Chapter 356: It's already this year, there won't be anyone who still thinks Li Chen

On a bustling Vermilion Bird Street in Shanghe City, a magnificent mansion stood tall. Above the vermilion-lacquered, gold-nailed main gate hung a mysterious gold plaque, with two characters written in a dragon-flying, phoenix-dancing style.

Wei Fu!

The edges of the plaque were inlaid with deep-sea pearls, emitting a lustrous glow even at night.

In front of the mansion gate, eight retainers dressed in brocade tight-fitting clothes stood on both sides, each with slightly bulging temples and eyes like lightning; they were clearly skilled practitioners.

Hanging from their waists were gilded waist plaques, with the family crest "Wei" engraved on them.

This was proof of their identity. Being able to mix into the status of a retainer in the Wei family was considered to have face in Shanghe City, second only to the Jiang family.

But the Jiang family wasn't something just anyone could compare to; the Jiang family had already transcended the concept of a commercial family and entered the ranks of imperial relatives.

Who let the Jiang family have so many concubines, deeply favored by the emperor.

The Wei family could also be considered the family that had risen the fastest in Shanghe City during this period.

If you said their family were nouveau riche, they wouldn't say anything; they were truly rich.

Stepping into the Wei family's mansion gate, facing you was a nine-curved white jade bridge. Beneath the bridge, living water was drawn to form a pond, and rare golden-scaled dragon carp swam in the pond. It was said that every one of these fish was worth a thousand gold.

At the end of the bridge stood a huge emerald shadow wall, on which the Wei family's road to prosperity was inlaid with gold thread, from the East Sea salt fields to the Western Regions camel teams, lifelike.

Of course, many of these were fictional, nothing more than boasting about how awesome the Wei family was.

Being able to spend so much money to build these also showed that the Wei family's foundation was very deep.

There was no help for it; who let the Wei family also be considered to have climbed onto the imperial court, eating a few big projects in the Ministry of Works, making countless commercial families jealous.

Everyone thought the Wei family would be very low-key; who knew the Wei family was very high-profile, having money just meant spending it.

This also deepened everyone's feeling that the Wei family was a commercial family.

Today's Wei Fu was exceptionally lively.

Inside the front courtyard's deliberation hall, dozens of Wei family branch heads from various cities gathered together. Besides them, there were also many big shots from the Shanghe City Chamber of Commerce.

But the core was still the Wei family people. Most of these Wei family people wore exquisite cloud brocade long gowns, with abacuses, seals, and other items hanging from their waists, occasionally revealing shrewd expressions during their conversation.

The young generation of young masters gathered in twos and threes, some showing off newly obtained overseas wonders, some discussing recently invested mines.

Although their appearances varied, everyone wore jade bracelet magic treasures on their wrists, looking spirited.

The female family members were even more competitive in beauty. A beauty known as the Third Miss Wei wore a mist-hued gauze skirt, and the "Seven Emotions Butterfly" that changed color with her mood was pinned in her hair. She was covering her mouth and laughing, and the flow of her eyes caused several young managers to look over frequently.

The Fifth Madam Wei from the East Sea branch, although over thirty, had a deep blue shark-silk long skirt that outlined her plump figure just right, and the "Condensing Fragrance Pearl" hanging on her chest emitted a faint begonia fragrance with her breathing, making people steal glances.

The most eye-catching was Wei Manying's mother. She wore a moon-flower tassel gown, and that beautiful face that couldn't tell her age—if it weren't for her plump and abundant figure, and her every move fully displaying an elegant demeanor, everyone would have thought she was some family's young girl.

Wei Manying's mother rarely appeared, and many Wei family people hadn't seen her.

This time it was indeed at Wei Manying's invitation that she came to this place.

And Wei Manying herself was chatting with her own younger sister in a secret room.

It looked like the Wei family was very prosperous, and this was also a grand family gathering, but actually, it was all a layout Wei Manying had set for the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty's emperor.

People outside were all acting, acting like a normal commercial family.

