Chapter 538: The Loyal King Feasts on His Salary

Why does Dou Yue Jiao want to kill Wei Jia?

Because after Minister of Justice Dou Gu died at Tu, Dou Ban became Minister of Justice, and Dou Yue Jiao became Sima.

Wei Jia served as Gongzheng.

Speaking of him, we must also mention his son, also a famous figure, Sun Shu'ao.

Wei Jia slandered Dou Ban before Chu Zhuang Wang, framing him, which led to Dou Ban's death.

Thus a grudge was formed.

Dou Yue Jiao was then promoted to Minister of Justice, and Wei Jia was promoted to Sima.

Dou Yue Jiao despised Wei Jia because of his low birth; now Wei Jia managed to attain a high position, the two already bore a grudge, and with Chu Zhuang Wang absent, how could he tolerate this?

So he led his clan to imprison Wei Jia in Lao Yang and kill him.

Moreover.

The Ruo'ao Clan's private troops, the Ruo'ao Six Soldiers, are Chu Guo's most elite unit, whose combat power even surpasses the Chu King's direct forces.

Family members have long held positions such as Minister of Justice and Sima, controlling the court.

It can be said that they have troops when they need troops, people when they need people, and money when they need money.

Furthermore, earlier.

When Chu Zhuang Wang had just ascended the throne.

Minister of Justice Cheng Jia and Grand Tutor Pan Chong led an army to subdue Qun Shu.

The officials left in Ying Du, Dou Ke and Gongzi Xie (Chu Zhuang Wang's cousin), seized the opportunity to rebel, attempting to hold Chu Zhuang Wang hostage.

That was already a rebellion once.

So rebelling again is no problem.

Dou Yue Jiao slapped his thigh, saying, "If he can become king, I have men, I have money, I can be one too!"

If Chu Zhuang Wang can scheme for the Son of Heaven's throne, then Dou Yue Jiao cannot scheme for a king?

Just act! Directly rebel!

But Chu Zhuang Wang hadn't thought of that.

How could he be fighting on the front, scheming for the world, eyeing the Central Plains, while the rear ignites?

Or is it the most favored Dou Clan?

"Detestable! Detestable! Damn it! Damn it!"

Inside the camp, Chu Zhuang Wang slammed the bronze cup in his hand onto the ground; the cup bounced a few times, emitting a muffled clang, and water splashed everywhere.

His face was flushed with anger, his chest heaving violently, like an enraged lion.

Deep breath.

Another deep breath.

Chu Zhuang Wang closed his eyes, his breathing gradually steadied.

After a few breaths, he reopened his eyes; the burning fury in them had been suppressed, leaving only a deep, undercurrent of cold composure.

He lifted his head, his gaze sweeping over the counselors and generals in the tent.

"Sun Shu'ao, Wu Can," he said, his voice low:

"What do you think?"

On the left side of the tent, a young figure stepped forward.

Sun Shu'ao.

His features were stern, his eye sockets slightly reddened, and his eyes burned with the same fury as Chu Zhuang Wang's moments before—perhaps even hotter, denser, harder to suppress!

"Great King," his voice was not loud, yet trembled with an uncontainable quiver, "Dou Yue Jiao killed my father; this hatred cannot be shared with the heavens!"

He lifted his head, staring directly at Chu Zhuang Wang's eyes.

"Please, Great King, dispatch troops! I am willing to be the Forerunner, and slay this beast with my own hands!"

His fists were clenched tightly, clearly not feigned.

Silence fell over the tent.

Everyone could feel the suppressed, almost erupting hatred.

But another voice sounded.

"Great King."

Wu Can stepped forward.

He was much older than Sun Shu'ao, his demeanor steady, his gaze profound.

He first glanced at Sun Shu'ao, then turned to Chu Zhuang Wang, and spoke slowly:

"The Dou Clan's power is too great; the Ruo'ao Six Soldiers are our most elite unit, whose combat strength... is extraordinary."

He did not state it bluntly, yet everyone present understood.

Fight? With what?

Chu Zhuang Wang's expression darkened slightly.

Wu Can continued, "Family members have long held positions such as Minister of Justice and Sima, controlling the court for years; if we rush into war..."

He paused.

"It would likely severely weaken Chu Guo's national strength."

He lifted his head, looking at Chu Zhuang Wang.

"I beg the Great King to think thrice."

Another silence fell over the tent.

Sun Shu'ao abruptly turned his head toward Wu Can, fire nearly blazing in his eyes.

But he gritted his teeth and said nothing.

Chu Zhuang Wang's gaze moved back and forth between the two.

