Chapter 98: Chapter 98: A Woman’s Heart Is Most Poisonous! (Three More)
Fengxiang Prefecture City.
Government Office.
After a bloody turmoil, Fengxiang Prefecture City was now in dire need of reconstruction. Its population had been decimated by the Blood Demon Sect, which had utterly outraged the Imperial Court.
The Court had issued a warrant for the Blood Demon Sect. Anyone associated with it, whether they had defected or not, was wanted.
The current plan for Fengxiang Prefecture City was to arrange for disaster victims from other regions to move in. After all, the city needed some semblance of life. Official appointments were also managed by the Imperial Court, with Zhou Yuntong continuing to oversee the area.
But today, the Government Office was unusually quiet.
A group of black-clothed martial artists guarded both inside and outside the compound. In the courtyard, an elder with a graying beard sat calmly, a white jade wine cup placed on the stone table beside him.
At the entrance to the Main Hall behind him, two middle-aged men with similar features stood motionless, one on each side. These two were none other than the renowned Grandmasters of Jianghu—Heaven’s Defect and Earth’s Lack!
Big Brother Celestial Remnant was born deaf but had mastered the skill of lip-reading to understand people’s words. Earth Deficiency, the younger brother, was blind. However, he possessed auditory acuity rare in Jianghu, allowing him to detect any movement within a certain range.
The person inside the Main Hall was none other than Imperial Consort Shen Rongyin, who had come from the Capital City to visit relatives!
Zhou Yuntong knelt on one knee in the middle of the hall, his expression slightly grave.
At the head seat, Shen Rongyin’s skin was fairer than snow, and her eyes resembled pools of clear water. She wore a light pink and white dress, exuding an aura of serene nobility. Her relaxed demeanor, tinged with a haughty vibrance, captivated anyone who glanced her way, making it impossible to look away.
A woman’s most alluring feature was her voluptuous bosom, and Shen Rongyin indeed had curves that left her unable to see her toes when she looked down. Even though she was a mother, she showed no sign of the typical matronly air. On the contrary, she radiated a girlish spirit that belied her age.
"Thousand Households Zhou, you should know Luo Yushu’s whereabouts, right?" Shen Rongyin gently lifted a nearby teacup, her red lips slightly parting as she spoke, her voice tinged with seduction.
Zhou Yuntong, kneeling on the ground, felt cold sweat dripping down his back. After hesitating for a moment, he nodded. "This subordinate indeed knows the whereabouts of the Seventh Prince."
"Oh? Where is he?" Shen Rongyin’s expression was calm, revealing nothing. "Since I am here, shouldn’t he come to pay his respects?"
"Reporting to Your Highness, the Seventh Prince has changed his name to Xu Nian and is now the Xuanhuang Sect Leader of the largest Jianghu Sect within Fengxiang Prefecture." Zhou Yuntong dared not hide anything.
Though he now considered himself one of the Seventh Prince’s men, the woman before him was one who had slept with the Seventh Prince. She was not someone he could afford to offend!
The saying goes, "When immortals fight, it’s the mortals who suffer." That described the current situation perfectly.
"Oh? The Profound Yellow Sect? He’s hidden himself quite far away, hasn’t he? Is he afraid that people will find out what he did in the past?" Shen Rongyin’s voice suddenly turned cold.
Zhou Yuntong bowed his head, a bitter expression on his face. Why can’t you two settle your affairs in private? Why do you have to target me, a mere Brocade Guard Thousand Households? I can’t afford to offend either of you, and taking sides is a problem in itself.
She said, "Notify him then." Her voice turned cold as she added, "Thousand Households Zhou, take Old Man Wang with you. If he does not wish to come, let Old Man Wang bind him and bring him here. Although I do not dare to kill a prince, breaking his arms and legs should be no trouble at all."
Merciless! So utterly merciless! Her Highness’s hatred for the Seventh Prince is completely unrestrained. She must realize I have the capability to report these words to the Capital City; His Majesty could well be aware of them by this very evening! To speak such words before me, a Brocade Guard Thousand Households, is to show no regard for the Brocade Guard.
"Your Highness, please be careful with your words. Once spoken, they cannot be taken back," Zhou Yuntong cautioned.
This immediately enraged Shen Rongyin, who scoffed, "What? Do you intend to report this to the Capital City?"
Zhou Yuntong knelt on the ground and remained silent. Silence was often the best response.
"If the Brocade Guard has the authority, I naturally will not stop you," Shen Rongyin said, her voice cold. "However, right now, you only need to lead the way, convey my words to him, and make him come here and kneel!"
Her words were laced with undeniable authority. Zhou Yuntong felt powerless. He could only let the matter rest. After acknowledging her command, he stood up and headed outside. After speaking with the old man in the courtyard, he left with him, heading out of the Government Office.
Once they had all departed, Celestial Remnant, at the doorway, turned and asked, "Your Highness, should we brothers secretly follow them?"
Inside the room, Shen Rongyin shook her head and said, "It is not yet time for you to take action. The humiliation he gave me back then—I will reclaim it all this time!"
Seeing Shen Rongyin’s resolve, Celestial Remnant said no more.
Nearby, Earth Deficiency chuckled. "Old Man Wang’s Sound Wave Skill is not to be underestimated. If there were a ranking of Sound Wave Skill masters in Jianghu, he would definitely be in the top five. I fear that Seventh Prince’s sect might not be able to withstand it."
As he spoke, his ears twitched, and he turned his head slightly to the right. Immediately after, a figure vaulted over the wall and quickly delivered a secret letter into Earth Deficiency’s hands. The person did not utter a single word throughout the entire process and, as soon as the letter was delivered, turned and quickly left.
"News from Jiangnan!" Earth Deficiency felt the special mark on the secret letter and then passed it directly to Celestial Remnant beside him.
Celestial Remnant opened the secret letter, and his expression changed drastically in an instant. "Your Highness, Jiangnan has instructed us to stay within Fengxiang Prefecture City and not to return for the time being. The Nine Dragons Secret Treasure has appeared, and the Imperial Court has not blocked the search by Jianghu people this time." Celestial Remnant sneered coldly, "There’s a Nine Dragon Key inside the Profound Yellow Sect. The master’s intention is for us to get our hands on it."
The rumors about the Nine Dragons Secret Treasure were common knowledge, even to any wandering knight in Jianghu. Heaven’s Defect and Earth’s Lack were also well aware of them. This time, all the Nine Dragon Keys had found their holders; it seemed the Nine Dragons Secret Treasure was about to fully emerge. The Imperial Court’s decision not to intervene was indeed intriguing.
Earth Deficiency said, "The Nine Dragons Secret Treasure, rumored to hold the power to control the world—who knows if it’s true or not." He then clicked his tongue and added, "It looks like the entire Jianghu is about to be thrown into chaos this time. Some of the old monsters might not be able to sit still anymore."
In the room, Shen Rongyin paid no attention to their conversation. I’m not interested in the Nine Dragons Secret Treasure. Since my family sent a message, then keeping the Profound Yellow Sect’s Nine Dragon Key will suffice. Everything else is of no concern to me!
She had specifically come to Fengxiang Prefecture because she had received news about the Seventh Prince. Back in the Capital City, when the Seventh Prince was released from the Celestial Prison and sent away, only a few knew where he had gone.
For an entire year, not a single day had passed when Shen Rongyin wasn’t consumed by hatred for Xu Nian. Once the most favored Imperial Consort, she had become the laughingstock of the palace overnight, the butt of others’ jokes whenever they were idle.
She had endured enough of this life. She was here to seek revenge on the one who had inflicted this fate upon her.
Even if it meant her own utter ruin!