Great Zhou Martial Immortal

Chapter 110 Let's Get Real

Just as the atmosphere inside the hall became tense, footsteps suddenly sounded outside.

The goddess felt as if she had been granted a pardon and immediately shrank back to the golden lion's side, almost sinking into its fluffy fur. She grabbed a book haphazardly and held it in front of her, not even noticing that she was holding it upside down, only revealing her reddened ear tips.

Lu Chenyuan wanted to laugh and reminded her that she was holding the book upside down, but in the end he didn't say anything. The Empress was thin-skinned. He felt like a child caught watching porn, except he was the one who caught her. His feelings were complicated—he found her clumsy attempt to cover it up funny, but also felt a subtle sense of pride, like "my daughter has grown up."

"The Abyss—"

Li Lingyue's voice came from outside the hall, the last syllable lingering, carrying a hint of languid sweetness.

Her gold-embroidered phoenix skirt fluttered in the night wind as she strode into the hall. Her gaze swept over Lu Chenyuan, and a knowing smile appeared on her lips.

Zhou Xing is finished!

Her eyes shone brightly, and she rushed into Lu Chenyuan's arms in two quick steps, her arms expertly encircling his neck. Lu Chenyuan subconsciously put his arm around her waist, and before he could speak, his lips were warmed—Li Lingyue had already kissed him.

The kiss was passionate and lingering, carrying a familiar warmth and scent.

She even playfully bit his lower lip, causing Lu Chenyuan to groan softly.

—This little vixen is getting more and more fond of biting people; it doesn't feel like a good sign.

"and many more!"

Lu Chenyuan took a breath and quickly paused, gesturing to those behind him.

Li Lingyue then noticed that there were other people in the hall—the Empress was huddled beside the Golden Lion, her face hidden by books, only her slightly widened eyes were visible, staring at them without blinking.

"Oh, Lingxi is here too."

Li Lingyue didn't take it to heart. After all, in her eyes, the Empress was just an innocent little girl. She then pecked Lu Chenyuan's lips again before pulling away.

"Mother ordered Lai Junchen to interrogate Zhou Xing. These two dogs are fighting each other, and Zhou Xing will surely confess! Then Prime Minister Cen and Grand Secretary Di will be safe." Her eyes curved into a smile, and she lightly tapped Lu Chenyuan's chest with her fingertip, her breath sweet as orchids, and said, "This is all thanks to you. I will reward you handsomely..."

As she spoke, her hand was already restlessly reaching for his waist.

"Cough cough!"

Lu Chenyuan quickly grabbed her mischievous hand, telling her to stop spouting such nonsense!
Besides, is that a reward for me? I'm always the one who puts in the effort.

Useless little slut!

Li Lingyue asked curiously, "What's wrong with you? Why are you blushing?"

shy……

Lu Chenyuan's eye twitched, and he said irritably, "Be careful in front of Lingxi. Let's talk in the bedroom."

Li Lingyue became increasingly puzzled: "What is there to be careful about? She doesn't understand."

Besides, you started it all. Last time you were talking about dual cultivation in front of her, but now you're all serious!

"..."

Lu Chenyuan was speechless.

The goddess silently raised the book slightly, obscuring half her face and revealing only her eyes, as she continued to stare at them.

—She really doesn't understand.

—But she is learning.

—And they learn very quickly.

Lu Chenyuan took a deep breath and pulled Li Lingyue out: "Back to the palace!"

"Hey? Why are you pulling me? I haven't finished speaking yet!"

As Li Lingyue was being dragged outside, she didn't forget to turn back and smile at the Empress: "Lingxi, get some rest."

The goddess nodded obediently, and only slowly put down her book after the two figures disappeared outside the palace.

She looked down at the "Classic of Mountains and Seas" in her hand, then looked up towards the palace gate, lost in thought.

After a long pause, the princess gently patted the golden lion's head and whispered, "So... that's how it bites."

Jin Ni: "...?"

……

The sleeping quarters.

After the first phase.

The candlelight flickered, the gauze curtains hung low, and the silver charcoal in the brazier burned brightly, occasionally emitting a soft crackling sound.

Li Lingyue lay lazily on Lu Chenyuan's chest, her fingertips idly playing with the ends of his hair, his black hair cascading down, gleaming softly in the candlelight.

She suddenly chuckled coldly and said softly, "Do you think... Zhou Xing might die?"

