Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 158 Li Zhaoting: A Natural Counter to the Mission, His Record is Verifiable

Centipedes are very common venomous insects. This centipede is neither wild nor used for making poisonous insects.

This centipede resembles a broiler pig or chicken; it's a specially bred food and tastes incredibly delicious.

However, the giant centipede was so ferocious and ugly that people dared not put their chopsticks on it. The Five Poisons Sect liked to use it to test the courage of men who came to propose marriage.

Centipedes are obviously non-venomous.

Because the plates are made of pure silver, it is very easy to detect drugs in Miao areas, where silver ornaments can be found everywhere.

Li Zhaoting flicked his finger, forming a sword shape as he slashed across the giant centipede. With a cracking sound, the centipede's shell shattered, releasing a unique fragrance.

Li Zhaoting picked up his chopsticks, swiftly grabbed a piece of the giant centipede's plump meat, and put it into his mouth, savoring the Five Poisons Sect's delicacy with a look of pure enjoyment on his face.

"Is there anyone else who wants to have a match?"

"I'll do it! Please, Young Master Li, sing a folk song!"

"Please give me a question, young lady."

"Let me start with the theme of camellias..."

Li Zhaoting came to propose marriage, so he naturally wouldn't use martial arts to bully others. He simply pretended not to know martial arts and fully experienced the various activities of the Miao village's proposal and engagement ceremony.

The Miao village was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

The next morning, Li Zhaoting took Lan Fenghuang to Dali to find his father. At this time, Li Nanxing was no longer the jade merchant he once was, but the special envoy of the Song Dynasty stationed in Dali. His daily tasks were sightseeing, drinking and eating meat.

Logically speaking, Li Nanxing should have become quite wealthy, enjoying fine wine and meat every day; it would be strange if he didn't gain weight.

I didn't expect Li Nanxing to have such good self-control.

I do aerobics every day to exercise, and instead of gaining weight, I actually lost a pound or two.

"Dad, I'm home!"

"You're back, so what's with all the shouting!"

"Daughter-in-law Lan Fenghuang greets father-in-law!"

"Not bad, not bad. Come, come, this is a gift for you. I wish you a son soon. As your father, I have no other wish but to hold my grandson soon."

Li Nanxing took out a large red envelope from his pocket, stuffed it into Lan Fenghuang's hand, and put a big smile on his face.

Li Zhaoting complained, "Dad, the ancestral home in Jinling has been renovated. If you stay in Dali and don't go back, where will you hold your grandchild after Suzhen and Fenghuang have a child?"

Li Nanxing waved his hand: "I don't want to go back to the Central Plains. Staying in Dali is fine."

"Dad, I suddenly feel..."

"What do you think?"

"Are you trying to find me a stepmother by rekindling an old tree in Dali? I have no problem with that, but you have to be careful when choosing a person, and you must be wary of the Prince of Zhennan!"

"You unfilial son, come and learn the family rules!"

Li Nanxing was stunned at first, standing there blankly, then flew into a rage, pulled out a ruler, pressed Li Zhaoting down with one hand, and swiftly carried out the family discipline with the other.

Li Zhaoting: ┓(`)┏

Not only could he not resist, but he also had to restrain his true energy to prevent it from rebounding and injuring Li Nanxing.

Li Nanxing is in his forties, so he can hardly be considered an old tree in bloom. Some old men in their eighties can still have a pear tree in full bloom that overshadows a crabapple tree! Thinking of this, Li Zhaoting got goosebumps all over his body and felt a little nauseous.

Blue Phoenix cheered enthusiastically.

It's been a long time since we've seen Li Zhaoting get his comeuppance.

This scene should be painted and hung in the room for appreciation day and night, so that Li Zhaoting won't become too arrogant.

There is someone in the world who can control Li Zhaoting.

It can not only control them, but also completely suppress them.

……

evening.

Li Zhaoting went to the Prince of Zhennan's mansion to freeload a meal.

