Chapter 555

First Volume, Chapter 555: Alliance Against Qin

On their way out of the palace, Civil and Military Ministers walked behind Qin Feng, who paced ahead with his hands behind his back.

His gaze flickered uncertainly; his mood was heavy, showing not a trace of pride from having gained the upper hand.

After today's standoff in the Imperial Court, not only the Liang Emperor, but the entire Li Imperial Clan, would see him as a thorn in their eye, a splinter in their flesh.

They would want to remove him at once.

Qin Feng could have used a smoother, more seasoned approach to make the Liang Emperor wary of him.

Too bad…

Qin Feng had no vast, multi-generational foundation like the Lin Family or the powerful clans of the Nan Jing.

All Qin Feng held was the Northern Border, this violent machine.

Thus, Qin Feng could only choose this method—fastest to yield results, most brutal, and with the greatest side effects.

Did he win? It seemed so—but not entirely.

Qin Tianhu and the officials from the Ministry of War and the Taolin Party walked silently behind Qin Feng.

Watching Qin Feng's deep, brooding back, Qin Tianhu couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Today's events were not wrong of Qin Feng—he acted for the Northern Border and the Qin Family.

Since Qin Feng returned to Beijing, Qin Tianhu had become extremely low-key.

Especially in the Imperial Court, unless absolutely forced, he never spoke a word.

As the saying goes: speak more, err more; speak less, err less.

Qin Tianhu would give the Liang Emperor no chance to strike; as long as he diligently held his post as Minister of War without fault,

That was the greatest help he could offer Qin Feng.

Now, with Qin Feng so forceful, the Liang Emperor would naturally hesitate—dare not dismiss Qin Tianhu on a "fabricated" charge.

Moreover, Imperial Ancestral Precedent still restrained the Liang Emperor.

Unless proven guilty of grave crimes, even the Liang Emperor could not easily remove a Minister.

External threats have been quelled; now comes the reckoning of internal troubles.

Qin Feng cannot fall.

Once Qin Feng falls, all who support him will be wiped out root and branch.

…

In the Lin Family's DaTang, the atmosphere was suffocatingly tense.

Lin Taibao sat on the master chair, staring at the tea cup before him, silent for a long while.

The Minister of Justice sat beside him, equally silent.

Soon, a servant rushed in.

"Master, a noble guest has arrived at the gate."

Lin Taibao frowned: "Could it be the Imperial Consort?"

The servant shook his head like a rattle drum, his eyes filled with fear.

"It is the Second Prince."

Learning the Second Prince had come uninvited, Lin Taibao frowned slightly but kept his composure.

He rose at once, accompanied by the Minister of Justice, and went out to greet him personally.

Before they even stepped out of the DaTang, the Second Prince appeared before them.

He brought only one White Clothes guest.

Lin Taibao and the Minister of Justice exchanged a glance, then bowed in unison.

"Old Minister, pays respects to His Highness."

Li Qian ignored them entirely, walked through the space between Lin Taibao and the Minister of Justice, and entered the DaTang directly.

He sat down on the master chair without ceremony.

He took the Medicine Pouch from the White Clothes guest and gently rubbed his forehead wound.

Earlier, in the Grand Hall during the court session, the Emperor had vented all his anger.

Though that rage had been entirely provoked by Qin Feng, it had been unleashed upon Li Qian.

Li Qian's heart was already brimming with resentment.

"Lin Taibao, Minister of Justice, no need for formalities—please sit."

"I've come here today for one reason, and I'm sure both of you know it well."

"Let's waste no words—let's speak plainly: what suggestions do you two have for eliminating Qin Feng?"

Lin Taibao couldn't help but find it amusing.

Once, with Grand Commandant Gao's backing, how glorious was the Second Prince?

Rumors even claimed the Crown Prince's seat belonged to him alone.

Now, his situation was pitiful.

In the Grand Hall, before all Civil and Military Ministers, his head had been smashed open—and he hadn't dared utter a sound.

Where had his former pride gone?

Lin Taibao and the Minister of Justice exchanged another glance, then sat down directly.

"Since His Highness is so straightforward, if Old Minister were to hedge now, it would seem hypocritical."

"Since Grand Commandant Gao was dismissed, His Highness's position has declined day by day."

"I mean no mockery of His Highness—after all, we are fellow sufferers."

Fellow sufferers…

Li Qian's lips curled into a wry smile.

Once, the Lin Family held absolute power, unmatched in glory.

But after the death of the First Prince, the Lin Family's status plummeted.

Though a dying camel is still larger than a horse, they remain a powerful clan—nothing more.

In the past, Li Qian had little entanglement with the Lin Family.

Only as Qin Feng grew increasingly dominant did they reluctantly band together for mutual protection.

Today in court, Lin Taibao tried several times to speak up for Li Qian, but at the last moment, swallowed his words.

He had assumed that Qin Feng's open defiance of the Sage would surely bring fire upon himself.

He merely intended to watch from afar.

But the outcome surprised Lin Taibao.

Qin Feng had publicly forced the current Sage to bow his head.

How arrogant! How powerful!

Since even the Sage dared not confront him directly, Lin Taibao's further interference would only invite humiliation.

Now, allying with the Second Prince to confront Qin Feng was undoubtedly the best choice.

Did Qin Feng not grow to this power solely through the Sage's past indulgence?

In the future, the Sage will still indulge—but not Qin Feng's family.

He will indulge every force capable of—or even merely interested in—destroying the Qin Family.

"His Highness, there are two matters in today's Shedynasty that are of paramount importance."

"The first is the Two Nations' Peace Talks."

"The second is Clear the Emperor's Side."

Upon hearing this, Li Qian tossed his Medicine Pouch to the White Clothes guest and fixed Lin Taibao with an intensely serious gaze.

"Taibao, you are truly a National Pillar—your words strike the heart."

"Now that Qin Feng has become the Sage's thorn in the flesh, removing him will surely restore you as the Sage's trusted confidant."

"And Your Highness will forever remember your loyal act of eradicating evil for the nation."

Li Qian had made his meaning perfectly clear.

If Lin Taibao cooperates with Li Qian to utterly eliminate Qin Feng, whether under the current Sage or after Li Qian inherits the Herald—

the Lin Family will be generously rewarded. This is a legacy spanning two reigns!

Lin Taibao let out a light laugh, revealing his deep cunning.

"His Highness might as well offer something tangible."

Li Qian narrowed his eyes: "Are my promises not enough?"

Lin Taibao's smile widened: "Does His Highness not know how Qin Feng rose to power?"

"The Sage intended to use Tiger to Devour Wolf—leveraging Qin Feng to destroy my Lin Family—but instead, he nurtured a tiger that turned against him."

"Let me be plain: when the Qin Family falls, the Lin Family will be next."

"The Sage has suffered one setback—he will be far more cautious, far more ruthless from now on."

"If His Highness can elevate the Imperial Consort to Empress, the Lin Family will serve you with our lives, until our bones turn to dust."

Li Qian had anticipated this old fox would seize the chance to extort.

He simply hadn't expected such audacity.

He wanted to depose the Empress!

Only when the Imperial Consort becomes Empress, the mother of all Heaven, can the Lin Family stand unmoved.