pertwk Chapter 169 A Stormy Sea! A toast to you!
Chapter 169 A Stormy Sea! A toast to you!
Chapter 169 A Stormy Sea! A toast to you!
"You might not believe it, but I really had no intention of rebelling."
Chu Yang felt that he had been greatly misunderstood; he had no interest in the throne.
"I would believe that, but His Majesty wouldn't. Your Highness, you'd better be careful."
Old Guo gave Chu Yang a deep look. The bond they had built over the years told him that Chu Yang was not lying.
However, there is an undeniable fact: Chu Yang's decision to rebel is not something he can simply decide with his words. The person who can truly decide whether Chu Yang will rebel is the emperor.
If the emperor thinks he might rebel, then he will definitely rebel.
"He's already in the highest position, holding the power of life and death over the entire nation; he shouldn't lack even this much magnanimity—"
"If that's the case, then he doesn't deserve to sit in that position; he should step down and give way to a more capable person as soon as possible."
A cold smile crept across Chu Yang's lips.
Although everyone was acting, the emperor had treated him fairly well over the years, at least ensuring he had no shortage of wealth and honor.
This is considered giving him a chance. If he doesn't cherish it, then Chu Yang will naturally not be polite.
Moreover, the throne was utterly worthless in his eyes.
A billionaire can't possibly fight a beggar in the street over a hundred dollars, can he?
Guo was speechless, or rather, dared not respond, and felt the atmosphere grow increasingly oppressive.
He even somewhat hoped that the people from the Eastern Depot would arrive quickly and divert the prince's firepower, since it was better for him to die than for his friends.
Seeing that Lao Guo felt like he was sitting on pins and needles while he was with him, and also finding it a bit strange that the two grown men were staying in the room all the time, Chu Yang took the lead and walked out of the room.
Old Guo can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
At this moment, a group of people were sitting in the lobby talking about something. Guo Furong's emotions seemed to have stabilized, and she had decided to stay at Tongfu Inn for a while.
Chu Yang asked with a smile, "Shopkeeper, could you make me something to eat? I haven't eaten all day and I'm a little hungry."
.
Tong Xiangyu quickly stood up and said solicitously, "Please wait a moment, Master Chu. I'll have Da Zui make you something to eat right away."
Chu Yang nodded. "Please make more. My master wants to stay for a meal before he leaves."
Tong Xiangyu smiled and agreed, then told Li Dazui to get busy in the kitchen, unaware that Bai Zhantang was sweating profusely and feeling extremely uncomfortable.
Although he had the reward order in hand, which theoretically meant he could let bygones be bygones, Bai Zhantang still subconsciously felt intimidated when he saw Lao Guo.
The title of Chief Constable of the Six Doors is the nightmare of every criminal.
Guo Furong asked softly, "Senior brother, are you going back with my father?"
Chu Yang shook his head and said, "I plan to see a few friends, but I need to meet with a few people before I leave and chat with them."
Guo Furong asked curiously, "Are there more people coming? Could it be Senior Brother Zhuifeng and the others?"
"Your senior brothers all have important matters to attend to, unlike you who idle away your days, doing nothing but causing trouble!"
Old Guo walked slowly down from the second floor with a cold face.
Guo Furong was like a mouse seeing a cat, trembling with fear and not daring to say a word.
In fact, Chu Yang could see through Lao Guo's intentions. If Guo Furong returned to Beijing with him, people would definitely use it against her. Being punished would be a minor matter; the real fear was that someone with ulterior motives would seize on it and not let it go.
Rather than letting others exploit her weaknesses, it's better to let Guo Furong stay outside. As long as she doesn't return to the capital, no one will dare to do anything to her.
It's just unknown whether Guo Furong, being so clueless, will ever understand Guo Laoguo's good intentions.
A moment later.
Li Dazui brought several hot dishes to the table, and Chu Yang and Lao Guo sat down. The two drank and ate while waiting for the people from the Eastern Depot to arrive.
Bai Zhantang, who was in charge of serving, inevitably came into contact with Lao Guo. Perhaps because of his inner fear, he had already smashed seven or eight saucers and teacups in a short time.
Tong Xiangyu was so heartbroken she almost fainted, and said in a tearful voice, "My white jade teacup! Zhantang, what's wrong with you today? You're like you've lost your soul!"
Bai Zhantang was pale and speechless, stammering.
Seeing his expression, Tong Xiangyu's face immediately changed, and she asked with concern, "Zhantang, are you feeling unwell? Should we go see a doctor?"
