Ming Dynasty, Dragon Guarding Manor.
"Adoptive Father, did you see that? We underestimated His Majesty once again!"
Shangguan Haitang was utterly shocked.
Last time, the Land Immortal Realm had already left them in disbelief.
Now, the God Demon Realm made them question what they were seeing.
"Indeed. Who would have thought that the infamous Azure Dragon Association in the Martial World was actually secretly controlled by His Majesty?"
"The 365 branches were just small operations."
"The real decision-makers must all be in the Land Immortal Realm."
"Exactly. Perhaps the Azure Dragon Association was using this system to continuously select the strongest."
"Those lacking in strength could only stay in the branches."
"Only those who reached a certain level would qualify for the upper ranks."
The four elite agents of Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow were buzzing with excitement.
But none of them noticed the grim expression on the face of Iron Courage Divine Marquis Zhu Wushi.
Though his face remained composed, inside he was completely panicked.
God Demon Realm Land Immortal.
And on top of that, the entire Azure Dragon Association under His Majesty's control.
Then didn't that mean all the things he had done had been under the Emperor's watch?
Even those treasonous acts must have been seen through.
But why did the Emperor behave as if nothing had happened?
As if he hadn't noticed anything.
What exactly was the Emperor planning?
The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt.
Only now did he realize a giant net was slowly closing in on him.
There was nowhere left to escape.
All he could do was wait for the net to tighten.
Until he could no longer move or resist.
Just like an insect caught in a spider's web.
The only path before him was death.
==========
Ming Imperial Palace.
"Your Majesty, the Iron Courage Divine Marquis is kneeling outside, requesting an audience!"
Cao Zhengchun stepped forward and respectfully reported.
"Oh? Uncle? Send him back. I have pressing matters and no time to see him."
Zhu Houzhao casually flipped through a book and spoke with an indifferent tone.
Cao Zhengchun was slightly stunned, then quickly retreated.
But before long, he returned again.
"Your Majesty, the Iron Courage Divine Marquis is still kneeling there. He says he will wait until Your Majesty is willing to see him."
Cao Zhengchun wiped the sweat from his forehead.
He also sensed something was wrong.
Thinking about the strange things Zhu Wushi had done in the past, it was likely he had committed some betrayal.
Now, after seeing the ranking board, he must have realized the danger and wanted to beg for mercy.
While secretly sneering at him, his awe and fear toward His Majesty grew stronger.
Zhu Houzhao acted as if he didn't hear, continuing to read the book silently.
Cao Zhengchun remained respectfully on standby, not daring to interrupt.
It was clear His Majesty was intentionally teaching the Iron Courage Divine Marquis a lesson.
Time quickly passed.
"Is uncle still outside?"
"If he is, let him in."
"Yes, Your Majesty. I will go immediately."
Cao Zhengchun felt as if he had been granted amnesty.
Soon, he led the pale-faced Zhu Wushi inside.
"Your servant Zhu Wushi greets Your Majesty!"
"Uncle, this is the first time I've seen you so respectfully bow to me! What is the reason?"
Zhu Houzhao's tone was ambiguous.
"Your Majesty, this servant begs for death!"
Zhu Wushi bowed again.
"Oh? uncle, you were appointed by the Former Emperor to assist me. Why would you suddenly ask for death?"
"How could I sentence the uncle to death without reason?"
"Cao Zhengchun, help uncle up. This behavior is unbecoming."
"Lord Divine Marquis, His Majesty commands you to stand and speak."
Cao Zhengchun stepped forward with a falsely concerned look.
But Zhu Wushi ignored him.
"Your servant has wronged His Majesty and the Former Emperor. I have committed many wrongs and beg Your Majesty to sentence me to death so I may find peace."
Zhu Houzhao smiled playfully.
"Oh? What crimes does uncle refer to?"
"Could it be the impersonation incident with the envoy from Izumo? Or perhaps the plan to assassinate me?"
"Or was it all orchestrated behind the scenes by uncle?"
At those words, not only was Cao Zhengchun stunned, Zhu Wushi's face also changed.
He hadn't even put that plan into action yet. How did the Emperor know?
Was he truly so omniscient?
Could nothing be hidden from him?
Cold sweat poured from Zhu Wushi's forehead.
"Oh, no, this can't be uncle's doing!"
"Or is it about colluding with Wan Sanqian to stockpile grain and weapons?"
Cao Zhengchun's face darkened.
Such a huge matter, and the Eastern Factory knew nothing.
