Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 260 Empress Dowager: Li Zhaoting, your mother was from Qingcheng, and her Taoist name was "Qing".

Wow~ This place is so luxurious! Someone who lives in such a big house must be incredibly rich!

Cheng Shifei had been a street urchin since childhood, so he was unaware that the magnificent palace in front of him was the imperial palace. He wandered around the palace, and it was only thanks to Gu Santong's teaching of the method to conceal his aura that he was discovered by the guards.

Perhaps it was a predestined marriage, but Cheng Shifei accidentally entered Princess Yunluo's palace.

Who is Princess Yunluo?
She was Zhao Zhen's cousin.

Her mother was the Grand Princess of Ji State, and her father was Li Zunxu, the Imperial Son-in-Law and General of the Left Dragon Guard. There were serious problems in the relationship between the princess and her husband.

Princess Ji was skilled in calligraphy, enjoyed drawing and writing history, could compose poems and songs, and was especially good at needlework. Most importantly, her appearance was almost identical to Zhao Guangyi's, and Zhao Guangyi was extremely fond of her, making her very popular in the royal family.

Emperors Zhao Guangyi, Zhao Heng, and Zhao Zhen all bestowed titles upon them, thus completing the list of the Seven Warring States.

She was first granted the title of Princess Wanshou, then Princess of Sui, Princess of Yue, Princess of Su, Princess of E, and Grand Princess of Ji. A few years later, she was granted the title of Grand Princess of Wei. After her death, she was posthumously granted the titles of Grand Princess of Qi and Grand Princess of Jing, with the posthumous name Xianmu, also known as Grand Princess Xianmu. She had too many titles to list!
Her current title is Grand Princess of Ji Kingdom.

The eldest princess was the emperor's sister.

The Grand Princess was the Emperor's aunt.

The Grand Princess had a good personality, but her relationship with her husband was extremely poor. First of all, it was a problem with her appearance; she had a dark complexion and a plump body, and her figure was rather voluptuous.

Secondly, being a prince consort is not an easy job. He can only hold a nominal position with no real power. Even his family members will be affected and may be demoted in rank.

To prevent the princess from being bullied by her in-laws, the prince consort's direct relatives would be demoted by a generation. The prince consort's parents would be of the same generation as the princess, and the prince consort's siblings would be the princess's nephews and nieces. Over time, this would become increasingly oppressive.

Third, the saying "becoming the imperial son-in-law after passing the imperial examination" is a joke. From the birth of the imperial examination system to the fall of the Qing Dynasty, there were more than 700 top scholars in both civil and military fields. Only one of them married a princess, and he was forced to marry her by imperial decree. He originally wanted to go home to get married, but the emperor directly issued an edict that not becoming the imperial son-in-law would be deceiving the emperor.

No matter how gentle and virtuous the Grand Princess was, the conflict between the princess and her husband was an innate and irreconcilable one. Not long after their marriage, Li Zunxu did something shameful that people would talk about for decades.

—He had an affair with the princess's wet nurse.

If it weren't for the Grand Princess's intercession, Li Zunxu would have been imprisoned and punished long ago, or at least exiled to Lingnan.

From then on, Li Zunxu became obsessed with Buddhism, neglecting the education of his descendants and completely abandoning Yunluo to raise her. The eldest daughter-in-law could not control her and had to seek help from the emperor.

Emperor Zhenzong took Yunluo under his wing and raised her.

After Emperor Zhenzong passed away, Yunluo was sent to the Mangshan Sect to learn martial arts, and only returned in the last two months.

Yunluo didn't want to go home and see her parents having a cold war, so she moved into the palace and formed the Three Musketeers of the capital with Tianxiang and Qingqing. They were also the three most fearsome figures in the capital.

The Mangshan School is not a small or insignificant sect.

In Liang's martial arts novels, the righteous path has a total of one stone of fortune. The Tianshan Sect alone has eight dou, Shaolin and Wudang have one dou, Mangshan Sect has half a dou, and the rest belongs to the Qingcheng Beggars' Sect.

The Xuan Nu Sword Technique, a direct descendant of the Mangshan School, is one of the three great divine sword techniques of the Liang lineage. It has its own advantages and disadvantages, along with the Damo Sword Technique and the Tianshan Sword Technique. The peak of the Mangshan School was in the previous generation.

