Swords emerge from Mount Hua, sweeping across the heavens from the world of Swordsman.

Liu Zhengfeng paused in his hurried steps, a look of surprise on his face: "May I ask who this eunuch is?"

"I am Xu Jin, the third-in-command of the Eastern Depot. What, is it that you don't welcome me, Master Liu?"

Liu Zhengfeng was startled and quickly bowed, saying, "I dare not. It was supposed to be Lord Zhang who came to deliver the imperial decree today, so why has it suddenly been Eunuch Xu who has come instead?"

"My presence here demonstrates the court's high regard for Hero Liu, doesn't it?"

"Liu Zhengfeng is terrified, please come in, sir."

Xu Jin then stepped into the Liu residence, disdainfully curling his lip at the questioning gazes on both sides, and arrogantly walked up the steps of the main hall.

A servant following behind stepped forward and knelt down, raising a tray high with both hands, on which lay a scroll made of gold cloth.

Xu Jin opened the scroll with both hands, revealing the embroidered dragon pattern, and solemnly said, "The imperial edict has arrived. Liu Zhengfeng, receive the edict."

As soon as these words came out, the whole hall was shocked.

The Eastern Depot has a bad reputation; it acts ruthlessly and domineeringly, and even unruly江湖客 (jianghu ke, a term referring to people from the martial arts world) are reluctant to provoke it.

Liu Zhengfeng was just a江湖人 (jianghu person, a person from the martial arts world), how could he have received an imperial edict from the court, especially one personally delivered by the Third Chief of the Eastern Depot?

Could it be that the imperial court wants to cleanse the martial arts world, and therefore colludes with Liu Zhengfeng to wipe out all the martial arts heroes at this Golden Basin Washing Hands Ceremony?

Everyone's hearts jumped into their throats.

There was precedent for the Ming Dynasty court purging the martial arts world.

Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang was originally from the Ming Cult. After ascending the throne, he carried out a large-scale purge of Ming Cult members, which led to the demise of the Ming Cult, which had been passed down for hundreds of years.

Many people's hearts sank into their throats on the spot, and they secretly gripped their weapons.

Liu Zhengfeng knelt down on both knees, kowtowed three times respectfully, and said loudly, "Your humble servant Liu Zhengfeng obeys the decree, long live the Emperor!"

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: According to the report of the Governor of Hunan, Liu Zhengfeng is public-spirited and skilled in archery and horsemanship. He is hereby granted the position of Assistant General. From now on, he shall serve the court and not fail the Emperor's expectations. This is the imperial decree."

Liu Zhengfeng kowtowed again to express his gratitude, and then respectfully stood up to accept the imperial edict: "I also want to thank Eunuch Xu for traveling so far and making such a difficult trip."

Xu Jin smiled and narrowed his eyes, "It's not hard work. Besides reading the Emperor's decree, I also brought a secret order from the Chief Supervisor to Lord Liu."

Liu Zhengfeng was taken aback: "I wonder what instructions Governor Cao has for me?"

"The Grand Eunuch orders Lord Liu to assist me in capturing Yue Buqun, a traitor to the imperial court!"

Chapter 42 Cao Zhengchun's Secret Rebellion

If we were to name the martial arts figure that Cao Zhengchun disliked the most recently, it would undoubtedly be Yue Zhuoqun.

A few months ago, Yue Zhuoqun killed the quasi-wheel king, which caused quite a stir in the capital.

As the head of the Eastern Depot, any disturbance in the capital could be secretly reported to him within three hours.

He just didn't take it too seriously.

Although the Prince of the Wheel was a eunuch in the palace, he was only a low-ranking official of the ninth grade, a nobody who couldn't even get on the big stage.

Furthermore, the quasi-wheel king created the Black Stone assassin organization and frequently used the influence of the Eastern Depot to commit atrocities. In fact, rumors even circulated in the martial arts world that "Black Stone is the cornerstone of the imperial court."

You should know that even though he was in charge of the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, wielding immense power, he still wouldn't dare to say such a thing.

Therefore, he didn't have much affection for King Yama in his heart, and his death was just that—death.

As for the so-called Rama internal energy, I look down on it even more.

His sixty years of refined internal energy, the Heavenly Gang Boy Skill, is surely more effective than a monk's martial arts.

Besides, the Rama internal energy has the effect of restoring vitality and repairing deficiencies. If I were to grow a penis after practicing it, the emperor would have to castrate me again!

For this reason, he has always ignored Yue Zhuoqun's stirring up trouble in the capital.

He's just a country bumpkin who's been around for a while. What good is it if he goes to heaven?

However, to his surprise, Yue Zhuoqun actually connected Zhang Haiduan and Zhang Dajing together.