This was a massive failure.
"Lord Divine Marquis, you..."
Zhu Wushi's expression shifted between green and purple.
But then Zhu Houzhao changed tone again.
"Wan Sanqian is bold indeed, using uncle's name to plot rebellion everywhere."
"This can't be blamed on uncle. You merely trusted the wrong person."
"I assume that's not the issue uncle meant either."
"Then it must be the matter of the 36 Heavenly Stars and 72 Earthly Stars from Qingcheng Mountain."
At this point, even Cao Zhengchun realized what was happening.
His Majesty was warning Zhu Wushi.
And to think Zhu Wushi had done so much behind the scenes.
Stockpiling military supplies, training assassins... What was his goal?
It was now clear as day.
"No, that too was Wan Sanqian's doing. uncle should not be blamed."
"If that's not it, then it must be the plot to assassinate court officials using foreign cultivators."
"Impossible. uncle was the Former Emperor's trusted confidant. He would never do something so insane."
"He must have been deceived."
"Then perhaps it's about the slaughter of cultivators and absorbing their inner power?"
"But that was personal revenge, unrelated to state affairs."
"Surely that's not what uncle meant."
"If none of those are it, then only one thing remains that would make uncle so nervous."
At this moment, Zhu Houzhao's playful smile vanished.
He stared coldly at Zhu Wushi.
"Using the Dragon Guarding Manor's intelligence network to investigate the private lives of border generals, and planning to blackmail them."
"Attempting to control all military power in the Ming Dynasty!"
"Was uncle dissatisfied with being the Iron Courage Divine Marquis and wanted to play Emperor for a while?"
After those words, not only did Zhu Wushi collapse to the ground, even Cao Zhengchun knelt down in terror.
He cursed furiously in his heart.
Zhu Wushi, you damn traitor.
You've truly planned a rebellion?
How vile.
This time, Cao Zhengchun hated Zhu Wushi to the bone.
Regardless of anything else, the Eastern Factory's failure to detect all this was a crime he could not escape.
==========
Clap, clap, clap!
"You can all come out now."
Zhu Houzhao clapped.
Moments later, several familiar figures entered the hall.
Zhu Wushi's pupils shrank sharply.
Wan Sanqian.
The leader of the 36 Heavenly Stars.
Yagyuu Munemori!
Yagyuu Hyoujo!
"Your servant Wan Sanqian greets Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!"
"Your servant Dark Nineteen greets Your Majesty!"
"Your servant Dark Five greets Your Majesty!"
"Your servant Dark Seven greets Your Majesty!"
"Rise!"
"Tell uncle your real identities!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Subordinate, Deputy Director of the "Commerce" Department of the Inner Factory, Wan Sanqian, greets the Divine Marquis!"
Wan Sanqian chuckled, respectfully bowing.
Zhu Wushi's face turned deathly pale.
Now he understood.
From the very beginning, Wan Sanqian was His Majesty's man.
The Inner Factory.
The Emperor even had an organization like this, and he had no idea.
Wan Sanqian's status in the Inner Factory was clearly high.
Which meant everything he had done had been under the Emperor's watch.
And he thought he had been so clever.
Turns out he was nothing more than a clown.
Zhu Wushi looked toward the other assassins and the Yagyuu pair.
"I am Dark Nineteen. Greetings, Divine Marquis."
Dark Nineteen spoke coldly.
"Divine Marquis, long time no see. Let me reintroduce myself. I am Dark Five. I replaced Yagyuu Munemori as soon as he entered the Ming Dynasty."
"I am Dark Seven."
Yagyuu Hyoujo said only four words.
The three did not mention their positions.
But they were clearly members of one of the Emperor's secret organizations.
Dark Nineteen?
Dark Five?
Dark Seven?
Could it be the legendary Dark Guard?
If so, these three had very high ranks.
He gave up.
At this moment, he completely surrendered.
In terms of strength, he couldn't compare.
In terms of strategy, the Emperor had completely outplayed him.
All his so-called allies had been placed by the Emperor.
Even the confidential information about generals was likely fabricated for him.
How ridiculous.
All this time, he had thought he was something impressive.
Now, he looked like nothing but a fool.
Dreams of imperial ambition?
Now it all seemed like an illusion, like flowers in water or the moon in a well.
"Your servant has nothing more to say. I await Your Majesty's judgment."
Zhu Wushi spoke in defeat.
"Zhu Wushi, for the sake of your imperial blood and that you haven't committed irredeemable crimes, I won't kill you."
