Protect Our Patriarch

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Commandery Prince Kang's Residence.

As a commandery prince's residence, the location of Commandery Prince Kang's residence was undoubtedly prime, and its scale was quite large. However, this mansion was a reward from the Emperor when he first became a commandery prince. Even though the location was good, it was still of ordinary commandery prince specifications and not particularly conspicuous.

However, inside the residence, it was a different world. Not only was there a small Gathering Spirit Array set up, but the study where Commandery Prince Kang spent most of his time was also decorated in a low-key yet luxurious manner, almost rivaling some Divine Realm princes, only slightly inferior to Emperor Longchang's Zhuozheng Pavilion.

On the walls, ancient paintings worth millions of Top Gold were hung in succession.

In the study, the high-quality spirit silk curtains swayed slightly, with dragon-shaped patterns embroidered on them, vivid and lifelike.

In the corner, a red copper incense burner with Auspicious Dragon patterns was emitting a curling fragrance. The incense balls inside were made from ninth-grade dragon musk, a rare commodity even in Guilong City, only allocated to high-ranking members of the royal family.

Beside the desk, Commandery Prince Kang was reclining on a rocking chair, his eyes slightly closed.

In recent days, his long-held tension had slightly eased, and he was enjoying a rare moment of leisure, sipping a pot of "Immortal Dynasty Spirit Tea" with calming effects, while his wife, Zhao Yijing, helped him relax his mind with acupressure, feeling quite at ease.

"Your Highness, with your public statement and the announcement of the case by the Three Talents Office, coupled with our 'Dawn' guiding public opinion, the tide in Guilong City has now turned." Beside him, Luo Yuqing from the Dawn organization was reporting on her work.

Luo Yuqing was a graceful Basalt female cultivator.

Her features were not overly exquisite, with only simple eyebrows drawn and lip rouge applied, unlike the complex and delicate makeup of the commandery princess Zhao Yijing. Yet her aura was exceptionally outstanding, like her figure, with a hidden depth that made people not dare to underestimate her.

She was a talent recruited by Commandery Prince Kang from a third-grade family in the Immortal Dynasty, highly skilled in intelligence work, directly under the great prodigy Gongyang Ce of the Holy Land, and had made significant contributions to Commandery Prince Kang over the years.

"Yuqing, you've worked hard during this time." Commandery Prince Kang showed a hint of kindness and approval. "The rumor storm has just subsided, and I need you to keep an eye on it to prevent any troublemakers from stirring up waves again."

"Yes, Your Highness," Luo Yuqing responded. "Previously, we were caught off guard because we hadn't organized our manpower. Now that the Three Talents Office has proven your innocence, I won't allow the rumors to run rampant again."

"Good, good, with Yuqing overseeing Guilong City, I can rest assured." Commandery Prince Kang's expression relaxed considerably, showing a hint of a smile.

"Your Highness," said Zhao Yijing, who was helping with the massage, with a hint of flattery, "since you've been proven innocent and have nothing to do with smuggling and colluding with the enemy, can you lend a hand to Grandfather Zhikun?"

From Zhao Yijing's generation, Zhao Zhikun was considered "Grandfather" to Commandery Prince Kang. However, from Zhao Xiqing's side, Zhao Zhikun was related to Long Wuji, who was Commandery Prince Kang's peer. (This was corrected from the previous two chapters.)

In large families with many intermarriages, generational relationships can sometimes be quite confusing.

"Hmm?" Commandery Prince Kang's smile faded. "Yijing, what do you want me to do to help him?"

"It's like this. Yesterday, when I returned to my family home, I met Grandma Jiang," Zhao Yijing continued, seemingly unaware of her husband's displeasure. "She secretly pleaded with me, saying that the cannon fodder camp is no place for humans. She hopes you can secretly help smuggle their family to the Immortal..."

"Slap!"

A crisp sound suddenly echoed in the study.

Zhao Yijing covered her face, feeling the burning pain, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Your Highness? You..." It was the first time she had been hit since their marriage.

"Ridiculous!" Commandery Prince Kang's face was grim. "Don't you know the current situation? Everyone is watching us and Zhao Zhikun, trying to find evidence of collusion. Yet you dare to go back to your family and meet with the Jiang family? Are you handing a knife to Commandery Prince An's faction, thinking I'm not dying fast enough?"

It was evident that Commandery Prince Kang was very displeased with Zhao Zhikun this time.

