After all, not everyone could obediently lay down the power in their hands, retire to their hometown, and spend their remaining years in peace.
Precisely because they had tasted the benefits power brought them, they were even more unwilling to let it go.
Even after stepping down, they still wanted to control power through other means.
"Enough. You may leave first!"
Wan Feiliang clearly had no intention of saying anything further.
With a wave of his hand, he signaled that Lu Quan could leave.
"Yes, Chieftain Wan!"
Lu Quan understood very well that there were some things he could hear, but other matters were not for him to know.
Nodding sensibly, he bowed and left Wan Feiliang's courtyard.
He was already imagining what Ye Liuyun's expression would look like once he discovered he had nothing left.
"Eunuchs? There are eunuchs in the Brocade Guard too?"
On Ye Liuyun's side, Si Nan had more or less filled him in on Wan Feiliang's circumstances.
He had known long ago that the Brocade Guard had been infiltrated by forces from all sides, but he truly had not expected even eunuchs to thrust a foot into the mess and arrange for a chieftain to be posted here.
"I heard that Chieftain Wan is the godson of that Lord Eunuch in the palace. His background is extraordinary—even the Pacification Commissioner does not dare offend him lightly."
"..."
Even Lord Eunuch had appeared.
The Great Qian Dynasty really was far more chaotic than he had imagined.
Although he had read through quite a few case files, their descriptions of the various forces within the Great Qian Dynasty had still been too one-sided. There were many things Ye Liuyun did not know.
Seeing Ye Liuyun remain silent, Si Nan continued.
"I heard that no one Chieftain Wan set his sights on ever came to a good end. Either they were suppressed until they obediently bowed their heads and submitted, or, if they refused to accept it, they were driven until their families were ruined and their homes destroyed."
As he said this, Si Nan's tone grew even more worried.
He feared that Ye Liuyun would be targeted in the same way.
"How strong is he?"
Hearing those descriptions, Ye Liuyun's expression did not change much. He merely asked a simple question.
"Hm?" Si Nan seemed not to have expected Ye Liuyun to ask that.
"How strong is Chieftain Wan?"
Ye Liuyun pressed again. When all was said and done, it was still a matter of strength.
If you were powerful enough, what was there to fear from being targeted?
"Uh, I heard he's a First-Rate Martial Artist."
"Only a First-Rate Martial Artist?"
He had thought the man would at least be an Acquired Realm martial artist. Who would have thought he was only First-Rate?
"Uh!"
Si Nan was somewhat speechless. What did he mean, only a First-Rate Martial Artist? Such strength was already exceedingly rare within the Brocade Guard.
"My lord, if you find him troublesome, why don't I find a chance to kill this Chieftain Wan?"
Shi Sheng's thinking was simple. Since Ye Liuyun had helped him, now that Ye Liuyun was in trouble, he naturally had to repay Ye Liuyun's kindness.
As for strength, Chieftain Wan was a First-Rate Martial Artist—wasn't he one too?
He simply refused to believe he could not beat him.
"It hasn't come to that yet."
Looking at Shi Sheng, Ye Liuyun laughed and waved his hand.
Then he glanced sideways at Si Nan.
"While having people keep an eye on Lu Quan, arrange for someone to watch this Chieftain Wan as well. See when he leaves the imperial capital."
So he still wanted to kill him.
When had his lord become so hot-tempered?
He was Lord Eunuch's godson. If he died, it would probably cause no small commotion. Yet even so, Si Nan obediently agreed.
"This subordinate will make the arrangements at once."
Over the next few days.
Ye Liuyun had been waiting to see how Wan Feiliang would retaliate against him. Who would have thought that before Wan Feiliang made a move, Lü Lan, the guard beside Yan Shuzhu, came to find him instead.
"The Imperial Brothel?"
Inside the Brocade Guard headquarters, Ye Liuyun looked at Lü Lan before him in surprise.
According to Lü Lan, her master Yan Shuzhu was hosting a banquet at the Imperial Brothel and inviting him.
"That's right. There will also be a courtesan queen's performance tonight. Young Master wishes to invite you to enjoy it together."
Lü Lan's face was ice-cold. Ye Liuyun did not know whether that had something to do with her Extreme Yin Body.
But he did not pay it much mind.
He said directly,
"Not today. I still have a case to handle later. Another time."
It was not a perfunctory excuse he had casually made up. Ye Liuyun truly did have a case to handle shortly.
Those words surprised the originally frosty Lü Lan. She had thought Ye Liuyun was the lecherous sort, yet even upon hearing there would be a courtesan queen's performance, he remained completely unmoved.
Had she misjudged him?
But remembering that this was something Yan Shuzhu had instructed her to do, Lü Lan said directly,
"Do you know who you are refusing?"
"Then do you know how many people will die tonight if I put aside this case and go with you?"
Ye Liuyun raised his head and looked at Lü Lan calmly.
Trying to scare me? Sorry, I have nothing else, but I have plenty of nerve.
Seeing Lü Lan at a loss for words, Ye Liuyun continued,
"You possess a token that can mobilize the Imperial Guards within the palace. Your master's status in the palace must be anything but ordinary."
There were quite a few imperial princes in the palace, but those who were unfavored merely had finer clothes and richer food; they held no real power. Someone who possessed such a token was certainly not unfavored.
"Go back and tell your master that I joined the Brocade Guard not to be anyone's dog. If all I knew was how to cling to the powerful and wealthy, then who would protect the safety of the imperial capital's people? If she wants an obedient dog, there are plenty in the Brocade Guard. I will not accompany her."
His words were lofty and righteous, as though the characters for unyielding before power and unbending before might were practically written across his face.
For a moment, Lü Lan felt so ashamed she could barely show her face.
The only reason Ye Liuyun dared speak this way was because the Talent Traits on Yan Shuzhu gave him confidence.
When facing someone like her.
The more humbly you lowered yourself, the more disdainful the other party would become.
On the contrary, the more unyielding you were before power, the more they would appreciate you. Put nicely, they admired talent; put bluntly, they had a bit of a masochistic streak.
"I..."
"Enough. I'm going to investigate the case, so I won't keep you company!"
As he spoke, he gave Lü Lan no chance to refuse and strode away.
Watching Ye Liuyun's departing back, Lü Lan instinctively wanted to use force to drag him there, but recalling what Ye Liuyun had just said, she ultimately dismissed the thought.
She had not expected there to be someone so upright and incorruptible within the Brocade Guard.
After hesitating for a moment, Lü Lan still left.
"Young indeed!"
On Ye Liuyun's side, the men had already been gathered.
Sitting atop his horse, Ye Liuyun watched Lü Lan leave the Brocade Guard from the other side, a smile curling at his lips.
Speak human words before humans, ghost words before ghosts—Ye Liuyun had long honed that ability to perfection.
Though Lü Lan's strength was not bad, she had clearly spent too long in the palace. When it came to all those twists, turns, and schemes, she had not the slightest clue.
He had fooled her with just two sentences.
Before you continue