Chapter 819

First Volume, Chapter 819: The True Monarch of a Nation

"And Qin Feng's troops are all stationed on the Northern Border—far water cannot quench near thirst."

Facing Zhang Xiuye's warning, the Liang Emperor did not show the slightest concern; instead, he sneered: "Zhang Xiuye, I've long known you've defected to the Taolin Party. Do you know why I've avoided mentioning it and kept you beside me?"

Zhang Xiuye froze in shock, then his back instantly drenched in cold sweat.

The Liang Emperor detested betrayal above all else; anyone, even with the slightest disloyalty, would be eliminated without hesitation.

Even if the Liang Emperor is now cornered, he can still crush Zhang Xiuye, this traitor, like swatting an ant.

Zhang Xiuye swallowed hard, trembling with fear, yet forced himself to ask: "Your Majesty, why not kill your servant?"

The Liang Emperor slowly raised his hand and patted Zhang Xiuye's shoulder twice: "Because you're stupid."

At these words, Zhang Xiuye froze again.

The Liang Emperor spoke bluntly: "I like clever people, but not too clever ones. Those I keep beside me must not be clever—they must be stupid."

"You, this dog, wear two faces inside and outside the palace. You once hated Qin Feng so much your teeth itched, yet as soon as his power became unstoppable, you immediately defected and begged for favor."

"You're a classic opportunist—without foresight, bullying the weak and cowering before the strong. But the more you are like this, the less threat you pose to me."

"The only thing I dislike about you isn't that you're a fool yet pretend to be clever—it's that you keep meddling in the Hou Gong, always playing the good man."

"Do you know the women of the Hou Gong are a reflection of the court? Though I haven't returned to the Hou Gong in years, who rises and who is cast into the Cold Palace—all depends on my orders. You, this fool, will never understand why, despite my favor for the Imperial Consort, I let her return to Jiangnan to stir chaos."

"If she hadn't returned, those drunken fools of the Lin Family would've kept dithering with me—I'd have had no good excuse to eliminate them. Now that the Lin Family has stirred rebellion, I have solid grounds to act. Then I'll immediately send Qin Feng to suppress them. Hmph, Old Seven can't command Qin Feng—but I can!"

"Dog, remember this: being a good man isn't so easy. If I want someone in the Hou Gong dead, and you secretly protect them, what am I waiting for but to crush you, this nuisance?"

Zhang Xiuye trembled with dread, wiping sweat incessantly as he knelt and banged his head on the ground.

"Thank Your Majesty for guiding me. Your servant will remember."

The Liang Emperor sighed lightly: "I've tolerated your secret exchanges with Qin Feng, tacitly allowing this double-dealing worm to relay messages—it saves me much trouble."

"Heh, sometimes even I'm wary of that brat's madness. I don't always want to face him myself."

Realizing the Liang Emperor not only didn't blame him but saw value in him, Zhang Xiuye was overwhelmed with gratitude.

At that moment, the Liang Emperor's voice, calm and in control, spoke again.

"You wonder why I'm so confident?"

"I'll tell you: since Qin Feng became Tianlu Marquis and grew close to Zhao Yulong, the Longhu Army is no longer my troops."

"The Longhu Army is garrisoned in Jingdu—is it protecting me, or protecting Qin Feng and his faction's kin? Can't you see yet?"

"But that brat Qin Feng, after maneuvering against Old Seven for so long, understands him better than anyone."

"When the Brocade Guard came to warn me to be cautious, I still clung to hope—that Old Seven still respected me as his father."

"The truth proves Qin Feng understands this rebellious son better than I do."

What?!

Zhang Xiuye snapped his head up, eyes wide with disbelief.

The Brocade Guard?!

That was Qin Feng's eyes—equal in fame to the Black Guards. Compared to the lone-wolf Tianji Camp and the crushing dread of the Black Riders, the Brocade Guard was Qin Feng's most secret, most dangerous trump card.

Though this was an open secret, establishing and training the Brocade Guard was essentially rebellion.

Yet Qin Feng not only showed no fear—he directly sent the Brocade Guard to report to the Liang Emperor? What scheme was this man plotting?

As Zhang Xiuye reeled in shock, a woman clad in night-black Brocade Guard attire appeared behind the Liang Emperor.

"Your Majesty, the reinforcements have arrived."

Zhang Xiuye stared blankly at the suddenly appearing Brocade Guard, his mind overwhelmed.

The person who should appear now was a Black Guard—but it was the Brocade Guard? This… this was impossible?

Under Zhang Xiuye's bewildered gaze, the Liang Emperor exhaled softly, his eyes brimming with confidence.

"Finally arrived. Heh, though I lost many guards—I grieve for them—but better they come than not at all."

"Who is leading the reinforcements? How many men?"

The female Brocade Guard bowed her head and replied softly: "The commander is Xu Mo's younger brother, Xu Zhangqing, a lowly company commander in Beixi County."

"He leads five thousand men to reinforce the King."

Zhang Xiuye gasped: "What? Only five thousand? The enemy has thirty thousand!"

The Liang Emperor also looked puzzled: "Why send only five thousand?"

The female Brocade Guard remained calm: "Your Majesty, too many eyes watch the Northern Border. Large-scale troop movements would provoke backlash from all factions."

"Even these troops were arranged before Qin Hou left Beijing—departing in batches, only one hundred at a time, accumulating over time."

"After Your Majesty's eastern tour, Qin Hou ordered Xu Zhangqing via the Brocade Guard to continue moving in batches to Changming Mountain, two hundred li west of Taishan."

"Since learning of the Rebel Party's assassination attempt, Xu Zhangqing has already assembled his troops, donned armor, and marched to aid."

Hearing this, the Liang Emperor shook his head in awe.

This Qin Feng had prepared so thoroughly before leaving Beijing. Clearly, everyone in Heaven and Earth might betray the Liang Emperor—but Qin Feng never would. He was accustomed to cooperating with the Liang Emperor and dreaded most of all a dynastic change and having to adapt to a new emperor.

"Heh, if so—do we have a chance?"

The female Brocade Guard did not hesitate: "Absolute victory!"

Zhang Xiuye couldn't believe his ears: "Five thousand against thirty thousand? How is that possible?!"

The Brocade Guard's gaze was unwavering: "As soldiers under Qin Hou, nothing is impossible. The five thousand under Xu Zhangqing are all Beixi Soldiers."

"Having fought repeated brutal battles against the Di, they are Hundred-Battle Veterans. Those pampered chaotic factions will learn how terrifying a real battlefield truly is!"

At these words, the Liang Emperor's last lingering doubt vanished completely.

"Let me see it too!"