Chapter 56: The Leader's Wife

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Two hours later, in Yangzhou City, at the Lichun Court.

“Tonight, no stories about the Three Kingdoms,”
“No tales from the Water Margin,”
“Instead, I offer you, esteemed listeners, a brand new story.”
“The most beautiful woman in Yangzhou, the leading courtesan of Lichun Court, the refined Lady Wei Chunhua…”

Below the stage, Wang Kun, dressed in ancient attire, couldn’t help but twitch a corner of his mouth as he looked at Wei Xiaobao atop the stage, sporting an exaggerated green cap.

“So it really is this Wei Xiaobao—such a theatrical expression. How do these people even listen to him?”

Shaking his head, Wang Kun turned away without further hesitation.

After discovering he’d arrived just outside Yangzhou, he had quietly entered the city and sought out the famed pleasure house, Lichun Court.

But the moment he saw the showy, bright-veined, green-capped Wei Xiaobao, he understood which version of the character he was dealing with.

A short while later, in a secluded courtyard within the city, Wang Kun summoned several beautiful female deathsworn loyal to him.

“Xia Tian, Zi Yun, I’m leaving Yangzhou in your hands. Your task is to recruit townsfolk and martial artists, seize control of the city, and train an army.”

“If the Qing army comes to attack, show no mercy—kill any and all orthodox Manchu bannermen without hesitation.”

“Yes, Master!”

Given the strength of Wang Kun’s deathsworn, dealing with mere Manchu bannermen was hardly a challenge.

The only real difficulty would be training the army.

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After all, Wang Kun intended to seize the entire Central Plains and overthrow the Qing dynasty.

Such a vast domain could hardly be governed and occupied by a handful of beautiful deathsworn alone.

And just as Wang Kun finished summoning his loyalists and issuing orders, several household guards in the courtyard discovered them.

“Who are you people? How dare you trespass in the magistrate’s residence?”

Paying no attention to their shouting, Wang Kun soared skyward with his deathsworn, leaving Yangzhou behind.

After he left, the witch Ju Ziyun unleashed her psychic powers, instantly killing the approaching guards by piercing their bodies.

Immediately after, Xia Tian and Ju Ziyun used their formidable martial prowess to slaughter all Manchu bannermen officials and the garrison commander in the city. They then forced the remaining garrison soldiers to cut off their queues and, with the help of several thousand Han Chinese troops in the city, seized control of all the city gates.

Back at Lichun Court, Wei Xiaobao’s storytelling was abruptly interrupted by a cacophony of anxious voices.

“Something terrible has happened! Two female rebels have arrived in Yangzhou. They just killed all the Manchu officials in the city and have forced the garrison to seize control of every city gate!”

“And they’ve ordered that no one is to leave the city.”

“What? Yangzhou has been taken by rebels?”

“Just two people?”

“Yes! Word is these two female rebels are like deities of slaughter descended from the heavens—they can fly through the air, and killing Qing soldiers is as easy as slaughtering chickens.”

“The thousands-strong garrison was routed by them in a single encounter.”

“Wait, tell us more—what exactly happened?”

Wei Xiaobao, on the stage, pressed for details as soon as he heard the news.

Elsewhere in Yangzhou, in a tavern, Chen Jinnan and a group of Heaven and Earth Society members were gathered, excitedly discussing the events.

“Master, now that Yangzhou has been seized by two mysterious heroines, should we go and meet them?”

“We certainly should,” Chen Jinnan replied, “but before we do, we need to gather more information.”

Given how suddenly Xia Tian and the witch had appeared, Chen Jinnan wasn’t about to act rashly or reveal himself without understanding the situation.

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That night, in the Forbidden City, the Empress Dowager’s palace.

The false Empress Dowager, Su Quan, was bathing, attended by several palace maids.

Suddenly, a figure appeared in the chamber.

“Who dares intrude upon the Empress Dowager’s quarters?”

The palace maids, undercover disciples of the Divine Dragon Sect, immediately tried to seize Wang Kun.

But Wang Kun ignored their attempts, quickly communicating with his system and used a deathsworn card on Su Quan.

At once, Su Quan, still in her bath, called out to the maids about to act.

“Stop. All of you, leave now.”

At her command, the maids put away their vigilance and obediently withdrew from the room.

Once they were gone, Su Quan, naked and glistening from her bath, stepped gracefully before Wang Kun, her manner exceedingly deferential.

“Su Quan pays her respects to Master.”

Just as Wang Kun expected, this false Empress Dowager was steeped in guilt and wickedness.

Thus, Su Quan, originally one of Wei Xiaobao’s wives in the story, now became one of Wang Kun’s beautiful deathsworn.