Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess
Chapter 64 - 60 Empress Dowager Xiao

Chapter 64: Chapter 60 Empress Dowager Xiao

On the street, two people walked side by side.

Upon hearing Jiang Shouzhong mention his desire to find a martial skill to cultivate, Li Nanshuang’s brilliant smile turned into a peculiar expression.

"Still not giving up, huh?"

Li Nanshuang didn’t mock him, but said helplessly, "Though hard work can compensate for lack of talent, cultivation really depends highly on innate aptitude."

She had advised him before and extinguished his dream of becoming a hero who wandered Jianghu with a sword.

Mediocre aptitude means little use even after a hundred years of practice.

Although he trusted this superior greatly, Jiang Shouzhong had no plans to reveal the secret of the Taoist "River Map". Smiling, he said, "I just want to try; it doesn’t matter if I succeed."

"The problem is that I don’t have any martial skills suitable for you."

Li Nanshuang scratched her head in annoyance, "I’ve been practicing a kind of blade technique since I was young, and this technique can only be used with the Tomb Blade. I don’t admire the others. If I had known I was going to leave the sect, I would have taken more cultivation techniques from the treasury."

After thinking for a moment, the girl took the Tomb Blade from behind her back and handed it to Jiang Shouzhong.

"Why not give it a try to see if you can lift it? If you can, I’ll teach you the Tomb Blade Skill."

Jiang Shouzhong broke out in a cold sweat on his forehead.

What a joke.

Can I even lift this blade?

Originally, when he and Lu Renjia were curious, they tried to weigh the blade. Except for Zhang Yunwu, who barely lifted it a bit, he and Lu Renjia together couldn’t move it.

"Hehe, just kidding."

Seeing the bitter expression on her subordinate, Li Nanshuang’s lip corners curled up as she tiptoed to touch Jiang Shouzhong’s head, saying softly, "Since my Jia wants to learn martial arts, then I, as your boss, should help look for it. Leave it to me."

"Thank you, boss."

Jiang Shouzhong showed a smile.

Li Nanshuang sighed, "It’s a pity I’m not acquainted with that woman from Silver Moon Tower. She has collected many martial arts treasures—a veritable human treasure trove."

Silver Moon Tower?

Jiang Shouzhong’s mind stirred.

Just then, Li Nanshuang suddenly said seriously, "Jiang Mo, don’t get involved with that Ms. Dye. Beauty brings disaster. The prettier the woman, the more trouble she attracts, especially since she’s already married."

"Understood."

Jiang Shouzhong smiled and nodded.

The girl muttered in puzzlement, "Looking at her, she seems to still be a virgin. Could it be that the man she married is an eunuch? Well, eunuchs are unlikely. I guess that man is just incompetent."

Jiang Shouzhong’s face turned dark.

Who are you calling incompetent!

Initially, he and his ex-wife, Hong’er, managed eight times in one night without faltering.

Jiang Shouzhong discussed martial arts matters with the girl, discovering that this boss, despite her impressive skills, was utterly clueless about cultivation. She couldn’t even clearly explain the process of opening acupoints, leaving him speechless.

How did this girl become a master in the first place?

Helpless, Jiang Shouzhong decided to ask Zhang Yunwu.

When the two parted, Li Nanshuang narrowed her eyes into a smiling expression and genuinely said, "Jia, I’m really happy that you chose me."

Before he could respond, the girl waved her hand and left.

In the brilliant, shimmering warmth of the sun, the girl with a high ponytail walked with light steps, her black hair gently swaying, embodying the spirit of "youth."

...

Upon arriving at Zhang Yunwu’s home, he found that Lu Renjia was also there.

There was also an old acquaintance, Liao, the arrestor from the county yamen.

It turned out that after hearing about Zhang Yunwu’s injury, Liao had rushed over in a hurry.

When Zhang Yunwu worked at the county yamen, Liao had taken good care of him, and the two had a great relationship. After Zhang Yunwu moved to Liushan Division, their interactions had lessened, but their affection had not waned much.

It could be said that Liao’s willingness to help Jiang Shouzhong and others with their investigations was entirely due to Zhang Yunwu’s goodwill.

Otherwise, with Li Nanshuang’s unsociable attitude, Wind Thunder Hall would have been dismissed long ago.

In the evening, Liao was forcibly kept to dine.

He went out and bought two jars of wine, which he drank and ate with Jiang Shouzhong.

The few who gathered were old acquaintances, so the atmosphere naturally relaxed a lot.

Lu Renjia poured wine for Liao and said with a smile, "Liao, I’ve been so busy with official duties lately. I had wanted to invite you and your brothers for a gathering at the end of last month, but one delay led to another, and there was no opportunity.

