Start from Wusheng

Chapter 1132 Using Injury as a Bargaining Edge
The blood-stained carriage was in a dilapidated state. Zhou You was helped out of the carriage by his guards. He clutched his chest, where the wound was still bleeding.

The guards and attendants were also wounded, with varying degrees of injury, clearly indicating that they had been through more than one fierce battle on their way here.

More importantly, there was a body being dragged behind the car, and it was impossible to tell who it was.
On such a solemn occasion, Zhou You bringing a corpse to the door was bound to be an excuse for him to make a scene.

For a time, everyone was very curious about the identity of the corpse and were speculating about its true appearance.

"Governor of Qingchu!"

Young Master Ying spoke first, "You've finally arrived! Please come in!"

"I'm not late, am I?"

"Of course not, you've come at the perfect time, everyone's been waiting impatiently."

The young master's gaze fell on the corpse being dragged behind the carriage. "And this is..."

"Oh, the assassin I encountered on the road, I killed him and dragged his body here."

Zhou You spoke casually, but a huge whirlwind swept through everyone's hearts. An assassin? Could it be...?

Despite the young master's calm demeanor, he continued, "Noble people are naturally blessed by Heaven, and the governor of Qingchu Prefecture was able to turn misfortune into good fortune."

"I'm not so optimistic. I was badly injured and almost died."

Zhou You looked at the other governors who hadn't spoken, "Let's hear from Jin Chu!"

Once the gate closed, many of those who had been watching were disappointed; it seemed there would be no more news to be heard for the time being.

The body behind the carriage was also unloaded, wrapped in white cloth, and carried into the Prime Minister's residence.

The Prime Minister's Residence, the council hall...

In front of seven prominent figures from Zhili Prefecture, Zhou You got straight to the point: "Gentlemen, on my way here, I was attacked by a disciple of the assassin 'Cai,' who launched three consecutive attacks, each one fatal."

"So many trusted comrades fought and died for me, just so that I, Zhou, could escape by sheer luck. This hatred will never be forgotten."

"As I said before, destiny is in my hands, and no matter what assassins come, they will be useless and cannot kill me."

"Now that I stand before you all, it is clear that what I said is true. I am blessed with good fortune and the favor of Heaven."

"I reckon you weren't prepared for this meeting. Now that I'm here, I'll bring up a topic for you."

"Today, the leaders of the eight prefectures of Zhili have gathered here. We are not here to drink tea. If we are going to do something, let's do something big and decide the future of the country."

"After the death of the lord, the two major camps fought endlessly, and the powerful families of the left and right prefectures of the capital were destroyed every day. As a result, the eight directly governed prefectures were also affected and became unstable."

"What I mean is, things have gotten too chaotic; it's time to stabilize."

"Yes, if the lord has lost his virtue, the royal family cannot remain uninvolved. Therefore, I will not choose him and will strongly support Lian Feihong as the next lord."

"Who's in favor, and who's opposed?"

As Zhou You spoke, blood seeped from his wounds and seeped through his fingers, but apart from being slightly pale, he seemed perfectly normal.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a governor who favored the royal family stood up and said, "Zhou Daqian, what right do you have to decide the next feudal lord with a single word?"

"With the fact that I was able to survive an assassination attempt by the descendants of the assassin 'Cai,' which one of you could do that?"

Upon hearing this, the governor who had spoken out was speechless. They were not young upstarts; they knew the terror of the assassin 'Judge' lineage, and some of them had even participated in the planning of this assassination.

Since they hired assassins, they must have been aware of their methods. The governor involved believed that none of them could escape unscathed, which is why he was certain that Zhou You would die on this trip.

As a result, Zhou You not only escaped the assassination attempt, but also killed the contemporary assassin "Cai" and dragged the corpse to his door.

At least several hundred people in the backyard are examining the body, and there's still no news, so it's unlikely the body is a fake. What was originally a meeting to lure Zhou You out turned out to be a mere formality, but now the other side has seized the opportunity to launch an attack, putting the governors who favor the royal family in a passive position.

"Ahem, Governor of Qingchu, things are very complicated, not as simple as you think."

"Should we still take this long-term?"

A governor stepped in to smooth things over, but this was a delaying tactic, an attempt to change the subject.

But Zhou You came here injured, was it just to argue with them?
"Look, everyone, my blood is red and hot. Did this assassin kill me just for personal grudges? I certainly don't believe that no one was behind it."

"As everyone knows, I support Lian Feihong. The one who assassinated me must be the royal family. They've even used assassins. This is against the rules. To assassinate a dignified governor..."

Suddenly someone interrupted him, "Your position as governor is self-appointed, not officially recognized."

Zhou You raised the jade cauldron command arrow, saying, "This is a special privilege granted by the emperor, and in theory, I am the same as all of you."

Upon seeing the Jade Cauldron Command Arrow, the officially appointed governors were speechless. After all, once the lord died, this item, along with the Ruyi Jingu Bang (a type of ancient Chinese cauldron) and the Imperial Staff, was sufficient for them to travel around and assume the position of governor of any region.

At this point, Zhou You nodded to the young master, "Young Master Ying, well, Governor of Maijing Prefecture, you and I were both appointed to our posts in a time of crisis, and we share the same fate. Why not share some of the protection from the Jade Cauldron Arrow with you?"

"my pleasure!"

The young master readily agreed.

Upon hearing this conversation, the other governors' hearts tightened; something was wrong, the two had hit it off.

Zhou You possessed the Jade Cauldron Command Arrow, which could fill the legal gaps that Young Master Bu Rong lacked, and they immediately reached an agreement.

Originally, the fact that these governors didn't acknowledge the young master was a form of acceptance into their circle. However, the conditions Zhou You offered with the Jade Cauldron Token were far more tangible than their "carrots," and he could get his hands on them immediately.

If Qingchu Prefecture and Maijing Prefecture were to form an alliance, the resulting impact would be terrifying.

A quarter of the eight prefectures in Zhili were out of control, and the encirclement around Beijing became a mere formality, turning from an impregnable fortress into a tattered fishing net.

The four governors who favored the monarchy felt a pang of unease. They were about to call upon the governors of the two swing states, but it was too late.

The conversation between Young Master Ying and the governors of the two swing states just now was not just a polite exchange.

"We two also feel..."

When the governors of the two swing states expressed their support, it was like the sky had fallen; they actually supported Zhou You's opinion.

Hmm, so even so, it's still a four-on-four situation...

“Governor of Qingchu, I see your injuries are quite severe. If you trust me, I can help you heal your wounds.”

"I shouldn't be so polite, young master," he said.

Zhou You's wound was left by the assassin 'Cai' before his death, and it cannot be healed by ordinary means. He took some spiritual medicine on his way here, but it had no effect. He originally planned to deal with it later.

It wasn't that he deliberately used a self-inflicted injury to feign weakness, but rather that he had no effective means to heal it at the moment.

The fact that Young Master Ying dared to claim he could heal his injuries piqued Zhou You's curiosity.

Coincidentally, this opportunity allows him to verify his inner suspicions and see what the true source of Young Master Ying is.

"Thank you for your help."

This little incident attracted the attention of other governors, and for a time many eyes were focused on the two of them. They were all curious about the mysterious origins of Young Master Ying.

(End of this chapter)