Chapter 38: Blocking the Way

The remaining warriors of the Great Nan delegation turned deathly pale at the sight. They had expected this contest to be a one-sided slaughter, but the situation unfolding before them had completely defied their expectations.

"What kind of weapon is that?!" one warrior stared in horror at the repeating crossbow in Chu Nan’s hands, cold sweat streaming down his forehead.

"Don't panic! There is only one of him!" Liang Li roared from the sidelines, attempting to stabilize the situation.

However, Chu Nan gave them no room to breathe. He pulled the trigger again, firing a barrage of bolts, each one with lethal precision. In the blink of an eye, all ten Great Nan warriors were wounded, none of them able to remain standing.

A deathly silence fell over the training grounds.

"Is this the caliber of Great Nan’s warriors?" Chu Nan put away his crossbow, his voice calm yet laced with a chilling edge.

Liang Li’s face flickered between shades of green and white, his eyes filled with shock. He never imagined that Chu Nan could not only withstand the siege of ten warriors but also crush them entirely.

The surrounding soldiers stood stunned for a moment before erupting into thunderous cheers.

"Young Master Chu is mighty!"
"Well fought! Those goddamn Great Nan people deserve it!"
"With Young Master Chu here, what is there for our Great Huang to fear from foreign enemies!"

From the high platform, Cheng Lingyu watched Chu Nan quietly, a faint, imperceptible smile touching her lips. Her gaze held not only admiration but also a hint of deep contemplation. It was not the first time she had witnessed Chu Nan’s brilliance, but his performance today still led her to silently marvel at his extraordinary nature.

"This youth is truly a piece of unpolished jade," Cheng Lingyu whispered to herself, her eyes sweeping briefly over the civil and military officials standing nearby.

Just then, Prime Minister Shen Lin, standing in the corner of the platform, lifted his head slightly to steal a glance at Cheng Lingyu’s expression. Though his posture remained humble and his head bowed, a sharp glint flashed through his clouded, aged eyes.

"Her Majesty’s attitude toward Chu Nan is... perhaps too intimate," Shen Lin pondered to himself.

"Chu Nan," Cheng Lingyu’s voice was cold yet carried a sense of majesty.

Chu Nan looked up toward the platform and bowed slightly: "What are your commands, Your Majesty?"

Cheng Lingyu rose slowly, her gaze fixed on Chu Nan as her clear voice echoed across the training grounds: "You have single-handedly crushed the arrogance of the Great Nan delegation and upheld the dignity of our Great Huang. You deserve great credit for today’s battle."

Chu Nan bowed his head: "Your Majesty is too kind; I merely did what I could."

"You are too humble," Cheng Lingyu replied calmly, nodding slightly. "I have seen your courage for myself. After today, the soldiers of the Northern Camp will surely take you as their role model, and their morale will be higher than ever."

She paused, then waved her hand: "Pass the order: grant the Northern Camp three days of leave and bestow three hundred piculs of grain upon them! As for Chu Nan—" Her gaze shifted, looking at him with a trace of playfulness, "I have other rewards for you; we shall discuss them later."

"I thank Your Majesty for your grace," Chu Nan replied, maintaining his indifferent demeanor and bowing once more. He displayed no trace of excitement, as if he had never cared for such rewards at all.

This scene, witnessed by the officials, triggered varied reactions. Prime Minister Li Jingcheng kept his head bowed, seemingly unmoved, yet his fingertips tapped rhythmically against his sleeves, as if calculating something in secret. On the other side, Yang Ruyan wore a complex expression, her face looking somewhat pained. Her fingers clenched involuntarily, her knuckles turning white.

As the crowd left the training grounds, the atmosphere was electric. The soldiers of the Northern Camp discussed the "Battle of Chu Nan" loudly, their words filled with admiration.

"Young Master Chu is truly something else! Those Great Nan warriors didn't even get a chance to get close; he really boosted the prestige of our Great Huang!"
"He took on ten men by himself—I doubt you could find another like him in the entire Imperial Capital!"
"Those dogs from Great Nan will have to behave themselves now; let's see if they dare to be arrogant again!"

The soldiers' cheers reached Yang Ruyan's ears, making her expression even darker. She frowned, her eyes filled with resentment. She knew that after today, Chu Nan’s prestige would not only soar within the Northern Camp but might spread throughout the entire Great Huang army. She had practiced martial arts since childhood and was a commander of the army, yet Chu Nan—a mere merchant by origin—had stolen her thunder in such a short time. How could she swallow this indignity? Her gaze swept over Chu Nan’s calm back, her heart growing increasingly restless.

After leaving the Northern Camp, Cheng Lingyu returned to the palace. As the night deepened, her mind remained unsettled. She stood alone by the window of her study, lost in thought. The image of Chu Nan’s performance on the field replayed in her mind—his composure, his audacity, and his methods were all remarkable.

"If this man can be used by me, he will surely achieve great things," Cheng Lingyu murmured, her brows knitting together slightly. Chu Nan was indeed a rare talent, but for that very reason, his existence might spark turmoil within the imperial court. In particular, she had not missed the expression on Prime Minister Li Jingcheng’s face at the Northern Camp earlier.

The night was as dark as ink, but outside the palace, the capital of Great Huang remained brightly lit. Prime Minister Li Jingcheng’s mansion was located in the northwest of the Imperial City, surrounded by towering walls. Inside his study, the lamps flickered, casting light upon mountains of scrolls. Li Jingcheng sat behind his desk, hands clasped, his expression grim. The tea in his cup had long since turned cold, but he seemed unaware, his gaze fixed coldly on a piece of intelligence on his desk.

"Chu Nan..." he whispered the name, his voice filled with deep apprehension. Recalling the scene at the Northern Camp—Chu Nan’s singular defeat of the ten warriors and the Empress’s unconcealed appreciation—a sense of crisis welled up in him.

"If this youth continues to grow, he will become a great threat to my plans," he muttered, the chill in his eyes deepening. Li Jingcheng did not harbor the urge to kill Chu Nan on a whim; he knew his own ambitions could not tolerate someone so brilliant and so deeply trusted by the Empress. Chu Nan’s existence was like a sharp sword hanging over his head, one that could pierce his ambitions at any moment.

He closed his eyes slowly, tapping his fingers on the desk, the rhythm mirroring the calculation of his schemes.

"Chu Nan..." he said again, this time with a hint of resolve. "He must be eliminated."

Half an hour later, in a secret room within the Li mansion. The room was dimly lit, though the decor on the floors and walls was exquisite. In the center stood a black sandalwood table, before which two figures in black stood with heads bowed, awaiting orders.

"Has the news been confirmed?" Li Jingcheng’s voice emerged from the shadows.

"Reporting to the Prime Minister," one of the men replied respectfully, "after the field event today, Chu Nan certainly stole the spotlight. The Great Nan delegation has been thoroughly shaken."

"Hmph, cowards like Liang Li are nothing but spineless fools who fear death," Li Jingcheng sneered, his tone dripping with contempt. "However, their ambition might not be a bad thing after all."