong’s eyes glittered as he shuffled forward. He was not going to let this opportunity slip past.

“Father, are you really going to let him leave like that?” The Crown Prince prompted.

“Yes, your highness, this man is incredibly audacious! We cannot let him off scot-free!”

“Your Highness, please order his arrest!”

“Your Highness, please give the order!”

The officials followed the lead of the Crown Prince and fell to their knees.

King Duan felt rather conflicted. He could tell that Chi Hou was looking at him. However, when he thought about how Fang Zhengzhi had rejected him days earlier…

He decided not to step forward.

Emperor Lin Mubai turned behind and looked at the kneeling officials. His eyes glittered and he spotted someone out of the corner of his eye.

This was a figure who had stepped forward.

Emperor Lin Mubai was slightly shocked to see this figure.

However, his shock did not last very long. A figure in red lunged in front of him.

“Father, I am hungry! We have been standing out here for so long. Just start the banquet already! I am sure the Queen of the Southern Region is hungry after traveling for this long.” Ping Yang pouted.

“Mm, Ping Yang is right. I am quite hungry as well.” Emperor Lin Mubai ruffled Ping Yang’s hair.

When Eunuch Wei heard this, he immediately walked over to the kneeling officials.

“The time has come. Start the banquet!” A shrill voice echoed through the air and this command was repeated throughout the palace.

“Start the banquet!”

“Start the banquet!”

“…”

“Stop there!”

Just as the orders to start the banquet rang out, a voice echoed out from the top of the White Jade Stone Elephant. The officials looked at each other.

They heard this voice.

Everyone was slightly stunned as they turned to look at the figure atop the White Jade Stone Elephant.

At that moment…

The figure stood up from the dais and stepped out of her carriage. She walked forward and onto the head of the White Jade Stone Elephant.

The leather robe was wrapped tightly around her curvy body. Her beige skin glistened under the sun.

Her eyes were as dark as black gems.

She was not talking to Eunuch Wei or the officials. She was staring at the youth who was about to re-enter the crowd.

“Have you made preparations?” Shan Yu ignored the officials as she looked at Fang Zhengzhi.

When Shan Yu said this…

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong’s expression changed as he looked at Princess Shan Yu with daggers in his eyes.

All of the officials felt equally perplexed when they heard what Princess Shan Yu had said.

They had all heard about what happened in the Southern Region.

They were all extremely well informed. However, they simply chose not to reveal certain things.

That being said, they were all shocked to hear Princess Shan Yu ask such a question.

“Could there be unexpected developments?”

“Why would Shan Yu ask Fang Zhengzhi if he has made the necessary preparations?”

“What does he need to prepare for?”

The officials turned to look at Fang Zhengzhi with anticipation and panic in their eyes.

Their emotions were in turmoil.

Fang Zhengzhi stopped in his tracks, his blue long-sleeved shirt dancing in the wind. He shook his head lightly without turning back.

“No.”

“If you haven’t even made preparations, how dare you appear here and question me? Aren’t you afraid that I would kill you?” Princess Shan Yu’s chest heaved in anger.

The Southern Region soldiers sprang into action when they heard this. They raised their spears and pointed them at Fang Zhengzhi.

“Die!”

“Kill him!”

Their roars filled the air.

“Stand down!” Another voice rang out from within their ranks.

Then, a skinny figure walked out from within the formation. He wore an exquisite red leather robe and he stared at Fang Zhengzhi.

He was Fiery Crow, the Settlement Chief of the Fiery Crow Settlement!

The Southern Region soldiers calmed down when they heard Fiery Crow’s command. They lowered their spears and stood at attention.

It was a quick series of events.

However, the crowd instinctively took a step back.

The Southern Region…

Home of the brave and the courageous!

Even though the crowd was slightly frightened, they were excited to see what would happen. All of them stared at the lady atop the White Jade Stone Elephant.

The Queen of the Southern Region, Shan Yu.

