ATPnovel Chapter 80 Conspiracy and Fatal Flaw
Chapter 80 Conspiracy and Fatal Flaw
He paused for a moment, sighed, and softened his tone, but it still carried an undeniable seriousness:
"I know you did all this for Manli. But Wanhua, you've been with me for so many years, how come you don't understand? Having murderous intent is the easiest thing to expose."
"What if Zhao Ergou fails and things are exposed? What will you do? What will Manli do? Have you considered that once Jiang Zhenbang finds out about you, everything you've done for the Jiang family all these years will be for nothing!"
Liu Wanhua's tears fell instantly. She walked up to him, her voice choked with sobs:
"I'm panicking too, I really don't know what to do... Qingxuan, now that Ergou is dead, what should we do? That Shen Yu, he could even kill Ergou, he's definitely not an ordinary person. What if he traces it back to us..."
"With me here, what's the panic?"
Liu Qingxuan raised his hand and gently wiped away the tears rolling down her cheeks with his fingertips. His movements were so gentle that they were completely different from the fierce and imposing Xuanmen master he had been just moments before.
He pulled her into his arms, gently patting her back as if soothing a frightened child, his voice deep and resolute:
"Even if the sky falls, I'll hold it up for you and Manli. Don't be afraid."
Liu Wanhua leaned against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. The anxiety she had felt all the way here finally subsided a little, but the thought of Jiang Xinlan and Shen Yu made her heart jump again.
"But how can I not be afraid? Qingxuan, Jiang Xinlan's face is practically a carbon copy of Shen Jiao's when she was young. The trailer for 'The Wind Rises in Chang'an' is already going viral online!"
"If we wait until the show airs, Zhenbang will see it sooner or later! Then Manli's true identity will be exposed, and all our plans of the past twenty years will be ruined!"
Liu Qingxuan raised his hand and smoothed her hair, saying each word clearly:
"Then we won't let it air."
Liu Wanhua suddenly looked up at him, her eyes filled with surprise and confusion:
"Don't let it air? But this drama is a top-tier production from the platform, with strong investors and extensive marketing. How can we stop it?"
"No matter how strong the investor's background is, it can't overcome the review process."
Liu Qingxuan's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable air of control.
"Wang Yuanhe of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture holds real power over the approval of TV series going online. People would flock to him for favors, but he has a weakness that I have in my hands."
Liu Wanhua was taken aback, and quickly asked:
"A weakness? Wang Yuanhe has always had a huge appetite. What leverage could he possibly have over you?"
Liu Qingxuan chuckled softly upon hearing this, his tone carrying a hint of shrewd arrogance:
"His only son suddenly fell ill with a strange disease half a month ago. His body was covered in sores and he was delirious. He went to all the top-tier hospitals in Beijing, but they couldn't find any cause for the disease. He could only be kept alive by intravenous nutrition."
"He searched all the feng shui masters and metaphysicians in Beijing, but none of them could find the root of the problem. In the end, he had no choice but to come to me for help."
He paused, a hint of indifference flashing in his eyes:
"I saw it long ago. His family's ancestral graves were cursed with a curse that would wipe out the family line, and they were also entangled in karmic debts owed by their ancestors. No one but me could resolve it. But at the time, I was about to go into seclusion and was too lazy to get involved in such matters, so I didn't say anything. Now, it's the perfect time to use him."
Liu Wanhua's eyes lit up instantly, and her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, was greatly relieved:
"You mean, you'd trade his son's life for him helping us with the approval process?"
"Otherwise what?" Liu Qingxuan raised an eyebrow, his tone tinged with disdain.
"Even if I throw real money at him, he might not accept it, and even if he does, he might not be willing to give it his all. But his son's life is in my hands, so he has no choice but to obey. If I tell him to block the censorship, he has to keep this show firmly in the library."
"Without the opportunity to make a big appearance, even if Jiang Xinlan looks just like Shen Jiao, she can't get close to Jiang Zhenbang, let alone cause any trouble."
Liu Wanhua nodded emphatically, and quickly added:
"You've thought this through perfectly. This way, we've accomplished our mission without leaving any trace that would involve me or Manli. Even if someone investigates later, it will only be Wang Yuanhe's job and won't implicate us."
"Of course," Liu Qingxuan said, appearing confident and composed.
"How could I let you and Manli take even the slightest risk in something like this? I'll have Chen Mo talk to Wang Yuanhe later; it'll be a piece of cake, and I guarantee it'll be handled flawlessly."
But Liu Wanhua's brows still didn't completely relax. She rolled her eyes and continued,
"The review issue is resolved, but what about Shen Yu? Qingxuan, that's what I fear most. Zhao Ergou studied under you for over a decade, even mastering the Chain Soul Erosion Yuan Array, only to perish in Jiangcheng, ending up with his soul and spirit annihilated."
"This Shen Yu is definitely not an ordinary person. What if he follows the clues and finds out about Manli's background? We can't just sit here and wait to die."
Mentioning Shen Yu, the tenderness in Liu Qingxuan's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a chilling coldness. He said in a deep voice:
"I will naturally handle this person. You know Chen Mo's abilities; he's meticulous, clean-cut, and much more reliable than the reckless Er Gou. I will have him personally take the magical artifact I crafted to Jiangcheng."
"Find an opportunity to find out Shen Yu's background. If he dares to take another step forward, I have plenty of ways to make him end up like Zhao Ergou, eliminating any future trouble."
Liu Wanhua bit her lip, still uneasy:
"But what if Chen Mo is no match for him... what if he also gets hurt? Then we'll have no one left who can be used."
"Won't."
Liu Qingxuan interrupted her, his tone carrying an undeniable certainty.
"I sent Chen Mo only to investigate and secretly plan, not to have him fight head-on. If I really want to deal with him, I will go to Jiangcheng myself. Wanhua, remember this: as long as I live, no one can harm you or Manli in the slightest."
He paused, a glint of cunning ruthlessness flashing in his eyes, and added:
"Besides Shen Yu, it's also time to make a move on Jiang Zhenbang."
Liu Wanhua was taken aback, looked up at him, her eyes full of confusion:
"Dong Zhenbang? What do you want to do? After all, he is the head of the Jiang family. He always stays in Beijing and is always surrounded by bodyguards and attendants. If something goes wrong, we could easily get ourselves into trouble."
"It's precisely because he's always been in Beijing, operating right under our noses, that he's the least likely to arouse suspicion."
Liu Qingxuan's voice turned cold.
"Over the years, although Jiang Zhenbang seems to treat Manli well, he has always kept Shen Jiao in his heart and has a tight grip on the core industries of the Jiang family. How much Manli can get in the future depends entirely on his word. We have always been passive."
"He's currently in Beijing, and we know his daily habits inside and out. It's the perfect time to make our move. Chen Mo has gone to Jiangcheng, so I'll arrange for two trustworthy apprentices to take action in Beijing."
"While adding slow-acting qi-dispersing drugs to his regular tea and supplements, we also set up yin-evil formations in his office and bedroom to gradually deplete his luck."
This left him delirious, with no energy left to investigate anything, and even less strength to hold onto the Jiang family's power.
"Once he completely collapses, the Jiang family's power will naturally fall into other hands. Then I'll pave the way for Manli, and everything in the Jiang family will eventually be hers."
"Only then will you and Manli truly have a firm foothold in the Jiang family, and you won't have to be at anyone's mercy anymore, nor will you have to live such a life of anxiety and fear of your secret being exposed."