The saintess is pregnant, what does that have to do with me, a spoiled brat?

The sound of carriage wheels rolling over the bluestone slabs was monotonous and dull.

Xu Nuo leaned back on the cushions with her eyes closed.

The old emperor summoned him at this time simply because Zhao Dezhu had filed a complaint with the emperor. With one million taels of silver and the life of a third-rank guest minister at stake, the Second Prince was determined to recoup his losses in court.

More importantly, the strength he displayed touched a nerve with the old emperor.

Duke Xu Zhentian commands 300,000 Zhenbei troops, guarding the northern frontier. His promise to remain in the capital is essentially that of a hostage. The old emperor trusts a useless hostage who only knows how to eat, drink, gamble, and whore. But if this useless hostage suddenly transforms into a master capable of killing a third-rank official with a single punch, the situation completely changes.

The carriage slowly came to a stop.

"Young Master Xu, we've arrived," the old eunuch's shrill voice rang out from outside the carriage.

Xu Nuo lifted the curtain and got out of the car.

Just as they stood still, they bumped into two sedan chairs.

The Second Prince, Li Chengqian, wore a four-clawed python robe, his face ashen. Half a step behind him was Zhao Dezhu, the Minister of Revenue, whose eyes were bloodshot and whose hair was disheveled.

Enemies meet.

"Promise!" When Zhao Dezhu saw him, his eyes almost bled, his features twisted like a hungry wolf, as if he wanted to pounce on him and bite his neck off.

Xu Nuo straightened the cuffs of his court robes and calmly swept his gaze across the crowd.

"Good morning, Lord Zhao." Xu Nuo smiled and said, "Is your son's injury any better? I was a bit too rough yesterday, mainly because I couldn't control my strength. But it's good that his dantian is shattered. He can live a peaceful life as a wealthy man from now on, so he won't cause trouble and lose his life one day."

"You little beast! I'll kill you!" Zhao Dezhu completely lost his mind and charged forward, baring his teeth and claws.

Li Chengqian reached out and grabbed Zhao Dezhu's shoulder.

He stared at Xu Nuo with a cold gaze, as if he were looking at a dead man.

"Young Master Xu, you'd better keep a low profile here in the heart of the capital," Li Chengqian said in a low voice. "The tallest tree in the forest catches the most wind. Do you really think no one can handle you?"

Xu Nuo smiled.

"Your Highness is right." Xu Nuo took a step forward, looking directly into Li Chengqian's eyes. "However, my roots are firmly planted in the 300,000-strong Zhenbei Army. For the wind to destroy me, it depends on how strong it is. Your Highness, do you think your wind is strong enough?"

Li Chengqian's expression changed drastically.

This spoiled brat actually dared to use the Zhenbei Army to intimidate him right in front of him!

"Fine, very well." Li Chengqian laughed angrily. "I'd like to see how you're going to get past my father today."

Xu Nuo ignored him and strode into the tall palace gate.

The Imperial Study.

The scent of ambergris is so strong it's almost pungent.

The Emperor sat on his large dragon throne, holding a vermilion brush, reviewing memorials. He neither looked up nor offered a seat.

Xu Nuo walked in, kneeling on one knee.

"Your Majesty, I grant your request."

The Emperor remained silent. The only sound in the imperial study was the soft scratching of the inkstone against the paper.

Leave him hanging.

This is a psychological tactic most commonly used by emperors. They use silence and a repressive atmosphere to break down the psychological defenses of their subjects.

Xu Nuo sneered inwardly. He simply changed his posture, kneeling on both knees, relaxing his upper body, and even secretly adjusting his breathing, circulating the "Primordial Dragon-Guiding Technique" to slowly nourish his meridians with the help of the rich dragon's saliva fragrance.

A full incense stick's time had passed.

Snapped.

Emperor Li slammed the vermilion brush heavily onto the table.

"You still know you are a subject?" Emperor Li raised his head, his gaze sharp as lightning, staring intently at Xu Nuo.

"Your Majesty, I am filled with trepidation." Xu Nuo lowered his head, his tone flat, showing no trace of fear.