Everyone knew that even though Fiery Crow had given the order to stand down, the person who was behind that order was Shan Yu.

That being said, they couldn’t understand why Fiery Crow would stop the soldiers when Princess Shan Yu was clearly angered. What did Fang Zhengzhi do to piss off the Queen of the Southern Region?

Did she really have feelings for Fang Zhengzhi?

No, that can’t be!

If Princess Shan Yu had feelings for Fang Zhengzhi, why would Fang Zhengzhi kill Crown Prince Shan Ling?

Everyone was confused and lost.

After all, the Crown Prince had reported that Fang Zhengzhi was being escorted back to the capital after he had violated Princess Shan Yu.

He then killed Shan Ling in order to escape.

If that was the case, why didn’t Shan Yu just kill Fang Zhengzhi where he stood?

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Chapter 523: F*ck me! That works?!

Fang Zhengzhi had no intention of answering the questions in everyone’s mind. He felt a sense of dejavu when he saw the anger on Shan Yu’s face. It reminded him of the time he accidentally slapped her.

After more than a year…

Was her go to threat still death?

“If you think that there is an issue, you can retake your seat.” Fang Zhengzhi pointed at the carriage behind her.

“What?”

“How dare he talk to the Queen of the Southern Region like that?”

“Does he think that the Queen of the Southern Region is still the same princess he violated over a year ago?”

The eyes of the crowd were about to pop out of their sockets. The person on the White Jade Stone Elephant was the Queen of the Southern Region!

“How dare he?! This is ridiculous!” The officials were all enraged when they heard this.

They felt that none of the Southern Region soldiers would be able to tolerate such rudeness.

However, none of the soldiers raised their spears.

They continued to stand in their positions silently, almost as if they didn’t hear what Fang Zhengzhi had said.

The expression of Crown Prince Lin Tianrong changed at that moment. He didn’t want this conversation to continue. He knew the relationship between Shan Yu and Fang Zhengzhi.

If not for Fang Zhengzhi rejecting her…

Actually, if not for the fact that Fang Zhengzhi had claimed that he did not have very long to live, he would have already been Shan Yu’s husband by now.

“Father, this is a disgrace to the Great Xia! He is ruining our reputation!” Crown Prince Lin Tianrong pleaded.

The officials prepared to fall to their knees once again.

At that moment…

Emperor Lin Mubai waved them off and rubbed his temples with his hands. He seemed rather tired.

“The Emperor is tired, bring him a chair for him to rest.” Eunuch Wei told the servants standing beside him.

The servants disappeared to get the chair.

Before long, a throne was carried over and placed behind Emperor Lin Mubai. Then, two servants placed a soft cushion on the throne.

Emperor Lin Mubai took a step back and sat down. He closed his eyes and rested.

The officials looked at each other in confusion when they saw this. They decided to keep their mouths shut.

There was a light breeze.

It caressed the face of Crown Prince Lin Tianrong.

He was rather pale, embarrassed, and helpless.

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong wanted to step forward as he watched the Emperor. However, he could not say anything until the Emperor did so.

All he could do was wait.

King Duan smirked when he saw this. At that moment, he saw the look that Chi Hou was giving him.

“This time?” King Duan shook his head slightly when he saw Emperor Lin Mubai resting.

Ping Yang straightened her back when she saw Emperor Lin Mubai sit down. She felt a wave of confidence.

She looked at Bai Qi, the deputy commander of the Royal Guards, with crystal clear eyes.

“What are you waiting for? Stand down!”

Bai Qi shuddered when he heard this. He instinctively looked back at the figure on the walls of the palace. That figure nodded.

“Yes, ma’am!” Bai Qi replied and stood down.

The crowd was confused to see this change of events. Why did the Royal Guard stand down after Fang Zhengzhi had been that rude to the Queen of the Southern Region?

The courts…

Politics was complicated.

Since Emperor Lin Mubai was taking a break, the attention of the crowd turned back to Shan Yu.

