Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 118 Ying Zheng: All the blame in the world belongs to me!

"Ugh, this is fucking exhausting!"

After seeing off the guests, Li Zhaoting went straight to the bathhouse, spread his arms and legs out, and soaked in the water. Every cell in his body was telling him how tired he was and he didn't want to move an inch.

Feng Suzhen and Mei Zhu massaged Li Zhaoting's back from both sides, without saying a word, and it was impossible for them to mention anything about the case files.

We can talk about it tomorrow.

If there's anything, we can do it tomorrow.

My only task tonight is to rest.

Even the "Five Luo Light Smoke Palm" technique has been banned.

Feng Suzhen fully displayed her authority as the head wife, easily suppressing Lan Fenghuang and Meizhu. Li Zhaoting lay quietly, enjoying the beauty's affection and tender care.

The next morning, everything at the Li residence was as usual.

Li Zhaoting led his disciples in doing aerobics.

Mei Zhu and Lan Fenghuang went to the kitchen to make breakfast.

Feng Suzhen organizes the case files.

Li Zhaoting didn't want to get involved in these matters, but having been framed for no reason, he should at least know the truth.

After breakfast, Li Zhaoting and Feng Suzhen were analyzing the case files in the study. Lan Fenghuang was picked up by Tianxiang and went off to play somewhere. She should be safe from danger.

One is a demon-slaying villain, and the other is the leader of the Five Poisons Sect. Who the hell is tired of living and dares to offend these two ladies?

Mei and Zhu taught the five rats a lesson.

Li Zhaoting was very strict about academic studies.

Disciples may not be highly skilled in martial arts, may not be quick-witted, and may be honest and simple-minded, but they absolutely cannot be illiterate. At the very least, they must guarantee one thing:

—When encountering fortuitous events outside, one may be able to decipher martial arts manuals. The bloody examples of Xiao Yuanshan, Murong Bo, and Mei Chaofeng must not happen to our sect!
Qu Feiyan, far away in Jinling, was in the same situation.

Li Zhaoting found her two tutors, each carrying a high-ranking official's ruler; seeing the ruler was like seeing Li Zhaoting himself.

……

Li Zhaoting held Feng Suzhen in his arms, casually took off her shoes and socks, and then used his right hand to hold her jade-like feet in his palm, gently stroking her ankles.

Li Zhaoting had calluses on his fingertips and the base of his thumb from practicing swordsmanship. As his martial arts skills improved, the calluses gradually disappeared, leaving only a trace.

A few calluses, as they brushed against Feng Suzhen's flawless jade feet, brought a slight tingling sensation. Feng Suzhen's toes contracted, and her body twitched slightly.

"My lord~~"

Feng Suzhen's breath was as fragrant as orchids.

"Suzhen has lost a lot of weight recently."

"I'm busy preparing for the exam."

"Preparing for the exam? Aiming to become the top scorer?"

"The Empress Dowager has gone mad for some reason. She said that a commoner fortune teller predicted my fate and that I have the talent to be the top scholar. She wants to set up a separate examination hall in the palace during the spring examination, mix my papers together, and let the chief examiner evaluate them. My husband's nonsense has finally caused trouble."

“I also think something is amiss. I feel that the Empress Dowager has some connection with my family. It’s not because of the memorial; that matter is long over. It’s very likely related to my mother.”

"What do you mean?"

"The Empress Dowager was born in Huayang, Yizhou, and my mother was born in the salt gang of Sichuan. They might know each other. I dare to guess that the Empress Dowager might be my aunt."

"My lord, have you lost your mind?"

"Just a wild guess, take it as a joke!"

"The official's wild guesses often come true."

"I will be careful with my words and actions!"

"Hmph! What are you doing with your hands?"

"I'm drinking a potent elixir to refresh my mind."

"Before you met me, who helped you stay alert, my lord? Was it perhaps the most beautiful courtesan on the Qinhuai River?"

"Play with walnuts!"

"Where are the walnuts?"

"We bribed the yamen runners. The yamen runners who escorted us when we were exiled had a lifelong love of playing with walnuts."

"You pass!"

