Chapter 970

Li Tianheng's eyes lit up; in fact, he already had the answer in his heart, but he lacked a noble justification.

Zhang Ziqian said: "Dakang has reached today due to years of corrupt systems, not a single day's fault; it is truly a case of accumulated problems hard to reverse. My lord, loyal to the sovereign and patriotic, even if you lead Xichuan's officials and people back to Dakang, the outcome will inevitably be to muster Xichuan's strength to save Dakang from water and fire. Although Xichuan enjoys heavenly favor and enjoys year after year of abundant harvests, the grain reserves of Xichuan absolutely cannot alleviate Dakang's predicament. I will give an example: Xichuan is merely a child who, though skilled in water, can protect himself in rivers, yet cannot rescue Dakang, this drowning giant. If one forces a rescue, the inevitable outcome is mutual destruction. My lord should decisively refuse the emperor's investiture, promptly draw a clear line with Dakang, even if it incurs temporary infamy, but it can prevent the Xichuan populace from falling into water and fire."

Li Tianheng nodded slowly; Zhang Ziqian undoubtedly gave him a noble pretext. I refuse the Emperor's investiture of Dakang not for myself but for the people of Xichuan. Li Tianheng said: "If I openly refuse his investiture, I fear I will be confirmed as guilty of treason. Brother Ziqian, more than half of Xichuan's populace still regard themselves as Dakang's subjects; even among my troops, many lean toward Dakang. I worry that if we truly take this step, many will grow resentful, and if unrest ensues, how shall we settle it?"

Zhang Ziqian said: "The Emperor's decision to take this step must be the result of careful deliberation; perhaps he hopes for the situation my lord described."

Li Tianheng said: "We need a foolproof plan; if we accept his investiture but still hold fast to Xichuan, gaining even a moment is gaining a moment."

Zhang Ziqian said: "Waiting is no solution; the Prince of Zhou card has never been played to its full effect."

Li Tianheng slowly nodded: "Man proposes, heaven disposes. The Emperor's fortune truly exceeds my imagination."

Zhang Ziqian sighed and said: "I never expected Long Yelin to fall so quickly." Opportunities fleeting; actually, when Long Yelin first ascended the throne, Zhang Ziqian had proposed that Li Tianheng support Prince Long Yefang to take the throne, but Li Tianheng, after weighing, still decided to delay this plan, waiting until he felt the timing was ripe to put Prince Long Yefang on the throne. Yet the former emperor managed a successful restoration, which could be said to have missed the best opportunity, thus leading to the present awkward situation.

Li Tianheng's inner state is far from the calmness shown on the surface, as he just said; Xichuan is not a monolith of iron. In the past, the subjects' loyalty to him stemmed from his banner of loyalist righteousness. Now that the former emperor has retaken the throne, yet he has not immediately returned to Dakang, his true intentions have already been sensed by many. Since the former emperor's restoration, Li Tianheng has been busy consolidating his rule; whenever he discovers a general dissatisfied with him, he either executes or dismisses them, so it can be said that upheaval in the Xichuan military has been immense.

Zhang Ziqian said: "I have heard that envoys from Da Yong will also arrive in Xizhou in the next couple of days; my lord's birthday banquet has stirred many notables."

Li Tianheng sneered: "Da Yong's Xue Shengkang has always eyed Dakang's lands with tiger-like greed; his intentions are no secret to me. He merely wishes to stabilize Xichuan, then attack Dakang, and afterward launch an offensive against us."

Zhang Ziqian said: "Da Yong's current strength truly deserves to be the hegemon of the Central Plains; surveying the Central Plains, there is none who can match him in battle."

Li Tianheng said: "My Xichuan is surrounded by mountains, easy to defend, hard to attack. If he dares to come, I will let go and fight him to the death, to see who ultimately prevails."

Zhang Ziqian said: "My lord, are you truly intending to accept the emperor's investiture as a prince?"

Li Tianheng said: "Although I do not wish it in my heart, if we do not accept his investiture, how can we silence the murmurs of the world?"

Zhang Ziqian secretly sighed; Li Tianheng, at critical moments, ultimately remains somewhat indecisive, caring too much about his reputation. Since he wishes to become a regional hegemon, why erect these false arches, acting like covering one's ears while stealing a bell? Even if you now bow to Dakang as a subject, others will not see you as a meritorious official, nor will your name go down in history. Zhang Ziqian said: "My lord, I have a remark I do not know whether to utter or not."

Li Tianheng said: "Between us, nothing is off-limits; I have always regarded you as a brother. Speak whatever you wish."

Zhang Ziqian said: "If you fail to cut when you should, you will surely invite chaos! I believe my lord has reached the time to completely sever ties with Dakang."

Li Tianheng furrowed his brows: "It is not that I do not want to, but I feel the time has not yet come."

Zhang Ziqian said: "Dakang's plight is inseparably linked to the Emperor's misrule; my lord, why not seize the opportunity to support the Prince of Zhou to ascend, have him write an edict of condemnation listing the Emperor's crimes, explain what the people's hearts are—since the people consider food as heaven, as long as you let the populace eat their fill and stay warm, they will be loyal to you."

Li Tianheng's expression was complex and torn; after a long while he sighed and said: "Let me think again, let me think again."

Zhang Ziqian said: "Ennoblement as a prince is merely the court's first step; if this ennoblement fails, they will surely devise other ideas. My lord, you must clearly see the situation: Dakang has reached a point of no return; to merely linger on, you must seize Xichuan."

