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The emperor was old and ill for a long time, and his death was only a matter of time. However, the new emperor who succeeded him was unexpected. He was not the youngest son whom the late emperor had wholeheartedly supported, hoping that the son would gain status through the mother, nor was he the crown prince who had caused trouble many times and was almost deposed. Instead, he was an unknown prince who was not very famous and was previously raised by the imperial concubine.
No one can tell how many palace secrets are involved, but it can be imagined that it must be a major event that shook the foundation of the country. For a time, some people even raised the banner of serving the king, claiming that the death of the late emperor was unclear and that loyal and brave people were needed to restore order. It was also rumored that the offspring of the deposed prince had been rescued and was waiting to be crowned emperor.
However, no matter how chaotic the capital was and how shaken the officialdom was, it was just a joke to the Red Flag Gang far away in the South China Sea.
As if to prove that the previous emperor was foolish, deceived by treacherous officials, and had done wrong, the new emperor pardoned a group of officials upon ascending the throne, including Qiu Sheng, and posthumously conferred the title of "Marquis of Zhenhai". However, the people were dead, and their families were destroyed. To complete the process in a dignified manner, a document of amnesty was naturally needed.
"My dear nephew, not only will General Qiu be promoted this time, but he will also be granted an imperial decree. This is a great opportunity, and I hope you will do your best to mediate." Prefect Liu groaned inwardly, but he had to put on a smile. The matter of recruiting the envoy was indeed difficult to handle. The senior officials in Panyu discussed it and decided to communicate with the Red Banner Gang first, rather than actually sending an envoy and causing trouble.
However, Lu Jian, who had been listening with a smile, shook his head at this moment: "I'm afraid the gang leader won't agree to this."
When Prefect Liu heard this, he became anxious: "The Emperor has rehabilitated General Qiu and even given him a title. Could it be that he still has something to be dissatisfied with?"
Lu Jian smiled, but said without hiding anything: "Can a woman inherit a title? Can she lead an army? Just adding an imperial decree would be like taking away someone's military power. Who would agree to that?"
Prefect Liu's face paled, and he opened his mouth, but no words came out. Lu Jian was right. Miss Qiu had founded the Red Flag Gang, but could the court confer a title on her? Could it grant her an official position? No one would agree to a trivial "imperial edict" that would take away the other party's military power. But then again, could they really give her the title of general?
After an awkward silence for a while, Prefect Liu finally said, "Alas, the new emperor has ascended the throne. It's better not to embarrass the angel who delivered the imperial edict. We must always persuade him."
The dignity of an emperor needs to be treated with utmost seriousness. Unfortunately, the new emperor's accession to the throne seems somewhat illegitimate and his confidence is very insufficient. Even without considering Cheng Xi's temper, he would not accept this edict.
However, Lu Jian nodded and said, "I will go there soon and help ask about it. But please be clear with the higher-ups, uncle."
Since both sides were prepared, things wouldn't be too bad. Prefect Liu was also greatly relieved. As long as he could handle the task, it didn't matter to him whether the rebels surrendered or not.
Lu Jian didn't take these attempts seriously, but he did have something he wanted to discuss with Cheng Xi. With such a major turmoil unfolding in the capital, how could Lord Lu, a minister of the Six Ministries, not be caught up in it? He didn't care who the new emperor would be, but he did care that Lord Lu had made the wrong bet and was in dire straits. How could such a good opportunity be missed so easily?
…
"You posthumously conferred the title of Marquis of Zhenhai on me, and even gave me an imperial edict?" Cheng Xi raised an eyebrow and asked, "How did Mingde respond to them?"
Lu Jian sighed, "To seize someone's military power, this isn't a call for peace, it's clearly a call for enmity."
This was such a frank statement that Cheng Xi laughed out loud: "Mingde still understands me."
Military power is the foundation of her life. If the imperial court wants to take it away with just an imperial edict, it is a pipe dream.
Although he knew she was just saying it casually, Lu Jian's heart still beat faster and a smile appeared on his face: "So how do you plan to answer them?"
There are many ways to refuse the amnesty, and the answer at this moment can be said to represent the attitude of the Red Flag Gang towards the new emperor, and it is also what the officials in Panyu want to hear most.
