A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 103 The storm is coming
"Duan Tianya, what are you doing here?" the emperor asked in surprise, then sat down on the dragon throne and secretly pressed a mechanism with his right hand.

"Your Majesty, I have come to deliver a message. This is a letter written by Daoist Gu Xu. He said that once Your Majesty reads this letter, you will know what to do."

Duan Tianya carefully placed a letter on the table, then stood a few feet away from the table.

Upon hearing this, the emperor's eyes flickered. He immediately picked up the letter, opened it, and after reading it for a moment, he understood. He put the letter down and looked at Duan Tianya, saying, "Daoist, you are very thoughtful. You are all loyal to the emperor and unwilling to compromise your principles. I am very pleased. Where are you living now?"

"Your Majesty, we are staying at the Yingbin Inn in the capital. The Taoist priest said he will also be arriving in the capital soon."

"Alright, I understand. Tianya, be careful not to expose your whereabouts. I will personally inform you when the time is right."

"Yes"

Duan Tianya had mixed feelings after learning that his wife, with whom he had lived day and night, was the murderer. Later, Haitang and the other two came to his door and told him about all of Shenhou's plans.

From that moment on, Duan Tianya's heart was devoid of any passion, only coldness remained.

"When you return, when you see the Taoist priest, please give him my regards. As for the matter of Wan Sanqian, I will not pursue it further. Just tell him to be careful in the future. As long as I am on the throne, I will naturally not do anything to him."

Duan Tianya nodded in agreement, indicating that his mission was complete. Seeing that the emperor had no further instructions, he carefully left the palace.

"With the assistance of the four secret agents and Daoist Gu Xu, I will certainly deal with the Dragon Guard Manor properly this time."

Late at night, the Eastern Depot

Cao Zhengchun was overjoyed today; it was truly a great pleasure to have made Zhu Tiedan suffer such a loss.

"Brother Zhengchun, eliminating the Divine Marquis is just around the corner, but what about the Emperor..."

Luo Jusheng didn't mean to spoil his mood, but she didn't want to bring it up again, lest Cao Zhengchun get carried away.

"I understand Brother Luo's meaning. His Majesty has always regarded the Eastern Depot and the Dragon Guard Manor as a balance in the court. Now that the Dragon Guard Manor has suffered a setback, the Eastern Depot's power has grown even stronger. Are you worried that His Majesty will weaken the Eastern Depot next?"

"Brother Zhengchun, so you knew this. I've been showing off my limited knowledge before you."

"Brother Luo means well, and Zheng Chun understands this perfectly. However, the value of the Eastern Depot lies in being a sharp sword in the Emperor's hand. Anyone in the court or among the people who does not submit to the Emperor is an enemy of the Eastern Depot. Back then, Yang Yuxuan held military power and made himself too important, so we asked him to step down as Minister of War, but he repeatedly declined."

At this point, Cao Zhengchun sneered, "People like Yang Yuxuan rely on the late emperor's favor and act arrogantly because of their age, showing no respect for Your Majesty. No matter how talented they are, they are traitors, and killing them is not unjust at all."

Luo Jusheng felt very uncomfortable listening to the secrets of the imperial court. Seeing this, Cao Zhengchun chuckled and said, "Brother Luo, these words are from my mouth and into your ears. No one else will know them."

"Although Your Majesty is young, you are not lacking in cunning and skill. The greatest threat to imperial power right now is not the Eastern Depot, but the Dragon Guard Manor. Zhu Tiedan is a wolf in sheep's clothing, even I can see that. Does Your Majesty not know that?"

"Zhu Tiedan is now in disarray. Once he slips up, the Eastern Depot will ensure he can never recover. After eliminating this threat, I, the Grand Supervisor, will have no more expectations."

"Brother Zhengchun, forgive my bluntness, but as the saying goes, 'When the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked; when the birds are all gone, the good bow is put away.' Your road ahead is not easy."

“The Eastern Depot’s power comes from the Emperor. I have done my job well and have a clear conscience. Brother Luo, you should retire after the game is over,” Cao Zhengchun said to Luo Jusheng.

Brother Zhengchun

"Those with families should leave themselves and their families a way out. As for me, a eunuch, well..."

Luo Jusheng didn't know what to say, so she picked up her wine cup and drank it down one after another. The two drank until dawn. Cao Zhengchun was skilled in martial arts and had long since recovered from the effects of the alcohol. After sending someone to take Luo Jusheng back to her room, Cao Zhengchun hurried to the palace to serve her.