"I, I didn't mean that," Zhao Yijing said in a panic. "I just thought that since Grandfather Zhikun has always helped you, we can't just ignore him when he's in trouble, right?"

"Women's views," Commandery Prince Kang waved his sleeve in annoyance. "Zhao Zhikun is accused of smuggling and colluding with the enemy, a crime that cannot be easily helped. Wouldn't that give Commandery Prince An leverage? He will surely seize this matter and bring it up at the grand court meeting to drag me into the mud."

"Your Highness, please calm down," Luo Yuqing quickly advised. "The commandery princess's words may not be without reason. Zhao Zhikun and the Zhao Clan are ultimately on your side. In such matters, both emotionally and logically, they should be appeased to prevent any rifts."

Commandery Prince Kang's expression was uncertain for a while. He waved Zhao Yijing away impatiently, "You may leave for now. I have my own plans for this matter. Remember, for now, you're not allowed to return to your family home."

"Yes, Your Highness," Zhao Yijing retreated with a hint of grievance.

After a while, Commandery Prince Kang suppressed the turmoil in his heart and said in a deep voice, "Yuqing, your identity is relatively concealed. Go secretly to visit and comfort Zhao Zhikun for me, advising him to be patient and not act rashly. Once I secure the position of Imperial Heir, I will find a way to rescue him from the cannon fodder camp."

"Yes, Your Highness," Luo Yuqing bowed in response.

"Additionally, awaken the hidden agents around Zhao Zhikun," Commandery Prince Kang pondered for a moment, his eyes turning somewhat sinister. "Zhao Zhikun is somewhat henpecked. I'm afraid he might be swayed by the Jiang family's instigation and cause trouble. This is the most critical moment in the Imperial Heir Struggle, and we cannot afford any carelessness."

"Then..." Luo Yuqing's eyes flickered with thought. "If Zhao Zhikun shows any signs of movement, how should I handle it? He is a mid-Purple Mansion Realm Divine Realm seed, not easy to deal with."

"Zhao Zhikun is now a prisoner about to be sent to the cannon fodder camp. Even though he can temporarily reunite with his family due to his special status, his cultivation will surely be locked with the 'Locking God Shackles.' In such a state, unable to use divine sense or profound energy, any Celestial Realm cultivator could easily handle him." A cold glint flashed in Commandery Prince Kang's eyes. "Zhao Zhikun, if not for your stupidity, would I be in such a passive situation? I hope you don't do anything foolish..."

"Your Highness, I understand," Luo Yuqing lowered her eyes, bowing her head.

"Where is Brother Gongyang? Why haven't I heard from him for some time..." After dealing with one matter, Commandery Prince Kang brought up another.

"Your Highness, after Young Master Ce and Zhao Zhikun arranged the plan, he was called back to the Holy Land by Senior Langya," Luo Yuqing said softly. "It seems that the sudden rise of Miss Liyao disrupted Senior Langya's plans and rhythm. The senior hopes Young Master Ce can retreat for a while to receive further inheritance."

"What's the rush?" Commandery Prince Kang said with some dissatisfaction. "The Imperial Heir Struggle isn't over yet, and the Holy Son Struggle is still early. If Gongyang Ce hadn't left his post at a critical moment, would the Wang Clan have had an opportunity? Yuqing, immediately send someone to notify Gongyang Ce to return to Guilong City at once."

"As long as I win the Imperial Heir Struggle, I will spare no effort to help him succeed."

"Yuqing understands," Luo Yuqing accepted the order.

"Additionally, there's that Wang Shouzhe..." At the mention of Wang Shouzhe, Commandery Prince Kang's handsome and martial face was filled with gloom and hatred.

Back then, he had intentions of recruiting the Wang Clan. However, at that time, the Changning Wang's Clan was just a seventh-grade family, and he didn't pay much attention, nor was his recruitment intent strong, leaving it to Long Wuji and Gongyang Ce to handle. He hoped to suppress the Wang Clan severely, making them obediently submit.

Unexpectedly, that inconspicuous little Wang Clan suddenly developed to such an extent, becoming a thorn in his side.

"Wang Shouzhe is cunning and scheming. If not for him, how could Commandery Prince An have risen to compete with me?"

"If not for him, how would Zhao Zhikun and I be in such a passive situation?"