Duan Zhengchun was still visiting his old lover in the Central Plains, and had countless daughters. Duan Yu returned home and studied diligently, learning the skills of being an emperor.

Princess Dao Baifeng was in charge of receiving them.

It must be said that Zhu Danchen was cunning and adept at using others' strength against them. Using Li Zhaoting as an excuse, he persuaded Dao Baifeng to return to the palace, saying, "When distinguished guests arrive, the palace cannot be without a hostess. You are the princess. If you do not come forward to entertain the distinguished guests from the Song Dynasty, do you expect Qin Hongmian to do so?"

Zhu Ziliu quickly added, "I heard that the Song Dynasty delegation is about to arrive, and the Prince of Zhennan will definitely attend the banquet to welcome the delegation. Who is by the Prince of Zhennan's side? In the eyes of the Song Dynasty delegation, this person is the Princess Consort. If you don't attend the banquet, Gan Baobao will definitely attend!"

Dao Baifeng thought to herself, "You guys are utterly despicable! How can you spout so much nonsense? Can't you even utter a single human word?"
The words may be harsh, but the reasoning behind them is sound.

Li Xunhuan didn't know who the Princess of Zhennan was.

At the welcoming banquet, the princess was sitting next to the Prince of Zhennan. If Dao Baifeng hadn't gone, given Duan Zhengchun's philandering nature, he would have definitely invited someone else.

Gan Baobao is a married woman, so it's not appropriate.

Qin Hongmian is just the right person.

Qin Hongmian was no ordinary mountain woman; she came from Qin Family Village and was the village's little princess. She could represent a portion of the Miao region's power, which perfectly met the requirements for a marriage alliance.

After a moment's thought, Dao Baifeng realized that she absolutely could not lose to Qin Hongmian, so she immediately returned to the Prince's Mansion.

One aspect was entertaining Li Zhaoting.

On the one hand, inquire about the situation of the Song Dynasty delegation.

Upon hearing that Li Zhaoting had arrived, Duan Yu lifted his dizzy head from the mountain of books and jumped up excitedly. Duan Yu loved reading, but this was perhaps too much.

The mountain of books is so stressful!
"Second Brother, it's so good to see you! I'm exhausted. I really don't want to be the emperor!"

"Some things in this world are like this: some people don't want to be emperors, but they have no choice; some people dream of being emperors, but they can't have them."

"What's so great about being an emperor!"

Duan Yu rubbed his panda-like dark circles.

“You’re wrong. Being an emperor is very enjoyable. You have three palaces, six courtyards, and seventy-two concubines. You live a life of debauchery and revelry. Isn’t that wonderful? You feel tired because you are kind-hearted, responsible, and want to be a wise ruler.”

Li Zhaoting patted Duan Yu on the shoulder: "This is a responsibility you bear. I believe in you. Whether you want to do it or not, you will definitely not shirk your responsibility."

"I'm embarrassed by my second brother's praise."

"Even if I don't trust myself, I will trust my third brother's character. You just have too good a temper."

"Second Brother's temper..."

What's wrong with my temper?

"...Rumors in the martial arts world are not good."

"Third brother, you must understand that most of the rumors in the martial arts world are fabricated and cannot be taken seriously. But the rumors about me having a bad temper and liking to kill people... are true!"

Li Zhaoting made a sinister and cunning expression.

Duan Yu: (_)
"I heard that my second brother recently did something big."

"It was just killing a few petty thieves."

"I heard there are more than a thousand people!"

"I'm not a serial killer or the butcher Bai Qi, how could I have killed so many people? I only killed a few leaders, and the henchmen scattered."

"I really don't understand. These people must have heard of Second Brother's name, so why are they so determined to die?"

"Because they think the rumors are false." "Heh!"

Duan Yu smiled helplessly.

Duan Yu disliked killing, but some things were unavoidable, such as those bandits who robbed the caravan. If they weren't killed, it would inevitably lead to endless troubles.

"Second brother, do you know about the Song Dynasty delegation? I heard that the Song Dynasty envoy is a top scholar who passed the imperial examination."