The sect leader is the famous Lü Siniang, whose martial arts skills surpass those of the seven major sword sect leaders. Her most mysterious experience was joining forces with two good sisters to assassinate Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty.

After the fierce battle, Emperor Yongzheng passed away.

Lü Siniang kept this matter a secret.

This matter is a palace secret, and only the Manchu imperial palace has relevant records; the common people can only make wild guesses.

The truth of the matter, and the details of Yongzheng's death, have long been lost to the tides of history with the passing of Lü Siniang.

After Lü Siniang passed away, Cao Jin'er took over as the head of Mangshan. Cao Jin'er was ambitious but lacked talent, and had a stubborn temper. She made enemies everywhere, and Mangshan declined from then on.

With the hard work of two generations of leaders, the One-Armed Nun and Lü Siniang, and the Xuan Nu Sword Technique, the Mangshan Sect originally had the qualifications to challenge Mount Hua, but now it can only dream about it.

Cao Jin'er is far from being able to do that!

Why did Yunluo go to Mangshan Sect to learn martial arts?
Because Cao Jin'er's husband's surname is "Zhao".

There's a huge mess at home!
The sect is still a mess!
Yunluo didn't want to go home to watch "Breaking Through the Iron Curtain," nor did she want to watch "Palace Intrigue" in the sect. She longed for the freedom of the martial world and wanted to become a renowned female knight-errant.

Just as Yunluo was sighing, Cheng Shifei sneaked in to look for clothes. Seeing Cheng Shifei's tattered clothes and slovenly appearance, Yunluo not only didn't shout, but excitedly waved her hand, wanting to test her martial arts skills!
"who are you?"

"Listen up! I am Cheng Shifei, the one who dominates the world with my fists, kicks across the land with my feet, is handsome and charming, captivates countless young girls, is the number one of the top ten most handsome men, a living encyclopedia of martial arts, and the mighty hero! Are you scared yet?!"

"Aren't you amazing?"

"Of course!"

"Heh heh! You little thief! Take this!"

Yunluo swung her sword at Cheng Shifei. Cheng Shifei inherited Gu Santong's skills. Although he didn't know how to use them, he became sharp-eyed and alert with the help of his profound inner energy.

Cheng Shifei nimbly dodged Yunluo's swift sword and was about to throw a punch to counterattack when Yunluo struck again with his sword.

Mangshan swordplay emphasizes lightness, agility, borrowing force, and deflecting force, making it most suitable for women. The moves are exquisite, with interlocking sword energies that lock down any escape routes.

Cheng Shifei is like a beggar who found a mountain of gold, but he can't afford a single steamed bun despite having a mountain of gold behind him.

Yunluo's skill was far inferior to Cheng Shifei's, and his martial arts foundation was not solid. He practiced martial arts mostly for fun, but he relied on his exquisite moves to make Cheng Shifei run away with his head in his hands. Cheng Shifei recalled the secret manual that Gu Santong had made him memorize. Suddenly, he thought of the Shaolin Dragon Claw Hand. He clenched his right hand into a dragon claw and suddenly placed his left hand in front of his chest to block the exquisite sword move.

This move came out of nowhere. Yunluo never expected that this scoundrel would suddenly use such a powerful move, with strength comparable to that of an elephant.

In the rush, the sword was almost knocked away. Seeing Cheng Shifei swinging his claws to attack, Yunluo stabbed Cheng Shifei in the armpit with her sword. Cheng Shifei did not know martial arts and did not know how to counter attacks. He was so frightened by the sword's edge that he retreated repeatedly.

One of them had superb swordsmanship, while the other occasionally unleashed unexpected moves. They exchanged blows for seventy or eighty rounds.

Yunluo was physically weak and was covered in sweat.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Cheng Shifei gradually absorbed the power of Gu Santong's initiation, and his strength grew stronger and stronger.

Li Zhaoting watched the battle from a distance.

Beside her was Liu E, who had nothing to do.

"This is the perfect match you were talking about? He's just a lucky idiot!"

"Yunluo isn't my biological daughter, but I raised her myself. Don't you think I'm a compassionate and kind person? Want to try the Heavenly Demon Blade?"

