Chapter Eighty-Three: To Repel External Troubles, First Pacify Internal Ones

  "I don't want to follow the path planned by others, but I have no choice but to act according to Mr. Chu's arrangements. Although it's stifling, I can also accept it with an open heart. Mr. Chu has already taken the initiative, and before he even appears, he has established a high and noble status for himself through his own efforts. Moreover, through various plans, he has fully demonstrated his ambition to not be inferior to others, making me unable to force you! Instead, I can only discuss important military and national matters with you in a cooperative capacity!"

  Tie Butian smiled helplessly, shaking his head gently: "Mr. Chu is alone, but he can create such a situation, with clever intentions, precise calculations, and a grasp that is so mature, it makes me truly admire him to the point of prostration! The two words 'talent' and 'genius', Mr. Chu deserves them without any doubt."

  Chu Yang narrowed his eyes and smiled: "As for such praise, I have always been a welcome guest, the more the better."

  It's already past negotiation time, Tie Butian has made concessions, so Chu Yang naturally wants to ease the atmosphere.

  Tie Butian was taken aback, then couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter. He quickly regained his composure, covering his mouth with his hand, and then casually wiped the corner of his mouth clean. With a smile, he said: "Mr. Chu is indeed quite humorous."

  At this moment, Chu Yang was suddenly horrified and almost fled in a hurry!

  Crown Prince! What is a Crown Prince? Can a woman become a Crown Prince? Shouldn't that be a Princess instead?

  But Tie Butian, a man, was showing a completely feminine side at this moment! That covering of the mouth and smiling, with eyes that sparkled... Chu Yang's eyes widened in shock, his mouth twitching uncontrollably.

  Good heavens!

  You let me reverse fate, reverse history, but you want me to cooperate with a monster?

  Chu Yang only felt his heart racing, and he finally understood: no wonder this girl practiced the Ice Heart Jade Bone Technique, with such a demeanor, if she didn't practice that... it would be a bit of a waste...

  Waiting until the iron supplement heaven covered up the general, then made that kind of swallowing the world's attitude, Chu Yang only felt that all the hairs on his body stood up, and in an instant, the sky spun and the earth turned.

  "Mr. Chu? Mr. Chu?" asked Tie Butian, seeing that he was distracted.

  "Uh......uh......" Chu Yang's forehead instinctively broke out in cold sweat; thinking that he would have to cooperate with such a person for at least two years, Chu Yang suddenly felt his future was bleak and his life full of tragedy...

  "Mr. Chu, what's the current situation with Iron Cloud? If you're in charge, where would you start?" Tie Butian asked with a smile, seemingly unaware of Chu Yang's emotional changes, and his tone became even more reserved.

  "Hmm, this... I need to think about it for a moment." Chu Yang rubbed his forehead, pretending to be deep in thought. But the truth was, he wasn't thinking at all - he was still reeling from the shocking scene that had just unfolded before his eyes.

  "Desiring to expand outward, first stabilize inward." Chu Yang forcibly activated the Nine Heavens Divine Art of the Nine Calamities, suppressing his turbulent thoughts.

  One must first stabilize the interior before expanding outward... Tiē Bǔtiān couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine. How familiar is this phrase? The first time he heard it, the imperial court of Tiē Yún Guó was overthrown; the second time he heard it, three million soldiers were reduced to nothing more than skeletal remains on the battlefield; the third time he heard it, in the imperial court, Emperor Tiē Lóng Chéng raised his butcher's knife and slaughtered all the civil and military officials, causing rivers of blood to flow!

  Now Chu Yang has come here, and his first proposal is still this sentence.

  Is it going to be another bloody storm?

  "These words are not wrong." Tie Butian smiled and said: "But the problem is...the enemy outside is in the open, while the internal enemy is in the dark."

  "It's just screening." Chu Yang smiled with confidence.

  "If so, I'll entrust this matter to Mr. Chu, how about that?" Tie Butian smiled and formally proposed the request for cooperation.