Feng Suzhen knew this was nonsense, but she had put in a lot of effort to come up with such a convincing lie. Since Li Zhaoting had put in so much effort, she was naturally grateful.

Thank God, Li Zhaoting wasn't lying; he had bribed the yamen runners with a pair of T-shaped, three-sided walnuts.

After a bit of playful banter, the two began looking through the case files.

There are three questions:
1. Whose people are Karasuma?
2. When the Wuhuan launched the assassination attempt, the Liao delegation was completely undefended. What were they doing?

III. What was the purpose of the Liao Dynasty delegation?
Other issues are minor details.

The Goguryeo delegation was excluded outright.

Li Xiu uses the martial arts of the Heavenly Mandate Sect, so she may be a disciple of the sect. The question is, who are the Heavenly Mandate Sect's collaborators? Who is plotting against Zhao Zhen in secret?
First of all, it definitely wasn't Liu E.

Scheming against Zhao Zhen would bring Liu E no benefit whatsoever.

Zhao Zhen was the emperor, while Liu E was the empress dowager.

If Zhao Zhen were assassinated, Liu E would either ascend the throne directly or be overthrown by the next emperor.

One emperor and one courtier.

The entire court, both civil and military, will be severely affected.

The Yelü brothers did not trust the Imperial Guards. When Li Zhaoting visited them, the surrounding protection was very tight. Only on the day of the assassination did he take the initiative to remove the guards.

What does Yelü Juncai want to do?
Li Zhaoting subconsciously thought of Pang Tong.

Pang Tong was the son of Grand Tutor Pang. He was a "Flying Star General" who had made great military achievements on the frontier. He was highly skilled in martial arts, good at commanding troops, and had a great understanding of feng shui and divination. He was a thorn in the side of Yelü Chuxiong. Yelü Juncai fought Pang Tong several times, and each time he suffered a crushing defeat.

Yelü Juncai and Pang Tong were enemies.

However, enemies can cooperate.

Anyone can cooperate as long as there is mutual benefit.

This brings us to the last question.

The objective of the Liao Dynasty delegation.

What did the Liao delegation want to accomplish in the capital?

To understand this issue, we need to clarify one crucial question: Who was the true leader of the Liao delegation? Yelü Yancai? Yelü Juncai?

Feng Suzhen analyzed, "My lord, why must there be a person in charge? They are brothers, one skilled in literature and the other in martial arts, and they complement each other perfectly."

"My wife is right!"

Li Zhaoting's mind raced, and suddenly everything became clear.

Another hidden issue has been connected.

Japanese ninja.

The Izumo delegation was assassinated by the Japanese.

Why were the Japanese involved in this?
Could it be to seek revenge against Duan Tianya?
If we connect all these clues, is there anything that can link Pang Tong, the Yelü brothers, and the Japanese? Of course, there is.

This thing is... the Heavenly Light!
The history of Tianmang can be traced back to the Qin Dynasty.

Qin Shi Huang is once again being unfairly blamed.

As is well known, Ying Zheng was obsessed with alchemy and sought out countless alchemists to concoct elixirs of immortality.

What is the principle behind the elixir of immortality?
According to alchemists in the Qin Dynasty, the principle of prolonging life lies in nourishing the body and making it strong and robust. Based on this concept, they refined elixirs, which produced many byproducts.

"Tianmang" is one of them.

Taking Tianmang can greatly enhance physical strength. Within thirty-six hours, the user will be mentally energized, possess immense strength, be unafraid of pain, and become more courageous in battle.

In a certain year, a war broke out on the border. Five thousand soldiers, wielding the Heavenly Light, charged madly at the foreign tribes, leaving corpses strewn across the fields and rivers of blood, and won a great victory.

Legend has it that before his death, Qin Shi Huang instructed a sorcerer to concoct a jar of Heavenly Elixir, for whoever possessed it would rule the world.

Pang Tong was skilled in astrology and divination, and had read many notes by ancient alchemists. He learned about the Heavenly Mandate by chance.

Yelü Yancai, a well-read scholar, found a record in a pre-Qin ancient book and informed Yelü Chuxiong.

How did the Japanese find out?
Here comes the second scapegoat of the Qin Dynasty!
This scapegoat is named... Xu Fu!
The Heavenly Mang was refined by Xu Fu.