"Shopkeeper, I'm fine. I'll just go back to my room and rest for a while!" Bai Zhantang waved his hand, eager to leave the lobby.
Guo, who had already noticed something was wrong with Bai Zhantang, frowned and called out, "Wait!"
Bai Zhantang suddenly jolted awake, turning around stiffly to ask, "Master Guo, is there anything you need me to do?"
Old Guo stared at Bai Zhantang without saying a word. His terrifying aura made Bai Zhantang feel like he was suffocating, and he subconsciously dared not look at Old Guo.
With just this one action, Lao Guo could tell that Bai Zhantang in front of him was definitely a criminal.
Just as he was about to make a move, someone suddenly pressed down on his shoulder.
"Master, it's wise to be forgiving," Chu Yang said with a smile. "They just received a reward; even if they have a shameful past, it can be forgiven now!"
"Am I right, Master Thief?"
Bai Yutang, the "Master Thief," had been famous for many years, so it wasn't a joke for Chu Yang to call him "senior." However, this title of "Master Thief Senior" became the last straw that broke Bai Zhantang's psychological defenses.
He plopped down on the ground, his body limp, gasping for air as if he were drowning.
There were no other guests in the inn, so this statement only reached the ears of Tong Xiangyu and her companions. Combined with Bai Zhantang's reaction, they had no choice but to believe what Chu Yang said.
Everyone stared at Bai Zhantang with strange looks.
Thief!
A notorious thief comparable to Chu Liuxiang lived right among them!
"Oh, so you are the legendary thief Bai Yutang."
"Why did you choose such a path at such a young age?!"
Old Guo's expression softened somewhat.
Unlike other criminals, Bai Zhantang's background is quite special. Although his mother, Bai Cuiping, is also a well-known thief in the martial arts world, she is secretly a spy for the Six Doors, responsible for transmitting intelligence about the underworld.
They're playing a double agent game.
Strictly speaking, Bai Zhantang is one of our own, so in Lao Guo's eyes, he still needs to be treated differently.
"Master Guo, spare my life! In all these years I've been in this business, I've hardly ever stolen anything; it's always others who have been caught stealing from me!"
Bai Zhantang broke down in tears, his face streaked with sobs and snot, terrified that the famous Guo Juxia would throw him into the Heavenly Prison and have his limbs severed like his mother's.
Old Guo looked at him with amusement; the current Thief Saint Bai Yutang was completely different from what he had imagined.
"I know, get up now. What are you afraid of with this reward order? It's more than enough to erase your criminal record."
Chu Yang reluctantly put down his chopsticks, having made Bai Zhantang cry so much that he lost his appetite.
boom!!!
The main entrance to the lobby suddenly burst open.
Two figures attacked Chu Yang from the left and right, as if they were fighting over a treasure.
"presumptuous!"
Seeing this, Lao Guo flew into a rage, stood up and stood in front of Chu Yang, and slapped the newcomer twice in the face!
In an instant, the air vibrated and buzzed!
A raging storm!
Why is the "Surging Waves Palm" called the "Surging Waves Palm"?
It's because when you strike with your palm, the power gathers to its peak, like a raging giant wave!
When it comes to sheer power and ferocity, the Surging Wave Palm is second to none in the world!
With a single palm strike, Old Guo unleashed a terrifying force that forced the two men back out of the inn, before rushing out himself as well.
Tong Xiangyu and Lü Xiucai quickly hid under the counter, trembling with fear.
"My God, with all this commotion every day, how am I supposed to live like this?!"
"Oh, my golden silk wood gate~~~"
Tong Xiangyu's wails were plaintive and melodious, and at first glance, they even had a certain tune to them.
"Shopkeeper, wasn't this door chosen at the Shibalipu scrap market?"
Li Dazui looked completely bewildered.
"Mind your own business! I said it's golden silk wood, so it's golden silk wood. If you talk back again, I'll dock your pay!"
Tong Xiangyu panicked, losing her previous gentleness, and became fierce and menacing, as if she wanted to devour someone.
Bai Zhantang cautiously tried to move closer to Tong Xiangyu and the others, but was suddenly stopped by Chu Yang with a smile, who said, "The food and wine have all been spilled. Could you please bring me a pot of wine, Senior Thief Saint?"
Someone's come knocking on your door, and you still have the mind to drink?
Despite his complaints, Bai Zhantang knew he couldn't afford to offend the person in front of him, so he obediently went to the kitchen and brought out a pot of wine.
Chu Yang picked up the wine pot and started drinking by himself, watching with a smile as Lao Guo lectured the two unruly fellows outside the door.
