Chapter 609: The Chess Players

Chapter 609: The Chess Player

Originally, these experts had strong opinions about Tang Buqi forcibly dismissing them from their posts and seizing military power, and the other Jiangnan officials had even stronger opinions.

Those who did not support Tang Buqi's separatist ambitions thought, "This bastard is really making his move; how can we sabotage him?"

Those who supported Tang Buqi's separatist ambitions thought, "Are you fucking stupid? I support you, and you still take away my power?"

Some of those summoned to report to Zhao Changhe did not even know who he was, full of resentment, muttering to themselves, "Who the hell do you think you are? Just because the Chronicles of Chaos praised you a few times, you think you're some kind of king?"

But after Zhao Changhe leaped into the sky on horseback, all those thoughts vanished, leaving only one: whatever this lord says goes. Throughout Jiangnan, no matter what stance or hidden agenda, all voices fell silent.

People feel an innate reverence for power they cannot comprehend. The only one who once possessed such irrational deterrence was a man named Xia Longyuan.

But now Xia Longyuan's deterrence had almost completely dissipated, especially after the Chronicles of Chaos reported "both sides nearly exhausted," stirring undercurrents of unrest. And Zhao Changhe rose at the right moment, like the sun in the sky.

Only Zhao Changhe himself knew that even if he jumped, he couldn't reach Old Xia's heels... but he could create momentum.

When leaving Gusu to cross the river northward, Zhao Changhe did not continue to display his divine power. He obediently led his Black Steed onto the ferry, after all, he couldn't abandon his wife to show off alone. Turning his head to look south across the river, he saw the kingly aura of Jinling gradually fading. Though still present, it was clearly no longer as thick as it had been a few hours ago.

It was evident that qi... could indeed be changed. If one cultivated deeply enough, it could even be manipulated.

"Your Highness," Wu Weiyang said cautiously at his side, "the Marquis of Wu himself hasn't actually reached the point of rebellion... Though he has separatist intentions, the First Seat refuses, so he finds it hard to act. The current situation is that others want to advance further—it's not his own affair. So the Marquis is in a difficult position. If he listens to his aunt and acts like an obedient child, how would the heroes of Jiangbiao see him? Would he still be able to lead them in the future?"

Zhao Changhe nodded. "That's quite normal... Do you feel the same way?"

"I dare not hide it from Your Highness, I am in a state of hesitation. On one hand, I respect the First Seat's persistence and am willing to die for her, but on the other hand... I truly wonder, what is there in this dynasty worth defending?" Wu Weiyang was speaking from the heart. "And personally, I could become a founding general, perhaps a hereditary duke or marquis—that is a tremendous temptation. What does a man live for? Most importantly, under the current circumstances, history might not even brand me a rebel, Your Highness. Even the last worry about posthumous reputation is gone. Your Highness, I consider myself loyal, but if even I am so shaken, imagine how others feel."

Zhao Changhe sighed. Indeed, take the Three Kingdoms for example: would the generals of Eastern Wu—Zhou Yu, Lu Su, the Twelve Tiger Generals—be called rebels in history? Not at all; instead, they are celebrated through the ages. Without even the concern for reputation, the fact that they still hesitated was already the inertia of loyalist thinking.

Wu Weiyang continued, "Now Your Highness descends like a god, striking fear into Jiangbiao, so for the moment no one dares to act. The Marquis took the opportunity to 'expel' us, offering a pledge of allegiance. But when the time comes, I fear even Your Highness may not be able to suppress them. Whether the First Seat or Your Highness, you could be devoured by a swarm of ants. This is the tide of events, and it cannot be reversed simply by taking a few generals away."

Zhao Changhe said, "Do you think I took you away for that reason?"

"Uh..." Wu Weiyang said cautiously, "I really can't imagine how we could help Your Highness..."

"Whether you were colleagues in the Demon-Suppression Bureau or so-called experts recruited from Jiangnan, you were originally doing martial arts work. Special operations are your true specialty. Have you forgotten after leading troops for so long? Four experts on the Human Ranking can play a terrifying role in special battle situations."

"What special task does Your Highness want us to do?"

Zhao Changhe took out the jade token of the Demon-Suppression Bureau engraved with his name. "Take my token and infiltrate Langya. Go find Daoist Guichen of the Taiyi Sect. As for how to disrupt Langya's rear, follow Guichen's arrangements—he knows what to do."

Wu Weiyang's heart stirred.