Let’s have a small gathering this time, and when the case is over, I’ll invite the brothers from the county yamen to Spring Rain Building for a good drink, we’ll find a few girls to have a ..."

Glancing at We Zhaodi, Jia hesitated to utter the words "eat meat."

Especially since there were children present.

Lu Renjia valued human relationships highly.

In his view, whether colleagues or friends, past affections were weighed on scales, measured by weight added or missing.

Only by maintaining these relationships frequently could he keep the balance weighted down.

Liao picked up the porcelain cup between his fingers and clinked glasses with Jiang Shouzhong and the others before laughing and saying, "Jia, you are too polite. This meal, consider it my treat."

Lu Renjia was startled, suddenly displeased, "Liao, you are being too formal..."

Liao, having mingled in the county yamen for nearly twenty years without any airs, smiled and waved his hand, saying helplessly:

"Initially, I did intend to treat you all to a drink, but then something happened with Zhang. Consider this gathering a farewell party. To be precise, I was actually here to say goodbye to Zhang."

Say goodbye?

The three exchanged glances.

Zhang Yunwu, realizing later, asked in confusion, "Liao, are you being transferred?"

Liao looked complex, almost speaking then stopping.

Jiang Shouzhong, who seemed to have thought of something, asked softly, "Are you going to the frontier?"

This time, it was Liao who was surprised, "How did you know?"

Jiang Shouzhong put down his wine cup and said, "When we used to drink together and got into high spirits, you would often talk about your family, saying it was a family of military officers, with ancestors who had been generals. Your father was once a scout in the Zheng family army at Hu Men Pass, and you always regretted not having gone to the battlefield to fight enemies. This sudden farewell, I guess you must be going to the frontier now."

Liao nodded and no longer concealed it, "The transfer order has already come down. I am reporting to Hu Men Pass in a few days, and for now, I am going to be a beacon keeper in Qi Dongshan."

"It hasn’t been peaceful over there lately." Lu Renjia furrowed his brow.

Indeed, the Dazhou Dynasty has not been at peace lately.

Mostly due to the mess left by the former Emperor, which was too disastrous.

During the former Emperor’s reign, the country was plagued with internal strife and crises.

To the north were invasions from Yanrong, to the south were rebellions in Yunhuang, to the east were vassal states seeking help, and to the west were the thirteen countries led by Loulan causing chaos, along with the rebellion in Minzhou and the rise of the Demon Clan following the revival of demon energy.

There were even prophecies circulating that the 200-year reign of the Dazhou Dynasty was coming to an end.

If it weren’t for the current Emperor’s vigorous efforts to suppress rebellions and stabilize the populace, gradually restoring stability and injecting a new vitality into the aging Dazhou Dynasty, the country would have likely declined long ago.

But to thoroughly clean up this mess would take a Herculean effort.

Especially with Yanrong constantly launching invasions from the north. Ever since Empress Dowager Xiao took control, she exhibited an ambition to swallow the Central Plains, causing concern.

This was also why many placed their hopes on Crown Prince Zhou Wei.

At the very least, they could not squander their forefathers’ hard work.

Jiang Shouzhong had heard about Yanrong’s legendary Empress Dowager Xiao.

It was said her name was Xiao Lingqiu. On her wedding night, a palace coup occurred, and the drunken Yanrong Emperor was assassinated within his tent.

With the help from her father and several key ministers, she crowned the queen mother’s young son, Yelv Baoliang, who was only seven years old, as the new emperor, while sixteen-year-old Xiao Lingqiu became the Empress Dowager.

Afterward, this newly widowed Empress Dowager displayed a wisdom and strategizing ability equal to men.

With her far-sighted strategies and resolute iron fist, she gradually ousted the influential officials after her father’s death, declared herself "Empress Dowager Chengtian," and took control of the court, overseeing all state affairs and independently adjudicating all routine political issues!

Empress Dowager Xiao also strongly advocated for the implementation of Han policies and reforms, boldly including the Demon Clan within her ranks and forming beast troops.

Fourteen years ago, when the previous Emperor of Dazhou was still alive, Empress Dowager Xiao personally led a military campaign, leading 300,000 troops south to invade Dazhou.

The army advanced like a hot knife through butter, reaching Minzhou in just three months, just a river away from the capital of Dazhou.

This forced Dazhou to sign the shameful ’Dan Yun Peace Treaty’, ceding nine states.

The notoriety of Empress Dowager Xiao spread throughout the Dazhou Dynasty.

Zhuge Xuanji once joked that there are three great treasures in the world: possessing Li Guanshi can affirm immortality, possessing Jiang Yi of Silver Moon Tower can grab the world’s treasures, and possessing Empress Dowager Xiao... can compete for the world.