This scene further convinced Bai Zhantang that Chu Yang's identity was extraordinary; there was no trace of master and disciple relationship between him and Guo Juxia.
It's more accurate to say they were the master and his henchmen.
Thinking of this, Bai Zhantang was suddenly startled. There weren't many people in the world who could use the Chief Constable of the Six Doors as a henchman.
"Senior brother, who are those two people outside?"
Watching Lao Guo fight with others, Guo Furong wasn't worried at all, because she had absolute confidence in Lao Guo. How could a few nobodies hurt the number one constable in the world?
"Judging from their clothes, they must be from the Eastern Depot and the Western Depot. This is quite interesting; I thought only the Eastern Depot would come—"
Chu Yang smacked his lips, his eyes filled with amusement, as if he was enjoying the spectacle.
"So it was those eunuchs! They're used to bullying and monopolizing the market, and today they've dared to mess with us! It's outrageous!"
Guo Furong was furious. Normally she would have rushed forward long ago, but now she was still in the shadow of the demon and even her internal energy was a bit strained.
Judging from the signs of their actions just now, Bai Zhantang felt that the two guards were clearly targeting Chu Yang, and had nothing to do with bullying or monopolizing the market.
Chu Yang, seemingly oblivious to the situation outside, was engrossed in drinking, which made Bai Zhantang uneasy.
On the other side, Cao Shaoqin and Ma Jinliang also had no way to express their bitterness. They never dreamed that Guo Bujing, the chief constable of the Six Doors, would appear here.
After several rounds, Lao Guo's powerful palm strikes had shattered their swords into pieces. Keep in mind that these were no ordinary swords; the worst materials used to forge them were refined steel.
"Lord Guo, please calm your anger. I was unaware you were inside and had no intention of offending you!"
Cao Shaoqin gritted his teeth and exchanged a blow with Lao Guo. He immediately felt his internal organs churning. Taking advantage of the moment he retreated, he hurriedly explained.
Ma Jinliang was the same, holding the bare hilt of his sword, refusing to offer any explanation.
"You didn't know I was here, but you certainly didn't know the Prince was inside! Cao the Old Dog and Yu the Old Dog, how dare you treat the Prince like this!"
"Two utterly rebellious bastards!"
Old Guo was furious and sneered, a murderous intent gradually creeping into his eyes.
He had assumed that no matter how outrageous the two factories were, they would at least maintain basic courtesy to the prince. However, these two actually dared to attack the prince right in front of him.
Cao Shaoqin and Ma Jinliang were at a loss for words, as their actions just now were not specifically aimed at the Prince Xian.
In order to compete with each other, they had already fought several times on the way, and for a moment they forgot to stop.
Now that they knew it would be wrong to say anything, the two exchanged a glance and, without prior arrangement, knelt down in the street, bowing deeply to Chu Yang in the inn, and cried out, "This humble servant deserves to die, please forgive me, Your Highness!"
In his anger, Lao Guo forgot that Chu Yang had told him to keep it a secret. Coupled with the loud voices of Cao Shaoqin and Ma Jinliang, everyone on the street knew Chu Yang's true identity.
Chu Yang seemed not to hear, licked the spout of the pot, swallowed the last drop of wine, and smiled contentedly.
Guo Furong, sitting next to him, was dumbfounded. From childhood to adulthood, she had guessed that Chu Yang might be the son of some high-ranking official, but she never expected that he would be the infamous Prince Xian.
Although my senior brother is a bit eccentric and lives a rather extravagant life, he is not comparable to the legendary Prince Xian, who is a notorious scoundrel in the capital.
How am I supposed to face my senior brother now?
Chu Yang glanced at Guo Furong's expression and could roughly guess what she was thinking. He couldn't help but laugh and said, "Is my reputation really that bad? Even you want to distance yourself from me?"
"No way, don't talk nonsense, that's not what I think." Guo Furong's face turned red instantly, and she immediately denied it three times.
Chu Yang said nonchalantly, "What's so hard about admitting this? I know better than anyone how outrageous I am."
Anxious and uneasy, Tong Xiangyu led the others over, knelt down without saying a word, and called out in a drawn-out voice, "This commoner pays respects to Your Highness."
Bai Zhantang's legs went weak, and he knelt on the ground as well.
Seeing that everyone inside the house was kneeling, and two more were kneeling outside the door, Chu Yang felt no joy whatsoever.
"Get up, I don't like seeing people kneeling."
Upon hearing this, Tong Xiangyu pulled the others to their feet quickly, but they didn't know what to say.
