Chapter 224

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Main Character:

Shen Yao

After disaster comes rebirth.

By now, Qi State's external predicament has more or less reached its end; only internal troubles, because the Emperor is aging, have grown increasingly intense.

Qi Haochen's matter may well have been intentional on the Emperor's part, just as Shen Yao speculated, but judging from the surface situation at present, it holds no benefit for Qi Haochen.

On the contrary, because one round failed, the Emperor turned around and gave everyone a new opportunity, which instead makes Qi Haochen seem like an eyesore — or rather, shows that Qi Haochen is not someone the Emperor favors.

Once this perception emerged, it was a tremendous piece of good news for those who had previously competed against Qi Haochen and lost.

No matter how formidable you, Qi Haochen, may be — an ability the Emperor refuses to acknowledge is nothing but useless trash.

"Hahahahaha, I thought he would be the absolute victor among us; never expected Imperial Uncle to be such a marvelous man, excellent, truly excellent."

"Elder Brother, do we still target Luo Wang Fu? This kid strikes with real ruthlessness on ordinary days."

They were directly counter-killed, without even a sliver of room to resist.

"Target them, why wouldn't we target them? But this also gave us a wake-up call.

Imperial Uncle is most likely dissatisfied with Luo Wang; no matter how capable Luo Wang Taizi is, it's all for naught.

We should focus our attention on the others, find an opportunity, and eliminate them all at once."

The young man's gaze was ruthless, his speaking attitude more serious than ever before.

The crowd sitting around the young man hurriedly nodded, taking the opportunity to declare their determination as well.

Similar conversations to this young man's appeared in many a Wang Fu throughout Jingcheng.

The gist of their words was much the same, their attitudes toward Qi Haochen mixed praise and blame, yet their understanding was remarkably consistent — all felt Qi Haochen posed little threat; otherwise, why would the Emperor bother to stage another round?

Qi Haochen: ……

Qi Haochen was first infuriated by the Emperor's maneuver, then calmed down thanks to Shen Yao and Qi Chen; now, hearing others' views on the matter, the anger he had suppressed surged up in an instant.

Heh!

"Seems I still struck too lightly, failed to give them a proper, lasting lesson."

Qi Haochen isn't truly a harmless good man; having lived in this environment since childhood, what doesn't he understand? Even if the Emperor's original intent was for his own good.

"Before I could kick them out once; doing it again now won't change anything either."

This was a multi-player game from the start; victory and defeat are both self-earned, yet now the host at the very top has declared everything prior void.

Merely choosing to start over — can that truly make those who've already fallen into pits avoid them? It's not like their IQs can suddenly be raised.

The people are the same people; they might not fall into the exact same pit twice, but they'll certainly fall into similar pits many times over.

Shen Shi and Shen Zhen accompanied Qi Haochen, both opening their mouths to urge him to calm down first.

"It hasn't reached the critical moment yet; besides, the Emperor doing this also benefits us."

Though being underestimated is unpleasant, correspondingly, the chances of being targeted will also decrease.

Two fists are no match for four hands; no matter how gifted Qi Haochen is, he cannot block conspiracies and schemes coming from all directions.

Shen Zhen felt one should think on the bright side — they might just smoothly pick up some leaks.

Shen Shi shared Qi Haochen's mood; both felt they had been played.

"The benefit is only relative; the Emperor mostly just doesn't care all that much."

If he truly valued Qi Haochen, he couldn't have let Qi Haochen lose this much face.

Even if Qi Haochen successfully ascends in the future, the reputation has long since spread; it may still be exploited by scheming people to stir up trouble among the populace.

Incidents like this occur from time to time in the recorded history books.

Shen Zhen might think it's fine, but for Qi Haochen, who wants to advance further, the trouble created is greater.

Shen Zhen looked at the now-quiet Qi Haochen, "The matter has already happened; there's not much we can do."

The Emperor has already announced the competition restarts; we cannot refuse to play along.

Qi Haochen smiled at his two elder siblings, "What we can do right now is indeed limited, but that's because we're still in Jingcheng."

Jingcheng is the Emperor's base camp; whatever they do will be checked and targeted.

But the fiefdom is different — the fiefdom is their own territory.

"I'll write a letter to Father King, Mother Consort, and the others later," he can ask someone to help.

……

By the time Shen Yao received Qi Haochen's letter, half a month had already passed.

The letter's content was fairly simple, mostly describing the situation in Jingcheng.

The only point Qi Haochen elaborated on at length concerned several capable Wang Fu Taizi and the Emperor.

"Looks like none are foolish to excess; they know to seek outside aid when they can't win, rather than blindly holding out to the bitter end — a clever man's approach."

