Chapter 462: Compromise

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Liang Kai is strolling through the courtyard with the Fifth Prince, Zhao She.

Liang Feng walks side-by-side with Zhao She, the two of them laughing and chatting from time to time.

Arriving at the edge of the pond to watch the carp swimming in the water, Zhao She said, "Uncle, the First Prince seems to have victory within his grasp now. I heard that the little eunuch by his side is privately finding people to embroider a Dragon Robe."

Among his subordinates, there happens to be someone who is well-acquainted with Gao Wei.

Seeing Gao Wei sneaking off to a tailor shop, he followed him.

Pretending to run into him by chance, he treated Gao Wei to some Wine.

This Gao Wei has never been able to hold his liquor; once drunk, he spoke the truth.

Hearing this, Liang Kai sneered, "He certainly has a beautiful dream, but in the end, it is nothing but a hollow fantasy."

According to what he knows, even if the Third Prince has become a cripple, Dou Wei has not given up the intention of helping him ascend to the throne.

What is the reason?

Whichever side the new monarch who ascends the throne leans toward, that family will be able to continue to flourish.

In the past, his Liang Family gave up many opportunities for the sake of Sea Trade Rights.

Now, he does not want to stand on the sidelines anymore; instead, he wants to become a player on the chessboard.

Moreover, there is another important factor in his Liang Family actively participating in the struggle for the throne this time.

That is Yan Wang.

Regarding the news that came from the north this time, he does not really care about Yan Wang moving south to attack the Yuan Family.

What is quite shocking is another matter that seems unrelated to Yan Wang.

That is that the son of the Beidi Khan, Wulanba, led over three hundred Tower Ships south, all of which were destroyed on the beach of Leting County.

Although the news says it was only done by sea pirates.

But he is not like other powerful clans who know nothing about naval warfare.

Three hundred Tower Ships filled with soldiers—if they were not warships equipped with Artillery, it would be impossible to defeat them so easily.

Even if this so-called sea pirate is not a force secretly developed by Yan Wang, they must have an extremely deep friendship with Yan Wang.

And as for these two points, he is unwilling to see either of them.

Therefore, if he can support the Fifth Prince in ascending the throne, he must make the Fifth Prince strictly enforce the sea ban.

He will not even allow the common people to privately build ships.

In this way, he can control Yan Wang's ambition for the ocean.

Only then will the profits from the sea trade, which his Liang Family has always monopolized, not be carved away.

"Liang Feng, you must return to Zhezhou immediately and have our Liang Family Navy make preparations. If there is turmoil in Jingshi, arrive at Jinling from Jiujiang immediately," Liang Kai said. "In this struggle for the succession, even if we cannot let the Fifth Prince ascend the throne, we must let the new monarch witness the strength of our Liang Family and promise our Liang Family many benefits; otherwise, he need not think about sitting securely on this throne."

"Yes, Father." Liang Feng acknowledged the order and turned to leave.

A trace of a smile appeared on the corner of Zhao She's mouth; originally, he was basically fated to have nothing to do with the throne.

Now that the Liang Family has given him a push, he is already secretly rejoicing.

Of course, if he could really sit on the throne, that would naturally be excellent.

Unlike the secret preparations of the Liang Family and the Dou Family.

At this moment, in his residence in Jinling, Han Zheng is acting as if he is mourning his parents.

If the Second Prince were in Jingshi at this moment, he would naturally want to fight for this throne.

But the Second Prince is afraid that, like the Emperor, he will never return.

Of course, there is another thing that is bothering him, and that is the matter of Yan Wang moving south to Fanyang.

His younger brother, Han Qi, has already sent news.

Yuan Li fled without a fight, leading sixty thousand elite troops of the Yuan Family to defect to his Han Family.

Although he had always hoped that the Yuan Family would once again attach themselves to the Han Family and be under the control of his Han Family.

But he never thought that the Yuan Family would defect to the Han Family in such a way.

