Chapter 1311

As Zhan Peng said, Zhou Ruiyuan's ability in domestic affairs is outstanding, after many years of political career, several ups and downs, he sees the situation very clearly. Although recently the astonishing news inside the Dakang court comes one after another, Zhou Ruiyuan remains calm as usual, unless the Emperor actively seeks him, he will never proactively inquire about these matters, especially those concerning the fate of imperial power.

Zhou Ruiyuan caught a cold these days, feeling unwell, he has been resting at home. He ordered that unless the Emperor and the Yongyang Princess summon him, all others are to be turned away. However, early this morning someone sent a visiting card; Zhou Ruiyuan merely glanced at its content and his face changed instantly, he hurriedly had the steward bring the person in.

The one who came to visit Zhou Ruiyuan was Hu Xiaotian; he naturally would not reveal his identity, still having undergone some disguise. If he came openly in his true appearance, it would surely cause unnecessary trouble, not only for himself but also bring considerable trouble to Zhou Ruiyuan. However, after the disguise, how could the esteemed Dakang Chancellor Zhou Ruiyuan agree to see a stranger? This did not deter Hu Xiaotian.

In the ledger that Ji Feihua gave him, there are many secrets, including Zhou Ruiyuan's; Hu Xiaotian merely wrote the name Chu Qingfeng on the visiting card, and thus smoothly entered the chancellor's residence, being brought to Zhou Ruiyuan's side.

Zhou Ruiyuan's illness had not yet healed, his speech thick with nasal congestion: 'You are…'

Hu Xiaotian looked to both sides; Zhou Ruiyuan waved his hand, signaling the servants to withdraw completely.

Hu Xiaotian respectfully bowed to Zhou Ruiyuan and said, 'Your nephew pays his respects, Uncle Zhou!' As he lowered his head, he had already removed the mask.

Seeing him raise his head and already changed in appearance, Zhou Ruiyuan was somewhat taken aback, then immediately laughed: 'I wondered who it was; it turns out to be my worthy nephew—please, take a seat!'

Hu Xiaotian sat beside him; Zhou Ruiyuan glanced at the visiting card and said softly, 'If you wanted to see me, you could simply reveal your identity—why go through the trouble of disguising yourself and specially making a visiting card? Isn't that rather superfluous?'

Hu Xiaotian laughed: 'Uncle Zhou, please don't blame me; I only arrived in Kangdu today and haven't had time to settle down. I came to visit you first precisely to avoid unnecessary trouble, which is why I made this arrangement.'

Leaving aside whether what this kid said is true or not, if he came openly in his true appearance to pay a visit, he would surely bring considerable trouble upon himself; this child's thoughts are meticulous. Although young, he is experienced in his actions, so it is no wonder he could achieve such accomplishments in just a few years. Zhou Ruiyuan smiled and said, 'I must congratulate my worthy nephew; in a little while you will become the Dukang prince consort, and I have already prepared a congratulatory gift to present on the day of your marriage to the princess.'

Hu Xiaotian said: 'Uncle Zhou, I did not come this time to ask for gifts.'

Zhou Ruiyuan let out an oh, his expression showing some surprise, yet his heart remained as calm as an ancient well. After Hu Xiaotian revealed his identity, he had already vaguely guessed the main purpose of Hu Xiaotian's visit this time. The Dakang Emperor ordered the marriage of Hu Xiaotian and the Yongyang Princess; on the surface it appears to be a favor to him, but in reality it is a cruel political struggle, which Zhou Ruiyuan does not wish to see happen. These years Dakang has suffered continuous disasters; the court is also full of turmoil. It can be said that both the government and the people have been exhausted. Now, because of the Black Hu's southern invasion, Da Yong has been forced to postpone its plan to invade Dakang and has lifted the grain embargo on Dakang. For Dakang, this should be an ideal time for the whole nation to unite and recuperate; if achieved, even if it cannot restore the former hegemony of the Central Plains, at least it can regain a firm foothold, consolidate its foundations, and plan for future development.

But just as the external crisis had eased, the Emperor was impatient to stir up an internal conflict. From the court's perspective, controlling Hu Xiaotian and weakening his power is naturally a good thing; however, judging from Dakang's current situation and from a broader view, Long Xuan'en's approach is truly unwise. Zhou Ruiyuan finds this Emperor increasingly incomprehensible; aside from the illusory longevity, Laohuangdi seems to have completely lost interest in other matters—what need is there for a ruler who neglects governance to continue occupying the throne?

Zhou Ruiyuan had once considered the Laohuangdi's coercive marriage tactics, which might provoke a total rupture between Hu Xiaotian and Dakang, for Hu Xiaotian now possesses considerable strength, guarding the lower reaches of the Yongjiang River and controlling the Yunze Islands; if he wished to declare independence, it would not be impossible. The Laohuangdi's urgency in marrying Hu Xiaotian to the Yongyang Princess is known to all; given Hu Xiaotian's intellect, he would surely see through his intentions. Looking at Hu Xiaotian before him, Zhou Ruiyuan secretly admired this young man's courage—daring to come here despite the unfavorable circumstances, his boldness is indeed remarkable. Zhou Ruiyuan also understands that Hu Xiaotian is by no means a rash and impulsive person; his arrival in Kangdu must have been preceded by thorough preparation.

