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"Chen Qing is bringing about his own doom!!"

In the Hundred Herbs Hall on North Street, a disheveled scholar with matted hair, emitting a foul stench, stood on a table, manically explaining his views to the group of people below him, excitedly.

Those below were representatives of the scholarly class from Nanming Prefecture, who had come together through a merchant surnamed Feng. But at that moment, seeing the other party’s appearance, each and every one of them had an indescribable expression!

The man standing was Gu Beiquan. It was hard to imagine that this was the same person who, as the recently successful top-scoring candidate in the imperial examinations, had arrived in Nanming Prefecture full of vigor and was personally received by the Provincial Governor.

Those present, all respected gentlemen, had once congratulated him together.

They remembered that he was a young man on the rise, a mere twenty-something-year-old top scorer.

With such talent, even though he was not a Magician official, it was very possible for him to rise to the Third Rank, taking a central position in the Imperial Court and becoming one of the top-ranking civil servants among commoners.

But now, he was as thin as a rake, his expression wild, his eyes gleaming green like a wolf’s, and his face looking like an Evil Ghost!

If it were not for the information they desired from him, they would have wanted to leave long ago!

"That Chen Qing, so arrogant and conceited once he gained a bit of power, he actually dared to invite several parties to form alliances. It’s utterly laughable, like a frog in a well. I can already see his end coming. Gentlemen, this is precisely the time for us to make our mark!"

The crowd: "...."

A few of the gentlemen turned to look at an older gentleman beside them, his face bitter, and they all looked puzzled.

The older gentleman just kept smiling wryly...

A few days ago, Weichi Feihu had infiltrated under the guise of collaboration, only for them to realize later that he had murderous intentions. At that time, a great many of the scholarly class from Lyuzhou were killed by that warrior’s bare hands!

It was then that they learned that Chen Qing knew about all their schemes ahead of time.

He didn’t even take them seriously; taking Weichi Feihu along, he left without so much as a word to them.

They fled back home in panic, and when no one came looking for trouble after several days had passed, they cautiously went to the Hundred Herbs Hall. Only then did they find out that no one had even dealt with the bodies of those who had been killed.

It was they who paid the money to hire laborers and give the dead a hasty burial.

Then, less than half a day later, news arrived that the Imperial Army had suffered a crushing defeat, and Weichi Peng was captured!

With this news, Gu Beiquan, who had been somewhat incoherent, completely collapsed. He raved like a madman in the streets, cursing Chen Qing bitterly before being beaten up by a mob of Lyuzhou citizens.

Now, he didn’t even dare to go claim the relief porridge.

The rest of the gentlemen who were lucky enough to survive, seeing that Chen Qing did not pursue them, did not dare to harbor any further schemes and even stayed away from Gu Beiquan.

It was only the narrator himself, having once received the kindness of the Gu Family, who occasionally brought him some food.

Little did he know, it was not the right time. ..

"That’s Officer An, right?" The leading gentleman asked cautiously in a low voice, "Has something happened to Brother Gu...?"

Something big had happened!!

Officer An rolled his eyes and could only sigh, "He’s suffered some shocks and isn’t thinking clearly right now. Don’t aggravate him..."

The crowd immediately forced a smile. Who would dare to aggravate him with that Evil Ghost’s face? They were afraid he might suddenly rush at them and take a bite!

"In that case, is the information Brother Gu spoke of really true?"

"What he mentioned can hardly be considered information.

.." Officer An seemed somewhat disdainful, "The matter of Lord Chen convening an alliance from all sides is common knowledge.

Merchants from Lyuzhou who are well-informed had already spread the news, and he heard it all on the street from others. "

The crowd: "....."

"But if that’s the case, then Brother Gu is actually not wrong. That Chen Qing... truly courts death!"

At these words, Officer An curiously looked at them, "Why... are you all so eager to see Chen Qing fall?"

"Do we even need to say?" One of the fatter gentlemen exclaimed excitedly, "Because Chen Qing is reversing right and wrong! Look at what he’s pushed us, the scholarly class, to become?"

"But he has offered numerous opportunities as well.

.." Officer An frowned, "He has given us unlimited business opportunities, and the scholarly class’s advantage has not completely disappeared. We are educated, we have connections everywhere in the Central Plains, and these are advantages that ordinary citizens don’t have.

With these new goods, as long as our judgment is sound and we use our connections, we can make a hefty profit out there! "

The crowd fell silent; they were naturally aware of this situation, otherwise, they would not have been following that merchant named Feng around for so long.

On any other occasion, which mere merchant would have had the status to sit at the same table as them?

"You know this..." Officer An nodded, "You just want more..."

