Chapter 296: Power and Flesh Trade

…

Zhao Yu's original plan was to cooperate with Yelu Yanxi—no, to be precise, to exploit Yelu Yanxi.

But it turned out that Yelu Yanxi was incapable of success and only good at causing failure, possessing no value whatsoever for exploitation.

Zhao Yu even thought of a song, whose lyrics fit Yelu Yanxi perfectly.

"They all look down on me, yet I'm no good either. No one lifts me to the clouds, and I can't climb on my own. Everyone laughs at me, yet I'm the funniest of all. If I had even a shred of ability, I wouldn't be utterly without it. Rather than forcing myself, I might as well let myself off."

If Zhao Yu still wanted the Liao and Jin states to exhaust each other, ultimately achieving the Song Dynasty's goal of reaping the benefits while the two rivals fought, he would have to replace Yelu Yanxi.

Zhang Chun advised Zhao Yu to choose one from Yelu Chun and Yelu Ao Luowan to support.

To be honest, Zhang Chun's suggestion made perfect sense.

Looking across the entire Liao state, it seemed only Yelu Chun might stand a chance against Wanyan Aguda; even Yelu Dashi, who had long served as Zhao Yu's strategist, was currently unfit to lead the Liao.

Even Yelu Chun could not command the entire Liao state due to his illegitimate claim—unless Yelu Yanxi was removed.

No.

Merely removing Yelu Yanxi was not enough, because even if Yelu Yanxi were gone, his imperial throne should pass to his son, not his uncle.

Therefore, to ensure Yelu Chun could smoothly inherit Yelu Yanxi's throne, not only must Yelu Yanxi be killed, but all of Yelu Yanxi's sons must also be prevented from inheriting.

Only then could Yelu Chun become the legitimate new Emperor of Liao and lead all remaining Liao forces to fight Jin to the death.

Zhao Yu considered that one should never underestimate the young, and that Yelu Ao Luowan was far too young to be a match for Wanyan Aguda; thus, if forced to choose between Yelu Chun and Yelu Ao Luowan, Zhao Yu chose Yelu Chun.

To this end, Zhao Yu decided to eliminate Yelu Yanxi's entire family, clearing all obstacles for Yelu Chun.

To ensure absolute success, Zhao Yu entrusted this task to the Brocade Uniform Guard, the Divine Mechanism Left Army, and the Northern Auxiliary Army jointly.

Additionally, Zhang Chun gave Yuwen Xuzhong a sealed pouch.

After giving instructions to Yuwen Xuzhong, Zhang Jun, Zhang Shuye, Li Yanxian, Li Miao, and others, Zhao Yu returned to the inner palace, where Yelu Yuliyan came to find him, saying: "Your Majesty, my mother requests your presence—she says she has prepared a surprise for you."

Hearing Yelu Yuliyan say this, the Palace Lady leaned close to Zhao Yu's ear and whispered: "Lady Xiao Guiyi has summoned her elder sister Xiao Qinqin, her younger sister Xiao Pipa, and her five nieces—Yelu Jiusi, Yelu Tesi, Yelu Saishi, Yelu Sui, and Yelu Yan Zicheng—to her palace chamber; Yelu Jiusi and Yelu Tesi are both of age."

Upon hearing the Palace Lady's words, Zhao Yu's eyes flickered with a hint of amusement, and a sly, knowing smile curved his lips: "Let's go see her."

Zhao Yu walked with light steps through the winding, deep palace corridors, each footfall echoing like the resonance of scheming and desire upon the palace bricks. He felt both curiosity about the impending surprise and speculation over Xiao Sese's true intentions.

'Xiao Sese is being so proactive—she must have an agenda… Could she have found out that I plan to depose Yelu Yanxi and choose either Yelu Chun or her son Yelu Ao Luowan as the new Emperor of Liao?'

'That shouldn't be possible. Only I and Zhang Chun know this plan; even Yuwen Xuzhong and the others just learned today that they're to capture Yelu Yanxi. Xiao Sese couldn't possibly have such swift intelligence.'

'Could Zhang Chun have leaked it? No—though she's not very clever, she should still understand the simple truth: "If the ruler is not discreet, he loses his ministers; if the minister is not discreet, he loses his life; if secret matters are not kept confidential, harm follows."'

'Then why is Xiao Sese seeking me? And why has she sacrificed her own sisters and nieces? Her ambition must be immense.'

As Zhao Yu weighed these possibilities, his steps never slowed, and before he knew it, he stood before Xiao Sese's palace.

At this moment, all the women in Xiao Sese's palace had meticulously adorned themselves, waiting at the entrance to greet Zhao Yu's arrival.

There, Xiao Sese wore an elegant ruqun, her hair pinned high and adorned with pearls and jade, exuding an air of dignified allure. A gentle smile graced her face, her eyes radiating an indescribable charm and depth—as if she had prepared a meticulously staged drama, waiting only for the lead actor to appear.

"Your humble servant greets Your Majesty," Xiao Sese bowed gracefully, her voice soft, magnetic, and subtly seductive, drawing one irresistibly into its spell.

"Rise," Zhao Yu replied with a smile, his gaze sweeping over the women in the hall, finally settling on the several women beside Xiao Sese.

What caught Zhao Yu's attention most was not the two Khitan girls who bore some resemblance to Xiao Sese, though one had bright eyes and radiant beauty, and the other was gentle and serene, like a orchid in stillness.

What truly held Zhao Yu's gaze were the two Khitan women who resembled Xiao Sese by eight or nine tenths—her elder sister Xiao Qinqin and her younger sister Xiao Pipa.

Xiao Qinqin, though past thirty, showed no trace of time's wear; instead, she radiated a composed, dignified grace. Her features were more open than Xiao Sese's, her eyes slightly upturned yet without sharpness; when she smiled, faint lines appeared at her corners, like ripples stirred by an autumn breeze across a lake. Her every gesture carried the ease of long-standing authority; seeing Zhao Yu, she gave a slight nod, her lips curving into a perfectly measured smile—respectful yet retaining the reserve of a noble lady. Her eyes held a tranquil understanding, as if all honor and disgrace had long been soaked into the flow of years.

Xiao Pipa embodied a different kind of allure. Her features were sharper—her nose high and straight, her lips clearly defined. Without a smile, she carried an air of martial vigor; when she smiled, two small dimples appeared, softening that edge. Two golden dangling hairpins adorned her coiffure, swaying and chiming softly as she bowed. Her skin bore the healthy honey tone typical of steppe women, sharply contrasting with her sisters' pallor. Around her neck hung a necklace of wolf teeth; when she looked at him, her gaze held a hint of scrutiny, swiftly melting into proper submission—like a she-wolf tamed yet still harboring wildness.

Altogether, the three Xiao sisters were all fully ripened beauties—strikingly similar yet each uniquely captivating; any man who possessed them would surely experience peak delight.

'Interesting. So it's the whole family deploying the beauty trap.'

'Fine. Since you've laid out your cards, I won't hold back—let's play a little, and then I'll see what you're really hiding in that gourd.'

With this thought, Zhao Yu unhesitatingly wrapped one arm around Xiao Qinqin and the other around Xiao Pipa, embracing the two lushly beautiful women as they were escorted into Xiao Sese's palace by the others.

The character "Kun" is vast and profound.