"But though you escape death, punishment is inevitable."
"From now on, you are to remain in Dragon Guarding Manor under house arrest for reflection."
"When your cultivation reaches a new level, I may still have use for you."
"All affairs of Dragon Guarding Manor will be handled by the Four Great Agents of Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow."
"The intelligence division will be stripped and reassigned elsewhere, as I see fit."
"The First Manor of the World will be merged into the Dragon Guarding Manor."
"Shangguan Haitang of the Profound-Grade will take charge!"
Zhu Houzhao then issued one command after another.
Completely reorganizing, dismantling, and integrating the authority of Dragon Guarding Manor.
From now on, it will no longer be ruled by Zhu Wushi alone.
Instead, it would operate more like an official department, such as the Six Doors.
The Four Great Agents would become the top leaders.
Each managing a part of the operations.
They would cooperate yet compete with each other.
==========
Iron Courage Divine Marquis Zhu Wushi was ordered by the Emperor to reflect in seclusion.
Dragon Guarding Manor was fully restructured.
The Four Great Agents rose in power.
This caused a huge stir in the court.
Especially among the Eastern and Western Factories, the Six Doors, and the Zhuge Divine Marquis Mansion, who were all paying close attention.
==========
Zhuge Divine Marquis Mansion.
"Uncle, I really didn't expect the Iron Courage Divine Divine Marquis to be such a person."
"His Majesty showed mercy by sparing him. He got off easy."
"Hoarding military supplies, training assassins, plotting assassinations, and collecting secrets on military commanders."
"One thing after another, all truly horrifying."
"We were completely in the dark."
"And yet His Majesty was fully aware all along."
"No one expected Wan Sanqian, Zhu Wushi's close ally, to actually be His Majesty's man."
"His Majesty is truly unfathomable!"
The four famed constables, Ruthless, Iron Hand, Life Snatcher, and Cold Blood, were all deeply impressed.
"Our Emperor is terrifying and impossible to predict."
"Uncle, you're not secretly plotting something like Zhu Wushi, are you?"
Life Snatcher asked nervously.
"You brat, daring to suspect your uncle? You want a beating?"
Divine Marquis Zhuge glared.
But the four were only joking, trying to lighten the mood.
They would never really suspect Zhuge.
They trusted him completely.
"Uncle, is Zhu Wushi done for?"
Ruthless suddenly asked.
"Not necessarily. He may be used again in the future. It depends on him."
"But don't underestimate Dragon Guarding Manor."
"Now that the Four Great Agents are in charge, the manor won't decline."
"Let's focus on our own duties."
"Also, His Majesty just rewarded our office with Dragon Fang Rice. It's said to improve inner strength. Each of you take some and test it out."
"Such a miraculous item exists?"
"Now that divine and celestial artifacts have appeared, rice that boosts strength isn't that strange. Just think of it as an alternative kind of pill."
"True. With even the Nine Provinces Golden Ranking around, power-enhancing rice isn't that shocking."
"But still, His Majesty is incredible."
"Let's hope he continues to give us more new and exciting things!"
==========
Eastern Factory.
At this time, Cao Zhengchun was in a fury.
"You useless fools! You didn't notice a single thing about such a major incident?"
"Do you know I almost lost my life before His Majesty today?"
"You think only Zhu Wushi was punished today?"
"His Majesty is deeply dissatisfied with the Eastern Factory's performance!"
"You squad leaders, each of you takes one hundred lashes to refresh your memory. If this happens again, I'll feed you to the dogs!"
Cao Zhengchun's spittle flew as he cursed them like dogs.
He could sense that if the Eastern Factory continued like this, they would completely lose His Majesty's trust.
Now, for any matter, His Majesty thought of the Western Factory first, not the Eastern.
If this kept up, his position would be meaningless.
He could lose to anyone, just not the Western Factory.
==========
Western Factory.
"Congratulations, Director. Today His Majesty praised you again and gifted you Dragon Fang Rice."
"Meanwhile, Cao Zhengchun of the Eastern Factory was severely scolded by His Majesty."
"If this continues, our Western Factory will surely surpass the Eastern Factory."
"As long as we always serve His Majesty, we will be well rewarded."
"But don't drag us down in secret, any of you."
"Do your job well, and I won't be stingy with rewards. But if you slack off, don't blame me for being ruthless."
"Everything in the Western Factory obeys the Director's command!"
"Wrong. Everything in the Western Factory obeys His Majesty's command!"