The Great Martial Arts World: Hot Topics and Great Heroes

As for why Cao Zhengchun's godson was bribed?

Haha, Cao Zhengchun had plenty of adopted sons. Most old eunuchs liked to adopt a son or grandson. In the original work, his confidant Iron Claw Flying Eagle was a man of the Divine Marquis. Now, is it strange that an adopted son has been turned against his own side or was an undercover agent from the beginning?

The person has now committed suicide out of fear of punishment, and no further investigation can be conducted.

"Hmph, I'll settle accounts with you after this matter is over!" The emperor glanced at him with displeasure.

However, Cao Zhengchun should have already apologized for this matter beforehand, and the emperor didn't say much.

Chu Luren increasingly felt that if it weren't for the Emperor and Empress Dowager being wary of Shenhou, Cao Zhengchun, with his skills, would probably have been played to death by Shenhou long ago...

"Master Chu, you mentioned the Izumo Kingdom delegation. Did you discover something?" Shenhou asked Chu Luren at this moment.

That tone...

Five parts were suspicion about Izumo, five parts were suspicion about Chulu people, but in short, there was not a shred of guilt!

"Among the bandits who kidnapped the Empress Dowager that night, I haven't seen the leader for several days. Moreover, the disciple of Yagyu Tajima-no-kami intentionally misled me, trying to make me mistakenly believe that the masked leader that night was him... Although their eyes and facial features above the nose are very similar, I am quite sensitive in this regard and recognized that it was not him."

In other words, the leader wasn't at that hideout for those few days, and he didn't want me to know he wasn't there! I think the reason he did this was most likely because he had another identity in Lin'an, and this other identity should be known to everyone, so he wanted to avoid me making any connections.

"Given his accent, it would be difficult for him to pretend to be Han Chinese. And when it comes to someone who can openly use a Japanese accent in Lin'an without arousing suspicion, isn't the Izumo delegation the most suspicious?" Chu Luren looked like a wise man, as if he had everything under control.

"Great Hero Chu is too modest. In my eyes, you are truly accomplished in both literature and martial arts, and possess a meticulous mind!" The Empress Dowager praised him.

For a moment, Shenhou simply feigned agreement and acceptance, mentally deducing from Chu Luren's words—indeed, from Chu Luren's perspective, this conclusion was entirely predictable, and for the time being, he couldn't discern any source of information he was unaware of…

Of course, what others don't know is that Chu Luren's "wise man" ability is based on the premise that he already knows the "spoiler" and then works backwards. Otherwise, it would only be the first step. If Chu Luren hadn't been paying attention, he probably would have been fooled by Liu Sheng's apprentice!

Chapter 267 We Need Talents Like You the Most

The Empress Dowager needed to rest, so everyone left the main hall. Yunluo also came out to see them off. Chu Luren then spoke up, "Divine Marquis, Eunuch Cao, please rest assured. Since His Majesty has already spoken, Princess Yunluo and I will naturally do our best to cooperate with you... I will be going to sea in a while. If you have any questions for me these next few days, you can come to me anytime."

Both Eunuch Cao and Shangguan Haitang glared at him—you call this cooperating as much as possible? So you're not even going to stay until the case is solved?

The Marquis, however, was no longer showing his emotions; his face revealed no fluctuations in his feelings.

"Oh? What is Master Chu going to do at sea?" Shenhou asked expressionlessly.

"Anyway, I'm not going to Japan, and it has nothing to do with the Empress Dowager's affairs," Chu Luren replied with a smile, but... he clearly wasn't going to tell Shenhou about his whereabouts.

"Going to sea? I'm going too!" Yunluo eagerly wanted to join in the fun.

"Don't be ridiculous! Princess, you must know that your status as a noblewoman is not just your own business. You must not act recklessly." The Marquis sternly rebuked, glancing at Chu Luren as he spoke.

It was clearly meant to remind the princess not to associate with shady characters...

Chu Luren didn't like hearing this—"My pure friendship with Princess Yunluo is something you can criticize?"

Chu Luren smiled slightly and said, "That's right. Even if the princess wants to go out, she needs the consent of her brother and mother. In the future, if she has someone she likes, she should discuss it with her family properly to avoid being embarrassed. I think the emperor and empress dowager are reasonable and sentimental people. Even if they have any dissatisfaction, it is for your own good so that you won't be left alone in your old age. Tsk tsk tsk."

Yunlu didn't quite understand, and was curious why Chu Luren, who was supposed to be talking to her, kept looking at the Imperial Uncle.

And...why is the atmosphere so heavy? This princess can hardly breathe!

At this moment, Zhao Wushi's face had turned pale. Shangguan Haitang and Duan Tianya, who were standing behind him, saw that their godfather's right hand, which was behind his back, was clenched into a fist and was trembling uncontrollably.

This was the first time the two had ever seen their godfather so angry...

Thinking about what Chu Luren said about "dying alone," the two had some vague guesses in their hearts—they originally thought that their adoptive father was loyal to the emperor and the country and had no interest in his own affairs, but now that they thought about it, it was very incredible that their adoptive father, who was of royal lineage, had not married.

