Your Lord Has A Screw Loose?-Chapter 285 - 287: I, the Grand Nation... You Got Hit by a Bug

Chapter 285: Chapter 287: I, the Grand Nation… You Got Hit by a Bug

Several days later, Wang Cheng ecstatically presented the 0.21 version of the Crimson weapons blueprint as if offering a treasure, which immensely satisfied Emperor Shen You. Although he couldn’t comprehend the specifics of the content, the dense annotations and drawings signified the weapon’s extraordinary nature.

He had witnessed its power himself and naturally had a measure of its capabilities.

For those in the Third Realm, a hit to their vital points meant certain death, and even those in the Upper Three Realms faced a significant threat.

With adequate weaponry, it would be possible to suppress the numbers of the Demon Worms from the Exotic Realm.

He hadn’t anticipated that Wang Cheng could actually acquire them, though the absence of the Secret Technique was somewhat awkward.

As for the less-than-honorable means of acquisition, Emperor Shen You simply turned a blind eye. As long as it was beneficial, he wasn’t concerned with Wang Cheng’s methods.

...

“With this batch of arms, Great Nether will certainly sweep across the world,” Emperor Shen You declared, feeling a rare burst of joy. As for the possibility of not being able to produce them? Then it would be the fault of the Ministry of Industry.

“Your Majesty, an urgent dispatch from the Western Regions…” a eunuch hurriedly approached, holding a report.

This turned Emperor Shen You’s previously good mood sour, as such urgent dispatches were never good news, typically not associated with major victories or triumphs.

He hurriedly took it and opened it, nearly causing a stroke.

“These merchants, they are absolute scoundrels, scoundrels indeed!!!” The fury of Emperor Shen You caused his overwhelming Divine Thought to surge through the palace like thunder, making all the serving maids, eunuchs, and guards too terrified to make any significant movements, even their breathing cautious.

It didn’t take long for Emperor Shen You to calm down, knowing that anger served no purpose, a brief outburst being sufficient.

“Summon the Cabinet ministers,” Emperor Shen You said, reigning in his anger.

The sourc𝗲 of this content is frёeωebɳovel.com.

Immediately, a eunuch, who was actually a Ninth Realm Magician, left at a speed invisible to the naked eye.

Soon, a group of Cabinet ministers, all at least from the Eighth Realm and thus not ordinary humans, arrived swiftly.

“My lords, take a look at this urgent dispatch just received from the Western Regions,” Emperor Shen You said, then threw the dispatch to them.

After the ministers passed the report among themselves, each one of them looked significantly disturbed, completely taken aback.

“Husheng Pass has been breached by the Demon Worms from the Exotic Realm, and although we have retaken it, a swarm has charged in, scattering throughout all of Great Nether. Such an incident has not occurred for a full ten thousand years. What say you?” Emperor Shen You was truly incensed.

Everyone’s gaze turned to Wang Cheng, the Grand Secretary, knowing that Emperor Shen You wanted to ask why the Demon Worms had access to military equipment produced by the Lord of Demon Soil.

With his scalp tingling under their stares, Wang Cheng steeled himself and said, “Your Majesty, this must be clandestinely funded by the Lord of Demon Soil. The Crimson military equipment can only be produced by Demon Soil. We need to send a letter demanding to know why he has committed such an act of treachery and bring it before the whole world.”

The words sounded eloquent but were essentially hollow.

Grand Secretary Wang, didn’t you say you had control over the merchants of Demon Soil? Why would they risk such great danger to sell the military equipment to the Demon Worms?” Emperor Shen You asked calmly.

This did not mean he had cooled down, but rather that he was considering a method of response.

“Your Majesty, merchants chase profit without regard for homeland or people. I suspect these actions were secretly carried out behind the Lord of Demon Soil’s back. We need to have him give us an explanation,” Bai Lv interjected.

Not only was Wang Cheng about to speak, even Emperor Shen You was surprised, considering how Bai Lv had always extolled Demon Soil, and now seemingly changed his stance.

However, Emperor Shen You soon realized Bai Lv’s intention; with the opponent at fault, this was an opportunity to use as leverage to acquire the secret technique they needed.

“Good, good, what Minister Bai has proposed is excellent. This matter indeed requires an explanation from the Lord of Demon Soil,” Emperor Shen You declared.

Everyone present was clever enough to understand upon hearing the word “explanation” that Emperor Shen You intended to use moral high ground to pressure the opponent.

Now that they knew the Lord of Demon Soil was an individual, many things had become much simpler.

