Liver into a martial arts legend: starting with Embroidered Spring Blade

Chapter 198 An Jianqing informs, see Zhu Wushi again!
Xi'an City.

After being publicly humiliated by Jiang Xuan upon entering the city, the people from the Western Depot completely lost their right to participate in council discussions and were rarely seen.

Of course, the main reason was that Yu Huatian realized Jiang Xuan had murderous intent towards him and dared not make any more moves.

During this time, he and his men hid in the Xi'an government office, not daring to go out, waiting for news from Tan Luzi.

In his view, living in the government office meant there were many people around, so even if Jiang Xuan wanted to kill him, he wouldn't dare to do it so openly.

Clearly, he was still quite worried.

After all, he was currently far away in Xi'an. If Jiang Xuan were really audacious enough to try to kill him, he would be powerless to do so with his current strength.

The gentleman does not stand under the wall.

Finally, after waiting anxiously, Tan Luzi returned.

"Master, the Ming Cult has agreed to our conditions. They will kill Jiang Xuan for us, and after it's done, they guarantee they will no longer oppose the imperial court."

Upon hearing this, Yu Huatian breathed a long sigh of relief.

"Well done!"

Yu Huatian nodded slightly, then a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes as he said, "With the Ming Cult's help, no matter how high his martial arts are, he is doomed to die this time!"

"You want to kill me? I'll send you to meet the King of Hell first!"

"Perfect opportunity! Let's seize this chance and take control of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!"

"In the future, the Western Depot will be the sole authority in the court!"

Having received a reply from the Ming Cult, Yu Huatian felt reassured.

He had never directly fought Jiang Xuan and didn't know much about Jiang Xuan's strength.

According to the information he had, Jiang Xuan was at most between the fourth and sixth rank of Grandmaster, and he also controlled two kinds of intent power, so his actual combat strength would be higher, comparable to some martial arts masters who had just entered the Grandmaster level.

But, that's all.

There was more than one Grandmaster in the Ming Cult.

With his secret assistance, even if Jiang Xuan breaks through to the Grandmaster level, he will surely die without a burial place this time!
"What do you think of the new leader of the Ming Cult after meeting with them this time?" Having resolved one of his concerns, Yu Huatian then turned his attention to the strength of the Ming Cult and asked Tan Luzi.

Tan Luzi respectfully cupped his hands and said, "Reporting to the Chief Supervisor, the new leader of the Ming Cult is surnamed Zhang and named Zhang Wuji. He is indeed as rumored, very young, and looks about the same age as the Chief Supervisor."

"I'm not asking about his age, but his strength. What do you think?"

"This……"

Tan Luzi hesitated for a moment, then said, "Please forgive me, Chief Supervisor. I am not strong enough to see how strong he is."

Upon hearing this, Yu Huatian frowned slightly, somewhat disappointed, then shook his head and said, "Never mind."

"But... Zhang Wuji? That name seems familiar..."

Yu Huatian frowned and pondered, but after a long time he couldn't remember where he had heard the name before, so he had no choice but to give up and looked at Tan Luzi and said, "Go and call Jinliang and the others."

"Yes!"

Tan Luzi left.

Soon, Ma Jinliang, Ji Xueyong, Zhao Tong, An Jianqing, and other key figures from the Western Depot arrived: "Your subordinates greet the Grand Supervisor!"

"Ah."

Yu Huatian nodded, and then, without hiding anything, he directly revealed his cooperation with the Ming Cult and his intention to use the Ming Cult to deal with Jiang Xuan. He instructed everyone: "Get ready. When the time comes, you will lead your men to hold off the other members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and cooperate with the Ming Cult to deal with Jiang Xuan. If anyone resists, kill them without mercy."

"I wield the imperial sword, and have the authority to execute first and report later. Even if Lu Xiang-sheng dares to interfere, you need not hold back, understand?"

"Your subordinate obeys!" The crowd respectfully bowed.

Yu Huatian nodded, a fierce resolve forming in his heart.

This time, he will spare no expense to eliminate Jiang Xuan, this threat.

