Chapter 140: Wang Fugui: I take the blade as a swift release, never failing my youthful head

Luo Wenlong raised his head and saw that it was the Hundred-House Commander Wang, of whom he had previously formed quite a favorable impression, standing right outside his window.

Given that Wang Fugui and his backer, the Lu family of the White Scale Guard, were both at odds with the Pure Stream faction, Luo Wenlong naturally viewed him as one of his own people.

During their time together on the ship recently, the two had gotten along quite well; he had eaten the tens of thousands of sea delicacies Wang had fished up, and Wang had tasted his favorite fine wine, Qinhuai Spring.

Yet today, the man dared to joke about his missing beloved wife—his most vulnerable fatal weakness. Luo Wenlong's face instantly turned cold:

"Commander Wang, what is the meaning of this?

You and I have shared the same ship for days on end. Are you perhaps gifted with pre-cognition, able to divine the whereabouts of my wife?"

Since Wang Cheng had come to find him, he was entirely confident.

Acting as though he failed to notice Luo Wenlong's freezing expression, Wang pushed the door open on his own accord, turned around, and slapped a talisman onto the doorframe to isolate the room from external eavesdropping.

Only then did he stare straight into Luo Wenlong's eyes and solemnly press on:

"This subordinate has no covetous desires whatsoever for Lord Luo's family wealth; I merely wish to know how resolute you are in your determination to recover your esteemed wife.

If I were to tell you that the one forcibly possessing your esteemed wife is a towering figure in in Jizhou, and that his attitude even concerns the success or failure of this mission—nay, the life and death of everyone in the diplomatic mission—do you still possess the courage to risk everything?"

He was by no means exaggerating.

When Wang Cuiqiao had been most obscure, she was still a renowned courtesan of Qinhuai; at the height of her glory, she was already the wife of the pirate lord Xu Hai. Countless people knew her.

Since he could think of Luo Wenlong right away, how could he be naive enough to think that Mao Haifeng wouldn't?

To the diplomatic mission, everywhere the fleet of the Black Peak Flag could reach had already transformed into a perilous dragon's pool and tiger's den.

Wang Cuiqiao's men most wanted to kill each other, as this was the only way to fundamentally prevent former lovers from maintaining secret ties and to completely monopolize the [Official Star Peach Blossom Grid]!

For public and private reasons alike, Mao Haifeng had to eliminate them quickly.

The priority of killing these former lovers was probably no lower than killing a certain Prince Wang himself!

"Do you truly know the whereabouts of Cuiqiao?"

Luo Wenlong knew that this Hundred-House Commander Wang, hailed as the second greatest genius of the Twenty-Four Jurisdictions and known as "Ghost and Deity Terrified," was by no means a man given to empty, idle talk. Seeing him so solemn, he couldn't help but believe him by a few points.

To say he believed him was more like Wang Cheng having seized his vital weakness, striking directly at his fatal flaw.

As long as Luo Wenlong was given even a shred of hope, he would hypnotize himself. This was the fundamental principle of all deceptive techniques in the world.

Thus, the deeply infatuated man straightened his expression and replied with unshakeable resolve:

"To bring Cuiqiao back, I am willing to pay any price.

Let alone my official rank, even if I must risk my life to march through the Yellow Springs and cross the Ghost Gate, I will not hesitate. No great figure can block me."

As he spoke, he unfurled a painting scroll, instantly illuminating the entire cabin in a brilliant, dazzling display of gold and jade.

Wang Cheng turned his head to look. Unlike the deceptive beauties, yellow cranes, and myriad birds in the paintings he had seen before, this was not a mere painted treasure of illusion; rather, the painting contained its own universe, housing true mountains of gold and silver!

The Luo family were master ink-makers of the Huizhou Jurisdiction, and the vast family fortune and numerous treasures accumulated over generations were mostly concealed here.

There were superior ink ingots dotted with gold specks, heirlooms of the Luo family imbued with the [Fragrance of Scholarly Letters and Brushwork], a single piece of which was worth a thousand gold;

The Four Treasures of the Study by famous masters, for which countless [Confucian Scholars] yearned, any single set of which could trade for a mansion in the capital;

Additionally, the literati of this world revered the "Gongyang Commentary" and had never once been considered weak; there were sabers, spears, swords, halberds, bows, arrows, and firearms forged by master craftsmen in full abundance...

Unlike a universe bag that could be cracked once acquired, without Luo Wenlong's personal consent and profound mastery of painting arts, no one could ever extract even a single copper coin from this painting.

"Commander Wang, everything I said just now holds true, and I will never break my word!

As long as you can help me find Cuiqiao, I am willing to gift you my entire family fortune."

When Luo Wenlong said this, his hands were trembling with excitement.

Wang Cheng had already directly observed his obsession through "Goods of Rare Value": "To grow old together in long-term companionship with his beloved wife Wang Cuiqiao."

