Chapter 238: The True Venomous Scheme, Cheng Yu’s Situation
“That would be best! Assistant Commissioner Cheng, ask whatever you wish. Lord Zhang and I will wait outside!”
Qian Sunbao nodded in satisfaction.
He did not expect Cheng Yu to release the men obediently and respectfully. For Cheng Yu to go this far was already extremely satisfying.
Qian Sunbao and Zhang De did not continue lingering in the prison either.
They headed to Zhang De’s territory inside the Command Office and leisurely drank tea while waiting for Cheng Yu to hand the men over.
As they waited, Zhang De’s expression grew increasingly uneasy. He had not spoken the entire time just now, but inwardly, he had been muttering to himself all along.
Things were going very smoothly.
Everything was within Minister Qian’s predictions and control. Cheng Yu had become easier to talk to and had not turned the whole matter upside down.
Yet for some reason, Zhang De still felt a chill crawling through his heart.
In his view, someone like Cheng Yu was far more terrifying than imagined. Anyone who dared scheme against him would only suffer an even greater backlash.
After hesitating for a long while, he finally spoke to Qian Sunbao, who was drinking tea smugly.
“My lord, I am still somewhat worried...”
Qian Sunbao knew what Zhang De was thinking and waved his hand carelessly.
“I have my own arrangements for dealing with a brat. You can rest assured.”
In his view, Zhang De’s worry toward Cheng Yu was completely unnecessary.
Because in this matter, they were not coercing or pressuring Cheng Yu. Rather, it was more like a transaction with him.
Cheng Yu had killed Qian Sunbao’s nephew, Qian Shengcai. That was absolutely a blood feud.
Yet Qian Sunbao had shown not the slightest blame. Instead, he had even apologized and admitted fault in return.
Aside from making a dead man bear all responsibility for violating the Emperor’s command, he was also expressing an attitude to Cheng Yu.
As a Second-Rank High Official, Qian Sunbao could retreat to this extent.
With such goodwill shown, no matter how mad and vicious Cheng Yu was, he would not provoke trouble that brought him no benefit and held no necessity.
All under heaven bustled about for profit.
All under heaven rushed back and forth for profit.
Qian Sunbao believed in this principle completely. In the face of benefits, there was no absolutely steadfast person under heaven.
Even someone who walked his own path for an entire lifetime simply had not encountered a price tempting enough.
No one could escape this basic law.
Cheng Yu seemed eccentric and unpredictable, constantly doing things others could not foresee. But in Qian Sunbao’s eyes, that was merely the temperament of a heaven-sent genius.
If anyone dared provoke him, and destroying that person brought profit, then he would kill him!
Qian Sunbao had calculated this point precisely, so he chose not to anger Cheng Yu and instead used a method of exchanging benefits. As expected, it had not exceeded his expectations.
By acting in this way, without offending him, Cheng Yu naturally would not become angry.
He had chosen to accept Qian Sunbao’s goodwill and also taken his favor.
Qian Sunbao understood it clearly. After all, from Cheng Yu’s perspective, reaching this point meant he had won a complete victory. He had caused a huge scene at Harmony Tower and killed people, yet had suffered no harm.
Even Qian Sunbao, whom he had offended the most, had shown an excellent attitude.
This was practically a benefit picked up for free. Who would not want it?
Zhang De only half understood and asked doubtfully, “Then would that not let that kid off too cheaply?”
Qian Sunbao shook his head mysteriously.
“The benefits I give out have never been so easy to take. Cheng Yu appears to have suffered no loss today, but he has overlooked the most important point...”
“What?”
“He has overlooked the very thing he relies on most—our Great Qian Emperor’s trust and support.”
Qian Sunbao sneered.
As an important official in the court, and even the second-in-command among the ministers of the Moderate Faction who favored the Jianghu, he understood this more clearly than anyone.
