Chapter 818: First Volume_Chapter 818 Rebellion and Regicide

First Volume_Chapter 818 Rebellion and Regicide

To show sincerity, Qin Feng stood up, raised his wine cup, and toasted Chen Si and the others.

"Gentlemen, there are no eternal enemies, no eternal friends—only eternal interests."

"This is especially true for a nation!"

"You all know my position and my bottom line. As for what path the two countries will take next, it depends on how much effort you are willing to invest."

"I'll drink mine. You all do as you please."

Qin Feng rarely drank, and his alcohol tolerance was likely less than three percent of Ning Hu's, but here at the negotiation table, he was unusually generous, downing the entire cup in one gulp.

Seeing this, Chen Si and the other three exchanged glances and rose to respond in kind.

The previously tense atmosphere returned to lively chatter; the four men shifted identities repeatedly—from friends to enemies, from enemies to merchants, then back to where they started.

Watching the four toast and laugh, it seemed as if nothing had ever happened before.

Jing Ci, who had witnessed the entire scene, felt her worldview utterly overturned, yet she had learned much: before national interest, all honor could be discarded; if it brought profit to the state, even becoming a despicable villain who spared no means was acceptable.

Of course, Jing Ci knew well this was only behind closed doors—publicly, these four men would once again become upright, radiant National Pillars.

As Jing Ci quietly absorbed lessons to strengthen herself, a brutal battle erupted thousands of miles away, at the Mountain Foot of Taishan in Shedynasty.

The Liang Emperor's five thousand guards fought bloody battles, holding the chaotic faction firmly at the Mountain Foot.

The battle had lasted a full day; the five thousand guards were now reduced to just over a thousand, yet even though they refused to yield even in death, even though every one of them was an elite soldier capable of fighting many at once.

But the massive casualties had pushed them into an unprecedented predicament.

If things continued this way, the DefensiveLine would be breached, and the Rebel Party reaching the Liang Emperor was merely a matter of time.

Meanwhile, at the MountainWaist Camp, the Liang Emperor stood with his hands behind his back, facing the rebel forces about to surge down upon him like a tidal wave—unafraid, coldly gazing down at the fierce battlefield below.

Zhang Xiuye, who accompanied him, was already drenched in sweat: "Your Majesty, according to the Imperial Urgent Report from Jingdu, the Jingji Garrison has remained stationary, with no troop movements."

"This force of thirty thousand soldiers appeared out of nowhere."

The Liang Emperor's gaze remained unmoved—he had seen every grand spectacle in his life; even a blade at his throat could not make him bow. This was the dignity of a sovereign, not to be trampled upon.

He had wronged countless people in his lifetime, but never once wronged the millions of his subjects.

Facing the imminent collapse of the DefensiveLine, the Liang Emperor remained calm: "The Jingji Garrison's inaction confirms my suspicions."

"The Garrison Army, the Western and Eastern Camps, the Central Plains Imperial Party—all have fully defected to Seventh Prince."

"To avoid drawing attention from the Longhu Army and Qin Tianhu, the Jingji Garrison only needed to withdraw two thousand men each, plus four thousand from the Central Plains Imperial Party taking a detour to join—making ten thousand."

Hearing this, Zhang Xiuye's eyes grew even more terrified, bordering on panic.

The Garrison Army and the Western and Eastern Camps were the Liang Emperor's last cards—yet now they had all defected to Li Yong. Had Li Yong, since assuming regency, abandoned all plans to crush Jiangnan Lin Family and instead devoted himself entirely to winning over the military to strengthen his own power?

Li Yong knew well: without Qin Family's support, conquering Jiangnan Lin Family and legitimately inheriting the Imperial Throne was no longer feasible.

After all, the Jingji Garrison had to guard against the Longhu Army, while the Central Plains Imperial Party had to guard against southern clan powers and the Northern Border's Qin Feng Faction.

As long as Qin Feng did not move, no other major military force would dare stir a single soldier.

Remember, Lin Family had ruled Jiangnan for generations, deeply entrenched; even their local military strength was formidable, let alone their abundant resources and ample funds.

Any military force attempting to conquer Lin Family would suffer catastrophic losses.

No one wished to be the crane or the clam—everyone wanted to be the fisherman.

Zhang Xiuye wiped his sweat, nervously saying: "Even so, that's only ten thousand. But the chaotic faction attacking the mountain numbers thirty thousand—what of the remaining twenty thousand…?"

Before Zhang Xiuye could finish, the Liang Emperor gave his reply with casual ease.

"Is it hard to guess?"

"Since Seventh Prince cannot handle Lin Family, let him turn enemy into ally!"

"If Lin Family helps Seventh Prince seize the throne, he will pardon Lin Family's rebellion."

"Lin Family has its own troubles: south lies powerful clans, north lies Qin Feng, and in between, the Imperial Party—surrounded on all sides. Even if they carve out a domain, that's all they can manage—utterly incapable of expansion."

"My Imperial Consort—now the head of Lin Family—is exceptionally shrewd. How could she miss this once-in-a-millennium chance to turn the tide?"

Zhang Xiuye swallowed hard—he now vaguely realized the rebel force was not merely Li Yong's faction, but… half of Shedynasty itself had joined the rebellion.

"So Lin Family sent twenty thousand?"

The Liang Emperor shook his head firmly: "Twenty thousand is more than enough to be considered a main force for any faction."

"Lin Wenwan is not that foolish. Based on my knowledge of her, she can send at most ten thousand—whether she succeeds or fails, her risk remains manageable."

"The remaining ten thousand must come from southern powerful clans and local forces gathered along the way."

"The southern powerful clans have been suppressed by me for years—fearing me, yet desperate to overthrow me. But these clans were already regional warlords long before Shedynasty's founding."

"After decades of cultivation, they amassed immense power and developed extraordinary patience. Even with Seventh Prince holding overwhelming advantage, those old foxes will never gamble everything."

"They are betting: if Seventh Prince wins, they claim credit; if he loses, they retreat back to the south."

"Many hands make light work."

"But…"

At this, the Liang Emperor's eyes suddenly gleamed with an odd light—even in this dire situation, he still held some advantage.

"Heh. Many hands make light work—if that were truly enough to win, why bother forming alliances? In truth, they still fear Qin Feng."

"As long as Qin Feng remains loyal to me, even if I stand against all of Heaven, I have no fear!"

Mentioning Qin Feng stirred excitement in Zhang Xiuye's heart—but after the excitement faded, only despair remained.

"Your Majesty, since the Jingji Garrison has not moved, it means the Longhu Army will not come to Reinforce the King."