It truly surpassed fame, fortune, and rank; it was his most deeply etched and unforgettable desire at present, rather than like Mao Haifeng, whose possession of the beauty's [Official Star Peach Blossom Grid] was merely a means to pursue power.

Wang Cheng was now somewhat convinced that this "former-former-husband" truly loved his eldest sister-in-law.

'It's just that these messy titles feel rather strange.'

Having confirmed that Luo Wenlong's attitude could be counted upon as an ally, he finally stated the purpose of his visit:

"Lord Luo, although this subordinate lacks the ability of pre-cognition, I sent my [Protector Spirit General] ahead to Pinghu Port in advance.

I just saw a noble lady, identical in every way to the one in your painting, step out of the palace of the Five Peaks Flag Commander [Black Qilin] Mao Haifeng in a sedan chair!

Furthermore, the maidservants by her side even addressed her as—"

Upon hearing news of his wife's whereabouts, Luo Wenlong's face initially lit up with joy, but as he heard this, a sudden ominous premonition struck his heart. His face turned ashen and his breathing grew hurried:

"Called—called her what?"

When Wang Cheng coldly spat out the two words "Madam," his heart instantly felt as though it were being stirred by knives, aching to the point of breathlessness.

The bones throughout his body were hollowed out in an instant, leaving him utterly limp with not a shred of strength remaining. His expression was one that hovered between a smile and weeping:

"Cuiqiao is still alive!

Yet after Xu Hai's death, she has married again?"

Wang Cheng remained silent. True to the moniker "former-former-husband," he maintained a high degree of civic virtue and offered no commentary whatsoever on the character "again."

At that moment, Luo Wenlong grabbed his arm and urged anxiously:

"Commander Wang—no, my brother Fugui, take me there! Take me with you to find her!

I must ask Cuiqiao in person how she is faring in that sea pirate's mansion, and whether she is willing to leave with me.

Otherwise, even in death, I will not rest in peace!"

Wang Cheng hurriedly restrained this hopelessly romantic seed.

"Do not be impulsive, Lord Luo!"

To still care about his ex-wife's feelings at a time like this, rather than immediately grabbing weapons to fight another man for his wife, was truly something else.

If it were him, his rival's bacteria would probably have already been scattered to the winds by this point.

Moreover, while Wang Cheng was confident in his self-preservation, he couldn't let Luo Wenlong tag along just to throw his life away. If this chief envoy were to die, all the imperial titles promised by the emperor and a portion of the maritime opening plans would be completely nullified.

Even for the sake of saving face, before stirring up a bloody storm in the East China Sea, the imperial court could never slap its own face by sending another envoy to negotiate with maritime merchants and pirates.

The Pure Stream faction's plot to maintain the maritime ban would thus succeed.

After pondering for a moment, he advised:

"Lord Luo, put aside what Madam might be thinking for the moment. You should first consider what Mao Haifeng, the man who forcibly possessed Madam, is thinking!

According to the Five Peaks Flag's intelligence network, by this time he should have long known that you are serving as the chief envoy aboard the ship.

How do you suppose he will react? Will he obediently cooperate with the diplomatic mission's pacification efforts? Or will he care about Madam's feelings and seek her opinion?

This subordinate asserts that this bandit leader Mao Haifeng, who has threatened to invade the Great Zhao multiple times, is bound to go to war with the diplomatic mission!

And do not forget those Pure Stream officials in the court; they will never sit idly by and watch us complete our mission and threaten their interests.

The most urgent task is to utilize the strength of the entire diplomatic mission, make preparations to counter the crisis, and even forcibly rescue Madam from Mao Haifeng's hands!"

Luo Wenlong slowly regained his composure and instantly grasped the crux of the matter.

Especially when he recalled the [Official Star Peach Blossom Grid] possessed by Wang Cuiqiao, with such an irreconcilable contradiction present, he didn't even need his toes to guess what attitude Mao Haifeng would hold toward him.

"Right! Brother Fugui, you are entirely correct!

We must prepare for a direct conflict with Mao Haifeng, and if necessary, execute a decapitation strike against this bandit leader.

I will speak with Commander Li Jingjiang myself. With his fifth-rank [Tower Ship General], he will not necessarily lose to the [White Water Lad] at sea."

Wang Cheng's heart settled completely.

He was now an experienced, peerless master of stoking the flames across the entire world.

Let alone the fact that the two men already held a deep grudge over a seized wife, even if they had originally been entirely without enmity or grievance, simply by attacking their most vulnerable obsessions, he could instantly bamboozle a good man into losing his mind.

Luo Wenlong of the Strict Party and his capable subordinates, Li Jingjiang—the able general of Commander Yu, the garrison general defending against Japanese pirates in the Minzhou Jurisdiction—and a majority of the diplomatic mission were instantly rallied to his side.

The crucial part was that from beginning to end, they would never feel they were being utilized; instead, they foolishly believed that Wang Fugui was acting out of public duty, everywhere considering their interests and the mission of the delegation.

