Chapter 161
Chapter 161
At that moment, Jin Hui was in agony, overcome with anxiety.
“Young Master, this servant will stake his life to vouch for this young lady. If she exposes our secret, I will pay for it with my death.”
Shen Lang sneered.
“If she exposes the secret that we blew up the dike, the consequences will be enormous. Your death ten times over wouldn't be enough. You made this mess, you clean it up. Take this woman to your home and watch her constantly. If she escapes, you’ll have to bash your head against a wall and die.”
“Understood!”
Then, Jin Hui approached the woman and bowed.
“Young Lady, I’ll untie the ropes on your legs and take you to my home. Please don’t worry. I have a younger sister, but you’ll have your own room. I… I will never set foot inside your room.”
Even after her legs were untied, the woman remained stubborn, refusing to move from her spot. Shen Lang grew angry and scolded Jin Hui.
“Jin Hui, you idiot. You can’t even handle one woman. What’s the use of keeping someone like you around?”
This was, of course, part of Shen Lang’s act. He had never berated Jin Hui in such a tone before. Seeing Jin Hui being cursed at, the woman raised her eyebrows as if to retort, but she couldn’t say a word. Unable to bear seeing him reprimanded again, she shot Shen Lang a fierce glare before storming out. Jin Hui hurried after her. Shen Lang looked at Thirteen and said.
“You did well, too.”
Thirteen bowed and replied, “Yes.”
“Go and rest. When I have some free time later, I’ll give you some pointers on your martial arts.”
Thirteen’s legs trembled.
‘Master, can’t we drop the act when it’s just us? Who in the entire Count’s estate can you actually beat in a fight? You can’t even beat the fatty Jin Mucong, or even Xiao Bing, and you’re going to give *me* pointers?’
But could a servant contradict his master when he was posturing? Of course not! And so, Thirteen bowed even more respectfully and replied, “Yes!” His posture was as reverent as if he were meeting the grandmaster Zhong Chuke himself.
‘Excellent. Thirteen, you’re going to go far!’
After Jin Hui and Thirteen had left, his father-in-law finally emerged.
“Lang’er, if my guess is correct, that young woman is…”
“It must be her. From a powerful noble family, but with a congenital heart condition that prevented her from learning martial arts. Her temperament is fierce and stubborn. Zhu Rong’s subordinate brought about his own death!”
“Can Jin Hui really marry a woman of such high status, especially after she’s been sullied?”
“Why not? That girl’s heart condition from a young age made her personality extreme. Her way of thinking is completely different from ordinary people. A handsome man like me, with my refined and elegant demeanor, wouldn't even catch her eye. She prefers a frustratingly inscrutable man like Jin Hui. What’s more, the more I torment Jin Hui, the more her heart will ache for him out of sympathy.”
The Count of Xuanwu said nothing, only thinking to himself.
‘Son-in-law, can’t you just speak normally? Must you seize every opportunity to praise yourself?’
“Father-in-law, the fatty is eighteen this year. Why has there been no talk of arranging a marriage for him?”
No matter how foolish Jin Mucong was, he was still the heir to the Count of Xuanwu's Estate, a scion of a noble family with over a century of history. Shen Lang often teased him, saying no woman would ever like him, and in truth, none did. But even if no woman liked Jin Mucong, it should still be easy for him to find a wife, and a very beautiful one at that.
If the Count of Xuanwu were to simply mention finding a wife for Jin Mucong, countless merchants would line up to marry their beautiful daughters to him. Merchants had wealth but lacked status; becoming in-laws with a century-old noble family would instantly elevate their family’s standing. Of course, with the King now poised to strike at the Count of Xuanwu’s Estate, no merchant would dare marry their daughter to Jin Mucong.
The Count of Xuanwu said.
“Actually, Mucong was betrothed.”