Because they did this to let the people in the Chamber of Commerce release the news, reducing the imperial clan's vigilance and achieving their own purpose.

Actually, the core members of the Wei family were all remnants of the previous dynasty. They didn't have the surname Wei; they had the surname Yuan.

Wei Manying's younger sister used the alias Wei Manping, the legitimate Second Princess of the previous dynasty.

"Sister, is this news reliable? When is that dog emperor coming to Shanghe City?"

Wei Manping stood respectfully beside Wei Manying, looking very obedient and well-behaved.

As Wei Manying's younger sister, her figure and face were impeccable; she was the kind of woman who could bring disaster to the country and the people.

Perhaps because she was young, Wei Manping wasn't as plump as her sister, but it was definitely not something one claw could fully grasp.

"Rest assured. Although Imperial Consort Jiang didn't reveal it directly, she has already instructed the hot pot restaurant people. If the emperor wasn't coming, she couldn't possibly do these things deliberately."

Wei Manying had ninety percent certainty that Li Chen would definitely come to the hot pot restaurant in Shanghe City.

At that time, he would have a meal at the hot pot restaurant with some important local officials and experts from the cultivation alliance, the Purple Heaven Palace.

These were also 'pre-booked'. Not only did the hot pot restaurant have to make preparations, but those officials and cultivation world powerhouses also had to make preparations.

Even if the emperor was coming privately, it counted as an inspection, and they had to perform well.

If Wei Manying went directly to ask Jiang Rong, it would appear too deliberate; she could only judge Li Chen's whereabouts from some clues on the side.

From here, it could also be shown that Wei Manying truly had some ability and didn't rely purely on anyone.

Since Li Chen was coming, Wei Manying naturally prepared things that catered to his interests for Li Chen, and that was beauties.

As long as one could have a relationship with the palace, one could know that Li Chen's harem was not small, which also showed that he was a normal man.

Very few people would inquire about these, but Wei Manying would certainly go and understand.

Afraid that Li Chen was too picky, Wei Manying called over everyone in the family who was beautiful. When the time came, she would find a way to let them show their faces in front of Li Chen. As long as Li Chen took a fancy to them, then Wei Manying's plan to assassinate the emperor would officially begin.

She wasn't afraid of Li Chen being lustful; she was afraid of Li Chen not being lustful.

It could be said that the Wei family now had beautiful women of all types, as long as Li Chen liked them!

Wei Manying herself didn't intend to participate in this plan. She knew she was very beautiful and would likely be taken a fancy to by the emperor.

But she was a core figure of the remnants of the previous dynasty; as long as she was valued by Li Chen, as long as the plan succeeded, she would also be buried with him.

Having finally mixed to this point, how could Wei Manying choose to be buried with him?

The family members would also understand; after all, she held too many 'lines' in her hands, and the family still needed her.

Those women who came here had already made preparations to face death as if returning home.

Being able to make the Heavenly Strategy Dynasty's emperor die might be their highest destiny.

"But Sister, since we know where the dog emperor is coming, why don't we find a way to kill him directly?"

Wei Manping tried to say a sentence, but what she got in return was a slap from her sister.

The crisp sound of the slap echoed throughout the secret room, and Wei Manping still had blood flowing from the corner of her mouth.

"You are already at this age, why can you still say such childish words? What level of emperor is Li Chen? If you are not deaf or blind, you should know, right?"

Wei Manying was also angry enough. It's already this year, there won't be anyone who still thinks Li Chen is weak, right?

The three major cultivation alliances are strong, right? Li Chen went alone, and those alliances were all tamed, not a single person dared to resist.

You wouldn't think that our Yuan family has people even more terrifying than the three major cultivation alliances, right?

The highest cultivator in our Yuan family is only at the peak of the Heavenly Abyss Realm, not even a Sage Realm, and you dare to go assassinate Li Chen, a powerhouse in the Sage Realm?

Let alone assassinate, cultivators below the Sage Realm, as long as they know who Li Chen is, don't even have the courage to draw their swords.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 357 =====