Chapter 723

First Volume, Chapter 723: A Common Enemy

After all, Qin Feng had watched with his own eyes how Li Yong wore down Li Qian, and how he endured in the Hou Gong, meticulously mimicking the Liang Emperor's nature.

Qin Feng not only understood the Liang Emperor, he also understood Li Yong.

As soon as the Liang Emperor steps down, Qin Feng will inevitably treat Li Yong as his greatest rival—forget submission; merely refraining from directly scheming to destroy Li Yong would be a stroke of luck.

Li Yong took a deep breath, slumped weakly back onto the couch, and gazed at Xiao Zhuozi, who trembled uncontrollably, sighing: "The waters of this Imperial Court run deep."

"The Imperial Throne seems close, yet it's far away—ascending is easy, holding it steady is hard."

"Back then, when His Majesty was still a Prince, do you know how the Crown Prince fell? And how all those powerful rivals met their end?"

"You probably didn't know—back then, His Majesty was only the third choice of the retired Emperor."

"After the Crown Prince fell, the Thirteenth Prince inherited the Imperial Throne—yet… on the very night the Royal Edict was issued, the Thirteenth Prince suddenly fell ill and died."

"Before the records of the Black Guard Corps were destroyed, I glimpsed them once! The Thirteenth Prince was moments away from ascending the throne when he was strangled in his sleep by his most trusted Eunuch and maidservant."

"Only the ruthless can become a great sovereign like His Majesty!"

Xiao Zhuozi's face turned as white as paper; he nearly collapsed to the ground, his body shaking uncontrollably.

How could a servant possibly be allowed to hear such imperial secrets?

Was he about to be killed now to silence him?

Just as Xiao Zhuozi was on the verge of despair, Li Yong's voice spoke again.

"Don't be afraid—you are my confidant. How could I ever harm you so casually? I told you these things only because I harbor resentment toward His Majesty!"

"His Majesty is a good Emperor—but not a good family man!"

"See? Even me, he guards against!"

Xiao Zhuozi knew only that the Liang Emperor granting Qin Feng a fief was no trivial matter; the deeper stakes eluded him completely.

Clearly, Li Yong had seen through him—but Xiao Zhuozi dared not ask, so he remained prostrate on the ground.

Li Yong's anger gradually subsided; he looked at the loyal Xiao Zhuozi and sighed softly: "His Majesty is a great sovereign. Qin Feng serving him is only natural."

"When I inherit the Imperial Throne, with Qin Feng's methods, he will have already turned the Northern Border into an impregnable fortress, making him the undisputed North Region King of Heaven."

"At that time, even if I wear the dragon robe, when I meet Qin Feng, I must speak with utmost caution—any misstep could see me strangled by my own closest ally, just like the Thirteenth Prince, by the very man His Majesty himself elevated."

Xiao Zhuozi trembled: "Your servant would never betray Your Highness!"

Li Yong did not probe Xiao Zhuozi's loyalty—after all, many things remain uncertain until they happen.

This time, during the Grand Hall confrontation, Li Yong had offended both Qin Feng and the Liang Emperor.

Li Yong controls the power of the Grand Tutor; by not siding with Qin Feng, he stands in the opposing camp—and as for the Liang Emperor's side, it's even clearer: a son who refuses to stand shoulder to shoulder with his own father is clearly hoping his father falls so he can seize the throne.

The Liang Emperor still doesn't wish to abdicate, yet fears instability in the Hou Gong, so he devised this strategy to kill three birds with one stone.

He reconciled with Qin Feng to stabilize his rule, stationed Qin Feng at the Northern Border to repel foreign threats, and delivered a sharp slap to Li Yong—wanting the throne? Wait your turn!

"Xiao Zhuozi, go prepare—I'm going to see Her Majesty the Empress."

At these words, Xiao Zhuozi's heart lurched.

Since the day Li Yong became the strongest contender for the Crown Prince, he had never visited the Empress again.

Now, to suddenly seek her out—what did it mean? Xiao Zhuozi understood better than anyone.

It seemed Li Yong was preparing to strike first!

…

Outside the Palace Gate, carriages and litters of various families waited nearby, while Civil and Military Ministers chatted merrily.

The Taolin Party and the Imperial Party, who should have been mortal enemies, now bowed to each other with smiles.

Qin Tianhu looked at Tian Yuanshou with a broad smile: "Grand Commandant Tian, my son Feng's marriage to Princess Mingyue will require your diligent attention in the days ahead."

Tian Yuanshou quickly returned the bow: "Hahaha, Grand Commandant Qin, you flatter me."

"Since His Majesty has enfeoffed Qin Feng as Tianlu Marquis, from now on, we are all one family within this court."

"I've already selected a Yellow Calendar Day—once the Marquis returns from the North Di, the Marriage Alliance can proceed."

"Moreover, pacifying the North Di is no small matter—if anything goes wrong, they'll seize the opportunity to stir up trouble."

"And throughout the entire court, only the Marquis can keep the North Di Barbarians in check."

"Your efforts are greatly appreciated, Marquis Qin."

Though Qin Tianhu wore a proud expression, he waved his hand repeatedly, feigning modesty: "Oh, nothing of the sort—my brat merely enjoys His Majesty's favor."

"From today onward, the Taolin Party and your party must stand united, jointly supporting the governance of the realm."

Tian Yuanshou nodded vigorously: "Absolutely right! Our Great Liang ought to be the supreme civilization—but due to mutual suspicion among factions, our national strength has been drained, leaving us constantly harassed by the North Di Barbarians. Now that the court is united, our national strength will surely rise to a new height!"

Qin Tianhu smiled broadly, yet sighed inwardly—everyone knew, even a fool, that the Taolin Party and the Imperial Party could never truly unite.

But after Qin Feng's actions, at least both sides had reached a surface reconciliation; as long as the Liang Emperor remained on the throne, they wouldn't fight.

Both sides needed an enemy!

If that enemy remained vague, the Taolin Party would turn its spear toward the Liang Emperor, while the Imperial Party would fix its gaze on the Taolin Party.

Now, at last, a clear enemy has appeared: the Jiangnan Lin Family and the Powerful Clans of the Nan Jing.