Page 775

It was a long time ago, on a certain night, that the matron of the Weichi Clan faced the most dangerous birth of her pregnancy.

In truth, women who married into hereditary power families always faced life-and-death trials when giving birth.

Why was the Weichi Clan’s former matron so respected?

Because she had given birth to three sons with pure bloodlines for the Weichi Clan.

It was during Weichi Peng’s birth that the signs were most ominous, and the whole clan believed it would result in a monster, or, at worst, cost two lives.

But at that time, that illegitimate child from the Lu Family, who was also Mu Hongqing, suddenly appeared and claimed to have a divine herb that could stabilize bloodlines.

Such a divine herb was extremely rare, said to have been fortuitously found in the North Sea, and the head of the Weichi family did not hesitate to accept the favor.

The divine herb played a critical role, saving two lives, importantly one of them being the future head of the Weichi Clan. The debt of gratitude was so immense it felt somewhat excessive.

It was after that incident when the head of the Weichi Clan learned that this illegitimate child, aside from mastering the seventy-two techniques of Earthly Malevolence, also possessed that strange ancient contract technique!

Anyone who owed him a debt of gratitude was obliged to repay it, and this debt would also accrue interest over time.

Over the years, the Weichi Clan had always looked for an opportunity to repay the favor, but had never found one, as the other party seemed to deliberately avoid the Weichi Clan.

Yet both Weichi Peng and the Weichi Clan’s head knew that trouble would come knocking the day the other party actively sought them out.

Indeed, at this moment, as the steward brought the guest in, the frail body of an elderly man weighed upon them more heavily than any transcendent monster could have.

"It’s been a long time, General Weichi..

." Dressed in black, Mu Hongqing greeted with a cupped-hand salute, looking just as upright and incorruptible as an Academic Commissioner as he had five years ago.

However, Weichi Peng knew that this seemingly righteous Academic Commissioner, who enjoyed a good reputation, was actually cunning and scheming.

"I have seen you before, Mr. Mu." Weichi Peng delivered a salute appropriate to his junior status.

"Don’t be too formal, Duke," the other replied, hastily returning the salute.

The Patriarch Weichi, meanwhile, smiled and invited the guest to sit down.

After letting the steward serve tea and leave, he wasted no more time and asked candidly, "I had heard that Mr. Mu was pursuing the Lu Family, and we were ready to help rescue them first. Unfortunately, we were a step too late and feel deeply ashamed.

Mr. Mu disappeared without a trace afterward, and we have been making inquiries. Where have you been all these years?"

Most of what the Weichi Clan’s head said was sincere.

He had always wanted to repay the favor but had never had the chance.

When Duke of Qin, Lumings, was in his prime, his status was far below Lumings, making it impossible to offer the help that Mu Hongqing sought.

He couldn’t offend either Lumings or that lunatic Madam Lu.

However, when Lumings and Madam Lu died in Jiangnan, he did consider going to the Lu Family to rescue Mu Hongqing’s relatives.

But by the time he had gathered enough men for the mission, Mu Hongqing’s relatives had already been moved away.

Later, he heard that Mu Hongqing had come to the Capital City, and then heard that he had gone to the north chasing after the Lu Family.

What happened after that, no one knew, as too many events had transpired in the aftermath: the Serpent Mother was released by the Lu Family, causing great chaos, and then His Majesty founded the Mother and Child Ghost Temples.

There were too many issues for them to spare any attention for a minor figure like Mu Hongqing.

Yet unexpectedly, at this juncture, the man had returned.

"Back then, I went to the north and followed the Lu Family, using all means at my disposal to barely rescue my younger sister. Having been tortured from a young age, she had long since lost the mindset of a normal person. These days, she’s been recuperating in Jiangnan.

Being my only relative, I naturally had to stay by her side, hence why I haven’t made a visit to you, Duke, all these years. "

"You saved her?" The Patriarch Weichi immediately smiled, "Congratulations, congratulations. Heaven does not forsake the dedicated; at least Mr. Mu’s years of effort were not in vain."

"It’s a fortunate stroke of luck amidst misfortune..." Mu Hongqing replied with a smile.

"So for this visit, Mr. Mu, is there anything in particular you require my assistance with?"

Mu Hongqing smiled, the other party was being direct.

To be honest, he wasn’t even sure what use the Weichi Clan might still be to him.