However, he did not notice that among the crowd, An Jianqing had a complicated expression, his eyes lowered and a glint in them, as if he was thinking about something.

……

"Is Yu Huatian secretly colluding with the Ming Cult, trying to use them to kill me?"

Upon receiving the message, Jiang Xuan was slightly surprised, but after thinking about it carefully, he didn't find it strange.

Yu Huatian wasn't an idiot, so it wasn't surprising that he could guess that I wanted to take action against him.

At this time, far away in Xi'an, before even engaging the rebel army, if Yu Huatian were to return to Beijing, it would be too obvious and could easily alert the enemy, forcing him to act prematurely.

Therefore, his best option at this time is to remain still, look for an opportunity to save himself, and strike first.

However, Yu Huatian was also self-aware, knowing that if they were to confront him head-on, the Western Depot would be no match for the Embroidered Uniform Guard at this moment.

From all perspectives, his best option now seems to be to cooperate with the Ming Cult.

Using his position and authority, he could escape the pursuit of the Ming Cult and use them to deal with him.

Given the Ming Cult's current situation, it is indeed possible that they would agree to his request.

The plan sounded so reasonable and flawless.

When the rebel army marches south to attack the city, the Ming Cult will concentrate its strength to eliminate him. This will allow the court to lift its pursuit of the Ming Cult and allow them to return to the Central Plains openly and legitimately. Meanwhile, Yu Huatian will be able to eliminate his great enemy and become all-powerful in the court, with no rivals.

Both sides were happy, and it was a win-win situation.

As for myself, I'll die at the hands of the Ming Cult anyway. Suppressing rebellions and bandits is a matter of life and death, and when the time comes, no one will have anything to say about it.

Putting himself in their shoes, Jiang Xuan felt that even if he were in their shoes, he would choose to cooperate with the Ming Cult for self-preservation.

But he never expected that when faced with such a highly successful plan, An Jianqing would choose to give up his promising future and come to betray him.
Jiang Xuan looked at him with a half-smile and said, "Commander An, it was your own choice to leave the Embroidered Uniform Guard and go to the Western Depot. Now you have betrayed the Western Depot and come to inform on me. It was also your own choice. Can you tell me what you are thinking?"

"Furthermore, given your fickle nature, can I really trust you again?"

Beside him, Lin Pingzhi, Xu Longqing, and others were all looking at An Jianqing with unfriendly expressions.

Faced with this situation, An Jianqing remained calm, bowed and clasped his hands, and solemnly said, "This humble servant dares not conceal the truth from the Commander. The reason I left the Embroidered Uniform Guard was for better development and for my own future."

“But now, Yu Huatian is audacious and reckless, trying to harm the Governor. Although I have not followed the Governor for long, I am familiar with his character. In my opinion, Yu Huatian’s actions are tantamount to courting death, and his attempt to harm the Governor will never succeed.”

"Therefore, I do not wish to die with him. Moreover, although I have left the Embroidered Uniform Guard, I am grateful for the Governor's kindness in recognizing and promoting me. I would never dare to be an enemy of the Governor. Therefore, I have come to pay my respects to the Governor and expose Yu Huatian's conspiracy."

Jiang Xuan chuckled: "You're quite honest."

"Six months ago, the Western Depot was very powerful, and the Emperor favored Yu Huatian. It was understandable that you left the Embroidered Uniform Guard to develop your career in the Western Depot for your own future. I can understand that too. But unfortunately, I have never liked traitors..."

An Jianqing's heart tightened, and he quickly lowered his head: "This humble servant already knows his mistake, please be lenient, Governor..."

Jiang Xuan stared at him quietly for a long time before turning his gaze away and saying calmly, "Very well, since you've come to your senses, I'll give you a chance."

"I'm entrusting Yu Huatian to you. When the time comes, you will personally cut off his head, and I will allow you to return to the ranks of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

An Jianqing's heart skipped a beat, then he gritted his teeth, cupped his hands, and said, "Yes, this humble officer will certainly live up to the Governor's expectations and personally cut off Yu Huatian's head to give the Governor an explanation!" Jiang Xuan nodded, waved his hand, and said, "Go."