During the court session, an imperial censor submitted a memorial advising that the Marquis of Shenhou had failed to properly manage his subordinates, which allowed gunpowder and weapons to be hidden in the most prestigious manor in the land. This was tantamount to treason and should not be let off easily. The Marquis of Shenhou should be dismissed from his post, punished, and imprisoned in the imperial prison.

The other censors also offered their advice, casually suggesting various punishments, but the emperor ignored them all and made no decision before the court session ended. Some censors could only return to their posts in disappointment.

After the court session, the emperor sent someone to summon Cao Zhengchun to the imperial study. Cao Zhengchun did not dare to delay and arrived in no time.

"Eunuch Cao, the matter of the Divine Marquis has already been decided. Why have these people suddenly appeared? Do you know the reason behind it?"

The emperor was in a very bad mood today, and he would feel uncomfortable if anyone disagreed with him.

"Your Majesty, I have already recorded the backgrounds of these censors in this book, and I dare not speak of them without permission."

Eunuch Wang took the booklet and presented it to the emperor. After reading it, the emperor slammed it shut, a hint of anger flashing across his face.

These censors appeared to be upright officials who were fearless of powerful figures and dared to speak out, but Cao Zhengchun had secretly investigated them and found that Zhu Tiedan had some dirt on them, which is why they became his henchmen.

Today's apparent intention is to severely punish Zhu Wushi, but in reality, it's a tactic of retreating to advance. The emperor knows that if he does as they say, he will inevitably be accused of indiscriminately killing imperial relatives.

If I don't do what they want, I'll be seen as an incompetent fool, and other royal relatives will follow suit. Even the Marquis of Shenhou wasn't punished for sitting down like that, so as long as I don't cross that line, I should be fine.

If this continues, the country and its people will face disaster. These people are really good at scheming.

"Eunuch Cao, send the Embroidered Uniform Guard to keep those people under close surveillance. Once you find conclusive evidence, hand it over to me. Don't they pride themselves on being upright and honest? Then let's thoroughly cleanse them."

"This servant obeys," Cao Zhengchun said respectfully.
Seeing that the Emperor had no further instructions, Cao Zhengchun retreated.

At this time, inside the Dragon Guard Manor, Zhu Wushi received intelligence that Shangguan Haitang, Cheng Shifei, and Guihai Yidao had disappeared after leaving Shaolin Temple, and Gu Xu had already set off for the capital.

"I never imagined I would end up like this. The original plan was correct, but why did things go wrong?"

Zhu Wushi crushed the jade ball in his hand. Ever since Gu Xu appeared, nothing had gone smoothly for him. Cao Zhengchun, that eunuch, also took the opportunity to bite him. Now he was digging his own grave and had been forced into a dead end.

"Since that's the case, we have no choice but to close the net ahead of schedule, Earthly Fiends."

Zhu Wushi called out to the empty hall, and soon twenty women dressed in blue entered and knelt down to pay their respects.

"Greetings, Divine Marquis"

"Select ten men to take my warrant and go to the Ten Generals. The remaining ten men will keep a close watch on the Eastern Depot's movements. Report back immediately if you discover anything."

"Yes," the twenty Earthly Fiends answered in unison.

Zhu Wushi threw out ten warrants, which were caught by ten people, who then all left the main hall.

"If it weren't for Daoist Gu Xu's ruthless actions in killing the thirty-six Heavenly Generals, I wouldn't have needed to use the inferior Seventy-two Earthly Fiends."

Welcome Inn
Inside a room, Duan Tianya and three others were discussing matters.

"Brother, what did the Emperor say?"

"I've already told the Emperor where we're staying. If he wants to find us, he'll definitely notify us in advance. Let's wait patiently; this power struggle won't end anytime soon."

Hearing this, Haitang nodded, then sighed. The true face of the Divine Marquis had only been revealed now. His adoptive father, who had taught him to be loyal to the emperor since childhood, turned out to be plotting rebellion. The contrast was truly unbelievable.

Especially the eldest brother, whose feelings for Shenhou were deeper than the other three, but he was also hurt more severely. From beginning to end, he lived in the script arranged by Shenhou, like a puppet. Even when he occasionally went out of control, he would be corrected in time.

"If you ask me, it's already a good thing that the Emperor doesn't allow us to directly confront the Divine Marquis; it saves us from having no choice but to act against him later."

Cheng Shifei's words made Haitang and the others secretly shake their heads. Now that things had come to this point, they had no way out and could only stand on the emperor's side, which was the most correct choice.

"Haitang, the Taoist priest said he will arrive after some time," Cheng Shifei said, seeing that everyone was not very interested, and quickly changed the subject. Even Duan Tianya looked over.

Previously, Haitang and the others had been talking about this Taoist priest, praising him highly, which made him very interested in what kind of person he was that Haitang and the others respected him so much.