"The dead cannot be resurrected, and the son must pay off his father's debt." Cheng Xi threw out two sentences.
Killing an innocent loyal minister, then offering an apology and light compensation? I'm afraid the real Miss Qiu wouldn't agree to it, not to mention that she doesn't want a title or a nobility.
This was much tougher than the last time he rejected Wang Ling. Lu Jian's expression did not change, and he nodded in understanding: "I will let them know."
This was the point of the message. If negotiations were possible and conditions were met, then they could make a grand display, wrangling both sides. Regardless of success or failure, it would still be considered a face-saving move for the imperial court. If there was no room for negotiation at all, then they could only come quietly and leave quietly. After all, Panyu had no intention of starting a war, so how could the new emperor send troops to suppress them? Moreover, with the capital now in such chaos, it was unclear who would ultimately prevail. No one would do anything absurd just for a piece of imperial edict.
It was such a big deal, but it was resolved in just a few words. Cheng Xi changed the subject: "Isn't Mingde coming here just for this?"
Why bother making this trip when you already know the answer? Lu Jian must have something else to discuss.
Seeing that she had exposed the truth, Lu Jian no longer hid his secrets. "The Crown Prince and the Fifth Prince have both failed to inherit the throne. Lord Lu and his in-laws made a mistake and are likely to be liquidated. I plan to take this opportunity to go to Yuhang and see if I can make things worse for the Lu family."
These words were truly rude, not even calling him "father," and the sinister nature of them was even more apparent. Choosing the wrong side in the succession decision was a standard way to end one's career, and to add insult to injury at this moment would likely mean the end of a centuries-old family.
Cheng Xi didn't show any surprise, but asked with interest: "Do you want to take this opportunity to build a bank first, or borrow some troops?"
Originally, they had planned to take advantage of the ocean-going fleet's return and then sail north with the cargo to Yuhang, using this obvious route as leverage to drive a wedge into Jiangdong. But now, the situation was drastically different. Whether using the bank to squeeze the Lu family's living space or sending troops to launch a decapitation operation, it would shake the Lu family's foundation and bring them to ruin.
"If possible, we should take a two-pronged approach. I hope the leader will agree." Lu Jian bowed.
He had no intention of holding back, taking advantage of his illness to kill him. If Lord Lu were lucky enough to survive, he would return home to see his wife and children torn apart. What expression would he have? The thought of this made Lu Jian feel something boiling in his chest, suppressing everything else. His face must have been extremely ugly at this moment, but Lu Jian did not intend to hide it, because Cheng Xi had seen him in this state of ugliness and understood the anger in his heart.
This was indeed what Lu Jian would choose. From the first time she met him, he had never hidden his hatred. This hatred had driven countless things and caused countless troubles. If it could be put to rest, it would be good.
Cheng Xi smiled: "If Mingde is determined, I would like to go north with him to visit Yuhang."
Lu Jian suddenly raised his head, staring at the other person without blinking. This was truly unexpected. Was he worried about borrowing troops, or about disrupting the bank's layout, or was he simply worried about him as a person? But this was a family scandal, and an act that went against human ethics. He didn't know what he would do, what expression he would show, after enduring it for so many years. Could he really catch Cheng Xi's eye?
However, the next moment, he suddenly came to his senses and nodded slightly: "If I can get the help of the gang leader, I will be very grateful."
No matter what he thought, this would require the Red Flag Gang's financial resources and connections, and it was related to the layout of Jiangnan and the opening of shipping routes. As the leader of the gang, how could he ignore it? And she hadn't yet said what price she would have to pay or what reward she would give. The past favors had been completely erased. She wanted to see not only the ugly infighting among the aristocratic families, but also what kind of bargaining chips he could offer, what he could use, just like the discounted rice he had casually offered.
It’s only been two years.
Even Lu Jian was momentarily dazed, but the next moment, he was more lucid than ever. If he were alone, he might only have a 30-50 chance of success. If Cheng Xi also took action personally, would the Lu family still have a chance of escape? The raging flames burned him to the point of burning his body. He truly couldn't wait any longer.
With this bow, many things are left unsaid.
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