Chapter 691

Gu San tong found he could no longer understand Zhu Wushi.

In the past, Zhu Wushi, though a Prince, was easy to read.

Now, his thoughts were even harder to fathom.

"Forget it, first go find Cheng Shifei and verify whether he's truly my son."

Since Zhu Wushi had personally released him, he naturally wouldn't return to the Heavenly Prison.

Return to the Protect Dragon Shanzhuang.

Zhu Wushi fell into thought: "To ascend the throne and proclaim oneself Emperor requires two things: legitimacy and an army. With the Ancestor's endorsement, my legitimacy is secured. As for the army, threatening those people won't suffice—I must build the Protect Dragon Army."

"With the Nine Divine Incantations and the Protect Dragon Shanzhuang's years of groundwork, I can train ten thousand elite soldiers."

"Combined with my own strength, ascending the throne is all but certain."

Thinking of this, Zhu Wushi's heart surged with excitement.

The imperial throne was right before him—the very thing he had longed for years—how could he not be stirred?

"But there's one more matter to settle. The alliance with Japan must end." Zhu Wushi's gaze turned cold. "As Emperor of Great Ming, to be entangled with Japan is unacceptable."

With this thought, Zhu Wushi's figure vanished from the Protect Dragon Shanzhuang.

Moments later, in a secluded villa, Yanagisawa Tamasu was cultivating his martial art; blade-light flashed sharply, revealing lethal intent, slicing countless drifting petals into fragments.

"Excellent sword technique!"

Suddenly, applause echoed.

Yanagisawa Tamasu startled, turned, and saw Zhu Wushi standing not far off.

"How does the Marquis have time to visit my humble abode!"

Zhu Wushi smiled: "I've come to borrow something from Lord Yanagisawa!"

"Borrow something?" Yanagisawa Tamasu was puzzled. "What might the Marquis need? If I have it, I won't refuse."

"You certainly have it!" Zhu Wushi chuckled, reached out—and Yanagisawa Tamasu felt a tremendous force strike him; his body, like a drifting feather in the wind, flew toward Zhu Wushi. "That thing is your head!"

Yanagisawa Tamasu's heart turned cold; he couldn't summon a single speck of true qi. Mid-air, he refused to surrender passively, straining to swing his long blade at Zhu Wushi.

Crack!

"Hah!" Zhu Wushi sneered, flicked his finger—and Yanagisawa Tamasu's long blade shattered into fragments.

The next instant, Zhu Wushi's hand seized Yanagisawa Tamasu's throat, twisted lightly—crack—and the Japanese sword master was done for.

Having done this, Zhu Wushi turned and left.

Boom—

The next moment, a phantom palm imprint appeared above the Yanagisawa estate, crushing it into ruins.

"Yanagisawa Piaoxu isn't here—otherwise, I could've captured him and presented him to the Dao Lord." Zhu Wushi stood in the sky, gazing downward. "But absence has its advantage. These Japanese aren't as naive as those in the chat group; presenting them might not be wise."

"Still, Yunluo and Haitang could be sent to the Dao Lord. With his vast powers, even a tiny crack in his hand would be enough for Great Ming to soar."

Having dealt with the threat, Zhu Wushi began assembling his Protect Dragon Army.

On the other side.

Gu San tong tidied his attire, washed up thoroughly, then set out to find his son.

Cheng Shifei was very well-known among Beijing's street thugs; Gu San tong merely asked a few hoodlums and quickly learned Cheng Shifei's whereabouts—he found him in a chaotic gambling den.

"Looks like him!"

Gu San tong stared at Cheng Shifei, as if seeing his younger self: "Those eyebrows, that aura—no one else could be his father but me!"

For a master like Gu San tong, intuition was supernaturally sharp.

The moment he saw Cheng Shifei, he was nearly certain—he was his son.

"Uncle?" Cheng Shifei curled into a ball, trembling. "You say I'm your son? What joke is this? I'm an orphan!"

"No, you truly are my son." Gu San tong gripped Cheng Shifei's shoulders, studied him again—each glance grew warmer. "Good lad, come with me—I'll teach you peerless martial arts!"

He seized Cheng Shifei and moved like flying wind; moments later, he found a quiet place.

Three days later.

"You're really my father?"

"My mother's alive too? She just hasn't come home yet?"

After three days, Cheng Shifei finally accepted his lineage.

"Correct. Come, let's find Zhu Tie Dan—he said he'd return your mother, so why hasn't he moved yet?"

Cheng Shifei's face darkened: "Father, Mother's in someone else's house—aren't you getting cuckolded?"

Gu San tong's temper flared instantly.

"Brat, what nonsense are you spouting!"

He seized Cheng Shifei and arrived at the Protect Dragon Shanzhuang.

"Both of you, follow me—the Prince has been waiting long enough."

Gu San tong was startled: "Zhu Tie Dan knew we were coming?"

"Yes." The servant led the way below, dared not speak further.

Moments later.

Gu San tong and Cheng Shifei entered a elegantly decorated parlor.

In the parlor, besides the imposing Zhu Wushi, sat a gentle and Duanzhuang woman.

"Su Xin!"

"Husband!"

Cheng Shifei stood frozen in place.

"That's my mother—so young!"

Zhu Wushì walked over and said, "Of course you're young—your mother has been asleep for nearly twenty years."

He gazed at Gu Santong and Su Xin, who faced each other.

"Brother Gu, I've kept my promise and returned Su Xin to you. Leave now," Zhu Wushì waved dismissively. "Otherwise, I'll change my mind—and you won't get away."

.......... 0

Gu Santong stared at Zhu Wushì in astonishment and said, "Why have you changed so much that I barely believe you're still Zhu Tiegan?"

Zhu Wushì sneered, "Do you think you really know me?"

He turned and left, heading straight for the imperial palace.

At the same moment, the Hu Long Army moved into action, seizing key locations across the capital.

In an instant, the capital fell.

"Uncle, what do you mean by this?"

Zhu Houzhao was forced back into a corner of the palace, his face grim.

Cao Zhengchun followed closely, his expression wary.

Zhu Wushì declared proudly, "Your Majesty, since your ascension, you've indulged in comfort and pleasure. The Great Ming Taizu was deeply displeased—and has already abdicated the throne to me!"

"Nonsense!"

"Great Ming Taizu passed away over a hundred years ago—how could he have passed the throne to you? Zhu Wushì, your ambition is monstrous, your heart worthy of death!"

Many ministers glared angrily and shouted insults.

The Great Ming had no shortage of corrupt officials, nor of upright ones.

At this moment, every official loyal to the Great Ming declared their stance.

Zhu Wushì sneered, waved his hand, and immediately a squad of soldiers brought forward a low table.

Upon the table were offerings of fruit and an incense burner.

Zhu Wushì stepped forward, lit a stick of incense, placed it in the burner, then bowed toward heaven, performing the ritual with great theatricality.

"Descendant of the Great Ming, Zhu Wushì, humbly beseeches the Taizu Emperor to descend!"

The ministers sneered.

Zhu Houzhao felt contempt.

Cao Zhengchun nearly burst out laughing.

"What is Zhu Wushì playing at? He's seizing the throne, yet he's invoking ghosts and gods—does he really believe he can summon the Great Ming Taizu?"