Chapter 49

Liu Baiyun was a veteran of the Jianghu, not a greenhorn like Mei Qinghe, and with one sentence, she left Zhou Yingxue speechless.

She didn't even intend to stop, continuing to ask a series of questions: "Whose rules?"

"Is it... the Songshan Sect's rules, Sect Leader Zhou's rules?"

Liu Baiyun looked into Zhou Yingxue's eyes.

"The Taishan Sect's rules?"

She swept her gaze over the others' faces: "Or... everyone's rules?"

No one dared to answer this question.

At least, not in front of an Embroidered Uniform Guard Battalion Commander.

Li Miao lowered his head and drank his tea, saying nothing, letting Liu Baiyun do as she pleased.

Ever since Liu Baiyun took over the Huashan Sect, she had been struggling to maintain it, being extremely cautious at the Five Mountains Alliance Meeting, fearing that Zuo Lishan would find an excuse to punish her. When had she ever experienced this feeling of being bossy and pointing fingers at others from a moral high ground?

She felt that this was even better than improving her martial arts or defeating a strong enemy!

Seeing Li Miao acting as if he hadn't heard, she knew this was his tacit approval for her to continue, so Liu Baiyun took the opportunity to elaborate further.

"Jianghu, Jianghu. The rivers are the Great Shu's rivers, and the lakes are also the Great Shu's lakes. The rules of this Jianghu must also follow the rules of the Great Shu court!"

"My lord is acting under the Emperor's orders to investigate all illegal activities in the world; even the back halls of high officials and the private residences of dukes can be entered!"

"Is this not the territory of the Great Shu!? Can even an Embroidered Uniform Guard Battalion Commander not enter the door!?"

With this hat placed on them, who would dare to answer?

The hall was silent. Zhou Yingxue's face was flushed red, and her hand on the sword hilt was creaking, but she didn't dare to say a word in response.

She only cursed in her heart: "How come I never noticed you were so shameless in the past!? Is it because you defected to the court that you are so rampant!?"

Liu Baiyun's demeanor had already made the Huashan Sect's position clear.

It was just that the people present didn't care that in the past, the Taishan Sect had also used such excuses many times to suppress the Huashan Sect. Now, they had just changed positions.

The Hengshan Sect leader, Deng Baixuan, saw Zhou Yingxue being cornered and unable to step down, and his internal energy was starting to go into disarray, so he was about to speak to smooth things over: "Sect Leader Liu, you—"

He didn't expect that what had just happened was only an appetizer, and Liu Baiyun's real meat hadn't been served yet; he was cut off by her next sentence.

"In this world... it seems there is only one family that dares not let the Embroidered Uniform Guard enter the door—"

"You... don't tell me you are colluding with the Ming Cult?"

"Damn!"

"Son of a—!"

"Poisonous woman!"

Everyone in the room cursed in their hearts, wondering how they had never noticed that Liu Baiyun was so vicious!

What "White Cloud Sword," "Black-Hearted Sword" would be more appropriate!

Who didn't know that any Jianghu faction in the Great Shu that dared to collude with the Ming Cult would end up being exterminated?

Liu Baiyun said this in front of an Embroidered Uniform Guard Battalion Commander, which was pushing everyone present toward a dead end!

Yes, defecting to the court isn't shameful; it's just changing circles. Everyone knows the Taishan Sect suppresses you. But you just got ashore, and now you want to throw stones at your brothers in the river—isn't that a bit too much?

No one present dared to let Liu Baiyun continue, fearing that the next sentence would be a label of "gathering to plot rebellion, intending to revolt," and who could afford that?

But Liu Baiyun really did think so, and her next sentence was indeed going to be about "gathering to plot rebellion."

She had heard everything Li Miao said to Mei Qinghe, and she understood what she had to do.

As long as Li Miao didn't speak, she wouldn't stop.

Now was the time to be rampant, to establish authority, to smash the concept of "colluding with the Ming Cult" into these people's hearts, to make them afraid.

The things Li Miao caused in Tai'an City scared off the small fry. Now, this outburst would scare off those who were qualified to enter the hall.

After this, before the Five Mountains Alliance Meeting, everyone who came to "watch the fun" would be scared off by this news. Those who refused to leave would be those with deep ties to the Taishan Sect, and they would be dealt with together.

Those who remained after two rounds of screening would be the unstable factors after the Taishan Sect was wiped out, and none would be left.

"Everyone—"

"Sect Leader Liu!"

Zhou Yingxue's face flushed red, and she used her internal energy to shout, interrupting Liu Baiyun.

"It is... it is I who spoke out of turn."

"Please—forgive me!"

She had no choice but to yield, and she had to yield.

If she let Liu Baiyun continue, she wouldn't be able to step down even if she wanted to.

The Hengshan Sect leader, Deng Baixuan, also spoke: "Sect Leader Liu, Sect Leader Liu, Sect Leader Zhou spoke out of turn, she didn't mean anything else."

"For the sake of the Five Mountains Sword Sects being of one mind, say no more, say no more."

"Lord Li." He cupped his hands to Li Miao, who was lowering his head and drinking tea: "We have no intention of offending the court."

"Jianghu people, coming and going in the wind and rain, are used to being loose. If we have lost our manners, we hope for your forgiveness!"

Li Miao scraped the lid against the teacup, put it down, and placed his hands on the armrests.

He raised his face and scanned Deng Baixuan from top to bottom: "Is that so."

"I thought you had a heart of rebellion; it turns out it was just an unintentional remark."

"Sect Leader Liu, then let it be."

"Yes, my lord." Liu Baiyun stopped when she heard this and retreated behind Li Miao.

Zhou Yingxue sat down bitterly, saying nothing. The others sensed the strange and dangerous atmosphere and stopped chatting, and the room was silent.

After a long while, Deng Baixuan broke the silence: "The Embroidered Uniform Guard Battalion Commanders all have some reputation in the Jianghu, but Lord Li is a new face."

"Have you been promoted recently?"

He was trying to probe Li Miao's background.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard is divided into Northern and Southern Offices. What makes people fear them in the Jianghu is the Northern Office; the Southern Office is responsible for the discipline and military discipline of the guard itself. If Li Miao was a Battalion Commander of the Southern Office, there would be no need to be too afraid.

If Li Miao was a newly promoted Northern Office Battalion Commander, then they had to be careful. People who have just ascended have no connections, and they are often ruthless. It is very likely that everyone present was being treated by him as a stepping stone.

Li Miao replied: "I have been in Shuntian Prefecture for twenty years, and I have been a Battalion Commander for fifteen years, never leaving the capital. It is only natural that Sect Leader Deng does not recognize me."

Phew—

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief: Never leaving the capital, he must be from the Southern Office.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard has clear internal responsibilities, and the dirty work is all done by the Northern Office. It's just that they didn't know what Li Miao's purpose was.

Deng Baixuan smiled and said: "The Southern Office's Commander Liu is also very famous in the Jianghu."

"It's just that Commander Liu rarely leaves the capital, and I have never had the chance to meet him. Seeing Lord Li today, he is indeed majestic, and one can imagine Commander Liu's demeanor, which is enough to make up for the regret!"

Deng Baixuan was indeed a veteran of the Jianghu; this remark first flattered the superior and then flattered Li Miao. No matter who the person opposite was, they probably wouldn't be unhappy with this remark.

Li Miao, however, raised his eyes and looked at Deng Baixuan strangely: "What does my relationship with Liu Zhe have to do with anything?"

"When did I ever say—I was from the Southern Office?"

(End of chapter)