Ning Guo residence.
Jia Xu looked at the person in front of him with a sinister gaze.
Previously when he was attacked, he was caught off guard and exchanged a few blows with the assassin. As a result, his internal organs were shaken and his chest was still aching.
But what made his chest feel even more stifled was the person in front of him.
He was wearing a long robe with wide sleeves and a high hat with a belt. With a smile on his face, he looked handsome. This was obviously a charming middle-aged man. Time did not leave any traces on him. Instead, he had accumulated enough charm.
An elegant … lobbyist.
Although Jia Xu did not know who he was, he knew what he was here for.
But the other party still swaggered to his door and appeared in front of him, even though a despicable assassination had just happened.
The other party clasped his hands in front of his chest and bowed, "Greetings, Duke Ning."
Jia Xu said coldly, "Since you are a despicable person from the mountains, how dare you appear in front of me?"
The standard reply was filled with the style of a lobbyist, "Of course I am here to save the lives of your family."
Jia Xu snorted and stood up slowly, "You are unable to pacify the people internally and unable to plot against an enemy externally. If the people are not close to you, the officials will not believe you. As the saying goes, deceiving people with big words and deceiving the weak, it is referring to people like you. A lobbyist like you dares to show off in front of me?"
The man said with a smile, "I've long heard that Duke Ning is resourceful and resourceful. Naturally, I don't dare to show off in front of you with my insignificant knowledge. But as the saying goes, the onlooker sees more clearly than the person involved. I know what Duke Ning is thinking, so I'm here to help you."
Jia Xu was a wise man and naturally would not let the other party take the initiative. He said in a Senran tone, "You just sent an assassin and now you have a lobbyist. You are actually using force before using force. Your master has the demeanor of a ruler."
That person was stunned at first, then admitted openly, "Duke Ning is wise and farsighted. I am impressed."
Jia Xu stared at him and was silent for a while. Suddenly, he asked, "Did your master send you here or did you come here on your own?"
That person was truly stunned when he heard this. He really did not expect Jia Xu to see through the crux of the problem so quickly.
This pause was enough to answer many questions. Before that person could answer, Jia Xu had already gotten the answer he wanted. He smiled coldly and said, "I didn't expect you to come here personally. You're the strategist behind a certain prince. No, not the strategist. You're the one who makes the decisions, aren't you?
Was that assassin an impulsive move of your master, or was it part of your plan? "
Only then did the man come back to his senses and let out a long sigh. "I really underestimated you before."
Jia Xu said coldly, "How dare you come here personally? How bold of you."
That person knew what Jia Xu was talking about. He said indifferently, "If it were any other time, I wouldn't dare to come here. After all, Sun Lang is a rather difficult opponent."
Jia Xu frowned.
He heard the name "Sun Lang".
He used to think that it was an alias his nephew used to hide himself, but now … it seemed like it was his real name.
The man continued, "But it's different now. I know where he went. No one knows better than me what he's capable of now. Let alone one Mu Chun, even if ten of them attacked together, they would only be captured alive by him. They wouldn't even have the chance to commit suicide."
Jia Xu listened in silence.
That person revealed a complacent smile. This smile seemed to be one that had seen through everything, and also seemed to be one that had everything under control. He seemed to understand Sun Lang very well, better than anyone else. He understood Sun Lang's way of thinking and his pattern of behavior.
He said indifferently, "King Zhongshun sent assassins behind my back, but I know about it."
It's King Zhongshun … Jia Xu recalled the basic information about this royal descendant. He was outstanding in all aspects, but not truly outstanding. Such a young man seemed ambitious but was actually easy to control.
He said coldly, "What an excellent assistant."
The person nodded. "Yes, he's just the right amount of stupidity. I'm very satisfied."
Jia Xu asked slowly, "Then why is he here?
Seems like you've gained the Emperor's trust. Why? "
That person's expression turned cold. What a troublesome human, he thought. But he liked it … because the more powerful Jia Xu was, the more trouble someone would be in.
