Chapter 30: With a Background Like That, He Sounds Like Someone Destined for Great Things!

“Father, a message has just arrived from Wu Yong. Shen Lang has reached the city.”

An incense stick later, Zhou Yu hurried into Zhou Huai’an’s study, his face alight with excitement.

Zhou Huai’an, who had been practicing calligraphy, paused with his brush poised in midair.

Then he resumed his flowing strokes and said, “Shen Lang has arrived. What are you so happy about?”

Reprimanded, Zhou Yu looked somewhat embarrassed.

But when he thought that, if he could bring about an alliance with Shen Lang, he might one day seize the position of family head within the Zhou clan, he steeled himself and said, “Father, Shen Lang may become the heir to Great Qin.”

“Shouldn’t we try to get closer to him?”

“Is he the heir to Great Qin now?” Zhou Huai’an asked mildly.

“This…”

Standing in the study, Zhou Yu suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

After a long while, Zhou Huai’an finished his calligraphy. With a faintly disappointed sigh, he said, “Compared with your elder brother, you are far behind.”

“Take this piece of calligraphy and present it to him as a gift.”

“Just a piece of calligraphy?” Zhou Yu stared at him in shock.

In his eyes, whether it was Shen Lang’s reputation as the Poisonous Strategist who had made a name for himself in Chang’an, or his strength, which had allowed him to kick away a great demon of the Golden Core Realm, the Zhou family should treat him with the utmost courtesy and seek to resolve the conflict between Shen Lang and their clan.

Yet his father had actually told him to give Shen Lang nothing more than a piece of calligraphy.

And one that had only just been written.

Wasn’t that practically an insult?

As the head of the Zhou family, Zhou Huai’an was outstanding in both strength and intelligence. Seeing the expression on Zhou Yu’s face, as though he had swallowed something foul, he could only sigh at his son’s failure to live up to his potential.

“At present, Shen Lang is the one who needs our Zhou family. If you rush to offer him spirit stones, won’t he simply demand an exorbitant price and assume that he can manipulate us?”

“When the time comes, what bargaining chips will you have left to negotiate with him?”

The question made Zhou Yu’s heart jolt.

He realized that he had been far too eager to advance himself.

He had overlooked the fact that Shen Lang currently needed to rely on the Zhou family to stand against the Zhao clan.

There was no reason for them to reveal their cards yet.

With that realization, Zhou Yu sincerely admitted his mistake. “Your son was reckless!”

“Mm. It is never too late to correct a mistake.”

“When you attend the banquet later, remember that there is one thing you must find out.”

Zhou Yu immediately straightened and looked toward Zhou Huai’an.

“Have him take out the divine artifact and show it to you.”

At this, Zhou Yu raised his brows slightly. “Father, are you worried that this might be a trap?”

“Exactly!”

Zhou Huai’an’s expression turned solemn. “A person’s reputation is like the shadow he casts. If Shen Lang can make every official in Chang’an lose sleep, then he must be extraordinarily capable.”

“If Shen Lang does not possess the divine artifact bestowed by the Divine Firmament Emperor, then this so-called heir is nothing more than a poisonous scheme intended to destroy the Zhao clan.”

“Our Zhou family must not be tricked as well!”

Hearing this, Zhou Yu finally understood the seriousness of the matter.

He immediately nodded hard. “Your son knows what to do.”

…

At the same time.

Cloudreturn City.

The First Pavilion.

Inside the finest private room, Shen Lang glanced through the information about Cloudreturn City that Nalan Yanran had handed him. His brows lifted slightly.

“That Wu Yong is from the Wu family, one of the Eight Kings of the Common Realm?”

“Is there a problem?” Nalan Yanran asked, looking at Shen Lang.

“How did he end up serving as the city lord on the Zhou family’s territory?”

Seeing that Shen Lang was asking about this, Nalan Yanran replied calmly, “The Eight Kings of the Common Realm are branches of the same root. Intermarriage among them is perfectly normal.”

“Wu Yong married a woman from the Zhou family and came here to serve as city lord. What is strange about that?”

After hearing her explanation, Shen Lang narrowed his eyes slightly. “Do you have detailed intelligence on Wu Yong?”

