If you force me to take the blame, I'll spend a day in jail and gain a year's worth of spi

"Hahaha, Zhang Yu, you didn't expect that, did you!"

A sudden burst of maniacal laughter shattered the deathly silence; the voice was hoarse yet filled with a sense of schadenfreude and vengeful excitement.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Zhang Heng, who had just been lying limp on the ground like a dead dog.

At that moment, he somehow mustered the strength to straighten his body.

A near-distorted smile appeared on his face, his eyes fixed on Zhang Yu, burning with resentment and a renewed sense of confidence.

"You've schemed and plotted, currying favor with the royal family, using their power to your advantage, thinking you can control everything and manipulate us like puppets?"

Zhang Heng's voice grew louder and louder, as if he wanted to vent all the fear and humiliation he had just felt:

"But in the end, what can you do?"

Do you really think His Majesty, and these princes and grandsons, would make an enemy of the Zhang family and my grandfather, a newly promoted grandmaster, for the sake of an outsider like you?

He abruptly turned his head, his bloodshot eyes sweeping over Xiao Zhengfeng, Prince Jing, Prince Qi, and the others, his tone full of provocation and probing:

"Come on, now who dares to touch me?"

Who would dare to lay a finger on a hair on the head of the Zhang family?

"presumptuous!"

A black-armored guard shouted and was about to step forward.

"Get out of my way, all of you."

Almost simultaneously, Zhang Wanning also screamed.

The pitiful and fearful look on her face had vanished, replaced by an arrogance similar to Zhang Heng's, a sharp and sarcastic reaction born from despair.

She struggled violently and actually managed to shake off the soldiers who were controlling her.

Perhaps because the soldiers were also greatly shaken by the news of the master, they loosened their grip.

She stumbled and regained her balance, then pointed at Zhang Yu's nose and shrieked:

"Zhang Yu, weren't you being very impressive just now?"

What now?

Grandpa is a grandmaster now, a grandmaster.

I'd like to see who dares to lay a finger on anyone from the Yong'an Marquis's mansion now.

You, and all of you—

Her fingers moved away from Zhang Yu's face, sweeping over Prince Jing, Prince Qi, and the others with undisguised hatred.

Unlike Zhang Heng and Zhang Wanning's outburst of madness, Qin Xuehua, though her eyes also sparkled with excitement and the light of a new life, still retained a trace of rationality and composure due to her noble family background.

She took a deep breath, suppressing her turbulent emotions, and gracefully bowed to Emperor Xiao Zhengfeng, whose expression was unpredictable.

She performed a standard lady's curtsy, her voice regaining some of its usual composure, but beneath that composure lay an barely suppressed confidence, a self-assured belief that she had regained control:

"Your Majesty, the chaos and commotion in the prison today are all caused by Zhang Yu, the unfilial son of my family."

This son is ambitious and rebellious, disobedient and unfilial, and he has even sown discord between the royal family and my Zhang family. He is truly the source of chaos.

Now this farce should come to an end. In order to avoid disturbing His Majesty's presence, and more importantly, to give His Majesty and the royal family some dignity..."

She slightly raised her head, her gaze sweeping over Zhang Yu, who remained expressionless, and her tone became resolute:

"Your Majesty, I urge you to first imprison this rebellious son in the Imperial Prison and keep him under strict guard."

After my lord and patriarch return to the capital, the truth will be determined by the Zhang family rules and the laws of the court.

At that time, the Zhang family will surely give His Majesty and the court a satisfactory explanation.

Her words were quite appropriate, both invoking the Zhang family's rules and the imperial laws, and pointing out the fact that the Marquis and the old master were about to return to the capital.

She downplayed all the blame and attributed it all to her wicked son, Zhang Yu. Her words seemed respectful, but in reality, they were barbed and contained hidden threats.

My Zhang family is no longer the ignorant bunch we once were. With a grandmaster in charge and 100,000 border troops as our support, the imperial family should know when to back down and give our Zhang family a way out.

Qin Xuehua was absolutely certain.

She knew these members of the royal family all too well; weighing the pros and cons was an instinct ingrained in their very bones.

Zhang Yu may have exceptional abilities, and he may be of value to the royal family, but all of that pales in comparison to a living, breathing master family that wields considerable military power.

She could almost foresee that Emperor Xiao Zhengfeng would take the opportunity to step down, first control Zhang Yu, and then "discuss things at length" with the Zhang family.

Zhang Yu is destined to become the sacrifice to appease the Zhang family's anger.

The best outcome would be to have his martial arts skills crippled and be handed over to the Zhang family for disposal.

She could already imagine the miserable fate that Zhang Yu would suffer when Zhang Jiuling and Zhang Yuanfeng returned.

Thinking of this, the anger she felt seemed to subside considerably.

Her gaze toward Zhang Yu returned to that condescending, all-controlling indifference.

The atmosphere inside the prison became eerie due to the sudden "reversal" of the Zhang family's fortunes.

Zhang Heng and Zhang Wanning's clamor, and Qin Xuehua's seemingly proper but actually coercive words, were like invisible pressures falling on the shoulders of Xiao Zhengfeng and the princes.