Later, Xu Fu led three thousand boys and girls on a ship to the immortal mountains to seek the elixir of immortality. They eventually ended up in Japan and settled there.

Xu Fu carried three treasures with him, which were the three great sacred treasures of Japan, and they were enshrined in Japanese temples.

Kusanagi sword, Yata mirror, Yasakani no Magatama.

The three sacred artifacts bear inscriptions in pre-Qin small seal script.

These small seal characters are clues about the Heavenly Mandate.

The Japanese disguised themselves as an envoy and entered the capital. Yelü Juncai removed his guards and discussed matters with Pang Tong. Their goal was the Heavenly Mandate, but unfortunately, neither of them found it.

Li Zhaoting had too many good friends. In just three days, the case became completely clear.

Karasuma was unable to retreat in time.

The Japanese had no time to hide among the common people.

Li Xiu didn't even get to see the emperor.

This is the terrifying deterrent power of Bao Zheng.

The teenager booked three days' worth of packages.

Three days is not enough time to do anything.

Therefore, true conspiracies and schemes are not meticulously planned over a decade, but rather swift and decisive, with the least amount of calculation the better. The more complex the scheme, the easier it is for others to trace back, and the lower the margin for error in the plan.

As for the person behind Karasuma...

This is not a question that Li Zhaoting should be thinking about.

This problem should be left to those who work hard without complaint.

In front of Li Zhaoting, Ren Lao Ren Yuan was very polite because he had received a bribe, but in front of Wu Wan and others, he was the most terrifying and ruthless evil spirit.

The two brothers sought out a renowned physician who used ginseng soup to keep Wuwan and Lixiu alive, and then subjected them to severe torture.

The origins of torture are long lost to history; all that is known is that the techniques of torture have been passed down for thousands of years without interruption, and with each generation adding to them, they have been able to turn a person into minced meat.

He was a death artist when it came to torture, able to torment criminals to the point of being neither human nor ghost, unable to live or die.

Unless the person is dead, they will definitely confess.

Therefore, Karasumaru and Toshihide died.

Cause of death: A fatal sword wound to the throat.

The manner of their deaths was exactly the same as that of the Yelü brothers.

She worked tirelessly and without complaint, yet felt like crying but had no tears to shed.

If they were ordinary criminals, they could be tortured at will, and even be beaten to death without consequence; the two had done business together hundreds of times.

Karasuma and Toshihide plotted to assassinate the emperor.

This is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family.

We must find out who is in charge behind them.

As a result, they got nothing out of the two assassins, who were killed in a completely provocative manner. The unfortunate bystanders were left to suffer in silence. If they couldn't explain themselves, they would be the ones tied to the wooden frame and tortured. The jailers would then use their favorite tortures on them in turn.

With his way, he also gave his body.

The cycle of cause and effect, retribution is unhappy.

……

Pang Mansion.

As the Grand Tutor of the court, Grand Tutor Pang's residence should have been called the Grand Tutor's Mansion. Unfortunately, there was another Grand Tutor in the court, Hua, so calling it the Grand Tutor's Mansion was a provocation.

Grand Tutor Pang has countless enemies, but he would never make enemies in such a foolish way. At this moment, Grand Tutor Pang is sitting in his study with Pang Tong standing beside him.

"Did you get the map?"

"According to Yelü Yancai's research, after the Qin state achieved that great victory, a stone tablet was erected to record the achievements. The map provided by Yelü Juncai can be used to find the stone tablet."

"You always act so impulsively."

"Young people should be impulsive."

“Every impulsive young person has a few old guys cleaning up their messes. Why have you been living peacefully until now? I've been the one cleaning up your messes!”

"You are my father!"

“I am not your maid. Your maids obey you unconditionally. As your father, I can use family rules to discipline you. You unfilial son, kneel down before me…”

Grand Tutor Pang glared angrily at Pang Tong.

Pang Tong shrugged and knelt down.

Hit me all you want!
Pang Tong was highly skilled in martial arts and possessed internal energy that protected his body. Grand Tutor Pang was old and frail, so even if he was hit a hundred times, it wouldn't hurt.

