Chapter 306: Hypocrisy, Taking Advantage and Then Playing the Victim

…

Zhao Yu has reason to be "angry."

Xiao Duoli Lan is the Empress of Liao, a genuine Empress, unquestionably so.

Even Xiao Guige, as Yelu Yanxi's original consort, is nearly the second-most powerful woman in Liao, given there is no Empress Dowager.

These two crucial women, Xiao Puxian and Xiao Fengxian, conspired together and presented them to Zhao Yu.

If Zhao Yu says nothing about this, it would be utterly unjustifiable—especially under the circumstances of Song and Liao's proposed "alliance."

Upon hearing Zhao Yu say, "You are forcing me into immorality," Xiao Puxian did not curse him as "hypocritical, taking advantage and then playing the victim," nor did she call him "wanting to be a whore and still hang up a virtue plaque"; instead, she spoke with solemn seriousness:

"Liao is on the brink of collapse; only through sincere alliance with our great Song can we find a glimmer of survival."

"The urgent task is to send a man capable of influencing Liao's politics to mediate in Liao, preventing internal strife between Song and Liao due to mutual suspicion, so that our alliance may proceed smoothly—who but Xiao Fengxian fits this role?"

"But Xiao Fengxian is a minister of Yelu Yanxi; if he does not demonstrate loyalty, how can our great Song possibly employ him?"

"Thus arose yesterday's events."

"The Empress of Liao and the Original Consort are both women of great principle; they fully understand this matter concerns the very foundation of Song and Liao, especially Liao's survival or destruction, and thus willingly conceal their identities to serve Your Majesty."

Upon hearing Xiao Puxian's sophistry, Cai Jing and Su Shi immediately understood: Xiao Puxian's true concern was not how to coexist with Liao in the future, but to first, without a single drop of bloodshed, reclaim Yan Di Wuzhou, Sanzhou, Pingluan Camp, and the Juyong Pass.

This is the top priority; what harm is there in planting a thorn deep in the hearts of the Liao people?

In other words, Xiao Puxian believes: a single bird in hand is worth more than a thousand in the forest.

Of course, Xiao Puxian is also using this to demonstrate her hardline political stance: "I dare scheme against and sacrifice your Liao Empress and Original Consort—how much less will I hesitate over anyone else? So from now on, everyone in Liao will obey me without question, or face my merciless methods!"

One must admit, Xiao Puxian's strategy profoundly understands the treachery of human nature and reveals the coldness of political scheming. As a woman, she has woven a complex web of politics within the gap between Song and Liao—her methods are astonishingly brilliant, her heart chillingly ruthless.

Seeing Xiao Puxian achieve this, Zhang Chun finally understood why Zhao Yu chose Xiao Puxian to become Liao's Eastern Empress Dowager instead of her.

To be honest, Zhang Chun had long resented Zhao Yu for choosing Xiao Puxian over her to become Liao's Eastern Empress Dowager; she had even become passive and negligent, expressing her displeasure toward Zhao Yu, even hoping to prove to him that he could not function without her.

But when faced with Zhang Chun's tantrum, Zhao Yu ignored her entirely, continuing to govern the Song Dynasty and pushing forward the plan for Xiao Puxian and Xiao Sese to become Liao's Eastern and Western Empress Dowagers, directing them to make Liao and Jin exhaust each other.

Zhang Chun saw this and realized: disaster—Zhao Yu's wings had hardened; without her, he was utterly unaffected. Worse, if she continued to rebel, she might truly be cast into the Cold Palace and permanently removed from the Song Dynasty's center of power.

Zhang Chun quickly seized an opportunity to kneel before Zhao Yu and begged for forgiveness.

Thus, Zhang Chun returned to Zhao Yu's side, resuming her role as his core advisor, helping him govern the Song Dynasty and manage foreign affairs.

Yet though she had returned, Zhang Chun still resented Xiao Puxian being chosen to execute the "Ci'an, Cixi" model she herself had proposed.

After all, becoming Empress Dowager had always been Zhang Chun's greatest dream.

In the Song Dynasty, she felt such an opportunity would never come.

So letting her fulfill it in Liao would be acceptable.

But Zhao Yu unhesitatingly chose Xiao Puxian.

Zhang Chun was unconvinced; she wanted to see what Xiao Puxian had that she lacked.

Only upon witnessing this scene did Zhang Chun understand why Zhao Yu chose Xiao Puxian over her.

Xiao Puxian's strength lies not in the cleverness of her schemes, but in a near-cruel political pragmatism—every move she makes carries the resolve of mutual destruction, leaving no room for even a sliver of sentiment.

Xiao Puxian's ruthlessness lies in daring to strike at people and matters others dare not touch. Xiao Duoli Lan and Xiao Guige are the face of Liao—yet she offered them up without blinking. In her eyes, they are not Liao's Empress and Original Consort, but mere pawns to be weighed for advantage; if they serve her desired outcome, she will strike without hesitation.

And she? Her dream is to become Empress Dowager—essentially, she still seeks the honor that power brings. She calculates for gain, but deep down, she cannot bear to "destroy her own foundation." To make her sacrifice the controversial Xiao Duoli Lan and Xiao Guige? She simply cannot do it.

From demanding Xiao Fengxian submit his loyalty oath, to presenting Xiao Duoli Lan and Xiao Guige to Zhao Yu, to executing the entire affair flawlessly, Xiao Puxian showed not a single moment of hesitation. She wants "a single bird in hand," and will not waste time chasing "a thousand in the forest." Even if the act is vile, even if it violates heaven and earth, as long as it achieves her core goal, she will make the decision and carry it out.

Meanwhile, Zhang Chun's passive negligence over not being chosen as Liao's Eastern Empress Dowager was fundamentally mixing personal emotion into political decision-making. She weighs, she sulks, she hesitates out of resentment.

In politics, hesitation is suicide.

Xiao Puxian never does this—once her target is locked, she pounces like a starving wolf, regardless of who the opponent is or what others think; she grabs the meat first, then thinks.

Xiao Puxian understands: power is not earned by titles, but seized by deterrence.

Zhang Chun wants to be Empress Dowager, valuing the glory the title brings. But Xiao Puxian cares nothing for titles—she wants the actual power to control Liao's politics.

To this end, Xiao Puxian will spare no means to pave her way.

In short, every step Xiao Puxian takes is to grip real power, not to earn a good reputation.

Put plainly, Zhang Chun wants to be the star of the political stage; Xiao Puxian is the one who can build the stage—and then burn it down and rebuild it.

One still calculates gains and losses, honor and shame; the other has long trampled honor and shame beneath her feet, recognizing only results.

This is Xiao Puxian's most terrifying quality—her ruthlessness and decisiveness are not matters of temperament, but a fundamental conviction: politics is a fight to the death—either win completely, or die utterly; there is no middle path.