With the support of Zhang Dajing's vast wealth, Zhang Haiduan frequently visited the residences of court officials to cultivate relationships and influence them.

In just two months, there were more than two hundred memorials requesting the appointment of Zhang Haiduan.

The current emperor is already interested and intends to reinstate him.

This was intolerable to Cao Zhengchun.

When Zhang Haiduan was the Grand Secretary, he impeached him many times for abusing his power as the head of the Imperial Guard and suppressing dissidents. He even asked the emperor to take back his position as head of the Imperial Guard.

Fortunately, the Emperor needed him to restrain the Iron-Blooded Marquis Zhu Wushi. Rashly revoking his position in the Embroidered Uniform Guard would disrupt the balance of power, so he did not dare to agree.

Once Zhang Haiduan returns to officialdom, he will inevitably be targeted again.

Zhang Haiduan is currently unable to move, so he harbors resentment towards Yue Zhuoqun, who acted as the go-between.

Upon hearing that Liu Zhengfeng of Hengshan was going to retire from his life of crime and was asking the court for an official position, the three leaders were immediately dispatched to have Xu Jin join forces with Liu Zhengfeng to capture Yue Zhuoqun.

This led to Xu Jin relaying the order.

Wow~

Upon hearing this secret order, the members of the Huashan Sect immediately drew their longswords and stood guard around Yue Zhuoqun.

The disciples of Hengshan, Taishan, and Hengshan sects also had cold and stern expressions, secretly gripping their sword hilts.

They did not believe that Yue Buqun was a member of the imperial court's rebellious faction.

Even if it were true, they wouldn't stand idly by. This is not only because the Five Mountains Sword Sects are of one mind, but also because of the code of brotherhood in the martial world.

Liu Zhengfeng's expression changed several times, and he asked incredulously:

"Eunuch Xu, you must be mistaken!"

Senior Brother Yue is a refined and righteous man; how could he possibly associate with the rebels in the imperial court?

"Hmph! More than four months ago, he killed a ninth-rank eunuch in the capital. What is this if not treason!"

"What, you're not planning to disobey the imperial decree, are you?"

Xu Jin narrowed his eyes and stared coldly at Liu Zhengfeng.

"Liu Zhengfeng would naturally not dare to disobey the imperial decree, but the decree stated that he was being appointed as a military officer, which meant he was neither under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Depot nor the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

Moreover, you're only relaying Commander Cao's orders; they probably don't apply to me, Liu.

"How dare you! You should understand that I can come to grant you an official position, but I can also remove you from your post."

"If taking this official position means making enemies of Senior Brother Yue and harming fellow disciples, then Liu Zhengfeng might as well not take it!"

With a serious expression, Liu Zhengfeng handed the imperial edict he had received back to Xu Jin.

His request for an official position was merely to find a suitable reason to retire from criminal activities and to secure a stable identity for his future livelihood.

But if asked to do something against chivalry, he would rather not retire from the criminal world.

"it is good!"

"Well done, Junior Brother Liu."

The martial arts practitioners in the arena applauded and praised the performance.

"You are openly defying the imperial decree by resigning from your post; your entire family will be executed!"

"Then Eunuch Xu has misjudged him. Liu Zhengfeng is not afraid of death, he is only afraid of losing his chivalrous code!"

"Good good!"

Xu Jin gritted his teeth as he accepted the imperial edict, scanning the assembled heroes:

"It seems that everyone here is going to stand with Yue Buqun, this rebel of the court, and oppose the court?"

"hehe!"

Yue Zhuoqun, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke with a cold laugh:

"Eunuch Xu, you keep saying I'm a rebel in the court, then I'd like to ask, whose party have I rebelled against?"

"Naturally, it is the current saint..."

"They're Cao Zhengchun's faction, aren't they!"

Yue Zhuoqun interrupted him, his eyes filled with mockery:

"The quasi-King I killed formed the Black Stone assassin organization, killing indiscriminately for money without distinguishing right from wrong, and even uttered the treasonous words 'Black Stone, the cornerstone of the imperial court.'"

He was a palace eunuch, subordinate to Cao Zhengchun.

Can I assume that he did all of this at Cao Zhengchun's behest?

Were the people killed to eliminate dissidents for Cao Zhengchun, and the wealth amassed was used by Cao Zhengchun to plot a rebellion?

"you you……"

Xu Jin swayed, almost collapsing to the ground in fright.

That's an incredibly huge compliment.

Yue Buqun said that Cao Zhengchun was eliminating dissidents, and he did not object at all.

To say that they were plotting a rebellion is an utterly outrageous slander.

Cao Zhengchun was a eunuch who didn't even have any descendants. What kind of rebellion could he possibly have?