No one bothered with the actions of the officials and the royal family.

Shan Yu didn’t reply to Fang Zhengzhi. It felt as though she had been muted by Fang Zhengzhi’s words.

Five minutes passed…

15 minutes…

Princess Shan Yu bit her lip, her black eyes glittering in the sun. She seemed to have made her decision.

“How confident are you?!”

“Before you came, 30%.” Fang Zhengzhi replied calmly.

“And now?”

“Still 30%.”

“Rubbish…” Princess Shan Yu clenched her fists as her chest heaved. She was about to berate Fang Zhengzhi when she realized something.

She had not been this agitated over the past year.

As the leader of the Southern Region, she had to remain calm and composed even under the most stressful of circumstances.

However, for some reason…

She couldn’t keep calm when she saw Fang Zhengzhi. She nearly lost her temper twice in such a short period of time.

She was slightly taken aback by this.

This was not a good thing, but Shan Yu felt quite good about this. She enjoyed bickering with Fang Zhengzhi. She felt like that was a channel for her to vent her frustrations.

What was happening?

Princess Shan Yu didn’t quite understand it, but she felt like there was something about Fang Zhengzhi’s words that she hadn’t quite figured out.

30% before she came!

And now…

It was still 30%?

“I see!” Princess Shan Yu’s eyes brightened. She finally understood what Fang Zhengzhi was thinking and what she had to do.

This was not the first time Fang Zhengzhi had told her about his confidence level in a plan.

She remembered her time in the Southern Region with Fang Zhengzhi. Back then, when she asked Fang Zhengzhi how confident he was about a certain battle, his answer would always be…

100%!

As such, she knew for a fact that Fang Zhengzhi would never do something in which he only had a 30% confidence level. That meant that this 30% was not firm.

In other words…

The other 70% was not up to him.

She stared at Fang Zhengzhi.

Then, Princess Shan Yu chuckled. She laughed so hard that she trembled in her spot.

“Hahaha… 30%?! You dare to step forward with only 30% confidence?” Shan Yu chuckled and leaped off the White Jade Stone Elephant.

She landed lightly on her feet.

The wind caused her leather robe to fly and this revealed her slender legs.

“Yes!” Fang Zhengzhi nodded.

“Don’t you think that you are too naive?” Shan Yu’s gaze was icy as an aura of fury circled her body.

“No.” Fang Zhengzhi replied.

“Humph, who do you think I am? I didn’t kill you previously because I took into account your contributions to the Southern Region. However, if you continue to spout rubbish, I will kill you on the spot!” Shan Yu bellowed.

The crowd looked at each other when they heard this.

“Shan Yu wants to kill him!”

“It is true that he did contribute greatly to the victory in the Southern Region…”

“Yes, it is understandable that the Queen of the Southern Region would spare his life after what he did.”

The crowd nodded.

Over the past year, the stories of Fang Zhengzhi’s exploits in the Southern Region had spread throughout the Empire. Even though no one mentioned his name…

Everyone knew that…

Fang Zhengzhi was the key reason for the victory!

Fang Zhengzhi had convinced the Southern Region to cooperate with the Great Xia and he had single-handedly stalled till the reinforcements arrived.

Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi had dueled the half-sage Canyang and repelled the demon army.

Fang Zhengzhi had been the key to their victory.

However, no one mentioned these exploits because of his actions thereafter. He had violated the Princess, killed Shan Ling, and injured Crown Prince Lin Tianrong.

However…

The facts remained the same.

Furthermore, the Queen’s words had reaffirmed their belief that Fang Zhengzhi was the main reason behind the victory in the Southern Region.

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong heard the discussions within the crowd. He didn’t know if Shan Yu had mentioned Fang Zhengzhi’s contributions on purpose.

Either way, that was something that he didn’t want to hear.

“Nonsense? Did I say anything that was false? Is Shan Ling’s murderer not standing in front of you?” Fang Zhengzhi replied.

