Chapter 304: The Decisiveness of a Mature Villainous Minister

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Xiao Xiao Duoli Lan and Xiao Guige had only just led a group of Liao women into Chengping Palace when they learned from the Liao beauties still residing there that the vast majority of the Liao beauties who had previously lived in Chengping Palace had all entered Zhao Yu's rear palace and become his consorts; the few of them still holding out were doing so only because they had deep obsessions or attachments they could not let go of.

Hearing this from the Liao beauties, quite a few of the Liao women were greatly shocked! They had never imagined that Zhao Yu truly intended to take them into his own rear palace.

Well then.

As women of the grasslands, raised in the culture of bride-snatching, they could still understand the matter of themselves being taken as spoils of war and folded into Zhao Yu's rear palace.

They simply had not expected that the Zhao Song Dynasty, which proclaimed itself a land of rites and propriety, would also engage in such naked and undisguised plunder.

But then again, if you allow the peoples of the grasslands to do the first, you must allow the farming peoples to do the fifteenth.

Think back to when the Liao were strong — what year did they not ride south to "harvest the grasslands," plundering Han people for population to make into slaves, plundering Han wealth for their own pleasures?

Otherwise, why do you think the Liao's total population was roughly a little over ten million, of which five or six million were Han — more than half of the Liao's total population, more than all the other peoples combined?

In those days, Liao iron hooves trampled the rivers and mountains of the Zhao Song Dynasty; Han sons and daughters wailed beneath the blades of Liao riders, countless families were shattered, countless tears were shed.

And now, the wheel of fortune had turned. The Zhao Song Dynasty had grown strong, the Liao was heading toward destruction, and Zhao Yu had seized them for his own enjoyment — what was the problem with that?

This could only be called the cycle of heaven: retribution never misses. Though they were unwilling in their hearts, they understood that this reversal of fate was like the wind upon the grasslands — at times gently caressing, at times savagely raging — and no one could foresee its course, they could only go along with its changes.

Fortunately, the Liao beauties all said that the Liao beauties who had previously entered Zhao Yu's rear palace had all been unable to bear it any longer and had thrown themselves into Zhao Yu's embrace of their own accord; Zhao Yu had never forced a single one of them, and even those who remained in Chengping Palace had not been shorted on food or clothing by Zhao Yu, let alone mistreated.

This let quite a few of the Liao women secretly breathe a sigh of relief, and even made them feel that Zhao Yu did still possess some measure of benevolence and righteousness — he had not hunted these people of a conquered nation to the last, nor wantonly trampled them, but had preserved a measure of respect and dignity for them as spoils of war. The fear and resentment in their hearts from being carried off to a foreign land was thereby soothed a little, and this let them find a sliver of comfort amid their panic and unease.

Xiao Xiao Duoli Lan and Xiao Guige led a group of Liao women in anxiously waiting at Chengping Palace for three days. They did not receive the good news that Yelu Yanxi had sent, nor did Zhao Yu summon them to attend him in bed — instead, they got Seeing Xiao Fengxian coming to see Xiao Xiao Duoli Lan and Xiao Guige.

Upon learning that Seeing Xiao Fengxian had come to find them, the anxious Xiao Xiao Duoli Lan and Xiao Guige immediately went to meet Seeing Xiao Fengxian.

Once the siblings met, Seeing Xiao Fengxian seized the initiative: "Empress, Imperial Consort — this is bad news…"

Then Seeing Xiao Fengxian told Xiao Xiao Duoli Lan and Xiao Guige about Zhao Yu forcing Yelu Yanxi to abdicate in favor of Yelu Aoluwo.

Hearing this, Xiao Xiao Duoli Lan and Xiao Guige were both greatly shocked!

But after the shock passed, Xiao Xiao Duoli Lan and Xiao Guige felt it was only to be expected.

The situation now was that the neighbor called Liao's house had already caught a great fire, and the blaze was clearly out of control.

By rights, the head of household Yelu Yanxi ought to have led his household members to fight the fire with all their might.

Yet Yelu Yanxi had chosen to ignore the great fire and focus solely on fleeing for his own life.

The neighbor, the Zhao Song Dynasty, fearing this great fire would set its own house ablaze too, certainly could not sit and wait for death.

So the Zhao Song Dynasty could only either find a way to help the Liao put out the fire, or find a way to stop this great fire from spreading to its own house.

And right now, the best method was to drag down that head of household who only thought of his own escape and cared nothing for what state his own house or his neighbor's house would be burned into, and put in his place a new head of household who was willing and able to fight the fire.

Yelu Aoluwo, who fit the bill in every way, was a very good choice.

Moreover, Yelu Aoluwo was also Zhao Yu's adopted son; if he ascended, it would be easier for the Liao and the Zhao Song Dynasty to join forces — this might be the Liao's only chance.

Therefore, from the Liao's perspective, Zhao Yu backing Yelu Aoluwo's ascension should count as the best choice available at present.

But this was only from the Liao's perspective, not from the perspective of the three siblings Seeing Xiao Fengxian, Xiao Xiao Duoli Lan, and Xiao Guige — especially not from the perspective of Seeing Xiao Fengxian and Xiao Guige.

One must remember that, in order to help Yelu Ding defeat Yelu Aoluwo, Seeing Xiao Fengxian had even driven Yelu Yudu into rebellion, and had purged all the political forces behind Yelu Aoluwo (mainly the Seeing Xiao Sese clan), and had even nearly killed Yelu Aoluwo himself.

Although Xiao Guige had not taken part in these matters, she was one of the greatest beneficiaries behind the scenes, and it would be hard to avoid being hated by association and held a grudge against by Yelu Aoluwo as well.

Even Xiao Xiao Duoli Lan might be implicated by Seeing Xiao Fengxian and Xiao Guige, and afterward be settled with by Seeing Xiao Sese and Yelu Aoluwo — mother and son — who would surely seek revenge.

Upon learning that this was the outcome, even the even-tempered Xiao Guige could no longer hold herself in check; she furiously rebuked her elder brother: "You, as the administrator of state affairs, assisting the sovereign, have brought the nation to such a state — what face have you left to keep on living?"

Seeing Xiao Fengxian had no words to reply.

Because marrying off his two sisters Xiao Xiao Duoli Lan and Xiao Guige to Yelu Yanxi, and currying Yelu Yanxi's favor, Seeing Xiao Fengxian had risen to the position of Privy Council Chancellor, Acting Minister over the Masses, and been ennobled as the Commandery Prince of Lanling — absolutely the most powerful minister under one and above ten thousand in the Liao, long controlling the great power of the state.

Yet under Seeing Xiao Fengxian's governance, the Liao was nearly destroyed, and the people's hearts were nearly falling apart.

Seeing Xiao Fengxian was absolutely beyond forgiveness.

Seeing Xiao Fengxian also knew full well what fine deeds he had done, and knew even better that if he did not save himself, not only would he be hacked to pieces, but his entire clan would meet no good end.