Chapter 175: Assassinating the Chancellor? Counterattack!

The next day, at nine o'clock, Chu Danqing finally left Insect Tail Valley.

Whether Zhao Tiechuan would honor his five-day promise meant nothing to Chu Danqing, and he had no intention of verifying it.

His mission was already complete.

【Mission completed. You have received: Paradise Points ×10, 00, Attribute Points +4】

It was a pity he hadn't yet obtained the Nine Cauldrons Map.

He didn't yet understand how this side quest supplemented the trial mission's points.

He'd return to the city first—Paradise had warned him of the risks of staying outside too long.

"Ma Yunfeng was assassinated in his mansion last night??" Chu Danqing's blood pressure spiked as Wei Chu reported the news.

The assassin, it seemed, had once been Ma Yunfeng's classmate, which allowed him to get close.

Then it was simple—he drew his blade and slashed Ma Yunfeng once.

The attacker hadn't escaped; he was now locked in the dungeon.

As for interrogation, no one had bothered to handle it.

Jia Simou seized the opportunity to strike back, and everything Ma Yunfeng had suppressed in Linshen City began to rebound.

"That dog, plotting against me while I was away," Chu Danqing's face darkened.

If Chu Danqing had been present, the assassin wouldn't have gotten close enough to strike.

This was an open, undeniable stratagem.

Ma Yunfeng sent Chu Danqing to block the Black Flag Army, leaving himself exposed.

If he hadn't sent him, the Black Flag Army entering the city would have sealed the outcome.

So Ma Yunfeng chose the former—but he never expected it to happen so swiftly, leaving him no time to react.

"Also, yesterday, Deputy Commander Hong Chengyue entered the city."

"The first thing he did, under the guidance of a girl named Lianyun, stormed the Liu residence and seized Liu Bai, Chen Jiunan, and others in a flash," Wei Chu said, his expression grim.

"The charge: traitors of the Zhao Ming Society."

The arrests of Ma Yunfeng, Liu Bai, Chen Jiunan, and others naturally affected Wei Chu.

Hearing this, Chu Danqing let out a silent laugh.

He'd thought Lianyun might merely have failed—but she'd outright defected.

"Where's Commander Qi Qianshan?" Chu Danqing asked.

He'd already decided to kill—once he located them, he'd go door to door.

"He didn't come. Rumor says he received an imperial edict en route, ordering Deputy Commander Hong Chengyue to bring most of the Ironclad Guard's elite to Linshen City."

"But I suspect the capital believes the situation is settled, so they've assigned Qi Qianshan to other matters."

"After all, Qi Qianshan has always been at odds with Zhao Tiechuan, yet he's close to Hong Chengyue," Wei Chu added, then paused: "Big Brother Chu, this isn't the time to discuss this."

"Master Ma is under assassination, his life hanging by a thread."

"This morning, Master Ma's servant came to report—he may not survive the day," Wei Chu said.

Hearing this, Chu Danqing felt his head spin.

"I'll go myself. Tell your men to lie low for now."

"This isn't like before—mess up, and people will die," Chu Danqing warned.

He'd originally planned to take Wei Chu along, to boost Wei Chu's favor with Ma Yunfeng—but he knew Wei Chu had secretly been building his own intelligence network.

Chu Danqing had warned him once; he wouldn't warn him again. Since it was Wei Chu's own choice, he wouldn't interfere further.

With that, Chu Danqing headed straight for Ma Yunfeng's ancestral home.

The Beast-Masked Guards drove him there without incident, and he soon reached Ma Yunfeng, lying on his sickbed.

Ma Yunfeng, already elderly, now looked even paler; even if saved, he had little time left.

The wound was on his ribs—blood had been stanched, but internal organs were surely damaged.

"You're back," Ma Yunfeng said, forcing a smile as he saw Chu Danqing: "I've heard about Chen Hui and Liu Bai."

"They won't escape death. I won't make it through the night."

"The rest is yours," Ma Yunfeng said, unwilling to die without entrusting everything to Chu Danqing.

"Who did this?" Chu Danqing asked, as Da Bai immediately unleashed a barrage of single-target healing spells—Soul Healing—onto Ma Yunfeng, as if they cost nothing.

The healing magic entered Ma Yunfeng's body; his pallor began to fade.

Simultaneously, the Son of Heaven emerged from the imperial decree and began bestowing multiple buffs upon Ma Yunfeng.

Soon, Ma Yunfeng, who had been barely breathing, recovered fully.

If Ma Yunfeng had been a powerful cultivator, such injuries would've been hard to heal.

But he was merely an ordinary man—if Da Bai and the Son of Heaven couldn't heal him, Chu Danqing's investments would've been useless.

"Better?" Ma Yunfeng touched his rib wound, then sat up abruptly.

"Healing that restores the dead to flesh and bone," Ma Yunfeng said, astonished: "Even the imperial physicians can't do this. How do you have such skill?"

