[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign":3,"chapter-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-202":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Eternal Green Immortal Sovereign",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2270210,4432,"Chapter 202: Hidden Crisis","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-202",202,"\u003Cp>“Old Man Li, then why are you telling us now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Youngsters need to have their temper honed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhongtian was momentarily speechless, yet Li Rui’s words made perfect sense—the Thundering Tiger Cavalry was indeed brave but lacked patience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No wonder you’re an elder—you think so thoroughly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His inner vexation vanished at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui training the Thundering Tiger Cavalry strengthens his own power; as a leader, of course he welcomes this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Li Rui keeping him in the dark—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given their friendship, he didn’t care at all; moreover, knowing beforehand, he himself would have been the first to lose his patience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why he was kept in the dark too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhongtian assumed it was because Li Rui had a good relationship with Jiang Linxian’s only daughter, Jiang Yan, and thus got firsthand information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The actual situation was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Yan didn’t know a thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Linxian was so cryptic even with his own subordinates; he certainly wouldn’t tell his own daughter, “I’m going to take down your cousin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Li Rui who, when Jiang Linxian personally assigned him to Huaqing Sect,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>deduced that this mission was no ordinary affair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he had been paying close attention to this detail all along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for connecting it to Jiang Baichuan, he didn’t learn that from his conversation with Jiang Yan last night—he had learned about Huaqing Sect’s situation from Jiang Yan much earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Work must be done in peacetime.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So when he saw Han Shaoquan unusually produce so many case files,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he guessed that Jiang Linxian’s orders were hidden within those files.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, given the relationship between Huaqing Sect and Anning Guard, there was no need to pull out so many files.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If no problems were found, it would waste both sides’ time; if major issues were uncovered, both sides would be humiliated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no reason whatsoever to do it that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Shaoquan was Han Qin’s master; from Han Qin’s behavior, he knew Han Shaoquan wasn’t naive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There must be deeper meaning behind it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Jiang Yan’s account,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he first identified those she disliked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why he quickly zeroed in on Jiang Baichuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t hard to investigate—Jiang Baichuan hadn’t even concealed much; his accounts were too sloppy, and anyone paying attention could spot the problems.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, a single chair—how could it cost three thousand taels?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it were made of gold, it wouldn’t need three thousand taels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such expenditures were everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without thinking, he was clearly siphoning Huaqing Sect’s funds into his own pocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Linxian had reached his limit with his cousin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was clearly meant to use outsiders to finally pierce through that last layer of paper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui’s group were those outsiders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhongtian asked: “Old Man Li, what do you think we should do next?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, report it to the Huaqing Sect Sect Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tan Hu, for once, actually thought: “Aren’t you afraid the damn Sect Master will protect Jiang Baichuan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui smiled lightly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Would you protect a thief stealing from your own home?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huaqing Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a quiet, ancient courtyard deep in the back mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRACK!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A teacup was crushed in his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Baichuan was taken away by the Discipline Hall—why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A lean, aristocratic middle-aged man frowned, ignoring the tea splashed over his robes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before him, a finely dressed, still-elegant woman wept bitterly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s definitely that Zhang bastard plotting against our Baichuan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two were members of the Jiang clan of Huaqing Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man was Jiang Ding, an elder of the Jiang clan, highly respected, second only to Jiang Linxian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Baichuan was his eldest son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop crying!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ding glared at his weeping wife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scolded, she cowered like a cat beside him: “Husband, think of something! What if Baichuan…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ding waved his hand: “I have my own plan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wave of agitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huaqing Sect’s Sect Master, Zhang Yuanchang, was the nominal head, but everyone knew Jiang Linxian was the true master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the Jiang clan and the Sect Master’s faction had always been at odds, constantly scheming against each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>this was no different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His good-for-nothing son had surely been caught red-handed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m going out. Don’t cause more trouble before I return—watch Baichuan more closely from now on!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ding rose and walked toward the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Jiang Baichuan’s talent wasn’t top-tier, he was still his son—he had to save him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he arrived at the Sect Master’s Hall atop the main peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A grand palace, nestled among Cengcengdiedie  ancient trees, softened the cold structure with life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Jiang Ding stepped onto the great hall,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a young man stepped forward to greet him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Elder Jiang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ding glanced at the youth—it was Zhang Yuanchang’s first disciple, Xu Feng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He snorted: “I’m here to see Sect Master Zhang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Feng bowed politely: “Elder Jiang, I’m sorry, but Master has just entered seclusion—he won’t emerge for ten days.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seclusion?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ding sneered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yuanchang chose this exact moment to seclude himself—clearly, he was deliberately avoiding him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what of my son Baichuan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Feng’s apology deepened: “Elder Jiang, please… accept your loss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Accept your loss?’ Jiang Ding felt a bad premonition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Feng continued: “Brother Baichuan tried to seize a weapon and attack a fellow sect member on the way to the Discipline Hall—he was executed on the spot.