Chapter 203 : Chapter 203
Chapter 203: To Survive by Placing Oneself on Death Ground; Never Bring Shame to His Majesty
“Cheng Yu directly led men to Duke Dingguo’s Estate. He only sent one person to the Command Office to notify Lord Lu Zhi.”
The Jinyiwei Shadow Guard was reporting the news with an extremely serious expression, while shock flashed through his eyes.
Cheng Yu.
He was truly a damned talent!
He had only come to the Great Qian Capital to take office a few days ago. The Shadow Guard had thought that, since Cheng Yu was now beneath the Son of Heaven’s feet, he would behave a little more peacefully and stop biting whoever he caught, the way he had in Jiangnan.
In the end, on his very first day in office, he had given Duke Dingguo’s son, Ning Cen, a fierce beating. It was said that he had directly beaten the man stupid, eliminating one of the Great Qian Capital’s scourges from the root.
But strictly speaking, as a Jinyiwei responsible for the Imperial Prison, there was nothing wrong with him dealing with a criminal.
Duke Dingguo had been so anxious that he had gone to raid the prison, and Cheng Yu was absolutely in the right.
Aside from his conduct being far too violent and shocking, in terms of procedure, there truly had been no real problem with Cheng Yu.
But who would have thought that only a day or two later, not long after Cheng Yu had tortured the man into that state, he would actually lead men to raid and confiscate Duke Dingguo’s Estate!
What kind of hatred and grievance was this?
The last time a duke-level figure in Great Qian had his household raided and confiscated, who knew how many years ago that had been?
While the Shadow Guard was inwardly clicking his tongue, he suddenly realized that the atmosphere around him was not quite right.
Only then did he abruptly react.
Was the victim of this household raid, Duke Dingguo Ning Dingyuan, not standing right in front of him now?
The first thing Ning Dingyuan felt upon hearing this news was utter confusion.
No matter what, he had never expected the Jinyiwei to go and raid his home at a time like this.
They had forced him to come to the imperial palace, making him watch everything happen helplessly with his own eyes!
In despair, he raised his head and looked at Xiao Wuji. He had underestimated this emperor’s methods and the blackness of his heart.
A beast!
Xiao Wuji was trying to play him to death alive, and he would not even let Ning Dingyuan know how he was supposed to die!
His eyes turned incomparably bloodshot as he stared at Xiao Wuji, as if tears of blood were about to spill from them. His fingers dug deeply into the floor tiles, causing sharp cracking sounds to ring out.
He was inside the imperial palace.
He could not even resist!
“What? Cheng Yu is raiding Duke Dingguo’s Estate? What qualifications does a mere Commandant like him have?”
Xiao Wuji was startled by the Shadow Guard’s report. Duke Dingguo had come to him and truthfully confessed his crimes, yet his home had been stolen out from under him!
And it was the Jinyiwei doing it!
His Xiao Wuji’s subordinates, his personal troops with the authority to execute first and report later!
Looking at Ning Dingyuan’s despairing expression as he stared fixedly at him, Xiao Wuji knew very clearly that the other party definitely thought he had sent them!
Even though he truly had done nothing.
Rage immediately flared in his heart. Why was Cheng Yu so incapable of knowing what was good for him?
We kindly promoted him from the provinces because We had expectations and hopes for him, and wanted to help polish his temper and credentials.
Why was he still so incapable of knowing propriety after arriving in the Great Qian Capital?
Today, he had just raided a duke’s estate. Tomorrow, would he dare to raid the Nine Great Sects and trigger a Jianghu war? After that, would he even be unwilling to spare the imperial palace and raid it too?
Then there would be nothing left for him to raid!
“This is far too outrageous! How long has that fellow been there? Quickly send someone to stop him. How can a duke’s estate be raided just because he says so?”
As Xiao Wuji’s voice fell, noble Dragon Might immediately erupted in grand, surging waves. In the end, it transformed into a terrifying imperial command token formed from Dragon Might and flew into Ning Dingyuan’s hand.
“Duke Dingguo, quickly take this object and stop the Jinyiwei. It is as if We are there in person!”
Ning Dingyuan took the object and froze completely. He was supposed to take the emperor’s command and stop Cheng Yu from raiding his estate?
Why?
Had the household raid not been ordered by Xiao Wuji? Why was he now asking Ning Dingyuan to stop it? Was he trying to toy with him?
He lowered his head. “This minister does not dare!”