He smiled. "What do you think?
I think my identity isn't the main point. The main point is what you're worried about. "
Jia Xu raised his brows. "What do I have to worry about?"
That person laughed and didn't dwell on the question. Instead, he said, "Let's return to the previous topic. Where did Sun Lang go?
I know because I know about the assassins sent by King Zhongshun. I know that Sun Lang will capture the assassins, so I know what he'll do next. He's a petty person. If he suffers a loss, he'll definitely return it a thousand times over. "
"Furthermore, I've used a series of schemes to drive a wedge between the two of them, putting him in a very passive position. Given his personality, it's only natural that he'll return the favor. After capturing the assassin, he'll be able to dig out the other party's background with just a few words. From there, he'll suspect that King Zhongshun is just a puppet and that the mastermind behind the scheme is someone else. Since he knows this, he'll definitely hold onto it and make a big fuss out of it."
That person's tone was very normal. When talking about Sun Lang's personality, there was a hint of helpless gentleness between his brows, as if he was talking about a mischievous nephew.
Jia Xu also noticed this. He asked, "Who are you?"
"Who am I … I guess I'm an old friend."
This answer didn't satisfy Jia Xu, but the person who spoke now didn't seem to want to dwell on this question. He continued, "If I'm not wrong, he'll definitely bring the assassins to the Jinling government office and make a big fuss about it. He'll definitely see this as the key to breaking out of the current situation and think of ways to drive a wedge between us. Thus, his attention will be on the Jinling government office and temporarily ignore this place."
Jia Xu's tone was slightly mocking and provocative. "That's why you dare to come?"
"Yes, that's right."
The person didn't mind. "After all, he's the most difficult opponent in the world. I'd rather fight the Martial Arts Hall's Saints for three hundred rounds than fight him, whether it's a battle of wits or strength.
This is a game of cat and mouse. Both sides are playing to their strengths and avoiding their weaknesses. His ultimate goal is to find us before we achieve our goal, and then beat us into minced meat with one punch. We have to do the opposite … "
Jia Xu said coldly, "But now that you're here, aren't you afraid that I'll call him back and make you lose everything and die on the spot?"
"No, I don't think you would. If it was a few days ago, you would definitely do this without the slightest hesitation. Because he's your nephew, your cousin's bloodline. The blood of the Jia Clan flows in his veins, and he's the brightest hope of your Jia Clan. Even if your entire clan is annihilated, so long as he's still alive, the clan will continue to multiply and even rise again. So, you would help him regardless of the cost, support him, even die for him, and even bet the entire clan …"
Jia Xu's expression slowly turned cold.
The person ignored the change in Jia Xu's expression and revealed the cruelest truth without hesitation. "But now, you won't because I've already told you the truth … The real Jia Ying died eight years ago when he held the Saint Sword. He didn't have the aptitude to hold the Saint Sword after all, so we had to find an imposter to replace him …"
After a moment of silence, Jia Xu suddenly sneered. His laughter was full of mockery and coldness. "You mean that my poor nephew failed at the last step because of his lack of aptitude, despite going through many trials and tribulations, and failed the great trust of the imperial court, while the fake you found casually picked up the unparalleled Holy Sword. Not only that, but in just six years, he defeated the Extraterrestrial Demons that had been tormenting the Divine Land for decades with his military exploits and martial arts prowess, establishing an unparalleled achievement that only one person in a thousand years can achieve?"
"Also, he survived in the Grand Desolate Mountain after all the birds were killed. Not only that, he reappeared after two years of disappearance and caused turmoil in the Ming Province, the Song Province, and the Qin Province after he took action. The court pretended to be deaf and dumb. All the ministers below the emperor were at a loss. The officials of the six ministries pretended to be deaf and dumb. Even the vast Imperium couldn't do anything about him?
The person sighed. "I know it's hard to believe, but it's the truth. It's hard to explain the unpredictability of fate."