“What are you planning?” Nalan Yanran looked at him seriously.

Then she slowly warned him, “Don’t take things too far. Otherwise, even Master may not be able to protect you.”

Shen Lang naturally understood that although the Divine Firmament Emperor now occupied the throne, she still had a long way to go before she could completely control Great Qin.

The Eight Kings of the Common Realm were a mountain standing directly before her.

At present, the Divine Firmament Emperor simply lacked the power to eradicate them completely.

Indeed, if the Eight Kings united and caused trouble, even the Divine Firmament Emperor might not be able to suppress them.

Still, as the old saying went: without winning over your mother-in-law, how could you accomplish great things?

He had already begun laying out his plans with the Killing Sword.

Why not muddy these waters completely?

“Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”

Seeing that Shen Lang truly seemed intent on stirring up trouble, Nalan Yanran bit her lip and said, “What you want to do is rather ambitious. I’ll have to consult Master.”

“Go ahead.”

Nalan Yanran did not hesitate. She immediately took out a voice-transmission token and began relaying Shen Lang’s request to the Divine Firmament Emperor.

Before long, the Divine Firmament Emperor, who was meditating in the Hall of Nourishing the Heart to recover from her injuries, slowly opened her eyes.

She glanced at the voice-transmission token beside her and spoke indifferently.

“Speak.”

“Master, Shen Lang wants detailed information on Wu Yong.”

“He may be planning to drag the Wu family into this as well.”

“Oh?”

At those words, the Divine Firmament Emperor’s eyes suddenly lit up.

“Very well. This boy certainly has nerve!”

“Give it to him.”

“Aren’t you worried?” Nalan Yanran could not help asking.

The Divine Firmament Emperor let out a cold laugh. “What is there to worry about? That boy himself isn’t afraid, so what do I have to fear?”

“Tell him to do whatever he wants. Whatever assistance he needs from me, I will provide.”

“If he can truly eradicate or subdue the Eight Kings of the Common Realm, I’ll let him have a look at my legs!”

“What?”

Nalan Yanran was utterly stunned.

Was her master trying to seduce him?

And how could she understand Shen Lang so well?

“What are you staring for?”

“Shen Lang is the sort who responds to gentleness but not force. Just tell him exactly that.”

Watching the light on the voice-transmission token fade to gray once more, Nalan Yanran still felt as though her head were spinning.

Seeing her expression, Shen Lang asked in confusion, “Did His Majesty reprimand you again?”

“N-No.”

Nalan Yanran shook her head.

“Then why do you look as though you’ve seen a ghost? Don’t tell me His Majesty intends to let me see her legs, and you find that hard to believe.”

“You… You can even figure that out?”

Nalan Yanran was genuinely astonished.

Their communication had been conducted entirely through spiritual sense.

Not a single word had been spoken aloud.

Yet Shen Lang had somehow guessed the truth.

For a moment, Nalan Yanran seriously wondered whether he could read other people’s minds.

Seeing that he had guessed correctly, Shen Lang immediately laughed. “What’s so difficult about that? I can even guess that you’re wearing red underneath your clothes today.”

“You… You… You…”

Nalan Yanran instinctively covered her chest and looked at him warily.

Shen Lang burst out laughing. “All right, all right. I’m only teasing you. Hurry up and give me Wu Yong’s information.”

“I’ll have a great use for it.”

Seeing Shen Lang’s expression turn serious, Nalan Yanran answered while still covering her chest.

“Wu Yong is the sixth son of the Wu family’s head. His standing within the clan is not particularly high.”

“Knowing that he had no chance of inheriting the position of family head, he accepted the family’s arrangement and married Zhou Qingqing, the younger cousin of Zhou Huai’an, the head of the Zhou family.”

“Later, through Zhou Qingqing’s efforts, Wu Yong came to Cloudreturn City and took up the position of city lord.”

“But I’ve heard that he hasn’t had an easy life here either. There are even rumors that his wife has been unfaithful to him.”

“Oh?”

At this, Shen Lang’s eyes gleamed.

“This man’s background sounds exactly like that of someone destined to accomplish great things!”

“Duoduo, go and invite City Lord Wu to come here. There are a few things I’d like to discuss with him.”