He used to always call him Jin Mucong, but now he called him ‘Mucong,’ revealing a change in the Count’s heart. His son was foolish but kind, with a rather forgiving nature. Moreover, he possessed a relatively strong will. And with Shen Lang making up for all of Jin Mucong’s shortcomings, he might just be the best possible heir. What if Shen Lang grew ambitious and tried to seize the Xuanwu's enterprise? What if conflict arose within the family? Such worries were absurd.
Shen Lang was ruthless and vicious towards his enemies, but incredibly gentle with his own people. If he wanted to seize the Jin family’s enterprise, he would first have to kill Jin Mucong. Could Shen Lang really kill his brother-in-law? Forget family; Shen Lang would surrender unconditionally even to Xiao Bing.
Shen Lang couldn't care less about things like money and power; he only cared for the people around him. Ah, and one other thing. He loved to have fun! Whether it was a life-and-death struggle or a battle for power, what did it all matter? To Zhang Chong, these might be ideals, a lifetime of political ambition, but to Shen Lang, it was all just a game.
“To which family is the fatty’s fiancée from?”
“She is Xue Li, a daughter of the Xue Clan from the Count of Wu'an's Estate!”
It was a prominent family. The Count of Wu'an's Estate was also one of the State of Yue’s long-established noble houses, on par with the Count of Xuanwu's Estate, or perhaps even slightly superior. The Count of Xuanwu's Estate held a fief of over thirteen hundred square kilometers, but the Count of Wu'an's fief was near the southern sea, and when all its large and small islands were included, its area was far larger. Yet, his family was extremely modest, publicly claiming to maintain a private army of only two thousand soldiers.
What made the Xue Clan formidable was the South Sea Sword Sect. On the surface, the South Sea Sword Sect and the Count of Wu'an's Estate appeared to have no connection, but everyone knew the Xue Clan had founded the sect. The Sect Leader of the South Sea Sword Sect, Yan Nanfei, was a grandmaster of martial arts. Although his surname was Yan, he was, in fact, a member of the Xue Clan.
The Count of Wu'an's Estate had only two thousand private soldiers, but the South Sea Sword Sect had over two thousand disciples. Moreover, the South Sea Sword Sect trained numerous assassins and exceptional spies, handling countless dirty deeds. Thanks to this, the Count of Wu'an's influence was greater, yet the flames of the new policies did not reach them. Furthermore, the family always maintained a humble public facade, never getting involved in the country’s affairs, acting as if they saw nothing.
The Count of Xuanwu said.
“Over a hundred years ago, Ancestor Jin Zhu did a great favor for the Xue Clan, saving their family’s destiny. Moreover, the Count of Wu'an at the time, Xue Qianche, was a disciple of Ancestor Jin Zhu, and he was the predecessor of the South Sea Sword Sect. Since then, our two families have maintained a hundred-year friendship, helping each other.”
Shen Lang asked.
“Hundred-year allies?”
“That’s right. Hundred-year allies. Mulan also trained in martial arts at the South Sea Sword Sect from a young age. But a few years ago, the relationship between our two families inexplicably grew distant, and the marriage between Xue Li and Mucong was no longer mentioned. They haven't broken the engagement, but they haven't tried to finalize it either, just letting it drag on to this day.”
Shen Lang frowned. Such people were the most disgusting. It would be better to just break off the engagement than to drag it on with cold indifference.
“In fact, a fortnight ago, I sent an envoy to the Xue Clan, asking for an answer on whether they intend to terminate or proceed with the engagement. Mucong is old enough to marry and have children; we can no longer let this drag on indefinitely.”
When great difficulties arose, everyone looked out for themselves, fanning the flames of a burning house. As soon as the King showed his intention to attack the Count of Xuanwu’s Estate, the Marquis of Zhenyuan’s Estate quickly broke off their engagement with Mulan. And just as the King was drawing his sword, the Count of Wu'an's Estate immediately responded with coldness, drawing a line between themselves and the Jin Clan. Allies, in-laws—in a critical moment, none of it could be trusted. Just then, Jin Zhong spoke from outside.
