32 Duke Tian Dong motives

Zhu Wushang thinks about what he just heard from his mother-in-law, and now he knew why that Shoggoth in The Black Merchant home can transform itself to look like his mother. That's mean his mother would probably be injured when fighting with that Shoggoth.

He looked at his father-in-law and start thinking about the solution. There are too much unknown for him to deduct the problem. But there's one thing he's certain, He needs to look at the northern tribe's problem personally. If his godmother elder brother who is his uncle-in-law were alive, He needs to protect him.

"Father-in-law did you knew that Duke Tian Dong might be alive?" Asked Zhu Wushang.

The Emperor nodded, He already knew about this from his daughter before he came to this meeting.

"That's good then, Now we knew that Duke Tian Dong has great influence and connection within your empire. He has more than enough time to build his own empire which he did; otherwise, the civil war wouldn't happen in the first place. Also, he has a connection with the upper realm. These are the proven facts… Then... I'll analyze him and come up with some theory with what we knew so far." Zhu Wushang sipped his tea before continue.

"Duke Tian Dong has some personal goal, and he had infiltrated The Great Phoenix Empire for that reason. He had been served the empire faithfully and accumulate enough merit to become Duke during the reign of the late emperor. For some reason, He didn't compete for the throne and started to show his true color during your reign. There must be something during your time to force him to do that." He looks around the room and sees everyone reaction if someone knew something about the reason. But he only saw a blank look on everyone face; that means they completely have no idea about it.

"Haaaaahh…" He sighs and touches his glabella as though he though has a headache but then… he stopped and quickly ask his mother-in-law.

"Mother-in-law, Did you know the poison that poisoned you back then?"

Both Zhu Yinbing and Tian Xue'er looking at each other.

"If I remember correctly it called Nine Meridian...something"

"Nine Meridian Corroding poison, It's a poison from the Nine Meridian Corroding Cicada, Is that right?" Zhu Wushang cut in.

"Right! That's right!! Shang'er" Zhu Yinbing confirm with excitement while Tian Xue'er Nodded to confirm his guess.

"Then… mother" Zhu Wushang bing out a blue flower with a glistening hue like jewelry from his storage ring and show it for everyone to see.

"This is the thing that you bring out from the center of The Great Forest of nowhere to cure mother-in-law back then. Am I right?" Asked Zhu Wushang to his Mother who has a dumbfounded look on her face.

"Yes! This is the one!" His mother confirmed as she pointed at the flower.

"Where did you get this? Shang'er" Asked his mother to Zhu Wushang.

"As you know mom. I had stayed at the Black Merchant place, and he has a farm full of the spirits herb from the upper realm" Explained Shu Wushang then he kept the flower in his storage ring and continue.

"Yes, Both Poison and this herb are the items from the upper realm. The only one that can use this poison and has the motive to do so is Duke Tian Dong. Maybe It's because he didn't have the empress that he can control that's why he poisoned mother in law and planned to have someone that he can control to become the empress."

."Wait" The emperor raised his hand and ask. "Why can't he just control Xue'er or me instead."

Zhu Wushang smiled and explained.

"That's because you have the same gender as his." The emperor's face grew more confusing after hearing this as Zhu Wushang continue to explain.

"There are many ways to control someone and make someone to become a puppet. The strongest method and within Duke Tian Dong means is through sexual intercourse. He can use Gu to through his sexual intercourse with the empress and then the empress will send the Gu into your body with sexual intercourse. And the reason why he can't use it on mother-in-law is that she hates him to death, and will never associate with him unless it's necessary."

After he explained, Zhu Yinbing giggles and says.

"Tian Xiang, That's mean if you choose someone else to be your empress you would already wear a big green hat!"

The Emperor sweat profusely after he heard that.

[WTF!? Did I just avoid wearing a green hat by choosing this savage woman sworn sister as my wife!?] The Emperor can only think about it didn't dare to say it out loud.

Zhu Wushang chuckle and says.

"It just my theory be I think we can come up with his former motive."

"Former?" Repeated Tian Xue'er to Zhu Wushang explanation.

"Yes, Mother-in-law; {former}, Because he already has a new target which should probably be my blood."

Tian Xue'er quickly refuted.

"But that's not making any sense! Duke Tian Dong use the plan to faked his death a lot of his supporters surrendered themselves, and he even plans to kill… you…" His mother-in-law slowed her rebuttal before stopped it entirely as she thought of something.

"Wait… does this means…" She looked at Zhu Wushang and then her husband in disbelief, her face pale.

"This is why I like talking with smart people. Yes! Mother-in-law He already achieved his goal that's why he tried to kill me to prevent others from getting their hands on the Origin God Blood. This comes to my question, Did anyone outside of your family got my blood?" As the last sentence is out from Zhu Wushang mouth. Both Emperor and Empress stood up.

The Emperor didn't say anything but look at Zhu Wushang in gratitude before quickly go out with Zhu Yinbing sho's nodded at him with a proud smile before following the emperor to protect him.

"Thank you Shang'er" His mother-in-law thanked him before quickly followed her husband.

Zhu Wushang looked at his wife who smiling at him in gratitude.

"Quickly follow and help them, I can't follow you, need to prepare a backup plan here."

Tian Xiulan hugged Zhu Wushang as she says in gratitude.

"Thank you, Husband." Zhu Wushang only nodded in response and pat her head before she follows her parent out of the room.

After Everyone goes out he looking back at the half finish formation plate on his workbench. He returns to his workbench and continues his work where he left off.

The sound of metal friction softly resounds within the sealed room. An hour has passed, and the formation inscription on the formation plate has finished.

Two of the formation had made to looks like its come from an unknown ancient civilization that has unknown language written on it, a blue light shone on the characters of the two ancient-like plate but the last one just like a regular low-grade formation plate that didn't have any noticeable feature.