Chapter 256: The Ning Prince

Chai Rui grumbled as he stumbled up the mountain in the dark.

On previous visits to collect the tally, someone had always guided him up.

Having a guide was naturally much easier, but today he waited and waited, and no one came.

He had no choice but to lead the men up himself.

It wasn’t that he wanted to wait until daylight—he simply couldn’t wait any longer.

Collecting the Night Demon soldiers and commanders from Xuan Yuan Temple was merely a side task on his way; he carried far more important missions.

So he couldn’t afford to delay.

But when he reached the summit, what met his eyes was a mountain of dead Night Demon soldiers.

A dread surged in his chest—he didn’t press forward, but stopped his curses and turned to flee downhill.

He knew without thinking something had gone wrong; staying meant walking straight into death.

Too late—he’d barely run a few meters when several armored infantrymen ambushing nearby seized him.

Yang Qianyuan had long calculated the time and place, stationing armored infantry here to wait; as soon as he turned back, he’d be caught.

And if he kept walking forward? Even simpler—he’d walk straight into Chu Danqing’s base.

Then they wouldn’t even need to capture him; he’d do whatever they ordered.

“Who are you, daring to—” Chai Rui struggled to shout, but a slap silenced him.

He was dragged before Chu Danqing and Yang Qianyuan, who were sorting and classifying spiritual materials.

Xiong Zhigang had gone to handle the aftermath.

“The Ning Prince moves swiftly,” Chu Danqing struck first. “Looks like he’s preparing to raise troops. But you’ve underestimated our Min Prince—do you truly believe no one else exists?”

First, stretch the tiger skin—explain later.

Chai Rui’s pupils shrank at those words; Chu Danqing saw it and knew he’d guessed right.

The Ning Prince truly meant to act—and as for the Min Prince? Chu Danqing didn’t even know who that was.

“Hmph!” Chai Rui realized his lapse and fell silent with a cold snort.

“No need to speak,” Yang Qianyuan added. “Our Min Prince already knows what you’re doing. We’ve long heard the Ning Prince consorts with the Eight Tigers.”

“The Emperor is touring the south, and the Eight Tigers serve you. If you send this batch of Night Demon soldiers and commanders, the Ning Prince can rise in rebellion while the Eight Tigers act as inside agents—then you’ll capture the Emperor from within and without.”

“A clever plan. Too bad our Min Prince anticipated it—and struck first.”

At this, Chai Rui finally cracked.

The plan was exactly as described.

Yang Qianyuan had deduced it from available information; the Celestial Mechanism couldn’t produce such detail.

He’d had no real certainty—he’d merely bluffed with Chu Danqing. Now it was clear: they’d guessed right.

But they still didn’t know where the Emperor had reached in his southern tour, or how far the plot had progressed.

The Min Prince was a fiction—but the Ning Prince’s plan was real.

And such a vital scheme surely wasn’t entrusted only to Chai Rui and his handful of men; there must be backup measures.

So the chance of success remained high.

Chai Rui broke not because the plan was failing—but because he’d believed his conspiracy had become the magpie stealing the cicada’s prize.

That their enemy had destroyed this outpost in advance, and captured him precisely, meant every detail of the Ning Prince’s plan had been exposed.

“Still refuse to speak? Fine. You’ll talk.” Chu Danqing gestured; several soldiers stepped forward and dragged Chai Rui away.

Since questioning failed, they’d resort to torture.

If he still wouldn’t speak under pain, they’d simply send him to his death.

They’d already extracted vital intelligence from his expression.

That the world was about to descend into chaos.

What? Chu Danqing go rescue the Emperor to stabilize peace? Even if he were willing to abandon his trial mission, could he even arrive in time?

Whether he could make it in time was doubtful.

Second, the Emperor was unfit—and his conduct wildly absurd.

Better to replace this pleasure-seeking Emperor An Yong than let him continue his indulgences.

In his view, illegitimacy wasn’t the sin—ineptitude was.

Chu Danqing held no reverence for imperial authority.

If a ruler could ensure the people lived in peace and prosperity, with no war across the land, his eccentricity would be called individuality.

But if you’re incompetent, reckless, and drag the whole realm into misery, even diligence is just accelerating without brakes.

After torture, Chai Rui confessed everything he knew.

Whether it was half-truth or outright lie? That was for Chu Danqing and Yang Qianyuan to judge.

“What do you think?” Chu Danqing asked Yang Qianyuan.

Yang Qianyuan paused, then said: “Proceed to Meilong Town.”

Meaning: abandon Emperor An Yong.

“Unless you’re willing to let Grand Coordinator Xiong lead troops against him, how could you and I possibly alter this tide?”

“Better to let events unfold than to resist them,” Yang Qianyuan said plainly.

