Free Web NovelChapter 204: Chapter 181: It Is Only Great Yan That Needs Saving, Not the World
Soon, he arrived at Jufu Pavilion.
The old eunuch was already waiting downstairs. The moment he saw Wu Liangchen, he scurried over to greet him.
"Master Wu, my master is awaiting you on the top floor."
This old eunuch was Yan Rui’s personal attendant, equivalent to a chief steward.
Back in the Capital, he was a figure that not even the highest-ranking officials would dare to slight.
Yet, such a man had been waiting downstairs for a long time. This alone spoke volumes of Yan Rui’s sincerity.
Wu Liangchen nodded slightly and ascended the stairs, soon reaching the top floor.
The top floor was quiet today, as Yan Rui had reserved the entire level for the sake of privacy.
At the same time, Yan Rui and Wang Shihao were standing at the top of the stairs to welcome him. When Yan Rui saw Wu Liangchen, his eyes lit up. He immediately descended a few steps, his face wreathed in smiles.
"Young Hero Wu, we meet again."
Wu Liangchen knew Yan Rui was referring to their encounter on the road and offered a small smile in return.
"But the Prince must have known who I was long before that."
Yan Rui laughed heartily. "Indeed. I saw a portrait of Young Hero Wu back in the Capital. Frankly, the portrait doesn’t do you justice."
With his words, he casually glossed over the conflict between Wu Liangchen and the Xiao family.
It had to be said, this Yan Rui had a powerful charisma.
Anyone else, no matter how strong, would likely have been moved by such a "courteous" reception from Yan Rui.
After all, in this era, the concept of social hierarchy was deeply ingrained. Even a prince who had lost favor was still a prince.
But Wu Liangchen wasn’t buying it. In fact, he found it somewhat amusing.
’This Yan Rui is being far too deliberate,’ he thought. ’It’s like watching a play.’
However, he didn’t call him out on it, instead following him into the private room.
This had to be Jufu Pavilion’s most exclusive private room. The decor was the very definition of extravagant.
The moment Wu Liangchen sat down, dishes were served in a steady, endless stream.
These exquisite dishes were all steaming hot, clearly not prepared in advance and reheated.
They must have started cooking the moment Wu Liangchen entered the building, so everything would be ready just as he was seated. The timing was perfect.
But for truly powerful families, this was nothing special.
Wu Liangchen cared even less. Power, wealth—it was all bullshit to him now.
So he didn’t stand on ceremony. Once the dishes were all on the table, he picked up his chopsticks and began to eat.
Yan Rui chuckled and started eating as well.
For a time, the room was quiet, filled only with the sound of chopsticks against porcelain and the chewing of food.
The old eunuch watched from the side, a look of astonishment on his face. He had never seen his master eat with such large mouthfuls.
Finally, when he was starting to feel full, Yan Rui raised his cup. "Come, Young Hero Wu, let me offer you a toast!"
Wu Liangchen didn’t put down his chopsticks. He simply raised his cup with his other hand and drained it in one go.
Yan Rui didn’t seem to mind, watching him with a gentle smile.
Only when the entire table of food had been picked clean, with nothing left but a few greasy stains, did Wu Liangchen finally put down his chopsticks and look up at Yan Rui.
"You wanted to see me. What is it?"
His words were blunt, without a trace of courtesy.
Yan Rui, however, seemed perfectly at ease. "Young Hero Wu, there’s no need to worry. I didn’t invite you here to recruit or win you over."
"I just want to be your friend!"
"Friend?" Wu Liangchen let out a dry laugh and leaned back in his chair.
"I don’t think we can be friends."
"After all, you’re a high and mighty Prince, a true-blue imperial noble. And I... I’m just a man of the martial world who only knows how to speak with his fists."
His icy words instantly made the atmosphere in the room tense.
The old eunuch’s expression changed drastically, but Yan Rui remained composed, letting out a soft sigh.
"I know you have many misunderstandings about me. It’s quite normal, really. Since we have the chance today, allow me to explain."
"What do you think of the Great Yan dynasty as it is now?"
Wu Liangchen didn’t hesitate. "Utterly corrupt!"
At this, not just the old eunuch, but even Wang Shihao’s face changed.
But Yan Rui clapped his hands and sighed. "Well said! It is utterly corrupt. It would be a crime against heaven if a dynasty like this didn’t fall."
Wu Liangchen said nothing, simply waiting. He knew Yan Rui had more to say.
And sure enough, Yan Rui continued, "But do you know why the Great Yan has managed to last this long?"
"Because of the Martial Artists?"
"Talking to a clever man saves so much effort. Yes, precisely because of the Martial Artists!"
"In fact, if it weren’t for the great martial arts families propping it up, the Great Yan would have collapsed long ago."
"But you and I both know this isn’t a long-term solution. Sooner or later, the name of Great Yan will become utterly reviled. When that day comes, those martial arts families will abandon it without a second thought, forge their own path, and establish a new dynasty."
