Started out getting scumbags, but then invested in the invincible Empress.

Chapter 133 The Princess is Shocked, and Storms are Brewing

"I......."

Li Nanzhi was startled by that look, and her delicate body trembled slightly, her breath catching in her throat.

She was secretly surprised. In that instant, the sense of oppression that Li Wudao brought her was no less than that of her father.

You should know that her father was the younger brother of the Emperor of Dayu, a member of the imperial family, who held a high position for forty years, and whose every word and action exuded the aura of a superior.

But her former "good-for-nothing" cousin managed to intimidate her with just a single glance.

Without time to think further, Li Nanzhi suppressed her unease and forced herself to say:

“Cousin, if you kill him, the Marquis of Zhennan will not let it go. Even my father will find it difficult to protect you, and even the Prince Rui’s mansion will suffer a great calamity.”

"Oh?" Li Wudao's eyes widened in surprise, a playful glint in his lips. "The prestigious Prince Rui's Mansion would actually be wary of a mere Marquis?"

He was puzzled. Meng Zhenhu was just a marquis of a different surname. What qualifications did he have to be compared with a direct descendant of the royal family?

"Cousin, you don't know this..."

Li Nanzhi looked bitter and sighed, "A few months ago, my father personally led 200,000 soldiers to the border to suppress a rebellion. Unexpectedly, the enemy called for reinforcements midway, and my father was seriously injured and suffered a great defeat. There was a lot of criticism about this battle in the court, and even His Majesty was displeased and had the intention of making my father relinquish power."

Li Wudao said calmly, "Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. Even so, that Marquis of Zhennan can't do anything to Prince Rui, can he?"

"If only that were the case, but this Marquis of Zhennan is far from simple."

Li Nanzhi gave a self-deprecating laugh, glanced at Meng Yan's panicked face, and then, with complicated emotions, pulled Li Wudao aside and lowered her voice:

"This Marquis of Zhennan is incredibly capable and ruthless. In just five years, he has repeatedly achieved military merits, rising from a soldier to a marquis. His momentum is unmatched, and some even say that within three years, the Marquis of Zhennan will surely become a duke of a different surname!"

"Over the years, many powerful officials in the court have looked at him with new respect, praising him lavishly and frequently visiting him. Even the bigwigs of the Three Judicial Offices treat him with utmost courtesy..."

"It is said that he was recently recruited by the First Prince and became his right-hand man. He is so powerful that few dare to provoke him."

"The court is in turmoil, and the borders are invading. It is a time of great trouble. His Majesty intends to select a crown prince this year. Of the two princes of Dayu, the eldest prince undoubtedly has the greatest power and the best chance of winning."

At this point, Li Nanzhi glanced around and said quietly, "This restaurant is owned by the Prince Rui's mansion. If Meng Yan dies here, my father will naturally be held responsible. At that time, those hostile factions in the court will surely take advantage of the situation and kick him while he's down."

"The eldest prince will definitely side with the Marquis of Zhennan and put pressure on him. Faced with this situation, even His Majesty will have to give in and sacrifice the Prince Rui's mansion to save the king."

Listening to the girl's logical analysis, Li Wudao couldn't help but nod.

To be fair, his cousin is quite clever and has a good grasp of the political situation in the court. No wonder she is a direct descendant of the royal family.

Immediately, he turned his head and glanced at the trembling Meng Yan, raising his eyebrows thoughtfully.

Unexpectedly, this playboy's background was quite complicated, even the Prince Rui's mansion had to be wary of him.

Although it was insignificant to him.

However, he was new to the area and needed help, and his cousin had treated him well in his childhood, never bullying him, but instead protecting him in every way.

Even if things go wrong, out of respect for his aunt, Wang Yun, he cannot involve the Prince Rui's mansion.

Having considered this, Li Wudao made his decision and said calmly, "Very well, for your sake today, I will spare his life."

He's just a spoiled brat; it doesn't matter when he's killed.

At worst, we can wait until he finishes what he's doing and then eliminate him completely before he leaves.