  "Not enough!" Chu Yang shook his head.

  "Not enough?"

  "I heard that the Emperor has established a Supplement Heaven Pavilion?" Chu Yang asked elegantly, then flipped his eyes and said lightly: "Since we are going to cooperate, we should trust each other. I want to go to the Supplement Heaven Pavilion!"

  Tie Ba Tian looked at him coldly, his eyes chilly and unblinking for a long time.

  After a long time, Tie Butian slowly stood up, with his hands behind his back, and walked to the railing of the pavilion. He looked at the lake's ripples and colors, remaining silent for a while. A gentle breeze came, blowing his white cloak fluttering.

  "Before the age of eleven, I was just a child; my father was kind and loving, my mother gentle and affectionate; there were also six sisters, each one treasured me like a precious gem; without worries or cares, all I knew was how beautiful this world was." Tie Bu Tian's back was turned to Chu Yang's eyes, which had already become somewhat blurry, but his voice remained calm.

  "Since I was born, Father Emperor has been gloomy and depressed, and also sealed off all news about me. At that time, I didn't know why."

  "That year, Father wore golden armor and helmet, personally led the expedition! In my eyes, Father was like a war god from heaven, invincible in battle. But just half a year later, suddenly the sky fell and the earth cracked! Father came back, but he was carried back, on his last breath."

  "The empress was attending to her mother-in-law when the emperor suddenly went mad and stabbed her to death with a sword! He, who had killed his own beloved wife!" Two teardrops rolled down Tie Bu Tian's cheeks.

  Chu Yang's body shook and he couldn't help but lift his head. He had also heard this and was greatly surprised beyond expectation. Why did the King of Tieyun Country want to kill his own wife?

  "Afterwards, the Emperor suddenly changed and became a different person. He issued order after order to behead all six of my sisters and their husbands! Then he ordered Second Uncle to lead his battle-hardened army to attack the Imperial Palace, killing everyone inside! For a time, blood flowed like rivers within and outside the palace walls. Everyone knew that Second Uncle was going to rebel, but it turned out not to be so."

  Then Father Emperor pulled my hand, only said one sentence to me, and fell into a coma. Tiē Bǔ Tiān's body stood upright, using a low but trembling voice, firmly yet painfully saying: "From now on, you are called Tiē Bǔ Tiān! The sky of Tiē Yún Guó has collapsed, I hope you can make up for it. You must always remember, to be a ruler, one must be ruthless! One must be able to ruthlessly kill the enemy, and also be able to ruthlessly kill oneself!"

  "After saying that, Father Emperor grasped Second Uncle's hand and said: It's yours. Then Father Emperor fell into a coma..."

  Chu Yang furrowed his brow, silent, but thinking to himself; Tie Bu Tian's words were unclear, but one thing was certain: the ruler of Tie Yun Country was completely sane when he killed his wife and daughter! A tiger would not eat its own cubs, why did he do such a thing?

  Chu Yang had an indistinct feeling that there seemed to be a huge secret hidden within!

  "I hate the Emperor, I hate him for killing all my loved ones! But Second Uncle was very strict with me. He declared to the outside world that from then on, I would be known as Iron Cloud Crown Prince, and when I grew up, I would become Iron Cloud Ruler. From that day on, Second Uncle invited countless teachers to teach me things. Every day, there were at least ten teachers waiting for me, and every day my sleep time was only one and a half hours. Even while eating and drinking, someone was always lecturing in front of me. If I couldn't remember, Second Uncle would give me a severe beating. At that time, out of 365 days in a year, at least 300 days I had bruises all over my body. Second Uncle's strictness exceeded that of any other strict teacher under the sky!"

  Tie Butian said softly, "I often go to see the Emperor, and sometimes he is clear-headed. However, when he is clear-headed, he becomes agitated and tries to kill himself. After being stopped by others, he silently weeps. For years on end, he has been holding onto the memorial tablets of the Empress Dowager and his sisters, tears streaming down his face. He often cries until he faints, and his body is getting weaker and weaker..."