144: I love you so much that I made you into us (Part 1)

"Take Grand Chancellor Zhou to the Imperial Prison."

Mo Yingqi was too lazy to say another word to him. He simply pushed open the door and walked out. In the courtyard, Flying Fish Guards stood holding their xiuchun sabers, their flying fish robes still stained with blood.

"My Lord, Centurion Lu's side has been rescued," a Flying Fish Guard reported, saluting with his saber held in reverse. "The two Legitimate Princesses personally led the Imperial Guard and are conducting a massive sweep of the city..."

The Flying Fish Guard hesitated. Although this involved the Grand Chancellor's rebellion, such a grand display was still somewhat disturbing to the public.

Although the Pacification Bureau had a fearsome reputation in the capital, they usually tried to keep arrests low-key. Mo Yingqi naturally understood his meaning, but he shook his head as if he didn't care: "Don't worry about it, their Highnesses know what they're doing. Oh, right..."

Mo Yingqi suddenly turned back, looking at the pale-faced Zhou Chutian in the study: "Remember to let the Grand Chancellor take a good look at his residence. After all, he won't be seeing it again."

"Yes, your subordinate obeys."

Rather than letting Zhou Chutian see his residence, it was more like... letting him see just how miserably the people in his manor had died.

Mo Yingqi didn't know what a man like Zhou Chutian would be thinking at this moment, nor did he care anymore.

"How is it going with that Taoist?" Mo Yingqi thought of the Taoist and turned to the commander of the Imperial Guard following him for protection. "Didn't the School send people?"

"Reporting to my Lord, a victor has not yet been decided."

"Not yet?"

A flash of disgust and annoyance crossed Mo Yingqi's red eyes. "Those useless trash. Sister Yongan and Sister Yongning already administered the poison, and I've heard a bit about the School's sword formation. They still haven't killed that Taoist?"

"This... your subordinate cannot say for sure..."

Although the Imperial Guards were all skilled, they truly couldn't understand the level of combat between experts of that caliber. The annoyance in Mo Yingqi's eyes became more apparent, but it wasn't directed at the Imperial Guard; rather, he was looking toward the courtyard where the Taoist resided.

"A bunch of useless trash..." Mo Yingqi couldn't help but sneer. "The School is nothing special after all. That Taoist is getting on in years; time is something that will eventually leave indelible marks on a person."

Admittedly, for experts like his master, Nangong Wumeng, and the Taoist, age would accumulate internal strength, increase experience, and elevate their realm, but being old was still being old.

Physical aging was inevitable, not to mention that the Taoist used such insidious and unearned methods.

"Forget it, this can't go on. I don't have time to waste here with them." Mo Yingqi turned to the Imperial Guard behind him. "Tell the Musket Squad to prepare, take up favorable positions, and fire on my command."

"This... my Lord, is that appropriate?" the Imperial Guard commander said hesitantly. "Although the School is an external sect and its ties to the court aren't as deep as Longhu Mountain's, it is still..."

"I understand what you mean."

Mo Yingqi waved his hand, interrupting him. "The School is quite prestigious in the martial world and is a major Taoist sect with a great reputation... but so what?"

Mo Yingqi's tone carried a hint of disdain and a trace of mockery. "I said that to me, the Disciples of the School and that Taoist share the same guilt. They've failed to deal with this Taoist's matters for so many years—or to put it bluntly, they were unwilling to deal with it..."

"Now that they've been given the chance, I've finished a bowl of noodles and had a pleasant chat with Grand Chancellor Zhou, yet they still haven't dealt with that Taoist. Since that's the case, we must act. They aren't part of the government's official establishment anyway. Besides, swords have no eyes, and bullets don't distinguish between friend and foe. Even if the Sect Leader of the School comes to ask personally, I'll have an explanation. Not to mention..."

Mo Yingqi paused, his gaze turning colder. He made no attempt to hide the killing intent in his red eyes. "The court is surrounding a criminal; if they happen to barge in and get killed by mistake, it's their own problem, isn't it?"

The Imperial Guard commander shuddered for no apparent reason. Although they rarely had the chance to come into contact with Luo Yongan and Luo Yongning, they were chosen from Partridge Sky after all. Even while keeping his distance, he had seen what those two were like.

At this moment, the suppressed tyranny and madness within Mo Yingqi's coldness were practically identical to the sisters Luo Yongan and Luo Yongning!

"Don't worry about such trifles. The court is the court. No matter how great the School is, it's just a Taoist sect. Besides, those who commit errors must pay the price. It's as simple as that."

Mo Yingqi turned and gave the Imperial Guard commander a deep look. The commander's pupils suddenly contracted. He didn't know if it was an illusion, but in his eyes, phantoms of Luo Yongan and Luo Yongning appeared beside Mo Yingqi!

"What, is there a problem?" Mo Yingqi asked curiously, seeing him dazed. "Is there some difficulty or something inappropriate?"

"No, my Lord. Your subordinate understands."

The commander appeared calm, but in reality, cold sweat soaked the clothes on his back. He knew what he just saw was a hallucination, but... the actual change in Mo Yingqi could not be faked.

The already ruthless 'Smiling Yaksha' was likely becoming even more terrifying. To this day, Mo Yingqi still didn't realize what kind of monsters his two wives, the Legitimate Princesses, truly were—and he was being slowly turned into a similar monster by those two monsters!

"Hmm, what are they doing?"

Xie Qingfeng had been peeking with narrowed eyes, but when he saw the Musket Squad's movements, he couldn't help but sit up straight. Although he had guessed such a scene might occur, the old man was still somewhat shocked when it actually happened.

It was understandable that his Disciple, having joined the Pacification Bureau, was ruthless and informal. But after all, the School was no simple martial sect; it was much like the Shaolin Temple or Longhu Mountain. Even those not in the martial world had heard of the School.

As a branch of Taoism, although he himself looked down on the Quanzhen Sect, it still enjoyed great popularity among the people. Though they claimed to live in seclusion, their incense was flourishing. Now, his good Disciple was likely going to order the Musket Squad to attack that Taoist, and perhaps... even attack those seven Disciples of the School.

"Tsk, forget it. I can't be bothered to care."

It had nothing to do with him anyway, and besides, Xie Qingfeng was a proud man. He seemed easygoing, but there were no more than five people in the entire martial world he truly admired—and unfortunately, no one from the Quanzhen Sect fell into that category.

Furthermore, Xie Qingfeng was Mo Yingqi's master. Not only was the old fellow extremely protective, but in a way, the master and Disciple shared very similar thoughts—the School had lost face for miles around in their handling of this Taoist's situation.

Therefore, in Xie Qingfeng's view, Mo Yingqi's idea of shared guilt was also his own. Any excuse was just an excuse; your Quanzhen Sect's Disciple had secretly learned evil martial arts and had been harming people for so many years without ever receiving proper punishment. It was only right that a few Disciples should die.

"But in the past, I'm afraid my good Disciple wouldn't have done this..."

He knew the child he had raised. It was true that Mo Yingqi was cold-blooded, but his actions always had a very clear purpose. He would indeed use any means, but most of the time, it was just for deterrence.

"I knew it. This Disciple of mine... I won't be able to keep him much longer..."