Chapter 606: Purchasing (2)

Who goes there? Report your name, origin, military rank and official position!

Wu Tie stood with his hands behind his back; a vast expanse of cloud behind him condensed into a throne, and he plopped onto it with a swagger. The Wu Jin brothers, leading several hundred hulking, fiercely auraed Wu family youths, stood in a line behind him.

Such pomp and circumstance, such grandeur—it didn't look like an inspection tour by an exalted prince; it felt more like a mountain stronghold boss sizing up hostages.

Several dozen commanders from the opposing side slowly flew over, all cultivators at the Tai Cang realm; covering just a few hundred li, it really didn't take much time.

The group approached Wu Tie, reluctantly clenching their right fists and lightly tapping their left chests; the leading first‑rank general said coldly, "This subordinate, General Zhao Bao..."

Wu Tie quickly cut him off: "What relation is Zhao Xiong to you?"

Zhao Bao's face darkened slightly; he gritted his teeth and said coldly, "Zhao Xiong is my paternal cousin, this subordinate..."

Wu Tie slapped his hand hard and burst out laughing: "No wonder you wanted to give me a good show—so you're a relative of Zhao Xiong? Well, General Zhao Bao, you're causing trouble for the prince of this dynasty over the former dynasty's prince consort... Are you harboring loyalty to the former dynasty and plotting rebellion?"

Wu Tie's words were truly cunning and vicious; Zhao Bao's face turned deathly pale in an instant.

Originally, Zhao Bao intended to use his authority to make things difficult for Wu Tie, preferably barring him from entering Zhenmo City altogether, thereby demonstrating his ability and earning the respect of the clan elders who harbored resentment toward Wu Tie.

But once Wu Tie said that, Zhao Bao realized his goal could not be achieved.

"Harboring loyalty to the former dynasty"... That murderous Prince An—saying something like that could very well cost lives!

Zhao Xiong, one of Wu Tie's former rivals, was the husband of Princess Jing Sheng of the Da Jin Shen Kingdom and the father of Zhao Yin. Because of Zhao Yin's affairs, Zhao Xiong repeatedly provoked and troubled Wu Tie, yet Wu Tie rose steadily, flourishing, while Zhao Xiong mysteriously "died in battle" on the southwestern front.

Zhao Xu died in battle, and Princess Jing Sheng's mad, reckless behavior then triggered a chain of subsequent events.

One could even say that Linghu Qingqing's determination to usurp the throne was most directly linked to Zhao Xiong and Princess Jing Sheng.

The Zhao clan, from which Zhao Xiong came, is one of the top military houses of the Da Jin Shen Kingdom, with strength sufficient to rank among the top ten military clans in the world.

Linghu Qingqing smoothly forced the former dynasty's Sima clan to abdicate, taking control of this realm; she hardly ever had to draw weapons, and the Zhao clan, formerly a vassal of the Linghu clan, remains to this day a loyal subject of the Linghu.

If Wu Tie's words reached Linghu Qingqing's ears... heh, the former chancellor Linghu Qingqing might just laugh it off, but the current Divine Emperor Linghu Qingqing would certainly prefer to believe it rather than doubt it!

After all, Wu Tie has stirred up a pot that's too black, too heavy, and too big; a single black pot dropped on him would suffocate Zhao Bao.

Dryly laughing, Zhao Bao involuntarily bowed deeply to Wu Tie: "Your Highness, what are you talking about? I, Zhao Bao, and my Zhao clan are utterly loyal to His Majesty; there's no need to mention any former dynasty prince consort anymore."

His eyes shifted, and Zhao Bao accompanied his smile: "Cousin Zhao Xiong was also bewitched by a former dynasty temptress, which is why he married her... How much turmoil has that temptress brought upon my Zhao clan? My Zhao clansmen all wish to cut her into a thousand pieces—how could it possibly... how could it possibly..."

"Enough," Wu Tie waved his hand and gave a cold snort: "Whether you are loyal to His Majesty is none of my concern; that's for the emperor's spies and informants to worry about."

Zhao Bao's face changed again abruptly; Wu Tie's words were truly harsh.

Moreover, Zhao Bao still had several Zhao clan generals behind him; he couldn't help but sneak a quick glance at his nearby comrades—surely among them were spies from the Demon‑Suppressing Hall and informants planted by Linghu Qingqing, without a doubt.

It seems that from now on, we must speak and act with even greater caution.

"Now, along this line of Zhenmo City, Zhao Bao, judging by your attire, you must be the city lord," Wu Tie said, pointing at Zhao Bao.

"Yes, yes, yes, Your Highness has eyes like torches; I am indeed the lord of Zhenmo's First City and also the commander of the 360 forts outside the city. All military affairs of Zhenmo's First City are handled by me alone."

Zhao Bao blinked his eyes, looking at Wu Tie.

As a high‑ranking prince of the Divine Kingdom and also the deputy master of the Zhenmo Hall, why has he inexplicably brought a massive fleet to the Zhenmo City defense line?

If you say he's here to reinforce the battle, what are all those transport ships for?

If you say he's here to carry supplies, he hasn't received any notice from the Ministry of War.

Zhao Bao, bewildered, smiled cautiously: "Your Highness, I don't know what military business you have come for this time."

Wu Tie waved his hand and said bluntly: "What military business? I can't possibly bring people out just for a sightseeing trip?"

Zhao Bao straightened his back, widened his eyes at Wu Tie, and feigned shock, shouting loudly: "Your Highness, are you secretly leading troops and leaving the fief without permission? This... is a capital crime punishable by execution and confiscation of property!"

Wu Tie raised his right hand; before Zhao Bao could see the move, a resounding slap sent him flying several dozen li.

"Nonsense!" Wu Tie snorted: "What I brought is the trade caravan of my An Kingdom's 'An State Merchant Association'; these warships and youths are registered guards of the An State Merchant Association in An Kingdom—certainly not my private army!"

"If I had taken troops out of the fief without authorization, that would be a death sentence—but I followed my own merchant guild out of the fief to do business; even if the case went to the emperor, I would surely win. I am innocent! Heh heh, heh heh, heh heh."

Wu Tie pointed at the dazed, dust‑covered Zhao Bao struggling to get up a dozen li away and laughed: "How was that? Did you get that slap for nothing?"

Wu Tie hammered his fingers on the throne's armrest, which was formed of condensed cloud, and laughed loudly: "Zhao Bao, you come from a military family; military folk are blunt—when faced with something, the brave draw their swords, the timid hide their heads; don't try to scheme with your brains like others do."

"My An State Merchant Association, from registration to public announcement, then filing with the Divine Kingdom's household bureau and Ministry of War, has a flawless set of procedures—an ironclad document crafted by hundreds of veteran clerks, guaranteed to be error‑free. You won't find any mistake on my part!"

Zhao Bao flew back, disheveled, before Wu Tie, speaking humbly: "Your Highness is wise and perceptive... what exactly brings you here this time?"

Wu Tie chuckled, crossed his legs, and said: "Just doing business—do you really expect me to send you a gift? Fat chance!"

Zhao Bao and his companions were all stunned.

Doing business in a god‑forsaken place like Zhenmo City?

Suddenly, Zhao Bao had a flash of insight and laughed as if enlightened: "Oh... you mean... doing business? I understand, subordinate!"

Zhao Bao laughed brightly.

Although Zhenmo City is a desolate frontier where even birds won't defecate, its local specialties are extraordinarily distinctive and valuable, prompting many nobles and officials to come knocking for them.