Chapter 422

First Volume, Chapter 422: Turning the Tide

Feeling the Liang Emperor's cold, sharp gaze, the Black Commandant dared not hide anything further.

"Last night, over the course of a single night… all Black Commandants who had been active near Jingdu City Gate and Tianji Camp were slaughtered. Qin Family members disguised themselves and left the city; though spotted by the City Patrol Bureau, the Bureau, unaware of the underlying cause, naturally did not interfere. Afterwards, the Qin Family entered Tianji Camp and took away all maps, ledgers, and documents. Not only that, even the last remaining Tianji Camp Guards were all relocated together."

"Now, both the Qin Residence and Tianji Camp are nothing but empty shells."

The Liang Emperor remained silent for a long while; the entire Bedchamber was as still as death.

Not even the palace maids and eunuchs attending him dared to breathe loudly—Zhang Xiuye was likewise frozen in fear.

After an indeterminate length of time, the Liang Emperor slowly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and spoke—not with anger, but with unprecedented exhaustion.

"Qin Feng, Qin Feng… I finally underestimated your audacity. The moment I made a move, you broke the cauldrons and sank the boats?"

The Liang Emperor had long known that dealing with Qin Feng required either no action at all—or a fatal strike.

But pressured by the northern Di threat, he had been forced to leave Qin Feng alive—and that single breath of life had brought disaster.

The Liang Emperor asked in a low voice: "Did you send pursuit troops?"

The Black Commandant did not dare hesitate a moment: "All thirteen messengers dispatched from Jingdu were ambushed and killed. Upon learning this, I personally led men to the Zhu Chengjun Camp to mobilize troops—eight hundred light cavalry have already set out in pursuit. But… just as they reached Fuyun County, they were blocked by Ming Wang's servants. A fierce battle erupted; though the blockers were all slain, the best opportunity for pursuit was lost."

Learning that Ming Wang had also been taken to Beixi County, the Liang Emperor's face lost all expression, as if the accumulated fatigue of over a decade had erupted in this instant.

The Liang Emperor swayed twice, slumping onto the couch, yet still unwilling to give up: "Tell me—can we still intercept them?"

The Black Commandant bowed his head, voice barely audible: "Sending a large army to block them is unrealistic. Sending a small detachment of light cavalry would likely be wiped out before even catching up to the convoy—after all, Jing Qianying and the Tianji Camp Guards are escorting them all the way."

"Qin Feng has been planning this since his first trip to Beixi County. Not only did he fail to bring back Qin Cheng Clan and Li Xiaolan, he refused to mention them again. Later, under the pretext of defending the Northern Border, he repeatedly sent men to Beixi County—and each time, it was his trusted men. Recently, he even claimed he needed to manage Qin Shi Trading House, and sent Shen Qingci and her maid Shu Feng to Jiangnan."

"Within a few days, Shen Qingci will hear the news, abandon the trading house, and relocate to Beixi County."

"Once Qin Feng has decided to flee, it is nearly impossible to stop him."

The Liang Emperor had repeatedly reminded himself: never rush when dealing with Qin Feng.

But seeing Qin Feng's prestige rise like the tide, the Liang Emperor could no longer sit still. Now, with one hair pulled, the whole body trembles—forcing the Qin Family's entire fortune to flee, no one can be blamed but the Liang Emperor himself.

The Liang Emperor had always intended to mold Qin Feng into Grand Commandant Gao Ming—but instead, he had driven Qin Feng to become Lin Taibao.

Beside him, Zhang Xiuye spoke in a low tone: "Qin Feng's actions are no different from rebellion. Your Majesty, order his arrest and that of Qin Tianhu, and throw them into Bandit Imprisonment!"

The Liang Emperor wanted to rebuke him, but had no strength left—only waved his hand: "To strike at the Qin father and son is to force Beixi County into rebellion? The loyalty of Beixi County's soldiers and civilians toward Qin Feng is something even I envy. Beixi County is tied to the fate of the state—now, we cannot touch the Qin father and son under any circumstances."

"Over these years, I've battled wits and wills with the powerful clans of Jiangnan and Lin Taibao—I simply have no more energy left to deal with another Qin Feng."

"That boy is young, yet harder to handle than the old foxes in court."

Zhang Xiuye had never imagined that in a single night, the situation had turned completely.

"Your Majesty, what of taking control of Tianji Camp?"

Tianji Camp, the Qin Family—both are now empty shells. What use are they?

The Liang Emperor took a deep breath, his eyes filled with helplessness: "Issue my order: today's court session, summon Qin Feng to the palace to discuss suppressing the rebellion on the Northern Border. Announce to Heaven that Qin Feng, on his diplomatic mission to the Northern Border, achieved extraordinary merit—grant him a Battalion Commander, and reward him with ten thousand taels of White Silver. Also… send the Sixth Prince to the Xie Residence to apologize in person."

Zhang Xiuye could hardly believe his ears: Qin Feng had committed a death penalty offense, yet was not punished—instead, he was heavily rewarded? It was utterly unbelievable!

But seeing the Liang Emperor's exhaustion, he dared not speak further, lest he provoke wrath.

Only after leaving the Bedchamber did Zhang Xiuye intercept the Black Commandant, asking in utter confusion: "What is Your Majesty's intent? How can you tolerate Qin Feng so?"

Though the Black Commandant held no affection for Li Zhan, he thought Zhang Xiuye was as dense as wood—unworthy of comparison with Li Zhan.

"Just think of the Qin father and son as Lin Taibao and the Imperial Consort."

Seeing the Black Commandant's impatience, Zhang Xiuye still reached out to block him: "So Qin Feng's murder of the Imperial Guard, his ambush of Black Commandants and messengers—just let it go?"

The Black Commandant snorted coldly: "What else can we do?!"

Compared to the Front Hall, the Hou Gong was no better—dark clouds gathered overhead.

The Chang Princess and the Imperial Consort, two bitter enemies, sat together in the Western Flower Hall—an exceedingly rare sight.

The Imperial Consort's gaze was sharp, her words dripping with throwing stones at one who has fallen: "We guarded against everything, yet in the end, Qin Feng still slipped away? Heh—heh… no one expected this boy to move so swiftly. One moment he left the Palace Gate, the next he had sent his entire family out of Jingdu."

"They say old ginger is spicier. Indeed, age brings patience—but at critical moments, it is often the impulsive actions of the young that turn the tide."

"In a single night, both Tianji Camp and the Qin Residence were emptied—such decisive, clean action is hard to match."

The Chang Princess's face was grim. Originally, the Liang Emperor had cultivated Qin Feng to counter Lin Taibao—now, they had to face two Lin Taibaos.

Facing the Imperial Consort's sarcasm, the Chang Princess replied coldly: "Qin Feng is overreacting. Your Majesty wished to reward him, yet he thought disaster was upon him—how laughable."

The Imperial Consort smiled, paying no mind to the Chang Princess's "rhetoric."

Everyone knew the truth as clearly as a mirror—what good were these hollow words?

The man has fled. Now, only pleasant things may be said.

The Imperial Consort blew away a speck of debris from her fingernail, speaking lightly: "Now, Great Shedynasty has only one Tianji Camp—Beixi County. Before long, Beixi County will become a fortress that troubles everyone. I wonder—is this a blessing or a curse for our Great Shedynasty?"

The Chang Princess ignored the Imperial Consort's mockery and glanced at the Princess of Qiyang: "Yesterday, the Sixth Prince humiliated Xie Yun'er. You were present—why did you not stop him?"

"Had you persuaded the Sixth Prince to withdraw, would today's events have occurred?"

"Qiyang, I am deeply disappointed in you."