"Sigh~~"

Li Zhaoting gasped.

Make outstanding contributions to global warming.

This question cannot be answered!

The answer is correct. Cheng Shifei is a fool. I was deceiving the Empress Dowager. Please punish him severely.

The answer is incorrect. The Empress Dowager is a heartless and ruthless witch, not a kind and good person.

No matter how you answer, it's wrong.

To be honest, Li Zhaoting was quite tempted by Liu E's suggestion and really wanted to try out the Heavenly Demon Blade.

Unfortunately, this is the royal palace.

Li Zhaoting raised his hand and unleashed a move of Eight Swords Flying Simultaneously. Just as he condensed the sword energy, Mi Cangqiong's Heavenly Strike, Yuan Shisanxian's Heartbreaking Arrow, and Zhuge Zhengwo's Amazing Spear were all about to strike Li Zhaoting's forehead at the same time. Li Zhaoting tried to dodge, but found his body bound by the Heavenly Demon Force Field. He sighed and paid homage to "Zhao Wuji" on the spot.

“Reporting to the Empress Dowager, according to the divination, Princess Yunluo’s love star is in motion, and the good match will indeed turn into trouble. You can observe for two days. If the divination is wrong, I will leave it to the Empress Dowager to decide and I am willing to go to the lowest level of the Heavenly Prison.”

What are you going to the imperial prison for?

"Let's fight those old devils. Empress Dowager, how many old devils are left in the Heavenly Prison? Are there any stronger ones?"

"Of course."

Can I ask you a question?

"You want to ask about your mother's background?"

“My father said my mother came from the salt gang in Sichuan, but there are no records of the salt gang. My father is a weak scholar who doesn’t know any martial arts. Who erased these records?”

"You can't find the records not because someone erased them, but because the Salt Gang has never had any records about your mother. Your mother was not a member of the Salt Gang!"

"Huh? My dad's lying to me?"

"Your mother went to the Salt Gang on a mission and met Li Nanxing, who was traveling around studying. The two fell in love at first sight. Your father is very tough and never takes any benefits for free."

In order to repay your mother's sect, your father plotted to split the Salt Gang and owed the Salt Gang a lot of debts. Your father felt guilty towards the Salt Gang because he had done something wrong.

He felt guilty.

I believe your father has done a great service. The Salt Gang has survived to this day only because it is in a state of division; otherwise, the imperial court would have dealt with it long ago.

That's it!

He feels guilty, so he's guilty!
You're the one who has to pay the debt!

You're the one who's chasing girls!

You're the one who benefits!
Your mother is a disciple of the Qingcheng Sect.

It is not a Taoist temple such as Songfeng Temple or Chaoyang Temple.

Your mother came from a secluded immortal sect in Qingcheng, where there is only one successor per generation. Your mother's Taoist name is "Qing".

You want to ask me how I know?
The immortal and demonic sects are both enemies and friends.

How could I not know?

Liu E stretched and shook her wrist. It had been a long time since she had opened up to anyone. It was rare to have a descendant of an old friend with whom she could freely recount the past.

"My mother and you are enemies?"

"They were both enemies and friends, and they fought several battles."

"My mother knows martial arts?"

“Buyi, you are too young. Do you think martial arts can do everything? If it were just a contest of martial arts, how could we be both enemies and friends? We are fighting for our ideals.”

"Who's winning?"

"Your mother lost."

"and then?"

"Your father invited me to sit down and discuss philosophy."

"My father is a man of strong emotions!"

"Commoner, didn't you want to see the relevant files? The Six Doors has no records about your father, nor about Chu Xiangyu, nor any detailed records about the Treaty of Chanyuan. These are all in the inner palace. I can let you see them, on the condition that I hope to see the truth of the case by this time next year!"

"These terms are incredibly favorable."

"What do you want to say?"

"Actually, I've always felt that you might be my aunt, or my great-aunt..."

"I am your great-aunt, get out!"

Liu E's eyes narrowed, and the Heavenly Demon Force Field landed on Li Zhaoting's shoulder. The area within dozens of feet was shrouded in the pitch-black aura of the domain, and the air became dozens of times heavier.

