After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times

Chapter 1198 - 1180: Arrogance

Yuan Li’s plan was straightforward: arrange for two people to whisper about the recent incident where a disciple of Wang Ying killed the Jiankang Left Captain at the Wang Family house near where Liu Kui passed by. The two murmured, "That disciple was clearly acting on Wang Ying’s orders. The Jiankang Left Captain was innocent, just mentioning Wang Ying’s father, Wang Han, in a comment. Wang Ying felt mocked, and without a word, he immediately ordered the disciple to kill the Left Captain."

Liu Kui heard this and immediately had the two brought back home. Upon questioning, he found out that one of them had an uncle who worked as a gardener for the Wang Family, trimming flowers and trees. On that particular day, he was moving flower pots at the Wang Family house and overheard the Jiankang Left Captain drunkenly mention Wang Han. Moments later, Wang Ying’s disciple came out holding a knife, killing the Jiankang Left Captain on the spot.

Scared to death.

Liu Kui had impeached Wang Ying as soon as the incident occurred. However, due to King Langya’s favor towards Wang Ying and the fact that Wang Ying’s father, Wang Han, was beheaded by Zhao Hanzhang for him in Yu State, it was claimed that the crime was committed by Wang Ying’s disciple and not Wang Ying himself, so only the disciple was punished, and Wang Ying was spared.

Now, with new evidence in hand, Liu Kui immediately sought out the gardener to protect him and secure his testimony before going to the palace to accuse King Langya.

Liu Kui spoke fiercely to King Langya, "The Jiankang Left Captain was a subject of the Great King, and Wang Ying dared to execute him privately. This is showing disrespect to you! Backed by the Wang Family, he feels he can do as he pleases. If the Great King doesn’t deal with him, won’t the loyal subjects feel insecure?"

King Langya was torn. He did not wish to punish Wang Ying because Wang Han’s death was brutal, and it was for him.

Initially, Zhao Hanzhang only returned Wang Han’s head; the body was missing. The Wang Family could only craft a wooden body and attach the head for burial.

Thinking of this always left King Langya both terrified and guilty, leading him to be lenient with Wang Ying.

There are many choices to suppress the Wang Family; why specifically target Wang Ying?

Liu Kui earnestly persuaded, "Great King, merits are merits, faults are faults. Wang Ying is arrogant not because of your favor but because he considers himself a Wang Family member, reckless and shrewd. He constantly humiliates scholars in Jiankang and allows his disciples to seize commoners’ lands. Previously, you could tolerate him because he didn’t threaten your life or grand ambitions. Now, when he can privately execute officials, if you don’t hold him accountable, what will he fear in the future?"

King Langya hesitated for a long time but was finally convinced by Liu Kui and nodded to let him handle the matter.

Liu Kui immediately ordered a guard to leave the palace and arrest Wang Ying.

First, apprehend and jail him, then discuss further.

Yuan Li sat in a restaurant across the street, watching as Liu Kui stopped the drunk Wang Ying in the opposite Chu House, intending to take him to the Ministry of Justice for questioning.

Having drunk all night, Wang Ying had just come out in the morning, his eyes blurred, his mind muddled. Yet, because of this daze, his thoughts were less concealed, more revealing his true nature. Upon seeing Liu Kui, he couldn’t help but burst into laughter, shakily pointing at him and his friends, mocking, "Turns out it’s Liu the villain, a treacherous man! Get away, get away, spare my eyes from your filth."

Liu Kui’s followers’ expressions changed, glaring angrily at him.

Liu Kui’s face showed little change as he announced his charges and gestured for the guards to take him away.

Wang Ying was drunk, and few of his friends were sober, but their followers were still alert. How could they let Liu Kui take him away?

They disregarded the King Langya’s warrant in Liu Kui’s hand and directly blocked Wang Ying.

In the scuffle, Liu Kui almost got pushed over, enraging him, "This is the Great King’s warrant! Do you dare defy the order?"

"Great King?" Protected behind, Wang Ying laughed heartily, "Even if it’s the Great King, not even the Heavenly King himself can take me away."

He suddenly pointed a finger at Liu Kui, his eyes blood-red, shouting, "Boys, kill him for me!"

His disciples and followers hesitated. They could kill the Left Captain, a minor official of little consequence. With Wang Ying there, they’d at most get a beating and a fine. But Liu Kui is a close confidant to King Langya. Killing him...

Wang Ying might be fine, but they could lose their lives.

Seeing them hesitate, Wang Ying angrily shouted, "You dare disobey me? I’ll have you dismissed! No, I’ll send you to uncle’s army to become military slaves!"

The disciples and followers’ faces changed. Becoming Wang Dun’s military slaves meant living a fate worse than death.

They exchanged glances, gritted their teeth, drew their swords, and decided to fight. Hopefully, Liu Kui would have the sense to flee. Then they could claim they couldn’t catch or kill him, and everything would be forgotten once the alcohol wore off.

Liu Kui saw them actually draw their swords and was instantly furious. He was even more determined to capture them and waved for the guards to arrest them. He even sent his own followers to join in.

The two groups clashed immediately, with Wang Ying protected behind. Blood splattered on his face, and he wiped it, licking it with his tongue, growing even more excited.

His face flushed, but the wine sobered him a bit. Across the fighting crowd, he looked at Liu Kui, fanatically shouting, "Kill him, kill him, chop off his head! I want to offer it at my father’s grave. I’ll stuff a chamber pot in his mouth, see if he dares to shout at my father and me again!"

As soon as they drew their swords, people in the street scattered. Some who couldn’t escape squeezed into nearby restaurants and shops.

The shopkeeper wanted to watch but was afraid of them rushing inside, so he ordered the doors shut and ran to a second-floor window, pressing hard against it to look down.

A bustling street suddenly emptied out, leaving only a few fearless onlookers standing at a distant corner, while the rest hid inside stores.

All the shops closed their doors.

By now, someone in the crowd had been slashed and fallen to the ground, life or death unknown.

Yuan Li’s lips curled up, watching all this with pleasure.

He wouldn’t admit to being perverted, but seeing them slaughter each other, manipulated by him, made him immensely happy.

Amidst the crimson chaos, Wang Ying’s friends finally sobered up, waking from their drunken stupor, trying to stop Wang Ying, "Don’t kill!"

Wang Ying pushed their hands away, his face feral, "Afraid of what? Even if I kill him, who can do anything to me?"

"Liu Kui is a close confidant of the Great King. He will be angry."

"Let him be angry! That treacherous villain, I not only want to kill Liu Kui but also Diao Xie. I’ve long despised them, like two mad dogs biting at everyone. Wang Ying stepped forward, spreading his arms wide, shouting, "I want to kill him, who can do anything to me?"

After shouting, he pointed in Liu Kui’s direction and screamed wildly, "Kill him for me—"

Beyond the crowd, Liu Kui met his bloodshot, excited gaze and couldn’t help feeling a chill. He clenched his fist tightly, more determined than ever: Wang Ying must die!

He had to die, or someday, it would be him ending in Wang Ying’s hands.

Liu Kui made up his mind, his gaze on Wang Ying became adamant.

From the upstairs seat, Yuan Li, intrigued, moved closer to the window, his eyes gleaming. Interesting, interesting. Initially, he only wanted to deepen the conflict between King Langya and the Wang Family. He knew Liu Kui couldn’t kill Wang Ying, and Wang Ying couldn’t kill Liu Kui, but now it seemed...

Yuan Li focused more intently on the scene below. Liu Kui, he couldn’t be allowed to die now.