"Yuqing, do we have a chance to send an assassin to eliminate this scourge before the grand court meeting, dealing a significant blow to Commandery Prince An?" A ruthless expression crossed Commandery Prince Kang's face.

Luo Yuqing smiled wryly and shook her head, "I've been having people monitor Wang Shouzhe's whereabouts. But most of the time, he stays at the Wang Clan's main residence, and recently, due to the Three Talents Office's confinement order, he hasn't left at all... Although the Daqian Wang's Clan has declined, they are not easily bullied, and sending ordinary people in... would be sending them to their deaths."

She was experienced in intelligence work, but she had never seen a target so reclusive, staying in one place without moving, making it impossible to find a moment when he was alone.

"Hmph!" Commandery Prince Kang snorted angrily. "Not only is he detestable, but he's also extremely cunning. It's said that the Emperor intends to summon him to attend this grand court meeting. With his cunning and methods, he will likely cause trouble at the meeting."

"Wang Shouzhe, since you insist on opposing me, don't blame me for being ruthless. As the saying goes, you can hide the monk but not the temple. You, Wang Shouzhe, may hide in the Daqian Wang's Clan's main residence, but can your people in Changning's main residence hide too?"

"Does Your Highness intend to cut off the source?" Luo Yuqing's eyes flickered with thought as she calculated. "It's said that Wang Shouzhe is very good at leveraging power and anticipating the enemy. I've been monitoring the Purple Mansion Realm cultivators associated with the Changning Wang's Clan, and currently, they each have their own whereabouts."

"The Fire Fox Ancestor and the two ancestors of the Qian Clan are confirmed to be in their respective families... Yesterday, there was news that the Yan Clan's ancestor appeared in the Yan Clan's main residence. Now should be the time when the Wang Clan's main residence is the weakest."

"According to intelligence, the Wang Clan currently seems to have two Purple Mansion Realm combat forces. One is the clan's spiritual beast, Wang Lilong, currently residing in the palace. Additionally, the Wang Clan seems to have acquired a Purple Mansion Realm puppet from the Gongye Clan..." After calculating, Luo Yuqing continued, "However, since Wang Shouzhe is in the capital, with his usual caution, the puppet is likely with him. How does Your Highness plan to cut off the source?"

"Good, good, good. I've heard that Wang Shouzhe is quite henpecked," Commandery Prince Kang said, sipping his spirit tea, his eyes calculating. "If we can capture Wang Shouzhe's wife and some key clan members, we might force Wang Shouzhe to hesitate. However, to prevent any accidents, we cannot use our known experts."

"Yuqing, it's time to use the Wu brothers."

"The Wu brothers?" Luo Yuqing's eyes showed a hint of apprehension. "They are unruly and are wanted criminals in the Immortal Dynasty. Won't they be too heavy-handed?"

"The Wu brothers are skilled in stealth and assassination. Since they are willing to serve me, they naturally value their lives. If they act recklessly, I won't tolerate them," Commandery Prince Kang said. "If you're worried, I can have 'Old Xin' accompany them. Old Xin is mid-Purple Mansion Realm, capable of both overseeing and preventing accidents."

"With Old Xin, the Wu brothers can be restrained, so I'm reassured," Luo Yuqing said. "I'll arrange for them to use the fastest flying carriage to attack the Wang Clan's lair before the grand court meeting, capturing the Liu Clan to give Your Highness the leverage to control Wang Shouzhe."

"Everything is hard work for Yuqing."

With the discussion between Commandery Prince Kang and Luo Yuqing, a series of arrangements were set in motion. The entire Commandery Prince Kang's faction began to operate in an orderly manner.

---

An Guogong's Mansion.

These days, An Guogong's Mansion was in a state of turmoil. The family's Divine Realm seed, Zhao Zhikun, who was being groomed as the successor to the cabinet's chief assistant, was embroiled in a smuggling and collusion case.

Moreover, Zhao Hongbo, the family's elder and the cabinet's chief assistant, who was almost second only to one person, was also implicated. "Ashamed and unable to bear it," he resigned from the position of chief assistant.

Although the Zhao Clan avoided punishment due to timely self-punishment and even received a few words of praise from the Emperor, such as "putting righteousness above family," their reputation among the people was still severely damaged.

Rumor had it that the Emperor intended to have Ancestor Yinda from the Duke of Dingguo's mansion temporarily assume the position of chief assistant to stabilize the situation.

As the saying goes, many add flowers to the brocade, but few provide help in times of need.

