Imperial Husband Chapter 76

Too weak.

The man looked at Li Jin with gradually increasing disdain.

It was no wonder the man thought this. His height was considerably greater than an average person's, nearly one hundred and ninety-five centimeters, and his muscles were astonishing, giving a feeling of imminent explosive power.

Li Jin, however, looked just like a scholar who lacked the strength to truss a chicken, with clear signs of illness on his face. No matter how one looked at it, he didn't seem like a match for the man.

[手无缚鸡之力 (shǒu wú fù jī zhī lì): lit. hands lack the strength to truss a chicken; fig. extremely weak, physically feeble]

"Mhm."

Chen Manzhou, looking like he was watching a good show, gave a nod.

Hearing this, the man knew the fight between him and Li Jin was inevitable. He cupped his hands and asked, "Master, if I accidentally use too much force and kill him, you won't blame me, will you?"

Chen Manzhou shook his head. "No. That would only mean he overestimated his own abilities and sought death."

The man responded gravely, "Yes."

"You won't disappoint me, will you?" Chen Manzhou deliberately said this to Li Jin. In reality, Chen Manzhou didn't believe Li Jin had the ability to win at all. Or rather, in Chen Manzhou's eyes, Li Jin was merely a joke, something to pass the time.

"This subordinate will not disappoint you, Master."

Li Jin calmly bowed once more to Chen Manzhou.

"Very good. Then begin."

With Chen Manzhou's order, the man immediately took the initiative, launching an attack and throwing a punch at Li Jin.

Sensing the danger, the instant the man's fist was about to land on him, Li Jin abruptly sidestepped to the left, narrowly avoiding the man's attack.

Seeing his first strike fail, the man used both hands.

Li Jin focused mainly on evasion, not intending to meet the man head-on.

After going back and forth like this, the man, who had been continuously attacking, was the first to start panting. However, the man's moves against Li Jin also gradually became more fierce, several times almost successfully hitting him.

This 'almost' was deliberately created by Li Jin to confuse the man, to make him think Li Jin was just getting lucky, barely dodging each time.

During his past life as a fugitive, Li Jin had encountered many kinds of underhanded trick. Compared to what he had endured, this man's attacks felt crude and unrefined. It would have been truly embarrassing if he had failed to dodge them.

"All you do is dodge, what kind of skill is that!"

The man's face was red with anger from Li Jin's constant dodging.

Clearly his attacks were fast enough, but the other party was as slippery as an eel, always just barely getting away each time. How could the man swallow this anger?

"My strength was never as great as yours. Isn't dodging the normal thing to do?"

Li Jin answered the question with another question.

"You... well done."

The man glared at Li Jin through gritted teeth and swept a leg towards him.

The timing was about right.

This time, Li Jin did not simply dodge. The instant his opponent raised a leg to kick, Li Jin swiftly moved behind him and, before the man could respond, executed a perfect shoulder throw.

How is he this skilled? He even defeated the best fighter in the mountain fort?

Liu Hai stared in disbelief, swallowing hard.

Liu Hai knew Li Jin's ability was good, but after that man entered earlier, Liu Hai wasn't so sure anymore. He even felt a sense of schadenfreude, hoping Li Jin would be killed by the man. But soon, Liu Hai remembered his life was still in Li Jin's hands, and the schadenfreude in his eyes instantly turned to fear and worry. However, now, suddenly seeing the person he thought would certainly lose actually win, Liu Hai was momentarily at a complete loss for words.

From being knocked down until now, the man still couldn't believe it. "How is this possible? You were clearly so weak, how could you possibly defeat me?"

"Enough. The outcome is decided. You may withdraw."

Chen Manzhou signaled for the man to leave, his tone carrying strong displeasure.

"Master..."

"I told you to withdraw, are you deaf?"

"Yes."

Seeing Chen Manzhou was about to get angry, the man quickly stood up and excused himself.

Useless trash.

Chen Manzhou, narrowing his eyes slightly, watched the man gradually depart, a flash of mockery quickly passing through his eyes.

At the same time.

Chen Manzhou's view of Li Jin also changed from a joke to someone who could be used.

If used well, he might be able to help.

"Li Jin, is it? You did very well, you truly made me look at you differently." Chen Manzhou walked up to Li Jin and said in a condescending tone, "However, your real skill will be shown if you can handle affairs well for me in the future."

Li Jin bowed and said, "This subordinate will definitely not disappoint you, Master."

"Good." Chen Manzhou heavily patted Li Jin's shoulder. "I will remember your words. Follow Liu Hai and go rest for now. Later I will assign you tasks. I hope you won't disappoint me."

"Yes."

Li Jin nodded, then left with Liu Hai, leaving the middle-aged man behind to continue his report.

___

"Where are they?"

As soon as they left the place where Chen Manzhou was, Li Jin immediately asked about Ying Yuan and the others' whereabouts.

"They are already settled in the room assigned to me by the master. If you come with me, you will see them." Liu Hai's tone could not conceal his jealousy towards Li Jin, But he also remained aware that his own life was in Li Jin's hands, so he didn't dare to overstep.

Li Jin naturally noticed the shift in Liu Hai's tone, but he saw no need to confront him about it.

When Li Jin followed Liu Hai to his residence, he indeed saw Ying Yuan and Zhou Yunting waiting anxiously in the room for Li Jin's return.