Pang Tong was even worried that he was exhausting his father.

"Father, you benefited too!"

What benefits do I get?

"Li Xiu was originally a pawn. The Heavenly Mandate Sect's plan was bound to fail. They deliberately threw Li Xiu out to provoke the Eighth Prince and get him to support the selection of a concubine!"

"and then?"

"A Consort Pang will appear in the palace."

"You bastard! You unfilial son! Get out of here!"

Grand Tutor Pang kicked Pang Tong to the ground, panting heavily with anger, but with a smile on his face. He usually pretended to be deep and could not show his emotions, but he could only show his joy and anger in front of his own son.

If a person cannot even express joy, anger, sorrow, happiness, grief, fear, or shock normally, what is the point of having immense power or wealth?

Infighting in the imperial court is always like this.

Once someone reaches the level of Grand Tutor Pang, the slightest misstep can lead to utter ruin. The more people fawn over him, the more they will hurl insults and trample on him after he falls from grace.

Grand Tutor Pang had to be expressionless, a clay puppet who could not show his emotions, and could not let anyone see his true thoughts, even his deep affection for his child.

Not long after Pang Tong left, Feng Yi entered the study with a cold face: "It's resolved, all of you shut up!"

Grand Tutor Pang stared at Feng Yihan, carefully observing his features, and suddenly said, "The divination of the commoner physiognomist is not absolutely accurate; some things have been miscalculated."

Feng Yihan remained silent.

"You weren't killed by me to silence you."

"My lord is merciful."

"It's not because I'm kind, but because I can't find a better tool. You're absolutely right, the consequences of provoking Li Zhaoting are extremely difficult to deal with."

Grand Tutor Pang witnessed Li Zhaoting's formidable abilities.

Even if Li Zhaoting were imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison, his friends could still cause countless troubles. The Ten Kings of Hell would investigate the case together, and the immortals would be numerous. Grand Tutor Pang had at least three hidden tricks, which they easily cracked.

Bao Zheng was a frail scholar and wouldn't wander around aimlessly.

Lu Xiaofeng and Tang Zhuquan are both scourges.

There's no place they wouldn't dare go.

There's no trouble they wouldn't dare to cause.

Especially Lu Xiaofeng, whose lightness skill is superb, if he wanted to sneak into the Pang mansion, no one could stop him.

Grand Tutor Pang understood Feng Yihan's concerns.

Lu Xiaofeng may not be able to accomplish anything, but he can certainly ruin things. No matter how powerful you are, how skilled you are in martial arts, how intelligent you are, or how many decades you spend painstakingly planning, as long as Lu Xiaofeng is involved, the matter is bound to fail.

Grand Tutor Pang has never believed in ghosts and gods and strongly opposed Pang Tong's study of astrology and divination. However, Pang Tong rebelled and took the initiative to join the army, where he studied on his own while on the border.

Now, Grand Tutor Pang was beginning to believe it.

There are jinxes in the world whose destinies are vastly different.

Bao Zheng, Lu Xiaofeng, Li Zhaoting, Tang Zhuquan, and others are all jinxes, and there will be more jinxes in the future. When these people gathered together, they almost overturned the capital.

What does Zhu Wushi have to say?

"Iron-Blooded Marquis told me to get lost."

"and then?"

"He grabbed me by the collar and threw me out."

"Zhu Wushi's martial arts can kill you instantly?"

"His skill was too profound. He used the Dragon-Capturing Skill to forcibly trap me, and I had no power to resist at all."

"I'm not very familiar with the affairs of the martial arts world. What level is Zhu Wushi's martial arts skill in the martial arts world?"

"Very few could defeat him. Zhu Wushi has never shown his full strength. All we know is that he is proficient in the unique skills of various schools and sects, and his profound skill is comparable to that of Yin Ji."

Who is Yin Ji?

"The Palace Mistress of Divine Water, Water Mother Yin Ji."

How many genius swordsmen are there in the martial arts world?

"There are at least twenty."

Where does Li Zhaoting rank?

"Standing firmly in the top three."

How does it compare to you?

"Far stronger than me."

(End of this chapter)