She suddenly sneered, her fingertips tightening slightly, causing Lu Chenyuan to hiss: "Mother's decision to have Lai Junchen interrogate Zhou Xing is most appropriate—an eye for an eye! Lai Junchen will torment him the way he tormented others in the past!"

Lu Chenyuan rested one hand behind his head, chuckled upon hearing this, and casually said, "It's not that simple."

Li Lingyue was taken aback, and sat up to look at him: "What do you mean?"

Lu Chenyuan reached out and tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear, saying slowly, "Since Zhou Xing knows the cruel methods of the officials, he naturally won't struggle. He'll just accept whatever Lai Junchen says."

Li Lingyue frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then suddenly opened her eyes wide: "Then... Lai Junchen will inevitably implicate many people in order to highlight his own value! If Zhou Xing were to admit to all the crimes, wouldn't he be courting death?"

Lu Chenyuan shook his head, a deep meaning flashing in his eyes: "Even if Empress Wu is only doing this to show Lai Junchen, she won't really be ruthless and discard him after he's served his purpose. She still needs Lai Junchen, so she will inevitably have to be 'lenient'—I'll probably just sentence him to exile. Anyway, Zhou Xing has so many enemies; once he leaves the capital, he's doomed. In this way, she can get rid of Zhou Xing and also put on a show of remembering old friends. Why not?"

"..."

Li Lingyue remained silent for a moment, then suddenly said in a deep voice, "The art of rulership is truly flawless!"

Lu Chenyuan smiled without saying a word, but simply reached out and pulled her into his arms.

The cold wind howled outside the window, but the hall was warm and cozy.

Li Lingyue leaned on his shoulder, her fingertips unconsciously tracing circles on his chest, and whispered, "Then... what about Elder Di and the others?"

Lu Chenyuan closed his eyes to rest: "The truth is hard to hear. I don't want to say it."

Li Lingyue leaned down and bit his shoulder, leaving a shallow mark. Her eyes were dangerous: "Will you talk or not?!"

Lu Chenyuan secretly channeled his inner energy, hardening his entire body like steel: "I won't tell! Try biting me again!"

Seeing his stubbornness, Li Lingyue was both annoyed and amused. She slowly lowered her hand and said in a soft, seductive voice, "Now? Will you tell me or not..."

"hiss……"

Lu Chenyuan couldn't help but gasp, opened his eyes and looked at her helplessly, gritting his teeth as he said, "You wait! Once I reach the fifth realm, I'll see how I deal with you!"

Li Lingyue sneered disdainfully: "By the time you reach the fifth realm, I will definitely be at the sixth or seventh realm! You will never escape my grasp in this lifetime, so speak now!"

"..."

Lu Chenyuan had no choice but to continue, "Isn't it obvious? Since the treason case has been solved without any further investigation, the Martial Emperor will naturally investigate thoroughly and clear their names. However, he will most likely find an excuse to throw it out..."

Regardless of whether Cen Xiang was wronged or not, he first offended the Wu family by opposing the change of heir, and then offended the Wu Emperor by opposing the construction of Dayun Temple. The Wu Emperor disliked him and would certainly not keep him around to avoid getting in his way.

Furthermore, with Wu Chengsi and the others taking the fall, it could be said outwardly that their demotion and relocation were to protect them from persecution by the Wu family, but secretly, they could continue to reap the benefits while watching the fight to the death.

Cen Xiang and Ouyang Tong both opposed the change of heir apparent. Wu Chengsi wouldn't simply let them stay away from the court; to eliminate future troubles once and for all, he would inevitably have to kill them! Empress Wu was happy to see this happen, after all, they were all from the Li Tang lineage, and their deaths wouldn't be a loss to her; Wu Chengsi would bear the blame… As the saying goes, why not?

"..."

Li Lingyue was stunned. No wonder Lu Chenyuan said it was unpleasant... His speculation about his mother was indeed too dark.

But reason told her that everything he said could very well become a reality.

Li Lingyue propped herself up, the brocade quilt slipped down to reveal her snow-white shoulders, and the candlelight flickered with a sharp edge in her eyes: "What a clever trick to use someone else to kill! It seems I have to protect her a little longer, or all my previous efforts will be in vain."

Lu Chenyuan nodded: "In order to deter other anti-Wu people, Wu Chengsi will most likely choose to make his move in the capital, using the name of Jianghu people to carry out the assassination. After the case is concluded, I will take the 'Qingming Hundred Ghosts Painting' to take a look. I'll do a good deed to the end, otherwise it will be a waste of time."

"..."