Initially, he had maneuvered them into owing him to help counter the Lu Family when the time came, as the Weichi Clan was known to support the Emperor and Lumings, at his zenith, was likely to oppose the Emperor.

After the rise of transcendent forces, the Weichi Clan did not wish to become Ghost Persons, and as a non-transcendent family, their value had indeed diminished.

If it weren’t for Liu Yu’s visit, he wouldn’t even have remembered the Weichi Clan.

"A great disaster is about to strike Capital City..."

"A great disaster?" Patriarch Weichi’s pupils contracted, and he grew increasingly uneasy. This guy is now in Jiangnan, and his apprentice is Chen Qing’s concubine.

It’s very likely he has already defected to Chen Qing.

If he’s here to persuade me to betray the Siao Family, that will be troublesome.

No matter how important favors are, this is something he couldn’t accept, even though his feelings toward the Siao Family were growing colder.

"May I ask what the great disaster you’re speaking of is?"

"I’ve received intelligence that His Majesty has gone to Yundu and has been schemed against, making His return to the Capital City temporarily impossible. And here in the Capital City, under Yundu’s machinations, chaos will soon ensue!"

"Yundu?" Both Patriarch Weichi and Weichi Peng looked at each other in confusion. Although their own clan wasn’t particularly scheming, the old folks holed up in Yundu had the capability to plot against the current Capital City?

You must be kidding, right?

The ghost soldiers that the Emperor now possesses are said to be capable of sweeping across the world, and they believe it. Frankly speaking, even if they were to face Jiangnan head-on, Weichi Peng didn’t think Jiangnan could win.

Yundu, a place almost forgotten, how could it scheme against here?

"The Emperor’s powerful forces come at a price," Mu Hongqing said softly. "The Mother and Child Ghost Temples utilize the pure resentment of newborn infants to open the Gates of Yin and Yang, allowing fierce ghosts from the Path of Yin and Yang to possess the bodies of mortals and walk the world of the living. King Xiang is one of the four great Ghost Kings with countless fierce ghosts under his command. With this method, His Majesty can obtain a powerful army in a short time, but the premise is that the Gates of Yin and Yang stay open. At present, nature’s spiritual energy hasn’t reached the point of overwhelming resentment, and the timing for imbalance of Yin and Yang has not yet arrived.

His Majesty forcing this issue comes with hidden dangers. "

"Are you implying... the Mother and Child Ghost Temples?" Patriarch Weichi was no fool and immediately grasped what the other was getting at.

So... His Majesty’s army has a vulnerability? If the Mother and Child Ghost Temples are destroyed, could it be that His Majesty’s ghost soldiers...?

For a moment, Patriarch Weichi’s gaze toward the other party concealed a cold chill. Was Mu Hongqing’s statement true or false? If it were true, would Jiangnan, knowing such critical intelligence, come to sabotage at this time?

What exactly is Mu Hongqing’s purpose in coming here?

If he wants me to help destroy the Ghost Temples, I absolutely won’t do it. No matter how much I disapprove of the Emperor’s actions, I would never choose to stab the Emperor in the back.

"Duke of Qin, no need to be nervous," Mu Hongqing, sensing the other’s murderous intent, quickly explained: "I’m not here to incite the Duke of Qin to rebel. It is Yundu that has taken control over His Majesty, not Jiangnan. Yundu has made such a move to internally disintegrate... to internally usurp His Majesty’s military power! "

"Usurp?" Patriarch Weichi looked at the other skeptically, "Yundu has been a sealed city for a thousand years, never expanding outward. How could it plot to usurp His Majesty’s military power? Even if it’s as you say, destroying the Mother and Child Ghost Temples could close the great Gates of Yin and Yang, forcing those possessing fierce ghosts to return forcibly, but wouldn’t that at most only cause His Majesty’s great army to collapse? How could it usurp power?"

"That’s also what I want to know," sighed Mu Hongqing. "I’ve been away from the Capital City for a long time, and I’m completely ignorant of the current situation here. I’ve come to find out who would be the most likely person to seize His Majesty’s army if the Emperor is not present?"

"This..." Weichi Peng was taken aback too: "Mr. Mu, aren’t you with Jiangnan? Coming here to reveal this secret, was it your own idea, or Chen Qing’s?"

Patriarch Weichi also looked at the other. Although his son’s question was a bit direct, under the current circumstances, he wouldn’t believe half a word from the other without some straight talk.

"It’s Lady Ziyue’s idea!"

"Lady Ziyue?"