He was not someone who didn't know the weight of things. Those who could open gambling dens in the capital had backing. After all, some gamblers came from noble families. If they wanted to go back on their word or trouble the gambling house, how could they continue to operate? Therefore, there needed to be an untouchable presence behind them.
The Grand Tutor's family seemed very influential in the capital, but compared to true royalty and nobility, they were still far behind. He could only avoid their edge and seek revenge from the person he gambled with yesterday.
Not long after Liu San stepped out of his house, he bumped into Young Master Liu. He immediately plastered a smile on his face and stepped forward, asking loudly, "What? Young Master Liu, did you come to give me the deed? Why are you being so polite? You're a young master, I wouldn't dare to default on my debt, would I? No need to rush."
Liu Pengyuan was furious, hitting a sore spot. He waved his hand, and the servant behind him immediately grabbed Liu San by the collar, intending to drag him into a nearby alley.
Liu San knew this was bad and quickly shouted for help, "The Grand Tutor's son is going to kill me, the Grand Tutor's son is going to kill me..."
The servants saw that it was not good and, fearing they would attract attention, tried to cover his mouth. The reason Liu San dared to be so brazen in the capital was that he had traveled extensively in his youth and had martial arts skills. He knew that if he were dragged into that alley, he would at least lose half his life, if not die. He immediately fought back.
The crowd, who originally thought he was just an ordinary merchant, were surprised to find he was also skilled in martial arts. Seeing the situation escalate, they wanted to retreat quickly.
The commotion had already attracted the attention of those who were observant. A crowd had gathered not far away, watching the scene. Although they felt the situation was very dangerous, they knew that no major disturbance would occur in the capital. After all, it was the Emperor's doorstep. They were afraid of alarming the authorities. Moreover, if they hadn't misheard, the person being attacked was shouting about the Grand Tutor's son, and everyone wanted to keep a low profile.
Liu San, seeing that the situation had escalated, became somewhat excited. He was just a small merchant, so he wouldn't be the one to suffer. To ensure Young Master Liu would not dare to target him again, he decided to teach his subordinates a lesson. Sudan Novel Network.
Liu Pengyuan, in a fit of rage, ordered them to retreat quickly. As expected, the next day, the Grand Tutor summoned him again and looked at him with disappointment, clearly telling him that if he caused any more trouble in the capital, he would be sent back to his hometown and never allowed to set foot in the capital again.
Liu Pengyuan watched his father's retreating back, clenching his fists. If his elder brother had done the same thing, his father would have surely cleaned up the mess for him, not spoken such harsh words. Clearly, even his own father treated them differently. He couldn't count on him for his own affairs.
That very night, two assassins secretly infiltrated Liu San's courtyard and released some sleeping gas, killing him with ease.
With the job done, the two quickly jumped over the wall of Liu's house, intending to flee. To their surprise, after running only a few steps, a couple emerged from an alleyway.
The two exchanged glances and raised their sabers, slashing at them. At first, they didn't take the couple seriously, as they were both notorious assassins in the martial world, known for taking money to solve problems. When the couple stepped out, they knew their intentions were not good, but what could they do? They thought they would finish them off quickly, as the couple's demeanor and clothing suggested they were also from noble families, so how capable could they be? But as soon as they exchanged blows, they realized they were wrong.
They didn't see how the attack was launched. When they came to their senses, they were lying on the ground. They prepared to get up and escape, as the thirty-six stratagems were the best course of action.
But after struggling for a long time, they couldn't get up. Their bodies felt weak and limp. "What trick did you use on us? That's too despicable."
"I am a woman, and I don't discuss martial ethics with you. If I recall correctly, you are assassins, your hands stained with blood. If I can capture you, is it wrong to use some small, insidious tactics?" Wu Caiwei said mockingly, looking at them. It was worth her spending so many days setting this up; Liu Pengyuan had finally taken the bait.
The next day, Wu Caiwei brought the two assassins to the court and sounded the warning drum.
When Liu Pengyuan was summoned to the hall, he saw the two assassins and understood what had happened. Thinking of his father's meaningful gaze just now, he knew he was finished.
He never expected that the two assassins he had hired from the martial world would be captured. Wasn't it rumored that they never failed?
The two assassins knew they were in the hands of the authorities and would not have a good end, as they had taken many lives. However, they valued their own lives and were constantly looking for an opportunity to escape. As long as they weren't dragged out for execution, there was still hope.
To avoid torture, they confessed truthfully about what happened last night whenever the magistrate asked.
At this point, everyone realized that not only was the Grand Tutor's third son, who was well-known, a gambler, but he also wanted to take someone's life over a lost bet. This was not the act of a true man. However, his identity was special, and a mere county magistrate couldn't afford to offend the Grand Tutor.
In the end, to save Liu Zhiyuan's life, the Grand Tutor himself pleaded with the Emperor. While he escaped the death penalty, he could not escape punishment.
This time, the Grand Tutor was truly enraged. He couldn't believe his son was so useless and had shamed him so thoroughly. He ordered him to pack his belongings, take only a close attendant, and return to his hometown, never to set foot in the capital again.
Of course, the Grand Tutor also resented Wu Caiwei and her husband for exposing his son. However, he was very well-informed and knew that the couple had allied with the princess, who was very fond of Wu Caiwei and supported her in everything. He dared not touch her for the time being.
Liu Pengyuan, upon seeing the couple, had already suspected that Wu Caiwei might have discovered his past actions, otherwise, why would things have happened so coincidentally?
Wu Caiwei, on the other hand, was also thinking of Liu Pengyuan. How could she let him off so easily? Of course, she had to send him a grand gift, so that even after returning to his hometown, he would suffer greatly and die.
All of Liu Pengyuan's misfortunes were intentionally orchestrated by her. She had instructed someone to whisper to Liu San about Liu Pengyuan's wealth and special status. When Liu San thought of potential profit, his hands itched. Even though the other party was of high status, he wanted to trick him.
After all, he had also been a desperado in the past, with blood on his hands. He had even dared to kill his own brother, seizing the hard-earned fortune of his brother's life's work and driving his nephew and sister-in-law out of the house. His wealth had come too easily, and he didn't know how to cherish it. After several successful attempts, he had tasted the sweetness of ill-gotten gains and become lawless. Dying at the hands of Liu Pengyuan could be considered doing a good deed for the common people.
Soon, the triennial imperial examination arrived, and Zhu Yuxuan, as expected, achieved the top rank, becoming the Zhuangyuan (top scholar) and earning the Emperor's deep trust.