Chapter 242 : Chapter 242

Chapter 242: We're the Law, They're Not -- How Could There Be a Problem?

Publicly ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍declare Prince Chu a traitor?

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍moment Zhao Yi's suggestion landed, the entire court erupted.

Someone ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍immediately stepped forward in opposition. "Your Majesty, you mustn't! If this provokes Prince Chu into withdrawing the Northern Suppression Army from the northern frontier and leaving us at the mercy of the demon invasion, what then?"

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍very thought of the demons--savage and merciless, devouring humans without blinking--sent the assembled ministers into a panic, voices rising one over another against the proposal to formally charge Prince Chu.

Qi ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Han and the faction sympathetic to the Jianghu frowned as well. They had no desire to see that outcome either.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Jianghu was currently on the rise.

Compared to the Great Qian Court's inevitable decline, a demon invasion throwing the realm into chaos would hurt the Jianghu more than anyone.

Qi Han stepped forward and admonished, "Your Majesty! This matter absolutely cannot be treated so carelessly. The threat of the demons must not be underestimated. This minister also believes it unwise!"

The ministers' position was crystal clear.

Disapproval!

Xiao Wuji swept his gaze across the entire court and could scarcely find a single person in support. Only the small group around Zhao Yi appeared unconcerned.

"You all think it's unwise?"

Though their argument wasn't without merit--if the Northern Suppression Army withdrew from the northern frontier it would certainly plunge the realm into chaos, and the demon threat was no trifling matter--

Xiao Wuji still felt an inexplicable wave of stifled frustration welling up inside him.

As the Emperor, did he really have to live this miserably, looking over his shoulder at every turn?

"Beloved Subject Zhao, We--"

Zhao Yi read the Emperor's thoughts and smiled instead. "Your Majesty must not forget--Prince Chu's surname is also Xiao. What he covets is unlikely to be a position as the tenth great Jianghu sect..."

The moment these words left his mouth, the entire hall fell silent once more, and the resentment in Xiao Wuji's eyes vanished in an instant.

Of course!

If Prince Chu dared withdraw the Northern Suppression Army and let the demons pour into Great Qian territory, unleashing widespread chaos, it would do him absolutely no good either.

Great Qian would inevitably collapse entirely, and the Jianghu would descend into turmoil alongside it.

When that moment came, aside from the savage demons, there would be no true beneficiary under heaven.

Xiao Wuji understood his imperial uncle better than anyone. Xiao Li was not the kind of man who would sacrifice his own interests over a fit of temper.

Zhao Yi cast a sidelong glance at the ministers who had just been howling in protest, his eyes brimming with contempt.

He said disdainfully, "The security of our Great Qian has always been the result of His Majesty's efforts and those of tens of thousands of soldiers. To hear some tell it, one would think we rely entirely on a single traitor."

"No matter what His Majesty proposes, their first instinct is to show off their spinelessness. Whether ministers like these even have Great Qian in their hearts is frankly debatable."

These words targeted nearly every minister in the hall.

Only now did they realize what had happened.

They'd been played by that old fox Zhao Yi--he'd done it deliberately!

He had made a grand show of presenting a matter that was not fundamentally earth-shattering, goading them into overthinking and overreacting, exposing their worst side right in front of Xiao Wuji.

Xiao Wuji sneered as he looked over these ministers who so prided themselves on their loyalty.

What?

When it came to sharing in glory and accepting preferential treatment, every last one of them couldn't wait to be the Emperor's most faithful hound, eager to snatch up every benefit in sight.

But the moment they heard bad news was coming, their heads emptied of every last trace of their Emperor, and all they could think about was their own safety and self-interest.

Qi Han sighed inwardly at the sight. In a moment of haste, he'd been outmaneuvered by that old fox Zhao Yi!

But it was fine.

No matter how much fuss the opposition raised, the Jianghu growing stronger while the court grew weaker was an unstoppable trend.

"Go ahead and let you stubborn holdouts flail about a little longer--after all, time is running out."

......

While the court session blazed on.

Somewhere in the Great Qian Capital.

Cheng Yu sat at a tea stall, sipping his tea at a leisurely pace. Beside him, Ai Peng looked somewhat tense.

