After everything that happened today, everyone was certain of one thingâ
No matter your status, rank, or background, so long as you earned Su Yiâs approval, he would rescue you from danger.
To the point that he didnât mind going to war against a faction as vast and powerful as the Jade Capitalâs Su Family in the least! That alone was enough that Shen Jiusong, Chen Zheng, and the others didnât regret standing alongside Su Yi at all.
Admittedly, the threat of the Su Family put them all at enormous risk, and there was even a chance it would implicate their friends and family.
But so long as Su Yi remained standing, heâd cut right through the danger!
âWhy do you think Young Lord Su decided to wait until the fourth day of the fourth lunar month to begin his journey to the Jade Capital?â pondered Jiang Tanyun. âWhy give the Su Family an additional month to prepare?â
Chen Zheng flashed him a meaningful smile. âThe Jade Capitalâs Su Family is vast and powerful, and their subordinate clans are dispersed throughout the empire. If Iâm not mistaken, Young Lord Su has chosen this approach to gather all of the Su Familyâs forces in the Jade Capital. That way, he can deal with all of them at once and end this all in one fell swoop.â
Jiang Tanyunâs heart shook, and he gasped as he instantly realized the implications. âBut wonât that make this even more dangerous? This is the Jade Capital weâre talking about, the Great Zhouâs imperial city! With the power and prestige of the Su Family, even if Su Hongli doesnât make a personal appearance, he has numerous powers he can call upon to counter Young Lord Su.â
âIf you want to achieve greatness, you must first do the extraordinary.â Mu Xiâs eyes shone with longing. âIâm rather eager to see what waves Young Lord Su stirs up upon reaching the Jade Capital.â
The entire group then got to work helping Su Yi clean up the mess.
âŚâŚ.
Heavenâs Origin Academy, Pine Gully Palace.
Ning Sihua sat there as if everything were perfectly normal, sipping on tea and staring dazedly into the sea of clouds outside.
She wore a simple, cloud-patterned dress, her features youthful and clear. Her hair was tied up, and as she sat there, she seemed as tranquil as bamboo and elegant as an orchid.
She wasnât alone. Vice Palace Master Tao Zheng of Jixia Academy and Vice Palace Master Mo Huaque of Watermoon Academy were there too.
A long time passed in silence, but Ning Sihua said nothing. Finally, Tao Zheng couldnât help but say, âPalace Master Ning, donât tell me you invited us here first thing in the morning simply to drink tea?â
Tao Zheng wore a scholarly high-brimmed hat and wide robes, and he looked kindly and benevolent. Despite his obvious age, he was hearty and hale.
Ning Sihua retracted her gaze and said, âIf I didnât stay here, Iâm afraid you wouldnât rest at ease.â
Tao Zheng and Mo Huaque glanced at each other. Both of them were silent.
After a while, Tao Zheng asked tentatively, âThis morning at dawn, the Su Familyâs third young master, Su Yi, will proceed to the seat of the provincial government, but it seems you arenât the least bit worried?â
âWhat is there to worry about?â asked Ning Sihua.
Tao Zheng was at a loss for words. For a while, he didnât quite know what to say.
But Mo Huaque merely laughed. âBrother Tao, canât you tell? Palace Master Ning is undoubtedly doing this to make it clear that she has no intentions of getting mixed up with the Su Family. That is unquestionably the wisest course of action. In her shoes, I would have long since distanced myself from Su Yi as well.â
He wore a jade-decorated hat and ornate silver robes, which made him look distinguished and elegant.
The vice palace master of Watermoon Academy looked rather young, but he was a mighty fourth-level Grandmaster. Neither his status nor his authority were one whit inferior to Tao Zhengâs.
When she heard that, Ning Sihua glanced at him. âWho says I plan to distance myself from Su Yi?â
Mo Huaque was stunned. âDonât tell me you donât?â
Ning Sihuaâs response was far too strange; Tao Zheng was starting to sense that something was amiss.
But Ning Sihua only smiled. âOf course I donât. Please, drink up. Iâm afraid that if you wait too long, youâll never get to experience this teaâs flavor.â
âPalace Master Ning, whatâs that supposed to mean?â Tao Zhengâs eyebrows knit together.
Ning Sihua set down her cup and said flatly, âAll of us are well aware of your reasons for coming here, but the way I see it, the forces the Su Family sent here are sure to crumble.â
Tao Zhang and Mo Huaque glanced at each other. They couldnât help but laugh dryly; it was obvious neither of them believed a word.
âPalace Master Ning, donât tell me you think a kid like Su Yi can resist the Su Familyâs suppression?â laughed Tao Zheng.
âItâs not a question of whether or not he can resist them,â said Ning Sihua. âDragons have reverse scales, and touching them means death. This time, the Su Family has committed a grave taboo. If Iâm not mistaken, all of their forces will be slaughtered. As for you two, Iâm afraid youâll pay for this as well.â
Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.
Both of them burst into laughter. They didnât take her words to heart at all.
When the Jade Capitalâs Su Family took action, how many people within the Great Zhou could stop them, much less slaughter the Su Familyâs forces? That was nothing but the ravings of a madman!
Ning Sihua glanced at the two of them but said nothing.
Before long, the grand elder of Heavenâs Origin Academy, Shang Zhen, reported in. âPalace Master, a subordinate of the Heavenbrave Marquis is here with an urgent message. Heâs asked for Tao Zheng and Mo Huaque by name.â
âIâm sure itâs good news.â Mo Huaque smiled, but Tao Zheng hesitated. He sensed that something strange was afoot.
âLet him in,â said Ning Sihua.