"Thank you, cousin."

Li Nanzhi's tense mood immediately relaxed, she gently patted her chest, and smiled broadly.

To be honest, she was really afraid that her cousin would disregard everything and forcibly kill Meng Yan, and she really didn't know what to do then.

"What are you standing there for? Didn't you hear what my cousin said? Get out of here right now!"

Seeing Meng Yan frozen in place, terrified, Li Nanzhi was furious and roared fiercely.

If it weren't for her fear of the Marquis of Zhennan and the First Prince, she would have killed a hundred Meng Yans without hesitation.

But there's nothing we can do; what can we do when someone has a good father?

"Yes, yes, yes... I'll get going right now."

Meng Yan felt as if he had been granted a pardon. His voice trembled as he lifted his trembling legs and scrambled downstairs.

Throughout the process, he fell several times, his hair and face covered in dirt, but he dared not stop, nor did he dare to look back at Li Wudao.

He finally breathed a sigh of relief when he reached the restaurant entrance in one breath, and slumped down against a pillar in front of the door.

"Eh? Young Master, why did you come out by yourself...?"

Suddenly, a middle-aged man who looked like a butler rushed over from not far away. When he saw Meng Yan, his eyes lit up, and he said:

"Perfect timing! The Marquis just sent me to find you. He said he wants to introduce you to some talented young men from major sects. Hurry back, don't keep them waiting."

Upon seeing the butler, Meng Yan's fearful and panicked expression softened considerably. He relaxed completely, and with a twitch, he comfortably closed his eyes.

"What does it smell like?"

The butler frowned, sniffed, and then noticed that his young master's crotch was soaked with water, which was flowing onto the ground.

"Young Master, you..."

The butler was stunned and didn't know what to say for a moment.

The Marquis of Zhennan was a man of great renown and immense power, yet who would have thought that his son would suffer from urinary incontinence in front of a restaurant?!

At this moment, many passersby cast disdainful glances and whispered among themselves, pointing and whispering in the distance.

Many people in the capital city deeply resent this arrogant and dissolute young man, and it won't be long before the whole city is abuzz with the news.

"Damn it, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and help me up!"

Meng Yan's face darkened, wishing he could disappear into a crack in the ground. However, when he struggled to get up, he found that his whole body was limp and he had no strength at all.

Clearly, Li Wudao's killing of the four guards had a huge impact on him, so much so that he was still feeling lingering fear.

Feeling the scornful looks from everyone, the butler was equally ashamed. He forced himself to endure the stench of urine, helped Meng Yan up, and quickly walked away into the distance.

"A gentleman will not leave this grudge unavenged, kid. You wait, this is not over!"

Meng Yan's face was ashen. He walked with a limp, his hair disheveled and his face dirty like a beggar. His teeth were grinding together, and his eyes were filled with resentment as he swept towards the second floor of the restaurant.

Today's humiliation is the greatest disgrace he has ever suffered, and it must not be let go!

.........

The restaurant is on the second floor.

"Cousin Wudao, it's only been a few years, but you've changed so much!"

Li Nanzhi's eyes sparkled. With her hands behind her back, she stood on tiptoe and circled around Li Wudao, scrutinizing him before clicking her tongue in surprise, "By the way, cousin, what exactly is your cultivation level now?"

Before the latter could speak, she touched her smooth chin and interjected:

"Hmm, let me guess. To be able to easily defeat a mid-stage True Yuan Realm cultivator, catch a blade barehanded, and break Xuan Tie with your fingers—such strength is probably beyond even the peak True Yuan Realm. Cousin, could you perhaps be... at the Great Perfection of the True Yuan Realm?"

After saying that, Li Nanzhi blinked her long eyelashes, her eyes filled with admiration and surprise.

The Great Perfection of the True Essence Realm.

Looking at the entire Great Yu Dynasty, he is a top expert. Apart from the Great Yu royal family, only the elders of the four major families can hold a firm advantage.