All eyes were focused on Emperor Xiao Zhengfeng.

Is it a matter of yielding to the situation and temporarily avoiding the master's sharp edge?

Or... do you have other plans?

Throughout the entire ordeal, Zhang Yu, who was called out, remained standing there quietly, his fingers gently tapping the armrest, his rhythm perfectly consistent.

He also wanted to see how the royal family would decide.

The title of Grandmaster carries immense pressure.

The entire prison fell into an almost frozen silence.

The faces of the royal family members, including Prince Jing and Prince Qi, were extremely solemn.

Faced with the intimidation of a newly promoted grandmaster and the heavy military force held by the Zhang family, even they felt their breathing become heavy and found it difficult to make a decision.

Compromise would damage the dignity of the royal family and could even unleash a dangerous force.

Being tough means potentially clashing head-on with a grandmaster and the forces he controls, with immeasurable costs.

In the midst of this suffocating silence and standoff, a cool and decisive figure unexpectedly moved.

It's Xiao Fenghua.

Princess Fenghua, who was known for her aloofness, walked straight up to Zhang Heng, who was laughing and shouting wildly, in full view of everyone.

Before anyone could react, she raised her arm—

"Snapped!"

A crisp, resounding slap landed hard on Zhang Heng's face, which still bore the maniacal smile.

This slap not only made Zhang Heng's head tilt to the side, but also dispelled the hesitation and gloom in the hearts of the royal family.

Their stance is self-evident.

A very subtle ripple finally crossed Zhang Yu's originally calm and unwavering eyes.

He looked at Xiao Fenghua's profile, his gaze holding a hint of scrutiny and a subtle...approval.

This woman is decisive.

Xiao Meier, standing to the side, had a glint of surprise in her peach blossom eyes.

She looked at her usually icy older sister, a knowing smile playing on her lips, and clicked her tongue in amazement:

"It seems my sister, who is usually so arrogant and cold to everyone, has really taken a liking to Zhang Yu... This slap is an attempt to force the entire royal family onto Mr. Zhang's side."

"You...you dare hit me?"

Zhang Heng covered his face and roared, "Xiao Fenghua, my grandfather is a grandmaster, a grandmaster... How dare you..."

"Snapped!"

His response was another, even harder slap from Xiao Fenghua.

This slap caused Zhang Heng's mouth to bleed, and he staggered backward, half of his face swelling up.

Xiao Fenghua withdrew her hand and stood still, her phoenix eyes filled with frost, her voice clear yet icy cold, reaching everyone's ears clearly:

"Your grandfather was a grandmaster, that's true."

But your grandfather has more than one grandson, and more than one bloodline.

She slightly raised her chin, her innate royal air mingling with a chilling killing intent, momentarily overwhelming Zhang Heng with her imposing presence.

"Guess what would happen if I killed you right now."

Will your grandfather, who just broke through to the Grandmaster level, immediately and completely break ties with the Xiao royal family, who possess a vast empire and also have Grandmasters at their disposal, all for the sake of a good-for-nothing grandson like you?

Her words, like icicles, pierced Zhang Heng's feverish mind and also struck the heart of Zhang Wanning, who was equally restless beside him.

Zhang Heng's roar got stuck in his throat, and his face instantly changed from a flushed red with anger to a deathly pale with terror.

Zhang Wanning's straightened back immediately went limp.

Xiao Fenghua was stating a cold, hard truth that they were unwilling to face but could not refute.

Below the level of a master, all are but ants.

These ants also include their worthless offspring.

In the eyes of a grandmaster, the continuation of the family, the expansion of power, and the pursuit of the Great Dao are far more important than the lives of one or two unworthy descendants.

If they really die here today, Zhang Yuanfeng might be furious, or he might demand compensation.

However, we will not immediately launch a full-scale war against the royal family, which has equally powerful individuals and a deeper foundation, just for their sake.

At least, they won't seek revenge immediately or at any cost.

Once they understood this, Zhang Heng and Zhang Wanning felt as if their spines had been removed; their arrogance vanished instantly, leaving only a chilling sense of dread and lingering fear.

Their arrogance stems from their mastery of power, but whether this "power" can truly be transformed into the "force" that can immediately save their lives remains a big question mark.

Xiao Fenghua used the most direct method to expose their false reliance.

Qin Xuehua's face also turned extremely ugly, but she was more composed and knew how to assess the situation better.

She did not lose her composure like her children; instead, she took a deep breath and looked past Xiao Fenghua, who was making the move, and directly at Emperor Xiao Zhengfeng, who had remained silent.

Qin Xuehua tried her best to keep her voice steady, but anyone could hear the tension and accusation in it:

"Your Majesty, is Princess Fenghua's action the stance of the Imperial Family?"

She was sharp-tongued and had an aggressive air about her.

Qin Xuehua was convinced that the Xiao family would not go to war with the Zhang family for the sake of Zhang Yu, and that the Xiao family would attribute Xiao Fenghua's slap to an individual act.