"I resign from my humble position."

Watching An Jianqing leave, Xu Longqing and the others stepped forward.

"Governor, this man is ruthless and fickle; we must not trust him!" Xu Longqing said indignantly, clearly still harboring resentment over An Jianqing's betrayal.

"Indeed, perhaps this was Yu Huatian's intention. The governor should be careful."

"This humble servant also believes that this person is untrustworthy, and the Commander-in-Chief should be wary of him!"

Lu Jianxing and the others followed suit, speaking one after another, also expressing strong opinions about An Jianqing.

Jiang Xuan waved his hand and said calmly, "It's alright. Everyone makes mistakes. And strictly speaking, he can't be considered to have made a mistake. Compared to you, he's just more realistic. People strive for higher positions, and water flows downhill. He abandoned me in order to climb up the ladder, which I can understand."

"But now that he has assessed the situation and chosen me over Yu Huatian, I don't mind giving him a chance to reform."

"If he can fulfill the requirements I have set, I can allow him to return to the Embroidered Uniform Guard. However, his future position and whether he can impress me again will depend on his abilities."

"Moreover, one betrayal is acceptable, but a second one is not!"

Upon hearing this, everyone understood Jiang Xuan's meaning, nodded in agreement, and said no more.

"Go away."

Jiang Xuan waved his hand, dismissing everyone, and then led Lin Pingzhi to the inner courtyard.

As soon as they entered, Cheng Shifei, Yan Shisan, Xia Xueyi, and Huang Xuemei came to greet them.

Jiang Xuan nodded to the four people, then looked at the black iron ice coffin placed in the room, and the Iron-Blooded Marquis Zhu Wushi sitting next to the ice coffin, his eyes closed in convalescence, his face slightly pale.

"Your Highness's battle with Xiong Ba at Tianchi shook the martial arts world. Not only did you defeat Xiong Ba, but you also managed to escape unscathed. I truly admire you greatly," Jiang Xuan said with a smile.

Zhu Wushi suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze icy as he shot towards Jiang Xuan: "You dare to use me?!"

As he spoke, an immense aura pressed down heavily on Jiang Xuan.

The atmosphere suddenly became extremely serious.

Yan Shisan and the others looked solemn and stepped forward to block Jiang Xuan, watching Zhu Wushi warily.

Zhu ignored him, staring coldly at Jiang Xuan, demanding an explanation from him.

He wasn't stupid, so he naturally guessed that Jiang Xuan had deliberately used Su Xin to lure him out of the capital, and after several detours, he returned to Xi'an.

He would never believe that Jiang Xuan did it intentionally, even if he were beaten to death.

"Your Highness has discerning eyes; indeed, nothing can be hidden from Your Highness."

Jiang Xuan smiled slightly, waved his hand to signal Yan Shisan and the others to step back, and said without fear of Zhu Wushi, "However, strictly speaking, it can't really be called using him. If Your Highness wants to save Suxin, then no matter how hard I try, Your Highness will not be able to leave the capital to come to Xi'an."

"And Su Xin is Cheng Shifei's mother. Even without the prince, I would still choose to save Su Xin and lure the prince here. It would just be a side thing. Whether the prince comes or not, it will not affect my plan."

Zhu Wushi sneered: "That sounds nice, but do you think I don't understand your current situation? The rebel leader Li Zicheng and the Ming Cult have joined forces to march south, and the purpose of your Embroidered Uniform Guard is to deal with the Ming Cult and other Jianghu rebels."

"With tens of thousands of Ming Cult members, plus the many Jianghu figures under Li Zicheng's command, it's nothing short of a pipe dream for you to think you can completely eliminate them!"

"If the mission fails, not only will you be punished by the Emperor, but your life may also be in danger!"

"You deliberately lured me to Xi'an, wasn't it to force me to help you by using Su Xin as leverage?"

Jiang Xuan maintained his smile and said, "Your Highness is indeed very perceptive. Even though you are not in Xi'an, you are very familiar with the situation there. However, Your Highness has misunderstood this time. Although the Ming Cult is powerful, the Shaolin, Wudang and other Central Plains sects are not to be underestimated. Has Your Highness not heard that the allied forces of the major sects have already headed north and are on their way to Xi'an City, and will arrive soon?"