Li Lingyue stared at him intently, her eyes shimmering with light. Suddenly, she reached out and touched Lu Chenyuan's cheek, her fingertips trembling slightly: "Lu Chenyuan, why are you doing this..." But the words caught in her throat, turning into a soft sigh.

The candlelight flickered in her eyes, reflecting a few indescribable emotions.

She suddenly leaned closer, her nose almost touching his, their warm breaths mingling: "How can I possibly thank you?"

Lu Chenyuan chuckled and blinked, saying, "Didn't Your Highness already 'thank' me?" Li Lingyue's pretty face flushed red, then she gave a cold snort as if she had nothing to lose, and suddenly flipped over to straddle his waist...

soon.

The candlelight flickered violently, casting intertwined shadows on the gauze curtains. Li Lingyue's black hair was disheveled, and her golden hairpin had long since fallen to who-knows-where. She could only grip the bed curtains tightly with his movements, causing the five-colored tassels to sway violently and the gilded curtain hooks to make a soft creaking sound as they succumbed to the weight.

The north wind howled outside the window, but it couldn't drown out the increasingly rapid breathing inside the tent.

……

Two days later, early in the morning.

The frost had not yet dissipated, and the charcoal fire inside the hall had gone out, leaving only a wisp of smoke curling upwards.

Lu Chenyuan got up quietly so as not to disturb the person sleeping soundly on the bed—Li Lingyue was lying on her side under the brocade quilt, her black hair was disheveled, half of her face was buried in the soft pillow, and her breathing was long and even. She had been very tired these past two days, and there was still a faint look of weariness in her eyes. Even the sound of him getting up could not wake her up.

"If you don't get serious, you really think I've wasted my time cultivating the 'Gold-Swallowing Treasure Scroll'!"

Lu Chenyuan smiled slightly, put on his robe, got off the bed, and pushed open the palace door. Outside, maids had already prepared breakfast.

He casually took the tray, but found a secret letter under the food box—the sealing wax was branded with the secret mark of the Kite Guard, and Yuan Qingshuang's signature was at the end.

He twitched his eyebrows slightly, turned around and walked back to the window, opening it in the morning light.

The moment the letter was unfolded, the scent of ink mixed with the dampness of the morning dew wafted towards me:

—[The trial of Zhou Xing concluded; he confessed without reservation and was sentenced to exile in Lingnan. Cen Changqian, Ouyang Tong, Di Renjie, and others were all demoted for criticizing the government and forming cliques for personal gain. Cen Changqian was demoted to Assistant Magistrate of Pengshui County in Qianzhou, Ouyang Tong to Prefect of Duanzhou, and Di Renjie to Magistrate of Pengze County. All three were given three days to leave the capital.]

Lu Chenyuan's gaze darkened.

Pengshui in Qianzhou, Duanzhou in Lingnan, and Pengze in Jiangnan.

Each one is more remote than the last, and each one is more ruthless than the last.

He ran his fingertips over the letter, turning it to the back. Sure enough, there was another line of small print: "[Wu Chengsi has dispatched assassins, intending to use the pretext of a 'martial arts feud' to assassinate Cen Changqian at her residence. The three have agreed to meet tonight at Cen's residence to discuss their plan to leave the capital. However, the Right Battalion Commander of the Imperial Guard has been bribed by the Wu family, and there may be unforeseen circumstances.]"

The ink on the paper was still wet, indicating that the intelligence had just been delivered.

—A three-day deadline for a gathering at the Cen residence, with the Golden Guard acting as an inside agent.

Wu Chengsi intends to wipe them all out in one fell swoop.

He turned back to the bedside and saw that Li Lingyue had opened her eyes halfway and was looking at him with a hazy gaze.

The morning light filtered through the gauze curtains, casting a soft glow on her porcelain-white skin, while her usually sharp phoenix eyes now held a hint of languidness from just waking up.

"Wake you up?"

Lu Chenyuan put the letter aside. Li Lingyue didn't answer, but instead stretched out a slender arm, her fingertips hooking his sleeve. She seemed not to be fully awake yet, but instinctively sensed something, her brows furrowing slightly: "Something happened?"

His voice still carried a hint of sleepiness, yet it already betrayed a degree of alertness.

Lu Chenyuan sat down on the edge of the couch and said, "Wu Chengsi is planning to kill someone at the Cen residence tonight. I'll go check it out."

Li Lingyue frowned slightly: "Bring the twenty-four guards."

Lu Chenyuan was about to say no, but seeing her serious expression, he smiled and said, "Okay, I'll take them with me."

