After Breaking the Marriage Contract, I Became the Strongest State-Stabilizing Duke! - Chapter 12:
Chapter 12: A Show of Force
At dawn the next day, the air in front of the State-Stabilizing Duke’s Residence was thick with the stench of blood. Zhao Dahu was directing the constables from the capital to carry away the corpses that lay sprawled, grotesque and pitiful.
“Did you do all this?” Li Jiuxuan, staring at the gruesome corpses, was utterly stunned.
Mu Zian nodded silently.
Li Jiuxuan crossed his arms before his chest and inhaled sharply. “Do you know who these people are?”
Mu Zian shook his head. “I would like to hear the details.”
Li Jiuxuan pointed to the embroidered flower on a corpse’s collar. “That emblem is the symbol of Liu Zang Hall, the most infamous assassin organization in the martial world. It’s said that as long as they’re paid enough, there’s no one they won’t kill. They are a group of madmen who will do anything for money.”
“Liu Zang Hall is divided into the Upper Three Burials and the Lower Three Burials. The Upper Three are Heaven, Earth, and Man. Hiring any of them starts at 500,000 taels. The Lower Three are Asura, Demon, and Beast, among which the Asura Burial is the most lethal and the most expensive.”
“To hire seven Asura Burials would cost at least 700,000 taels of silver. Whoever is behind this must be immensely wealthy.”
“But today, they were all killed by you. You’ve completely destroyed the Asura Burial’s fearsome reputation. Now, you and Liu Zang Hall are mortal enemies. They won’t let this go easily.”
While speaking, Li Jiuxuan scrutinized Mu Zian with a hint of mockery, as if trying to find a trace of fear on his face. However, to Li Jiuxuan’s disappointment, there was not a flicker of fear on Mu Zian’s face.
“The assassins from Liu Zang Hall dared to attack the State-Stabilizing Duke in the capital. What do you think the Emperor will think when he hears of this?”
“To think that the dignified capital of the Great Li Empire has been infiltrated by an assassin organization to this extent. Tsk tsk.”
A playful glint appeared in Mu Zian’s eyes.
Li Jiuxuan looked embarrassed but couldn’t help muttering inwardly, when did this boy become so cunning?
“Behead all these men and hang their heads at the East Gate.”
Mu Zian’s voice was cold.
Today, he would use these severed heads to tell the world that he, Mu Zian, was not someone to be trifled with. If anyone wanted to kill him, they’d better weigh their own abilities first.
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Palace’s Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Grand Steward Cao reported everything that had happened last night at the State-Stabilizing Duke’s Residence to the Emperor in full detail.
“Liu Zang Hall! Damn it!”
The Emperor’s expression was grim. He had just agreed to reopen the State-Stabilizing Duke’s Residence for Mu Zian, and on that very night, Mu Zian was attacked. This wasn’t just a provocation toward Mu Zian, it was a slap to the face of the Emperor himself.
Grand Steward Cao, his voice trembling slightly, stepped forward. “Your Majesty, please rest assured. The Young Prince was not harmed. In fact, he killed all the assassins.”
The Emperor was surprised. Though he had believed Mu Zian was strong, to survive an attack from so many ruthless, highly-skilled assassins and kill them all was truly astounding.
Martial prowess and the ability to kill were two different things.
The Emperor’s expression relaxed considerably.
“Good! As expected of my State-Stabilizing Duke! Now, who else in the world would dare to wag their tongues behind my back?”
“However, as the saying goes, a thief may have a thousand days to steal, but a lord cannot have a thousand days to guard against him. Liu Zang Hall will not give up so easily. Since that’s the case, I must also provide him with some support. A single man, no matter how strong, cannot rival thousands of soldiers.”
As the Emperor was deep in thought, Grand Steward Cao suddenly spoke up.
“Your Majesty, have you forgotten? The State-Stabilizing Duke has a personal army called the Vanguard Battalion, composed of battle-hardened veterans who fear neither death nor defeat!”
The Emperor’s eyes lit up as if awakening from a dream.
“Where is the Vanguard Battalion’s command token now?”
“Replying to Your Majesty, it is currently in the hands of the Heroine Marquis, Lu Yunxue.”
