Cultivation Begins with Caring for Sister-in-law

Chen Mo had just returned to the warship and hadn't exchanged a few words with Wu Mi when Cui Shuang came looking for him.

Chen Mo and Cui Shuang stepped outside the cabin, and Chen Mo asked, "Well, is he willing to talk?"

Cui Shuang nodded and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Marquis, despite how tough that kid acts, he's actually spineless. I just abolished his cultivation, finished the rod punishment, and when I was about to start the amputation, he couldn't take it and begged for mercy."

"Judging by his delicate appearance, he doesn't seem like someone tough." Chen Mo had looked at Liu Ji's hands, not even a callus, and asked, "Where is he now?"

"In the front, the accompanying doctor is treating his injuries," Cui Shuang replied.

When they saw Liu Ji again, he was wearing tattered, bloody clothes, lying on a wooden bench. His buttocks were beaten raw and the doctor was applying medicine.

Liu Ji felt a bit embarrassed and fearful upon seeing Chen Mo.

Chen Mo gestured for everyone to leave the room.

Before leaving, Cui Shuang brought Chen Mo a stool.

Chen Mo raised an eyebrow, sat in front of Liu Ji, and without beating around the bush, said, "It seems you want to live. If that's the case, answer whatever I ask. If you don't know, just say you don't know. Understand?"

Liu Ji nodded.

"Tell me your purpose this time," Chen Mo asked.

Liu Ji started to recount everything, naturally leaving out the part about inciting Prince Huai to attack Chen Mo, fearing that saying it might get him killed in a fit of anger by Chen Mo.

Seeing that Liu Ji's account wasn't too different from what he knew, Chen Mo asked, "You said you sent a secret letter to Prince Huai after I crossed the river. What was in the letter?"

"The letter stated that Chen Mo...Marquis, you've crossed the river and the plan has succeeded," Liu Ji hurriedly corrected himself.

"You're sure of yourself, aren't you?"

Chen Mo calculated that he crossed the river in mid-May. If the letter traveled swiftly, Prince Huai would have received it around this time.

If Prince Huai was impatient, he might attack Qingzhou soon...

Chen Mo pondered for a moment before asking, "How many troops are left in Huai State?"

"You're planning to attack Huai State?" Liu Ji, worthy of being Prince Huai's strategist, deduced what Chen Mo was planning just from the question.

"You're quite curious, aren't you?" Chen Mo's eyes turned cold.

Liu Ji shivered, "I spoke too much, it's my fault."

He quickly added, "By all estimates, at least fifty thousand troops."

"Still so many?" Chen Mo frowned, but considering that Huai State is Prince Huai's stronghold, it made sense to leave more troops.

Liu Ji assumed it was another question from Chen Mo and said, "Actually, the King...Prince Huai has been wary of you, Marquis. These troops are mainly concentrated in several key towns along the coast."

Hearing this, Chen Mo's eyes flashed, and he asked urgently, "Do you know the troop deployment of Prince Huai in Huai State?"

"I don't know the exact deployment, but I have some understanding of the general distribution." As a strategist, Liu Ji knew that the more valuable he appeared, the better his chances of surviving.

Chen Mo's eyes brightened, "Who is the main general stationed in Huai State?"

"Liang Mu's eldest legitimate son, Liang Xuan, a Third-Grade Martial Artist, appointed as the Second-Grade Guard General," Liu Ji replied.

"How is Liang Xuan related to Liang Song?"

"Liang Xuan is Liang Song's clan brother," Liu Ji said.

"The Liang Family certainly has talented people," Chen Mo couldn't help but praise. Compared to the Liang Family, the Wu Family, famed for being a noble family for a thousand years, seemed somewhat dim.

After asking a few more questions, Chen Mo instructed Cui Shuang to take Liu Ji away and "take good care" of him.

For now, Liu Ji was still of great use to him.

He then asked a captured Wu Navy sailor to deliver a letter to Wu Yanqing.

...

Fengling Port is in Jiangdong, close to Yongkang, and flowing downstream takes less than a day.

Thus, Wu Yanqing quickly learned of the events at Liuzang Waters and Fengling Port.

Just as he was pondering a countermeasure, Lv Tong reported, "Your son's people have brought the Governor."

Wu Yanqing immediately asked Lv Tong to invite them in. After understanding the details, he steeled his heart and ordered for Wu Yu to be executed.

Lv Tong was shocked, and Wu Changlin quickly stopped his father, saying, "Dad, Chen Mo sent Yu back, didn't he show mercy to Yu for Mi'Er's sake? Why kill him?"

"Are you thick-headed?" Wu Yanqing scolded angrily, "If Chen Mo really intended to spare Wu Yu, would he have destroyed his cultivation? Let's be blunt, Chen Mo is a butcher. Wu Yu tried to kill Chen Mo, would he let him off so easily?

He sent Wu Yu back to see how we would respond. You must understand, the Wu Navy is still in Chen Mo's hands."

Hearing this, Wu Changlin frowned, "No way, maybe you're overthinking. Mi'Er married him, and Yu is family with him too. He wouldn't be so ruthless."

"Foolishness!" Wu Yanqing's face was flushed with anger as he spoke of the incident at Fengling Port. "Changlin, haven't you realized? Fengling Port is our territory, yet Chen Mo had an ambush there. It stands to reason, had I not used deceit and truly married Mi'Er to Chen Mo, he would have led the ambush to attack Yongkang."

Being reminded by Wu Yanqing, Wu Changlin shivered all over, cold sweat seeping from his back. He then said urgently, "Dad, didn't I say earlier, Chen Mo harbors ulterior motives against Jiangdong. Now he's exposed."

"Of course, what else? You're waiting for them to attack us? Haven't you heard? Chen Mo is an Upper Third-Grade Martial Artist. He dares to lead so few people to Yongkang because he isn't afraid of us making trouble. He's already prepared. If we really followed Liu Ji's suggestion, Yongkang would be a bloodbath by now."

Wu Yanqing was furious, but there was also a sense of relief. Fortunately, he hadn't handed the Wu Family to Wu Changlin yet; otherwise, the Wu Family would indeed be finished.

At this moment, the butler reported that a subordinate navy sailor, carrying a letter from his son-in-law, sought an audience.

Wu Yanqing instructed the butler to bring the person in.

After reading the contents of the letter, Wu Yanqing handed it to his foolish son, "Take a look yourself. Isn't it forcing us to make a statement?"

The letter stated that Chen Mo was preparing to attack Huai State, asking the Wu Family for assistance. The captured navy at Fengling Port had already been commandeered by Chen Mo, and he requested Wu Yanqing to send ten thousand troops as aid, promising a great reward afterward.

After reading, Wu Changlin angrily threw the letter on the ground, "He's dreaming in broad daylight."

"Can we refuse? Wu Yu is from our Wu Family. With such a big incident, can we escape involvement? He sees this and that's why he's asking us to send troops."