Chapter 355: The Flamboyant Scapegoat

"?!!!"

Zhao Qian's pupils suddenly shrank to needle points, his eyeballs seemed about to bulge out of their sockets, staring fixedly at the three kneeling, bowing black silhouettes.

The three great masters, just summoned by him and regarded as his final trump cards, now stood with spines perfectly straight, their bowing posture toward Chen Yan so conspicuously humble.

That word "Supervisor" was like a red‑hot branding iron, scorching his chest.

"Buzz—"

His mind felt as if countless hornets were exploding, a chaotic haze.

Zhao Qian forced his mouth open, his throat as if clogged with a clump of sticky rags, and with Herculean effort managed to sputter out a few words, his voice trembling: "This... you... you all..."

Aren't these the masters he and Old Dugu bought?

They are the Blade he secured with countless effort, heavy money and titles!

"The Old Grand Counselor's men bowed to Chen Yan, even calling him Lord Supervisor..."

The scene before him struck like a heavy hammer on Yang Qin's Heavenly Spirit Cover; that word "Supervisor" and the uniform bow made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up with a "shush".

An extremely bizarre, utterly absurd thought rose like a venomous snake from the back of his skull: "Could it be...?!"

From the start... that assassination attempt on Chen Yan... was a performance for Zhao, the Old Grand Counselor to watch?!

Yang Qin grew increasingly alarmed, cold sweat soaking his collar in an instant, his limbs inexplicably went limp.

No, it's not fear—

His knees felt as if suddenly filled with lead, his calves trembled uncontrollably, his torso swayed, and he hurriedly reached for the nearby corridor column; his fingertips touched the cold wood, and his arm shook along with it.

The poison in the wine had begun to take effect!

"How could this be?!"

Yan Zhi Tui lay on the ground, his newly sparked euphoria instantly shattered by this reversal; his mouth gaped, but no sound emerged, the resentment in his eyes solidified into extreme terror, his heart filled with astonishment: "When did they also get bought by Chen Yan?!"

The elder brother's eldest grandson's betrayal was already shocking enough.

How could even the martial heroes under his command...

Chen Yan's mouth curled into a faint smile, the smile spreading across his eyes and brows; his gaze swept over the three kneeling, bowing figures, he slowly raised his hand, his sleeves swaying lightly with the motion, his fingertips barely lifted, his voice steady and calm yet clearly reaching each ear: "No need for excessive courtesy!"

"Quickly, rise!"

The words landed, and the three members of Iron Palm Flying Dragon responded at once.

Three voices sounded together, coarse‑gravelly, deep‑cold and high‑pitched intertwining, oddly exuding a uniform solemnity.

When they straightened, their spines remained perfectly upright, but the murderous intent just moments ago had withdrawn, turning into absolute obedience toward Chen Yan.

Hands hanging at their sides, like three sheathed Blades awaiting their master's command.

"What an inconvenience!"

Behind Chen Yan's right rear, a figure stepped forward half a step silently.

Li Tan, clad in Xuanse Jinshen, looked at Zhao Qian and the others, raised his hand and pointed at the three upright figures, his tone full of unabashed sarcasm: "These three are also my family's Lord Supervisor, the capable officers under his command..."

He paused, as if the remark wasn't cutting deep enough, then leisurely added: "They've already settled like good birds choosing fine trees!"

Our own elder brother's brilliance and might, and his foresight!

Before two old ruffians could use silver to buy them, the top ten martial heroes in the jianghu had basically already been bought with silver...

No way, what his elder brother lacks most is silver!

Chen Yan's eyebrows lifted slightly, that faint smile turning mischievous, he looked at the three of Iron Palm Flying Dragon, Zheng Yi among them, his gaze circling their faces, then spoke slowly, his voice low yet clear enough for the pallid Zhao Qian to hear distinctly: "The two Old Grand Counselors let you earn extra wealth, giving you so many golden Land Deeds..."

The three, hearing this, bowed their heads in unison and listened.

Chen Yan's smile deepened, his fingertip pointed toward Zhao Qian, his tone teasing almost spilling over: "Aren't you grateful to the Old Grand Counselor?"

"Thank you, Zhao, the Old Grand Counselor!"

The three exchanged glances, instantly understood, turned toward the gritting Zhao Qian, and bowed again.

That posture held no murderous intent, yet added a few more strands of cutting mockery compared to the earlier reverence.

And his gaze seemed even more like looking at a flamboyant scapegoat!

That day when Dugu Zhao made his emphatic promises, who could know how hard they struggled to suppress laughter...

"Let this old man and Dugu's men use you to kill you..."

Zhao Qian felt a sour‑sweet surge in his throat, the blood could no longer be held back, and it "splurt" onto the Blue Bricks before him, dark red droplets staining his grizzled beard, a shocking sight, he gritted his teeth and said: "What a clever scheme, what a fine tactic!"

While speaking, he wiped his mouth haphazardly with his sleeve, his gaze drilling at Chen Yan.

His cloudy eyes swirled with boundless hatred, yet mixed with a hint of desperate decay.

Instantly, his right hand shot up, his palm clutching the whole‑yellowed bone whistle, the last trump card he relied on.

But at this moment, the bone whistle trembled slightly in his palm, like a joke.

Then he flung his hand up forcefully, using his last ounce of strength to smash the bone whistle onto the ground—

"Snap!"

The crisp cracking sound exploded through the dead silent hall, the bone whistle broke into several pieces, rolling onto the floor.

Such a humiliating object should not exist in the world.

"Just a petty scheme, not worth mentioning, never worthy of the refined hall!"

Chen Yan looked at the shattered bone whistle on the ground, then glanced at the raging Zhao Qian, his eyes' mockery nearly spilling over.