At this moment, Luo Wenlong, having recovered his rationality, proved himself worthy of being the close confidant of the Junior Cabinet Elder. He was meticulous and thought of even more:

"The scouts who arrived ashore one step ahead of the diplomatic mission have already sent back word.

Yesterday daytime, the Prince of Jinghai of the Five Peaks Flag also happened to return to Pinghu Port.

Our Emperor, Cabinet Elder Yan, and Governor Hu were indeed sincere at the outset in wanting to pacify the Prince of Jinghai; it was entirely those monarch-less, father-less evils of the Pure Stream faction who meddled and caused today's grave disaster of the East China Sea rebellion.

Those who participated in the siege and assassination of the Prince of Jinghai back then were also the elite officers of the Pure Stream faction gathered by Wang Bengu, and had nothing to do with us.

If we can establish ties with this Prince and lay bare the stakes to him, along with the wrongdoings of Pure Stream figures like Wang Bengu, it will certainly attract a powerful reinforcement.

Furthermore, since that fourth-rank [White Water Lad] Mao Haifeng forcibly seized my wife's official star—cough—his ambitions surely will not stop at the position of a mere commander, and he is very likely to pose a threat to the Prince of Jinghai.

This is likewise a point we can exploit.

Only..."

Before he could finish, Wang Cheng volunteered himself:

"Let this subordinate act as your envoy to contact that Prince of Jinghai.

To serve our sovereign and father is an obligation of our generation; what is a little risk? Even a dragon's pool or tiger's den, what fear does I, Wang Fugui, have of storming it?

Even if that Prince of Jinghai wishes to cut off my head to vent his anger, what value does I, Wang Fugui, place on this head? To draw my blade and make a quick slash, failing not my youthful head!

Lord Luo, grant me a token of trust. Once I infiltrate the palace, I will deliver it to Madam, creating an opportunity for the two of you to communicate."

*When Duke Zhou feared rumors, Wang Mang was humble before usurping the throne. If they had died at the very beginning of those days, who could truly tell their true or false nature throughout a lifetime?* Countless people in history, had they merely died young, would have transformed overnight into righteous figures.

Although a death poem was inauspicious, appearing several centuries early fit the mood nicely.

Luo Wenlong was deeply moved.

How could he not know the perils of this trip to Pinghu Port and the Prince of Jinghai's palace? The "Ghost and Deity Terrified" before his eyes was truly a youthful hero of extraordinary valor and bold spirit!

"To draw the blade and make a quick slash, failing not a youthful head! Magnificent!"

In his excitement, casting aside any thoughts of overstepping his bounds, he blurted out:

"Should this succeed, you shall take the foremost merit. I shall personally memorialize the Emperor to bestow merit upon you, and let His Majesty read this poem as well.

By then, you may draw upon my family wealth as you please."

With that, he produced a scroll bearing a portrait of himself and handed it to Wang Cheng.

Wang Cheng had already witnessed this when seizing the elixir of immortality: one could set up an altar using the original body to attach consciousness to it, making it feel as though one were personally present even across thousands of miles.

This was not merely a token of trust.

Even an emperor wouldn't send a hungry soldier, let alone an envoy!

Luo Wenlong dug out two ancient, yellowed painting scrolls—one inscribed with the character "Heaven," the other with "Earth."

When unfurled, each reached two meters in length, and the contents within were starkly simple, featuring only a lonely pair of doors.

Luo Wenlong reached out and pushed open one of the doors, stepping out from the other, and explained to Wang Cheng:

"These two paintings are named *A Smooth Thoroughfare Across the Abyss*, sharing the same miraculous effect as the legendary [Heaven-Escaping Talisman] capable of leaping a thousand miles in a single breath. They are priceless treasures of escape that money cannot buy.

Take one, and leave the other with me. Should things become impossible, use the scroll to escape instantly."

He then opened the painted treasury from earlier, telling him to freely select operational funds and equipment.

Wang Cheng did not stand on ceremony with him, scooping up a vast amount of gold and silver that did not fall short of the funds Mao Haifeng had lent him. The shortfall for buying off the backbone figures of the Black Peak Flag was now completely covered.

He also found a pair of glowing, radiant silver double maces, about three feet long and weighing seven jin and two liang each. They belonged strictly to the category of heavy weapons, and after weighing them in his hands, he was extremely satisfied.

They matched the [Thirty-Six Routes of the Thunder Lord's Cloak Maces] perfectly.

Subsequently, the two discussed the details of the plan in depth: one was responsible for contacting the Prince of Jinghai and Wang Cuiqiao of the Five Peaks Flag, while the other was responsible for consolidating the diplomatic mission, joining forces to exterminate Mao Haifeng together!

Just as they withdrew the talisman that sealed the inside from the outside:

*Thump! Thump! Thump!*

The door was suddenly knocked upon, and someone called out from outside:

"Lord Luo, is Commander Wang in your quarters? This subordinate has matters for him to attend to."