Chapter 67: Chapter 63: Nan Zhou National Preceptor

The country of Nan Zhou.

Located in the southernmost part of the Great Yan, it was a land of river valleys and rice paddies. While it couldn’t compare to the opulence and bustling population of the Imperial Capital in its prosperous glory, this place had a unique charm of its own.

In a quaint, Jiangnan-style courtyard within the Nanzhou Capital City, a small bridge arched over a flowing stream. The moss on the flagstone path was a rich, deep green, and by the courtyard gate, a large wooden armchair swayed gently.

After weeding the crops in the paddy, a handsome youth lay back in the chair, wiped the sweat from his brow, and broke into a contented smile.

Just then—

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

A sudden knock came from the courtyard gate.

A sweet, girlish voice followed from outside the gate. “Brother Yu, are you home?”

The handsome youth stood up, raised his head with a smile, and called out, “I am. What is it?”

“Brother Yu, I heard the peach blossoms by the river in the Capital City have bloomed! There are two full rows completely lining both banks. Do you want to go see them with me? We could grab a bite to eat, too.”

The girl’s voice was exceedingly shy, and she was clearly embarrassed.

The handsome youth opened the gate and said apologetically, “My father is bedridden. He needs constant care, so I can’t leave his side.”

“Oh, okay…”

The sweet-faced girl looked quite disappointed, but she quickly perked up again.

“You really are a devoted son, Brother Yu. All I do is run around and have fun all day. Speaking of which, how is your father’s illness? It sounds very serious.”

“It’s the same as always. He can’t get out of bed, so I have to take care of all his needs,” the handsome youth sighed.

The girl looked envious. “You and your father have such a wonderful relationship, Brother Yu. My father just calls me stupid and tells me to study all day. He says I’m uncultured, that I don’t understand the classics or etiquette, and that I’ll never be able to get married. But I just can’t get into those great teachings of the Saints.”

Hearing this, the handsome youth smiled faintly. “Well, your father only wants what’s best for you. To be honest, it’s not just you. I can’t get into the great teachings of the Saints either. Not everyone in the world has to live by their principles, right?”

“Mhm, you’re right.”

The sweet-faced girl’s cheeks suddenly flushed. She pointed to the food box in her hands and said, “Since you can’t go see the peach blossoms, at least make sure you eat this.”

“Well… I’ll be going now!”

After a moment’s silence, the girl set the food box on the ground and fled, her heart fluttering in her chest.

The handsome youth watched her lively figure retreat, a faint smile on his lips.

He picked up the food box, closed the gate, and returned to a room in the inner courtyard.

There, he saw a pale-faced, middle-aged man sitting up. The man’s lips were dry and cracked, his eye sockets were sunken, and his eyes, ringed by dark circles, were vacant and dull, as if he had endured endless torment.

The middle-aged man had a refined, scholarly air and a high, noble brow—the features of one born to great wealth and status. Now, however, he was so frail that a single finger could have pushed him over.

“You’re awake?”

Seeing him sit up, the handsome youth let out a soft chuckle and tossed the food box down in front of him.

“Here, eat something.”

The middle-aged man, however, didn’t move. His gaze was locked on the handsome youth. His lips trembled, and in a dry, hoarse voice, he asked:

“National Preceptor Xun, I believe I treated you generously. Why would you do this to me? Why not just kill me!”

His tone was filled with grief and indignation, as well as utter confusion.

The handsome youth sat down, poured himself a cup of tea, and swirled the liquid in the cup, his expression unhurried. He said casually,

“If I hadn’t done this, how could I have seized control of Nan Zhou? And if I killed you, how would I absorb its National Fortune and ascend to the Fourteenth Realm?”

“So that’s your reason for propping up the Crown Prince and using him as your puppet?!”

“You’re vicious! So incredibly vicious!”

The middle-aged man cursed, mustering all his strength.

After his outburst, he broke into a violent coughing fit, and what little vitality he had left seemed to drain away.