Chu Danqing disagreed—mainly because the S-rank side quest had made him keenly aware he’d already been drawn into the Ning Prince’s rebellion.

If it were unrelated, the quest wouldn’t have been a side quest—it would’ve been hidden.

“What if Meilong Town is connected to this?” Chu Danqing weighed his words, then told Yang Qianyuan.

Yang Qianyuan’s brow furrowed at the news.

He didn’t ask where Chu Danqing got the information—he only considered how to respond.

“Chai Rui said the Ning Prince already commands a hundred thousand troops. Exaggerated, perhaps—but at least thirty to fifty thousand.”

“If we’re truly drawn in, Grand Coordinator Xiong’s forces are like a drop in the ocean,” Yang Qianyuan replied.

Meaning: they couldn’t win.

“That’s troublesome,” Chu Danqing muttered. The trouble? It would cost money.

“But no matter. We’re here already—there’s always a way.” Chu Danqing replied, then added: “Chai Rui, what’s your opinion? Mine? Kill him outright.”

Chu Danqing would never spare Chai Rui because of the Ning Prince—even if the Ning Prince rose in rebellion and remained as cruel and inhumane as ever, Chu Danqing planned to send him to his grave too.

He didn’t care who sat on the throne—he cared only whether that person could make the people’s lives better.

Too bad changing the whole world was a long, arduous process; Chu Danqing lacked both strength and time. Otherwise, he’d guarantee those feudal lords ended up sweeping streets.

“I agree with Brother Chu,” Yang Qianyuan said. “Keeping him alive is a danger.”

His meaning of “danger” wasn’t that Chai Rui was evil—but that he could expose their whereabouts.

Their views aligned. One armored infantryman raised his blade—crack—and Chai Rui’s head fell.

His attendants, servants, and purple-furnace spiritual beasts were all slaughtered too.

Then, along with the corpses of the Night Demon soldiers and commanders, they were buried in a pit—otherwise, so many bodies would trigger plague.

This matter was settled. Assuming no mishaps, they could proceed to Meilong Town once Xiong Zhigang finished his cleanup.

But fate proved it wouldn’t be that easy.

Especially with so many troops present.

Around dawn, the corpses of the Night Demon soldiers and commanders were fully buried, and the soldiers escorting the women to Guanglu Prefecture returned safely.

Chu Danqing had sorted and stored all the spiritual materials he needed in his storage space.

As for the leftover unused materials and the Azure Blood Dew, no worry—they’d be explained to the Prefect of Guanglu when the women were delivered.

Someone was already on the way.

They needed to process paperwork and assign personnel; by the time they finished and set out, the soldiers would be returning—so they couldn’t accompany them.

“It’s getting late. Let me escort Grand Coordinator Xiong and your men back first,” Chu Danqing said.

Though Xiong Zhigang’s upkeep cost little, he and his men had worked all night—they were exhausted.

Whether Xiong Zhigang or his soldiers, their bare stats couldn’t match Chu Danqing’s—and they’d fought and cleaned up all night. To say they weren’t tired would be a lie.

【You returned your alliance partner. Cognitive rationalization update complete. Current duration: 7 hours. Cost: Paradise Points ×7】

『I need to summon Guo Ming soon—have the Guo family refine two batches of pills for me.』 Chu Danqing thought.

One batch: premium-grade pills, to boost Xiong Zhigang’s strength.

The other: standard-grade mass pills, to enhance his soldiers.

Standard-grade items certified: one unit = one Paradise Point. Converted into strength, the gain would be substantial.

『But the Guo family can’t work for free—it’s not for me, so I must pay.』

Chu Danqing would cover the cost; Xiong Zhigang’s trial world produced nothing usable for trade with the Guo family.

Strengthening Xiong Zhigang and his men didn’t just boost Chu Danqing’s power—it also increased the base quantity of his skill crystals.

In essence, it was investment, not a gift.

『I’m broke. Hope this shiny fine-grade treasure chest yields something useful to use as payment.』

『Fine. Even if it does, I’m still taking advantage—trading fine-grade for their premium-grade, and only one unit at that.』

Chu Danqing helped the Guo family and Guo Ming—but one thing at a time. If the resources were for himself, he’d take them without guilt.

But these were for Xiong Zhigang—he couldn’t accept them for free.

“Daylight’s here. Let’s find a place to rest before we move on.” Chu Danqing had planned to say “let’s set out,” but he noticed Yang Qianyuan’s fatigue.

He chose rest instead—and opened the treasure chest.

The deadline for Meilong Town was a month; only one day had passed—no rush.

[101] If more chests or quests appeared on the road, and his purse grew fuller, all the better.

(End of chapter)