"Judging by the time, the Taoist priest should already be on his way. If there are no delays, he should arrive in about two more days at his normal pace."

"I see. It seems I'll have to wait for the Daoist Master to arrive before I can see Yunluo. I wonder how she is now?"

Cheng Shifei propped his head up with his arm, reminiscing about the days he spent with Yunluo. "It's a critical time now, so it's best to be careful. The Dragon Guard Manor's intelligence network is no joke; we should try to avoid showing ourselves."

Upon hearing Haitang's words, Duan Tianya suddenly remembered something and said, "Haitang, do you remember Lord Yang Yuxuan's case? After Lord Yang Yuxuan died, the military tally was quickly delivered to General Liu, the garrison commander on the frontier."

Haitang, quick-witted as ever, immediately understood upon hearing this and exclaimed in surprise, "Brother, you mean General Liu has also been caught red-handed by the Marquis? That's right. Knowing his personality, there's no reason for him to let these border garrison commanders go unpunished!"

Guihai Yidao, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke up: "Master Guxu once said that not only General Liu, but all ten generals, including him, have incriminating evidence in the hands of the Divine Marquis. If the Divine Marquis were to rebel, these people would certainly be his accomplices, and we must be on guard against them."

Upon hearing this, Duan Tianya said in a deep voice, "It seems I still need to go to the palace tonight to give the Emperor a heads-up beforehand, so as not to find myself in a passive position."

“Let me go. Your frequent visits to the inn are likely to attract the attention of the Eastern Depot and the Dragon Guard Manor. I’ll also take the opportunity to visit Yunluo,” Cheng Shifei said.

Haitang pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement. In terms of martial arts, Cheng Shifei was the best among the four, and he rarely showed himself, making him the least likely to arouse suspicion. Moreover, he was acquainted with the Emperor and Princess Yunluo, making it convenient for him to take action.

After considering it, Duan Tianya and Gui Haiyi agreed to let Cheng Shifei go to the palace to deliver the message.

After dinner, as night fell, Cheng Shifei greeted the three men, then, dressed in black, sneaked into the palace and headed straight for the emperor's bedchamber.

The emperor was reviewing memorials in his bedchamber when he noticed a shadow flashing outside the door. He immediately realized that someone had come to see him, so he stood up, opened the door, and said to the guards on duty outside, "If anyone comes in a moment, do not stop them."

The head guard, a confidant of the emperor, was initially startled, but then bowed and accepted the order. He gave a wink to the others beside him, who understood and immediately left the imperial study to wait at a distance, leaving only the head guard behind.

The emperor looked at them with satisfaction and went into the room. A short while later, Cheng Shifei, dressed in black, walked into the room openly and legitimately, much to the astonishment of the head guard.

"Greetings, Your Majesty," Cheng Shifei said, removing his veil, which genuinely surprised the emperor.

"Cheng Shifei, why is it you tonight?" the emperor asked in confusion.

"Your Majesty, we were worried that going alone would make it too easy to expose our whereabouts, and Cheng Shifei is a nobody who wouldn't attract much attention, so I came instead. I've come today because of an important matter that I must tell Your Majesty in person."

"What is it?" the emperor asked solemnly.

"Brother Duan and Haitang suspect that the Divine Marquis has already taken control of the Ten Generals. If he were to plot a rebellion, these ten would undoubtedly be his accomplices. Your Majesty, please take precautions as soon as possible."

"So that's what it is. Thank you for your hard work. I understand." The emperor felt relieved. It seemed that these four secret agents had really broken ties with the Divine Marquis, entrusting him with such confidential matters.

Although I had made preparations in advance, I originally thought there would only be three or five people, but I did not expect that all ten people were secretly controlled by the Divine Marquis. The intelligence network of the Dragon Guard Manor is truly terrifying.

"Fortunately, you all helped me, otherwise I would have been kept in the dark and caused trouble. I will remember your contributions in this matter, and I will reward you according to your merits after it is done."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Shifei bowed again in thanks. With the official business concluded, it was time to discuss personal matters. Somewhat embarrassed, Cheng Shifei asked, "Your Majesty, I wonder how the Princess is doing lately?"

Upon hearing this, the Emperor was furious. After bringing Yunluo back to the palace, she was fine for the first few days, but then she started clamoring to leave the palace, which he had refused each time.

What princess could come and go from the palace so freely? If she weren't his own sister, he wouldn't have tolerated her like this. Just thinking about how Cheng Shifei was the culprit who had let Yunluo grow up so wild, how could the emperor possibly have a good attitude towards her?

"Cheng Shifei, what is your crime?" the emperor shouted in a deep voice, and Cheng Shifei was stunned on the spot.