Speaking, he leisurely adjusted his sleeve and gave Zhao Qian a slight bow.

The gesture looked like a bow, but the mockery in his eyes could not be hidden.

His voice was even, showing no trace of smugness.

Yet that casual disdain between the lines could pierce into one's bones.

Zhao Qian stared at Chen Yan's punchable appearance, suddenly tugged at his mouth corner, revealing a smile uglier than crying, his voice thick with blood, oddly sarcastic, retorted: "Lord Supervisor Chen, you really are modest!"

He chewed the word "modest" especially heavily, as if gnawing bitter medicinal residue.

Every syllable dripped with heavy sarcasm, yet carried a sense of hopeless decadence.

After a moment of dead silence, Zhao Qian let out a long sigh, deep and heavy as if expelling the last breath from his lungs, and, almost numb, said in a low voice: "I must admit, your methods are indeed extremely formidable!"

As for the methods alone, Zhao Qian is genuinely impressed by Chen Yan…

It is a comprehensive crushing of our side.

Truly a step above in skill!

"To receive such praise from the Old Pillar of State makes all the careful planning of this scheme worthwhile…" Chen Yan nodded slightly, gave a calm smile, and replied.

Recognition from an opponent is far more gratifying than flattery from subordinates…

Zhao Qian's gaze began to drift, a wave after wave of soreness and weakness washed over his limbs, and a numbness of powerlessness seeped into the joints of his bones.

He gripped the chair's armrest tightly, forcing his body upright.

The effects of the Soft Sinew Powder fully manifested.

Zhao Qian clenched his teeth, using his last ounce of strength to prop up his upper body, his cloudy eyes fixed on Chen Yan, a garbled sound issuing from his throat, yet he could not help to hurl the lingering doubt: "But I don't understand, Chu Chaosheng clearly saw that poisoned dart pierce your chest!"

"You, too, spurted black blood, looking on the brink of death from poison!"

That poison‑coated secret weapon was the one Chu Chaosheng watched enter Chen Yan's chest.

The black blood, too, he saw spill from the opponent's lips.

How could that be a fake?

He could not comprehend!

"Exactly!"

Chen Yan nodded, glanced at his own collar, lifted his hand and lightly tapped his chest with two fingers, his tone as flat as if speaking of someone else: "The secret weapon of Yan Zixian indeed struck the Chief…"

He paused, the tone sharply shifted, the half‑smile at his lips deepening, his voice laced with mockery: "But what it hit was the blood bag I had hidden in my chest!"

Using the Night Wandering Divine Lord's secret‑weapon technique to hit the blood bag's location is a piece of cake…

But Chen Yan has always been cautious, and even wore protective soft armor just in case.

"Blood bag?"

Zhao Qian muttered the words, a "ho" escaping his throat as if choked, then a halting laugh spilled out, "Ha ha!"

That laugh was more bitter than his own life.

Chen Yan shrugged slightly, his posture exuding a casual composure, and explained: "As for the black blood that was spat out—"

He flicked his tongue, lightly licking between his lips, a sharper glint in his eyes: "It was merely a blood pellet hidden under the tongue, broken the moment it was bitten…"

He paused again, then continued: "As for the poisoned appearance, it's even simpler…"

"When they appeared, the Chief had already taken the pre‑prepared weakness pill!"

That's what they call a full‑scale performance.

Chen—this person—is a dedicated director and actor!

Blood bag, blood pellet, weakness pill—all present…

"Impressive!"

Zhao Qian's chest rose and fell so feebly it resembled a dying candle in the wind, and he could not help but sigh in admiration.

In that instant, the Old Pillar of State truly could not understand…

Why did Chen Tongyuan discard such a 'kirin child' and pass it to Yuwen Hu???

What a blind move!

If this guy were on their side, there'd be no worry about the great undertaking succeeding!

"No wonder the Pei Clan 'lost composure' to summon the imperial physician and the Physician; they must fear we won't know that your life is near its end, right?"

Yang Qin let out a long sigh, forced his body upright as if recalling something, and gave a wry smile.

Upon careful thought, the Pei Clan's actions indeed pose a serious problem…

How could the foremost talented lady of Chang'an, the legitimate daughter of the Pei Clan, Grand Duke's Lady, be so unsettled?

It was only to make them more convinced of the false pretense that Chen Yan's life was in danger…

"Indeed!"

Chen Yan raised an eyebrow, turned to Zhao Qian, a playful smile curling his lips, and asked: "Old Pillar of State, would you guess why, besides those three, Chu Chaosheng is still alive to return?"

"Because you, Chief Chen, need to use Chu Chaosheng's mouth to make us believe you truly were poisoned by the secret weapon's deadly toxin!"

"Killing those three was also to make that scene even more realistic…"

At this point, how could Zhao Qian still not understand Chu Chaosheng's role as the sole surviving mouth on our side?

After all, the three top masters of Iron Mouth Flying Dragon are ultimately outsiders…

The news of an incurable poisoning can only be believed firmly when spoken by a master cultivated within our own ranks.

"No wonder Jiang is still sharp as an old chili!"

Chen Yan smiled calmly, clapped his hands: "Spot on!"

"I never expected the four of us today to fall into your hands!"

"And lose so miserably!"

Zhao Qian's eyelids twitched, as if unwilling to close completely.

He mustered his last ounce of strength, jaw clenched, his cheekbones pulling tight with withered lines.

His cloudy eyes struggled to turn toward Chen Yan, then slowly swept over the prostrate Yan Zhi Tui on the ground, finally returning to himself.

"Old Pillar of State, you're wrong again…"

Chen Yan, hearing this, smiled calmly, slowly wiggled his fingers, the mockery in his eyes so thick it wouldn't dissolve: