Chapter 447: Uncompromising Methods

Yun Yuqing slightly shook her head: "That guy is too cunning; the mission wasn't accomplished."

The King of Wu was furious: "How is that possible! With Zu'an's cultivation, no matter how cunning he is, how could he escape your grasp? Do you know how much effort and thought I put into this venture?"

Seeing her usually gentle and refined husband roar at her, Yun Yuqing was stunned. She had never seen him lose his composure like this; in all their years of marriage, he had never even raised his voice at her.

The King of Wu paced around the room restlessly, like an ant on a hot pan: "It was so difficult to invite King Liang and Liu Yao here, and I exerted immense effort to keep them occupied. Now you're telling me it was all for nothing, all for nothing!"

Yun Yuqing's face was pale, and she said nothing in response.

The King of Wu was about to continue venting his anger and dissatisfaction when he suddenly noticed a faint trace of blood at the corner of his wife's mouth. He paused, surprised: "Are you injured?"

Yun Yuqing said lightly, "Just a small injury, it's nothing."

Sensing his wife's resentment, the King of Wu quickly explained, "I was just anxious a moment ago; I didn't mean to blame you. You know how many years I've bided my time and prepared for this opportunity."

Yun Yuqing hummed, "I know."

The King of Wu knew she was probably still upset, but he couldn't dwell on it now; time would eventually soothe her. "By the way, how were you injured? Did some master intervene?"

Yun Yuqing shook her head: "No, everything went smoothly. I was just injured by Zu'an."

"How is that possible?" The King of Wu questioned, perplexed. "According to our intelligence, Zu'an's cultivation is at most fourth or fifth rank. How could he possibly injure you? I specifically observed him before; his cultivation was even restrained by the Embroidered Uniform Guards. He shouldn't have been able to retaliate at all."

"Although his cultivation was restricted, his spiritual power wasn't. My Heavenly Demonic Eye couldn't control him; instead, he counterattacked and injured me." Yun Yuqing took out a pure white handkerchief to wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth. Remembering the vivid red, strange bird, she felt an involuntary shudder of fear.

"Does Zu'an possess some magic artifact or hidden trump card?" The King of Wu was shocked. "Even the Heavenly Demonic Eye was ineffective. It's truly unimaginable what could injure you."

"It should be a skill from the 'Phoenix Nirvana Sutra'," Yun Yuqing said. She didn't completely believe Zu'an's words, but the red, strange bird bore some resemblance to a phoenix. With this confirmation, she made her judgment.

A hint of excitement appeared on the King of Wu's face: "The 'Phoenix Nirvana Sutra' is indeed miraculous! Zu'an has only practiced for a few months and can already injure you. I must obtain it!"

However, his expression suddenly darkened: "Unfortunately, we failed this time. King Liang and the others will leave tomorrow, and there will be no more opportunities."

Yun Yuqing hesitated, then said, "Actually, it's not entirely without opportunity. If we could keep them for one more day, I might be able to go and negotiate with Zu'an again."

The King of Wu frowned: "If you go repeatedly, those Embroidered Uniform Guards might become suspicious."

"It's fine," Yun Yuqing smiled faintly. "Those people—Huang, Hui, and Hong—have spiritual imprints from my Heavenly Demonic Eye. As long as I activate them, they will obey my every command, so there's no need to worry about them."

"But what if Father discovers it? With his cultivation, these methods probably can't hide from him." The King of Wu's face paled as he thought of his father's formidable power.

Yun Yuqing shook her head: "Don't worry. Such imprints will disappear automatically after three days, leaving no trace. They can't possibly return to the capital within three days, can they?"

The King of Wu finally burst out laughing: "My dear wife, you truly are my capable assistant! You've solved my worries so easily. Very well, I'll find a way to keep King Liang and Liu Yao for one more day. Tomorrow, you must deal with Zu'an!"

