"What are you afraid of?" Abbess Huijing scoffed. "You're not the first to do this. Didn't the Northern Emperor Xiao Changshan run away before? And that Southern Emperor Xie Zhong, he barely showed up and didn't even bring his troops! Compared to them, what are you? If Master Fan really decides to settle scores later, the three of you Emperors combined wouldn't have to fear him!"
Uh...
This sounded correct, just a bit crude.
Zhang Ying glanced at Abbess Huijing and thought to himself, "Didn't she say her Buddhist heart had opened? Why is she still speaking so rudely? There's no sign of enlightenment at all!"
Immediately after.
Su Wanran cupped her hands and said respectfully, "Thank you, Emperor Zhang, for showing mercy. The Su family will forever remember your great kindness! If you ever need the Su family's help in the future, please don't hesitate to ask, and we will not refuse."
Zhang Ying gave a wry smile. "No need. I'm afraid by the time I need you, your Su family will already be gone. Don't blame me for not warning you, even if I let you go, it doesn't mean you're truly safe. Besides me, there are the Western Emperor and the Central Emperor. These two great Emperors are equally capable of destroying your Su family! And they're not as filial as I am; seeking their fathers and mothers to intercede for you will be completely useless."
Su Wanran smiled and replied, "Thank you for the reminder, Emperor Zhang. How to deal with the remaining two Emperors, the Su family will definitely find the best solution."
Zhang Ying waved his hand. "Alright, alright. It's your business what you do, I don't want to hear it. This meal was truly upsetting. I'm not eating anymore, goodbye!"
He stood up, helped Abbess Huijing, and they slowly left the restaurant.
Seeing them leave, Su Wanran let out a long sigh of relief and joyfully embraced Jiang Mengxin. "We did it, we actually did it!"
Then.
Su Wanran opened her arms, wanting to embrace Lu Ming. Her prominent chest was almost touching Lu Ming's.
Jiang Mengxin quickly pulled Su Wanran aside. "Men and women should not touch. Let's not hug."
Su Wanran rolled her eyes. "Hmph, Mengxin, you're really petty."
...
Outside the restaurant.
Zhang Ying arranged for a car and took Abbess Huijing to his villa to rest temporarily.
On the way.
Zhang Ying turned to look at Abbess Huijing and asked, "Mom, there are no outsiders now. You should tell me the truth. Why did you speak up for the Su family? Don't try to fool me with talk of your Buddhist heart again. I'm not a three-year-old."
Abbess Huijing knew that without telling the truth, it would be difficult to convince Zhang Ying.
Fine.
She sighed and said, "Actually, I wasn't speaking for the Su family, but for you."
"What? For me? Mom, what do you mean by that?"
"Son, aren't you curious why Xiao Changshan suddenly changed his mind and left Mist City with his men? Aren't you wondering why Xie Zhong's troops were blocked outside Mist City and couldn't get in?"
Zhang Ying replied, "Of course, I'm curious, but I can't figure out the answer."
Abbess Huijing said, "It's because the Su family has an incredible powerful figure behind them, protecting them in secret! Not only do you not know of his existence, but even the Su family doesn't. However, if you dare to make a move against the Su family, you will be personally executed by that powerful figure!"
"Haha, Mom, aren't you boosting others' morale while crushing your own? I am now an Emperor of a region. In a place like Mist City, what powerful figure do I need to be afraid of? To talk about executing me, even Master Fan wouldn't dare to casually say he would execute me."
Abbess Huijing gave two cold laughs. "Then what if I say this powerful figure is the hero of China, the pride of the nation, the legendary Dragon Warlord?"
"What?!"
Zhang Ying's expression changed instantly. He was no longer grinning. He was so nervous he trembled.
Dragon Warlord, a name that commanded awe.
He was the supreme existence of the Chinese nation, a hero and war god for all time! Compared to the Dragon Warlord, Zhang Ying was as insignificant as an ant.
"If it's the Dragon Warlord, then he could indeed execute me," Zhang Ying said with self-deprecation.
However...
Zhang Ying was very unconvinced and asked, "Mom, how did you obtain this important intelligence? And why would the War God protect the Su family?"
Abbess Huijing waved her hand. "I don't know the specifics, actually. But one thing I am certain of is that the War God is with the Su family!"
With the War God's protection, the Su family was as solid as a rock.
Zhang Ying gasped, feeling a bit of lingering fear. "No wonder. I was wondering how those two slippery guys, Xie Zhong and Xiao Changshan, could make such consecutive mistakes. It turns out they both knew the important intelligence that the War God is with the Su family. Damn it, they knew the intelligence but didn't tell me, and watched me walk into danger? I don't have any grudges with them, do I?"
Abbess Huijing said, "They might not have been targeting you. Perhaps they were simply afraid of the War God and dared not speak carelessly. Another possibility is that they wanted to use the War God's hand to eliminate Master Fan!"
Ah?
This statement scared Zhang Ying so much that he couldn't sit still.
"Mom, why do you say that?"
Abbess Huijing analyzed, "Although the five of you Emperors were brought up by Master Fan, your status now is not what it used to be! When a man lives between heaven and earth, how can he be suppressed for long? On one hand, you cannot rebel against Master Fan. On the other hand, you are unwilling to continue being his 'lackeys.' So, the best way is to kill with a borrowed knife, to have someone else kill him! Only then can you be free. The problem is, an ordinary person cannot kill Master Fan, but Master Fan was unlucky enough to encounter the Dragon Warlord!"
After listening to the analysis, Zhang Ying couldn't help but give a thumbs up. "Mom, you're still the smartest! Actually, I've been tired of listening to that old man for a long time. He always bosses us five Emperors around with his past glory. It's very annoying."
Whether Xie Zhong and Xiao Changshan had the intention to kill with a borrowed knife was unknown.
The intention of Zhang Ying and Abbess Huijing to kill with a borrowed knife was as obvious as司马昭之心 (Sima Zhao's ambition).
Finally.
Zhang Ying said to Abbess Huijing, "Mom, I really owe you today. Without you, your son would have been finished!"
Abbess Huijing smiled. "Just now you refused to listen to me, and now you know that Mom is doing this for your own good?"
The two looked at each other and laughed heartily.
Then.
Zhang Ying said coldly, "I'll have the main force leave Mist City first. We mother and son don't need to rush to leave. We'll stay in Mist City and watch, waiting to see Master Fan's show! I want to see how he is annihilated by the Dragon Warlord!"
Abbess Huijing nodded. "Sure, we can treat it as watching a circus."
Selfishness.
Villainous triumph.
These were perfectly displayed on this mother and son.