185: Letter from Beiliang, the poisonous plot of the scholar

Li Junxian's voice carried a hint of imperceptible Qi.

"Oh?"

Li Chengqian's brush stopped.

He looked up at Li Junxian.

"In seclusion?"

"Yes."

Li Junxian said, "According to the academy's teachers, Consort Nan went to the training grounds alone today after listening to the Master's teachings. She only said one sentence."

"'If the Dao of the blade is not perfected, I will not emerge from seclusion.'"

Hearing this, a look of satisfaction finally appeared on Li Chengqian's face.

"Very good."

He knew his words had worked.

For someone as intensely proud as Nangong Pu She, no reward or inducement could be as stimulating as a 'negation' of her martial Dao.

What he wanted was not an assassin who only knew how to kill.

What he wanted was a divine weapon capable of breaking rules and severing destiny.

Now it seemed this divine weapon had found a way to temper itself.

"How is Wu Meiniang's situation?"

Li Chengqian changed the subject.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, people have already been sent. It's just..."

A strange expression appeared on Li Junxian's face.

"Just what?"

"It's just that the two Young Masters of the Wu Family, Wu Yuanqing and Wu Yuanshuang, after receiving the imperial edict, not only did not immediately obey but instead... instead demanded a 'betrothal gift' of one thousand guan from our people."

When Li Junxian said this, he himself found it absurd.

His Bad People, delivering an imperial edict for His Majesty, were actually being blackmailed to their faces?

This was simply the biggest joke in the world.

"They said that Wu Meiniang was already promised to a salt merchant from Jiangnan. If Your Majesty wants her, you must offer more money than that salt merchant."

"Heh..."

Li Chengqian laughed in anger.

He had seen foolish people, but never such foolish ones.

What did they take him, the Emperor, for?

A fool to be taken advantage of?

"They truly are not afraid of death."

Li Chengqian shook his head, his voice betraying no emotion.

"Your Majesty, does this servant need to..."

Li Junxian made a throat-slitting gesture.

In his opinion, such ignorant fools didn't even qualify for him to draw his blade personally.

"No."

Li Chengqian waved his hand.

"Just give it to them."

"What?"

Li Junxian was stunned.

Give it to them?

Just like that, give those two idiots one thousand guan?

"Your Majesty, this... this is not according to the rules!"

Li Junxian was anxious, "If word gets out, where will the royal Family's dignity be? How will the people of the world view Your Majesty?"

"Dignity?"

Li Chengqian looked at him coldly, "My dignity is forged through killing, not saved by holding onto one thousand guan."

"I want all the people of the world to see."

"To see how ugly the faces of these two are, who would dare to sell their own sister, and even blackmail the current Emperor, for a mere one thousand guan."

"I also want that future empress to see."

"To see how insignificant the Family she comes from truly is."

"What I want is not a Wu Meiniang who still harbors illusions about her Family."

"What I want is a Wu Zetian who has completely severed her past, with only hatred and ambition left in her heart!"

"To buy her a completely cold heart with one thousand guan. This deal is worthwhile."

Listening to these words, Li Junxian felt a chill run from the top of his head to the soles of his feet.

He looked at the young Emperor on the Dragon Throne and, for the first time, felt a fear that originated from the depths of his Soul.

Killing people is not scary.

Killing the heart is the most terrifying.

His Majesty is using money to kill people.

Killing the last trace of warmth in Wu Meiniang's heart.

"This servant... understands."

Li Junxian bowed, and this time, his head was bowed lower than ever before.

After Li Junxian withdrew, the Imperial Study returned to silence.

Li Chengqian leaned back on the Dragon Throne, closing his eyes to rest.

Killing Wu Meiniang's heart was merely a casual move he made.

Nangong Pu She's seclusion was also just one part of his plan.

His true gaze always remained on the Demon Lock Tower, which was about to collapse, and on the broader world beyond.

"Your Majesty."

A eunuch supervisor's voice cautiously sounded from outside the hall.

"What is it?"

Li Chengqian did not open his eyes.

"Northern Liang, eight hundred li urgent."

Northern Liang?

Li Chengqian's eyelids fluttered.

By his reckoning, the envoy he sent to Northern Liang to confer a title upon Xu Weixiong should be returning soon.

"Summon him."

Soon, a dusty messenger, dressed in Bad People attire, quickly walked into the hall and knelt on one knee.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, this servant has successfully delivered the imperial edict of enfeoffment to the Northern Liang King's residence."

"What was Xu Xiao's reaction?"

Li Chengqian asked indifferently.

He knew what this imperial edict of marriage meant for the King of Northern Liang, who had spent his entire life guarding the nation's borders for the Li Yang Dynasty.

It was both an olive branch and a death warrant.

Accepting it meant that Northern Liang would completely draw a line with the Li Yang Dynasty and join the Great Tang's war chariot.

From then on, there would be no turning back.

If he did not accept, with Li Chengqian's temperament, it was likely that the next to be flattened would be the three hundred thousand Northern Liang Iron Cavalry.

He was very curious what choice Xu Xiao, who was renowned throughout the world as the 'Human Butcher,' would make.

"The King of Northern Liang... after receiving the imperial edict, the King of Northern Liang laughed three times and, in front of all the civil and military officials, kicked the 'Grand Pillar of the State' plaque bestowed by the Li Yang Dynasty into pieces."

The messenger's voice carried an undisguised excitement.

He had witnessed that scene firsthand.

The King of Northern Liang, who usually presented himself as a limping old farmer, at that moment, unleashed such overwhelming domineering Qi that it was simply Soul-shattering.

"Oh?"

Li Chengqian finally opened his eyes.

A truly interested expression appeared on his face.

"Kicked the plaque? That's somewhat interesting."

He knew that Xu Xiao's kick did not just shatter a plaque.

It also shattered the infamy and shackles he had borne for half his life.

From now on, Xu Xiao was no longer a dog of Li Yang.

He was the King of his Northern Liang.

"What else did he say?"

Li Chengqian asked.

"The King of Northern Liang said, 'Their Li Family owes my Xu Family too much! Now, finally, a decent Emperor has arrived!'"

"'Tell Your Majesty, my daughter, Xu Xiao's daughter, is not going there to be a resentful woman in the deep palace!'"

"'My Northern Liang is sending a dowry of three hundred thousand Iron Cavalry! If Li Chengqian dares to let my daughter suffer even a little grievance, I, Xu Xiao, will risk this old Life Qi and go to Chang'an City to demand an explanation!'"

The messenger repeated Xu Xiao's exact words, not missing a single one.

After speaking, he himself broke out in a cold sweat and quickly kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, the King of Northern Liang is a crude warrior and speaks without thinking. I hope Your Majesty will forgive him!"

"Forgive him?"

Not only was Li Chengqian not angry, but he laughed instead.

The laughter was soft but filled with pleasure.

"Well said!"

"This is truly the King of Northern Liang, capable of raising an army of three hundred thousand fierce warriors!"

"My woman, naturally, is not a resentful woman of the deep palace."