Don't forget, this cousin is two years younger than her. At such a young age, to possess such cultivation is extremely rare, and his future is limitless!

At this moment, the green-haired tortoise swayed closer, raised its chin, and snorted, "True Yuan Realm Great Perfection? Little girl, you're underestimating Li too much."

Upon hearing this, Li Nanzhi's heart skipped a beat.

Seeing Li Wudao's calm expression, she could no longer remain composed. She tightened her throat and asked in a trembling voice, "Cousin, you wouldn't have already reached the level of... a martial arts grandmaster, would you?"

"I suppose so," Li Wudao nodded slightly.

Instantly, Li Nanzhi's pupils contracted, and she couldn't help but gasp sharply.

She thought she fully understood her cousin's abilities, but she never expected that she had greatly underestimated him.

Martial arts grandmasters represent the pinnacle of combat power in the Great Yu Dynasty, and their status is comparable to that of the elders of the four major families.

Even His Majesty has to give him some face; he's definitely a powerful figure in his own right.

The reason his father wielded such great influence in the court was not only due to his direct lineage, but also, to a large extent, because of his own strength—a peak Martial Emperor, whom even the Emperor of the Great Yu Dynasty had to be wary of.

"A martial arts master at fifteen... Cousin, you truly are a man of few words, but when you do speak, you amaze everyone!"

Li Nanzhi couldn't help but sigh, secretly comparing Li Wudao with the geniuses of the Imperial City.

In the end, however, no one could compare to him. Even the eldest prince, who was hailed as the "number one genius in the capital," could not help but pale in comparison.

If we had to name one, it would be the eldest son of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. It is said that when he was born, a strange phenomenon appeared in the sky. He possessed a unique combination of thunder and fire spirits, making him the most talented person in the history of the Great Yu Dynasty.

However, this person was sent to a sect to cultivate from a young age and has been out of contact for many years. Even her father, Prince Rui, has only seen her a few times, making her extremely mysterious.

Seeing the girl's astonished expression, Li Wudao shook his head and chuckled.

Although he is in the late stage of Martial Grandmaster, his actual combat strength far surpasses that of the early stage of Martial King. If he uses his trump cards such as the Sacred Body Phenomenon and the Invincible Technique, even a late stage Martial King would be fearless in battle.

These words were naturally kept secret; if his cousin knew his true strength, she would probably faint from excitement.

As the conversation drew to a close, Li Wudao decided to visit the Prince Rui's residence.

Before leaving, he seemed to remember something, looked at Qiao'er and her brother, and kindly reminded them:

"Qiao'er, remember to be careful these days. Don't go out unless necessary. If Meng Yan dares to retaliate against you, don't hesitate to come to Prince Rui's residence to find me..."

He felt bad that the woman was of good character, and he would feel bad if he suffered resentment afterward.

"Thank you for the reminder, young master."

With a hint of awe and emotion, Qiao'er pursed her dry, white lips and hesitated before saying, "It's just that I come from a humble background and have offended the Marquis of Zhennan. I probably won't be able to stay in the capital anymore. I plan to move away with my family in the next few days."

"That's fine too."

Li Wudao nodded, and then left with Li Nanzhi.

........

The Zhennan Marquis's Residence.

main hall.

Several young men dressed in brocade robes took their seats one by one, some gently waving folding fans, others sipping tea. Each of them was dashing and had an extraordinary temperament, clearly indicating that they came from extraordinary backgrounds.

At the head of the table, a middle-aged man dressed in a scholar's robe, with regular features, chatted with everyone in a kind and gentle manner, without any airs.

"You flatter me, Your Excellency. A strong person like you is a role model for us to learn from."

"Your Excellency, please rest assured. With our joint recommendation, it is practically a certainty that the young marquis will enter the Li Huo Sect."

"........."

Several quick-witted young men readily agreed with smiles.

Just then, urgent shouts came from outside the hall.

"My lord, something terrible has happened! The young master has been beaten!"

Before he could finish speaking, the butler helped Meng Yan, who reeked of urine, into the room.