Unexpected chess game
Zhong Yujing looked down from the steps. Emperor Hong's words had made a conclusion for the next national policy. When everyone heard this, they first looked at each other in confusion, and then whispered to each other.
Indeed, in their eyes, the establishment of Qi State was older than that of Qing State. When their ancestors laid the foundation, Qing State did not exist yet. In the eyes of Qi State's ministers, Qing State was just a rising star that had risen rapidly. What they had not expected was that this rising star had swept across most of the Central Plains territory with the force of a tiger and wolf in just a few decades of one emperor's reign, and took over nine-tenths of it. If Shangguan Yichen had not defeated the Qing army today and taken back Emperor Feng's head, I am afraid that the ministers of Qi State would still be afraid of Qing State. But now the ministers of Qi State are probably intoxicated by the victory of the war and have completely ignored the strength of this powerful enemy. Even a centipede is still alive after death, let alone they have only lost a king who was originally foolish and incompetent. How can they know whether there are other conspiracies and tricks hidden behind Qing State, waiting for them to join the game?
Zhong Yujing knew that these ministers were still complacently immersed in the illusory dream that they were only one step away from conquering the world. They thought that they could take advantage of the setback of the Qing Kingdom to seize nine-tenths of its territories that had been conquered. Regardless of how ridiculous such an idea was, they knew nothing about the current internal situation of the Qi Kingdom.
Zhong Yujing sighed imperceptibly on the steps and shook her head helplessly. The sun was setting in the west and the river was declining. It seemed that no one was able to stop it. No matter whether it was a country or an individual, they were just a grain of sand in the ocean or a mayfly in this world. Even if they tried their best to fight, in the end they could only rise and fall with the waves of fate and eventually be submerged in it.
"Your Majesty is wise, and I also believe that given the current situation, further battle is inappropriate."
As soon as these words were spoken, it was like a sudden thunderclap in the silent night sky, which stopped the buzzing whispers in the court. The entire hall was instantly silent, and everyone looked at Shangguan Yichen who was sitting in the front row in the middle of the hall. Everyone thought that he should be the one to support the pursuit of victory. Unexpectedly, he stood on the same side as Emperor Hong and refused to fight again.
Shangguan Yichen said solemnly, "Since the Qiang-Rong War, and the Nansai Rebellion, and now the resistance against the Qing Kingdom, the successive wars have consumed too much energy. Fighting is exhausting and costly, and is extremely detrimental to the country. Without a strong foundation to support it, any damage to the country's vitality will make it difficult to recover within a few years. In China's current situation, if a country loses its combat capability, once a foreign enemy suddenly attacks, life and death will be a matter of a moment, as we have seen this time. Moreover, the Qing Kingdom has unified the eight kingdoms. Even if we take advantage of the opportunity to invade and the Qing Kingdom is unable to resist, there is no guarantee that other countries will not seize this opportunity to fight a war to restore their country. If the situation is such that everyone is fighting, the Qi Kingdom will be at a disadvantage, being outnumbered. Therefore, I believe that even in the midst of a major conflict, we should first seek stability in one area. If our own safety is threatened, there is no point in expanding our territory."
A smile finally appeared on Emperor Hong's face.
Shangguan Yichen continued, "I've heard that the Qing Kingdom's royal family currently has only one male remaining, a young boy, the son of Emperor Feng. They will undoubtedly nominate this boy to succeed them in order to stabilize the situation. Furthermore, there's a risk that others might harbor ulterior motives and exploit the chaos for their own ends. Therefore, the Qing Kingdom is already in turmoil, plagued by internal troubles, and will undoubtedly have no energy to attack us. For now, the best strategy is for each of us to govern independently and not interfere with each other."
Shangguan Yichen spoke for a long time. He was already highly respected, and every word he said was reasonable, all for the sake of Daqi. In the end, the old minister stroked his beard and nodded, and the younger officials nodded in agreement. However, one person asked, "So, how should the murder of King Yao be handled now?"
For a moment everyone was speechless again.
Sun Zili suddenly stepped forward and said, "Your Excellency, there is something you don't know. This morning the jailer reported that the envoy from the Qing Kingdom, Marquis Dingyuan, was kidnapped last night and is nowhere to be found."
The ministers were shocked again and became excited again.
The cold moon was like frost, and the cool night wind carried the scent of grass into the prison. He sat on the broken mat inside the cell, his heart as cold as water. Only at this time of day could he find a moment of comfort, mostly because the smell of the wind made him feel clean. In his twenty-plus years of life, he had probably never felt so decadent as now. He was covered in filth, his hair was tangled, his skin was greasy, and his clothes, gradually turning from light to dark, were almost moldy in the stench of the cell. He felt like a moving corpse, about to rot in prison.
He closed his eyes and sat down. He didn't know what time it was. Since he came here, he had no concept of time. The sounds of the jailers eating and drinking outside had disappeared. It must be late at night and he was ready to go to sleep.
Suddenly, he heard a muffled sound outside the cell, which was the sound of someone falling to the ground. He opened his eyes and looked towards the cell door.
A man unlocked the cell door, and a figure in a black tunic walked in. Even his head was wrapped tightly, leaving only a pair of eyes staring at him.
He met those eyes and smiled, a weak smile, but one that came from the heart. He closed his eyes, his laughter energizing him. He coughed twice, closed his eyes again, and smiled for a while before catching his breath. He didn't stand up, didn't move, just tilted his head and looked at the man.
The man took off the black cloth covering his face and said, "I'm sorry for making you suffer."
