Chapter 2280: No Need for This Anymore

Outside the Jiang manor, everyone followed the sound and saw three contingents of troops surrounding it from all directions.

Unlike the lightly equipped soldiers King Wu had brought earlier, these new troops were clad in heavy armor. The soldiers at the front carried thick shields taller than a person. Their uniform footsteps, one after another, resonated like heavy hammers striking one's chest. An aura of grim determination spread, making people instinctively feel unnerved and restless.

Behind the formations were massive war chariots, armed with siege crossbows dozens of yards long and various runic cannons, all exuding a chilling aura.

Jiang Boyang's face changed drastically. Having spent many years in the capital, he immediately recognized these troops as the elite field army from the capital's vicinity.

Crucially, they had brought various heavy weapons, along with numerous formation masters. The entire army was now enveloped in an array of runic formations, far superior to the simplified versions used by King Wu's forces earlier.

King Wu had only intended to deal with the Jiang family, for which his previous setup was more than sufficient. He hadn't anticipated Zu An's sudden return.

The arriving army had clearly received news of Zu An's return and had made thorough preparations.

Whether it was the siege crossbows or the runic cannons, just a few volleys would flatten the entire Jiang manor, let alone its inhabitants.

Zu An also recognized the newcomers. The person in the center was Zhao Hao's uncle, Prince Yi, Grand General Zhen Dong, Zhao Huang. After the recent turmoil, his official rank had likely been further elevated.

The other two leading generals in golden armor were Zhao Quan, the Eastern Commandant, and Zhao Zhang, the Northern Commandant. Their father was Zhao Chen, the Grand Tutor and one of the Eight Dukes. Both were also of the same generation as Zhao Hao's uncles.

After Zhao Hao's death, the imperial clan members generally deferred to these few individuals.

Seeing the intense hatred in Zhao Quan and Zhao Zhang's eyes, Zu An remembered that their father, Zhao Chen, had died by his hand. He reflected that he had been too soft-hearted back then, not anticipating their retaliatory schemes. As soon as he left the capital, they began causing trouble.

"Regent, quickly put King Wu down!" Prince Yi, Zhao Huang, shouted. He remained in the center of his army, keeping a distance from the Jiang family and not approaching closer.

King Wu immediately cried tears of joy: "Grand-uncle, save me quickly!"

"Put him down?" Zu An smiled faintly. "Alright."

He then slammed King Wu to the ground. With a loud crash, an indentation in the shape of a human immediately appeared on the bluestone pavement.

King Wu lay sprawled in the pit, his limbs twitching uncontrollably, completely unresponsive.

Blood seeped from his nose and mouth; he looked like a heap of mud, barely breathing out, with no breath coming in.

Zu An said in a deep voice, "For Yuqing's sake, I'll spare your life today."

While he might be spared from death, he would not escape severe punishment.

King Wu's bones and meridians were all shattered. Only because he was a master himself could he barely cling to life.

At this, Prince Yi exploded in anger: "Zu An, what are you doing!"

Prince Yi Zhao Huang's fury surged.

Zu An looked at him strangely: "Didn't you tell me to put him down? I did."

"You!" Prince Yi gasped, almost suffering internal injuries from frustration.

Zhao Quan, standing nearby, scoffed: "The Regent is indeed sharp-tongued. However, King Wu is of the late emperor's bloodline and a noble prince. To treat him like this, are you trying to rebel?"

Jiang Luofu spoke up then: "King Wu falsely transmitted an imperial decree and led troops to besiege our Jiang manor; that alone is a capital offense. The Regent has already shown mercy."

Zu An was there to help her, so she naturally couldn't let him face these accusations alone.

Zu An looked at her with a hint of surprise, a gentle smile appearing on his face.

Zhao Huang and his group subconsciously glanced at Jiang Luofu's shapely thighs, partially covered by torn black stockings. They thought, "No wonder it's rumored in the circles that Jiang Boyang's daughter has the most beautiful legs in the capital. Seeing them today, the reputation is truly deserved."

They were already past their prime, and being in positions of power, they weren't lacking in beautiful women, so their desire for female beauty had long been subdued.

Yet, in that instant, it was as if they had rediscovered the passion of their youth.

Zhao Huang, being the oldest, was the first to regain his composure: "Hmph, we have heard about this matter. The Emperor indeed issued such a decree; King Wu did not falsely transmit it."

Jiang Luofu scoffed, holding up the imperial decree that had been with King Wu earlier: "This is clearly a blank imperial decree! If not a false transmission, what is it?"

Zhao Zhang cursed, "Who knows what tricks you used to swap it out? Everyone knows the Regent is notorious for his lechery. It's obvious he's coveting your beauty this time and is showing favoritism to the Jiang family!"

