Chapter 101 : Chapter 101

Chapter 101: All Martial Artists and Commoners in Jiannan Circuit Must Be Registered by Name!

The officials let out a chorus of wails.

“The rebels are fierce. What are we supposed to do?”

“Lord Cheng, you must save Jiannan Circuit. Do not let the rebels slaughter the people of Great Qian!”

Amid the chaos, the Jianghu martial artists of Jiannan Circuit were all somewhat taken aback.

Zuo Hong frowned. “When did that bunch of madmen come to Jiannan Circuit? Have any of you heard anything?”

The martial artists thought for a moment, then all shook their heads.

If anyone had truly run into Prince Qing’s Remnants, they either would not have made it back alive, or the matter would have blown up long ago. It was almost impossible for it to remain buried like a secret and only now be spoken of in hushed tones.

Tie Ke said disdainfully, “It looks to me like that brat Cheng Yu is just talking alarmist nonsense!”

Zuo Hong stroked his chin. “That is certainly possible, but we cannot let our guard down. If there is even the slightest chance that it is true, it would spell utter disaster for all of us.”

Every few decades, whenever Prince Qing’s line resurfaced, a Ninth Rank martial artist would always appear among them.

If they started a rebellion in Jiannan Circuit and used force to compel factions like ours to submit, then refusing meant death, while submitting meant being wiped out by the experts of the Great Qian court.

No one would stand up for us in a matter like that.

When it came to Prince Qing’s Remnants, the Great Qian Jianghu and the court had reached a rare consensus: both sides wanted them suppressed.

When Prince Qing’s Remnants rose in rebellion and occupied or plundered factions, they did not care whose faction they were targeting.

They were rebelling against the Great Qian Emperor, but in practice they often preferred to target the stronger Jianghu factions.

Because in their eyes, if they were going to rebel, then even after succeeding, they could not become emperors constrained by the Jianghu.

Tie Ke added, “Even so, that brat Cheng Yu might be using this to wear us down. There is no need to pay too much attention to it.”

Zuo Hong nodded in agreement.

“If he uses Prince Qing’s Remnants as a pretext to threaten us, that really will be troublesome. For now, let us first see what that brat Cheng Yu is trying to do.”

Meanwhile, Cheng Yu raised a hand to signal for silence and looked toward the gathered Jianghu martial artists.

“I myself have only been in Jiannan Circuit for less than a month, and I am equally at a loss regarding Prince Qing’s Remnants. That is precisely why I specially summoned all of you here today. I wanted to ask whether any of you have heard anything about this matter.”

The martial artists all shook their heads in unison.

“Never heard of it.”

Cheng Yu frowned slightly. “So with so many Jianghu factions throughout all of Jiannan Circuit, not one of you has heard anything?”

Tie Ke replied coldly, “If we have not heard of it, then we have not heard of it. Are you suspecting us?”

The martial artists beside him also nodded firmly.

There was no chance they were giving him any information.

Seeing how stubborn and tight-lipped the Jianghu martial artists were, Cheng Yu did not continue pressing them.

“In that case, would you all be willing to assist in tracking down Prince Qing’s Remnants? After all, this is not a matter for the Jinyiwei alone.”

The Jianghu martial artists all sneered.

He wanted them to help investigate?

That was sheer fantasy.

The moment Cheng Yu arrived in Jiannan Circuit, he had already offended them to the point of irreconcilable enmity.

And now he wanted them to assist the Jinyiwei in an investigation.

It was simply wishful thinking.

Far from helping, they were already gloating and thinking about how to secretly throw obstacles in the Jinyiwei’s path and drag this matter out.

Best of all, Cheng Yu would be punished by the Great Qian Emperor for failing to investigate it properly.

Cheng Yu had clearly expected this, so he showed little reaction.

He merely shook his head.

“In that case, do not regret it when the time comes.”

The martial artists sneered. What did they have to regret?

Cheng Yu continued, “Prince Qing’s Remnants are vile, but they are by no means some unstoppable scourge. If they truly had the power to crush an entire circuit, they would not need to hide like this. Right now is the best time to eradicate them.”

He looked at the gathered Jianghu martial artists.