He still looked at the man and smiled, and said weakly: "You are still the same, haven't changed at all. I knew it was you as soon as I saw your eyes." He wanted to raise his hand to point at his eyes, but he had no strength, so he had to give up.
"I'll take you away now!" The man's eyes were full of worry. "Are you hurt?"
He shook his head vigorously and said with a smile, "No, don't worry. I just... the rotten food in the prison is too bad. I haven't eaten for many days."
The man laughed and said helplessly, "You are still so picky. You won't eat anything you don't like."
He laughed again, exerting his inner energy and gasping for breath.
The man said anxiously, "Come with me. We have prepared some delicacies from land and sea, all of which you will like."
But when the man helped him up, he stubbornly said, "Prepare some water first. I want to take a bath first."
"The Dali Temple Prison is heavily guarded. Who was able to get in and out and actually abduct the serious criminal in the prison?" The court official was stunned and asked in shock.
Sun Zili said expressionlessly, "The man who came here broke into the prison between midnight and midnight last night. With remarkable agility, he knocked the night guard unconscious from behind. No one saw him. When the guards awoke, Marquis Dingyuan's cell door was wide open, and the man was gone." He leaned forward and addressed the emperor, "This morning I have reported this to your majesty, requesting punishment. This matter is indeed due to the lax supervision and negligence of my Dali Temple."
"We'll discuss this matter later," said Emperor Hong. "What you just asked is also what I'm worried about. How should we deal with the murder of King Yao?"
Emperor Hong raised his gaze towards Shangguan Yichen, and the ministers followed suit, their gazes fixed on him. If Emperor Hong and Shangguan Yichen followed their advice and abandoned the conflict with the Qing Kingdom, it would mean that the true culprit behind King Yao's assassination might never be apprehended, and with Marquis Dingyuan abducted, the only clue would vanish. This national murder would remain a permanent unsolved case, and the person most concerned about this outcome was King Yao's only son.
In fact, Zhong Yujing knew in her heart that Emperor Hong just wanted Shangguan Yichen to say it himself. When Emperor Hong said that he would give up the attack on Qing, he had already decided to sacrifice King Yao. Shangguan Yichen was like a sword in the hands of Emperor Hong. When he needed it, he hoped that you would be extremely sharp, but when you were useless, he hoped that you would be willing to restrain your edge. Is it because the imperial family has been so cold since ancient times that all family affections are hidden after weighing the pros and cons, even for the closest uncles and brothers.
"Since it has been confirmed that King Yao was killed by the Qing people, I will personally take the head of Emperor Qingfeng. My father's great revenge has been avenged, and the murder of King Yao has been concluded." Shangguan Yichen did not disappoint the emperor.
Emperor Hong nodded and smiled with satisfaction.
Among the ministers, some sighed helplessly, while others admired the king's virtue. There was silence and sighs all around.
Zhong Yujing looked outside the court and realized that every inch of land and every person in the Qi Dynasty were just tools of the person on the throne.
Under Shangguan Yichen's repeated advice, the prisoners of war from Qing State saved their lives and were incorporated into the army of the virtuous king and ranked among the generals. Emperor Hong thus established an image of benevolence and was respected by the people.
The prisoners of war from Qing State loved their new general even more. Like all the soldiers in Shangguan Yichen's army, they believed in their commander.
"They told me that a few months ago, Emperor Feng got a new imperial teacher." Shangguan Yichen said to Zhong Yujing.
Several months earlier, a strangely dressed man had arrived at the Qing court. He spoke to Emperor Feng in a mystical manner, recounting events from the past and present that were surprisingly accurate. This instilled in him immense trust, leading the emperor to appoint him as Imperial Preceptor and to follow his every word. Since ascending to the throne, Emperor Feng had been unpopular and disrespected by his subjects. His rise to the throne was illicit, and during his reign, he had profited from the wealth of Emperor Huan. The territorial gains remained elusive, the economy declined, and heavy taxes and levies ravaged the people. The people complained bitterly, and the emperor's hunting expeditions were only sustained by a group of veteran ministers and generals; otherwise, he would never have survived to this day.
The legend of Emperor Qing Huan lies not only in the fact that he founded the Qing Kingdom and swept across China like wildfire within a few decades, but also in the fact that his courage, strategy, and magnanimity made the enemy countries admire him, and he was able to regain the loyalty of his former ministers and confidants a hundred years later.
Under such circumstances, it was a miracle that Emperor Feng could still linger on in power until now. The sudden acquisition of such a seemingly all-knowing strategist was naturally a treasure, and the officers and soldiers had heard rumors from the court that this renowned imperial advisor was the undisclosed disciple of a legendary hermit, whose successor was said to be the one who could conquer the world.
"Snake Spirit?" Zhong Yujing asked, "Could this Imperial Master be Wenren Rang?"
Shangguan Yichen nodded.
"Did he offer advice to the Emperor Feng? He first sent Marquis Dingyuan to report, then used a short arrow to send a message to me, using me to report the news to the emperor. He knew that once we discovered it was him who delivered the message, we would believe its truth. He has always known that his connection to King Yao's death was a suspicion we hadn't yet uncovered. Once we have Marquis Dingyuan imprisoned, they can launch their attack with a legitimate reason."
Shangguan Yichen nodded in satisfaction, "Intelligent and insightful."
Zhong Yujing blinked mischievously, then suddenly thought of something and asked, "What is the identity of the Dingyuan Marquis from Qing Kingdom? I always feel that his appearance is an unexpected move."
Shangguan Yichen raised his voice at the end of his voice and said "oh". He raised his eyebrows and looked at her and asked, "What do you think?"
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