"It's almost time. Has Lord Ai made his preparations?"

Ai Peng smiled and rubbed his hands together. "Everything that needs to be ready is ready. It's just that my heart's pounding a bit for some reason. This is my first time doing something like this, after all."

Deliberately picking a fight with a Jianghu faction--and not just any faction, but the Army-Breaking Sect, riding high among the Nine Great Sects.

Something like that?

Ai Peng wouldn't have dared imagine it before, yet here he was about to experience it firsthand.

"This sort of thing is actually quite simple. Jianghu martial artists aren't made of iron--a blade cuts and they scream, hit them hard enough and they cry."

Hearing Cheng Yu console him this way, Ai Peng's expression turned peculiar.

It wasn't as though he'd never killed Jianghu martial artists himself--he'd slaughtered plenty on the Dragon Abyss Path. But he simply didn't possess the temperament of the man before him.

A true ruthless soul!

He'd killed so many Jianghu martial artists that he'd built up a knack for it.

"How does Lord Cheng plan to begin?"

"Everything's already in place. Lord Ai just needs to sit back and wait."

Cheng Yu smiled as he gazed at the inn across from the tea stall, still sipping his tea with leisurely composure. Everything was under his control.

No sooner had his words fallen than a handsome young man and a beautiful young woman appeared at the inn's entrance, both dressed in the fitted garb of martial artists--the very picture of Jianghu wanderers.

The two chatted and laughed as they walked into the inn.

Ai Peng followed Cheng Yu's gaze toward the pair, startled by the pure, refined Internal Energy emanating from the young man.

He remarked with admiration, "Not bad at all--barely past twenty and already at the Fifth Rank, with Internal Energy that stable and abundant. Which family's prodigy wandered all the way out here?"

That level of strength was enough to earn a respectable position on the Human Ranking.

Nowhere close to Cheng Yu beside him, granted, but significantly stronger than Ai Peng himself had been at the same age.

Cheng Yu took a sip of tea and spoke:

"Twenty-first on the Human Ranking. Second among the Army-Breaking Sect's younger generation of disciples--Jiang Feng. Also the Deputy Sect Master's son. Naturally his strength is decent."

An Army-Breaking Sect disciple?

Ai Peng's expression shifted. A disciple ranked on the Human Ranking was the pride and joy of any sect.

Could it be that in order to target the Army-Breaking Sect, they were going after this young man?

Cheng Yu watched his conflicted face and shook his head.

"Lord Ai, you'll need to adjust your thinking. Great Qian's Laws and Decrees supersede all else. When carrying out official duties and punishing criminals, why overthink it? We represent the law, they represent private interests--how could there possibly be a problem?"

"Besides, I don't intend to bully him. Everything will be done by the book. Just sit tight and watch."

Shortly after he finished speaking, Xiao Qi and Su Wei led a squad of Jinyiwei past, swaggering along as though on routine patrol.

They happened to pass right by the inn's entrance.

The woman who had entered alongside the Army-Breaking Sect disciple Jiang Feng came running out at that moment, sobbing and wailing.

The instant she spotted Xiao Qi, she rushed over to him and poured out her tearful grievance, head bowed.

Xiao Qi listened to the woman's account, nodding repeatedly. When she finished, he barked a vicious order to the other Jinyiwei and charged straight into the inn.

Cheng Yu watched the scene unfold, then stood and dusted off his trousers before turning to the dumbfounded Ai Peng beside him.

"It's about time. Let's go, Lord Ai."

Inside the inn room.

Jiang Feng sat in a wooden tub taking a bath, his entire being radiating satisfaction.

He'd barely managed to beg his father for half a day's leave to visit the Great Qian Capital, and here he'd stumbled into this kind of good fortune.

The women of the capital really were bold!

So much better than those clueless senior and junior sisters of his. A bit obsessed with cleanliness, though--she'd actually insisted he bathe first.

What did a martial artist need a bath for?

Jiang Feng was in too good a mood to refuse, and his anticipation for what came next only grew.

But the very next moment--

BANG!

The door was kicked open with savage force, and someone roared, "The predator's in here--grab him!"