His name is Li Xunhuan.

"This name... is a bit..."

"The imperial court is very lenient with names; after all, the current Grand Tutor's name is... Xiao Hua!"

What are the hobbies of Xiao Li, the Scholar?

"Drinking, carving, and being chased by girls."

"Second brother, are you joking?"

"Of course not. When you meet him, you'll know what Pan An and Song Yu look like, and you'll know that the saying 'He can kill Wei Jie with his looks' is not an exaggeration. He's not a philanderer, but there will always be noble ladies who rush up to woo him."

"Is he even more powerful than my father?"

"Let me tell you a secret: the imperial court sent Li Xunhuan as an envoy to Dali because they were worried that he wasn't handsome enough and would be overshadowed by the Prince of Zhennan. The imperial court is very concerned about its image."

"I feel like this is a bit too frivolous."

“It’s just child’s play, which means they didn’t take it seriously. They came to Dali just to make a show of it, gain some reputation and merit, and then went back after a short trip. The Song Dynasty and Dali remained at peace.”

"Second brother is right, I have learned a lot."

"I was just making this up, don't take it seriously. But if you insist on taking it seriously, there's nothing I can do!"

……

The area around Dali was not peaceful, with many tribes eyeing Dali covetously. The Dali royal family needed to win over allies through marriage alliances. The marriage between Duan Zhengchun and Dao Baifeng was such an alliance. However, Duan Zhengchun was very skilled at flirting, which made Dao Baifeng fall in love at first sight.

Normally, these tribes are relatively well-behaved.

However, it is absolutely impossible to expect these tribes to remain peaceful and never cause trouble.

Upon hearing that the Song Dynasty envoy was about to arrive, several tribes began to stir. Some wanted to win over the envoy by secretly sending him a few beauties to keep his seed, while others wanted to sow discord and others planned to assassinate him.

Even Li Xunhuan did not expect that he would become the focus of attention and a hot commodity as soon as he left the capital, with countless people plotting against him openly or secretly.

Coincidentally, Duan Zhengchun, who was out chasing women, heard that Li Xunhuan was on a mission to Dali. He took the initiative to reveal his identity and followed the mission's caravan back to Dali. Due to a joke made unintentionally by someone, two more people were added to the caravan.

One is Xiao Feng, and the other is A'Zhu.

Azhu was tricked by Li Zhaoting and Feng Suzhen into going to Xiaojing Lake to find Duan Zhengchun, and discovered that Duan Zhengchun was indeed her biological father. The father and daughter recognized each other.

Xiao Feng originally intended to go to Xingxiu Sea to find Ding Chunqiu, but the Beggars' Sect sent intelligence that Xingxiu had sent a traitor who stole Ding Chunqiu's Divine Wood King Cauldron. Ding Chunqiu went out to search for it, and based on the route, it was deduced that Ding Chunqiu would head south.

Ding Chunqiu's travel routes were never a secret.

With the Beggars' Sect's capabilities, they could easily find detailed information by sending out just a few four-bag disciples to investigate.

Ding Chunqiu loved to hear flattery. He would flatter people with great fanfare. When disciples of the Xingxiu Sect first entered the sect, they had to learn how to flatter others. Only when their master was flattered would he teach them a few martial arts moves. They also had to flatter their fellow disciples. If they displeased their senior brother, he could be executed on the spot!
The Starry Sky Faction is a pure jungle law gang.

The higher one's martial arts skills, the greater one's power.

Ding Chunqiu possessed the highest martial arts skills and was the sect leader.

The eldest brother is second in martial arts and is the head steward.

The senior disciple of the Xingxiu Sect wields power far exceeding that of the sect leaders and disciples of the Central Plains sects, even surpassing the "young sect leader." He can kill his fellow disciples at will, leaving them only with the energy to flatter their master and secretly hone their martial arts skills. Because everyone is secretive, the senior disciple dares not act rashly.

