Chapter 194: Ruthless! It

Chu Yang didn't need to look to guess the contents of the imperial decree; it was nothing more than summoning him to the palace in the name of the Mid-Autumn Festival, under the pretext of a reunion and moon-viewing.

Cao Zhengchun had a guilty conscience and didn't dare stay too long; after handing the decree to Chu Yang, he left in a hurry.

Chu Yang didn't even glance at it, tossing the decree into a corner, and swaggered out onto the street.

The capital was filled with many strangers, most of whom were here to watch the duel. To ensure security in the city, the number of patrolling soldiers had increased, and the frequency of patrols had doubled.

There were many who wanted to watch the duel, but it was impossible to let them all into the Imperial Palace, so the vast majority would watch from outside.

The Daoist school had a technique called "Flower in the Mirror, Moon in the Water," which could summon a water curtain to project the scene from a certain location.

People outside the palace could see the duel through this.

It felt just like a live broadcast in ancient times.

The martial artists who could personally enter the Forbidden City were almost all sect leaders, as the Emperor wanted to use this opportunity to build closer ties with them.

It couldn't be said that he had done nothing in all his years on the throne; at the very least, the relationship between the imperial court and the major sects was still decent.

Chu Yang went to a restaurant he frequented often. Because of the surge in the capital's population, it was already packed early in the morning, but fortunately, the proprietor recognized this "honored guest" and immediately cleared out a top-tier private room.

Scattering money for so many years had finally proven somewhat useful.

Sitting in the private room, while waiting for the waiter to bring the wine and food, Chu Yang silently pondered the trump cards of Ye Gucheng and the Pingnan Prince's Mansion.

Both families had extraordinary backgrounds, and they surely knew more than Li Xunhuan.

Thinking of this, Chu Yang suddenly laughed at himself: "When it comes down to it, I should know more than them. Being a 'Virtuous Prince' all these years was truly a waste..."

About the time it takes to brew a cup of tea later, the food and wine had been served. Suddenly, a clamor rose from outside the window. Chu Yang tilted his head to look down and discovered it was the people from the Divine Marquis Mansion.

Two Marquisates and one Gate, two Factories and one Guard—except for the Dragon Protection Villa, the other five all had standard uniforms, so one could tell at a glance which group they belonged to.

Most of the Divine Marquis Mansion's personnel wore black robes when outside, which is why some called them the Black-Robed Army.

Since it was the Divine Marquis Mansion, there must be either a Demon Race member or a demon nearby! Since the establishment of the Divine Marquis Mansion, such filthy things hadn't been seen in the capital for many years; one could imagine how many monsters and demons this duel had attracted.

The constables of the Divine Marquis Mansion surrounded a woman sitting in a wheelchair like stars surrounding the moon.

The woman wore a veil, her eyes cold as ice. Her features were obscured, so naturally, her age couldn't be determined, but her skin was like congealed fat, delicate enough to break at a touch; she couldn't be very old.

As for her figure...

Chu Yang's gaze landed on the woman's waist and hips; the breathtaking curve made him nod involuntarily.

Men, after all.

The first look is at the face, the second at the chest, and the third is either the buttocks or the legs; there isn't much difference.

As a frequent visitor to brothels, Chu Yang could fully imagine how perfect the body under the dress was. Of course, he only thought about it; he knew this woman before him was not to be trifled with.

Disabled, sitting in a wheelchair, and having so many Divine Marquis Mansion constables at her beck and call—who else could it be but "Ruthless" Sheng Yayu of the Four Great Constables? "So she really is a woman?"

"Interesting..."

Li Ge Xiao had mentioned before that the Four Great Constables and the Four Divine Constables were each three men and one woman. Chu Yang had kept this in mind, and thus felt some curiosity about Sheng Yayu.

Disabled, and a woman at that—what exactly were her superior qualities that allowed her to become the head of the Four Great Constables? Just as Chu Yang was thinking, the constables on the street took action. They quickly landed on both ends of the street and the surrounding houses, sealing off the entire thoroughfare.

Unlike the "lightly equipped" movements of the Six Fan Gate constables, the Divine Marquis Mansion constables were more like special forces.

Every piece of clothing on them was made of special material that could effectively resist attacks from the Demon Race, and they were all equipped with small hand crossbows.

These hand crossbows were of the same origin as the Qi Family Army's Demon-Subduing Crossbows; although the specifications were much smaller, the lethality was not the least bit weaker.

They all used specially made bolts, mixed with extraterrestrial meteorite as material.

The Divine Marquis Mansion was also equipped with many devices specifically for dealing with demons, hidden under their wide black robes, most of which were invented by the Divine Marquis Zhuge himself.

He himself was an extremely brilliant array master.

After controlling the entire street, the local citizens of the capital, though somewhat panicked, still honestly cooperated with the investigation.

Body searches and interrogations were a mandatory process.

Those martial artists who had come from afar were clearly unaccustomed to such things, and every one of them wore a very resistant expression on their face.

