After being demoted, my 300,000-strong army trampled the imperial city!

"I'm going to cultivate myself, Your Highness need not worry about me."

Liu Longyue bit her red lips and turned to leave, afraid that Chen Futu would say those shameless things again.

Seeing her like this, Chen Futu, with a mischievous grin, slapped her hard on the buttocks.

With a loud slap, Liu Longyue was caught off guard. Her buttocks were still sore from the recent ordination, and the slap made her scream and fall headfirst onto the table. When she turned around angrily, Chen Futu had already laughed and walked away with his hands behind his back.

"Chen Futu, you just wait, you better pray you don't fall into my hands..."

After saying this, Liu Longyue bit her lip and took the Sword God's Enlightenment back to her residence.

A moment later, Chen Futu and Zhang Liang rode in a carriage to Pingkangfang. Lifting the curtain, they saw people in the streets and alleys discussing the massacre of Zhongshan's family. Even more shockingly, a large group of scholars covered their faces and wept bitterly, as if their own father had died.

Chen Futu frowned and remained silent, while Zhang Liang looked indifferent, seemingly unconcerned about the outcome.

"Old Zhang, aren't you afraid that things will be exposed and people will talk behind your back?" Chen Futu couldn't help but ask.

"As a strategist, one should dare to be the first in the world. What others dare not think, I will think; what others dare not do, I will do," Zhang Liang said.

Stop it.

Chen Futu didn't want to listen to his ramblings. The old man was nearing the end of his life, and in his final days, his entire family would be executed. There was no greater tragedy in life than this.

However, as someone who had killed tens of thousands of surrendered soldiers and personally destroyed countless families, Chen Futu had no grounds to criticize Zhang Liang, so he remained silent for the rest of the journey.

When the carriage arrived outside the garden, Dian Wei whispered, "My lord, so many scholars have gathered here, and their weeping is driving me crazy."

"Ignore it. Go and announce that the Crown Prince has come to visit."

Dian Wei accepted the order and walked towards the residence, his hand resting on his sword.

At this moment, at least several hundred scholars had gathered nearby. When they saw Dian Wei, they all surrounded him. Dian Wei angrily said, "What are you all doing? Are you trying to rebel?"

"General Dian, didn't the Crown Prince send people to Zhongshan to escort him? Why did such a tragedy still occur?"

"Yes, if the young master had been a little faster, this wouldn't have happened."

The scholars chattered away, but Dian Wei's face darkened, and he immediately drew his sword in half, startling the group of people who scattered in fear.

"It was the Emperor of the Great Qian who killed Mr. Zhou's entire family, not my lord. If you continue to cause trouble, don't blame me for being merciless with my blade."

The scholars could easily see that the general before them was a ruthless brute who would kill without blinking an eye, so they had no choice but to give up.

Dian Wei sheathed his sword and entered the courtyard, knocking on the door, but there was no response.

"Sir, are you home?"

"Old sir?"

Dian Wei called out for a long time but received no response, so he had to return to report.

Upon hearing this, Chen Futu sighed, "It seems he knows everything. Zhang Liang, come inside with me."

Zhang Liang nodded, put his hands behind his back, and followed Chen Futu out of the carriage.

Upon seeing this, the Tiger Guards who were guarding the manor immediately came out to block the bustling group of scholars, preventing them from getting close.

"Your Highness, was the bloodshed at Zhongshan caused by you?"

“If the young master were truly benevolent, he should have let the old gentleman go back long ago, instead of forcing him to stay in Dragon City, which led to this tragic end.”

The scholars shouted loudly, but Chen Futu didn't bother to respond.

Zhang Liang muttered to himself, "It seems there's someone behind the scenes stirring things up and trying to pin the blame on the Crown Prince."

"It doesn't matter. Zhou Qingzhi's attitude is the most important. These people are not worth mentioning."

Chen Futu looked down on these scholars.

As they were speaking, a scholar with a sword blocked their way. At first glance, it was none other than Ji Wendao, the Gentleman Sword.