"We should rightfully receive such treatment!" the lead gentleman insisted, "All along, it’s been us, the scholarly class, who have helped the Imperial Court manage these commoners; otherwise, chaos would have erupted long ago. Chen Qing’s land redistribution policy is undermining the root of our scholarly class. With such actions, what good are more business opportunities to us? We have connections and channels, we have some advantages, but those peasants, with a bit of effort, can also find their own channels. Over time, won’t they just climb over our heads? "

"Ning, brother, what are you saying?" Officer An sighed, "We have such a great advantage, and we could still be caught up by commoners? How mediocre would the head of the family have to be?"

"There are always mediocre descendants!" Officer Ning exclaimed anxiously, "Are we supposed to just watch our family’s fortune decline?"

"Really?" Officer An took a deep breath, "I had no idea that you, brother Ning, actually wish for your descendants to prosper for thousands of generations..."

Officer Ning: "....."

"Do all of you think this way?" Officer An asked with a chuckle, "I’m not even going to discuss these principles with you. Do you really think that once the Imperial Army eliminates Chen Qing, the riches of Jiangnan will be yours?"

"Brother An, what are you saying? We certainly know our place, and we never thought about monopolizing it. But if we can secure even a fraction of Jiangnan’s interests..."

"What makes you think you’re entitled to a fraction?" Officer An directly interrupted, "You’re aware of the significant interest in Jiangnan, yet you think, once Chen Qing is gone, you could secure a portion from the hands of those noble families in the Capital City?"

Officer An looked at the group as if they were idiots, "What are you thinking? Just because you live in Jiangnan?"

"You yourselves aren’t willing to let ordinary people catch up to you, so why on earth would those century-old, or even millennium-old, great families be willing to give you the same opportunity?"

"You have channels, connections, through the enormous business opportunities in Jiangnan. Aren’t you a bigger threat to them? You don’t want to share a drop of soup with those below you, so why would... those great families be willing to share a bowl with you?"

Everyone: "...."

"Let me tell you the outcome once Chen Qing falls!

" Officer An said coldly, "Those families are half-demon and have never seen us as their equals. Without Chen Qing to protect it, you think you can get a share of Jiangnan’s fat meat?

Where do you get the nerve? Calling Chen Qing a frog in a well, then what are you? "

After saying that, he didn’t wait for an answer and flung his sleeves, leaving!

A group of people turned pale and flushed by turns, standing in place in a daze, unable to speak for quite some time.

In fact, many of them had an inkling of this principle. It was just hard for some to accept, and... greater greed made them subconsciously forget this critical point.

"Chen Qing is ignorant of his impending doom. He will surely be devoured by the forces from all sides, leaving not even his bones intact. How laughable, that pitiable ant, dreaming of emulating the grand dreams of the Spring and Autumn hegemon, without even looking in the mirror at himself!"

Gu Beiquan’s voice rose again. Everyone looked and saw the crazed Gu Beiquan standing on a table, laughing wildly, speaking fervently, spitting as he talked. His manner was as arrogant as it was ludicrous.

Looking at him... they suddenly felt like looking in a mirror, and there was an impulse to leave...

They roughly knew the day before, at the academy, that once these things here, the fruits of this place, were swarmed by the noble families from the Capital City, they would be squeezed dry to their marrow, not leaving anything for them.

They understood this principle. Now, having been completely stripped of their last layer by Officer An, they couldn’t even deceive themselves.

Watching the clownish Gu Beiquan on the table, they felt a tumult of emotions...

-------------------------------

Meanwhile, at the same time, the Princess Royale and Fifth Master Shen were preparing to arrive in Jiangnan by boat two days later with five hundred of their most elite followers.

On the agreed date, they were to meet with the Duke of Wei outside the Jiangnan Gateway.

Yet at this gateway, they encountered an unexpected figure!

It was an extremely thin scholar, with a pale face and gaunt features, his hands looking like bones wrapped in skin, appearing to be too frail to withstand a breeze.

However, just standing on the deck made the Princess Royale and Fifth Master Shen extremely nervous!

The Duke of Wei, seeing this, curiously looked over, and just upon making eye contact, he grunted as though he had been punched, stepping back, with blood flowing from his nostrils.

"Father!" The Duke of Wei’s two sons hurried to support him.

"It’s nothing..." The Duke of Wei waved his hand and, with great wariness, took another look at the figure before turning to the Princess Royale, "Your Highness, who is that?"

"Mm..." The Princess Royale nodded, "That is the one who destroyed the seventy nations of the West Sea!"

"Oh?" The Duke of Wei took a breath, "Chen Qing... really invited that monster here!"

Facing this monster, the Duke of Wei felt that even Your Majesty might not necessarily be a match for him here. Chen Qing... really dared to provoke such a creature?

Now, with several major powers gathered here, he grew increasingly curious. Chen Qing... how does he plan to smooth things over with all parties?