Outside, everyone was a person of status and reputation; being searched like a criminal here was a disparity somewhat hard to accept.

Especially when the constables' hands reached toward their bodies, this resistance almost reached its peak.

Some people silently gripped their weapons.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

"Whoever dares to move, kill without mercy!"

A cold, feminine voice rang out, and immediately a crossbow bolt shot out, pinning itself into the stone-paved road, directly blasting a small crater into the surface.

*Clang, clang, clang! * The sound of blades being drawn followed one after another, and the street was filled with cold, shimmering light.

The resistance that had permeated the crowd vanished instantly.

Chu Yang laughed when he saw this scene. These "martial arts heroes" all had excellent adaptability; it just depended on whether the other party's fist was hard enough. Their integrity was highly adaptable.

The restaurant was also a target for investigation, and soon constables searched up from the first-floor lobby.

*Thump, thump, thump! * The dull footsteps were intensely loud, and from time to time, one could hear the sound of things being smashed, mixed with the panicked cries of guests and the pleas of the proprietor.

It was a chaotic mess.

The Divine Marquis Mansion's way of doing things was characterized by arrogance; anyway, with the Divine Marquis Zhuge backing them, it didn't matter if their methods were a bit heavy-handed. By comparison, if they let a demon-person or a Great Demon escape, the consequences would be far more severe.

The footsteps grew closer and closer to Chu Yang's private room, until with a "bang," the door was kicked open with force.

"People inside, come out and accept inspection!"

A tall constable wearing a black robe walked into the room, his eyes quickly locking onto Chu Yang.

"Go elsewhere; there's nothing worth checking here."

Chu Yang sat by the window drinking wine, his eyes never leaving Sheng Yayu. He was very curious about how many hidden weapons were concealed in that wheelchair; if it were modified, wouldn't it be a walking arsenal? When the black-robed constable heard Chu Yang tell him to go elsewhere, he was clearly stunned. Since putting on this uniform, he had never hit a snag; usually, people would tremble at the legs just seeing them from afar, let alone speak such wild words.

"Brat, you've got guts!"

A flash of a blade! The black-robed constable actually attacked directly.

Chu Yang glanced at him.

One breath later.

The constable flew out of the restaurant room, landed head-first at Sheng Yayu's feet, rolled his eyes, and passed out.

Sheng Yayu looked up.

Her line of sight collided exactly with Chu Yang's.

There weren't many in the capital who didn't recognize Chu Yang; the black-robed constable just now was one, but Sheng Yayu certainly wasn't.

"Virtuous Prince?" The cold voice rang out again. Perhaps because of the surprise, there was a hint of humanity in Sheng Yayu's voice.

As one of the rare strategist-type talents under the Divine Marquis Zhuge, Sheng Yayu had read a large amount of intelligence left within the Divine Marquis Mansion, among which the intelligence on the Virtuous Prince was the most interesting.

On it was a comment by the Divine Marquis Zhuge.

Four characters.

"Hidden Dragon in the Abyss."

As a pillar of the Ming Empire and a teacher responsible for instructing the young princes, the late Emperor had sought out the Divine Marquis Zhuge more than once while alive to discuss the choice of an heir.

The Divine Marquis Zhuge could only avoid talking about it.

Given the glorious history of the Old Zhu family comparable to the Old Li family, to prevent descendants from killing each other, "appointing the eldest, not the youngest" was almost an iron rule. This should have been a matter without suspense.

But because the young Virtuous Prince was too intelligent, the late Emperor had other thoughts and fell into a dilemma. Later, for some reason, the Virtuous Prince acted increasingly out of line, which finally made the late Emperor dispel his thoughts.

The Divine Marquis Zhuge was likely the only person who knew the late Emperor's mind and was also a witness to Chu Yang's "degeneration," which is why he left that comment in the Virtuous Prince's file.

These four characters left a deep impression on Sheng Yayu, and she still remembered them to this day, so the moment she saw Chu Yang, she recalled that intelligence report.

Could the man who made the Divine Marquis Zhuge leave the comment "Hidden Dragon in the Abyss" really be the useless playboy everyone said he was?

Sheng Yayu looked down at the black-robed constable at her feet, and it seemed she had an answer in her heart.

"Someone, carry him out."

The other black-robed constables nearby immediately carried their unconscious colleague away from the scene to avoid becoming a laughingstock in the mouths of the common people.

At the same time, the wheelchair Sheng Yayu sat on flew up under the eyes of everyone, and then, amidst a chorus of gasps, entered the private room where Chu Yang was.

"Your Highness the Virtuous Prince certainly has good taste, running out to drink early in the morning."

Sheng Yayu swept a glance over the wine and food on the table.

"Apologies, I've affected Chief Constable Ruthless's handling of the case. This Prince toasts you a cup, hoping you will not take offense."

Chu Yang picked up the wine cup and drank it in one gulp.

"The constables of the Divine Marquis Mansion are at worst martial arts experts who have undergone five blood exchanges. To be thrown out by Your Highness the Virtuous Prince without any power to fight back—Your Highness certainly has impressive means..."