Upon hearing Lu Yunxue’s name, the Emperor let out a cold snort.
“A heartless, ungrateful wretch like her has no right to command the Vanguard Battalion. Retrieve the Tiger Tally and return it to Mu Zian. It is only right to return the property to its original owner.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
At the same time, news of Mu Zian’s counterattack against Liu Zang Hall quickly spread throughout the capital.
Lu Yunxue’s face was full of disbelief.
“Impossible! He’s never trained in martial arts! How could he possibly kill seven of the top assassins in the martial world?”
In Lu Yunxue’s memory, Mu Zian was always a frail figure, unable to even truss a chicken, hovering around her like a bothersome fly, utterly irritating.
But now, the fact was laid out before her eyes, undeniable.
The seven assassins’ heads were hanging above the East Gate of the capital. There was no way it could be faked.
“I told you long ago that Mu Zian was deceiving you, but you refused to believe it! Now that the truth is plain to see, do you believe it? If you hadn’t been so willful and reckless, Mu Zian would now be my brother-in-law. What an honor that would have been!” Lu Ming said with frustration, feeling regretful beyond words.
The Lu family’s Grandmother also sighed heavily.
“Our Lu family could have soared to greatness with this opportunity, but now it’s all ruined by you!”
Lu Yunxue’s heart was in turmoil, but there was no medicine for regret in this world.
However, as the foremost Heroine Marquis of the Great Li Empire, her pride would not allow her to lower her head.
“So what if he killed a few lowly thugs from the martial world? On the battlefield, mere bravery is worthless. At best, he’s just a reckless brute.”
Seeing Lu Yunxue’s stubbornness, even the not-so-bright Lu Ming was speechless.
Is it really that hard to admit someone else’s excellence?
At that moment, a hearty laugh rang out from outside the Lu Residence.
“Xue’er is right. Killing a few martial world thugs is nothing to boast about. True heroes shake the heavens and earth amidst the clash of ten thousand cavalry.”
The moment she heard this voice, all the gloom vanished from Lu Yunxue’s face. She immediately stood up and looked outside.
A tall, handsome man was walking toward her with steady steps. Dressed in snow-white robes, his eyes were like the moon in the sky.
“Pei Lang, why are you here?” she asked.
The man was none other than Lu Yunxue’s long-cherished Pei Jianzhi.
Lu Yunxue rushed forward and grabbed Pei Jianzhi’s hand, her cheeks tinged with a shy blush, looking like a young maiden newly married.
Pei Jianzhi, acting as if no one else was around, gently pinched Lu Yunxue’s cheek and smiled.
“It’s been so long. Did you miss me?”
Watching their flirtation, the Lu family’s Grandmother snorted coldly.
“So you’re the Pei Lang that Xue’er talks about?”
Pei Jianzhi stepped forward and cupped his fists respectfully.
“You must be Grandmother, whom Xue’er often mentions. I am Pei Jianzhi from the Pei family of Qinghe. I met Xue’er on the battlefield, and through life-and-death struggles, we forged a bond. In this life, I shall marry none but her.”
Lu Yunxue chimed in.
“And I shall marry no one but Pei Lang.”
Seeing her granddaughter act so shamelessly, the Lu family’s Grandmother was furious.
Seeing their deep affection, she cut straight to the point.
“Since you and my Xue’er are so deeply attached, I assume you are willing to do anything for her?”
Pei Jianzhi answered confidently.
“The Pei family of Qinghe is one of the top noble families in the Great Li Empire. We have everything one could desire. Xue’er only needs to ask. Even my life, I would gladly give her.”
The Lu family’s Grandmother sneered.
“Our Lu family doesn’t need your life. However, there is indeed something you can help with.”
Pei Jianzhi replied readily.
“Please, Grandmother, speak. Wealth means nothing to me if it can win Xue’er’s smile.”
Hearing this, the Lu family’s Grandmother straightened up slightly and said calmly.
“Our Lu family doesn’t ask for much. Just help us repay the 5,000,000 taels of silver debt we owe to the State-Stabilizing Duke’s Residence. As for other matters, we can discuss them later.”
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