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    Lady, escort the emperor! 7

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    Chapter 7: Inverted Heavenly Gang

    Li Nuo had just thought that girls in ancient times should play the qin (a traditional Chinese stringed instrument) and embroider, not wield swords and engage in fighting.

    Now he’s changed his mind.

    Wielding swords is so much better! If his wife only knew how to play the qin and embroider, he’d be dead by now.

    “Protect him.”

    The cool-looking woman left this sentence behind, then soared into the air, swiftly moving towards a distant tall building.

    The arrow just now had been shot from a window in that building.

    After that perilous moment, Butler Wu pulled Li Nuo back into the county magistrate’s office.

    A moment later, the cool-looking woman entered the county magistrate’s office again.

    Butler Wu immediately asked, “Madam, have you caught the assassin?”

    The young woman shook her head.

    The attack had missed, and the assassin had fled, leaving no trace. The person was likely a professional assassin.

    Butler Wu sighed. “Master has offended so many people; it’s impossible to guess the culprit.” He could only say, “Let’s go back.”

    Li Nuo got into the carriage and quietly moved closer to his wife.

    The arrow had left him shaken; being close to her gave him a sense of security.

    At the same time, he felt disbelief.

    In this world, are the family members of officials so dangerous? This is the national capital, under the emperor’s very nose! He’d been attacked twice in a single day. It seems that Da Xia’s public security isn’t very good.

    No wonder Butler Wu always brought so many people when he went out…

    Shortly after, the carriage passed a shop. Butler Wu pulled on the reins, hopped off the carriage, and said, “Young Master and Madam, please wait a moment. Master might be coming back tonight. I’ll go buy some pastries he likes…”

    He habitually touched his waist, then his expression froze. “Where’s my money pouch?”

    Hearing this, Li Nuo pulled a money pouch from his waist and tossed it over. “Use mine.”

    Butler Wu caught the money pouch, surprised. “When did my money pouch end up with Young Master?”

    Li Nuo didn’t know either. It was probably because Butler Wu had left it by the bed, and he had rolled it up while getting dressed. Butler Wu didn’t think much of it, went into the pastry shop, bought a bag of pastries, returned to the carriage, and shook the reins again…

    Dali Temple Minister’s Mansion.
    Li Nuo’s Room.

    Li Nuo sat at the table, looking at Butler Wu. He extended his right hand, grasping twice in the air, and asked, “This morning, when I jumped from the roof, your move was…?”

    The events of the past half-day had made Li Nuo acutely aware of the dangers of this world.

    Although his wife was powerful—powerful enough to catch an arrow barehanded—she couldn’t protect him all the time.

    It’s better to rely on oneself. It’s best to have control over one’s own safety.

    Moreover, for Li Nuo, when there was danger, his wife being around was the safest; when there was no danger, she was the most dangerous.

    Li Nuo rubbed his chest; the spot still ached.

    Whether protecting himself from assassins or his wife, he had to become stronger.

    Butler Wu thought for a moment, then said, “Young Master, you mean how I stopped you? That was manipulating objects with energy (qi). With Fourth Realm Martial Arts cultivation, it’s easily done.”

    Li Nuo raised an eyebrow. “Martial Arts?”

    Knowing that his young master had hit his head and forgotten everything, Butler Wu patiently explained: “Martial Arts is a cultivation method. Even beginners can possess incredible strength. Those with deep cultivation can manipulate objects with their energy (qi), fly through the air, and injure people with a single leaf. At the pinnacle, they can even move mountains and fill seas…”

    Li Nuo’s eyes grew brighter and brighter. This world, besides being a bit dangerous, seems pretty good.

    He asked expectantly, “If I cultivate Martial Arts, can I beat my wife?”

    Butler Wu shook his head, wisely pouring cold water on him. “Young Master, you lack a Martial Arts Foundation; you cannot cultivate Martial Arts. Moreover, Madam is a rare Martial Arts genius. Even I am no match for her. Even if you had a Martial Arts Foundation, your strength would never surpass Madam’s…”

    The light in Li Nuo’s eyes instantly dimmed. Would he never be able to take charge of his own life?

    Seeing Li Nuo’s disappointment, Butler Wu comforted him, “Young Master, don’t be discouraged. There are countless people in this world without a Martial Arts Foundation. While you can’t cultivate Martial Arts, you can still cultivate the ways of the Hundred Schools of Thought…”

    Li Nuo was like a deflated balloon, listlessly asking, “What are the Hundred Schools of Thought?”

