Northern Zhou Dynasty, Luoyang.
Qiao Yu looked at her somewhat uneasy younger brother and couldn't help but laugh, "What are you standing there for? Do you need your older brother to explain it again?"
Qiao Xiuyu frowned and said, "Brother, this is too absurd!"
Qiao Yu curled her lips and said helplessly, "This is the best solution we can think of right now—your fiancée doesn't just want the Southern Chen dynasty, she also wants the Northern Zhou dynasty. She loves you and doesn't want to put you and me in a difficult position, so she came up with this solution."
He paused, then said, "You should know how difficult it is for such affection to come from an emperor."
Qiao Xiuyu was somewhat discouraged: "I don't think An'an did anything wrong... but how can I secure this throne?"
Qiao Yu lifted her eyelids to glance at him and said casually, "With me helping you in the shadows, you won't be unable to sit still."
Qiao Yu was actually somewhat unwilling—this unwillingness had surfaced ever since Lin Jing had healed his body somewhat.
Now that he has recovered, why can't he govern this land? With his health restored, his spirits are also lifted, and he no longer harbors any intention of retiring.
But could that Princess Heyang not know this? Could she not know that if her health improved day by day, she would develop many ambitions?
How could she not know that?
But the Princess of Heyang gave him the choice—whether to choose the Northern Zhou dynasty, wait anxiously every day for the Southern Chen to move north, and watch the world fall apart, or to abdicate and live in seclusion in Jiangnan, so that the world could be a little more peaceful?
This is a choice between private and public interests.
Qiao Yu also smiled bitterly. Princess Heyang's scheme was truly brilliant, and no one could find fault with it. No matter which one he chose, Northern Zhou would only perish.
So be it. The world will eventually unite after a long period of division, so what is there for me to worry about?
That slight sense of resentment was forcibly suppressed by Qiao Yu.
Qiao Xiuyu wanted to refuse after hearing his brother's words, but this decision was made by Shang Shaoyan and Qiao Yu together. They were the two most important people in his life, so how could he refuse?
So Qiao Xiuyu had no choice but to agree.
...
Three months later.
Xuehua Palace, located at the border between the Northern Zhou and Southern Chen dynasties.
It was daytime, and the Bloodflower Palace was brightly lit, but the atmosphere in the main hall was stagnant.
Xie Huayin's face was grim as she looked at Su Ling kneeling below, her voice unreadable: "You're saying that Shang Shaoyan has declared himself emperor in Southern Chen?"
Su Ling trembled, then lowered her head and said, "Yes."
Xie Huayin closed her eyes tightly and continued to ask, "Did she also eliminate all our forces in Nanchen?"
Su Ling kowtowed and said tremblingly, "Yes."
Xie Huayin was so angry she laughed. She threw the teacup in her hand on the ground, the sound of it shattering sending chills down one's spine.
"Useless!" Xie Huayin roared. "What right does she have!"
"Why should I?" A smiling voice suddenly came from outside the door. "Of course, it's because of my own abilities."
Xie Huayin narrowed her eyes and looked at the newcomer: "Shang Shaoyan."
Shang Shaoyan walked into the main hall with a smile, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Teacher Xie, it's been a long time!"
Xie Huayin sneered, remained silent, and looked at Shang Shaoyan with a hint of wariness.
Shang Shaoyan was dressed in a short-sleeved Hu-style outfit, looking quite dashing, with dozens of soldiers following behind him.
She looked around at the main hall's decor and said with a smile, "Teacher Xie, this place is truly magnificent, almost like a palace!"
After a pause, she asked with some doubt, "Teacher Xie, someone as talented as you, why don't you become an emperor? Don't you like it?"
Does it mean you don't like it?
Don't you like it?
Do you like it?
Okay?
Xie Huayin's face twisted in pain: "..."
Damn it, Shang Shaoyan, you little bastard!!!
Shang Shaoyan deliberately ignored Xie Huayin's unpleasant expression and smiled at his entourage behind him, saying, "See? How noble and pure Teacher Xie is! She doesn't covet power or money, which makes me, a mere mortal, feel ashamed!"
Xie Huayin's composure was indeed lacking. Pointing at Shang Shaoyan, she gritted her teeth and said, "The victor is king, the loser is villain, I accept that, but a scholar can be killed but not humiliated! Not to mention I'm your teacher, is this how you act as a student?!"
Shang Shaoyan gave a puzzled "hmm," and then said, "So, Teacher Xie, you really don't like being an emperor, right? Is that right? Is that right?"
Xie Huayin: "..."
She glared at Shang Shaoyan fiercely. Shang Shaoyan, still not satisfied, clicked his tongue and said, "Teacher Xie, I have four pieces of good news. Which one would you like to hear first?"
Xie Huayin: "..."
She glared angrily at Shang Shaoyan, wanting to fight her to the death, but she knew that Xuehua Palace was probably already surrounded. She was under someone else's roof and had no choice but to submit. She could only say resentfully, "Do whatever you want!"
Shang Shaoyan said with a smug look, "Let's start with the less-than-good news!"
Xie Huayin twitched the corners of her mouth, giving a forced smile, and said, "Yes, you go ahead."
Shang Shaoyan said with a smile, "I have completely wiped out your influence in Nanchen!"
Xie Huayin had just learned about this and was already furious. Now that Shang Shaoyan had brought it up again, she was even angrier. But she couldn't do anything about Shang Shaoyan and could only glare at her former student.
Shang Shaoyan said with a grin, "That's the best news—the second piece of bad news is that your influence in Northern Zhou has also been completely wiped out by my lover's brother!"
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