My Demonic Cult's Holy Maiden

If Li Minghai hadn't returned in time, this day next year would probably be the anniversary of his death.

Chang Lian appeared cheerful and very refined, but after a brief encounter, Qi Yu knew he was a tough nut to crack.

Maybe the rumors about him and Qin Xiyao were deliberately spread by him.

For someone like that, death is the safest course of action.

Qi Yu asked Li Minghai if he was confident he could kill Chang Lian.

But the answer disappointed Qi Yu. There was also a second-rank martial artist secretly protecting Chang Lian, and he couldn't kill him.

With a second-rank martial artist protecting him, Chang Lian must be a very important figure in the Chang family.

Killing him is beyond my current capabilities.

But it's still worth a try!

……

Chang Lian returned to the house he had bought in Jiangzhou City, and a smile had been on his lips ever since he got in the car.

Qi Yu is an interesting opponent, someone worth taking on personally.

But what interested him most was Qi Yu's wife.

She was clearly very ordinary-looking, but I had a very deep impression of her.

He admitted that he was immediately attracted to that woman and wanted to possess her.

Although she was a married woman, she soon was not.

"Hehe, interesting, looks like we're going to have a good time!"

Chang Lian wore a smile, but the young man behind him was sweating profusely.

His young master was no pushover; the number of people he had killed didn't even amount to a fraction of what his master had killed.

"Notify Tian Fang to come see me!" Chang Lian ordered.

The young man nodded, accepted the order, and turned to leave.

Tian Fang is one of the guest retainers of the Chang family, a second-rank martial artist who has been protecting Chang Lian's safety.

Chang Lian is also a person of outstanding talent among the younger generation of the Chang family.

However, his talent lies not in martial arts, but in his ability to control the overall situation.

Chang Lian is the only one among the younger generation who, apart from the head of the family, is qualified to sit down and discuss matters with the family head.

……

Three days after Chang Lian's visit, Qi Yu received an invitation from Chang Lian to a poetry gathering. The invitation also included Su Yue's name.

Qi Yu squinted at the invitation.

This is undoubtedly a trap. Perhaps Chang Lian, like Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, has ambushed two or three hundred axemen at the banquet, just waiting for me to attend.

Even though the banquet wasn't very good, I still had to go.

Because what he wanted to do was the same as what Chang Lian wanted to do.

Chang Lian, you must die!

Since this guy wants to play, then he'll play to the end. The outcome is still uncertain.

Qi Yu put down the invitation, took out paper and pen, wrote a letter, and handed it to a guard.

The previous batch of guards had been killed by the young man beside Chang Lian. This new batch is much stronger than the previous one.

"My wife, you stay home and wait for me tonight, don't go anywhere!" Qi Yu said.

It might be dangerous tonight; it's not safe for Su Yue to go with us.

Su looked at Qi Yu, thought for a moment, and then nodded.

Although she didn't need Qi Yu's protection, if she went with him, Qi Yu would definitely worry about her safety.

Since that's the case, I'll just stay home and wait.

Moreover, with Han Xiaotian and Zhen Qing with them, there shouldn't be any problems.

Ever since Qi Yu was assassinated, Su Yue had arranged for Zhen Qing and Han Xiaotian to protect Qi Yu in secret.

……

In the evening, Li Minghai drove Qi Yu to Chang Lian's residence.

Chang Lian's residence was very large, comparable to the largest Li Mansion in Jiangzhou City.

This was just Chang Lian's temporary residence. There weren't many servants or maids inside; the only people there were Chang Lian's guards, all of them resolute-looking martial artists.

Qi Yu and Li Minghai arrived at the main gate, and the young guard who often followed Chang Lian came up to them.

After clasping his hands in greeting, the young man said indifferently, "Young Master Qi, please. I have been waiting for you for a long time!"

"Do you remember me?" Qi Yu asked with a smile.

The young man remained expressionless and said, "I remember. I never expected that you would be His Highness the Crown Prince's guest advisor."

Qi Yu smiled, said nothing, and followed the young man through the gate of the mansion.

The young man led Qi Yu directly to the back garden, where a small artificial lake was planted with many lotus flowers, and there was a pavilion by the lake, which looked quite elegant.