Chen Futu put his hands behind his back, his hair flying in the wind, his handsome face carrying a hint of frost, and asked coldly, "Is there something you need, sir?"

"Chen Futu! You still have the nerve to ask, did you deliberately detain the old man in Longcheng because you foresaw this calamity and were plotting something?"

Ji Wendao's stern rebuke aroused the righteous indignation of many scholars, who then blocked the entrance to the garden.

Chen Futu said indifferently, "The murderer is the Great Qian royal family. You are supposed to be a scholar, yet you cannot distinguish right from wrong and want to pin a fabricated crime on me, the young master?"

"If you hadn't insisted on your own way, how could we scholars have lost our faith!"

"It's better to believe in yourself than in others. You bunch of useless bums who only know how to talk big, why aren't you moving aside?"

Chen Futu showed no respect whatsoever and immediately started cursing.

Upon hearing this, Dian Wei ordered the group to be driven away, and the Tiger Guards savagely broke through the encirclement.

Ji Wendao jumped up and down in the crowd, shouting, "Chen Futu, how dare you come to see the old gentleman! I am deeply ashamed—"

Chen Futu instructed Dian Wei beside him: "Later, secretly arrest Ji Wendao and torture him severely to find out who instigated him to cause trouble."

"Here."

Dian Wei had long disliked Ji Wendao. What a gentleman's sword! Bah, he's trash.

The prince spared his life out of kindness, yet he still doesn't know when to stop and continues to talk nonsense.

Soon Chen Futu and Zhang Liang arrived at the tightly closed door. Chen Futu straightened his clothes and knocked on the door, "Is the old gentleman in?"

There was no response after a short wait.

Seeing this, Zhang Liang pushed open the door.

The room was dark and filled with fluttering papers, creating a bleak and gloomy atmosphere.

The two entered the hall, where a cold wind blew, the gauze curtains billowed, and papers were scattered everywhere.

Finally, Zhou Qingzhi was found at a table deep inside.

He was dressed in white mourning clothes, his hair was disheveled, and he looked like a piece of rotten wood. With his blood-stained hands, he trembled as he wrote something on a piece of paper.

This scene is incredibly sorrowful.

Chen Futu felt reluctant but didn't know how to speak. Seeing this, Zhang Liang lowered his eyes and remained silent.

This wait lasted a very long time.

Only after Zhou Qingzhi struggled to his feet, picked up the blood-written letter, and staggered to Chen Futu's side, did he kneel down with a thud and hoarsely cry out: "I hope that Your Highness will ascend the throne soon and restore peace to the world—"

That cry was heart-wrenching, a sob that brought tears to the eyes of anyone who heard it.

Chen Futu tried to help him up, but he refused, stubbornly holding the blood-written letter above his head and continuing to cry out in despair, "I hope the Crown Prince will ascend the throne soon!"

Upon seeing this, Zhang Liang accepted the blood-written letter.

This book is mottled and glaring, listing the crimes of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Chen Futu gave a bitter smile and helped Zhou Qingzhi up. The latter seemed to have one foot in the coffin, his cloudy eyes devoid of tears, only numbness and resoluteness remained.

Chen Futu was about to speak when Zhou Qingzhi looked up and asked, "Your Highness, when will you be crowned?"

"Three days later."

"This old man should attend the grand ceremony to congratulate the Crown Prince."

"Old sir, you need to rest more. As for Zhongshan's matter, you don't need to be too sad. I will definitely avenge you."

"Your Highness's righteousness deeply moves this old man."

Zhou Qingzi pulled Chen Futu inside, seemingly intentionally avoiding Zhang Liang.

Zhang Liang was far too intelligent to follow suit.

Once they reached a corner, Zhou Qingzhi looked at Zhang Liang with reverence and asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, my days are numbered. I hope you will tell me the truth: was this plotted by Military Advisor Zhang?"

This is a very pointed question; how should I answer it?

If I give a bad answer and anger him, wouldn't all my efforts be in vain?