Zhou Ruiyuan said, 'Worthy nephew, you are indeed thorough; if others learned that your first act upon returning to Kangdu was to visit me, it would be hard to say they wouldn't have other thoughts.'

Hu Xiaotian said, 'I wish to ask Uncle Sir for guidance.'

Zhou Ruiyuan chuckled, 'Your words make me feel ashamed, Uncle; with your insight today, how could I dare to take on the responsibility of giving guidance?'

Hu Xiaotian said, 'Uncle, you can surely see that my current situation is very awkward; before coming to Kangdu, I too had felt torn and hesitant.'

Zhou Ruiyuan said, 'I'm afraid I can't be of much help with your matter.' He certainly knew that Hu Xiaotian's visit was not merely a courtesy call but a request for assistance; yet Zhou Ruiyuan did not want to involve himself in this power struggle, not out of self-preservation but because he is powerless—what he can do now is merely try to keep the battered Dakang ship afloat, attend to his own duties, and as for other matters, he neither wishes to manage nor to inquire about them.

Hu Xiaotian asked, 'Uncle, what is your view of the current situation?'

Zhou Ruiyuan smiled lightly, 'State affairs are for the Emperor and his ilk to worry about; the matters in my hands have already left me exhausted.'

Hu Xiaotian suddenly said, 'In two days, it will be the anniversary of your aunt's passing, right?'

Zhou Ruiyuan never expected Hu Xiaotian's topic to suddenly turn to his deceased wife; he frowned, and displeasure naturally showed on his face—no one likes outsiders mentioning their family affairs.

Hu Xiaotian said, 'I have heard that when I was a child, it was my aunt and my mother who arranged the Marriage Pact between me and your daughter.'

Zhou Ruiyuan suppressed his displeasure and said, 'Why bring up old matters again?'

Hu Xiaotian said, 'My mother has passed away; I heard that your aunt died nine years ago, and it must have been very hard for you to raise your daughter alone.'

Zhou Ruiyuan said, 'Parents everywhere are the same; when you have children someday, you will love them as we do.' As he spoke, the image of his daughter appeared before his eyes, a wave of sorrow welled up—perhaps the rift between father and daughter can never be mended in this lifetime.

Hu Xiaotian said, 'I have heard that your aunt committed suicide.'

Zhou Ruiyuan could no longer contain his anger, rose abruptly, and said coldly, 'I still have pressing matters, Sir Hu—please excuse me for not seeing you out.' This brat actually dared to expose my wound; no wonder I flew into a rage and issued the order to evict him.

Hu Xiaotian had no intention of leaving, and calmly said, 'The owner of Meizhuang is your close friend, isn't he? After your aunt's suicide, why didn't your uncle marry her?'

Zhou Ruiyuan felt as if a heavy blow had struck his chest; his face instantly turned as pale as paper, his lips lost color and trembled slightly. He glared at Hu Xiaotian, but under Hu Xiaotian's calm gaze his anger gradually softened, his breathing became a little short, and after a while he sat back down, whispering, 'How could you know these things?'

Hu Xiaotian said, 'Ji Feihua once gave me a ledger containing many people's secrets; I happened to see your family affairs in it. I originally did not want to bring this up, but seeing your loss of will and lack of fighting spirit, and watching you turn a blind eye to my predicament, I had no choice but to resort to this measure. Uncle, you need not worry—this is known only to you and me, and I will never disclose it to a third party.'

Zhou Ruiyuan gave a cold snort, obviously displeased that this brat was using his privacy to blackmail him; yet the sore spot having been exposed, regardless of his status he had no choice but to lower his head.

Hu Xiaotian said, 'Uncle, setting aside our families' connections, let us speak plainly. The Emperor's urgency in marrying me to the princess is certainly not out of extra favor toward me; he is worried that my power will grow, eager to lure me to Kangdu, set a trap to confine me, and even devise ways to eliminate me.'

Zhou Ruiyuan said, 'If you see things so clearly, why bother coming back?'

Hu Xiaotian said, 'I do not want to be a faithless and treacherous person; moreover, I believe that with the Emperor's present abilities, he cannot move me.' His voice was full of great confidence.

Zhou Ruiyuan sighed, 'I also do not understand the Emperor's actions; let alone you having no rebellious intent, even if you harbored thoughts of independence, his taking action against you now would be self‑destructive.' There is no doubt that Hu Xiaotian's existence has already become Dakang's northern barrier; if Da Yong invades southward, they will inevitably first face a decisive battle with Hu Xiaotian, so his presence is not a bad thing for Dakang. Long Xuan'en's eagerness to eliminate him will surely cause turmoil in Dakang's situation and may even affect the deployment of the entire northern border; deep down Zhou Ruiyuan opposes the court taking action against Hu Xiaotian at such a time.

Hu Xiaotian said, 'This Emperor is already senile and extremely selfish; aside from eternal life and longevity equal to heaven, he pays no attention to anything else—he does not care about Dakang's rise and fall, or the life and death of its people.'

Zhou Ruiyuan said, 'As for me, I am currently only responsible for handling Dakang's domestic affairs in the court; aside from my duties, I never inquire about other matters.'

Hu Xiaotian asked, 'Uncle, you should know about the situation at Long Tingzhen, right?'

First Update uploaded (to be continued~^~)