At this moment, a group of scholars dressed in long gowns and literati robes were discussing and whispering among themselves.

Qi Yu raised an eyebrow as he looked at the group of scholars, because he recognized several of them!

Ning Xuan, Lu Ming, and Zhang Xinzhi were all renowned scholars in Jiangzhou City.

Ning Xuan and Lu Ming had a grudge against Qi Yu, so they were the first to discover Qi Yu.

"Why is he here too?" Ning Xuan asked in surprise.

Lu Ming opened his folding fan with a 'whoosh,' then leisurely fanned himself and chuckled, "The autumn imperial examinations are coming up soon. Maybe you're trying to get on good terms with Young Master Chang Lian!"

Ning Xuan nodded; this was the most reasonable explanation.

Because they came for the same reason.

Having connections is more important than talent; this is commonplace in the Great Yun Dynasty.

With the emperor weak and powerful families in control of the court, many important positions had been occupied by people from these families.

The so-called imperial examination was not just a formality to deceive scholars, to give them a glimmer of hope, and to prevent them from causing trouble.

Of course, those who are talented enough will certainly be given important positions, but the prerequisite is that you must align yourself with the established families.

The imperial examinations of today are no longer for selecting talented individuals for the emperor or relieving his burdens.

The imperial examination had become an exam for aristocratic families to select talent.

These people came to the banquet tonight to curry favor and curry favor.

Not many, just a dozen or so. Two-thirds of the scholars from the surrounding villages and towns of Jiangzhou are here.

"Oh, Brother Ning and Brother Lu are both here! What a lively evening!" Qi Yu walked over and said with a smile.

Ning Xuan snorted coldly, wearing a sour face; he simply didn't like Qi Yu.

Lu Ming, on the other hand, was more diplomatic and smiled, "Brother Qi, are you also here for the poetry gathering?"

Qi Yu raised an eyebrow. A poetry gathering? What is Chang Lian up to?

"What poetry gathering?!" Qi Yu asked.

Lu Ming smiled and said, "A few days ago, a yamen runner composed two poems in three steps at Zuiqingfang. It is said that he is a guest of Young Master Changlian's mansion, and Young Master Changlian even held this poetry gathering for him."

"Such a talented person! We follow the teachings of the sages that there is always something to learn from among three people walking together, so we naturally have to come and pay our respects to him."

Qi Yu sneered and said, "If you want to flatter, fawn, and be a lackey, just say so. Don't bring up sages and saints."

Lu Ming's relaxed and casual expression froze, then turned somewhat ugly.

Qi Yu, your mouth is still so sharp!

------------

Chapter Sixty-One Disgusting

Chang Lian is holding a poetry gathering tonight for a yamen runner.

Qi Yu narrowed his eyes, a guess forming in his mind.

The only person who can compose a poem in three steps at Zuiqingfang, and still be a yamen runner, is Song Yuntao!

Song Yuntao has already sided with Chang Lian!

He invited me over tonight to disgust me.

Chang Lian not only wanted to kill people, but also to destroy their spirit.

Song Yuntao was a naive young man who was blinded by beauty and lost all sense of direction when he fell into the arms of a beauty.

Song Yuntao was quick-witted and not stupid, but he still couldn't beat Chang Lian.

Because he was just an ordinary person, he was not even an ant in front of the powerful Chang family.

"Old Li, do you know who owns Zuiqingfang?" Qi Yu asked.

Li Minghai thought for a moment and said, "Sixty percent of the brothels and casinos in the Great Yun Dynasty are run by people from aristocratic families. They can use their positions to make a lot of money."

Qi Yu narrowed his eyes, then sighed inwardly.

Chang Lian is a very cunning manipulator!

Song Yuntao had completely fallen into Chang Lian's trap.

"Let's go!"

……

In the front courtyard, Qi Yu and the students were invited to sit down.

Qi Yu had intended to find a less conspicuous spot, but the guards told him that his position was at the very front.

That is, the two seats closest to the main seat, on the left and right. In the Great Yun Dynasty, the left was considered the place of honor, so Qi Yu sat on the left.

Many of the sycophantic scholars who came to curry favor were taken aback, and then felt resentful.