Chapter 575 - 280: I Want to Challenge the Weakness

Chapter 575: Chapter 280: I Want to Challenge the Weakness

He had to think carefully about how to bring this up.

Otherwise, it would be easy to create a deadlock.

"I’ll see myself out."

Chen Sheng nodded and said no more.

Zhao Chengxiang watched him leave and couldn’t help but sigh.

Gazing at the Storage Magical Artifact on the desk, he instinctively wanted to take it back. But after a moment’s thought, he clenched his teeth and left it there, not expecting that it would ultimately make Chen Sheng compromise.

But with a thousand Elemental Crystals at stake, Chen Sheng would probably keep his promise for the next ten days.

In truth, Zhao Chengxiang had no confidence at all that he could persuade his father, the Prince, to part with the Three-Color Treasure Lotus.

He had only two choices before him.

The first was to go back and discuss the matter with his mother consort.

Given how doted upon Yu Nanzhi was, she might be able to get his father, the Prince, to yield and convince him.

The second was to start preparing immediately.

Within these ten days, he had to either clean up the mess or, if possible, eliminate Chen Sheng completely.

But either option was clearly very difficult.

Chen Sheng was not someone who could be easily dealt with.

With the Nie Family backing him, if Prince Xiang’s Mansion truly made a move against Chen Sheng, they likely wouldn’t be able to handle the ensuing trouble.

Cleaning up the aftermath would be almost impossible.

After all, Chen Sheng held solid evidence in his hands.

As for working with his mother consort, that was indeed a viable method.

But he figured that if it succeeded, all the credit would go to Yu Nanzhi, while he would still be punished.

Thus, he found himself hesitating, unable to make a decision.

.....

’What do they mean, Chen Sheng has a penchant for other men’s wives?’

Inside the Ning’an Wang Clan’s residence, Princess Consort Xiang, dressed in a palace gown, recalled the information the White Tiger Hall had just sent back. Her beautiful eyes darkened and her fine brows furrowed. Something felt very... off.

Just moments ago, the White Tiger Hall had reported back to her with some findings from their investigation into Chen Sheng.

But what they found struck Yu Nanzhi as rather bizarre.

The White Tiger Hall’s report stated:

Looking at Chen Sheng’s past, there were precedents of him seducing other men’s fiancées as far back as his time in Changshan County.

Especially the fiancées of his enemies.

Gao Qiheng of the Changshan Gao Clan had a feud with Chen Sheng and was killed by him on the spot.

Afterward, Chen Sheng openly declared his interest in Gao Qiheng’s fiancée, Yang Xueyao. No one knew the specifics of what happened, but the White Tiger Hall’s investigation revealed that of the three powerful families in Changshan County at the time, the other two were annihilated, but the Yang Family alone was spared.

Furthermore, they had now become a vassal to Chen Sheng’s forces, making it hard for the White Tiger Hall not to connect this to Yang Xueyao.

Second, there was Wang Zilan of the Ning’an Wang Clan.

In fact, Yu Nanzhi had already heard some things about Wang Zilan without needing the White Tiger Hall’s report.

The general story seemed to be that Wang Zilan was once betrothed to someone from the Direct Lineage of the Lu Family of Luoyun Manor.

But Chen Sheng had crashed the engagement banquet, snatched Wang Zilan away in front of everyone, and later annihilated the entire Luoyun Manor.

Third was Sun Yuzhi, the current Governor of the Ning’an Jingwu Bureau.

In her early years, she too had a fiancé.

But now, she was Chen Sheng’s woman.

Most importantly, according to the White Tiger Hall’s various investigations, Chen Sheng was suspected of having some kind of clandestine relationship with Lan Yufei, the former Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect and the number one beauty of Nanzhao.

Based on this, the White Tiger Hall concluded that Chen Sheng had a preference for taking other men’s women.

To be honest...

...before this, Yu Nanzhi had considered many possibilities.

For instance, that Chen Sheng was resolutely dedicated to the martial path, or that he was simply fond of beautiful women. She had never considered this particular angle. But now, after the White Tiger Hall’s deductions, she was beginning to have her doubts.

’Could it be? Does Chen Sheng truly have such a unique taste, unlike ordinary men?’

’But if that’s the case, what am I supposed to do?’

’I am the legitimate daughter of the Yu Clan, the Princess Consort of Xiangyang. Surely I wouldn’t... go and seduce a man, would I?’

’But if I don’t do that...’

’...how am I supposed to "persuade" Chen Sheng?’

As for his weaknesses...

...the White Tiger Hall also had an assessment.

It seemed Chen Sheng’s only suspected weakness was women.

Other than that, he had no obvious vulnerabilities.