Chu Danqing merely nodded, not explaining, but urged: "Since you're recovered, get to work."

"Chen Jiunan and Liu Bai are still waiting for you to rescue them."

"By the way, Zhao Tiechuan of the Black Flag Army asked me to deliver a message," Chu Danqing repeated Zhao Tiechuan's words.

This brought a smile to Ma Yunfeng's face.

"Young Master Chu, you truly are the former emperor's personal Qingyi Guard Battalion Commander," Ma Yunfeng felt his injury was worth it: "I only asked you to delay one day—and you got him to grant five."

"Remarkable."

With only one day, Ma Yunfeng's time would've been too tight.

But with five, he could not only crush Jia Simou and Hong Chengyue, but also prepare to win over Zhao Tiechuan.

Zhao Tiechuan wanted power—the Empress Dowager could grant it, but so could the Shuo Emperor, and even more.

"Save the flattery for later. When this is over, I'll set aside a day to hear your praise—but not now," Chu Danqing said, unimpressed by Ma Yunfeng's compliments.

Besides, the praise felt awkward—his own achievements were being diluted by references to the dead emperor.

The former emperor had been buried for years—how could anyone still invoke him like this? It was absurd.

Ma Yunfeng immediately rose, donned his outer robe, and prepared to leave.

"Your subordinate Wei Chu is a talent," he said as they left the estate: "He's helped me greatly."

"But he's ambitious, always trying to get close to me—he seems to want to ride on my power."

"Watch yourself—he might use you as a stepping stone," Ma Yunfeng warned.

Chu Danqing didn't care, only replied: "I know."

"He's been poor too long. Afraid. When a chance to turn things around comes, grabbing it is natural."

He defended Wei Chu.

As they stepped out of the Ma family estate, they faced a group of Ironclad Guards waiting for them.

Their leader was Jia Simou. Seeing Ma Yunfeng walk out so robustly, his expression changed instantly.

"Jia Provincial Governor, you've come at the perfect time—I have business with you," Ma Yunfeng smiled.

He knew exactly why Jia Simou had come with the Ironclad Guards.

Simply to eliminate the last variable: Chu Danqing.

But since Ma Yunfeng hadn't died yet, Jia dared not act openly—so he waited outside the mansion.

"Old Master," Jia Simou quickly composed himself and stepped forward: "I've come on behalf of Deputy Commander Hong to arrest Zhao Ming Society traitors."

"Zhao Ming Society traitors?" Ma Yunfeng chuckled, then his face darkened: "Am I one?"

"No, no, no—it's the former Qingyi Guard Battalion Commander Chu—" Jia Simou hurried to explain.

But before he finished, a flash of golden light erupted from Chu Danqing's front and struck Jia Simou instantly.

It sent him crashing headfirst into the ground.

"You dog, don't smear filth unless you know who you're dealing with," Chu Danqing spat: "When I served the former emperor on campaigns north and south, you didn't even exist."

"I'm a Zhao Ming Society traitor? So the former emperor was their leader?"

Jia Simou had just struggled to his feet when Da Bai seized his throat and hauled him forward.

The Ironclad Guards drew their blades to attack—but Ghost Wailing Infants had already clung to their hands, their yin energy freezing their limbs numb.

Jia Simou opened his mouth to speak, but Da Bai, on Chu Danqing's order, slapped him twice—half his teeth shattered.

"I knew you'd never spit out anything but filth. Next time, I'll hang you up and whip you raw—so you learn the might of Chu's service to the throne."

Hearing this, Jia Simou wished he were dead.

Ma Yunfeng, witnessing this, was stunned—his composure nearly cracked.

It had happened too suddenly—he hadn't expected Chu Danqing to act so decisively.

Fortunately, Chu Danqing hadn't killed him outright; Jia Simou's public murder would've been a mess.

"Jia Provincial Governor, what can I say to you?" Ma Yunfeng sighed, feigning helplessness: "Even I, an old man, show Young Master Chu three parts of respect."

"You accuse Young Master Chu of treason without proof—someone must be manipulating you."

"Guards, escort Jia Provincial Governor inside to rest awhile," Ma Yunfeng said, pretending concern—but his intent was to imprison Jia Simou.

His own assassination was tied to Jia Simou.

Though he wasn't as blunt as Chu Danqing, he had no intention of letting Jia Simou go free.

Jia Simou tried to cry for help—but Da Bai struck him again before he could speak, silencing him instantly.

Several Ma family retainers moved in and dragged him into the mansion.

As for the Ironclad Guards? They were paralyzed by the Ghost Wailing Infants—unable to move, let alone rescue him.

"Young Master Chu, take my official order and bring out those individuals whom Inspector Jia has labeled as members of the Zhao Ming Rebellion."

"I wish to interrogate them again and determine whether they are truly rebels."

"Or is Inspector Jia eliminating his political rivals?" Ma Yunfeng stroked his beard.

(End of Chapter)