Chapter 236 Third-Party Forces

A delicate bellyband, meticulously sewn from top-quality pink Shu brocade, with twin lotuses embroidered vividly on the chest!

The moment Xiao Zhengnan saw it, it was as if he had been struck by lightning.

His tall, burly frame froze stiff in place, his breath caught in his chest.

That was… Lin Wan’er’s!

“Your Grace, this item should look familiar to you, shouldn’t it?”

The man in the black robe reached out and lightly ran his fingers over the smooth silk, his tone dripping with lewdness.

“The skin of the heir’s wife… it really is like congealed cream.”

“But on this, Your Grace’s mark is still clearly left behind.”

The black-robed man deliberately held the bellyband forward.

The subtle,… indecent traces along the edges of the silk glinted harshly under the moonlight!

Xiao Zhengnan’s face instantly drained of all color, turning deathly pale!

The mighty Prince of Zhen’nan, the only non-imperial prince of the Great Wei—

had actually lusted after… someone he should never have desired.

Not only had he committed such a vile, pig-dog act, but out of fear of exposure, he had conspired with outsiders to ruthlessly eliminate his pregnant daughter-in-law!

“You… you are shameless!”

Xiao Zhengnan gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead.

“Your Grace flatters me. Compared to Your Grace’s far-reaching schemes and ruthless heartlessness, what are my little methods worth?”

The black-robed man pulled the bellyband back into his chest, his voice suddenly cold.

“Your Grace, think carefully.”

“If this item were to fall into the hands of your son, Young Master Xiao…”

“Or if it somehow… flew to the capital and was displayed before the Empress Dowager and the Emperor…”

“Tell me, at that point, could the century-long prestige of the Prince of Zhen’nan’s mansion still exist?”

“Not only would you be ruined and reviled by all under heaven, but your entire household could be executed, your nine clans exterminated!”

Every word struck at the heart, every sentence was lethal.

The power and dignity that Xiao Zhengnan had long prided himself on were shattered in an instant by this light, delicate bellyband, trampled mercilessly into the mud.

The study fell into a deathly silence once more.

All that could be heard was Xiao Zhengnan’s heavy, rapid breathing, like a trapped beast driven into a corner by hunters, with no escape.

After a long while…

Xiao Zhengnan seemed to have aged ten years in an instant, his once-proud back slumping completely in despair.

“Fine…”

He clenched his teeth and forced the word out through gritted teeth, each syllable dripping with the taste of blood.

“You’ve got guts!”

Xiao Zhengnan turned, staggering over to the treasure cabinet behind his desk, and pressed one of the inconspicuous hidden buttons with force.

With the faint sound of a mechanism moving, an extremely concealed compartment in the wall popped open.

Trembling, he retrieved a zitan wood box from inside.

Upon opening it, inside was a scroll of ancient parchment soaked in a special potion.

“This is what you want.”

Xiao Zhengnan suddenly drew the dagger at his waist and cut the scroll in half.

He hurled one half forcefully at the black-robed man.

“I can only give you half!”

“The other half… once I am certain that you have truly destroyed that item, I will hand it over to you!”

Xiao Zhengnan had spent half his life navigating the treacherous world of power; he would never hand over all his survival cards at once.

The black-robed man caught the half of the military map and, under the moonlight, examined it carefully, confirming its authenticity.

“Your Grace truly is a pragmatic and straightforward man.”

The man in the black robe nodded with satisfaction, tucking the half of the incredibly precious military defense map securely against his chest.

The deal was done, yet he had no intention of leaving immediately.

He lifted his head slightly, and the eyes hidden beneath his hood flashed with a terrifying, piercing light.

“Where are those people who came from the capital now?”

At the mention of Shen Jue, Lu Yan, and the others, a vicious gleam of cruelty passed through Xiao Zhengnan’s eyes.

“Don’t worry, I’ve already set A-Liao into motion,” the black-robed man said.

“The four of them have now been led, according to plan, into the death trap encirclement your forces set deep in the Ten-Thousand Mountains.”

“That swamp, laced with a hundred-mile-long toxic miasma, could even kill a Great Dao Golden Immortal down to the last layer of skin!”

Xiao Zhengnan snorted coldly, a sense of grim satisfaction in his tone.

“As soon as they die, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor in the capital will be crippled, and my grand ambitions will advance another step!”

However, the black-robed man did not echo his sentiment. Instead, he interrupted, cold and sharp, shattering that unrealistic fantasy.

“You, Your Highness, are mistaken about one crucial matter.”

His voice suddenly became solemn, almost reverent.

“Whether it’s the Eastern Depot Chief or the Jinyiwei Commander, their fates have nothing to do with us.”

“What we want has never been the Emperor’s hounds.”

“Remember, my master only needs one person!”

“She is the only key to opening the Divine Treasury!”

“To our Holy Lord, her value is immeasurable—any error is absolutely unacceptable!”

Before Xiao Zhengnan could even respond, the black-robed man had already turned and left.

“Your Highness, take care. We will meet again soon.”

Before his words had even faded, the man vanished mysteriously into the night outside the window.

Xiao Zhengnan slumped back in his Grand Tutor chair, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his robe, his heart still racing.

Being the Zhen Nan King had never felt so utterly humiliating!

A formidable regional ruler, yet he was manipulated like a puppet, controlled by someone wielding such a lowly yet effective leverage!

Just as he slammed the desk in frustration, his anger reaching its peak,

On the previously sealed wall of the study, the massive painting of a tiger descending the mountain slowly slid aside!

Xiao Zhengnan jumped as if electrocuted, leaping out of his chair.

He snatched the imperial sword hanging on the wall, the tip aimed at the newly revealed secret door.

“Who’s playing tricks here?”

Accompanied by steady, heavy footsteps, a tall and imposing figure emerged from the hidden compartment.

The figure wore a bronze Taotie mask, grotesque and terrifying in the darkness.

His fitted garment, narrow at the sleeves and waist, was embroidered with dark gold thread, showcasing ancient and intricate totems along the collar and cuffs.

If Su Hewan were here, she would recognize it immediately.

It was the exact same dragon pattern as the jade pendant around her neck and the token at the death warrior’s waist!

The newcomer’s steps were steady, without the slightest sign of panic.

“Your Highness, there’s no need to be alarmed. It’s me.”

The voice behind the mask was low, rich, and composed.

Seeing the figure’s distinctive attire, a deep apprehension flashed in Xiao Zhengnan’s eyes.

Yet, unwillingly, his hand slowly lowered the sword.

“What are you doing coming out of the tunnel at this moment?”

“Here to watch this king be threatened by those androgynous monsters?”

Xiao Zhengnan ground his teeth, his words brimming with suppressed humiliation and fury.

The masked man walked straight to the window, hands clasped behind his back, gazing into the boundless night where the black-robed man had vanished.

“Trying to negotiate with the tiger, only to be devoured by it.”

“Your Highness, after a lifetime on the battlefield, do you not even understand this simplest and most obvious truth?”