Chapter Twenty-Six: Take it if you want
Liu Jinli slumped in his chair, lost in thought. His numb mind gradually cleared, and he began to think quickly about the matter.
Suddenly, a brilliant idea flashed in Liu Jinli's mind.
"Liu Lanyan, is this your doing?" Liu Jinli suddenly shouted, startling not only Liu Lanyan but also the steward and maid beside her.
Liu Lanyan trembled and took two steps back in fear. Her eyes were wide open, filled with terror as she stared at Liu Jinli, like a frightened little animal ready to run away at any moment.
The maid and steward beside them were startled by Liu Jinli's words.
After exchanging glances, they saw the same message in each other's eyes—had the master gone mad?
It's common knowledge that Liu Lanyan is mentally unstable. If she were capable of any kind of trickery, the sun would probably rise in the west by now.
Liu Jinli didn't care what others thought; he was convinced of his own beliefs.
Suddenly, he jumped up from his chair, strode towards Liu Lanyan, pointed at her with his finger, and demanded sharply, "Tell me, was it you? You ungrateful wretch, I've raised you for so long, and you actually plotted against me in secret."
"I...I didn't..." Liu Lanyan retreated in a panic, her face turning deathly pale.
"You dare say you didn't?" The more Liu Jinli thought about it, the more likely it was Liu Lanyan who did it.
They deliberately orchestrated this to frame him.
He knew his position in front of the Demon Lord was unstable, so he tried to win over various forces. If it weren't for the need to protect his position as the Grand Elder, why would he bother dealing with a commoner like Boss Qi, which would only lower his status?
His original plan was well-thought-out. By leveraging his relationships with merchants, he had established a solid foundation among the common people. By marrying Yu Jinshuo, the most powerful prince in the demon realm, he would have connections throughout the court and the country.
Why should he worry about his position being unstable?
He had already established good relations with Boss Qi and others. In the early stages, he had put in a tremendous amount of effort to win them over. The relationship had just stabilized, but before it could be solidified, this incident occurred.
If this matter ruins the relationships he has worked so hard to build, he will have nowhere to turn for help.
The losses are too great.
"I'd rather kill you than have you ruin my plans here." The more Liu Jinli thought about it, the angrier he became. He had invested too much in the early stages, both financially and in terms of energy. If this matter wasn't resolved properly, all his efforts would be in vain.
"Master, Master, please have mercy!" Upon receiving the news, the trusted aide rushed over and stopped Liu Jinli.
Upon seeing this, the steward immediately led his maids and servants away, as what was happening here was no longer suitable for them to hear.
"You're helping her too?" When Liu Jinli saw that even his most trusted confidant was helping Liu Lanyan, his anger burned even more fiercely, and his eyes turned bloodshot.
"Sir, I'm not helping him. She's going to participate in the appraisal meeting..."
"Why would a fool like her participate in a tasting event?" Liu Jinli angrily interrupted his confidant, completely unaware that his own words were already contradicting themselves.
"Master, it was the Lord who asked her to participate. You can't kill her and offend the Lord!" The confidant desperately tried to stop Liu Jinli, fearing that he would do something irreversible in a moment of impulse.
"Lord, Lord..." Even in his anger, Liu Jinli was awakened by these two words that were deeply imprinted in his soul.
Liu Jinli slumped into a chair like a deflated balloon, listlessly raising his eyelids to stare at Liu Lanyan.
How could he forget that she was personally selected by the Lord to participate in the discussion? If something were to happen to her, the Lord's wrath would be something he could not bear.
At that point, it wasn't a matter of future prospects or status, but a matter of life and death.
"Liu Lanyan, you're amazing. I've been so wrong about you all these years. Your skill in playing dumb is something I have to admire." Liu Jinli still suspected that Liu Lanyan was behind all of this, so he said this to scare her.
Liu Lanyan pursed her lips, blinked her eyes in confusion, looked at Liu Jinli, and muttered as if talking to herself, "But, the Lord didn't say anything was wrong."
"Did the Venerable One say that?" Liu Jinli's face changed, turning pale to almost green.
How did it become an order from the Lord?
Liu Lanyan seemed unable to understand Liu Jinli's words. She blinked, racking her brains for a long time before finally managing to say something: "Why don't you go ask the Lord?"
Liu Lanyan's words almost made Liu Jinli vomit blood. What kind of status did he have to dare to ask the Venerable Lord? Did he think he had too much time on his life and was tired of living?
But he couldn't just leave things as they were, without giving Boss Qi and the others an explanation. What was he supposed to do?
Liu Jinli glared at Liu Lanyan for a long time, wishing he could slap her to death for deliberately causing him trouble and ruining his plans.
"Alright, alright, go back to your side courtyard. Just looking at you annoys me." Liu Jinli waved his hand impatiently, shooing Liu Lanyan out.
"Master, should we confirm this with the Lord?" the confidant asked worriedly.
This situation is really quite tricky.
Whether it was the Lord's order or not, it's all just Liu Lanyan's word. If it's not true, then we've truly offended Boss Qi. If it is true, then punishing Liu Lanyan would offend the Lord.
The question is, how do I ask the Lord?
"No, I have to ask." Liu Jinli thought for a long time before making up his mind.
Without wasting any time, they hurriedly left the Liu residence and headed straight for the bamboo forest outside the city.
Liu Jinli was, after all, a Grand Elder with considerable demonic power. He used it to travel at great speed, and soon arrived outside the bamboo forest.
Before he could even get close, an immense pressure struck him, causing his blood to surge and nearly spit out a mouthful of blood: "Who goes there?"