At this, Yan Rui gave a bitter smile. "When that happens, they can continue to lord it over everyone, enjoying their status as thousand-year-old families, but we of the Great Yan imperial clan will face complete annihilation."
Hearing this, Wu Liangchen finally felt a flicker of surprise.
’This Yan Rui is surprisingly clear-headed,’ he realized. ’At least his assessment of the situation is very far-sighted.’
"Are you a bit surprised? I actually saw all this coming long ago. But neither the Empress Dowager nor my dear brother would listen. Or perhaps they did listen, but they don’t want to change the status quo. They just want to continue living in their drunken stupor, resting on the laurels of our ancestors."
A mocking look appeared on Yan Rui’s face. "As for the other members of the imperial clan, they’re useless for anything but feasting and debauchery. It would be no great loss if they all died."
"So?" Wu Liangchen asked coolly.
"So, I want to change it all!" As he said this, Yan Rui’s expression suddenly became fanatical.
"I want to root out the old corruption and reshape the world! I will make those arrogant martial arts families obey the rules! I will cast down the incompetent and raise up the talented! Only then can the Great Yan be saved! Only then can the entire world be saved!"
Faced with this impassioned declaration, Wu Liangchen remained completely unmoved. Instead, he gave a faint, cold smile.
"And what was the result?"
The question dripped with sarcasm. After all, for all his fine words, he couldn’t even hold his ground in the Capital and had fled like a beaten dog. What was the point of saying all this now?
Yan Rui didn’t get angry. He let out a long sigh. "You’re right to ask. The result is that I failed. I was defeated by my ’dear’ brother and fled, alone and abandoned."
"But this isn’t the end. After all, I was thrown into the celestial prison on the Empress Dowager’s orders, yet I still escaped. And I even made it to Huangpu Guard with my attendants. Do you know why?"
"Because you have a backer. And your backer didn’t want to see you die, so they arranged for your escape," Wu Liangchen stated flatly.
Yan Rui was taken aback for a moment, then smiled wryly. "If this were not our first meeting, I would truly suspect you already knew the inside story."
"You’re right. I do have a backer, a very powerful one. With his help, I finally managed to flee the Capital City."
"And as long as I can find enough support here in Huangpu Guard, combined with the help of my backer, I can definitely overturn the heavens and reshape the world!"
With that, Yan Rui looked at Wu Liangchen, his gaze burning with intensity.
"And with the talent and intelligence Young Hero Wu has shown, if you are willing to help, you can achieve great things in the coming revolution. Becoming a prince or a prime minister would not be out of the question."
The offer was undeniably tempting, but Wu Liangchen had absolutely no interest. He shook his head. "And what if I’m not willing?"
Although he had expected Wu Liangchen to say this, a trace of disappointment still flickered across Yan Rui’s face when he actually heard the words.
But he quickly recovered. "It’s fine if you’re not willing. Didn’t I say before? This meeting wasn’t about recruitment, it was just to make a friend."
As he spoke, Yan Rui reached into his robes, pulled out a small white jade box, and personally handed it to Wu Liangchen.
"This is a Bone Marrow Cleansing Pill I obtained by a fortunate coincidence. For a Martial Artist of the Minor Fourth Realm, taking it will help break through the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pass."
A simple sentence, yet it instantly made the small white jade box worth a fortune.
It increased the probability of breaking through that final pass. Countless Martial Artists throughout history have been stuck before the Bone Marrow Cleansing Pass, unable to advance for the rest of their lives.
Tie Wuchang was the most vivid example.
To break through, he had even entered years of death seclusion, but still failed.
One could only imagine the sensation a pill like this would cause if word of it got out.
Yet Yan Rui was giving it to Wu Liangchen without hesitation. It was an incredibly grand gesture.
Crucially, the gift was perfectly timed. Wu Liangchen had just broken through to the Minor Fourth Realm and was at the exact stage to need such a pill.
Anyone else would likely have been moved on the spot.
Only Wu Liangchen couldn’t care less.
’A pass that is like a heavenly chasm for others doesn’t even exist for me.’
Wu Liangchen was increasingly convinced that the Ten Thousand Laws Tripod’s greatest function wasn’t deduction, but the elimination of all bottlenecks.
Therefore, this pill, so precious to others, was practically useless in Wu Liangchen’s eyes.
He didn’t even open it. He just smiled at Yan Rui and said, "Thank you for your generous offer, Prince. Unfortunately, I have a principle: I don’t accept rewards I haven’t earned. So this gift... please forgive me, but I cannot accept it."
The moment he spoke, the room fell silent.
Even Yan Rui hadn’t expected Wu Liangchen to refuse and stared at him in astonishment.
Wu Liangchen stood up, walked to the window, and looked down at the night view outside. Coolly, he said, "Prince, I’m not interested in your grand ideals of nation and duty. But there is one thing you said that I’d like to correct."
"What is that?"
"It is only the Great Yan that needs saving. The world... needs no one to save it!"
