My Wife Turns Out to be an Empress of the Dynasty

"Ask you?"

The leader at the Nurture Realm sneered, "We're here for a bloody business with your master. Do you want to stand in for him?" Saying that, several burly men surrounded the grain-carrying convoy.

Old Yang's face changed dramatically, and the few guards escorting him also looked nervous. Obviously, the guards were no match for these thugs from the Liu family.

In front of the Gu's Grain Store, the situation became tense.

The once bustling Shangjing Long Street now had pedestrians stopping in their tracks. Some hid in nearby teahouses and taverns, while others hurriedly went home, glancing furtively through their windows.

Whispers could be heard from time to time.

"What's happening to the Gu's Grain Store? Did they offend the wrong people?"

"You weren't here earlier. Didn't you hear these people saying they are from the Liu family in Linjiang City?"

"Oh my! The Liu family is known to have a strong influence in Linjiang City. In a few years, they might become a prominent family in our Great Jing!"

"But why would the Liu family pick a fight with the Gu family?"

"Are you stupid? They are both grain merchants, and Gu probably took away their business!"

"Ah, Young Master Gu is a honest businessman, too bad..."

Many people, like the inn waiter, expressed gratitude and sighed for Gu Lan, praying for the grain store. Of course, there was a small group of people who were envious of the Gu family's business and were ready to enjoy the spectacle.

At this moment, the cultivator in the Nurture Realm looked down at Old Yang and said, "Old man, let me tell you the truth. Our displeasure stems from your Gu family taking the business to Yunzhou and Xiangzhou, snatching away our Liu family's business. Our master is not happy about it and plans to have a talk with your young master in Linjiang City."

"Be sensible. Call him out, and we'll spare your servants. Don't even think about reporting to the officials secretly; it will only end up worse for you!"

Old Yang, understanding the protection among officials, knew he needed to ensure Young Master Gu could safely leave this place first.

"Alright, gentlemen, wait a moment. I'll go and inform my young master for you..."

Old Yang put on a flattering smile.

"Old man, you're not thinking of running away with your young master from behind, are you?" A clever Liu family thug said before Old Yang could leave. Without waiting for him, the thug quickly drew his knife and pressed it against the neck of another servant in the grain store.

"As long as you don't come back, I'll kill one every fifteen minutes, until they're all dead... It's your call!"

Hearing this, Old Yang's smile froze, and he seemed rooted to the spot. The onlookers in hiding were also shocked.

"Under the broad daylight, the Liu family's thugs dare to draw their knives and kill people in the city. Is there no law?"

"The Liu family is powerful, and the emperor is far away. Linjiang City is even more lawless!"

"Oh no, the Gu family is in big trouble now!"

...

Gu Lan witnessed this scene, shook his head, and chuckled. In the original work, the female Emperor wanted to reverse the situation instantly, but she didn't pay attention to such small matters, ultimately leading to a downfall. After all, it was still a feudal dynasty, and the system was too rigid.

Gu Lan put down his teacup, his deep and starry eyes quietly focusing. He silently performed a spell: Immortal Stage Technique · Mind Control!

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Unexpectedly, the casual glance from that day proved useful now, and it worked perfectly.

"Today, let's consider me being benevolent and help the female Emperor clean up her household, hoping to deter others with this punishment."

...

In front of the grain store, the burly men quickly realized what Old Yang was planning. Their faces turned ferocious.

"Old man, are you really trying to play us?"

"Kill him directly; we'll find him ourselves!"

The leader in the Nurture Realm spoke. The two lowest-ranking mortal thugs rushed up, swinging their blades to behead Old Yang.

But in that instant, when Old Yang closed his eyes in fear, the two blades simultaneously changed their direction, cutting straight toward each other. In a moment, blood spurted out, and the two headless bodies fell neatly.

Three seconds later, Old Yang felt warmth on his face, opened his eyes, and was immediately dumbfounded. Two eyes stared round in shock.

People hiding in the teahouses and taverns also looked stunned, gazing silently at the two corpses on the street.

Only the Liu family's thugs, after a brief moment of surprise, all pulled out their knives and stared at Old Yang with vigilance.

"Brothers, be careful. This old man is tricky!"

"Fuck! Unbelievable, this old man dared to play dumb against us!"

...

The crowd: ???!

Old Yang: ????

Crap! I didn't do anything, didn't you guys slash each other just now!

Even if he said this, no one would believe him at this moment!

As they speculated, Old Yang, who worked for the Gu family, at most an older helper, was usually amiable with neighbors.

But according to the Liu family thugs' words!

The onlookers, like the inn waiter, suddenly lost their composure. One by one, they revealed expressions of shock.

"I can't believe Old Yang is a hidden expert! A master is actually around me!"

"Damn, I owe him two silver coins; I must repay him tomorrow!"

"Old Yang hides so well, and he's not arrogant. A true master!"

"..."

While they were still comprehending the situation.

The thugs suddenly communicated with each other through eye contact. Then, adopting identical postures, they swiftly approached Old Yang, brandishing their knives!

However!

A flash of blade light appeared at that moment, slashing from behind them!

Old Yang raised his arm to block, and when he lowered it, he saw neatly severed bodies lying on the ground. The few thugs had been cut across the waist. He was astonished!

Because the one who swung the blade was the leader of the thugs, the cultivator who had reached the Nurture Realm!

Dripping...

Blood dripped from the blade. The thug in the Nurture Realm stood there, looking dazed. Of course, the bystanders facing away couldn't see this.