"I am Liu Jinli, the Grand Elder of the Demon Realm. I request an audience with Your Majesty regarding Liu Lanyan." Liu Jinli was clever enough to mention Liu Lanyan's name.
After Liu Jinli finished speaking, there was no response. He didn't dare to move and stood outside waiting obediently.
Soon, the scenery suddenly changed, and they found themselves in a garden. Looking up in surprise, they saw a person reclining in a pavilion not far away, with a gentle and warm demeanor. Who else could it be but the Lord?
"Greetings, Your Majesty." Liu Jinli knelt down in fear, afraid that he would be too slow and displease His Majesty.
"What is it?" the demon god asked lazily, not even glancing at Liu Jinli. If he hadn't heard Liu Lanyan's name, he wouldn't have even bothered to see him.
"Lan Yan has taken a lot of valuable treasures from powerful merchants. Those merchants have a lot of influence in the royal city. They came to Lan Yan's door, demanding an explanation from her. This matter..." Liu Jinli was also clever. He didn't ask directly, but instead went around in circles and explained the matter tactfully. As for the outcome, it all depended on the Lord's decision.
Whether he admits it or denies it, he will know how to deal with Liu Lanyan.
To everyone's surprise, after hearing his words, the demon god didn't even raise an eyelid, and casually said, "Take it if you want, so what?"
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Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Most Important Thing
The demon god's words were spoken in a voice that was neither loud nor soft, seemingly casual and unintentional, yet they contained boundless domineering power.
So what if the merchants of the royal city control the economic lifeline?
He didn't care about any of these things.
"Yes, yes," Liu Jinli replied repeatedly. Seeing the demon god half-lying there, he quickly and respectfully took his leave.
After Liu Jinli left, Peng Zhen, who had been watching everything from outside, walked over and asked curiously, "What is Liu Jinli up to?"
Liu Jinli said something inexplicably. What was he trying to do?
The demon god stirred slightly, casually raising his hand to brush a strand of hair that had fallen onto his shoulder aside: "Whatever."
His nonchalant tone clearly showed that he hadn't taken Liu Jinli's words to heart.
Peng Zhen had naturally anticipated the Demon God's attitude. He was about to give instructions when he suddenly heard the Demon God order, "Go and investigate what Liu Lanyan has done."
"Huh?" Peng Zhen was stunned. His thoughts couldn't keep up with the demon god's rapid-fire thinking.
"Cha Liu Lanyan?" Peng Zhen asked uncertainly. Was it because he didn't hear clearly or because the Venerable One hadn't explained it clearly?
"Your Excellency, you just said it was up to you." Fortunately, Peng Zhen had been following the Demon God for quite some time, so he was naturally bolder and dared to ask the questions that were on his mind.
"Liu Jinli is naturally at ease," the Demon God said calmly.
Such a casual remark almost shocked Peng Zhen to the core.
He finally understood what the demon god meant.
Liu Jinli can say or do whatever he wants; there's no need to care. And there's even less need to concern yourself with what the merchants in the capital are like.
However, Your Excellency must know about Liu Lanyan's actions.
Peng Zhen couldn't help but slap his forehead to clear his muddled mind.
It wasn't that he lacked self-control; it was simply that his master's reaction was too fierce.
Peng Zhen's gaze shifted, suppressing a smile, and he asked seriously, "My lord, I have some more matters to report, regarding Liu Lanyan..."
"The demon realm will be destroyed?" The demon god slowly interrupted Peng Zhen, his words seemingly abrupt, yet Peng Zhen immediately understood his meaning and hurriedly replied, "Yes, your subordinate will take care of it right away."
The Lord's meaning is so clear.
As long as what he reports isn't the destruction of the demon realm, we can put it aside and investigate Liu Lanyan's matter first.
Peng Zhen slowly withdrew from the pavilion. Just as he turned to leave, he heard the Lord's command behind him. He felt no coolness in the clear sound of the spring, only a tightness in his heart and a chill from head to toe.
"Peng Zhen, Liu Lanyan's matter is the top priority from now on. You don't need to speculate anymore."
The meaning behind those understated words is all too obvious.
The demon god saw through his earlier probing and revealed everything to him without any concealment.
Liu Lanyan's matter is of utmost importance.
"Understood, Your subordinate." Peng Zhen turned around, bowed, and left.
He sensed the gravity in the Lord's words. Having been by the Lord's side for a thousand years, he was much more at ease than others. Sometimes, he would make a harmless joke, and the Lord would not take offense.
However, the Lord cannot tolerate the slightest mistake regarding Liu Lanyan's matter.
Putting aside all his joking intentions, Peng Zhen quickly left to investigate Liu Lanyan's matter.
Inside the pavilion, the demon god still lay reclining on the cool couch, his eyes half-closed, but no one could see the shimmering light in his eyes and the slight upturn of his lips, carrying a doting, indifferent smile.
Liu Jinli returned to the Liu residence and did not tell anyone about the matter. Instead, he went into his study and began to carefully study the gains and losses.
It wasn't until after dinner that he suddenly realized he hadn't gone to see Liu Xinrong yet.
He rushed over and saw Liu Xinrong looking angry. Liu Jinli quickly stepped forward to coax her, "Who offended my precious daughter?"
"Hmph, if you have something to do, go ahead and do it. Why are you bothering about whether I live or die?" Liu Xinrong complained angrily. In fact, her injuries had already healed a lot thanks to the top-grade medicine, and it wouldn't prevent her from participating in the upcoming product discussion.