Chapter 95: Five

Zhou Yuan’s voice echoed through the hall, causing Marquis Liu’s face to alternate between pale and flushed. He was speechless for a moment. After all, who would have thought that Zhou Yuan could win over both Wei Canglan and Black Venom King?

Recalling Zhou Yuan’s earlier words, everyone suddenly realized why Qi Yuan hadn’t dared to stay in Great Zhou City—it turned out he already knew about Zhou Yuan’s capabilities. Indeed, with Wei Canglan and Black Venom King allied, they could certainly stop Qi Yuan for good.

“In the Black Abyss, Qi Hao, sent by Qi Yuan, competed with me for the Fire Spirit Spikes. They ultimately failed, and Qi Hao died by my hand. I then won over General Wei and Black Venom King. When Qi Yuan learned of this, he was forced into rebellion,” Zhou Yuan calmly stated.

Everyone was dumbfounded. It turned out that King Qi Yuan had been forced into rebellion by Zhou Yuan all along. But thinking about it, it made sense. With Wei Canglan and Black Venom King’s assistance, the imperial family’s power had significantly increased. They would no longer tolerate the existence of King Qi’s Residence. If King Qi didn’t want to wait for death, rebellion was his only option.

“But... how exactly did he do it?”

Many officials and generals looked at Zhou Yuan’s somewhat young face, feeling utterly shocked. The issue with Wei Canglan had plagued Zhou Qing for years, yet it had been smoothly resolved by Zhou Yuan. This was simply unbelievable.

Marquis Liu gazed at the calm young man in the hall, his mind in turmoil. A sudden wave of regret washed over him. He regretted the time Zhou Qing had proposed a marriage between Zhou Yuan and his daughter, Liu Xi. That matter later fell through due to Liu Xi’s strong opposition. In truth, at that time, not only was Liu Xi against it, but he also had reservations about the Great Zhou imperial family and Zhou Yuan. That’s why he ultimately allowed Liu Xi’s objection, using it as an excuse to decline the marriage. But now, looking at it, the Zhou Yuan they had not thought highly of back then had undergone a dramatic transformation in less than a year. Not only had he defeated Qi Yue and become first in the Great Zhou Prefecture examination, but he had also, by some unknown means, brought Wei Canglan and Black Venom King under his wing. How could an ordinary person achieve such feats?

In the hall, after a period of shock, Zhou Qing finally recovered. He looked at Wei Canglan and Black Venom King and said, “Please rise, both of you. With your assistance, our Great Zhou will surely be able to eliminate the rebels!”

At this moment, the previously subdued atmosphere in the hall instantly became energized. The generals eagerly volunteered, and morale was fully restored. With the formidable assistance of General Wei Canglan and Black Venom King, Great Zhou’s power would surpass that of King Qi’s Residence.

Seeing the restored morale, Zhou Qing’s expression also brightened considerably. He scanned the hall and said in a deep voice, “From today onwards, Great Zhou will enter a state of war preparedness. The Imperial Army will take over Great Zhou City, and scouts will be dispatched to closely monitor every move of King Qi’s rebels!” His gaze fell upon Marquis Liu, and he stated indifferently, “As for Marquis Liu, you are forbidden from leaving your residence during this period.”

Clearly, he intended to place Marquis Liu under house arrest. It was also conceivable that Zhou Qing would subsequently purge King Qi’s spies and informants within Great Zhou, and some of those present would likely not escape. Marquis Liu’s face turned ashen. He knew that their Liu family was finished. Zhou Qing’s sharp decisiveness made the atmosphere in the hall solemn.

“All other generals, uphold your duties. Our Great Zhou’s territory will not tolerate any encroachment!” Zhou Qing declared solemnly.

“Yes!”

A chorus of respectful affirmations filled the hall.

Once all instructions were given, Zhou Qing dismissed everyone. Wei Canglan and Black Venom King were also escorted to be settled. The hall suddenly became empty, with only Zhou Qing and Zhou Yuan remaining.

Zhou Qing looked at the slender young man in the hall, his eyes filled with profound relief. He stepped down, approached Zhou Yuan, and gently patted his shoulder, saying, “Yuan’er, this time, it’s all thanks to you.” If Zhou Yuan hadn’t won over Wei Canglan and Black Venom King, Zhou Qing would likely have been forced into a life-or-death struggle with King Qi.

Zhou Yuan smiled and said, “Father has shouldered this burden alone for so many years. It’s time for me to contribute.” He knew well the bitterness in Zhou Qing’s heart. The Great Wu Rebellion years ago had shattered the imperial family’s prestige. Even though Great Zhou was painstakingly preserved, regaining that lost prestige was no easy task. In such circumstances, the imperial family would naturally decline. If not for Zhou Qing’s relentless support, it would have likely crumbled long ago. To preserve the peace of Great Zhou, he had repeatedly endured the aggressive provocations of King Qi’s Residence, swallowing his anger. Looking at Zhou Yuan, even with Zhou Qing’s temperament, his eyes reddened for a moment. He murmured, “Yuan’er has finally grown up.”

“However, Father, given that Qi Yuan still dares to rebel after knowing I’ve won over Wei Canglan and Black Venom King, he must have some confidence. We must be wary,” Zhou Yuan said with a more serious expression, reminding him.

Zhou Qing nodded, saying, “If I’m not mistaken, the Great Wu Dynasty has probably given him significant support.”

Zhou Yuan’s eyes deepened. “It’s said that the Crown Prince of the Great Wu Dynasty learned about what happened in my prefecture examination. He couldn’t be bothered to act directly, so he plans to use King Qi’s hand to completely eliminate me.”

Zhou Qing gritted his teeth, a strong murderous glint in his eyes. He said, “Don’t worry, Yuan’er. Now that we have Wei Canglan and Black Venom King, our imperial family possesses three experts in the Primordial Realm. This is enough to stabilize the situation.”

Zhou Yuan, hearing this, smiled and said, “To be precise, it should be five.”

Zhou Qing was startled. So Zhou Yuan proceeded to tell Zhou Qing about Yaoyao and Tun Tun.

“Actually, this time, if it weren’t for Sister Yaoyao and Tun Tun, we might not have been able to subdue Black Venom King, and even Wei Canglan might not have gotten involved,” Zhou Yuan explained. In truth, the methods Zhou Yuan used to subdue Wei Canglan and Black Venom King both relied on overpowering them with strength. However, he was gentler with Wei Canglan and more direct and crude with Black Venom King.

Zhou Qing listened and then sighed, saying, “Yaoyao is truly a benefactor to our Zhou family. I don’t know how we can ever thank her.”

Zhou Yuan chuckled, “If Father is willing, giving all those fine wines you’ve collected to Sister Yaoyao would surely make her happy.”

Zhou Qing smiled faintly and said, “Alright, she can have them.” Father and son exchanged glances, both laughing aloud.

“Father, rest assured, our Great Zhou will be fine.” Zhou Yuan chuckled for a moment, then looked up at the distant view outside the hall, where dark clouds seemed to gather. He slowly said, “When I was young, I could only rely on you to protect me, unable to do anything. But it’s different now... Now, if they still want to do something, they’ll have to ask for my permission.”

The smile on Zhou Yuan’s face seemed to hold a chilling coldness. “What they took from us, we will take back eventually... And for now, let’s start with King Qi’s Residence...”