Volume 1, Chapter 55: The Eldest Princess: Come See Me Tonight

Zhao Wujiang squatted at the base of the wall, pressing his head against the white plaster, eavesdropping on the argument inside.

Had the old man tucked away a mistress? Was there a woman hidden inside?

Well, well, what a father, like father, like son!

Yet why did this woman's voice sound somewhat familiar upon first hearing?

Listening closely, Zhao Wujiang heard the voice from within once again.

"Why should I stand on your side? I, Zhao Tingxiao, have been loyal to the sovereign and patriotic my entire life. How could I ever follow you in rebellion?"

Rebellion? Zhao Wujiang's pupils contracted slightly. Could the woman inside be none other than the Grand Princess?

Sure enough, he heard the voice of Li Zhaohua.

"If you had stood on my side twenty years ago, if you had helped me, I would be the female emperor today! Instead of watching helplessly as the former emperor and the eldest prince died at the hands of Li Zaiyuan!"

"The eldest prince died in the chaos of battle, and the late emperor passed away from a heart condition. This matter has long been settled. Li Zhaohua, you casually frame my elder brother. Did you really think I would believe it?"

"Hmph... Li Zaiyuan murdered his brother and regicided his father just to seize the throne. Otherwise, as an exiled prince, what right did he have to ascend?"

"The late emperor's final decree passed the throne to Li Zaiyuan! Besides, my elder brother guarded the borders, fought bravely, and was deeply beloved by the court officials. What could possibly be wrong with the late emperor passing the throne to him?"

"Pedantic and stubborn! Your elder brother even stripped you of your military power, yet you still speak up for him!

The late emperor suffered a sudden heart attack—where did any final decree come from? It was merely forged by Li Zaiyuan and his accomplices within the palace!

Just think about it yourself: over all these years, besides an obstinate blockhead like you who knows nothing of the truth, which of the veteran officials close to Li Zaiyuan is still alive?"

Zhao Wujiang was utterly stunned as he listened from the corner. According to Li Zhaohua's claims, Li Zaiyuan had murdered the former crown prince and the late emperor in order to ascend the throne?

It sounded somewhat plausible, but it could also be a fabrication concocted by Li Zhaohua to entice his old man into joining a rebellion.

What was the actual truth?

"It is only natural that you harbor some resentment toward your imperial brother, but you ought not to slander him," Zhao Tingxiao's deep voice sounded.

"You are utterly blind to the truth!" Li Zhaohua's voice was filled with both anxiety and fury, followed sharply by a loud bang and the groan of a battered wooden door.

Zhao Wujiang watched as Li Zhaohua's figure stormed out of the estate in a rage.

[Li Zhaohua is truly foolish. How could the old man ever agree to such a thing?]

[If she wanted to incite a rebellion, she should have come to consult me instead. I am the quintessential fence-sitter, leaning whichever way the wind blows, running wherever the benefits lie.]

Hearing Zhao Wujiang's voice, Li Zhaohua whipped her head around in a flash. In that fleeting glance, her face a mixture of confusion and astonishment, she spotted Zhao Wujiang squatting at the edge of the wall.

To Zhao Wujiang, that single look was sheer terror. He glanced around feebly, dodging Li Zhaohua's piercing gaze. How on earth had she managed to notice him?

Could this woman actually sense his presence? Did they share some profound, inexplicable bond?

Seething with rage, Li Zhaohua turned on her heel and marched straight toward Zhao Wujiang.

"Greetings, Your Imperial Highness," Zhao Wujiang said with a brilliant smile, while cursing furiously in his heart.

[Go away! Don't come over here! Shoo, scram, get lost, stop approaching me! Why are you targeting me?!]

Li Zhaohua was so infuriated by Zhao Wujiang's inner voice that her teeth ached. She stopped right in front of him, and even as she tried to steady her breathing, her words were delivered through gritted teeth:

"Zhao Wujiang, you are coming to my manor tonight."

[It's over. Does she want to get rid of me?]

[I must find an excuse to decline. Ah, I'll just say the elderly steward has fallen ill and I need to take care of him!]