The once-bustling gates of the Duke's mansion were now desolate, no longer seeing the hustle and bustle of the past. Even a significant portion of the Zhao Clan's businesses were affected.

In the courtyard of the Divine Realm seed Zhao Zhikun, the spiritual energy was still abundant and vibrant, but the servants and attendants inside were no longer as proud as before, each with lowered brows and eyes, extremely cautious, fearing any misstep.

In the main room.

Zhao Zhikun and his wife sat across from each other, both looking rather miserable, with a hint of resentment between their brows.

Especially Zhao Zhikun, who was tightly bound by the intricate artifact mechanism—the "Locking God Shackles," which extended from his abdomen to his cheeks like armor.

In his abdominal sea of energy and the spiritual platform on his head, there were needle-like objects deeply embedded, causing excruciating pain whenever he tried to use his divine sense or profound energy.

The "Locking God Shackles" was a rather expensive artifact creation.

It was usually only reserved for Purple Mansion Realm cultivator criminals, and once shackled, they couldn't even exert one-tenth of their full strength.

This formidable instrument of punishment was something Zhao Zhikun had only seen in the cannon fodder camp. At that time, he probably never dreamed that one day it would be used on him.

However, without the Locking God Shackles, the Emperor wouldn't have pardoned him to return home to accompany his family, reuniting for a while before being sent to the outer region battlefield's cannon fodder camp.

"Husband."

Madam Jiang held Zhao Zhikun's hand with a pained expression.

Although she wasn't a great prodigy, she was a rather formidable bloodline prodigy. With favorable cultivation conditions and her own efforts, she reached the Purple Mansion Realm in less than three hundred years.

Now, she still exuded a mature and gentle charm, with a hint of the fairy-like demeanor from her younger days when she roamed with a sword.

"Yuanxiang," Zhao Zhikun said bitterly, "I've let you down, making you suffer during this time."

"Husband, what foolish words are you saying?" Madam Jiang said angrily. "We are husband and wife, inseparable as one. What's there to complain about? I'm just unwilling. You've done so much for Commandery Prince Kang, even taking the blame for him... yet what has he done? He rushed back to distance himself from you."

"Husband, do you know what they're saying about you outside? They say you betrayed the country to pay off gambling debts and, to reduce your punishment, falsely accused Commandery Prince Kang!"

"What battlefield god of war, what Great Qian's outstanding talent, it's all just a facade."

Zhao Zhikun quickly said, "Yuanxiang, be careful with your words. Commandery Prince Kang is, after all, a quasi-Imperial Heir, the future Emperor. I can't afford to offend him, and neither can the Zhao Clan."

"What future Emperor? He's just a quasi-Imperial Heir. To become the Imperial Heir, he still needs to ask if Commandery Prince An agrees," Madam Jiang, being from a first-grade family in the Immortal Dynasty, had high standards and sneered. "I originally thought he was a person of character, but I didn't expect him to be so cold-hearted. After this incident, he only sent an outsider to comfort us. Husband, he's treating you as a discard."

"Yuanxiang, don't speak nonsense. Commandery Prince Kang must distance himself from me now. Only if he wins the Imperial Heir position can everything be made right," Zhao Zhikun said, slightly annoyed.

"Do you know, I lowered myself and shamelessly asked Yijing to plead for us, and she agreed at the time. But now, she avoids me like the plague. Don't you understand his intentions? Husband, you've known Wu Chengsi for years, haven't you figured out his true nature?" Madam Jiang's face was cold, her tone icy, clearly harboring deep anger.

"This..." Zhao Zhikun's expression was also uncertain. "We've placed all our bets on Commandery Prince Kang. Now we can only hope for his victory. As for me, if not Commandery Prince Kang, should I rely on Commandery Prince An?"

"We can leave, we can return to the Jiang Clan," Madam Jiang said, her eyes softening with hope. "If we can return to the Jiang Clan, we can find a way to remove your Locking God Shackles."

"Leave? What about the children?" Zhao Zhikun shook his head repeatedly. "What about the Zhao Clan?"

They had children long ago, even great-grandchildren, and the number of children was not small.

"The children are grown now, and they bear the Zhao surname, still under the Zhao Clan's protection. Even if they suffer a bit in the short term, once we establish ourselves in the Immortal Dynasty, we can pressure Commandery Prince Kang to send them to the Immortal Dynasty for a reunion. As for the Zhao Clan, why worry about a family with thousands of years of history? Commandery Prince Kang needs the Zhao Clan to rise, and if Commandery Prince An rises, the Zhao Clan will at most be the next Wang Clan."

