Evil Scheme

"Hmm?" This time it was Liang Yue's turn to be confused.

He cautiously sized up Hu Tiehan, guessing his intentions, and after a moment replied, "Brother Hu has always treated us like older brothers; he's naturally a very good person."

Hearing this, Hu Tiehan's eyes lit up as he asked, "Then if I asked you to recognize me as your adoptive father, would you be willing?"

"Pfft—"

As soon as he said this, Liang Yue and the other two couldn't hold back their laughter.

Liang Yue quickly said, "Brother Hu, why would you say that?"

"My Hu family hasn't produced a genius who could master the Cloud Dragon Nine Manifestations in who knows how many years, and now you've mastered it so easily! You're simply a person of destiny!" Hu Tiehan said excitedly and loudly, "You're only in the Second Realm now. If you can reach the Grandmaster Realm in the future... no, just reaching the Martial Dao Seventh Floor would be enough to restore the glory of my Hu family!"

"That's not good," Liang Yue waved his hands repeatedly. "Everyone calls you brother. If I recognize you as my adoptive father, wouldn't that make me a generation lower?"

"I'll have them call you brother, and you call me adoptive father. We'll each address each other as we see fit," Hu Tiehan said.

"No, no, my mother wouldn't agree either," Liang Yue continued to refuse.

"Your mother..." Hu Tiehan frowned and thought for a moment, then said, "Has your mother been a widow for many years? If she doesn't mind, I'll divorce my wife tomorrow and marry your mother. That way, it'll be perfectly proper for you to change your surname to mine."

"She minds! My mother definitely minds!" Liang Yue shook his head vigorously, his face full of resistance.

Old Hu was really getting carried away; he could even come up with such bizarre ideas.

He didn't dare to imagine what kind of vicious words Li Caiyun would use to unleash on Hu Tiehan if this matter reached her ears.

"If that doesn't work, I'll become sworn brothers with you. No, brothers can't change surnames." Hu Tiehan scratched his head and then said, "If that doesn't work, I'll recognize you as my adoptive father. As long as you change your surname to Hu, I can take your surname."

"Brother Hu, calm down. We'll head back first." Liang Yue quickly pulled Pang Chun and Chen Ju away, jogging all the way and not daring to look back.

Good heavens.

He was about to turn the world upside down.

However, it also showed how much impact his mastery of the Cloud Dragon Nine Manifestations had on Hu Tiehan.

This knife technique was likely more powerful than he had imagined.

Some techniques are only useful at lower realms and lack competitiveness at higher realms, like the Tiger Might Fist.

And some techniques can be used throughout cultivation, with their power increasing the higher the realm. The Cloud Dragon Nine Manifestations, when first entering the Second Realm, allowed him to defeat Zou Huainan, who was at the peak of the Second Realm, by overcoming a higher level. At higher realms, it would surely have even greater power.

He should indeed thank Brother Hu for this.

But it certainly didn't warrant changing his surname.

"Actually, I think it's quite good for Brother Hu to recognize you as his adoptive father," Chen Ju said with a smile after they came out. "Then he'd be my grand-nephew, and it would be easier for me to ask him to give me the Subordinate Guard position."

"Then I want him to add more meat to the food at the station," Da Chun wished simply.

"Let's think about the important matters first," Liang Yue quickly stopped them and said, "Although we repelled Zou Huainan this time, the matter of Linmen Street hasn't been resolved. Maybe those people will have other evil schemes in the future."

"It's true that this can't go on forever," Chen Ju nodded.

"According to the old couple at the tavern, this whole series of events was caused by a wealthy merchant from the Southern City failing to acquire the shops on Linmen Street. If we want to protect the peace of Linmen Street, we probably need to figure out the reason behind it. Why exactly do they insist on forcing out the original merchants?" As Liang Yue spoke, his brows furrowed slightly, feeling that it was a bit tricky.

This indeed didn't seem like something they, a few Imperial Capital Guards, could handle.

But besides them, who else would care about the old neighbors on Linmen Street right now? That helpless old couple just wanted to protect their ancestral property, but they were harassed repeatedly.

If no one cared and no one asked, wouldn't the world be taken over by evil people?

At least within his capabilities, Liang Yue wanted to help them. The first step was to understand the situation clearly and not act blindly.

"Speaking of which, it seems someone in the clan asked my family to buy some properties and shops in the Southern City a couple of days ago. This situation likely means there's a big move happening," Chen Ju suddenly said.

"Can you find out the inside story?" Liang Yue looked at him.

