Chapter 126: The Showdown

Having seen through Zhu Yu’s ugly true colors, Murong Fu dropped his facade of humility and sneered, "Half of the empire isn't enough? Then how much do you want? You must remember that I am the one leading this uprising, I am the one who handled all the preliminary preparations, and the nation I intend to restore is the Great Yan!"

Although Zhu Yu had no idea what was going on inside Murong Fu’s head, it was clear from that statement that he had completely misunderstood the situation. Originally, Zhu Yu had intended to drop the act and slap him down, but seeing Murong Fu’s sudden shift in attitude, he became intrigued and decided to play along a little longer.

"Young Master Murong, you have misunderstood my meaning."

"Misunderstood? Everything is out in the open now; what is there to misunderstand? Let me be blunt: I don't need you or the forces behind you to restore my nation. My bottom line is the title of 'Prince of Equal Rank.' Such an honor has never existed in history; surely that should be sufficient?"

To be honest, the "Prince of Equal Rank" that Murong Fu tossed out actually startled Zhu Yu. A Prince of Equal Rank? Where did that title even come from? The name sounded imposing enough, but Zhu Yu was certain that in the hierarchy of noble titles, no such thing existed. The meaning was clear enough from the words themselves, but he couldn't tell if this was just a pie in the sky promised by Murong Fu, or if he genuinely intended to create a title second only to the Regent.

At this point, the concept of "integrity" had long since vanished from Zhu Yu’s assessment of Murong Fu, so he naturally assumed the worst of intentions. Zhu Yu gathered his thoughts, preparing to guide Murong Fu into guessing his true identity; he imagined the expression on his face would be quite spectacular.

"Young Master Murong, you truly have misunderstood. How about this: I will ask you a question. Would you mind clearing up my confusion?"

Hearing this, Murong Fu didn't hesitate, assuming it was a test set by Zhu Yu. "Please, go ahead."

"Ahem, here is the situation. Let's take your home, for example. I have stayed here at Yanziwu for a day now; the scenery is beautiful, filled with the scent of flowers and the singing of birds—it is truly a wonderful place. Not only that, but it is secluded yet close to the towns, it is vast in size, and it holds a renowned reputation in the martial arts world. It is, quite frankly, excellent."

Before hearing the question, Murong Fu listened as Zhu Yu praised his home. Though he didn't know why, he couldn't help but reveal a proud smile. However, Zhu Yu’s next words caused Murong Fu’s expression to plummet.

"Young Master Murong, you live a very happy life at Yanziwu every day. You have loyal retainers, a cousin as beautiful as a celestial being who loves you dearly, and even the maids serving you are rare beauties. You have everything at home: money, grain, and prestige. But then, a boat of water bandits suddenly arrives. They aren't particularly strong, but they are all fierce and malicious. They arrive to seize half of your territory at Yanziwu. Not only that, but they demand half of everything you possess. Furthermore, Yanziwu can no longer be called Yanziwu; it must be renamed, and the bandits will decide how. From then on, you are no longer the master of Yanziwu; you only own half the land, and you have a new landlord managing things over your head. What would you do?"

Murong Fu had been prepared for Zhu Yu to make things difficult for him, but he hadn't expected the question to be so simple. He answered instinctively, "Since they aren't strong, I would just kill them. Why go through all that trouble?"

Hearing Murong Fu’s answer, Zhu Yu nodded with a smile, saying nothing. He thought to himself, *I’ve given him such an obvious hint; let’s see how he reacts.*

As for Murong Fu, after answering, he began to chew on the meaning. *It’s that simple? There must be more to it than meets the eye.* Before he could ponder further, he saw Zhu Yu’s expectant, smiling face, which only made him more certain that the question was a trap. But after thinking for a long time, he couldn't figure out where the trap lay. Instead, the feeling of unease in his heart grew stronger. With no other choice, since Zhu Yu was still waiting there, Murong Fu apologized.

"Is there a part of this question that I failed to answer fully, Brother Zhu? I ask for your guidance."

Zhu Yu, unable to suppress his excitement, stiffened at the question. He looked at Murong Fu intently, and upon realizing that Murong Fu wasn't playing games with him, he asked in disbelief, "Murong Fu? Are you seriously planning to rebel? How much have you actually studied? Do you not even know whose reign you are trying to overthrow?"

"How could that be? Didn't I just tell you, Brother Zhu? It is the Zhu imperial clan of the Jing Dynasty..."

As he spoke, Murong Fu’s voice gradually trailed off. In contrast, his face grew redder and redder, as if he were about to burst into flames. Having finally realized the truth, Murong Fu glared at Zhu Yu with eyes that looked as if they could devour him, his teeth gritted as he asked:

"Are you of the Zhu imperial clan?"

Seeing that Murong Fu had finally caught on, Zhu Yu nodded in satisfaction. Upon receiving confirmation, Murong Fu’s face was no longer red—it was turning black.

"The Zhu imperial clan? Is 'Zhu Yu' a pseudonym? I have never heard of any prince named Zhu Yu."

"That’s right, I am of the Zhu imperial clan, but I never said I was a prince."

"Then you..."

Before Murong Fu could ask again, Zhu Yu cut him off, providing the final answer. "Stop guessing. I will tell you plainly: the person you are trying to overthrow is me. I am standing right in front of you. Surprised? Shocked?"

"Ridiculous. Do you really take me for a fool? If you are the Emperor, then I am the King of Heaven himself."

"My friend, do you really think you are hard to fool? As for me... Yuyan, why don't you verify my identity for him?"

Zhu Yu was genuinely amused, mocking Murong Fu relentlessly. When he heard Murong Fu dare to question his identity again, Zhu Yu became annoyed. Just as he was about to retort, he realized he had landed in an awkward predicament: *How do I prove who I am?*

Jiang Yuyan, who had been listening to the entire conversation, was also shocked, her mouth agape, unsure of what to say. An emperor is an emperor—how does one prove it? By wearing dragon robes? But he hadn't brought any.

Murong Fu’s simple remark had left two grandmasters in a dilemma. Just as Zhu Yu and Jiang Yuyan stared at each other, feeling too awkward to speak, the kind-hearted Murong Fu helped them resolve the issue.

Seeing that neither Zhu Yu nor Jiang Yuyan were paying attention to him, a cruel grin spread across Murong Fu’s lips. *Zhu Yu? Whether you are the Emperor or not, you have admitted to being of the Zhu imperial clan. Even if the restoration of my nation is hopeless, I will at least drag you down with me!*

With that thought, Murong Fu raised his arm, and a "Canhe Finger" struck out like lightning, aimed directly at Zhu Yu’s throat!