Just as everyone was in a dilemma, Chu Yang suddenly looked towards the street outside and said coldly, "You two, keep kneeling!"
Cao Shaoqin and Ma Jinliang, who had already stood up, were stunned for a moment, then knelt down again with embarrassed expressions. As they lowered their heads, a murderous glint flashed in their eyes at the same time.
"Just a useless prince. Once you lose the emperor's favor, I will repay you a hundredfold for the humiliation you caused me today." Then, the two secretly exchanged glances and decided to cooperate for revenge.
Cao Shaoqin clasped his hands and said, "The Grand Supervisor has ordered us to escort the Prince back to the capital. Please do not make things difficult for us."
Ma Jinliang said in a hoarse voice, "This is also the Emperor's will. Your Highness, please come back with us."
This statement was also a reminder to Lao Guo not to interfere recklessly and not to openly defy the emperor's wishes.
Old Guo frowned and looked at Chu Yang.
Chu Yang coldly swept his gaze over the two men, flicked his finger, and an invisible sword aura slashed out. With two soft thuds, Cao Shaoqin and Ma Jinliang each lost an arm in full view of everyone.
Before they could even cry out in pain, they glared at Chu Yang in shock and anger.
"Tell the one in the capital that I don't want to go back for the time being, and I have no interest in his throne. I'll just be a good emperor and we'll keep to ourselves."
Are Cao Shaoqin and Ma Jinliang weak?
As the heads of the two factories and the future supervisors of the two factories, their strength is not much different from that of the leaders of the major sects in the martial arts world.
It could even be said that, apart from the leaders of a few top sects, they could overpower most of the top martial arts masters.
The same applies to the imperial court!
Among the two marquises and one family, the two factories and one guard, apart from their respective leaders who can firmly suppress them, the so-called Four Great Secret Agents, Four Great Constables, and Four Great Divine Constables, the mainstays under their command, are at most only fifty-fifty against them.
These two, who were virtually invincible in the world, had their arms easily severed, leaving them utterly powerless to fight back.
Old Guo was filled with horror!
If it were him, defeating Cao Shaoqin and Ma Jinliang wouldn't be difficult, but crippling them so easily would be impossible.
Those whose strength was comparable to his were also no match.
This shows the gap between him and Chu Yang.
"The prince's strength is unfathomable!"
"If His Majesty knew about this, he would probably have no peace of mind. Who knows what kind of bloodshed the Ming Dynasty would face next. As the most beloved prince of the late emperor, although he is now dissolute, he is still different from others."
Chu Yang repeatedly claimed he cared nothing for the throne, yet his words were already laced with disrespect. What frightened Lao Guo even more was that despite possessing such power, he had remained silent and patient until this day.
A moment later, Chu Yang walked out the door carrying a wine jug. In the aftermath of the battle, the street outside the door was in ruins.
It's not that Lao Guo wasn't restrained enough, but rather that the destructive power of martial artists these days is terrifying. If he really went all out in a fight, he could even destroy the entire Seven Heroes Town.
Cao Shaoqin and Ma Jinliang knelt amidst the ruins, each clutching their severed arms. Once they regained their senses, they immediately averted their gazes, no longer daring to look at Chu Yang who had already walked in front of them, their heads bowed and their expressions ferocious.
Chu Yang said leisurely, "I still prefer your previous unruly attitude."
Upon hearing this, the two began to kowtow simultaneously, their kowtows making a loud thud on the ground.
"I have offended Your Highness, and I deserve to die! I beg Your Highness to spare my life."
"Please, Your Highness, show mercy!"
Chu Yang smiled kindly. "You two are renowned from the imperial court to the martial arts world. You can even stop a child from crying at night. You are both quite influential figures. How about this, you take another move from me. Whoever survives, we'll let this matter rest."
"Consider this the last bit of dignity I'm giving you."
Cao Shaoqin did not answer, but kept kowtowing, his blood already soaking through the stone slab below his knees.
The same applies to Ma Jinliang.
They didn't even know how their arms were severed; they only felt a terrifying sword aura brush past them. Faced with such an enemy, the outcome was a foregone conclusion.
Even when facing their respective supervisors, the two of them had never been so afraid.
"Disappointing. How did you even get to the position of head of the gang?"
"Those roughnecks you look down on have more guts than you."
Chu Yang waved his hand dismissively and said, "Get lost!"
The two felt as if they had been granted a pardon. Holding the severed arm, they paced through the air and soon disappeared from sight.
With their robust health and vitality, if they can reattach their arms within a day, it shouldn't have a significant impact.