"My parents probably won't tell me, hehe, but I can ask my friends." Chen Ju snapped his fingers and said, "Tomorrow I'll host a banquet at the Red Sleeve Brothel. You can come with me."

In the area of the Western City near the Southern City, there is a Pine Forest Ward.

Here, trees are lush, and residents are few, with only dozens of luxurious and grand mansions. One of them even has soldiers in Imperial Capital Guard uniforms patrolling inside and out, with strict security.

It was the residence of Zou Fang, the Great Commander of the Imperial Capital Guard in the Southern City.

In the bedroom in the backyard, Zou Huainan sat cross-legged on the bed, looking quite depressed.

There were also four or five Official Guards and Subordinate Guards who usually hung out with him in the room, surrounding him, all with fawning expressions.

"Seeing that Young Master Zou is fine, we are relieved," an Official Guard said generously. "You don't know how worried I was when I heard you were injured."

"My injury isn't serious, it'll be fine after taking some medicine when I get back. But today on Linmen Street, I really lost face completely." Zou Huainan's eyes were gloomy. "Being injured by a Subordinate Guard in the street, how can I still get by in the Southern City in the future?"

Someone immediately incited, "Dare to provoke Young Master Zou in the Southern City? Shouldn't we kill him?"

Several people around echoed.

"Don't mention it." Zou Huainan waved his hand irritably. "My father just came back and lectured me. He guessed that Young Master Lu was the one who connected me with the Dragon Tooth Gang, and told me to have less contact with them in the future, and that today's matter will be settled later. From what he said, he plans to have me endure it for now!"

"How can that be!" Another person next to him immediately agreed, then his voice softened, "But since Commander Zou said so, he must have his reasons, right?"

These people flattered Zou Huainan because of his father, so naturally they dared not disobey Zou Fang's words even more.

"He said that a major case recently broke out in the Ministry of Works, and it's hard to say how much it will involve. It's best not to get involved with the Lu family at this time," Zou Huainan said. "If he had said so earlier, I wouldn't have helped at all. What's the use of saying it now? I can only suffer a loss for nothing... That Subordinate Guard is under the jurisdiction of Fukang Ward, and the junior guard official there is extremely protective of his subordinates. He personally came to apologize. If my father doesn't help, I really can't retaliate."

"How about we rush over and beat him up while it's dark?" another person suggested.

"Pig brain!" Zou Huainan glared at him and cursed, "I'm not even his match, and you few useless guys will make a difference?"

If he couldn't use power to suppress him, he could only go head-to-head.

Recalling Liang Yue's dazzling blade light during the day, Zou Huainan really didn't dare to provoke him with just these people at hand.

"Huh?" At this moment, the Official Guard from before suddenly raised his hand and said, "Young Master Zou, I have a plan!"

Zou Huainan looked at him: "Hmm? Tell me about it."

The Official Guard smiled sinisterly: "Commander Zou temporarily doesn't want to pursue it, probably because he's afraid of making a big fuss and involving Young Master Zou with the Dragon Tooth Gang, getting into unnecessary trouble. Then we can find another excuse to punish that Subordinate Guard, as long as it's not related to today's matter, right?"

"What excuse?" Zou Huainan asked.

"The armory next to our main yamen is a vital organ for storing military equipment in the Southern City. Commanders of each ward must be approved to enter, and absolutely no weapons are allowed inside, otherwise it's suspected of rebellion."

"Tomorrow, we'll find out where that Subordinate Guard lives. Before he goes home, Young Master Zou, you go there first and say he's seriously injured and is being treated at the yamen entrance, and ask his family to quickly follow you to see him. Tomorrow happens to be my turn and a few brothers' turn to guard the armory, so we can let you in. Then we'll send a message to that Subordinate Guard, saying his family is in our hands, and guide him all the way here. As a Subordinate Guard, he definitely doesn't understand the secrets of the armory."

"When he enters the camp, we'll fire a signal arrow and say someone is trying to force their way into the Armory with a knife! We'll surround him and take him down. With the law of the land upon him, not even the King of Heaven can save him!" The Official Guard said, getting more and more excited as he spoke, as if he felt the idea was increasingly brilliant.

"Excellent!" Zou Huainan stood up from the bed upon hearing this. "By then, we'll charge him with stealing military secrets. Won't he be completely at my mercy, to deal with however I please? I never thought someone with your intelligence could come up with such an Evil Scheme!"

"It's all from learning from Young Master Zou!" The Official Guard continued to flatter.

Having thought of a satisfactory Evil Scheme, the annoyance on Zou Huainan's face vanished, replaced by a crooked grin and triumphant laughter that echoed beyond the pine forest.

"Hehehehehe..."

Good morning.