One wanted to fight.

One urged peace.

One was full of hatred, the other calmly weighed the options.

He remained silent for a long time.

Then he slowly spoke.

"Let it be."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Then… give him another chance."

Sun Shu'ao's fist clenched tighter, his knuckles almost crushing the bone.

But he also didn't say anything.

He also knew that reconciliation was best, for war would only harm the state and the people, but the hatred of his father's killer..............

"Dou Yue Jiao, you better stay firm to the end, don't agree to reconciliation!"

Regarding his idea.

Chu Zhuang Wang may or may not know; he simply turned his gaze outside the tent, toward the distant direction where troops were arrayed on his return route.

"Send a messenger over," he said, "saying that I am willing——"

"Take the son of the three kings as a hostage to exchange for peace and cease hostilities."

An uproar rose in the tent.

"The son of the three kings—that is Chu Zhuang Wang's son, the direct bloodline of the royal family!"

Wu Can twitched slightly, and a complex flicker passed through Sun Shu'ao's eyes.

But no one spoke out to dissuade.

Chu Zhuang Wang's decision was the final decision.

The messenger galloped on his fast horse toward Dou Yue Jiao's army.

One day later, the news returned.

Dou Yue Jiao's reply consisted of only four words——

"Not accept! Fight!"

Everything fell into the eyes of the two people watching from the shadows.

They stood on a hill, gazing far at the land that would soon become a battlefield.

Chu Zhuang Wang's camp was on one side, Dou Yue Jiao's army on the other; the two forces faced off, the tension as taut as a bowstring about to snap.

Yu Lin stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm.

Beside him, Cheng Xian stood slightly to the rear, his face filled with extreme complexity.

He too was of the Ruo'ao clan.

Although Dou Yue Jiao was his clansman, the Dou and Cheng clans had essentially become two separate peoples.

At this moment, Dou Yue Jiao has rebelled.

He rebelled against Chu Zhuang Wang, the ruler of Chu Guo, his sovereign.

Then, for the Dou clan in the future.............. as long as they lose, it will be the extinction of the clan!

Would the Cheng clan then be implicated as well?

Or should they join the Dou clan and seize the opportunity............. difficult.

Cheng Xian's heart felt like an overturned five-flavor bottle, experiencing every taste.

He remained silent for a long time, finally unable to keep from speaking softly:

"Lord Yu..."

He paused, then probed cautiously:

"In your view, who will win, who will lose?"

Yu Lin did not turn back.

He merely gazed at the distant land where battle flames would soon ignite, and spoke lightly:

"Later you will know; if I say it now, it would be meaningless."

He turned around.

"Let's go."

As his words fell, he stepped forward and walked back.

Cheng Xian stared for a moment, wondering if Yu Lin had already guessed his thoughts.

Indeed, how could an immortal fail to see a mortal's thoughts? He.................

But Yu Lin had already left; he could only suppress the thoughts in his heart and hurriedly catch up.

Then he discovered——

Just a single step outward, and the surrounding scenery instantly changed.

No longer that hill, no longer the battlefield about to erupt into war.

It was his home.

His study, his bookshelves, the familiar doors and windows.

Cheng Xian stood frozen in place, unable to regain his senses for a long while.

This……

Is this an immortal's method?

He took a deep breath, about to say something——

But he saw Yu Lin's figure gradually fading.

Like a wisp of smoke about to dissipate.

"I have taken the armor," that voice drifted into Cheng Xian's ears, calm and casual:

"I exchange it for one elixir."

The words fell.

Yu Lin completely disappeared.

Cheng Xian stood there dazed, motionless for a long while.

Then he felt something appear in his hand.

He lowered his head to look——

It was an elixir.

It was lustrous all over, emitting a faint fragrance; at a glance it was not mundane.

He suddenly lifted his head, looking toward the spot where the Bronze Armor originally stood.

It was empty.

That set of Bronze Armor, which had accompanied him for many years and he treasured as a precious jewel, has vanished.

Cheng Xian stood there, looking at the elixir in his hand, then at the empty spot, and after a while let out a long sigh.

Exchange?

This isn't an exchange.

This is a gift, because the armor originally belonged to Yu Lin.

He, Cheng Xian, could also be considered extremely fortunate!

"It's just a pity that I couldn't learn how my Cheng Clan should align.......... ritual ah!"

"Be loyal to the ruler."

He turned and immediately ordered the servant Chen Liu guarding the gate:

"Go, inform the head of my Cheng Clan and the clansmen, sever ties with the Dou Clan, and conduct loyalty to the ruler to receive stipend................"