Jia Xu just sneered.
The person shook his head. "The empire thrives on martial arts, and everyone is proud of practicing martial arts. But do you know that the nine provinces of the empire are vast, and there are more than tens of millions of people under its rule? Perhaps in a small village or a small town, a little child is actually a genius with a top martial arts bone. If a famous teacher teaches him well, he will be the next martial arts legend who will shine for a hundred years …"
"But no one found him. No one found him. He may have practiced martial arts, but he only learned some flashy moves from the vulgar martial arts masters in the village. He had a strong body and lived a long life, but he could only spend his life in mediocrity and slowly die until he breathed his last on the bed. He didn't know that he was actually a one-in-a-million genius. If someone had discovered his talent when he was young, his life would have been turned upside down."
He spread out his hands, and his tone was bleak and sad. The unpredictability of fate was so cruel that it made people sigh.
"And Sun Lang is probably such an example. If there were no accidents, he would have been an extremely ordinary person and would have had no chance to come into contact with martial arts."
Jia Xu said faintly, "But you guys turned his life upside down."
"Yes, that's why he hates us. He hates everything. This is normal, and I can understand. Anyone who has encountered something like that would involuntarily hate. What justice, what kindness, what beauty, they would all be thrown aside."
The person's tone was even a little sad and regretful. "Duke Ning, you can understand his anger, right?
Being caught as an impostor and becoming the legitimate son of Rongguo Residence isn't a happy thing. Before he was caught as a substitute, he didn't even know any martial arts. His root bone was already formed, and he shouldn't have had any achievements in martial arts. But now, he's the world's most destructive killing machine. "
"You're also a martial artist. You should know that there are no shortcuts in martial arts. Every bit of progress is paved with countless blood and tears, and he compressed this process into six years."
Jia Xu frowned. "What are you trying to say?"
"I want to say that he's gone mad. He's an impostor, replacing another person's life. He paid an endless price and suffered countless hardships, but in the end, he encountered something like that … Anyone would go mad."
"Please don't sneer or mock him. There's no right or wrong in this matter. At this point, we can only talk about gains and losses. You have to admit that Sun Lang has gone mad."
"Anyone would go mad in this situation. He will also hate. He has the ability and determination to take revenge, so his destructive power is limitless."
"The key is his target … Besides the court, Empress, and those from the Great Desolate Mountain, he will also hate others. For example …"
"The root of all this is Jia Ying … If not for her running away, he wouldn't have been dragged into this matter."
"A reasonable reason, isn't it?
Moreover, this blood feud is as deep as the sea. There's no reason to speak of. He will take his anger out on everything, including your Jia clan. "
That person's tone was very calm, neither urgent nor harsh. He was just talking about a very simple principle.
Jia Xu was a wise man. Wise men were paranoid and saw through human nature. They believed that humans were evil by nature, and Jia Xu was one of them.
Therefore, he only needed to show him the benefits, nothing more.
"This is only related to the immediate interests of your Jia Family. Apart from that, there are also the country, the country, the expectations of the monarch, and the blood of the heroic souls. The current peace and prosperity were exchanged with the sacrifice of your fathers, brothers, and ancestors. How many people in your Ningguo Mansion and Rongguo Mansion have died for this? Are you going to follow a fake and smash all of this into pieces?
Jia Xu was silent.
He wouldn't show his thoughts on his face. A wise man didn't show his emotions on his face. Even if his heart was in turmoil, he didn't let it show on his face.
But the scheming lobbyist wouldn't give him the chance to remain calm even if Mt. Tai collapsed in front of him.
He said in a low voice, "There's another very important reason … Do you know what he did in the Great Desolate Mountain?"
Jia Xu looked at him calmly.
But in the next moment, his expression was no longer calm.
With a deep voice, the emissary spoke of a terrifying secret that could shake the world and destroy the existing order.
"It's been three years since the war and the empire hasn't created a new Imperial Army, not even a common mass-produced Startling Sword."