With so many powerful figures in the Central Plains, Ding Chunqiu was worried about being surrounded and killed by them. So he had to settle for second best, stopping the music and fanfare when passing through large prefectures and having his disciples sing his praises when passing through deep mountains and forests.

Find a few beggars to keep watch at the crossroads; when they hear sycophantic voices, they know the Xingxiu Sect has arrived.

After a moment's thought, Xiao Feng decided to take A'Zhu to Dali. On one hand, they could enjoy the scenery; on the other hand, they could search for Ding Chunqiu; and finally, Xiao Feng felt that Li Zhaoting was a natural enemy of the delegation. Since Li Zhaoting was in Dali and the delegation was about to arrive there, there was a high possibility that a murder would occur.

This reasoning is very logical and well-founded.

When delegations from the Liao, Goguryeo, and Izumo kingdoms arrived at the same time, they were all annihilated.

For the safety of the Song Dynasty delegation and for the life of his newly met father-in-law, Xiao Feng felt it was necessary to accompany and protect him, lest Li Zhaoting unleash his full power.

Such matters are best left unsaid.

Even if I told you, no one would believe me.

At least, Duan Zhengchun didn't believe it.

……

The headquarters of the Power Gang.

This is a very large hall, with a huge fist made of cast iron standing in the center. It is the load-bearing pillar of the entire hall and also the symbol of the Power Gang.

Li Chenzhou, the leader of the Power Gang, is obsessed with boxing. His reason is the same as that of the Invincible Young Master: any divine weapon may be lost, but one's fists will never be lost.

Unlike weapons, fists cannot be lost, nor should they be lost. Therefore, using fists as weapons requires an unwavering determination to win and the courage to go without looking back.

Only with such courage to support one's fist can one become invincible, invincible, and unstoppable.

Li Chenzhou had great faith in his fists.

This trust even extends to his wife, Zhao Shirong.

Fist is power!

Making a fist means holding power!

A powerful punch is a sign of power!

A man cannot live a day without power!
I only believe in my own fists!
With their invincible fists and the assistance of their wives Zhao Shirong and strategist Liu Suifeng, the Power Gang quickly became the strongest and most vicious gang in the southwest!

A gentle breeze stirs up a light rain; the world is six and a half parts shrouded in mist.

Deceitful people are useless; the most wicked are those who cling to power.

The Golden Wind and Drizzle Pavilion relies on its noble air.

The main selling point of Liufenbantang is loyalty and righteousness.

The Mitian Alliance is in disarray, Guan Qi is mentally unstable, and a few years ago a terrible internal strife broke out, causing the Mitian Alliance to fall apart. Guan Qi is temporarily living in the Heavenly Prison.

If we were to find an adjective to describe the Power Gang, the word "evil" would be the only one that comes to mind. The rise of the Power Gang was filled with brutal killings, and all the evil and wicked schemes in the martial arts world were on full display.

Infiltrating and ambushing, sowing discord, launching sneak attacks and assassinations.

There is no undercover agent that Liu Suifeng cannot bribe. These undercover agents will launch a fatal attack on their target at the most critical moment, pledging their loyalty to the power faction with their lives.

Today, those in power are full of talented people.

The three giants, the eight heavenly kings, the nineteen demons, and other well-known masters numbered over a hundred.

Li Chenzhou's goal was simple... power!
The power to "rule the world".

Their public image is that of descendants of the Li Tang dynasty.

Zhao Shirong was a descendant of Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty.

For the past six months or so, Li Chenzhou has been in seclusion practicing martial arts, while Liu Suifeng and Zhao Shirong have been handling gang affairs. He has just emerged from seclusion and needs to find something to do.

It's not that I want to use my fists, but rather my brain.

Li Chenzhou flipped through the intelligence about Li Xunhuan compiled by Zhao Shirong, rubbed his chin, and wondered if killing the delegation would cause chaos.
Only through war can one profit from chaos.

Who should be assigned to this task?
　Thanks to readers Fatty Lao Ge, Following the Pig to Eat and Wait for Death, Lei Ruoxuan, and God of Death Li Meng for their donations.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)