Chapter 1030

First Volume, Chapter 1030: The Final Ultimatum of the Di North

Qin Feng pondered Wu Fangxu's suggestion.

Li Yu is an Old Fox; if you offer only empty promises, getting him to cooperate is impossible.

Therefore, to win Li Yu's defection, you must offer real benefits.

What to do with Li Yu in the future became a dilemma: if you leave him in Di North, his power base and faction are deeply entrenched and could easily rise again to seize the court; if you relocate him within Shedynasty, it's like raising a tiger to harm yourself—inserting an unpredictable element right beside you.

Moreover, due to the prolonged standoff between the Brocade Clothing Guard and the Night Owl, neither Qin Feng nor Li Yu could trust the other.

But Wu Fangxu was right: when it came to seizing the Palace, Li Yu held decisive weight.

Just as Qin Feng was caught between two difficult choices, Li Zhang suddenly whispered in his ear.

"Brother Qin, Li Yu is dangerous, but right now the benefits outweigh the risks."

"If you fear he'll cause trouble later, you can sever him from his family and relocate only him into Shedynasty, placing him under strict surveillance by the Brocade Clothing Guard so he cannot contact his kin at all."

"Li Yu is old and won't live many more years; even if he tries to stir trouble later, the Brocade Clothing Guard has plenty of ways to make him die an unnatural death."

Qin Feng largely accepted Li Zhang's suggestion.

In plain terms, they weren't killing Li Yu now only out of concern for the repercussions; in a few years, when everyone had forgotten Li Yu, they could eliminate him at any time.

Whether to kill Li Yu depends not on Qin Feng, but on whether Li Yu himself can behave and keep quiet.

Once Qin Feng understood this, he stopped agonizing and nodded to Wu Fangxu: "Do as you say."

"Li Yu is extremely shrewd; don't deceive him—just tell him exactly what the Marquis and the Crown Prince discussed. He'll weigh the pros and cons himself."

Wu Fangxu was overjoyed. He had defended Li Yu not only out of personal friendship but also to fulfill Qin Feng's orders.

After Wu Fangxu left, Qin Feng continued discussing with the remaining Officials the restoration of production in Wang Du.

Before handing the country over to Jing Qianying, all aftermath matters must be settled—after all, Jing Qianying is pregnant and cannot handle everything herself.

Wu Fangxu prepared himself and, the next morning, headed for the Palace.

To avoid being killed outright by the Imperial Guard, he dared not approach the Palace directly; instead, he first sent a messenger to state his purpose, then gathered his Courage and walked toward the Palace Gate.

Since the Door was sealed shut, Wu Fangxu tied the Sheng Mao thrown down from the wall around his waist, and the Imperial Guard pulled him in.

Looking at the desolate scene of the Palace, Wu Fangxu couldn't help sighing.

But his mission here was not to lament the passing of glory—he carried a heavy burden.

Under the guidance of the Imperial Guard, Wu Fangxu headed toward the Grand Hall; as expected, he saw Li Yu waiting outside from afar.

Li Yu was far too shrewd: upon learning Wu Fangxu had arrived at the Palace, he immediately sensed something was amiss, and because of their special relationship, he came to greet Wu Fangxu at once.

The two men met, and both were moved.

Wu Fangxu's nose tingled with tears: "Lord Li, how little time has passed, yet you've aged so terribly."

The once mighty Li Yu now looked as if he'd aged ten years overnight—a frail old man on the verge of death.

Li Yu sighed deeply and said helplessly: "Anyone in this situation would look the same as I do."

"Lord Wu, did you come to the Palace at Qin Feng's behest?"

Seeing Li Yu cut straight to the point, Wu Fangxu dropped the pleasantries and nodded.

"Lord Li, before I speak, I must tell you something."

Before Wu Fangxu could speak, Li Yu waved his hand to interrupt, shaking his head with a bitter smile: "I know what you want to say—did you tell Qin Feng all the secrets I entrusted to you?"

Wu Fangxu shook his head with a wry smile: "No wonder you're Lord Li—nothing escapes you."

"This matter concerns your life and family—and mine as well. I had no choice…"

Li Yu didn't care. The secret was already out; even taking it to the Coffin would be meaningless. Now, if it could secure a better future for his closest friend, it was a good thing.

"Don't worry. Since Qin Feng sent you here, he clearly trusts you. Congratulations, Lord Wu—your future is bright."

Hearing this, Wu Fangxu wished he could crawl into a crack in the ground.

Ashamed and unable to face Li Yu, he sighed heavily: "This visit to the Palace isn't just to persuade His Majesty—it's also for your sake."

"The Marquis has promised: if you're willing to lend a hand, you may retire with honor."

As Wu Fangxu expected, Li Yu's face filled with skepticism.

"Will Qin Feng spare me? It's not that I don't trust you—it's that I don't trust Qin Feng."

"Every deed the Night Owl committed, he remembers every single one—and blames them all on me. Qin Feng probably wants to devour me alive."

Wu Fangxu shook his head vigorously: "This is absolutely true!"

"The Marquis is a man who knows when to act and when to let go. If he can seize the Palace without bloodshed, pardoning you is a highly profitable deal—he'll calculate the pros and cons clearly."

"But the Marquis is firm on one point: you and your clan will be separated forever."

Li Yu let out a bitter laugh: "Spending the rest of my life under Brocade Clothing Guard Surveillance? Hahaha—how typical of Qin Feng's caution."

If it were only his own life at stake, it wouldn't matter—but if his clan could be saved, this was worth considering.

"Lord Wu, don't rush me. Let me think on it."

Wu Fangxu didn't press further and followed Li Yu toward the Grand Hall.

When he saw the King of Di, Wu Fangxu's heart clenched: the once majestic, commanding sovereign now sat alone on the Dragon Throne, with no maids or Eunuchs beside him.

Yet even so, the King of Di sat upright, clinging fiercely to the last dignity of a monarch.

"Your servant pays homage to His Majesty."

Without hesitation, Wu Fangxu knelt and performed the full kowtow.

The King of Di neither scolded this traitor nor forgave him—he merely stared at Wu Fangxu with a blank expression.

"Lord Wu, since you came to the Palace at Qin Feng's behest, no formalities are needed. Let us speak plainly as sovereign and subject."

"If you've come to persuade me to surrender, then return to Qin Feng and tell him: impossible."

Though rebuffed outright by the King of Di, Wu Fangxu wasn't alarmed—he rose slowly, his eyes filled with sorrow.