Chapter 197 : Chapter 197
Chapter 197 If He Dares Come to the Great Qian Capital and Bully My Grandson, I Will Kick Him to the Roadside!
“Oh? Taking down Duke Dingguo’s Estate. How does Little Friend Cheng plan to do that?”
When Zhao Yi heard Cheng Yu’s words, he immediately became interested. A powerful Ninth-Rank duke was far stronger than any enemy Cheng Yu had faced before, and far more troublesome as well.
In Dragon Abyss Path and Jiannan Circuit, Cheng Yu could act first and report afterward, then find sufficient reasons afterward.
But this was the Great Qian Capital.
Any unusual movement would reach the Great Qian Emperor Xiao Wuji’s ears in less than half an hour, perhaps even faster.
If he did not prepare a proper justification, then it would be the grave crime of murdering a noble of the realm, and it would absolutely not be treated lightly.
Moreover, all of this was built upon the foundation of being able to deal with Ning Dingyuan himself.
Cheng Yu immediately revealed a calm smile.
“Execute First and Report Later is a privilege His Majesty granted us. As long as the thing His Majesty obtains satisfies him, everything else will not be a problem.”
Zhao Yi frowned. “What can His Majesty obtain?”
Xiao Wuji was the exalted Son of Heaven.
In Great Qian, there were truly very few things that could move him enough to make him willing to discard a duke.
The moment Zhao Yi thought of this, one thing instantly appeared in his mind.
The Dragon Abyss Sword!
After Sword-Forging Manor was destroyed, the supreme weapon that served as its sect-guarding treasure disappeared without a trace.
Xiao Wuji had been somewhat gloomy over this.
Even without considering the Dragon Abyss Sword’s own power, the dragon was a symbol of emperors.
If he could obtain the famous Dragon Abyss Sword of the Jianghu and enshrine it as a royal treasure, that would be enough for Xiao Wuji to leave a vivid and glorious mark among Great Qian’s Xiao imperial clan.
Moreover, as a supreme weapon under heaven, the Dragon Abyss Sword represented the power of a Grandmaster or even a higher realm. No force could refuse it.
According to Ai Peng’s report to Zhao Yi at the time, the Dragon Abyss Sword had lost its spirituality and power, and it had ultimately fallen into the hands of that powerful Sword Bearer swordsman beside Cheng Yu.
Zhao Yi was somewhat puzzled.
If Cheng Yu handed over a powerless shell to Xiao Wuji, that would not count as sufficient bargaining leverage.
Naturally, Cheng Yu did not know that Zhao Yi was thinking about the Dragon Abyss Sword.
He had obtained information of even greater value and had more considerations of his own.
“Raiding and destroying Duke Dingguo’s Estate, and taking down Ning Dingyuan, who is colluding with Prince Chu, on His Majesty’s behalf—that is the best bargaining chip.”
When Zhao Yi heard this, his eyes immediately widened.
Prince Chu?!
This man was the biological uncle of the current Great Qian Emperor, Xiao Wuji, and a prince who commanded a powerful army on the northern defense line.
The Great General of the Northern Suppression Army!
More than ten years ago, when the Late Emperor passed away and Xiao Wuji inherited the throne, many rumors had spread. They said that the person the Late Emperor originally intended to pass the throne to was not Xiao Wuji, but Prince Chu, Xiao Li.
When the rumors were at their most serious, there was even a claim that the Northern Suppression Army in the north had already armed itself and was prepared to disregard the Demon Race’s defensive line and march south.
Prince Chu had designs on the throne!
If it had not just happened to coincide with the Demon Race rising in power and madly attacking the defensive line, leaving Prince Chu unable to free his hands—
Who would be sitting in the position of Great Qian’s ruler?
That was truly uncertain.
Now, the Demon King beyond the borders had died, and the Demon Race had repeatedly fallen into great turmoil. The Northern Suppression Army had spent more than ten years developing military farms and had become strong, well-provisioned, and able to spare its hands.
The situation had once again become ambiguous.
From top to bottom, when the court mentioned Prince Chu, they had practically already tacitly agreed that he had designs on the throne, and that he had the strength to pursue them.
This was precisely the main basis for Xiao Wuji’s hesitation, and for the Moderate Faction’s firm unwillingness to make war on the Jianghu.
They feared that Prince Chu would seize the opening!
As for Ning Dingyuan, he was a duke, yet he had wavered when choosing a faction. It was already one thing that he had not chosen to be firmly loyal to His Majesty.
But if he was also colluding privately with Prince Chu—
Then he more than deserved death!