Yun Yuqing's delicate brows slightly furrowed: "But there's a problem with Zu'an. My Heavenly Demonic Eye can't control him, so I have to resort to conventional methods. But he's someone specifically requested by the Emperor; we can neither kill nor beat him. He knows this, which is why he's making exorbitant demands."

"Exorbitant demands?" The King of Wu said, "I'm not afraid of him demanding a high price; I'm afraid he won't demand anything. Whatever he wants, as long as the King of Wu's residence can provide it, give it to him. Anyway, once I obtain the 'Phoenix Nirvana Sutra,' I'm confident I'll get the throne in the future. By then, the entire world will be mine; what could I possibly be unwilling to part with?"

Yun Yuqing's face instantly flushed: "But what he wants is not ordinary."

"No matter how unusual, I'll be willing to give it," the King of Wu chuckled, clearly already fantasizing about what would happen after he obtained the 'Phoenix Nirvana Sutra.'

"Can't you just listen to me finish!" Yun Yuqing said, both shy and angry. "He wants me!"

The King of Wu: "???"

"He wants you?" The King of Wu was momentarily stunned, not immediately grasping the meaning. "What do you mean?"

"It means exactly what you're thinking," Yun Yuqing turned her face away, her neck flushed. "That's why I specifically came back to discuss with you, to see if we can find anything else that might persuade him."

"That scoundrel is going too far!" The King of Wu flew into a rage. "He's just a street ruffian; his ancestors must have burned high incense just for him to get involved with Miss Chu. And now he dares to set his sights on my queen!"

Rage value from Zhao Yan: 666!

As he spoke, he began to cough violently.

Seeing her husband so angry, Yun Yuqing felt a sweetness in her heart. She quickly rushed over and gently patted his back: "Husband, don't upset yourself. That fellow is just a hooligan; he has no idea what reverence means. He's just spouting nonsense and making outrageous demands. Let's think again about what we can use to persuade him."

"Good!" The King of Wu nodded, a glint in his eyes, lost in thought.

Next, the couple began to discuss what could possibly persuade Zu'an. They listed many suggestions, but quickly dismissed them one by one.

Finally, two or three of the most likely successful proposals remained.

The King of Wu was somewhat worried: "Do you think Zu'an will accept these conditions?"

Yun Yuqing shook her head: "I don't know either. From our recent interaction, that man is quite peculiar, and I can't quite grasp his way of thinking."

The King of Wu huffed indignantly: "Hmph, if not for certain considerations, I would throw this fellow into prison and torture him severely; he would certainly confess. But now, we're being led by the nose by him."

Yun Yuqing, standing beside him, also frowned deeply, evidently sharing the same thought.

The King of Wu hesitated for a moment, then suddenly said, "Yuqing, what if he doesn't agree to any of these final proposals?"

Yun Yuqing fell into deep thought: "Then we'll keep King Liang and the others for another day and talk to him a few more times. We're bound to find a way."

The King of Wu shook his head: "King Liang and the others are tasked with escorting an imperial prisoner. Keeping them for one more day is already my limit; there's absolutely no way to keep them here for three days."

Yun Yuqing sighed deeply: "Then we might have to give up. After all, coveting the 'Phoenix Nirvana Sutra' carries the risk of offending the Emperor. Giving up might not be a bad thing after all."

"No!" The King of Wu refused emphatically. "Absolutely not! Just because I wasn't born of the Empress, I'm relegated to a remote vassal state, while my elder brother, a clear good-for-nothing, became Crown Prince simply because of his connection to the Empress. Why should that be? That's why for all these years, I've been secretly scheming to get what I deserve!"

"Unfortunately, the resources I can use are extremely limited, and I've seen little hope until now. This 'Phoenix Nirvana Sutra' is a heaven-sent opportunity, and I absolutely cannot miss it!"

Yun Yuqing tried to comfort him: "But we've already done our best. Many things cannot be forced."

"No, we haven't done our best," the King of Wu stared at his wife's exquisite face. "I mean, if, if none of those proposals can make Zu'an accept, then you must agree to him."