"Moreover, I've heard that Commandery Prince An is known for his benevolence. As long as the Zhao Clan doesn't do anything foolish, they won't be cut off," Madam Jiang analyzed, clearly having thought a lot about these matters.

After all, she was a direct descendant of a first-grade family in the Immortal Dynasty, and even if she hadn't delved deeply into the Zhao Clan's affairs, she had a basic understanding of the overall situation and could grasp the key points.

She held Zhao Zhikun's hand tightly, pleading, "Husband, in any case, you must not go to the cannon fodder camp. Who knows how many hidden hands are waiting for you there."

Cannon fodder camp!

Having once earned military merits on the outer region battlefield, Zhao Zhikun naturally understood the brutality and horror of the cannon fodder camp, a place devoid of human rights.

Zhao Zhikun's heart trembled, and seeing the worry and plea in Madam Jiang's eyes, he was ultimately swayed. "Yuanxiang, even if I want to hide in the Immortal Dynasty for a while, how can we escape in the current situation? Even if we escape Guilong City, we'll be caught before we get far."

"If Husband is willing to cooperate, I can think of a way," Madam Jiang said. "Twenty years ago, while shopping, I met an interesting young friend from a small family at a clothing store. We got along well. She wasn't particularly attractive but was very skilled in makeup, capable of creating lifelike disguises. Moreover, I still have some people and cards from my family."

"How do we escape?" Zhao Zhikun was slightly tempted.

"Husband must have heard of Yao's Air Transport," Madam Jiang said. "Our Jiang Clan and the Yao Clan are both first-grade families in the Immortal Dynasty, with bloodline intermarriages. Yao's Air Transport's Yun Yao flying boat is no ordinary vessel."

"If Yuanxiang is confident, I'll listen to you this time," Zhao Zhikun finally made up his mind after weighing the pros and cons.

---

Time flew by.

Another five or six days passed, and with the undercurrents beneath the surface, there were only three days left until the next grand court meeting.

At this time.

In the distant Changning Garrison.

A flying carriage pulled by two peak sixth-grade dragon eagles was swiftly traversing the clouds above Changning Garrison, heading rapidly towards An Town.

The night was hazy, the moonlight enchanting.

At this moment, there were only three people in the flying carriage: a dignified-looking old man and two middle-aged men with thin frames and indescribably sleazy appearances.

Both men had triangular eyes and hooked noses, looking remarkably similar.

They were the Wu brothers, one of the strange talents under Commandery Prince Kang!

They were wanted criminals in the Immortal Dynasty for numerous heinous home invasion cases, both early Purple Mansion Realm experts. After being hunted down in the Immortal Dynasty, they fled to the Great Qian. Due to their skills in stealth and some rare spatial techniques, they were valued and recruited by Commandery Prince Kang.

Ahead, the rippling waters of Zhuhui Lake came into view. Under the moonlight, the shimmering water looked like a pool of broken silver, the scenery breathtakingly beautiful.

The Wu brothers looked down at Zhuhui Lake from above, simultaneously letting out a series of eerie laughs. "His Highness has sheltered us for years, and this is our first mission?"

"Old Xin, His Highness wants us to capture a mere Celestial Realm country girl... Isn't that underestimating us?"

Seeing their demeanor, the dignified-looking old man frowned slightly, somewhat displeased, but said nothing, only reminding them, "This matter is of great importance, so don't be careless. His Highness instructed, first, use your minor divine abilities to infiltrate without alerting others. Second, if possible, capture more core members of the Wang Clan's direct line."

This dignified-looking old man was naturally the "Old Xin" mentioned by the Wu brothers.

"Wasn't it just one capture before?" The Wu brothers were slightly puzzled.

"His Highness fears that Wang Shouzhe may appear loyal on the surface but might have long wanted to change wives... If given this opportunity..."

"Hehehe, we understand, we'll first assess how pretty the young lady is."

With that, the Wu brothers exchanged a glance and simultaneously let out a series of sleazy laughs.

Amidst the laughter, their figures flickered, and they left the flying carriage in unison, like two black birds silently gliding down from the clouds.

Soon, their figures blended into the night like two streaks of ink, gradually disappearing from sight.

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