Chapter 100: A Woman's Perspective
“They really look down on us, being polite to the princess but so rude to us.” Qingyue’s delicate jade-like hand traced over Long Chen’s body, sliding slowly from his shoulder into the water.
A sharp hiss—
Long Chen suddenly flinched.
Lately, Qingyue had mastered a lethal technique—‘The Poisonous Dragon’s Retreat.’ This venomous dragon, likely a large and potent one, always retreated swiftly into its lair.
“Don’t be so careless, behave yourself,” Long Chen turned back to scold her.
But Qingyue was amused, giggling, “Don’t you like it?”
Long Chen replied seriously, “Nonsense. Who told you to use your hands?”
Qingyue stuck out her tongue, “Annoying!”
Ahead, Zhang Qian was washing Di Luoxi’s legs. Seeing Long Chen and Qingyue’s playful antics, she said, “Princess, I think Xuan Yi and Qingyue should stay with you. I can protect Lord Long on my own.”
Xuan Yi immediately objected, “No, one person isn’t enough. The Jing family has so many assassins and death squads.”
Jing Tianlie not only commanded the Red Flame Legion but also oversaw the Eastern Zhou’s secret guards.
The Empress and the court officials feared Jing Tianlie not just for the Red Flame Legion’s combat prowess but also for this covert force lurking in the shadows.
It was normal for an army to have intelligence agencies—like Shangguan Wei’s Heavenly Might Legion, which had Feng He’s spy network.
The problem was Jing Tianlie’s secret guards had grown too powerful, to the extent even the Empress didn’t know their exact numbers.
Such a hidden elite force made the Empress uneasy.
Qingyue agreed, “Exactly. The clash with Jing Tianlie is only beginning. We can’t take risks.”
Di Luoxi also opposed, “No one knows how many secret guards the Jing family has. You can’t handle it alone.”
Zhang Qian knew her words were meant to sideline Qingyue and Xuan Yi, since the two of them were clinging to Long Chen’s sides, leaving her feeling marginalized.
“That shameless Bai Qiulian! Her daughter is grown, yet she still has an unclear relationship with Jing Tianlie,” Qingyue withdrew her submerged fingers and shifted the topic to Bai Qiulian.
She knew Zhang Qian felt neglected and wanted to divert attention from the two of them.
But after such a joyful night with Long Chen, there was no way they would leave.
“Hmph, those two have been sneaking around for a long time. Everyone knows their relationship,” Di Luoxi sneered.
At that moment, a palace maid hurried in, reporting, “Your Highness, Sun Hongyan and Li Junjun just had a quarrel in front of the Censorate gates.”
Long Chen asked curiously, “Sun Hongyan and Li Junjun quarreled? Shouldn’t Sun Hongyan have confronted Bai Qiulian instead?”
Di Luoxi sneered, “Sun Hongyan is a bully to the weak. She wouldn’t dare trouble Bai Qiulian.”
Zhang Qian asked, “Then what? Did Li Junjun hide like a coward again?”
They knew Li Junjun was timid and afraid of trouble. Even if his wife was unfaithful, he dared not speak up.
The palace maid replied, “No, Li Junjun lost it this time. They insulted each other publicly, and he even harshly scolded Jing Tianlie. Everyone heard it.”
Di Luoxi got up from Long Chen’s embrace, intrigued. “Interesting. Li Junjun actually lost control?”
Long Chen leisurely rubbed her flawless back, thinking about when to give Di Luoxi a cupping therapy—it would be a shame not to treat such a perfect back.
“Never underestimate a man’s pride. A cuckold is a man’s bottom line.”
As a man himself, Long Chen could understand Li Junjun’s fury.
During the court hearing at the Censorate, Long Chen had provoked Li Junjun verbally, who had restrained himself then.
Back then, Long Chen only intended to stir the pot, hoping Li Junjun would confront Bai Qiulian.
Being cuckolded was absolutely a man’s limit.
If your wife cheated and the mistress openly harassed you in front of your workplace, anyone who still tolerated it wouldn’t be a man.
“So, does that mean everyone in the six ministries knows now?” Zhang Qian smiled, pleased the matter was escalating.
Long Chen was puzzled, “Sun Hongyan blocking people at the Censorate? Is she out of her mind? Who does something like that?”
Di Luoxi sneered, “Sun Hongyan is clever but reckless. She’s too afraid to confront Bai Qiulian, so she targeted Li Junjun to embarrass him and pressure Bai Qiulian.”
“Sun Hongyan has two sons: Jing Feng with Jing Tianlie, who is ruthless and cunning; and Jing Heng with herself, who is just as self-important.”
That explanation made sense.
Any sensible woman wouldn’t do such a foolish thing.
“This is good. The bigger it gets, the better,” Long Chen smiled. Sun Hongyan had just given an unwitting assist—a divine assist.
...
At the Jing residence.
In his study, Jing Tianlie was reading military texts. A basin of coal-fired briquettes glowed warmly in front of him, radiating waves of heat.
The door creaked open slightly, and a figure clad in black, wearing a black mask, slipped inside.
This was No Name, one of Jing Tianlie’s personal secret guards.
“General, Secretary Bai has delivered today’s inquiry documents.”
Jing Tianlie took the documents and frowned upon opening them. “Why aren’t these from the Censorate?”
The documents Bai Qiulian gave were not official Censorate papers but ones she had written herself.
Jing Tianlie recognized Bai Qiulian’s handwriting at a glance.
No Name whispered, “Li Junjun didn’t give the documents to Secretary Bai.”
Jing Tianlie’s hand froze as he flipped through the papers. He looked up, surprised. “Li Junjun dares to withhold them?”
Li Junjun had always been submissive at home. Even if Bai Qiulian was having an affair, he dared not complain.
But now he dared to withhold official documents? The sun must be rising from the west!
No Name remained silent.
Jing Tianlie’s voice turned cold, “Do you have something to say?”
As Jing Tianlie’s trusted secret guard, No Name was expected to report everything he knew. Concealing information displeased Jing Tianlie greatly.
After hesitating, No Name said, “Because Madam publicly called Li Junjun a coward at the Censorate gates, Li Junjun was enraged. After returning home, he had a fierce argument with Secretary Bai, was severely beaten, and tore up the documents.”
Originally, Li Junjun had copied the documents per Bai Qiulian’s instructions. But after being insulted, he argued with Bai Qiulian at home and ripped the documents apart.
Bai Qiulian had no choice but to rewrite them from memory and delivered them to Jing Tianlie.
Jing Tianlie’s face showed astonishment. “Madam publicly insulted Li Junjun at the Censorate gate?”
No Name nodded slightly.
Jing Tianlie gripped the documents, cursing, “A woman’s interference ruins my grand plans!”
His scandal with Bai Qiulian had always been half-hidden. Though whispered about, there was no solid proof, only rumors.
Sun Hongyan’s public outburst at the Censorate confirmed their affair and would utterly ruin Jing Tianlie’s reputation.
No Name suggested, “General, I believe this matter can be resolved simply.”
Jing Tianlie shook his head. “No. My target is not just Long Cheng’en.”
He intended to use this opportunity to reassert his position at court, to show the Empress and everyone that the Grand General was the pillar of Eastern Zhou, and anyone challenging his house would meet a grim fate.
He would make an example of someone—the ‘chicken’ to warn others—and Long Chen was that chicken.
“Have the people sent to Linjiang City returned?”
Jing Tianlie tossed the inquiry documents into the fire, watching them burn.