"A-Jin, you're back."

Upon seeing Li Jin, Ying Yuan couldn't help but go up to him, secretly checking if Li Jin was injured.

"Mhm." Li Jin nodded, and couldn't resist reaching out to gently ruffle Ying Yuan's soft hair. "I have already found out who is behind the mysterious acts. How about the matters on your end? Did everything go smoothly?"

"Smoothly. We have already found out everything. We can wipe them out tonight."

"Good. Then we act tonight."

As the sky gradually darkened, Zhou Yunting, under Li Jin's arrangement, joined the kitchen to help, and then quietly and unnoticed added a little something given by Shi Weixu into the water used for cooking.

Because Jiang You had stayed, Chen Manzhou specially prepared a table of good dishes to entertain him.

"Lord Jiang, I offer you a toast."

Chen Manzhou flatteringly raised a toast to Jiang You.

"Good."

Jiang You, in very good spirits, picked up the wine cup from his table and drank it all in one go.

Jiang You himself hadn't expected to find traces of Li Jin and the others so quickly, it could be described as getting something without any effort. It would be even better if he could assassinate Li Jin and Ying Yuan next.

"Lord Jiang, please try this dish. It's a delicacy made from excellent wild boar meat. If paired with fine wine, its flavor is elevated to another level."

"Is that so?" Jiang You immediately became interested, poured some wine on the wild boar meat, and then casually picked up a slice of the wild boar meat to eat. "The taste is indeed quite excellent."

Chen Manzhou said with an ingratiating smile, "For you to like it is my honor."

"You seem to have something to say to me?"

While picking up another piece of wild boar meat, Jiang You's casual gaze fell upon Chen Manzhou.

Seeing that Jiang You had discerned his thoughts, Chen Manzhou didn't hide it anymore and simply got straight to the point. "Lord Jiang, I wonder when I can be transferred away from here?"

"Why the sudden desire to leave?"

Jiang You narrowed his eyes slightly, quietly observing Chen Manzhou who had suddenly changed his mind.

"It's just that..."

Thud.

It happened so fast.

Chen Manzhou had only spoken a little when Jiang You suddenly lost all strength and collapsed. At the same time, the people Jiang You had brought with him also fell down one after another.

Jiang You immediately looked furiously at Chen Manzhou. "Chen Manzhou, you have some nerve! You actually plotted against me and betrayed the master?"

Combining Chen Manzhou's earlier words with his current powerless state, Jiang You was certain he had clearly been poisoned by Chen Manzhou.

However, there was one thing Jiang You didn't understand.

That was, from the moment he fell until now, his consciousness had remained clear.

"Lord Jiang, is a misunderstanding! I would never dare to betray you... Ah? What's happening? My... my body feels strange... I can't move..." Chen Manzhou, who was pleading for mercy, also gradually found his body began to feel strange, and soon he too collapsed, just like Jiang You.

"You too..."

Chen Manzhou's collapse immediately caused Jiang You's pupils to contract, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Chen Manzhou was the leader of this fort. If even he could be targeted, it meant an unknown enemy had not only infiltrated the fort but was already moving against them.

"Guards! Guards, come quickly!"

Chen Manzhou couldn't help but shout towards the door.

Unfortunately, his shouts were destined to be wasted effort, because the people guarding outside had also without exception collapsed.

Damn it! Where is everyone? Have they all been taken down too?

Creeeak.

Suddenly, the sound of a door opening rang out, instantly attracting the attention of Chen Manzhou and the others.

"It's you." Seeing that the newcomers were Li Jin, Liu Hai, and the others, Chen Manzhou immediately breathed a sigh of relief and suddenly issued a stern command, "What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and help us up!"

Liu Hai walked smugly up to Chen Manzhou and said mockingly, "Master, I have already switched allegiance to this lord here. I'm afraid I can't help you."

"Liu Hai, you actually dare to betray me?"

Chen Manzhou was so enraged that he felt smoke rising from his seven orifices, his words forced out through gritted teeth.

"What can you do? The situation has changed. Master, you are now... ah... how... how can you still move..." Before Liu Hai could finish his gloating, Chen Manzhou launched a surprise attack, his blade slicing across Liu Hai's throat. Liu Hai collapsed instantly, his breathing ceasing moments later.

"How are you unaffected?"

Jiang You was startled by Chen Manzhou's reaction.

Li Jin curled the corners of his lips meaningfully. "Lord Chen, this Liu Hai was, after all, your subordinate. For you to finish him off with one strike without even asking any questions is too ruthless, isn't it?"

"Just who are you?"

Chen Manzhou warily took two steps back.

Chen Manzhou was able to avoid this disaster entirely because he had been ill recently and had no appetite. The reason he pretended to collapse earlier was to avoid Jiang You's misunderstanding while simultaneously ferreting out the person who wanted to deal with him.

Unexpectedly, the person Chen Manzhou wanted to uncover turned out to be Liu Hai, and the person Liu Hai had recommended earlier today.

Li Jin ignored Chen Manzhou's question, turned with a smile to look at Jiang You, and said meaningfully, "Jiang You, how is the Third Prince doing?"

Hearing this, Jiang You's back immediately stiffened.

"Which Prince's man are you?"