“Young Master, Miss Xu Qianqian has arrived in secret and requests to see you.”
Hearing this, the Count of Xuanwu immediately took his leave. This son-in-law of his didn't always play by the rules, so it was better for him not to know about certain matters.
***
In a mansion near the Nu River.
Prefect Zhang Chong was not looking at the surging river but at a map on the wall. His gaze fell on Jinshan Island, then finally shifted to Raging Tide City and the various islands of Leizhou. The combined area of the Leizhou islands was comparable to the size of Nu River County. It was a lawless territory occupied by tens of thousands of pirates. This was especially true of Raging Tide City.
Zhang Chong had never been there himself, but he had sent many spies to gather information. Raging Tide City was the center of maritime trade in the eastern seas of Yue. After more than twenty years of construction, it had become a fortress with high walls and thick ramparts, so sturdy it was nearly indestructible. Almost every spy reported that Raging Tide City was more prosperous and developed than Nu River County’s capital, a city so luxurious it seemed to be gilded.
Qiu Tianwei was the supreme master of such a city. The islands of Leizhou knew only the Pirate King Qiu Tianwei, not the king of any country. Qiu Tianwei was like an untamed shark. In the past, Zhang Chong had not wanted to draw that shark into the grand scheme, but now he had no other choice. Since there was no other choice, he might as well make the game bigger.
‘Let’s create a grand undertaking that will astonish the world. What Ancestor Jin Zhu did over a hundred years ago, I, Zhang Chong, can do as well. If I complete this great enterprise, my entry into the Grand Secretariat will be assured, and I will become a renowned minister in the annals of the State of Yue. I might even be enfeoffed as a prime minister or a marquis.’
But this was a much larger game, a much more dangerous board. The slightest carelessness would result in his utter ruin. In this game awaited not only the vicious shark Qiu Tianwei, but also an opponent as cunning as a demon—Shen Lang.
‘I, Zhang Chong, have never entered such a dangerous game in my life, nor have I ever competed on such a colossal chessboard. Can I win? I don't know if I can, but once I, Zhang Chong, have set a course, I will forge ahead bravely. I will not hesitate to press forward, even if my body is shattered in the process.
If I succeed! The Pirate King Qiu Tianwei, the Count of Xuanwu's Estate, the Count of Jinhai's Estate, and countless others will all become scattered bones beneath my feet, stepping stones for my great achievement. If I fail! Then I will naturally turn to dust and return to the earth!’
Zhang Chong looked at his daughter, Zhang Chunhua, standing beside him, and felt a slight reluctance. Raging Tide City was a vicious and brutal place.
“Chunhua, I have a task for you.”
Zhang Chunhua, who had been lounging lazily in her chair, immediately sat up straight, her chest puffed out.
“What is it?”
“I need you to go to Raging Tide City!”
Zhang Chunhua’s voice trembled as she asked.
“Father, you’re not sending me to sleep with that beast Qiu Tianwei, are you?”
Zhang Chong was so enraged his beard nearly burst into flames.
“I, Zhang Chong, may be ambitious, but I am no beast. Would I push my own daughter into a pit of fire for the sake of my future? Do you know Qiu Yao'er?”
“The young lady of Raging Tide City? The female pirate who is rumored to like women? The female tyrant who can crush Qiu Xiao?”
Zhang Chong nodded.
“You want me to seduce her? I’m good at seducing men, but I’ve never tried it on a woman.”
“Not to seduce her. Become an indispensable confidante by her side. Furthermore, I am giving you full authority to act on my behalf.”
“Alright, I can do that. I used up all my vixen's charm on Shen Lang. So I don't have the energy to seduce anyone, but I have plenty left for other things!”
“There’s no time to delay. I will make the arrangements at once. You will depart for Raging Tide City early tomorrow morning!”
“Yes!”