Having already formulated a countermeasure, Zhao Wujiang prepared to brush her off.

Furious beyond measure and unwilling to give him the chance to make excuses, Li Zhaohua lowered her voice and issued a stern warning:

"When I tell you to come, you come! And do not speak of this to a single soul!"

---

In Liu Ruyan's chambers.

Zhao Wujiang's cultivation was growing visibly by the day, his aura steadily strengthening. He had already reached the mid-stage of the Sixth Rank, not far from the realm of a Fifth-Rank martial artist.

"Thank you, Senior Sister," Zhao Wujiang said softly.

Liu Ruyan blushed with annoyance, casting a coquettish, reproachful glance at him.

After his brief exchange with Li Zhaohua, Zhao Wujiang had rushed straight here, his mind entirely consumed by the drive to advance his cultivation.

The old man had been stripped of his military authority. Even though Long Zhan had suffered a setback during the handover of power, it was only temporary, and the threat he posed would only continue to grow.

Furthermore, Li Zhaohua's visit to the old man today to incite a rebellion suggested that she had nearly completed her own preparations...

Was a rebellion truly imminent?

Was widespread chaos about to erupt?

Presently, his fear and anxiety regarding the future made Zhao Wujiang desperately crave an increase in strength, as that alone could grant him true peace of mind.

Outside the door, Ling Qingxue knocked gently:

"Junior Sister."

The room fell silent for an instant before Zhao Wujiang's voice came through:

"Please, come in."

With an icy expression, Ling Qingxue stepped inside and saw Zhao Wujiang practicing his techniques. She said coldly, "We will continue our cultivation tonight. The Wedding Dress Divine Art still has numerous flaws that you have yet to mend."

"Tonight?" Zhao Wujiang turned his head to look at her.

Ling Qingxue assumed he was already impatient for it.

Yet the very next moment, her expression grew even colder, and a mixture of shame and anger welled up within her heart.

She heard Zhao Wujiang say earnestly:

"I am unavailable tonight. I have other matters to attend to."

Ling Qingxue drew a sharp breath, her face flushing with anger as she flicked her sleeve and stormed out.

---

At Long Zhan's estate.

Upon returning to the manor, Yun Jinshu cast a glance at Long Zhan, who was still deeply immersed in his cultivation, and anger flared within her.

She had attempted to discuss the restoration of the Liujiang Kingdom with Long Zhan, but he had merely brushed her off and failed to pursue her.

Then, when she went to Zhao Wujiang's estate, her schemes had been seen through, causing her to lose all her dignity.

Yet Long Zhan was still sitting there meditating!

"Why is this blockhead only capable of practicing martial arts? No wonder Senior Sister Qingxue and Senior Sister Ruyan both ran off to Zhao Wujiang's side..." Yun Jinshu sneered.

"Perhaps it is because they were met with indifference in your own manor..."

Long Zhan snapped his eyes open from his meditation, disbelief etched across his face as he asked:

"Both Senior Sisters are by Zhao Wujiang's side?"

"That's right, did you not know?" Yun Jinshu retorted sharply.

"Of course. You are entirely devoted to your cultivation and pay no attention to such matters whatsoever."

"Senior Sister, you misunderstand," Long Zhan frowned.

"This junior brother assumed both Senior Sisters had returned to the sect to undergo closed-door cultivation. Who could have imagined they would stay by that scoundrel Zhao Wujiang's side?

Can this really be true?"

Yun Jinshu sat quietly without uttering a word.

Realizing in an instant that he should not have questioned Yun Jinshu, Long Zhan shifted his tone and cursed furiously:

"It must be that wretch Zhao Wujiang who used some despicable scheme to trick and lure the two Senior Sisters away!

I am going to the Prince's Estate right now!"

Riding on borrowed power, Zhao Wujiang was someone he couldn't touch—he couldn't do anything against the Prince of Northern Suppression. But now, Zhao Wujiang had actually gone so far as to snatch away the women belonging to Long Zhan one after another. How could he possibly endure this?

Today, he would demand the return of his people and rescue the two Senior Sisters from Zhao Wujiang's bewitchment!