“As far as I know, Prince Qing’s Remnants have always begun by disguising themselves as ordinary martial factions. They build up their strength through their inheritance, then only afterward do they rise in rebellion.”

“Our most urgent task right now is to drag those hidden vermin out into the open, one by one!”

The moment those words were spoken, the expressions of the Jianghu martial artists changed drastically.

“Cheng Yu, what do you mean by that?!”

They understood now. All that talk about rebels and Prince Qing’s Remnants had just been a pretext.

After saying so much, Cheng Yu had only been aiming at that final point.

Prince Qing’s Remnants were hiding inside Jianghu factions!

With that as an excuse, the Jinyiwei would have ample reason to act however they pleased.

Once that label was slapped on someone, it would mean killing people and raiding households!

Zuo Hong’s face darkened, and he was just about to speak when a tower-like figure abruptly rose to his feet beside him.

It was none other than the thick-browed, big-eyed Tie Ke.

Tie Ke glared furiously at Cheng Yu. “Cheng Yu, are you slandering the Jiannan Circuit Jianghu by saying Prince Qing’s Remnants are hiding among us? If even this insult can be endured, then what cannot be endured?!”

Seeing the sect master of Iron Halberd Mountain stand up, quite a few martial artists close to him instinctively rose as well and glared at Cheng Yu.

“How dare you slander us!”

Zuo Hong was also caught off guard when he saw this. He had not expected things to develop this way at all.

Cheng Yu’s words were unpleasant, but they were also the truth.

Other than Jianghu factions, where else could a force large enough to rebel be hidden?

Since when had that fool Tie become so loud and excitable?

Seeing someone react so strongly, a trace of doubt flashed through Cheng Yu’s heart, but none of it showed on his face.

He still maintained the same lofty, imposing air.

“Sect Master Tie, why are all of you so agitated? I am only stating facts. I am not targeting anyone.”

Tie Ke’s expression remained icy. “Then what do you mean?”

“It is very simple.” A smile appeared on Cheng Yu’s face. “Since Prince Qing’s Remnants exist, then all we have to do is investigate and find them, is that not so?”

“And how are you going to investigate?”

“With rats that skulk in hiding, all you need to do is plow through the whole ground, and every last one of them will be caught!”

Plow through the whole ground?

How?

While everyone was still frowning in confusion, Cheng Yu clapped his hands, and his subordinates brought forward two items.

The first thing he held up for display was a blank register book.

Everyone was puzzled. “What use is an empty register book?”

Cheng Yu smiled mysteriously. “Someone, demonstrate it.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a Jinyiwei stepped forward and wrote a line of text in it according to a fixed format.

It was simply that man’s name, age, and martial realm.

“It is very simple. Every martial artist in Jiannan Circuit will be registered by name. It will not take long to finish.”

Cheng Yu raised the register book for everyone to see.

“When the time comes, if anyone remains unregistered, or if the strength written down does not match reality, then they are clearly hiding something! That is exactly what a rebel skulking in the shadows would do!”

“With that, Prince Qing’s Remnants will have nowhere to hide in my Jiannan Circuit!”

“What do you all think?”

The moment he said that, the martial artists’ eyes widened.

Th-This was forcing them to expose all their hidden cards!

Who in the Jianghu did not have a few trump cards of their own? How could they casually write all of that down?

But if they concealed something and did not write it, Cheng Yu had already declared that such behavior would be treated as the act of rebels...

Whichever way they looked at it, this was nothing but a blatant provocation!

Zuo Hong instantly flew into a rage. “Utter nonsense! What right do the Jinyiwei have to demand that we write this sort of thing down?!”

The others were equally furious.

If they really wrote this, that would be disastrous!

To outsiders who did not know any better, it would look as though the Jiannan Circuit Jianghu had already been brought under the Jinyiwei.

How were they supposed to hold their heads up after that?

“Chief Escort Zuo, do not be impatient. This is only the beginning.”

Cheng Yu calmly shook his head and said with a smile, “This only concerns the martial artists. Next, the entire population of Jiannan Circuit will be investigated. Every commoner must be entered into the register as well. Anyone who is not registered will be deemed a rebel subject!”

“Whoever dares harbor rebel subjects in their territory harbors treasonous intent! Their entire household will certainly be exterminated!”