Cao Zhengchun, who was standing to the side, was even more amazed. His original resentment towards Chu Luren had not only disappeared, but he also found the young man pleasing to the eye no matter how he looked at him.

Thinking back on all these years of fighting with Zhao Tiedan, when had he ever seen him show such an expression?

Look at those young people, they easily accomplished things I couldn't do...

It wasn't that Zhao Wushi was particularly impatient; it was just that Chu Luren was too ruthless!

Back then, Zhao Wushi and Su Xin had already decided to spend their lives together, but due to the opposition of the court officials and the late emperor, they were forced to separate, which led to the series of events that followed...

This blow truly pierced his heart; otherwise, the lurking Shenhou would never have so easily revealed his true emotions.

Zhao Wushi's invisible aura, emanating from his intense anger, made Yunluo feel uncomfortable. After this state lasted for a while, Yunluo began to vent her frustration with anger, slapping Chu Luren and saying, "Pah! You're the one who'll grow old alone!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Wushi glared at Yunluo again, but just as his imposing aura was about to strike Yunluo, making the princess feel a chill in her heart, Cao Zhengchun stepped forward at the right moment and said, "Does the Divine Marquis have any more questions? If not, this old servant would also like to ask Hero Chu and the princess a few questions."

Cao Zhengchun's seemingly casual stance deflated Zhao Wushi's imposing aura...

Seeing Cao Zhengchun made Zhao Wushi think about his current situation and, for the sake of the future, he suppressed his anger.

"Please wait a moment, Eunuch Cao. I have something else to say to Hero Chu..." Shenhou closed his eyes to avoid revealing his murderous intent. He opened them again after saying this, and his eyes returned to calm.

"I know that Gu Santong may have said something to you, but I hope you can understand who Gu Santong is and who I am. What you heard may not be the truth, and even what Gu Santong thinks may not be the truth!" Zhao Wushi said and then turned and left.

Upon seeing this, Duan Tianya and Shangguan Haitang bowed to Princess Yunluo and then quickly followed their godfather.

While Chu Luren wore a disdainful expression, he was actually sweating profusely, but in his heart he thought: I made the right bet!

The Marquis must hate him now, but seeing how "out of line" he is, he doesn't suspect the previous "misunderstanding" between Chu Lu and the Japanese.

Although this means that if the Marquis of Shenhou succeeds in his mission in the future, he will definitely seek revenge on Chu Luren, as long as the Marquis of Shenhou does not suspect that Chu Luren knows his plans and understands his true nature, he will not regard him as his number one enemy now.

When it comes to patience, Shenhou is quite adept—as long as he is certain that Chu Luren doesn't know much about his plans and only learned some things from Gu Santong, and is therefore targeting him, Shenhou can completely pretend not to care. He can then make Chu Luren know what "regret" means when he has power in his hands one day!

Given the choice between being listed as the "number one to be killed" by the Divine Marquis and being written into the "future purge list," Chu Luren would naturally choose the latter.

Firstly, there is interference from himself, and the Divine Marquis may not have a "future" of holding great power. Secondly, the martial arts of the Chu Lu people are getting higher and higher. In addition, according to Gu Santong, the Heavenly Gate is about to open, and at that time, personal martial strength will become more and more important. The longer it is dragged out, the more advantageous it will be for him.

After all, if the Marquis of Shenhou was "concerned" about him, it was uncertain whether Chu Luren could leave Lin'an alive. If the Marquis of Shenhou was certain that Chu Luren knew his plan, he would be willing to risk exposing some of his backup plans and even offending the Empress Dowager and the Princess to silence him!

The Divine Marquis is not a single person. The Dragon Guard Manor can hire the Traceless Young Master, the Overlord Blade, and the Iga Faction of Japan to train spies for them. They can also secretly instruct the Yagyu family, who are hostile to the Iga Faction. Even Wan Sanqian, who is so wealthy that he can move mountains, is an ally of theirs...

Not to mention that in the original work, the Divine Marquis had leverage over the Ten Generals, which he could use to turn a large number of civil and military officials against him at any time.

Correspondingly, in the vast martial arts world, there are probably quite a few sects secretly controlled by the Dragon Guard Manor...

Being "hated" by the Divine Marquis is not terrible; he won't take action immediately. But if he "holds a grudge" against him, Chu Luren wouldn't dare say he could leave Lin'an safely.

Seeing Shenhou leave indignantly, Chu Luren breathed a sigh of relief. It was clear that Shenhou was increasingly "resentful" of him, but was also gradually no longer "concerned" about him.

Cao Zhengchun then continued to provoke, saying, "Hehehe, what audacity, Master Chu, to dare speak to the Divine Marquis like that?"

"Did I say anything? He's just being petty," Chu Luren said dismissively.

“Indeed, this man is extremely stingy, and while he appears loyal and upright, his true intentions are difficult to discern and he has an extremely strong desire for control. If Master Chu has offended him, he will likely have to be extra careful in the future…” Cao Zhengchun continued to elaborate.