“So what?” Shan Yu replied in a fit of anger.

“Whoa!” The crowd couldn’t believe their ears.

Everyone knew that the Crown Prince’s murderer was Fang Zhengzhi. However, they didn’t understand why he would admit to it so readily!

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong’s expression darkened. He knew exactly what Fang Zhengzhi and Shan Yu were getting at.

Even though Fang Zhengzhi had not pointed it out…

He was extremely uncomfortable with this. He felt as though he had just swallowed a fly.

However, Fang Zhengzhi and Shan Yu didn’t seem to notice the Crown Prince’s expression. She looked like she was ready to explode at any moment.

“Did you just say ‘so what?'” Fang Zhengzhi asked.

“Yes, I did!” Shan Yu nodded.

“Since you have admitted to saying that, let me ask you this. You are the Queen of the Southern Region, a land of courageous warriors. How can you let the murderer of their Crown Prince go unpunished?” Fang Zhengzhi pressed.

“He’s already dead. There’s nothing we can do to bring him back to life.” Shan Yu fumed.

“That is true, but how can you not avenge his death?” Fang Zhengzhi was not backing down.

“You…” Shan Yu grit her teeth as balls of fire flickered in her eyes. The aura around her became increasingly unstable.

“Is the Queen of the Southern Region really going to let this slide? Don’t the warriors of the Southern Region deserve an answer?” Fang Zhengzhi continued to press her.

“There is no fairness in this world.” Shan Yu clenched her fists.

“Yes, there is rarely any fairness in this world. However, heaven watches what we do and it is up to us to fight for justice. As the Queen of the Southern Region, how can you lead your people if you don’t even have the courage to fight for justice?” Fang Zhengzhi replied with disdain.

“Are you trying to force me to kill you?” Shan Yu’s eyes were filled with rage.

“If you really think that I am the murderer, you can kill me now!” Fang Zhengzhi replied calmly.

“Hahaha… do you think I won’t do it? My brother died within the borders of the Southern Region. There were only three people there, yourself, the Crown Prince, and Official Su. Official Su is now in the Northern Region. If you didn’t kill him, are you telling me that the Crown Prince did it?!” A column of flame shot out from her body and the cloud patterns glowed faintly on her skin.

There was a sizzling sound…

The aftermath of the column of flame.

One could only imagine how furious Shan Yu was.

However…

The crowd was stunned to hear what Shan Yu said.

“If you didn’t kill him, are you telling me that the Crown Prince did it?!”

At that moment, everyone turned to look at Crown Prince Lin Tianrong. Lin Tianrong was pale and on his knees.

All of the officials were equally shocked.

They knew that Shan Yu was furious. Furthermore, they thought that Shan Yu had already decided to pin the murder of her brother on Fang Zhengzhi.

They didn’t expect her to turn her attention towards the Crown Prince.

“Did Fang Zhengzhi and Shan Yu plan this from the… no, they didn’t even meet before this!”

“What is happening?”

“Is this a coincidence, or was this premeditated?”

The officials could tell that things were taking a turn for the worse. However, they didn’t know why this was happening.

Furthermore, the most important thing was…

It was too late.

Shan Yu had already said those words.

It may have been said on impulse, but it was also a form of doubt. She, on behalf of the Southern Region, doubted the Crown Prince and the Great Xia.

Wen Dabao was completely floored when he heard this. His eyes were on the verge of popping out of his sockets and his jaw dropped. He murmured to himself, “That works? Fck me, how is this even working? Fck me…”

Crown Prince Lin Tianrong’s expression darkened and his knuckles whitened. When Fang Zhengzhi and Shan Yu began bickering…

He could guess where the conversation was going…

However, he couldn’t stop them.

He was only the Crown Prince, not the Emperor. More importantly, he would seem guilty if he stepped forward to stop them.

As such…

All he could do was swallow his pride and tolerate it.

He couldn’t do anything even though Shan Yu’s finger was pointed at him…