Chapter 471: The Killing by Kindness

The moon rose above the willow branches.

The wine banquet lasted for an hour before dispersing.

Zhao Heng went back to rest, while Zhao Xu led the officials and generals out of the temporary residence and rode toward the Prince's Mansion.

"Hahaha... Your Highness, how did this general perform?" Halfway there, Zhong Li laughed heartily.

Liu Fu and the other officials and generals heard this and all began to laugh as well.

"Very good. This time, by incorporating the Southern Three Commanderies into the fief, you are all meritorious officials," Zhao Xu said with a smile.

Before this wine banquet, he had already discussed it with Liu Fu, Zhong Li, and the others.

The plan was to play the roles of the good cop and the bad cop at the banquet.

Last time, Zhao Heng and the powerful clans colluded to make things difficult for him, forcing him to play a balancing act with the Yuan Family in Yanzhou.

This time, he would not give Zhao Heng and the powerful clans another chance to collude.

At the banquet just now, even when faced with the anger of Zhong Li and the others, Zhao Heng had not given in for a long time.

It was only when he stated bluntly that he sometimes could not control his own officials and generals that Zhao Heng finally gave in.

He believed that Zhao Heng had already grasped the hidden meaning in his words.

Yes, he was indeed threatening Zhao Heng.

If he did not provide substantial benefits this time, he should not blame him for not cooperating.

The war in the northern border had not yet ended, and the direction of the battlefield lay entirely in his hands.

"It's just that, Your Highness, if the Emperor goes back and thinks it over carefully, he might guess that we were putting on a double act with Your Highness," Liu Fu said with some concern. "If the Emperor becomes annoyed with Your Highness because of this, wouldn't the loss outweigh the gain?"

Zhao Xu chuckled, "Why wait until he goes back? He already saw it at the banquet; otherwise, how would he have given in?"

After a pause, he continued: "Furthermore, this Northern Expedition failed and the Imperial Guards suffered heavy losses. Next, he will need this Prince even more to keep the powerful clans in check. He might even take the initiative to provoke a confrontation between this Prince and the powerful clans. This Prince is just asking for some benefits in advance; if he doesn't give them, this Prince will be too lazy to bother with him."

Liu Fu understood immediately.

The Yan Wang thought much deeper than they did.

Upon arriving at the gate of the Prince's Mansion, everyone bid farewell to Zhao Xu and dispersed.

Meanwhile, at the Zhang Family Mansion, Zhao Heng lay on the bed, tossing and turning.

In the middle of the night, he sat up from the bed and said angrily, "This Zhao Xu, to actually stage such a play to force Us to grant him the Southern Three Commanderies of Yanzhou, it is simply detestable!"

Then, he sighed again, thinking to himself that he had underestimated the Yan Wang.

How could a Yan Wang who had repeatedly defeated the Northern Di and frequently produced brilliant strategies be so easy to deal with?

Suddenly, he felt a wave of vexation again.

He thought that the Yan Wang must already know about his wavering in front of the Northern Di envoys last time.

This ninth son of his had originally been despised by him for his idiocy and sent to Yan Commandery to fend for himself.

Faced with a crisis, he had wanted to betray him again to exchange for his own glory and wealth.

And there was the intention to use the Yuan Family to keep him in check; how could this Yan Wang not have any grievances against him?

This wine banquet was his way of venting his dissatisfaction.

At the same time, it prevented him and the powerful clans from erasing his merits again.

"No, We are the Emperor of Great Song. We give him what We want to give him; how can he snatch it like this?" Thinking of something, Zhao Heng was furious. "Besides, without Us, how could there be you, the Yan Wang? Hmph, your wings have truly hardened and your courage has grown fat."

After sulking for a while, Zhao Heng lay back on the bed.

Right now, he was in the Yan Wang's fief; what could he do to the Yan Wang?

Moreover, he would have to rely on the Yan Wang in the future, so he could not touch him.

If he touched the Yan Wang, he would truly be at the mercy of Dou Wei and other powerful clan officials from now on.

Therefore, for the moment, he indeed had to coax the Yan Wang.

This was the reason why he agreed to give the entire Yanzhou to the Yan Wang at the banquet.

Secondly, the Yan Wang had not only performed great military feats this time but also had the merit of saving the Emperor.