Watching the two leave, Lao Guo was about to speak when Chu Yang stopped him. He looked into the shadows of the alley and said indifferently, "If you keep hiding there watching the show, you won't be able to save your arm either."
Immediately, two men emerged from the dark alley. One was disheveled, resembling a beggar, and reeked of alcohol, looking somewhat颓废 (颓废 is a difficult word to translate directly, but it implies a state of decadence, listlessness, and a颓废 appearance). The other wore a flying fish robe, had a small mustache, and a resolute face.
The two stood together, like light and shadow, creating a very strong contrast.
Chu Yang looked them over with great interest.
"Li Gexiao? Zuo Xiong?"
What are you doing here?
Old Guo seemed to recognize the two men, and his tone became much friendlier, unlike when he was speaking to Cao Shaoqin and Ma Jinliang.
Zuo Xiong, who had a small mustache, clasped his hands and said, "Lord Guo, Lord Zheng sent us. He was worried that the two eunuchs would be disrespectful to the Prince."
Li Gexiao picked up the wine gourd at his waist, took a swig, and plopped down on the ground, his eyes glazed over, as if he didn't care about anything.
Seeing his dejected appearance, Lao Guo couldn't help but shake his head in disappointment. As Zheng Dongliu's personal disciple, Li Gexiao was once the most dazzling person in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and in terms of strength, he was even above Cao Shaoqin and Ma Jinliang.
But a past event has ruined him into what he is now—
Several years ago, the emperor, traveling incognito to observe the people's conditions, happened to pass by the small winery run by Li Gexiao's wife, Jing Ruyi. During a rest stop, he took a liking to the beautiful Jing Ruyi.
After learning that Jing Ruyi had started a family, the emperor sat in the small wine shop for a long time before leaving.
The regret that the emperor felt was seen by the treacherous minister Yan Song.
In an attempt to curry favor with the emperor, Jing Ruyi was later kidnapped by Yan Song's men, while Li Gexiao was away on a mission.
Before she could even be delivered to the emperor's bed, Jing Ruyi, in order to preserve her innocence, bit her tongue and committed suicide at Yan Song's house. Afterwards, Yan Song dumped her body in the wilderness.
When Li Gexiao found Jing Ruyi's body, it had already been devoured beyond recognition by wild beasts in the mountains.
Almost driven mad, Li Gexiao ignored Zheng Dongliu's attempts to stop him and rushed into the Golden Palace with a knife, intending to kill Yan Song to avenge his wife. However, he was captured on the spot by the two Divine Marquises.
The emperor was furious. Even after he learned the whole story, he still couldn't suppress his anger because Li Gexiao had offended his dignity, which was something he valued most.
Therefore, he not only did not punish Yan Song, but also imprisoned Li Gexiao in the imperial prison.
If Zheng Dongliu hadn't risked his life to protect Li Gexiao, and if the emperor hadn't shown consideration for his years of loyalty, Li Gexiao would have been beheaded long ago.
Li Gexiao, who suffered greatly in the imperial prison, was left with a host of chronic illnesses and lost one-tenth of his martial arts skills, becoming a veritable cripple. He and Chu Yang were known as the two greatest useless people in the capital amidst rumors and gossip.
The two became acquainted through this, often hanging out in the tavern, and also met another scoundrel with four eyebrows.
Thanks to Li Gexiao, the emperor's "concern" for Chu Yang decreased rapidly during that period, granting him considerable freedom.
As for Zuo Xiong, who travels with Li Gexiao, he is quite famous among the common people. He loves slaying demons and monsters most in his life, and his abilities are no less than those of the four famous constables of the Divine Constable Bureau.
"Left Commander" is both his official title and his nickname in the martial arts world. Ordinary demons would turn and run away as soon as they heard this name, just like seeing the King of Hell.
Zhuge Shenhou had asked Zheng Dongliu for the position of Left Commander more than once, intending to turn the Four Great Constables into the Five Great Constables, but Zheng Dongliu refused each time.
Without Li Gexiao, and with the loss of Zuo Qianhu, Zheng Dongliu would truly be left to fend for himself. Zhuge Zhengwo had always admired Zheng Dongliu's character and therefore did not want to put him in a difficult position, so he could only keep this matter as a regret in his heart.
Chu Yang, carrying a wine jug, ignored the surprised looks from others, sat down next to Li Gexiao, and toasted him.
Li Gexiao smiled knowingly and returned the toast.
The two sat down on the ground, drinking heartily and laughing loudly.
A disabled person respects another disabled person.