Several people couldn't help but glance at Yun Yuqing, wondering why King Wu's consort was standing so intimately close to Zu An.

"That Zu An," they thought, "indeed, no beautiful woman can escape his clutches."

Jiang Luofu, as a disciplinarian of the academy and with a deep family scholarly background, would have easily countered them in a debate.

But the other side played dirty. One sentence stumped her, making her face flush with heat, unsure how to retort.

It was Jiang Boyang, accustomed to dealing with major crises, who first recovered: "Publicly, the Regent and I have served together in court for many years, and he knows my character; I would never participate in rebellion. Privately, the Regent and my daughter are good friends and colleagues at the academy, sharing a mentor-student bond. It's perfectly normal for him to help us."

Jiang Luofu shot her father an annoyed glare. Although Zu An was also a Chancellor, she was a student of the old Chancellor, so there was no mentor-student bond between them.

Of course, she understood her father's intentions: first, to protect her reputation, and second, to avoid causing trouble for Zu An.

Prince Yi, Zhao Huang, sneered: "Whether it's rebellion, how can you alone decide? To determine if King Wu falsely transmitted an imperial decree, come with me to the imperial palace to meet the Emperor, and we'll find out."

He had made up his mind: as long as Zu An agreed, he would immediately seize the opportunity to arrest them all as suspects. Dealing with Zu An afterward would be much easier.

Jiang Boyang and Jiang Luofu exchanged glances, both recognizing the other's concern.

They could, of course, tell that the imperial decree was genuine. Although they didn't understand why such a decree would be issued from the palace, it most likely meant that these individuals had gained control of the emperor.

If they went to the palace to confront the Emperor, the charge of rebellion against the Jiang family would likely be confirmed.

But if they refused to confront, wouldn't it seem like the Jiang family was guilty?

Just then, Zu An's languid voice rang out: "I don't see the necessity for that."

"What do you mean?" Prince Yi frowned.

"Nothing. I say Master Jiang has not rebelled, and so he has not." Zu An stated calmly.

Prince Yi was both startled and delighted: "The Emperor clearly stated he rebelled. Do your words carry more weight than the Emperor's?"

Initially, the idea to target the Jiang family seemed to come from King Wu and the Bi family. However, Zu An, unexpectedly impulsive in protecting them, uttered such treasonous words.

At that point, they could easily use this to brand Zu An as a rebel, which was truly an unexpected boon.

Both Yun Yuqing and the Jiang father-daughter pair immediately recognized the danger and, fearing Zu An's impulsiveness, began to speak up to dissuade him.

Zu An raised a hand, giving them a look that conveyed 'no need to worry.'

Only then did he look at Prince Yi and the others: "Before, you lot committed treason, and I hadn't had the chance to settle accounts with you. Now that you've delivered yourselves to my doorstep, excellent; it saves me the trouble of seeking you out one by one."

Jiang Luofu looked bewildered.

Yun Yuqing looked bewildered.

Was this what he meant by 'no need to worry'?

They couldn't help but worry intensely. Though Zu An was strong, he was just one person against a well-equipped, prepared army.

Prince Yi burst into laughter: "Zu, you truly cannot hide your ambition; you want to rebel!"

Zhao Zhang and Zhao Quan were likewise surprised and overjoyed, never having expected such a windfall from this expedition.

Previously, because Zu An was too powerful, they didn't know how to avenge their father's death. But now, it seemed he was courting disaster, so they could fully leverage the entire empire's power against him.

The three had already prepared. With a single gesture, their army adopted an attacking posture, while various large-scale war formations continuously flickered, guarding against any sudden attacks from the other side.

Their forces were now deployed throughout the capital. The families usually close to Zu An wouldn't have time to come to his aid, making this the perfect opportunity to kill him.

At this moment, some individuals from King Wu's manor also spread out, subtly surrounding Zu An.

King Wu's four Senior Ministers were startled by this sight. After witnessing Zu An's power just now, how dared these people oppose him?

Wait, these people looked somewhat unfamiliar. They seemed to be from King Wu's consort's side.

Yun Yuqing was also both shocked and angry: "Elder Rong, what are you doing?"

The old man calmly replied, "Lady, that question should be directed at you. What are *you* doing?"

Zu An glanced at the dozen or so people surrounding them. The lowest cultivation level among them was Grandmaster, and half were Great Grandmasters. They must have used some special secret technique to conceal their aura and cultivation earlier.

The surname 'Rong' was rare in this world. Connecting it to Yun Yuqing's demonic lineage, he suddenly recalled Princess Soros, a demon, mentioning that there were four great demon clans: Yun, Soros, Rong, and Wu. These people must be from the Demon race.