Li Zhaoting felt as if he had been thrown into a trench, every cell in his body was being crushed by the domain's aura, the force penetrating every crevice, and there was no way to deflect the force.

"boom!"

Li Zhaoting was thrown out of the palace wall by Liu E and landed right in the well that Cheng Shifei had just climbed out of. After a few gurgling sounds, he fell into Gu Santong's prison cell.

Gu Santong is not dead yet.

When I didn't have a son, it didn't matter whether I lived or died.

Seeing his own son, he couldn't bear to die. He left behind a wisp of true energy to protect his heart meridian. Without the burden of the immense and unfathomable true energy, he might be able to live for a few more months.

Back then, Zhu Wushi fought a life-or-death battle with Gu Santong. In a desperate attack, Zhu Wushi risked being killed by Gu Santong by unleashing a Pure Yang Finger strike. Gu Santong's meridians were severely damaged, and he suffered from chronic injuries and deep-seated ailments.

In this situation, the extremely yang, powerful, and unpredictable true qi is no longer an asset, but a burden.

It's like a rusty sports car with aviation fuel in the tank. If you floor the accelerator and turn the engine to maximum power, it will fall apart after a few steps.

Giving Cheng Shifei his power is like removing the heavy outer shell of a sports car, dismantling it, and piecing together usable parts to make a tricycle.

Unburden yourself and move forward with a lighter load.

The ancient Santong was once a hundred-ton king, rampaging and unrestrained, indestructible and invincible.

Nowadays, the ancient three-way road is like an old man's car. As long as you don't do anything reckless and are cautious enough, you can at least make a safe landing by driving little by little further away.

"Wow! You look more energetic than before!"

"People are in high spirits when they have good news!"

"I have even better news for you."

"what's up?"

Cheng Shifei is getting married soon.

What is the woman's background?

"The princess!"

"Go to hell! My son didn't inherit my good looks, nor Su Xin's gentleness. What right does this good-for-nothing scoundrel have to marry a princess?"

Gu Santong launched into a tirade of profanities.

Li Zhaoting's forehead creased into a grid pattern: "Cheng Shifei is, after all, your son. It's not appropriate to say that!"

Gu Santong angrily retorted, "I'm his father! It's my duty to discipline him! Did you arrange this?"

"I swear to God, this matter..."

"What happened?"

"Actually, it was arranged by the Empress Dowager..."

"Does the Empress Dowager have such leisure time? Is she too lonely after her husband's death, causing her to lose her mind? You're quite handsome, young man, you could try becoming a male concubine!"

I read about it in a book. I remember that the Empress Dowager could keep male concubines, I think they were called something like "Wheel King"!

Kid, you can learn from him!

Gu Santong raised his eyebrows in a nonchalant manner.

Li Zhaoting: You may not know this, but the current King of the Wheel in the martial arts world is actually an old eunuch!
Li Zhaoting sighed, "Senior, the Empress Dowager is a disciple of the Yin Gui Sect. Her martial arts are unfathomable. I just fought with her and she threw me in with one move!"

"so smart?"

“The Heavenly Demon Force Field, the Domain Aura. She is the Empress Dowager who has been ruling from behind the curtain for six years. If I’m not mistaken, the entire palace is her domain. Not a single blade of grass, tree, flower, or leaf can escape the Empress Dowager’s watchful eye. If she is watching the spot where I landed and using the Heavenly Demon Force Field to eavesdrop, not a single word of our conversation will be hidden!”

"Can she really hear me?"

"Not a single word was missed!"

"The Empress Dowager should be very tolerant, right?"

"The demoness of the demonic sect is ruthless and decisive!"

What will she do when she's angry?

"Throw both of us into the moat and drown us!"

Why drowning?

"I have the title of a scholar, and I am exempt from punishment. I cannot be killed by a knife or axe. I drowned without any knife or gun, and there was no bloodshed. I came and went cleanly."

"I am a warrior, I have no official rank!"

You benefited from my fame!

"Could you let me benefit from this again?"

How to dip it?

"Use your pretty boy to persuade the Empress Dowager to spare my old life. Whether you live or die is irrelevant; I haven't even seen my son get married yet, I can't die!"

Gu Santong was being unreasonable and stubborn.

Li Zhaoting: I'll kill you, you bastard!
(End of this chapter)