    Butler Wu said, “Confucianism cultivates self-cultivation, family harmony, governance, and bringing peace to the world; it nurtures righteous energy (hao ran zhi qi), making one fearless against all evil. Would you like to learn, Young Master?”

    Li Nuo asked, “Can righteous energy beat my wife?”

    Butler Wu shook his head. “No.”

    Li Nuo waved his hand. “Then I won’t learn.”

    Butler Wu continued, “The School of Military Strategy involves warfare; killing is the path; aggressive energy is invincible. Would you like to learn, Young Master?”

    Li Nuo asked, “Can aggressive energy beat my wife?”

    Butler Wu thought for a moment, “Aggressive energy is nurtured on the battlefield. If Young Master were to wage war for decades, nourishing his energy through battle, he might eventually catch up with Madam…”

    Battlefields are dangerous; blades are unforgiving. One might easily die in battle. Moreover, it takes decades of hard work; he might not live that long. Li Nuo didn’t even think about it and waved his hand. “No, no.”

    Butler Wu continued, “The Mohists are skilled in mechanics and their machine technology surpasses all the Hundred Schools. Once a Mohist’s True Energy is perfected, with puppets assisting, even a mortal can rival a god.”

    Li Nuo shook his head. “But they’re still mortals. No, no…”

    Butler Wu sighed helplessly, “Medical practitioners’ True Energy can save people and extend life. Would you like to learn, Young Master?”

    He paused, then added, “Learning medicine won’t help you beat Madam.”

    Li Nuo was listless. His days were numbered; life extension was useless to him, and medicine couldn’t save him.

    Butler Wu sighed and continued, “Legalism is the system of the world, the standard of all things. It clarifies rewards and punishments, distinguishing between right and wrong. Upon entering Legalism, one can master the art of confinement. At the peak, one can create an inescapable prison with a mere word, decreeing laws with a single utterance.…”

    At this, Li Nuo suddenly looked up.

    Legalism—this is his perfect match!

    “Creating an inescapable prison with a mere word,” and “decreeing laws with a single utterance”—they sound very powerful. If he learned this, would he still need to fear that woman?

    Furthermore, he needs to judge cases to extend his lifespan; both things complement each other perfectly.

    This is undoubtedly the best path for him.

    Li Nuo immediately looked at Butler Wu and said, “I want to study Legalism!”

    Butler Wu was slightly stunned. “Why?”

    In his past life, he studied law mostly because of job prospects.

    In this life, he studied law to survive.

    And… to avoid domestic abuse.

    But Li Nuo wouldn’t say his true feelings, of course. Since his adoptive father in this world is the Dali Temple Minister, studying law is also following in his father’s footsteps.

    So he cleared his throat and replied earnestly, “Of course, it’s to follow in my father’s footsteps, uphold justice, fight for the people, and punish the wicked and evildoers…”

    Butler Wu’s expression was awkward.

    How to tell the amnesiac young master that his father is the greatest evildoer in the court?

    A son punishing his father—isn’t that a complete reversal of the heavenly order?

    But as servants, they shouldn’t speak of such things. When the young master recovers some of his memories, he probably won’t clamor to punish the wicked and evildoers anymore.

    Li Nuo noticed that when he said he wanted to follow the path of Legalism, to fight for the people and punish the wicked, Butler Wu’s expression was troubled; he even sighed.

    His lips moved several times; he seemed hesitant to speak.

    A bad feeling rose in Li Nuo’s heart. He asked, “Wait, I don’t have a foundation in Legalism, do I?”

    Butler Wu immediately said, “No, no. Only Martial Arts requires a foundation. Anyone can cultivate the Hundred Schools of Thought.”

    Li Nuo breathed a sigh of relief. “Then why did you sigh? You scared me…”

    He said impatiently, “Quickly tell me, how should one cultivate Legalism?”

    Butler Wu cleared his throat. “Young Master, I know you’re in a hurry, but please don’t rush. Right now, the most important thing is to heal your injuries. We can talk about these things later…”

    Li Nuo was serious. He only had ten days left to live; what future was there to speak of?

    Looking at Butler Wu, he said seriously, “I know you’re not in a hurry, but I am. Just tell me now, immediately, right away…”

    Thanks to the alliance leader “Author Anxing” for the reward.
    (End of Chapter)

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