Just a moment ago he had a kind and gentle expression, but in just a few breaths, the emperor's face changed faster than turning the pages of a book. His heart is truly unfathomable.

Regardless, kneeling down to apologize was definitely not a prompt. Cheng Shifei immediately knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, I know my crime and beg Your Majesty to calm your anger."

"You have corrupted my imperial sister; for this alone, you deserve to die a thousand deaths."

The emperor watched Cheng Shifei confess his guilt so readily, and he almost couldn't vent his anger.

After a long while, the emperor said, "That's enough. We'll talk about you and Yunluo later, but without my permission, you are not allowed to see Yunluo in private again, understand?"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Shifei immediately agreed. He understood that the emperor was considering the princess's innocence to avoid gossip.

"You go ahead. Tell Duan Tianya and the others that I will notify them when I need them. Try not to go out."

Cheng Shifei said he understood, and seeing that the emperor had no further instructions, he left the imperial study. The head guard acted as if he hadn't seen him and stood obediently outside the door to wait.

After Cheng Shifei left, the emperor summoned him in and instructed him to keep quiet about what happened that night and not to tell anyone, including Cao Zhengchun.

Dragon Guardian Villa
Zhu Wushi looked at the intelligence on the ten generals on the table. Their weaknesses were clearly written on it. Some loved money, some loved power, and some loved women. Since collecting this information, Zhu Wushi had been targeting these ten people and sending them a considerable amount of money every year to fatten them up.

"Now it's time for them to serve me. Once the Ten Generals return to the capital, it will be my turn to sit on the Emperor's throne. Brother, your biggest mistake was establishing the Dragon Guard Manor."

After putting the files away, Zhu Wushi thought of Gu Xu again. This obstacle had to be removed. Since his martial arts skills were inferior to Gu Xu's, he would have to use external forces. It was time to put those things he had hidden underground in the number one manor under the world to good use.

"My Lord, the Queen Consort has fainted!" a subordinate rushed to report.

"What happened?" Zhu Wushi quickly stood up and asked urgently.

"I am unaware of the specifics, Lord Marquis. You should go and take a look first. Physician Liu has already gone there."

"Walk"

Zhu Wushi arrived at the back hall, where Physician Liu was taking Su Xin's pulse with a thread, his brows furrowed. It took him a while before he put his fingers down.

"Dr. Liu, how is it?" Zhu Wushi asked anxiously.

"My Lord, the Queen's illness has come on strangely. The life and death energies within her body are clashing. She's relatively stable now, but once that clashes, the death energy will immediately devour the other half of her life force. The situation is very dire."

Zhu Wushi's face darkened upon hearing this. Seeing this, Doctor Liu continued, "My Lord, if I may ask, did the Princess consume some divine substance that stimulated her vital energy? If she hadn't accidentally fainted this time, I truly wouldn't have noticed."

"The divine physician's insight is remarkable; the princess had previously consumed two Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom seeds."

"I see, Divine Marquis. To cure the Princess's illness, we must find the third Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom as soon as possible. Currently, the Princess falls into a coma once a month. If she falls into a coma twelve times, even a celestial being would find it difficult to save her."

Zhu Wushi stroked Su Xin's face, his eyes filled with uncontrollable love. Doctor Liu and the others all left the room, leaving only the two of them.

"Suxin, for you, anything I do is worthwhile."

"Cao Zhengchun, I will not let this third Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom go to waste."

Zhu Wushi hardened his heart, waiting for the ten generals to enter the capital and control the situation so that he could free up his hands to deal with the Eastern Depot and interrogate Cao Zhengchun.

"When I ascend the throne, Suxin, you will be my empress, and we will grow old together."

Zhu Wushi said a lot more, and after leaving the room, he instructed his men to take good care of him, warning them to be careful not to make a mistake.

Just after Zhu Wushi walked out of the room, Su Xin on the bed slowly opened her eyes.

Two more days passed, and suddenly the sky over the capital darkened, foreshadowing an impending downpour.

Looking at the Yingbin Inn, Gu Xu stepped inside, took out a token, and the innkeeper came out personally.

"Master Daoist, you've finally arrived! Master Duan and the others have been waiting for you. Please follow me."

The innkeeper led Gu Xu upstairs, and after knocking on the door, a familiar voice came from inside: "Who is it?"

"This humble Taoist has come as promised."

Just then, someone ran in and hurriedly opened the door. When Haitang saw Gu Xu, her face lit up with joy. She said, "Daoist Master, you've finally arrived! Please come in." Gu Xu entered the room, and the innkeeper tactfully withdrew.

(End of this chapter)