In Kangdu city, dark clouds gathered densely; this rain had fallen continuously for eleven days, causing severe flooding in the capital, with many areas of the imperial palace beginning to pool water. Long Xuan'en stood outside the Jingde Palace, watching the palace servants busily draining water in the courtyard, and could not help but frown.

Hong Beimo arrived at this moment, respectfully saying: "Your Majesty, why not enter the palace to rest early? Let the palace servants handle these matters."

Long Xuan'en shook his head, his voice heavy: "How is the situation inside the city?"

Hong Beimo said: "Throughout the capital, water accumulates severely; in deep places it can already submerge adults, and many areas are navigable by boat."

Long Xuan'en lifted his head to gaze at the gloomy sky; the rain continued to fall in a drizzle, he let out a long sigh, turned and entered the Jingde Palace.

Hong Beimo followed Long Xuan'en inside; Long Xuan'en said: "Even Heaven does not aid me, with ceaseless natural disasters—could it truly intend to drive me into desperation?"

Hong Beimo said: "Your Majesty, rest assured; I have observed the night sky, and it should clear up tomorrow."

Long Xuan'en sighed: "You can perceive the changes of yin and yang, waxing and waning, yet you cannot alter them."

A hint of helplessness appeared at the corner of Hong Beimo's mouth: "Your Majesty, these matters are indeed beyond my power to change."

Long Xuan'en murmured: "Heaven's mandate is hard to defy..." His mood was indeed somewhat low.

Hong Beimo said: "I have just received news that Hu Xiaotian has already arrived in Xizhou."

Long Xuan'en nodded: "In five days it will be Li Tianheng's birthday; has Hu Xiaotian conveyed my edict to him?"

Hong Beimo said: "No word yet of Li Tianheng accepting the imperial edict; perhaps Hu Xiaotian has not yet met Li Tianheng."

Long Xuan'en's eyes gleamed with a dark light: "Will Li Tianheng defy the edict and show disrespect?"

Hong Beimo said: "This possibility cannot be ruled out; his reliance is on the Prince of Zhou, a card he can at any time use to challenge us."

Long Xuan'en pressed his lips together: "Delay is inadvisable; we must eradicate future troubles."

Hong Beimo said: "Your Majesty, rest assured; the arrangements in Xizhou are complete; as soon as you give the order, we can launch action immediately."

Long Xuan'en said: "Li Tianheng's birthday banquet will be the day of his death and final rest."

After arriving in Xizhou, Hu Xiaotian and his subordinates all tensed their nerves, having sensed the former emperor's intent; Hu Xiaotian dared not be the slightest bit careless. For three days in Xizhou, they never left their quarters, aside from training and resting.

After he transmitted part of his inner energy to Huo Shengnan via the Shooting Sun True Classic, he felt the pressure in his dantian qi sea lessen considerably, and no further incidents of inner energy clash occurred; of course he could not determine whether it was the Shooting Sun True Classic or Li Yuncong's taught "Bodhi No-Mind Chan" that took effect.

Regarding inner energy, Hu Xiaotian no longer needs to cultivate; what he needs more is how to weaken the formidable inner energy in his dantian qi sea, lest his meridians cannot withstand excessive inner energy. Ordinarily, Hu Xiaotian devotes more energy to sword practice in his training; the moves of the Seven Slays of Heaven Sword have been mastered by him to perfection, though the outward projection of sword qi still falls short of being at will, yet even so his success rate has greatly improved compared to before.

As for the Nine Serpent Swords taught by Sumitian before his departure, Hu Xiaotian has fully mastered the entire set. Both sword arts are top-tier martial arts, one hard, one soft, with vastly different styles.

In the early morning, as Hu Xiaotian was practicing his sword, he saw Yang Lingqi rush in hurriedly; he casually planted his great sword Hidden Edge Sword into the ground, picked up the sweat towel hanging from a tree branch, wiped the sweat from his face, and smiled: "Brother Yang, so early!"

Yang Lingqi said: "I just went out for a round and gathered some news."

Hu Xiaotian said: "What news?"

Yang Lingqi said: "The Da Yong envoy has also arrived; I heard that this time Prince Yan Xue Shengjing personally came to offer birthday congratulations."

Upon hearing Xue Shengjing's name, Hu Xiaotian could not help but start; Xue Shengjing is his sworn elder brother. Fortunately, Huo Shengnan did not come along this time, otherwise, if Xue Shengjing saw through his identity, it would surely bring another great trouble. Recalling how he and Huo Shengnan fled from Da Yong and returned, encountering successive pursuits along the way, those assassins were likely dispatched by Xue Shengjing; Hu Xiaotian felt somewhat annoyed.

Yang Lingqi said: "Li Tianheng's birthday celebration this time has caused a great stir; it is said that not only Dakang, but also Black Hu, Sandaja, and even Nan Yue have sent envoys to offer congratulations."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Please quickly investigate exactly who they are and where they are staying."

Yang Lingqi laughed: "Already investigated." He handed the prepared list of names and addresses to Hu Xiaotian; through treatment en route in Mengzi, Yang Lingqi's left hand function has recovered considerably, although it cannot fully return to normal, he can now hold a pen and write characters, of course his calligraphy is no longer comparable to what it once was.

Seeing Yang Lingqi's hand, Hu Xiaotian pressed his lips and said: "Brother Yang, when we return to Kangdu I will try to find a way to treat you again."

Third Update delivered, again seeking recommendation votes; this state is not something that can be said to recover just by saying so—it seems the enthusiasm of brothers and sisters is likewise; watch my performance, I will strive! (To be continued~^~)