Yuan Li had committed such a crime of colluding with the enemy and betraying the country.

Continuing to protect Yuan Li while suppressing the Yan Wang would be unjustifiable.

It would also annoy the Yan Wang.

Rather than that, it was better to be straightforward; only when the Yan Wang was happy could he cooperate to resolve the current war.

This was the most urgent matter.

As for the future, that would have to wait until the war ended and he returned to Jingshi.

Thinking of this, he fell into a drowsy sleep.

The next day.

Before he was fully awake, he heard the Second Prince making noise in the courtyard.

Dressed in casual clothes with the service of Xiao Shishi, and after washing up, he summoned the Second Prince.

"Father Emperor, the Yan Wang is too despicable! He got me and Father Emperor drunk, and took the opportunity to demand the entire Yanzhou Seven Commanderies. How is this any different from deceiving the Emperor?" The Second Prince almost jumped up.

Zhao Heng had already figured it out last night, so whatever the Second Prince said did not affect his decision at all.

Moreover, on the Yan Wang's territory, walls have ears; echoing the Second Prince's dissatisfaction would only provoke the Yan Wang's displeasure.

After all, he had already decided on a strategy of both coaxing and suppressing the Yan Wang.

For now, he had to coax him.

So he said, "We are very clear-headed. We are not only going to give the Southern Three Commanderies of Yanzhou to the Yan Wang, but also give the Sea Trade Rights to the Yan Wang."

"What!" The Second Prince was completely dumbfounded. "Father Emperor, this, how can this be?"

"Why can it not be? We are the Emperor of Great Song. Great Song is Ours; We give the Yan Wang whatever We want to give him, even including the throne." Zhao Heng deliberately raised his voice.

Last night, he still had a bit of a hangover.

Waking up in the morning, his mind was even clearer.

He had suddenly granted the Sea Trade Rights to Yan Wang and favored Yan Wang in front of the Second Prince, appearing to dote on and trust Yan Wang, but in reality, he had his own agenda.

It was to incite conflict between the powerful clans and Yan Wang.

Only when the snipe and the clam grapple can his imperial throne be more secure.

"Imperial Father..." The Second Prince almost blurted out, "Imperial Father, have you gone mad?"

Yanzhou did not matter, and the Sea Trade Rights did not matter, but his Imperial Father had actually mentioned the imperial throne.

Allowing an Imperial Prince born to a family of humble origins to participate in the competition for the imperial throne was an insult to all the Imperial Princes with powerful clan backgrounds.

Furious in his heart, the Second Prince was about to speak, when a guard reported that Yan Wang was outside the residence requesting an audience.

A flash of hatred crossed the Second Prince's eyes, and he stood to one side without a word.

"Let Yan Wang enter." Zhao Heng was full of energy.

Before long, Zhao Xu arrived, bowed to pay his respects, and looked toward Zhao Heng, his eyes flickering.

While outside the door, he had heard everything Zhao Heng said to the Second Prince.

His first reaction was that this Imperial Father of his was fighting back.

The first move was to kill with kindness.

He had wanted the Sea Trade Rights last time, but was blocked by the Liang Family.

Zhao Heng giving them to him now was equivalent to intensifying the conflict between him and the Liang Family.

However, he was actually quite delighted by this in his heart.

In fact, after the two pirate attacks on the warships he was building, he had already suspected that it had something to do with the Liang Family.

Whether he had the Sea Trade Rights or not, the Liang Family was already targeting him.

He was not afraid of provoking the Liang Family at all.

On the contrary, having obtained the Sea Trade Rights, he could secretly allow the Black Shark Sea Bandits to continue existing, while openly establishing the Yanzhou Navy.

Pretending to know nothing, Zhao Xu only said he was there to keep Zhao Heng company and take him around Yan Commandery and its surroundings.

Zhao Heng had nothing else to do anyway, so he spent the next few days touring the mountains and waters with Zhao Xu.

At this time, news that the Ningjin Dusi was under attack by Yan Wang's troops was delivered to the Beidi encampment outside Xian City.

Upon receiving this news, Mule Hongzhen closed his eyes in pain.

"Yan Wang, I will not let you off." Mule Hongzhen almost ground his teeth.