Chapter 86

In the spacious training ground of the Wang Palace, Min Ruoying, bare-chested, wielded two stone locks, each weighing over a hundred catties, as if they were mere toys. Beads of sweat, the size of peas, dotted his bronze skin, flying off as he moved. His taut, well-defined muscles revealed the immense strength within him.

Few people knew that Min Ruoying was the most talented martial artist in the Min royal family. Before the age of thirty, he had already crossed the Ninth Rank, making him a true master. However, he had wrapped himself in layers of disguise, and few outside the palace knew that Min Ruoying had reached such a level.

The Min Ruoxi known to the outside world was hailed as a martial genius, but he had only crossed the Seventh Rank.

Min Ruoying, who excelled in both literature and martial arts, was favored by the old emperor. It was precisely because of this that the old emperor believed Min Ruoying, if nothing went wrong, would become a grandmaster around the age of forty. This was one of the reasons the old emperor had considered changing the crown prince. However, as the crown prince of the neighboring kingdom, Min Ruocheng had always been cautious. Born as the crown prince, Min Ruocheng naturally had many followers, most of whom were high-ranking civil officials, which made the old emperor hesitant to act rashly.

As the old emperor's health declined, Min Ruoying knew he could no longer wait. If the old emperor passed away, he would lose his chance.

He devised a cunning trap, framing his elder brother Min Ruocheng. The cost was merely sixty thousand western border troops and a grandmaster-level ally. To Min Ruoying, this was not a significant loss. While grandmasters were rare, they were nothing compared to the throne. He would become one of the few grandmasters in the world in no time.

But to achieve his ambitions, he had to ascend to the throne, the only stage where he could realize his dreams. Great men could not be bound by trivialities or conventional emotions.

With a roar, the two stone locks soared high into the air, colliding with a thunderous crash. The loud noise turned them into a pile of shattered stones that rained down. Min Ruoying, with his arms crossed, caught the flying fragments as if they were birds, gathering them into a large sphere in his hands. With a muffled thud, the sphere trembled but no stone dust escaped. After a moment, Min Ruoying released his hands, and the stone sphere fell to the ground, turning into a pile of powder with a puff.

Taking a deep breath, Min Ruoying stood up, and a guard who had been standing by immediately ran over, offering a hot towel. Wiping his hands, he sat down at a stone table, picked up a cup of tea, and drank it in one gulp.

The Unseen Divine Skill, the ultimate martial art of the Min royal family, was a level of mastery that even the old emperor had not achieved at his age. As for his elder brother, he was not cut out for martial arts and would only reach the Fifth or Sixth Rank at best, even if he trained until his death, he might reach the Seventh Rank. How could such a man, full of pedantic articles and moral righteousness, be qualified to sit on the throne and issue orders to him?

Min Ruoying sneered. Great sacrifices would naturally bring great rewards. He had taken a risk, and if he could not be remembered for his achievements, he would be remembered for his infamy. He had never intended to deceive his father; he just wanted to give him an excuse. Since the emperor could not make up his mind, he would give him a reason.

Now, he had to choose between his two sons! Min Ruoying believed that the emperor would choose him.

He had won. Chu was his, and he would lead the Great Chu on a new journey. He would become a figure like Emperor Li Qing, restoring the glorious might of the former Tang Dynasty in the Great Chu.

Horses would trample the land, ships would sail the seas, the barbarians would submit, and the world would be unified!

Min Ruoying felt that a grand and magnificent picture was slowly unfolding before him. All he had to do was leave his immortal name on this grand canvas.

Just like Emperor Li Qing, his achievements would be sung for a thousand years.

A true man should live like this!

"Your Highness!" Luo Liang entered the training ground with a stack of reports.

"General Luo, sit down!" Min Ruoying smiled and pointed to a seat beside him. "This is the new tea from Yunzhong County. Try it!" He personally poured a cup of green tea for Luo Liang. He had always held this general in high regard.

Luo Liang placed the reports on the table, picked up the tea, took a sip, and praised, "Truly excellent tea! Only here, in the presence of the Second Prince, can one taste such fine tea! Unfortunately, the quantity is too small, just a little bit each year."

"Very soon, General Luo, you will have as much as you want," Min Ruoying smiled.

"No!" Luo Liang shook his head. "It is precisely because it is scarce that it is cherished. If it were abundant, there would be no anticipation. Scarcity keeps one unsatisfied, and dissatisfaction fuels ambition."

Min Ruoying laughed heartily. "General Luo is right. I will not be satisfied. We, as ruler and minister, are undertaking a great cause that will be remembered for generations. Even if we spend our entire lives, we may never be fully satisfied."

Luo Liang also laughed. "Your Highness, with this unsatisfied heart, I am reassured. By the way, Your Highness, the investigation you asked me to conduct on the Death Corps has yielded results."

"What's the result?" Min Ruoying asked casually. In his mind, a small unit like the Death Corps was not worth mentioning. If not for this matter, he would not have paid it any attention.

"The situation is a bit complicated!" Luo Liang picked up the report and gently placed it in front of Min Ruoying.

"Hmm?" Min Ruoying paused, his hand holding the teapot in mid-air. If Luo Liang, a man of his caliber, said it was complicated, it truly was.

"From all the intelligence I have gathered on the Death Corps, this unit is not just any ordinary trouble. They are composed of death row inmates from all over the Great Chu and have always been known for their willingness to die. Of course, they have also achieved remarkable military successes."

"Is that not the case?" Min Ruoying continued pouring the tea. "What trouble could such a unit cause?"

"But in recent years, this unit has undergone significant changes. They have been molded into a truly terrifying force by one person. Your Highness, from the intelligence I have, I can conclude that the combat effectiveness of this unit is even greater than that of your personal guard, the Fire Phoenix Army," Luo Liang said bluntly.

This time, Min Ruoying was truly shocked.

"And this unit has a core, that is, Qin Feng. It would be more accurate to say that the Death Corps is Qin Feng's private army. Even though they receive their pay from the Great Chu, this army only listens to one person: Qin Feng. I confirmed this with the internal guards who have been to the western border, and I also consulted the internal guards who escorted Yang Zhi back. Even Zuo Lixing could not command this army."

Min Ruoying's expression became serious. "In other words, our plan to disarm this unit and arrest and interrogate them is unfeasible."

"Exactly. They are currently stationed on Maor Mountain. When Bian Wushuang besieged Anyang City, he chose not to attack them, unwilling to engage in a life-and-death struggle with such a determined unit when the overall situation was already decided. He did not want to pay too high a price. Your Highness knows what kind of person Bian Wushuang is. A unit that even he fears must be extremely powerful. A direct confrontation is not an option."

He paused. "Your Highness, this unit is worth our effort. If we can bring them over, they would be a significant asset."

"Impossible!" Min Ruoying shook his head. "I have already reported this plan to the emperor and received his approval. Do you want the emperor to think I am fickle or incapable? That would be slapping my own face."

Luo Liang was silent for a moment. "Then there is no other choice. Your Highness, here is the latest report from Yang Qing regarding Qin Feng of the Death Corps. It contains some new developments." He pulled out another piece of paper from his pocket and gently pushed it toward Min Ruoying.

The advertisement on the previous page begins

The advertisement on the previous page ends