The Yuan Family without the Southern Three Commanderies cannot be spoken of in the same breath as the Yuan Family that possessed the Southern Three Commanderies.

"Brother Han, say something; what should be done about this?" Wang Zi'an sat opposite Han Zheng, slowly drinking tea.

Since returning to the residence from the Imperial Palace, Han Zheng has not said a word.

He is clear that the Han Family has wasted quite a bit of effort on the Second Prince over these years.

He did not expect that at the critical moment, this move would become a useless one.

"After tossing and turning for so many years, all previous efforts are wasted," Han Zheng said. He actually wished that Zhao Heng and the Second Prince could return.

In that case, it would not have been all for nothing.

Wang Zi'an shook his head. "Do not dwell on this matter; let us think about the present. If the Emperor cannot return, who should our two families help?"

"Whoever wins, we help them," Han Zheng slapped the table.

Since it is impossible to support the Second Prince in ascending the throne.

Then in this struggle for the imperial throne, they will watch the fire from across the river.

Delivering a fatal blow to the loser at the final moment will be enough.

In past successions to the throne, powerful clans that did not support a prince have all done this.

Wang Zi'an agreed deeply; this is also what he was thinking.

"However, compared to the struggle for the imperial throne, Yan Wang is the one our two families should be vigilant against right now," Han Zheng said. "Yuan Li has been driven out by Yan Wang; from now on, our Han Family will have to face the blade of Yan Wang's army directly."

【57】 Wang Zi'an nodded solemnly; this matter indeed requires the two families to discuss it as a priority.

Wang Zi'an nodded solemnly; this matter indeed required the two families to discuss it as a priority.

Qinzhou.

Xian City.

In the Ma Family residence, the sound of crashing and smashing constantly came from the courtyard.

Zhao Heng, with disheveled hair, kept throwing Wine and food onto the ground.

"Is this how you serve Me? Is this food? Even pigs wouldn't eat these things," Zhao Heng roared in anger.

Liang Cheng bent his waist almost to the ground, wanting to cry but having no tears, "Your Majesty, the army now only has rice and wheat left; it is winter and there are no vegetables, so finding a few radishes is already difficult."

"If there are no vegetables, do you mean there is not even meat?" Zhao Heng's eyes were bloodshot.

For the past two days, besides eating rice and steamed buns, he had only had boiled radishes.

Having lived a life of luxury, how could he possibly endure this?

"Your Majesty, when Ma Jin fled, what was left behind was an empty city; there was nothing at all," Liang Cheng said cautiously.

This emperor's temper was getting worse and worse now.

Even he was often beaten and scolded, let alone the other young eunuchs.

Several who served poorly were dragged out and beaten to death on the spot.

"Then kill the horses!" Zhao Heng shouted.

"But..." he had just wanted to say that Yang Feng had strictly forbidden killing horses for meat.

But seeing Zhao Heng's expression, he swallowed those words back down.

"Sob, sob, sob, when will these days ever end?" Xiao Shishi began to cry.

Hearing this, Zhao Heng felt even more irritable.

As if possessed, he said, "That unfilial son Zhao Gang does not send troops to save Me, the powerful clans do not send anyone to save Me, and Yan Wang does not come either; you are all hoping for My death so that you can fight over the world, aren't you?"

"Just you wait, when I return, I will definitely kill you all one by one."

"..."

After ranting for a while, he saw the Second Prince walk in and asked urgently, "What did the Northern Di say?"

The Second Prince looked dejected, "The Northern Di did not agree; they said they insist on capturing the Imperial Father."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Heng plopped down onto the ground.

These past few days, he had lived in fear all day long, and finally, he could not endure it any longer.

Thus, he ordered the Second Prince to send men to seek peace with the Northern Di.

At first, he offered to cede Qinzhou and Yongzhou, and promised the Northern Di an annual tribute of five million taels of silver.

The Northern Di did not agree.

Later, he lowered his status further and offered to submit to the Northern Di as a vassal.

Now the Second Prince brought the news that Mule Hongzhen still would not agree.