“I’ll take that as a compliment. Thank you for the praise.”

The handsome youth smiled faintly, his expression betraying no emotion. He glanced at the calligraphy on the rice paper on the desk and scoffed.

“You were once the Sovereign of Nan Zhou, you know. Stop messing around with those poems all day. You’re no Wen Sheng. Do you actually think you can advance your cultivation through poetry?”

“Something about ’rosy cheeks fading’ and ’the spring river flowing east’… Are you still lost in your pipe dream of restoring your kingdom? The Great Zhou fell long ago—three hundred and seventy-nine years ago, to be exact. It was over the moment the Great Yan invaded the Central Plains.”

“If it weren’t for me, you would have been wiped out by the Great Yan and the Golden Crow Country long ago. You never would have had the chance to hold on to this little corner of the world, play king, and live a life of riches.”

“One must learn to be content. You should be thanking me.”

Hearing this, the middle-aged man was so enraged he was rendered speechless.

But there was one thing he couldn’t refute.

The man’s schemes were genuinely terrifying.

It was precisely because he had seen the three strategies the man presented that he had averted the crisis of his nation’s destruction. That was why he had granted him the title of National Preceptor. He never imagined he had only driven away a tiger to let in a starving wolf.

And he had paid the price for it, now trapped within this small courtyard.

This man had engineered the deposition of the Crown Prince, placed the King under house arrest, and retreated behind the curtain to quietly control all of Nan Zhou’s power. He had taken complete control of the country, yet the world remained oblivious. And the madman reveled in it, giving his scheme the grand name of the “Dragon Slaying Skill.”

“Time for your medicine.”

The handsome youth expressionlessly retrieved a medicine box from under the bed. It was filled with an assortment of bottles and jars. He took out a cyan porcelain vial and began to pour its contents into the middle-aged man’s mouth.

The middle-aged man thrashed, trying to struggle, but it was useless. His limbs had been shattered, turning him into a complete invalid who could only lie in bed for the rest of his life.

As a heavy drowsiness washed over him, he drifted into a deep sleep, his heart filled with hatred.

The handsome youth disgustedly brushed the remaining powder from his hands and returned to the courtyard.

Just then, a figure in ancient, seamless armor appeared in the courtyard. It respectfully presented a Scroll.

He took the Scroll, glanced at it, and frowned.

“Lu Guangjing is moving a little slowly.”

“The Third Prince has been on campaign for half a month. His advance is unstoppable—he’s already conquered six commanderies. For things to go this smoothly, was there no resistance arranged for him?”

“You can’t always expect me to step in.”

The handsome youth stroked his chin. ’Forget it. Smooth is good. It would be a problem if it weren’t. When things go smoothly, it’s easier to get things done.’

He issued a command to the armored figure. “Proceed according to the original plan. Also, the Eldest Prince is still in prison. Tell Lu Guangjing to find a way to have him killed.”

“Since he’s no longer useful, he should die. He shouldn’t be hogging Dragon Fortune. There’s only so much Destiny in the world to go around; one more person means one less share for everyone else. That was true for Lu Mingkong, and it’s true for Lu Changfeng.”

“And tell him to avoid a crude method like assassination. I’ve always taught him that it’s not enough to kill a man—you must also crush his heart. But he’s only learned half the lesson.”

“Crushing the heart is crucial. Killing a man is simple, but crushing his heart is difficult. And that is the only way to truly extinguish a lineage. Although the Eldest Prince is in prison, many factions are still waiting for his eventual release from exile. I fear the Empress of Dayan hasn’t given up hope. We just need to make Lu Changfeng take his own life. If we shatter his Daoxin and extinguish his hope, everything will be simple.”

Having said all this, the handsome youth seemed to tire. He stretched and remarked lazily,

“There’s a good reason why most of the world’s Martial Artists stop at the Ninth Realm Dragon Gate. They’re mostly simple-minded folk who don’t understand the art of Refining the Heart. A mere Third Prince… he should be easy enough to deal with.”

…

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