"Smashing the Ministry of Revenue, extorting money from court officials, beating a retainer of the Second Prince to death in the street, and crippling the son of the Minister of Revenue!" Emperor Li slammed his fist on the table, making teacups jump. "Xu Nuo, do you think that because your grandfather is backing you up, I won't dare to kill you?!"

Xu Nuo raised her head and looked directly at Emperor Li.

"Your Majesty, I am innocent."

"Innocent?" Emperor Li laughed angrily. "The entire capital watched you commit the crime, and you tell me you're innocent?"

"Wang Yuan, the Vice Minister of Revenue, has cut off my Zuixianlou's supply of goods without cause. Half of Zuixianlou's income is used to subsidize the wounded and disabled veterans of the Zhenbei Army. By cutting off the supply, he is cutting off the veterans' livelihood." Xu Nuo's voice suddenly rose. "When I went to the Ministry of Revenue to reason with them, they not only refused to listen but also ordered their guest ministers to take action. I had no choice but to act in self-defense."

Xu Nuo paused, then continued, "As for Zhao Kang, he led men to smash up the Drunken Immortal Pavilion and injured my guards. I asked him to compensate for the losses, and he voluntarily gave me one million taels. As for his cultivation being crippled, that was due to his own cultivation going awry; what does that have to do with me?"

He talks nonsense.

Emperor Li narrowed his eyes. He knew the truth, of course, but he was more concerned about Xu Nuo's attitude.

The good-for-nothing who used to only know how to eat, drink, gamble, and whore has now become so sharp-tongued and logically sound, directly pinning the label of "veteran of the Zhenbei Army" on Wang Yuan.

This kid is definitely not a good-for-nothing.

Suddenly, the emperor moved.

Without warning, an immense and suffocating pressure erupted from the dragon throne, and a mountain-like force crashed directly down on Xu Nuo.

A peak second-rank martial artist!

Xu Nuo grunted, his knees suddenly slammed down, and two cracks instantly appeared on the blue brick floor.

Terrifying pressure squeezed his bones from all sides, making his internal organs feel as if they were about to shift.

The jade pendant on her chest was burning hot.

The Primordial Dragon Soul let out a silent roar within its body. Dark golden qi circulated wildly in its meridians, transforming into a ferocious phantom of a giant dragon, which fiercely withstood the pressure of the peak second-grade power.

Xu Nuo gritted his teeth and straightened his back little by little.

He cannot back down. If he does, the old emperor will find out his true strength.

A look of extreme shock flashed in Li Huang's eyes.

They actually withstood it?

Although he only used 50% of his power just now, it was still something an ordinary third-grade cultivator couldn't withstand. Just how powerful is this kid?

That old scoundrel Xu Zhentian actually hid his grandson so well!

The emperor withdrew his oppressive aura.

The air in the Imperial Study resumed its normal flow.

Xu Nuo was panting heavily, his forehead covered in cold sweat, pretending to be exhausted, and he braced himself on the ground with his hands.

"What a fine self-defense excuse." The Emperor leaned back on his throne, his tone unreadable. "Do you take me for a three-year-old?"

"Your subject dares not," Xu Nuo said, bowing his head.

"You may be spared the death penalty, but you won't escape punishment." Emperor Li looked at him coldly. "Since you're so good at fighting, then go to the Western Mountain Camp and take a position as a captain in the Valiant Cavalry Battalion. If you can't train those troublemakers within three months, I'll settle all your old and new scores!"

Xu Nuo's heart stirred.

The Western Hills Cavalry Camp was a notorious mess in the capital, filled with spoiled brats and ruffians shoved in by various factions. The Crown Prince and the Second Prince's men were locked in a fierce power struggle within its ranks.

The old emperor was trying to use someone else to do his dirty work, or to have him stir up trouble.

"Your subject obeys the decree." Xu Nuo readily agreed.

"Get out of here." Emperor Li waved his hand.

Xu Nuo stood up, dusted off his knees, and turned to leave the Imperial Study.

Watching Xu Nuo's departing figure, Emperor Li's face darkened completely.

"shadow."

A man in black silently emerged from the shadows in the corner of the imperial study.

"Investigate. Find out his cultivation level, and who the powerful figure behind him is." Emperor Li's voice was icy. "If you can't find out, bring me your head."

"Yes." The man in black disappeared back into the shadows.