Chapter 405 Robust Imperial Husband 16 In the western suburbs of the imperial city, in a seemingly inconspicuous villa belonging to the second princess Xiao Fengye, there was a secret underground chamber.
The air was damp and chilly, with only a few animal-head oil lamps flickering with dim yellow flames, casting shifting light and shadow on several faces with different expressions.
Xiao Fengye sat in the main seat, dressed in a dark purple casual outfit.
She had shed her gentle demeanor in public, and her eyes held a coldness and scheming stemming from the resentment and malice accumulated over past and present lives.
She tapped her fingertips lightly on the armrest of the rosewood chair, her gaze sweeping over the other three people present.
Seated to her lower left was an envoy from the overseas island nation of Ryūyān.
A middle-aged woman with dark skin, deep-set eyes, and wearing colorful exotic clothing was named Sangji.
The siblings Lin Tian and Lin Wan'er are on the bottom right.
That day, Lin Tian was expelled from the palace. Xiao Fengye originally didn't intend to pay any more attention to him, but this woman named Lin Wan'er had a clever mind.
Lin Tian still tried to maintain the aloofness of a chosen one, but the flickering excitement and ambition in his eyes betrayed him.
Lin Wan'er was much quieter, sitting quietly beside her brother with her head down, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, revealing her inner tension.
She had only learned a little about rebellion strategies from watching TV dramas, which was just enough to deal with the second princess.
“Envoy Sanji,”
"What has your Queen thought of my proposal?"
Xiao Fengye spoke first, his voice echoing in the enclosed space.
"The Second Princess's sincerity, opening the three states of the East Sea as trading ports, reducing tariffs by 70%, and allowing our country to establish trading posts and station troops, is very tempting."
"Our Queen is already aware of this."
Sangji spoke in broken Mandarin, his voice hoarse.
"But words are meaningless. How can you expect us to believe that Her Highness the Second Princess has the ability to fulfill these promises?"
"After all, it's not you sitting in that position now."
Sangji changed the subject, his hawk-like gaze fixed on Xiao Fengye.
"It is precisely because it is not I who am sitting on the throne that you have this opportunity."
"If I ascend to the throne, then any further negotiations you may have with me will be based on paying tribute."
Xiao Fengye's lips curled into a cold, confident smile.
"As for my abilities... I can meet with you in secret here, provide you with copies of the border defense maps, and tell you when and where the garrison is most lax..."
"Isn't this a sign of my sincerity?"
She leaned forward slightly, the light casting deep shadows in her eyes.
"That's right, we have an inside man! He knows a lot of things you don't! When the time comes, as long as you send troops to cooperate with us from the inside, we're sure to succeed!"
Lin Tian couldn't help but interrupt.
His cheeks flushed with excitement, as if he could already see his future of being ennobled and surrounded by beautiful women.
"What else does Your Highness the Second Princess want? Besides... that position."
Envoy Sangji's gaze lingered on the Lin siblings for a moment, with a hint of barely perceptible contempt, before returning to Xiao Fengye.
"It's very simple."
"First, on the day the army breaches the city, I will capture Ling Siran alive and hand him over to me for personal disposal!"
Xiao Fengye's eyes suddenly turned fierce, making the temperature in the secret room seem to drop a few degrees.
"Secondly, once I ascend the throne, I will need your country's fleet to be stationed in the East China Sea for three years to help me... eliminate all the restless old forces within the country."
She continued, her tone returning to calm.
A glint flashed in the eyes of the envoy Sangji, and he exchanged a glance with the deputy envoy beside him.
Purge the old forces?
It's nothing more than a pretext for using someone else to do the dirty work and eliminate dissidents.
But this suited them perfectly. A new ruler who had just quelled the internal strife and needed to rely on external forces was the perfect opportunity for them to seize the greatest benefits.
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