He was all alone; his parents died long ago, and he never cared for family bonds. Of course, he had no family to speak of.

He was decisive and ruthless in his actions.

He never yielded to threats.

If they had to name a weakness, the people from the White Tiger Hall felt it could only be women, and even that was just a suspicion.

Because in the White Tiger Hall’s view, Chen Sheng was rather cold and unfeeling. Even if one were to threaten him with a woman he was involved with, he would most likely refuse to compromise.

He would only slaughter the perpetrator’s entire family to take revenge.

Obviously, this was not the outcome Yu Nanzhi wanted.

What she wanted was to get a hold over Chen Sheng, or at the very least, to know his weakness.

Not to test his weakness.

After thinking it over and over, Yu Nanzhi couldn’t come up with a good solution. She could only resolve to meet with Chen Sheng the next day, try to communicate with him, and sound him out.

If Chen Sheng didn’t have any designs on her, then at worst, she could just help him find some other women. It wouldn’t be a problem.

With the resources of Prince Xiang’s Mansion and the Yu Clan...

...they could find any kind of woman he wanted.

With such thoughts weighing on her mind, Yu Nanzhi had a sleepless night.

On one hand, she thought that for Chen Sheng to have made such a name for himself in such a short time, he couldn’t possibly be a lecherous fiend; he wouldn’t go too far.

On the other hand, she couldn’t stop thinking...

’What if?’

’What if Chen Sheng uses this matter to threaten me?’

’Should I compromise?’

After all, Yu Nanzhi truly did not want this situation to escalate.

It would be anything but a good thing for Prince Xiang’s Mansion and the Yu Clan.

Yu Nanzhi was quite confident in her own looks, especially after taking a Youthful Appearance Pill, which had added to her beauty.

Prince Xiang treated her as the apple of his eye.

Part of it was that Prince Xiang valued her intelligence, but a large part was also due to her exceptional beauty.

If Prince Xiang hadn’t suffered damage to his vital essence in his early years, and if his Cultivation Technique hadn’t made it difficult to perform conjugal duties, she might have already borne him a new heir.

.....

"You’re not going today?"

Princess Consort Xiang looked at Zhao Chengxiang, her fine brows slightly furrowed, a hint of suspicion and surprise in her eyes.

She had some understanding of her stepson’s way of thinking.

Because of his lack of talent, he wasn’t favored by Prince Xiang and actually harbored some resentment toward her. This was especially true since she was closer to the young son of another consort, which made him feel a great sense of crisis.

He was always trying to prove himself.

He had even requested to come on this mission, but now he was suddenly saying he wouldn’t go.

"I have thought it over carefully. Mother Consort is eloquent and quick-witted; you certainly have a chance of persuading Chen Sheng. But I have always been somewhat reckless and impulsive. I’m afraid that if I cause a scene with Chen Sheng, it will only make things worse.

It would be better for me to wait here for your good news, Mother Consort."

Zhao Chengxiang said.

But the real reason was that he still hadn’t made up his mind.

At the same time, he was thinking that perhaps he could let Yu Nanzhi hit a wall with Chen Sheng. That way, when he tried to persuade his father later, he would have more supporting evidence.

"In that case, you may rest here at the Wang Family’s residence. I can go by myself."

Although Yu Nanzhi felt something was a little off, she didn’t press the matter.

At that moment, her mind was still preoccupied with what she would do if Chen Sheng threatened her.

’Should I compromise?’

’Or not?’

Her heart was in turmoil.

She didn’t have the energy to question Zhao Chengxiang’s odd behavior.

With that said, Yu Nanzhi prepared to lower the curtain and enter the carriage, but Zhao Chengxiang suddenly called out to her again.

"Mother Consort, please wait."

"Is there something else?"

Yu Nanzhi watched her stepson’s expression.

Zhao Chengxiang hesitated for a moment before saying in a low voice,

"I’ve made some inquiries. That Chen Sheng is young and aggressive, with a bad temper. If he happens to offend you, Mother Consort, I hope you can be magnanimous and not stoop to his level."

He had just dealt with Chen Sheng directly and could sense that the man was indeed rather unscrupulous.

It was inevitable that there would be some confrontational words exchanged.

Hearing this, Yu Nanzhi smiled, a slight curve gracing her beautiful face.

"Don’t worry, I won’t stoop to his level."

"That’s good. Please take care, Mother Consort."

Having said his piece, Zhao Chengxiang took a step back and bowed.

Yu Nanzhi gave a slight nod, lowered the curtain, and placed her hands over her Dantian. She slowly closed her eyes, mulling over the possible scenarios for her meeting with Chen Sheng.

Her hands couldn’t help but clench slightly.

’I hope... that Chen Sheng doesn’t go too far...’

——————