Zhao Yi continuously stroked his beard and analyzed the situation under heaven. He only felt that the situation was very complicated, and that the opportunity was even greater.
He asked, “Can this charge be made firm?”
Cheng Yu nodded seriously. “Duke Dingguo dotes on that son of his and thinks highly of him. He cannot bear to hide anything from him.”
Prince Chu’s secret envoy had been personally received by Duke Dingguo’s son.
Although Ning Cen was arrogant, domineering, and insane—
He was not merely a useless bastard. Not only was his martial strength passable, there was also always a line in his heart.
He would not do things that touched the bottom line and could cause great harm.
The fact that he could obediently be brought to the Imperial Prison and be imprisoned by Jinyiwei who were not especially strong, acting tyrannically yet never considering personally escaping from prison, proved that Ning Cen was mad but not stupid.
Unfortunately—
He had encountered Cheng Yu, the true Yama and fiend in the eyes of the Jiangnan Jianghu martial artists...
“Good. Then I am relieved! Go ahead and handle your own affairs freely. I will support you in court.”
Zhao Yi smiled with satisfaction and made his promise. If he did not help his own grandson, whom would he help?
“This junior thanks Lord Zhao.”
Cheng Yu cupped his fists in thanks, feeling more confident in his heart. After all, he had hidden this information and plan from Lu Zhi and would not receive the Jinyiwei’s assistance.
If Commander Lu knew that Ning Dingyuan was suspected of secretly communicating with Prince Chu, he would absolutely not allow Cheng Yu to move directly against Duke Dingguo’s Estate.
Instead, he would think of a way to seek the greatest benefit, use this matter to reap a large profit, then continue hiding his strength and biding his time.
He would continue being his cowardly tortoise.
But to Cheng Yu, using Duke Dingguo as the first target and restoring the Jinyiwei’s prestige and status was the greatest benefit.
This was not only for the system rewards.
It was even more because the Jinyiwei, this force, needed blood and courage!
At a time like this, it still had to be Lord Zhao.
No matter what extreme method Cheng Yu chose, Zhao Yi would never oppose or question him. He would only support him completely.
This matter had already been arranged.
Zhao Yi nodded. In the next moment, he became serious.
“Since you have come this time, this old man actually has an even more important matter to discuss.”
Cheng Yu’s heart immediately shook.
Was Lord Zhao about to speak to him about the great undertaking of Trampling the Jianghu Under Hooves?
“Lord Zhao, please speak!”
Zhao Yi revealed a mysterious smile and stretched out his left palm. Within it, a profoundly mysterious force spiraled.
“Before that, I must ask Little Friend Cheng a question. At present, how much strength can you bring out?”
The Nine Great Sects of the Jianghu and the Ten Great Thousand-Year Aristocratic Families were all powerful forces that possessed Grandmasters.
Although they schemed and fought among themselves, when they encountered major questions of right and wrong, they would absolutely unite against a common enemy.
If one wanted to deal with these people and realize a great undertaking, the most basic requirement was strength.
Without strength—
One would not even be qualified to sit at the table and negotiate!
“Lord Zhao, your realm?!”
Cheng Yu did not have time to answer the question. Instead, he was truly shocked by the power in Zhao Yi’s palm.
This was... the power of “Dao”!
Zhao Yi’s Martial Realm had already entered the Dao. In martial arts, this was known as—
Grandmaster!
“This old man was already at this profound and wondrous realm a very long time ago. Because of certain reasons, I fell from it. After accumulating and restoring myself for many years, I have managed to regain some of the feeling.”
Looking at Zhao Yi’s calm appearance, Cheng Yu felt his heart tremble.
This was the second time he had seen true Grandmaster-level combat power.
Xiao Teng had used the demon dragon’s power by exhausting everything he had, and it had been extremely forced. Cheng Cangshan was merely an Internal Energy Avatar.
As for real, genuine Grandmasters—
Aside from Chang Ningxiao, the only one Cheng Yu had seen was Zhao Yi before him.
One had to know—
Sword Chief Chang Ningxiao was merely a sword fanatic girl Cheng Yu had deceived through the Sword Dao.
But Lord Zhao—This was someone who had helped him many times, an absolute ally!
When Zhao Yi saw Cheng Yu’s reaction, his old face, which had been calm for many years, also became proud at this moment.
His eldest grandson must have been shocked by his strength!
That fellow Cheng Zhenjiang had repeatedly bullied his grandson.
If he dared come to the Great Qian Capital—Zhao Yi would kick him to the roadside!