Li Hongzhao didn't say much to Sun Jiuwei, only arranging for people to escort Sun Jiuwei away. As things stood, Sun Jiuwei shouldn't stay here any longer, lest he give people cause to talk. The experts from the Town Guard Office had already arrived outside, but they were blocked by the Cloud-Treading Iron Cavalry.
...
Chu Zhiyuan glanced at the Cloud-Treading Iron Cavalry, indifferent and detached, like an emotionless machine. He waved his hand, and Gao Lingfeng signaled the Town Guard Office people to retreat.
Li Hongzhao walked out while asking, "Mr. Su."
Su Qiuyan appeared beside her.
Lightly pressing her left shoulder with her left palm, rapidly dissolving the energy in her chest, she sighed softly, "What a Fourth Prince, truly extraordinary!"
"You want to ask about the Prince's move, right?"
"How did he do it? I didn't see anything, nor did I feel anything. It's too strange!" She felt uneasy.
Her senses were extremely sharp, far surpassing ordinary people. This was the unique advantage of the Phoenix Cry Ascending to the Heavens Technique. She hadn't felt anything at all, possibly because she was in the midst of fighting Chu Zhiyuan.
But in that state, she was even more sensitive, and her reactions were even faster, yet she still didn't feel anything unusual. Then she would feel it even less at other times.
Su Qiuyan said, "When he sparred with you, he emitted an invisible finger force, a power similar to sword energy, a very peculiar finger force."
What she could see was Chu Zhiyuan lightly tapping, vaguely perceiving a wisp of finger force drifting towards Sun Jiuwei.
Unlike ordinary finger force that shot out rapidly, this finger force was slow and gentle, like willow catkins floating by. Sun Jiuwei was focused on Chu Zhiyuan and Li Hongzhao's fight, blinded by the sword light, and failed to notice the approaching danger. He was struck unprepared, and his energy rapidly declined, like a deflated ball.
Even if she had wanted to intervene, she couldn't have blocked this finger force. It seemed slow, but the distance was too short, and it was already too late. "This fellow, he has such a sinister move!" Li Hongzhao said resentfully, "Impossible to defend against."
Su Qiuyan said solemnly, "Your Highness must be very careful, you might not be able to block it."
"I have protective energy. If he were to attack me secretly, he wouldn't be able to hide it from me!"
"What if?"
"Then how can I defend against it?" Li Hongzhao bit her red lip and pondered, "I can't just avoid him and never see him again!"
"Then don't meet in private, meet in public."
"... Hmm, that makes sense. Next time I see him, Mr. Su must be by my side to intimidate him."
Su Qiuyan smiled and said, "He's not afraid of me."
"He's as timid as a mouse, how could he not be afraid of you, Mr. Su?" Li Hongzhao scoffed, "It's laughable!"
But she immediately thought of Chu Zhiyuan's words: he was timid as a mouse, but he had the cultivation of the Eighth Heaven.
That one sentence was enough to choke someone to death.
Su Qiuyan smiled, "Your Highness, you also said that he is outwardly timid but inwardly brave, and at heart he is ruthless, so we must be wary."
"... Hmm." Li Hongzhao slowly nodded.
After Li Hongzhao sent the message out, she began to ponder the Phoenix Sword Art in her own courtyard.
She recalled the situation when she sparred with Chu Zhiyuan earlier. The Phoenix Sword Art flowed extremely smoothly, becoming stronger and stronger. At the same time, she pondered Chu Zhiyuan's swordsmanship.
It seemed as weak as a willow swaying in the wind, about to be broken at any moment, but it could always dissolve the danger lightly. It seemed risky, but it was precise.
Has Chu Zhiyuan's swordsmanship reached this level? The more she thought about it, the more alarmed she became.
Fortunately, no matter how strong he is, he is only strong in martial arts. He is just a Vice Minister and cannot decide the affairs of the world. Therefore, his keenness and amazing observation skills have no place to be used.
She had to find a way to make him subside and not let him continue to gain merit and be promoted, otherwise he would surely become a threat to the Great Meng. How could she make him subside?
She pondered, and one scheme after another formed in her mind, but they were quickly rejected.
As for a beauty trap, he has the number one beauty in Jade Capital as his consort, and ordinary beauties are not in his eyes.