Shen Yao isn't afraid Qi Haochen will recognize timidity; she fears he won't see things clearly.

Judging by appearances now, Qi Haochen temporarily shows no such tendency.

"Host not angry? Once the fiefdom has an incident, you'll be reprimanded by the Emperor."

Those benefits the Emperor eagerly sent over before — the other party will also have a chance to reclaim them.

The system feels the Host's whole family might have been angered into muddle-headedness by the news, momentarily thinking wrong and doing something irrevocable.

Shen Yao: ……

Shen Yao felt the system was really overthinking, "Fiefdom incidents will indeed draw the Emperor's reprimand, but what if there are many such fiefdoms?"

The law does not punish the multitude!

All the big shots ran into trouble, and she simply didn't believe the Emperor would be willing to jump out and scold them all, nor was she afraid of provoking certain people's rebellious psychology, causing the Qi State's foundation to become unstable.

"This matter has me and Qi Chen in control; the situation you imagine will not happen."

Not only will it not happen, even the probability of it appearing does not exist.

Lowering her head to tidy the clothes on her own body, Shen Yao called for her maidservant and followed her to the front courtyard study.

Every time Qi Haochen wrote a letter, he would send one to each of the two of them. Among them, regarding court political affairs, Qi Haochen and Qi Chen communicated more.

So when Shen Yao arrived, Qi Chen was repeatedly studying Qi Haochen's letter, his expression also full of wonder.

"Wangye"

"Furen, you've come"

Qi Chen greeted Shen Yao, not forgetting to wave the letter in his hand left and right.

"Chen'er wants to ask us to stretch out a hand to help, truly the first time in many years."

Although he had long made this kind of preparation, when Qi Chen truly received the news, he still gave rise to a feeling of trance-like wonder, as if in a dream.

Shen Yao smiled, "This concubine and Wangye feel the same; this child Chen'er would not easily open his mouth, one can only say this matter has caused worry in his heart."

Only when one's own capability is insufficient or there is no certainty would one choose to seek help from others.

For Qi Haochen, he had relied on himself all the way in the capital and was long accustomed to it; encountering matters he would only subconsciously associate them with his own body.

This time was different from before, making Qi Haochen put down his face to seek help from his parents; it shows the Emperor's actions have still trampled on Qi Haochen's bottom line.

Everyone has a bottom line, it's just that some people can endure and some cannot.

Qi Chen pulled Shen Yao's hand, the two people walked to the inner room bedchamber and sat down.

"What does Furen want to do? The Emperor's this move of arrangement has directly muddied the capital that should have been clear and bright."

Qi Chen had dealt with those brothers of his for many years, understanding the methods the crowd would use.

Among them there were those who walked open stratagems, and also those who walked conspiracies; this struggle upon returning anew would only make the final result more cruel.

But this is certainly also what the Emperor wants to see; the victor who kills through heavy barriers is absolutely the most qualified heir.

"The Emperor's purpose we can ignore, but Chen'er's situation cannot be ignored.

Find more things for those Wangfu Shizis to do; presumably the Emperor would be very pleased to witness their methods."

Governing the realm does not rely on conspiracies and schemes; if even a small fiefdom cannot be pacified, how can one inherit the entire Qi State territory.

Qi Chen laughed, "Worthy of being Furen," exactly the same as what he thought.

Then arrange it like this first; let the fiefdoms that should have been peaceful slowly move, and also give the capital's various people a warning: they are not puppets to be manipulated by others; some things done too excessively should receive a lesson.

……

The fiefdom's everything Qi Haochen naturally did not know, but he would soon be able to feel it.

Who let their pillars all be in the fiefdom; if the fiefdom is unstable, they have no confidence.

Memorial after memorial of fiefdom turmoil were submitted to the Imperial Guard, also causing the Front Court to blow up like a pot.

This, before it was all the capital constantly seeking aid outward; now matters have turned around, instead making the court ministers each somewhat bewildered.

The Emperor watched these memorials with interest; whether there was business or not he would pull them out and read them to the various Esteemed Ministers.

Of course, after listening they had to express opinions; don't think you can get by relying on acting dumb and playing stupid.

Court ministers: ……

Court ministers wiped their faces, began daily consulting left and right and speaking irrelevantly, the art of muddling through.

Pity this time the Emperor fundamentally didn't buy it; whatever was said he had to make them produce solutions.

Even the Emperor spoke with great righteousness, "Various ministers are all pillars of the state, eat the ruler's salary, serve the ruler's duty; how come today you all push three block four? Could it be there is some unspeakable hidden secret among you?"

This, this where do they dare admit? They are all loyal-to-ruler patriotic good people!