“Perhaps this matter should be handled by Minister Bai, especially since you have met the Lord of Demon Soil,”

Emperor Shen You’s gaze skipped over Wang Cheng and finally settled on Bai Lv. Although Wang Cheng had managed to procure the military blueprints of Demon Soil, he had failed to control the unfolding events, resulting in this situation.

While he wasn’t to be blamed, the impression of his abilities had significantly diminished.

“Your Majesty, this matter might require Your Majesty’s personal interrogation, as we are ultimately powerless. If the Lord of Demon Soil refuses to save face, what then?” Bai Lv spoke, tactfully trying to pass on the responsibility. Going himself? That might mean not returning at all.

Hearing these words, Emperor Shen You also fell silent. Indeed, letting a weaker party question a stronger one was simply an act of insult.

Additionally, if the other party shamelessly minimized the issue, it really did necessitate his personal involvement.

However, the problem was that the Lord of Demon Soil had no intention of leaving the Demon Soil, just like a turtle shrinking into its shell all day long, never coming out.

Emperor Shen You also could not leave the Great Nether Dynasty for once he did, without his Divine Thought, the Spirit Realm Three Demons would sweep across the entire dynasty in an instant.

Thus, the best outcome would be for the Lord of Demon Soil to meet him.

But was that possible? It was simply impossible. If someone else ordered him around, he certainly would not go either.

So this was a significant problem.

“Does any of my beloved officials have a way to make the Lord of Demon Soil leave Demon Soil?” Emperor Shen You asked.

“Your Majesty could issue a decree for the Lord of Demon Soil to come to Ding’an Capital and explain why he reneged on his promises, then place him under house arrest there, eliminating future troubles from Demon Soil,” Wang Cheng jumped in and said.

Emperor Shen You glanced at him indifferently and then said, “The Lord of Demon Soil is neither a vassal nor a subject of Great Nether. How could he obey the decree?”

He realized that this youngster had no sense of coercion at all. To have the Lord of Demon Soil come for an audience and then place him under house arrest?

Why didn’t you go and bring the Demon Insect Dominator and Spirit Realm Three Demons for an audience and then put them under house arrest?

If any of them actually came, the Great Nether Dynasty would likely be reduced to ruins.

“My Great Nether Dynasty is a grand state, richly situated in the Central Plains, while Demon Soil is merely a land of Barbarians. Although slightly prosperous, how could it compare to the might of Great Nether?” Wang Cheng arrogantly said.

For a moment, Emperor Shen You didn’t know whether to be happy or angry. He was happy that the Grand Secretary actually lacked vision, but angry because, after all, he was actually praising him.

He sighed inwardly. The stability and prosperity of these years had led everyone in the Great Nether Dynasty to develop a mindset of supreme arrogance.

They felt invincible, with no force able to rival them.

This arrogant attitude needed to be curbed quickly, as there were already proposals to annihilate external threats.

Did they really think these three major threats were due to their insufficient strength? They were merely being suppressed by him.

“Your Majesty, we must not heed Wang Cheng’s words. There are strong warriors in Demon Soil. Oficial humiliation might bring endless troubles,” Bai Lv, who had actually witnessed the strength of Qin Muye’s territory, spoke up desperately. Such actions could provoke a disastrous rebellion.

“Scholar Bai, are you enhancing someone else’s stature? Could it be that you’ve taken some advantage?” Wang Cheng could hold his own in scolding others.

The two were about to start arguing heatedly when Emperor Shen You finally spoke up to stop them.

“Enough, I will handle this matter. Grand Secretary Wang, you are getting on in years, and these matters are taxing. You should go and rest for a while,” Emperor Shen You said.

It looked like he was breaking up a fight, but anyone perceptive could see that he was siding with Bai Lv.

It was quite severe, actually kicking Wang Cheng out of the Cabinet.

Hearing this, Wang Cheng froze as if he had never anticipated the situation would escalate to this extent.

“Your servant, thanks Your Majesty’s immense grace!” Wang Cheng’s voice was somewhat hoarse. He didn’t understand why his choices, which were evidently the best, had led him to such an outcome.

He might have had great Talent in internal scheming, but he utterly disregarded everyone else externally.

Just after saying these words, Wang Cheng seemed to age ten years, his once vibrant demeanor turning decrepit.

“Since there’s nothing else, you may all disperse. Make haste to eliminate the demon insects that have infiltrated our territory, lest they brew more troubles,” Emperor Shen You declared.

As for resistance, who could resist? All the powers of the entire Great Nether Court were in his hands.

‘It seems I have protected them too well; I need to make them understand the stakes, or else each one of them will become arrogantly self-important,’ Emperor Shen You thought, then prepared to gradually change the administrative policies.