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ding’s pupils shrank slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had assumed Zhang Yuanchang meant to use Jiang Baichuan as leverage for concessions—he’d already prepared to pay dearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he hadn’t expected—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yuanchang wanted his son’s life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Attacking a fellow member” was just an excuse!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enraged, Jiang Ding staggered back half a step, pointing at Xu Feng: “You… how dare you? How bold!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You dare kill a Jiang clan member!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Feng kept his smile, correcting: “Elder Jiang, you misunderstand—it wasn’t murder. It was carried out according to Huaqing Sect’s disciplinary code.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>=9+ Shu _ Ba\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Disciplinary code?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ding burst into a bitter laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When had the Jiang clan ever been bound by Huaqing Sect’s disciplinary code?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as he was about to explode, a chill crept up his spine, freezing him instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yuanchang has always been extremely restrained when dealing with the Jiang clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why then has he broken his usual pattern?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To dare such a thing within Huaqing Sect, there can be only one reason: someone is backing him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who could that person be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It goes without saying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Ding suddenly felt icy cold all over; he no longer wished to think further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He let out a cold snort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He strode out of the Sect Master’s Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An hour later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Huaqing Sect’s guest courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Y-you’re going to do what?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Huaqing Sect disciple guarding the courtyard panicked as a group of furious Jiang clan members stormed toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were all young Jiang clan members.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leader among them, staring at the empty, abandoned residence, barked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are they?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Huaqing Sect disciple’s voice trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the Jiang clan’s status within Huaqing Sect, he dared not provoke them: “They left early this morning, saying they were going to Anning City.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anning City?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Jiang clan leader frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had come here to demand an explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The news of Jiang Baichuan’s death had already spread through the Jiang family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of their own had died mysteriously—how could these fiery young men tolerate it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Jiang Baichuan wasn’t a good man, only Jiang clan law had the right to execute him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was not for an outsider to do so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumors had somehow surfaced that Jiang Baichuan had been falsely accused by men from Anning Guard and died unjustly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why a group of Jiang clan members now surrounded the guest courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Jiang clan leader shoved aside the guard disciple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He strode inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kicked open a room whose door hung slightly ajar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room was covered floor to ceiling with sheets of white paper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His pupils widened slightly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ledgers?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Li, do we really need to rush so much?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhongtian looked at Li Rui beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had just informed Huaqing Sect’s Sect Master Zhang about Jiang Baichuan’s matter, and immediately Li Rui ordered them to pack their belongings—no delay, not even bothering to bid farewell to Huaqing Sect’s people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui sighed lightly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiang Baichuan will most likely be killed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhongtian was startled: “So serious?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Rui nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On this matter, Jiang Linxian has likely reached an understanding with that Sect Master Zhang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had heard Jiang Yan say so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Jiang clan rose to leadership within Huaqing Sect thanks to Jiang Linxian’s ascent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In earlier years it was fine, but in recent years, as the Jiang clan’s power grew, many clan members became increasingly arrogant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Linxian had naturally noticed this trend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before he rose to power, it was the Jiang clan’s support that propelled him to greatness—acting now would surely alienate the Jiang family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Jiang Linxian could not act himself,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>someone else had to act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yuanchang, Huaqing Sect’s Sect Master, was the perfect choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhang Yuanchang still needed to remain Sect Master—he could not utterly alienate the Jiang clan, even with Jiang Linxian’s tacit approval.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could not openly confront the issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the entire chain lacked an outsider to serve as the catalyst.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wasn’t Li Rui exactly here for that purpose?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, this trip to Huaqing Sect was to take the blame for his superior, Jiang Linxian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a scapegoat, one must have the mindset of a scapegoat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they didn’t flee quickly, they might be trapped in Huaqing Sect by furious Jiang clan members; if it became a mass incident, their deaths would be meaningless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would Jiang Linxian really kill his own subordinates to protect his blood relatives?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys—not exterminate the entire Jiang clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dangerous!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhongtian, after Li Rui’s analysis,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>suddenly felt a chill down his spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On this trip to Huaqing Sect, they hadn’t even lifted a hand, yet had narrowly escaped death multiple times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lucky we got away fast.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He exhaled deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was immensely grateful Li Rui had come along—if not, they might have been trapped in Huaqing Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many had died taking the blame for their superiors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a true art.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A line of small characters appeared before Li Rui’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Congratulations, Host! Achievement Completed: “Minister or General—Beginner Plot”—Alleviating Your Superior’s Burden.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1747,"2026-06-19T22:01:11.003Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","6f017ef96a4b9b49472f88e842ea1bb9b291a49ae07ead67527cf0c842d2b51a","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-203","eternal-green-immortal-sovereign-chapter-201",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Feternal-green-immortal-sovereign-cover.jpg"]