Just as Tang Buqi could recruit "Jiangnan experts," the Prince of Langya naturally also recruited strong warriors, and the Taiyi Sect was the most typical example.

Guichen of the Taiyi Sect was once ranked twenty-ninth on the Earth Ranking. Though he seemed at the bottom of that list and rather ordinary among the people Zhao Changhe had encountered, he was actually one of the top experts in the entire world, respected by all. In the past year or two, with great changes in the world, many on the Earth Ranking had fallen, and even the Heaven Ranking had changed. Guichen's rank had risen considerably, and his status grew. Within all of Langya, aside from Wang Daoning, Guichen was the second strongest, even higher than Wang Daozhong.

The Taiyi Sect had also flourished accordingly. Everyone said that its direct disciple Xuanchong, though not on the ranking, should be at the Human Ranking level.

Since the Taiyi Sect was within Langya's territory, when the Wang family raised their banner, Guichen declared his allegiance, becoming an important guest of the Wang family with a very detached status. Guichen then put on airs, saying that as a cultivator of purity he would not involve himself in battle, so he did not participate in the siege of Puyang, only helping to guard Langya.

The more he put on airs, the more the Wang family found it normal and reasonable. Over the past few months, Guichen had indeed done much for the Wang family, such as driving away all the Demon-Suppression Bureau experts hidden in Langya, blinding the court there. When Wang Daoning returned wounded, Guichen guarded the surroundings, deterring anyone with treacherous intentions from acting rashly. Even assassins sent by the Cui family returned without success.

He was like a stabilizing pillar, earning ever greater trust from the Wang family.

Who would have thought that this Guichen, seen as a thorn in the side by the court and the Cui family, had actually been a secret agent planted by Zhao Changhe all along?

If Guichen truly turned, bringing the disciples of the Taiyi Sect, and with the sudden appearance of four Human Ranking combatants here... while Wang Daoning was injured, there could be a chance for a decapitation strike. Or they could wait until Wang Daoning went out again to throw Langya into chaos—the battle was deadlocked, and Wang Daoning could not avoid going out.

Wu Weiyang was somewhat incredulous and cautiously confirmed, "Daoist Guichen is now highly esteemed in Langya. The Wang family has promised to make him the state religion and national preceptor after success. Is Your Highness certain that Daoist Guichen still listens to you?"

Zhao Changhe was not entirely sure. Guichen had indeed looked down on the Wang family before and had made an agreement with him, but if he could get an outcome beyond expectations, then it was hard to say...

However, Guichen was a Daoist adept at talismans. The art of observing qi should be a required course. Even Zhao Changhe could see that Langya had no dragon qi at all, not even as much as Jiangnan. Could Guichen not see it?

A wise man only follows the tide of events.

Evidence could be found in the fact that the so-called Langya Demon-Suppression Bureau and Cui family assassins had all been "driven away" or "returned without success"—not a single one died.

"I cannot be absolutely certain. You are an experienced veteran of the Demon-Suppression Bureau with your own judgment. Take the men and act according to circumstances. If it's not right, withdraw. There is danger—are you afraid?" Zhao Changhe asked.

Faced with risk, Wu Weiyang felt a long-lost surge of heroic spirit. He laughed heartily and said, "Isn't this exactly what the Demon-Suppression Bureau does? Since Your Highness trusts me, I will return to the martial world once more."

Zhao Changhe patted his shoulder and said in a low voice, "The hereditary nobility you seek may not have to rely on Jiangnan alone."

Wu Weiyang's eyes lit up, and so did the eyes of the others sitting silently nearby.

Jiangnan was, after all, just a separatist regime, and only suitable for that. Since ancient times, unifying the north from the south has been extremely difficult. No one believed the Tang family had a chance to unify the world.

But if this lord made such a promise... then there might truly be an opportunity.

As they spoke, the ferry reached the shore, arriving north of the river.

Wu Weiyang and his four men stepped onto the bank, used their lightness skills to vanish into the distance. Zhao Changhe and his family of three stood at the prow, watching their northward retreating figures. Their postures were like dragons leaping and tigers prancing, and their momentum seemed entirely different from before.

Xia Chichi glanced sidelong at Zhao Changhe and finally blurted out, "Boss Zhao, if you had this kind of strategic planning and the skill of dangling promises back in the mountain stronghold, maybe Beimang would have already founded a state."

Zhao Changhe rubbed her head and said softly, "But they are for you."

Xia Chichi turned to look at him, her eyes an unreadable color.