When Xiao Wuji saw this, he became thoroughly enraged. He slammed his palm fiercely against the Dragon Throne, causing Dragon Might to tremble. At this moment, the entire palace shook as if the earth were quaking and the mountains were swaying.
Even at a time like this, Duke Dingguo was still doubting him!
“Is Duke Dingguo questioning what We have said? Let Us tell you this: everything Cheng Yu has done after coming to the Great Qian Capital has nothing to do with Us. If We wanted to deal with you, We have plenty of methods. There would be no need for such petty measures!”
“As for Cheng Yu’s conduct, it is indeed excessive. We will certainly punish him. If you do not want your estate to be raided clean, then hurry up and get out!”
When Ning Dingyuan heard these words, stormy waves surged through his mind. Xiao Wuji had already emphasized it so clearly.
It seemed that what Cheng Yu had done truly had nothing to do with him!
No matter how much Xiao Wuji hated him, as the emperor, there was no need for him to disregard imperial credibility just to torment a duke.
Ning Dingyuan’s mind crashed for an instant, and an incomparable sense of absurdity erupted within him.
If that was the case...
He had made this trip to the imperial palace, wept and wailed before Xiao Wuji, confessed his guilt for half a day, and fought a battle of wits and courage against empty air. He had even angered His Majesty.
In the end, he had simply blown himself up one-sidedly like a fool!
And Cheng Yu torturing Ning Cen into a crippled state before running off to raid his home had all been Cheng Yu’s own decision?!
“Cheng Yu!!”
At this moment, Ning Dingyuan’s face became hideous to the extreme. He gnashed his teeth and raised his head. So from beginning to end, only Cheng Yu had been causing trouble!
He hurriedly kowtowed to Xiao Wuji in extreme agitation and said with utmost respect, “Thank you for Your Majesty’s imperial grace. This humble minister will surely do everything in his power to repay it!”
After Xiao Wuji waved his hand impatiently, Ning Dingyuan immediately rushed out of the imperial palace and charged toward his home.
“You dared to form a mortal feud with Duke Dingguo’s Estate behind His Majesty’s back? So you are someone who does not fear death!”
Looking at Ning Dingyuan’s departing figure, Xiao Wuji shook his head helplessly.
“Sigh.”
He only felt that he had gone through too many inexplicable things, and his heart was exhausted. He wanted to rise and leave for the rear palace to find some peace.
Suddenly, the Shadow Guard spoke in a flustered hurry. “Your Majesty! This minister still has an important matter that has not been reported!”
“Speak.”
Xiao Wuji raised an eyebrow. What else could there be?
The Shadow Guard swallowed and said, “Before Cheng Yu went to raid Duke Dingguo’s Estate, he had already reported Duke Dingguo’s crimes...”
Crimes?
When Xiao Wuji heard this, his heart turned cold again. It was not as if he had never seen people pin charges on others. The Jinyiwei had played this sort of trick plenty of times in the past.
But today, Duke Dingguo had misunderstood the matter and blamed him, the emperor. Xiao Wuji felt very displeased and very much wanted to punish Cheng Yu.
He felt that Cheng Yu’s pure and capable image in his heart had instantly become much less favorable.
He was too disobedient!
If Cheng Yu could not explain himself clearly, and if he had fabricated charges again, Xiao Wuji would certainly make him suffer!
He said coldly, “What crimes could there be that would justify raiding a duke’s estate?”
“Cheng Yu said... Duke Dingguo colluded with Prince Chu and intended to rebel!”
Xiao Wuji had been waiting to hear how Cheng Yu had woven charges together, and he had already thought about how to punish Cheng Yu.
But at this moment, it was as if thunder had exploded beside his ears, and an incomparably fierce light instinctively flashed through his eyes.
Colluding with Prince Chu?!
If Prince Qing’s Remnants were a small game that cropped up once every few decades, something Xiao Wuji did not even care about much, then his imperial uncle, Prince Chu Xiao Li, was a true grave threat!
“Is this true?”
The Shadow Guard nodded repeatedly. “He said the evidence was conclusive. Commandant Cheng could not bear to see treacherous rebels holding power around Your Majesty, so he was going to stake everything against Duke Dingguo!”
Xiao Wuji’s expression became increasingly astonished, and a trace of warmth appeared in his gaze.
“He... is going to stake everything against a ninth-rank martial artist?”
“Yes! He said that the other Jinyiwei failed to act, but he would not join them in corruption. He would place himself on death ground and seek life from it, and he would absolutely not bring shame to Your Majesty.”