Ever since the past ten years or so, the Moderate Faction had gradually taken control of the general trend of the court and repeatedly made concessions to the Jianghu, doing things harmful to the court.
There was no way Xiao Wuji could like these traitors who ate from the inside and helped outsiders.
He had endured without erupting only because of his benevolent nature and the situation of the dynasty.
The Moderate Faction was the key link between the court and the Jianghu.
If Xiao Wuji wanted to move against Qi Han, Qian Sunbao, and the others, he would not merely be dealing with his own ministers. He would also be weakening the already poor relationship with the Jianghu.
As the Emperor, when facing these ministers who betrayed their own side, at most he could only seize small opportunities to retaliate.
But Cheng Yu’s appearance—
This shooting star shining above Great Qian was the greatest hope Xiao Wuji had gained in this matter.
His extreme talent and strength were one thing.
More precious was the fact that Cheng Yu’s conflict with the Jianghu was completely irreconcilable. It could even be said that their hatred was as deep as the sea.
This was what Xiao Wuji valued most about Cheng Yu.
It even surpassed his recognition of Cheng Yu’s talent and merits.
Thinking of this, the sneer on Qian Sunbao’s face grew increasingly rampant.
“If our Emperor learns that Cheng Yu, the loyal subject he has been yearning for, knowingly violated the rules and carried out a benefits exchange with us, what do you think he will think?”
His original plan today had merely been to rescue a few useless people who had been arrested.
But when he thought of his dead nephew and Cheng Yu’s arrogant appearance, the plan in his heart immediately turned into one aimed squarely at Cheng Yu.
He only needed to wait until tomorrow’s morning court.
Then he would directly admit his crime before Xiao Wuji and expose all the people Cheng Yu released today.
At that moment, Cheng Yu would no longer be able to justify himself to either side.
Although Qian Sunbao would also suffer punishment, compared to Cheng Yu’s consequences, it would be hardly worth mentioning.
“The people from the Army-Breaking Sect have already come to the Great Qian Capital seeking revenge. I heard that the one who came is even a Deputy Sect Master in the Ninth-Rank Realm, personally carrying a Heavenly Armament to demand an accounting from Cheng Yu... Tell me, when the time comes, will the disheartened Emperor still protect him?”
Zhang De’s eyes widened, and his heart trembled.
The Nine Great Sects of the Jianghu were bound together by shared interests. Cheng Yu already had many enemies. If he then fought one of those sects to the death, there would only be two possible outcomes.
Death.
Or forming a blood feud with the entire Jianghu.
Throughout Great Qian’s thousand-year history, the Jianghu had become stronger than ever before.
Facing such opponents, the only backer Cheng Yu could rely on in Great Qian was the Great Qian Emperor Xiao Wuji.
If he released those people today, he might appear to gain a small benefit.
But he would lose the truly important thing. At that point, he would be utterly finished.
“Could he realize that we are setting him up?”
Qian Sunbao sneered.
“If Cheng Yu could realize these problems, he would not have ended up surrounded by enemies on all sides like this. I hear Prince Chu is also very dissatisfied with him...”
Zhang De’s eyes widened.
Prince Chu had also set his sights on Cheng Yu!
Among Great Qian’s major powers, there were barely any left that Cheng Yu had not offended!
When Zhang De thought of such a situation, with enemies everywhere, even he felt suffocated on Cheng Yu’s behalf.
He could not help shaking his head.
“Alas, someone like him is simply a complete madman. There is no need for me to provoke him anymore. I can simply watch him seek his own destruction...”
...
Not far away, inside the prison.
Cheng Yu knew very well that Qian Sunbao could not possibly harbor any good intentions. He was definitely scheming against him.
But Cheng Yu did not care at all.
Before absolute power, any scheme was not worth mentioning.
Cheng Yu only needed to be an outstanding Jinyiwei. All problems would then be resolved with ease.
“Find the people Lord Qian mentioned just now. I have a few questions to ask them.”