Sheng Yayu's gaze kept measuring Chu Yang. Not seen for many days, the other party had actually developed an imposing, majestic aura that commanded respect without anger, which secretly shocked her.

"This Prince did not intend to attack; it was that constable who drew his blade without a word. You must know that assassinating a Prince is punishable by death according to the law. Just knocking him unconscious is already saving his life."

Chu Yang put down the wine cup, his tone also becoming cold.

Sheng Yayu was silent for a moment and said, "Many thanks to Your Highness the Virtuous Prince for your mercy."

Chu Yang waved his hand and said: "The Divine Marquis Mansion is responsible for slaying the demons of the world. Only under your protection can the people live and work in peace. Even if you make a small mistake, it is not a crime punishable by death."

"But having said that, shouldn't the Divine Marquis Mansion change its way of doing things? Drawing blades at the slightest disagreement—how can this continue?"

At this moment, Sheng Yayu felt very awkward, not because Chu Yang was lecturing her, but because Chu Yang's speech was too normal—so normal that he didn't look like the "Virtuous Prince" of the past at all, making her feel at a loss.

"Chief Constable, why are you staring at me?"

"If there is anything wrong, you can just say it..."

Chu Yang looked at her with a confused expression.

Sheng Yayu was suddenly startled. Realizing her rudeness, she hurriedly saluted and said: "Your Highness, please calm your anger; Ruthless would not dare."

"Trouble yourself to take what I just said to heart. The Divine Marquis Mansion has special duties. In fact, even the Jinyiwei find it difficult to supervise your actions, so you need to reflect on yourselves often and never let arrogant emotions arise."

"Being enemies with demons is like walking on the edge of an abyss; one careless step and you will fall into the bottomless pit. There shouldn't be a small number of people in the Divine Marquis Mansion who have fallen in recent years, right?"

Listening to Chu Yang's words, Sheng Yayu's expression suddenly became very ugly, because what he said was absolutely correct. In recent years, quite a few people in the Divine Marquis Mansion had been seduced by the Demon Race and fallen into becoming demon-people.

The danger level of those fallen constables was considered the highest. Once discovered, the Four Great Constables would personally lead teams to hunt them down, and sometimes it would even alarm the Divine Marquis Zhuge himself.

The Divine Marquis Mansion's special equipment was an important force for dealing with Great Demons. If it were leaked, it would be a major disaster for the Ming Empire.

"The Prince's words—the Divine Marquis Mansion has learned."

Sheng Yayu, sitting in the wheelchair, bowed slightly. At the collar, a magnificent view was inadvertently revealed; the snow-white skin was so dazzling it made people unable to open their eyes.

It was as spectacular as the Himalayas!

"Many thanks, Chief Constable."

"Hmm?"

Sheng Yayu looked blank.

Chu Yang hurriedly changed his words: "I meant that Chief Constable need not be so formal. We all hope that the world's common people can be better. A few words from the heart are nothing."

"The Prince has changed quite a bit after going out for a trip." Sheng Yayu smiled lightly: "Since that is the case, Ruthless will not disturb the Prince's mood."

After speaking, she prepared to fly out through the broken window again.

Before that, she asked another question: "Today is Mid-Autumn; where is the Prince going to view the moon?"

Chu Yang looked at her with surprise and smiled: "His Majesty invited me into the palace to view the moon."

Sheng Yayu sighed softly: "If possible, I hope the Prince can decline the moon-viewing matter."

Chu Yang did not answer, but silently watched her.

Sheng Yayu certainly didn't know the Emperor's arrangements. She said this entirely because of her intuition; with the accumulation of a large amount of intelligence, she smelled some bad odors.

Not knowing if Chu Yang could understand, Sheng Yayu felt she had done what she should, so she flew back out to the street.

In this short while, the demon-people hiding in the crowd had already been found by other black-robed constables and killed on the spot. The scene was too bloody, and the common people had long since run away completely.

After slaying the demon-people, the Divine Marquis Mansion lifted the control of the street, but there was already no one left on the street.

Sheng Yayu left slowly in her wheelchair. Just after turning a street corner, her snow-white face suddenly flushed red, and even the roots of her ears and her neck were pink.

"A dog really can't change... hmm, mountains and rivers are easy to change, but a nature is hard to shift. What a lecherous scoundrel!"

"He actually dared to say thank you to me!"

"It's really infuriating!"

The Chief Constable was inexplicably angry, her fair palms fiercely striking the armrests, making the black-robed constables nearby not dare to get close to her at all, fearing that the wheelchair would shoot out all sorts of hidden weapons.

Although the world knew that Ruthless's hidden weapons were never coated with poison, if one were really hit in a vital spot, there would be no escaping death.

On the other side, Chu Yang, who had caught a glimpse, was still sighing.

"Worthy of being the head of the Four Great Constables. Calling you Chief Constable is truly well-deserved."

"It is truly huge."

(End of chapter)