"Your Majesty, please allow report; this minister has a matter to memorialize"

"This minister has"

"This minister also has"

"……"

Facts prove, as long as the Emperor is willing to put his hand to rectification, the court ministers are still very on the ball.

See, all kinds of strategies and suggestions swarmed in; removing some that were truly unreliable, quite a few were usable.

Among them the one most conforming to the Emperor's thinking was to let those Wangfu Shizis living in the capital go back to help manage.

The suggestions spoke of nothing but grand and upright reasons, similar to bloodline kinship and so on.

Actually, this counts as an assessment of these people's management capabilities.

Pass the assessment, the Emperor will give more attention; fail the assessment, the Emperor also won't say much, merely giving up while also crossing out their retreat path.

Shen Yao's previous speculation cannot be said to be entirely correct; one can only say she touched seven or eight parts of the Emperor's thinking.

The Emperor indeed is dissatisfied with the current fiefdom situation; Qi State territory is vast, but also cannot withstand Imperial Clan relatives passing down generation after generation.

The land is still best gathered into the Emperor's hands; other Imperial Clan relatives can enjoy benefits, but things like fiefdoms as private turf, forget it.

"Must as soon as possible all take back; otherwise the realm is unstable, how does We have face to go see Qi State's ancestors."

Inside the Imperial Palace Imperial Study

Already past fifty years old, the Emperor's temples slightly white, yet not reducing surrounding momentum in the slightest.

He has been this emperor for some years; long-term immersed in state affairs, making his speech unconsciously carry imperial majesty.

Surrounding close-attending palace people all respectfully bent their waists.

Pat—

Brush tip fell, staining the laid-out paper, black and white two colors intertwining and entangling, letting this diligent and majestic emperor become somewhat dazed.

"Take these away to tidy up," waved hand, person slowly left from before the table.

The palace person closest by his side stepped forward one step, moving hands while not emitting any sound.

Until the Emperor spoke up and asked, "Has there been any movement in the Front Court or the Huang Hou recently?"

"Replying to the Emperor, all is peaceful. The people this slave arranged have not received any news for the time being."

The leading Steward Eunuch pinched his throat into a duck-like voice, drawing out his tone; listening to it was strange and indecipherable.

"Hehe, quiet is good." Quiet, and he could have less killing karma.

Over so many years, he no longer remembered just how many lives his hands had stained.

But it did not matter; everything he did was for the rivers and mountains of Qi State.

"Continue watching. If there are any restless ones, give them a swift death."

"Old, old. Our temper has improved a great deal." As before, he would never have been like this.

The Steward-like Eunuch acknowledged upon hearing this, "This slave obeys the decree."

"Withdraw. And summon Consort Xin." Once the proper business at hand is finished, he should also enjoy himself more.

In earlier years, for the sake of offspring and bloodline, the Emperor took many concubines into the palace. Now, with age advancing, he could no longer count on it at all, and the Emperor put aside his desire for an heir.

Consort Xin counted as a relatively favored concubine these past two years; of Palace Maid origin, yet she climbed extremely fast.

But no matter how fast she climbed, it was useless, because a person with no foundation would ultimately only slowly disappear into the Huang Hou.

The Emperor possesses wealth across the four seas; he would not linger overlong for a single person.

Besides, everyone right now is watching the far more important Heir position; a Favored Consort in the Huang Hou? They are already completely not on the same track.

……

"Chen'er, those Prince's Heirs from the Qin Wang Fu who don't get along with you have all left the capital because of matters in their family fiefdoms. When do we plan to depart?"

Shen Shi handed a wax-sealed letter to Qi Haochen, while his mouth asked about their next arrangement.

They were also among the batch of people whose fiefdoms had incidents; by the Emperor's decree, they also had to return.

It was just that the problem that erupted on Qi Chen and Shen Yao's side was relatively smaller, so Qi Haochen could be not as anxious as the others.

"In a few more days, wait until they've all more or less left, then we'll set off."

Qi Haochen touched his chin, lowered his head to indicate this matter had developed too fast, even he could barely keep up.

As expected, Father and Mother are still the ones who deliver; everyone is busy performing well, and the capital can be peaceful for a stretch of time.

"The timing is up to you, but after this trip, there should be a resolution when you return."

Continuing to linger in the capital, sooner or later eyes will turn red with killing intent; Shen Shi felt that if possible, it's still best to settle it early, which would be beneficial to everyone.

Qi Haochen smiled bitterly, "Third Brother, this matter depends on that person's intention; we don't have the ability to say one and not two."

"But it should be soon. I heard the Huang Hou—" Shen Shi's words weren't finished when Shen Zhen decisively ran in from outside the door.