Li Lingyue was still a little worried, her brows furrowed.

"Do not worry."

Lu Chenyuan smiled and put his arm around her, saying, "I have 'The Hundred Ghosts of the Azure Netherworld,' so Wu Chengsi's plan won't work."

Li Lingyue didn't speak. "I'm worried about my mother..."

Li Lingyue buried her face in his neck and said in a muffled voice, "If anything happens to you..."

The last note faded into the morning light, but the arms around his neck tightened even more.

Lu Chenyuan leaned down and kissed her forehead, whispering, "I'll be right back."

Outside the window, the frost gradually faded, and the morning sun rose.

Meanwhile, in the shadows of the capital, a bloody storm is brewing.

……

Time flies.

It was night in a blink of an eye.

The night was deep, but the Cen residence was brightly lit.

In the hall, Cen Changqian, Ouyang Tong, and Di Renjie sat around a table. The aroma of tea wafted through the air, but it couldn't mask the faint smell of blood in the air.

Cen Changqian's right arm was wrapped in white cloth, with faint traces of blood seeping through; Ouyang Tong had a plaster on his forehead, yet he still picked up his brush and wrote; Di Renjie, though pale, smiled calmly, as if his previous imprisonment was nothing but a farce.

“Brother Ouyang, your calligraphy has improved even more.” Cen Changqian looked at the calligraphy scroll on the table, the ink still wet, and chuckled, “‘Pine Breeze and Bamboo Joints’—Excellent! Just what I wanted!”

Ouyang Tong put down his pen, stroked his beard and smiled: "Lord Cen has guarded the border for many years, with an iron will and unyielding spirit, truly deserving of these four words."

He then took a blank sheet of paper and, with swift and elegant strokes, inscribed the four characters "Bright Moon Illuminates the Heart" for Di Renjie. His brushstrokes were clear and sharp, like the moon reflected in a cold pool.

Di Renjie took it, examined it carefully, and suddenly burst into laughter: "Brother Ouyang, are you trying to make me a wise man? Very well, although Pengze is far away, it is a good place to appreciate the moon."

The three men looked at each other and smiled, their teacups clinking lightly, showing no sign of dejection.

Just then, the hall door opened softly.

Lu Chenyuan, dressed in a purple robe, strode in with a slight smile on his face. He bowed to the three men and said, "What a refined taste you three lords have. May I join you, junior?"

"you……"

The three exchanged glances, each seeing a certain understanding in the other's eyes.

They had all witnessed Lu Chenyuan's "Nine Heavens Dew-Bearing Sword Dance" at the grand banquet that day. At the time, they thought his gentle and refined demeanor was just an act. But now, they all understood who made the Golden Buddha shed tears, who brought down Zhou Xing, and who saved them. More importantly, they knew very well why Lu Chenyuan was here at this moment.

"absurd!"

Cen Changqian suddenly slammed her hand on the table and stood up, her eyes wide with fury: "Even if we are demoted and dismissed from office, we still uphold integrity and uprightness! You, a mere male concubine, dare to challenge me? Get out of here!!!"

The hall fell silent instantly.

Ouyang Tong paused slightly, his brush hovering in mid-air, a drop of ink falling onto the rice paper, spreading out in a patch of pitch black.

Di Renjie lowered his eyelids slightly, as if he didn't want to see this scene.

Lu Chenyuan smiled.

He casually brushed away non-existent dust from his purple robe, his gaze sweeping over Cen Changqian's tightly clenched fist—her knuckles were white, clearly indicating that she was deliberately holding back her strength.

"Cen Gong's acting was really not very good."

Lu Chenyuan went straight to the table, poured a cup of tea, and pushed it in front of him: "When you slammed your fist on the table just now, you deliberately avoided mentioning the inscription given by the Grand Councilor... Who would be so angry?"

Cen Changqian's face stiffened.

"If he is truly angry."

Lu Chenyuan raised his eyes, his gaze clear as snow: "With Cen Gong's skill, this stone table should be broken by now."

Ouyang Tong suddenly chuckled and shook his head: "The younger generation is truly formidable."

Di Renjie sighed and finally spoke: "Tonight's events are extremely dangerous, why must you continue..."

"To see someone through to the end."

Lu Chenyuan poured himself another cup of tea, raised the cup and drank it all in one gulp: "I never do business at a loss. If I can't ensure the three of you leave the capital safely, wouldn't all my arrangements have been in vain?"

(End of this chapter)