Sowing discord wouldn't work either. His relationship with the Emperor isn't something that can be easily broken apart. The Great Jing Emperor has just lifted the suppression of the Prince of Qing's mansion. Lifting the suppression doesn't mean he trusts him, and there are still a hundred and eight thousand miles to go before he trusts him.
Then spread bad rumors about him, saying that he is as timid as a mouse, only willing to choose some non-dangerous positions, and being petty and despicable, making people disdain him. But Great Jing promotes people based on merit. As long as he makes enough contributions, a bad reputation won't matter.
So the most fundamental thing is to prevent him from making contributions. How to prevent him?
Don't let him leave the capital. He can kill the Secret Shadow Sect in Jade Capital City. If he leaves the capital, he can charge and kill the Cloud-Treading Iron Cavalry. It would be best to entangle him and not let him be distracted, but how to entangle him?
Moreover, she really doesn't want to stay by his side and have her various secrets seen through by him. What she would gain by entangling him is not as important as the secrets that might be revealed.
So this won't work.
Her bright eyes flickered, and she said softly, "Mr. Su, which beauties are there in Jade Capital City?"
Su Qiuyan said, "Those from the Linglong Bookstore?"
"Those won't do." Li Hongzhao shook her head. "He won't look at them. We need a girl with noble character."
"There are still quite a few in Jade Capital City." Su Qiuyan said, "Like Miss Huang from the White Cloud Sword Palace, Miss Zhou from Qinglu Cliff, and Miss He from the Flying Heaven Sect. They are all rare beauties. Does Your Highness want to visit them?"
"Can we match them up with Chu Zhiyuan?"
"Your Highness, let's forget it." Su Qiuyan smiled. "A beauty trap won't work on him."
"There isn't a cat in the world that doesn't steal fish. No matter how powerful a man is, he still likes beauties."
Su Qiuyan said, "I think his mind is all on cultivation, and he doesn't value matters between men and women that much."
"Hmm... cultivation..." Li Hongzhao pondered.
She clapped her hands and smiled, "I have an idea!"
Su Qiuyan looked at her, wondering what mischievous idea she had again.
Li Hongzhao said, "I know of a cave outside Jade Capital City, a cave from a thousand years ago."
Su Qiuyan looked at her in surprise, "Still outside Jade Capital City?"
"Strange, right?" Li Hongzhao smiled. "Jade Capital City should have been explored long ago, but there is still a cave."
"Is the news true?"
"I saw it in a miscellaneous record, from a Grandmaster from our Great Meng who came here and eventually died here. Mr. Su, I don't know if you've heard of Lu Yaofeng."
"Lu Yaofeng..."
"A master from a thousand years ago who used the Qiankun Six Absolute Palms and became a Grandmaster."
"...I haven't heard of him."
"His palm technique was extremely powerful and was very popular for a time, but unfortunately, he was eventually trapped by love and came to Great Jing, so his reputation didn't spread. Unfortunately, he eventually died alone... Someone recorded his life and said where his cave was. I happened to see this record."
"Then you didn't go looking for it?"
"I've been inquiring about it all these days, and I finally found out that it's not far from Jade Capital."
"You don't want to find it yourself, but you want to give it to him?"
"This Lu Yaofeng wasn't a good person. He was very vicious and heartbroken, so he must have been cynical. There must be a lot of interesting things in the cave. It's not bad to let Chu Zhiyuan go explore it."
"What if there are good things in the cave?"
"The Qiankun Six Absolute Palms are strong, but my Phoenix Cry Ascending to the Heavens Technique is already the best and most suitable for me, and the Phoenix Sword Art is also the most suitable for me. I don't care that much about it, it's just to explore a wonder."
"Then don't you want to explore it first before telling him?"
"...Actually, I'm also very scared. I don't know what harmful methods Lu Yaofeng left in the cave."
"...That's fine too." Su Qiuyan smiled.
The two drank another cup of tea and ate some snacks. As they were preparing to go out for a stroll, they saw Chu Zhiyuan returning.
"Found it." Chu Zhiyuan strode in and cupped his fists with a smile. "Now the Twelfth Prince in the Grand Fierce Hall of the Sifang Pavilion is the real one."
Li Hongzhao was skeptical, "So fast?"
Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "Your Highness's news hasn't arrived yet, right? How could it be faster than me?"
"... Heavenly Dragon Divine Steed?" Li Hongzhao's bright eyes flickered, and after a moment, she thought of it, saying resentfully.
Chu Zhiyuan clapped his hands, "Your Highness is wise."