"Hehehe, it's just a misunderstanding. Marquis Shen won't take it to heart. Eunuch Cao is on the case. Is there anything else you want to know?" Chu Luren changed the subject.

"You're too kind, Master Chu... If there's anything you need, you can discuss it with me. Our Eastern Depot needs someone like you the most!" Cao Zhengchun said with a smile.

Although he knew that not all members of the Eastern Depot were eunuchs, Chu Luren still shuddered upon hearing Cao Zhengchun's words.

Chu Luren certainly didn't want to associate with the dead eunuch, after all, Shenhou was outwardly upright but inwardly treacherous, while Cao Zhengchun was outwardly wicked...

In recent years, the Eastern Depot has repeatedly persecuted loyal officials, and its reputation is extremely bad both in and out of the court. The people of Chulu have no desire to get close to them.

Chapter 268 Brother Lu, Don't...

Although both the Dragon Guard Manor and the Eastern Depot were investigating the Empress Dowager's kidnapping, they were doing their own thing, otherwise they might have started fighting each other first.

Chu Luren and Cheng Shifei also left the palace at this time, with Princess Yunluo beside them—she had originally come to see the two off, but somehow ended up sneaking out with them...

"Brother Lu, why is the emperor so slow? Why doesn't he just arrest those envoys from Chuyun Kingdom and let you identify them?" Cheng Shifei complained to Chu Luren, ignoring the princess standing to the side.

Upon hearing this, Yunluo wanted to speak up for her elder brother, but Chu Luren spoke first, saying, "Don't speak of His Majesty like that..."

Upon hearing this, Yunluo's expression relaxed somewhat, thinking to herself that Chu Luren was indeed reasonable...

"After all, the Song Dynasty is weak now. Although Izumo is small, it is an important vassal state in Japan. If the Song Dynasty makes a mistake and causes Izumo to side with Japan, which has aggressive intentions towards the Song Dynasty, the sea frontier will not be peaceful in the future," Chu Luren said reasonably.

Yunluo glared at him angrily—so this time they're not going to talk about my brother, but instead they're saying the Song Dynasty is no good?

"Hey! You two, don't talk badly about my brother behind his back," Yunluo said, displeased.

"Oh? Then why don't you just arrest the people from Izumo?" Cheng Shifei asked.

Yunlu thought for a moment, then blurted out, "Perhaps... my royal brother can tell that the princess of Yun Kingdom is indeed beautiful!"

Chu Luren, Cheng Shifei: ...

For a moment, none of the three could say whose opinion was the "worst," so they decided to skip the topic for now.

Since the Empress Dowager has been rescued, Yunluo is not too concerned about the subsequent search for her accomplices.

Even the lockdown order on Lin'an has been lifted. Now, guards will only check people carefully when they enter or leave the city. After all, Lin'an is the commercial center of the Song Dynasty. It was only a few days ago that it was locked down to prevent kidnappers from taking the Empress Dowager out of the city. Now, just to prevent prisoners from escaping, the cost of continuing the lockdown would be too high.

"I hope that either the Dragon Guard Manor or the Eastern Depot can solve this case before October." Chu Luren suddenly offered his prayers for the two major government agencies with a very positive attitude.

"Is there anything big happening in October?" Yunluo asked curiously.

"Yes! In October, my 'Heroic Warrior, Backbone of the Jianghu' will be listed in the Heroic Deeds Ranking. The Empress Dowager's kidnapping can't be mentioned, so you'll have to write some merits for me... Uncovering the conspiracy of the Chuyun Kingdom and protecting the safety of the Song Dynasty, isn't that a ready-made merit?" Chu Luren said matter-of-factly.

Yunluo: ...

So, no matter who solves the case, you get all the credit?

No wonder you're so enthusiastic!

Cheng Shifei then spotted the gambling den by the roadside and said with a quick glance, "Gentlemen, I have some other things to attend to. If you need anything, feel free to contact me!" With that, he started to head into the gambling den.

However, Chu Luren stopped him at this moment: "Wait, Brother Cheng, let's talk in private."

"Huh? Brother Lu, just say what you have to say! Why take this step?" Cheng Shifei missed the sound of dice.

"It's not convenient here, let's go to the inn..." Chu Luren smiled slightly.

"An inn? What for?" Cheng Shifei instinctively felt something was amiss.

"I've got something good for you," Chu Luren said with a friendly expression.

"What are you looking at? I want to see too!" Princess Yunluo joined in the fun.

Cheng Shifei didn't want to go, but Chu Luren kept saying "there's food and drink to eat" and "don't be so fussy, you're such a grown-up," and dragged Cheng Shifei all the way to the inn where he had stayed before.

Half an hour later...

"Lu Ge, Lu Ge... no!"

From the second floor of the inn came sounds that made the innkeeper shake his head in regret.

Meanwhile, in Chu Luren's room, Chu Luren was straddling Cheng Shifei, tearing off his clothes while... silently reciting the secret manual on his body.

"Looking won't make me any less!" Chu Luren said matter-of-factly.