They only knew that the leader of the thugs had betrayed his companions, backstabbing them in a single move!

"What the hell! Did you come here to cause trouble or act in a gangster movie?"

Their clear thoughts from a moment ago now became chaotic. They stared at the distant scene, utterly confused.

At this moment, in the grain store, Gu Lan put down the teacup, his lips forming a gentle smile. He lightly spoke two words, "Kneel."

Outside, the eyes of the thug suddenly stiffened. With a thump, he fell to his knees in front of Old Yang!

Onlookers: !!!

Old Yang: ???

Suddenly, the thug began speaking, "My name is Wang Qiang, a servant born into the Liu family. I came today to wreak havoc on Gu's Grain Store and bring Gu Lan back to Linjiang City."

Old Yang widened his eyes, his mouth twitched, and he exclaimed, "I didn't ask you anything..."

But immediately after, Wang Qiang spilled everything he knew. To onlookers, it seemed as if Old Yang was interrogating him on the spot!

"Back to my lord, Liu Tianwen relies on Duke Mu Yun, Liu Xi, but the two actually have no connection. It's just that after Liu Tianwen sent a lot of money, he used Duke Mu Yun's influence to act domineeringly in Linjiang City."

"And as for the grain types in Gu's Grain Store, we intercepted a batch on the way to Yunzhou, secretly diverted it to Linjiang City, and Liu Tianwen was extremely envious..."

"..."

After this revelation, everyone was dumbfounded!

"So Liu Tianwen relies on Duke Mu Yun; no wonder he acts arrogantly like a petty emperor!"

"The Liu family even dared to intercept military provisions sent to the front line. That's military grain; once discovered, it's a capital offense!"

"Duke Mu Yun is in trouble; he's sure to be implicated!"

"Darn, he actually spills the dirty secrets of his master!"

"..."

Gu Lan listened to his description, nodded faintly, and lightly traced a line with his slender and fair hand.

Outside, Wang Qiang's head silently fell!

Needless to say, this was the work of the hidden expert Old Yang again!

The onlookers felt they had grasped the situation. The group of thugs, acting recklessly, had provoked the hidden expert Old Yang, and inexplicably, they all died on the street!

Old Yang was terrifying!

Their gazes toward Old Yang were now filled with awe!

Old Yang's eyes, however, were filled with astonishment!

At the Gu Residence.

Liu Yexi, from the darkness in the corner, noticed a shadow, surveyed the surroundings, and walked up: "What happened?"

Only the inner close servants recognized this shadow, precisely the Imperial Announcements Bureau's secret guard that made all officials dread. If the Flying Fish Attire was the publicly known executor, then this secret guard was the hidden blade held in the female Emperor's hands, capable of silently taking the lives of officials at any time.

Under normal circumstances, the secret guard wouldn't take the initiative to come.

"By my lord's order, protect Young Master Gu. There's an incident at the grain store today," the secret guard's voice was hoarse.

Liu Yexi's charming face changed color instantly, "What about Young Master Gu? Is he okay?"

The secret guard shook his head, then explained the situation from start to finish.

Liu Yexi breathed a sigh of relief and waved her hand, "Understood, keep a close eye on it. Gu Lan's life is your life, keep that in mind!"

"I understand!"

...

Liu Yexi then went to the study to meet the female Emperor.

Mu Yuyan was currently absorbed in reading Gu Lan's masterpiece—the pile of papers he usually played with. Her beautiful eyes were extremely focused.

"Your Majesty, there's trouble at the grain store. Several Liu family servants came to cause a disturbance, and now they've all been killed..."

Liu Yexi didn't dare to breathe heavily like the secret guard did, afraid of worrying Mu Yuyan. She quickly recounted the details of the incident.

"Was it the secret guard who took action? Was he discovered by Master Gu?" Mu Yuyan asked casually after listening.

She didn't express concern about the situation with the Liu family in Linjiang City, even though they had committed the grave crime of intercepting military provisions, potentially implicating the current prince...

"Reply to Your Majesty, it wasn't the secret guard's doing," Liu Yexi explained in a low voice. "According to that secret guard, something bizarre happened on the street when he was about to take action..."

Bizarre naturally referred to the fact that those thugs suddenly fought against each other on the street. However, Liu Yexi had her own judgment. After spending so much time together, she knew Old Yang was just an ordinary person and not a hidden expert, unlike how commoners might perceive him.

Mu Yuyan's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, "So you think someone secretly took action?"

"Yes, and judging from the secret guard's description... I believe it was a spiritual cultivator!"

Spiritual cultivation was a somewhat obscure branch in the cultivation system of this world, also known as ghost cultivation. Their spells were relatively unpredictable and suited the current situation perfectly.

After thinking for a moment, Liu Yexi added, "The secret guard didn't detect the spiritual cultivator at all, indicating that this person is at least at the King Realm, or even... Imperial Level."

In any system, once they reached the King or Imperial Realm, they were basically an existence that could make or break the situation in Langzhou City!

As for the Primordial Sword's matter, it hadn't been investigated yet.

Just a few months had passed, and there was now an unknown spiritual cultivator in Langzhou City? !

Mu Yuyan, upon hearing this, raised an eyebrow.

Although she knew that the Gu family had never provoked any spiritual cultivation force, the thought of Gu Lan still being in the grain store made her inexplicably concerned.

She then put down the paper in her hand, her gaze cold, and said in a deep voice, "Yexi, prepare the carriage."