"Furthermore, even without the assistance of the various factions in the Central Plains, I still control the 'Netherworld' trump card force, which can be used for both offense and defense. Even if we lose this battle, I will not be without options."

"The reason I brought Su Xin to Xi'an is simply because of my special status, which prevents me from going to Tianchi in person. Furthermore, besides Tianxiang Doukou, there is another hidden danger that needs to be resolved in order to save Su Xin's life, and I must take action..."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Wushi's expression changed slightly, and he asked, "What hidden danger?"

Jiang Xuan said, "Su Xin has been frozen by the prince for twenty years. Although she was forcibly kept alive with Tianxiang Doukou and her bodily functions were maintained, the twenty years of freezing have also accumulated a large amount of cold poison in her body. In order to save her, in addition to taking a second Tianxiang Doukou, we also need to find a way to remove the cold poison from her body. If the prince does not believe it, he can investigate it himself to find out."

"what?!"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the others also changed.

Cheng Shifei rushed forward anxiously, ready to open the coffin to check, but Zhu Wushi pushed him aside: "Get out of the way!"

Ignoring everyone else, Zhu Wushi hurriedly opened the Xuan Tie Ice Coffin, grabbed Su Xin's wrist, and began to use his qi to examine her.

A moment later, his face turned extremely ugly.

Clearly, Jiang Xuan was telling the truth; Su Xin's body was indeed filled with a large amount of cold poison, chilling to the bone.

Jiang Xuan smiled and said, "Your Highness should believe me now that what I said was true, right?"

"There are only two ways to remove the cold poison from Su Xin's body. One is for the prince to directly use the Absorption Technique to draw out the cold poison and transfer it into the prince's body."

"But twenty years of cold poison is not so easy to resolve. Although Your Highness has profound skills, once the cold poison enters the body, Your Highness will not be able to use your true energy for a short period of time and must do your best to suppress and resolve the cold poison."

"Secondly, I used my extremely strong and yang energy to forcefully dissolve the cold poison in Su Xin's body."

"But the true energy that Your Highness cultivates is yin, so this method should not work for you."

Zhu Wushi's face turned ugly, and he said, "If I can't, then do you think you can?"

Jiang Xuan nodded with a smile: "I am not very talented, and although my skills are not as profound as Your Highness's, the true qi I cultivate is of the extreme yang attribute. It should have a miraculous effect in dispelling cold poison."

As he spoke, a faint golden light emanated from Jiang Xuan's body, instantly making the entire room extremely hot.

"Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill?"

Zhu Wushi frowned, then his eyes flashed, and he said, "As long as you can dispel the cold poison in Su Xin's body and help me wake him up, I can help you deal with the Ming Cult."

Become!

Jiang Xuan smiled inwardly. Some things don't need to be said by him personally.

His goal was to lure Zhu Wushi to Xi'an to take charge, and Zhu Wushi was also aware of his purpose.

But some things don't need to be said; everyone understands without saying a word. There's no question of exploitation; it's just a matter of each person having what they need.

"Without further ado, Your Highness may now administer the Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom to Suxin." Jiang Xuan gestured for her to proceed.

Zhu Wushi, with a serious expression and suppressing his excitement, took out a box containing Tianxiang Doukou from his bosom, opened it, and fed it to Suxin in front of everyone.

Soon, Su Xin began to react...

At the same time, the rebel army and the Ming Cult army, totaling 150,000 men, began beating drums and marched south to Xi'an.

Meanwhile, in the southeast of Xi'an, the allied forces composed of nine major sects, including Shaolin, Wudang, and Emei, were finally approaching Xi'an after several days of rapid travel.

From afar, the troops of the nine major sects stretched for miles, their banners covering the mountains and fields. They were all armed and numbered no less than a thousand, and all were the elite forces of their respective sects.

A storm engulfing both the imperial court and the martial arts world began to gather in Xi'an, attracting the attention of the entire Ming Dynasty!

(End of this chapter)