Before long, a competent-looking man rushed into the hall, his expression frantic. He faced Mo Huaque and Tao Zheng, clasped his fist, and said, âYour Excellencies, please take your people and leave Heavenâs Origin Academy as soon as possible!â
Mo Huaqueâs smile froze in place, and he furrowed his brow. âWhat for?â
The messenger grimaced. âJust now, Su Yi finished a massacre at the seat of the provincial governmentâŚ.â
His words carried lingering shock and terror as he recounted how Su Yi slew Xia Houlin, Yue Qing, and Pei Wenshan in full detail.
Bang!
After hearing the full story, Mo Huaqueâs fist clenched, shattering his teacup. He was rooted to the spot, as if his soul had left his body.
But Tao Zhengâs expression shifted dramatically. He shot frantically to his feet and said in a low voice, âLetâs go! Hurry!â
He was now fully aware that they were in trouble.
But it was then that Ning Sihua rose and said indifferently, âI only just said that you would pay for what youâve done, but you didnât seem to believe me. But then, thatâs no longer important.â
Tao Zheng quivered and said in alarm, âPalace Master Ning, what do you plan to do?â
âBorrow your heads,â whispered Ning Sihua with a faint smile. âIâve got use for them.â
Both menâs expressions changed dramatically.
Not long after.
Ning Sihua emerged from the Pine Gully Palace. Grand Elder Shang Zhen followed her, carrying a wooden platter. On it were two still-bleeding heads, their eyes wide with fury and their expressions contorted in terror.
Shang Zhen couldnât help but say, âPalace Master, Iâm afraid that youâve already irrevocably offended both Jixia and Watermoon Academies.â
âFellow Daoist Su dares wage war with the Jade Capitalâs Su Family.Why, then, should I fear a feud with two of the great academies?â said Ning Sihua without so much as bothering to look at him. âAt the end of the day, they shouldnât have gotten involved, and they certainly shouldnât have come to my Heavenâs Origin Academy to threaten me. They made a mistake. Itâs only natural that they had to pay for it, donât you think?â
Shang Zheng glanced down at the two heads on the wooden platter and instantly fell silent.
âŚâŚ
The Imperial Provincial Capital, the Zheng Family dungeons.
Zheng Tianhe sat in his cell, his hair disheveled, his face withered and wan.
After being stripped of his position, he was imprisoned in the cold, damp dungeons. Zheng Tianheâs initial rage, bitterness, and uncertainty had already gradually given way to calmness and clarity.
Heâd gone from being the lofty head of a prominent clan to a mere prisoner awaiting sentencing. This was, of course, a heavy blow.
But this had given Zheng Tianhe time to think, and heâd understood a lot.
Did he regret what heâd done?
This was the question he pondered the longest.
He recalled every detail of his acquaintanceship with Su Yi, one at a time, even as he considered his current plight.
In the end, he reached a conclusion: given the chance to do it all over again, he would make the same choice.
This wasnât because he was particularly spirited or brave. He just knew that, as a member of the sixth princeâs camp, so long as Zhou Zhili and Su Yi were allies, he had no choice but to befriend Su Yi.
The will of an individual bore little weight in conflicts between factions.
Besides, at the Western Mountainâs Tea Party, it was entirely thanks to Su Yiâs intervention that the sixth prince had achieved victory. Without Su Yi, the Zheng Family would have suffered the aftermath of Zhou Zhiliâs loss too.
âItâs just a pity that those relatives of mine are short-sighted and gutless!â Zheng Tianhe sighed.
Suddenly, the door to the dungeons opened, letting in a sliver of light and dispelling the sheer darkness.
âFamily Head, this old man has come here to repent!â A gaunt old man scurried in and flung himself to his knees, kneeling before Zheng Tianhe, his expression filled with shame and unease.
âThird Uncle?â Zheng Tianhe was stunned, but then, he seemed to understand. His eyes lit up, and his accumulated despondency vanished without a trace. âDoes that mean Young Lord Su has won?â
âHe won! He won!â The old man nodded as if his head were a pestle and he was trying to crush garlic with it.
âFamily Head,â he said, his voice pleading, âThe current situation needs you at the helm. Iâm willing to acknowledge my mistakes and accept punishment, but if we let the Zheng Family descend into chaos, the consequences will be severe.â
Zheng Tianhe said flatly, âHow could the Zheng Family possibly descend into chaos under your leadership? Besides, you were the one who led a group to strip me of my position and imprison me here. Why is it that now, youâre the one kneeling before me?â
This blatant mockery made the old manâs face flush red, and he said bitterly, âI will naturally take full responsibility for my mistakes. All I ask is that for the sake of the family as a whole, you consider the bigger picture.â
Zheng Tianhe was utterly expressionless as he said, âYou want me back at the helm? Fine, but I want those scoundrelsâ heads.â
The old man was instantly alarmed. He stammered, âIsnât that a bit⌠a bit heartless?â
âWithout their heads, how can I account to Young Lord Su? Donât forget: you announced to the outside world that the Zheng Family was no longer affiliated with him in any way. Now that heâs won, youâre worried heâll get revenge, so you want to push me back out into the open and have me smooth things over. How could anything in this world possibly be so easy and convenient?â
Zheng Tianhe snorted, âOf course, youâre welcome to refuse.â
The elder fell silent for a while. In the end, he nodded bitterly. âAlright.â
That very day.
A bloody scene unfolded in the Zheng Family as the higher-ups whoâd attempted to seize power were each decapitated, one by one.
And the formerly imprisoned Zheng Tianhe left the dungeons, reclaimed his former position, and left the estate, taking the severed heads with them.
Heâd decided to pay Su Yi a visit.
âŚ.
Within a day, news of the bloody battle at the seat of the provincial government took the provincial capital by storm, stirring up another massive uproar.