Chapter 1082

Wei Liaozi was a firm supporter of vertical and horizontal alliances, and befriending distant states while attacking nearby ones.

How could anyone be allowed to sabotage the Qintangjie Alliance?

Thus he stepped forward first, lavishly praising the strength of Great Tang, and portrayed Zhu Wen as a man with grand ambitions but little talent.

To silence those who would use this opportunity to secretly harm Great Tang.

867 Could the Qinglong Society agree?

Coincidentally, Li Si himself was never favorable toward cooperation with Great Tang.

Li Si was the current Qin Chengxiang, his power so magnificent that he stood one below the emperor and above ten thousand ten thousand others.

Yet Qin Huang Ying Zheng held great favor for Hearing Fusu.

Even though this eldest imperial prince differed in character and ideology from Ying Zheng.

Ying Zheng still placed great hopes on the eldest imperial prince, giving him ample opportunities to cultivate and demonstrate Fusu's talents and ambitions.

Logically, Li Si should have understood the situation and shown Fusu the utmost respect.

Yet two reasons prevented Li Si from drawing closer to Fusu.

The first was the art of imperial rule and the balance of power.

Li Si was already the reigning Qin Chengxiang, head of all officials.

Though Fusu bore no title of Crown Prince, he enjoyed Ying Zheng's favor and the backing of the Meng family, effectively holding the status of Crown Prince.

If the Qin Chengxiang grew too close to this future Crown Prince, could Qin Huang Ying Zheng truly sleep peacefully?

Therefore Li Si could only stand opposed to Fusu, constantly viewing everything related to Fusu with a critical eye.

The second reason was a long-buried secret.

Fusu's mother was Ying Zheng's most beloved concubine.

Yet this concubine was not of Qin lineage, but a woman from the former enemy state of Southern Chu.

When the palace upheaval occurred, not only did Fusu's mother perish tragically.

Even Fusu's maternal uncle, a sage whose intellect rivaled Li Si's, was driven out of Xianyang City on a pretext by Li Si.

He eventually stirred rebellion in the lands of former Southern Chu, and was ultimately crushed by the Qin Army's divine general Wang Jian.

This secret had been tightly sealed.

But Li Si knew that once Fusu ascended the throne, this matter would inevitably come to light.

His fate would then be nothing but a quiet retreat—or even the extermination of his nine clans was not impossible.

Thus, Li Si had always firmly stood on the opposite side of Fusu.

Even though he also knew that this Qintangjie Alliance was beneficial to Qin.

Yet he still spoke out,

"Although what the Wei Liaozi said holds merit, his deliberations are still somewhat lacking."

Wei Liao's real name was Liao; his surname was unknown.

After being recommended to Qin and appointed as Guo Wei, he publicly called himself Wei Liao.

"Oh? I am eager to hear the teachings of the Qin Chengxiang."

Wei Liao had long anticipated Li Si's intervention and paid it no mind.

"Wei Liaozi, the alliance between Qin and Great Tang indeed benefits both sides.

But may I ask, Wei Liaozi—if Qin and Great Tang join forces and annihilate Great Yuan and You Dongying, will the Qinglong Society sit idly by?"

Li Si was clever indeed—he did not speak of national strategy, but directly shifted the conflict onto the Qinglong Society.

By this point, everyone under heaven knew.

The Qinglong Society appeared detached from worldly affairs, yet it was unquestionably the foremost power.

If the Qinglong Society remained peacefully atop Qinglong Peak, the world would be stable.

But if the Qinglong Society ever raged in anger, rivers would run red with blood and the world would tremble.

Qin and Great Tang joining forces was indeed a union of two great powers.

But would the Qinglong Society approve of this alliance?

As soon as these words were spoken, the ministers and the Hundred Schools in Lanchi Hall erupted in uproar.

Previously, when Hearing Fusu had passionately argued in Lanchi Hall for the benefits of Qin and Great Tang forming the Lianhejie Alliance,

no one had ever considered whether the Qinglong Society would permit such an alliance.

"Must the Qinglong Society interfere in the state affairs of Qin and Great Tang?"

Ying Zheng frowned but said nothing, only gazing at his trusted Eunuch Chongxin.

Though Eunuchs held no authority to deliberate on state matters, Chongxin now understood his master's intent and directly voiced the question on Ying Zheng's behalf.

Li Si immediately bowed toward the dais, not daring to be arrogant, and replied respectfully,

"In truth, I dare not presume to guess the Qinglong Society's intentions.

But from their actions over time, they have clearly sought to balance the powers across the Nine Provinces."

"I beg you to elaborate."

Wei Liao also found this viewpoint intriguing and immediately asked respectfully.

"Since the Age of Great Struggle began, the Qinglong Society's first act was to secretly overthrow the Five Great Dynasties: Han, Song, Sui, Great Qing, and Great Ming.

They replaced the upper echelons of these Five Dynasties with their own peripheral loyalists.

At first, we all assumed this was the Qinglong Society's first step toward dominating the world, and we lived in constant dread, probing their true strength."

What Li Si described was indeed the original thinking of the time—more precisely, the thinking of Qin Huang Ying Zheng.

Overthrowing five great dynasties, even if their combined strength fell far short of the Qin Empire,

still sent shockwaves through Ying Zheng, who sought to rule all under heaven.

I thought the Qinglong Society's next move would be to strike at the Three Imperial Dynasties.

Therefore, after the Great Dragon Head departed for the Sword Realm, he had been thinking of allying with other major powers.

But the results were minimal.

Moreover, upon finally realizing the Qinglong Society could not be opposed head-on, this plan was gradually shelved.

Hearing Li Si say this, Ying Zheng's face showed no expression, but inside he muttered to himself.

Had I truly misjudged the situation back then?

"Could it be that the Qinglong Society doesn't want to vie for dominion over all under heaven?"

At this moment, Chi Songzi couldn't help speaking up.

Though he was merely one among the Hundred Schools, he ought not to meddle in court politics.

But he had always believed the Qinglong Society was fiercely ambitious, aiming to unify the Nine Provinces.

Li Si's words now amounted to overturning this belief of his.

So Chi Songzi could not bear it—he immediately spoke up and asked.

"Of course not!"

Li Si saw that in the Lan Pond Hall, not only the ministers and the Hundred Schools were stunned, but even the Qin Huang on the dais was lost in thought.

He immediately knew his remarks had, for now, achieved some success.

Seizing the moment, he continued:

"Do you all think that, given the Qinglong Society's immense strength, why has it not acted yet if it truly seeks to vie for dominion over all under heaven?"

The Qinglong Society's Seven Dragon Heads, numerous guest masters, Twelve Month Masters, Four Season Protectors, Twenty-Four Solar Terms, and Three Hundred Sixty-Five Branch Temple Masters.

Each one, taken alone, is a master whose name shakes a region.

Among them, several Dragon Heads and guest masters are supreme Ultimate Dao experts!

Seeing the deep contemplation on their faces, Li Si knew some had grasped it—he pressed on:

"With the Qinglong Society's strength, if it wished to unify all under heaven, it need only send a force to Xianyang City, Changancheng, the Great Yuan Imperial Court, Yunzhou Imperial City, You Dongying's capital, and so on.

Could our factions truly stop them?"

This statement was profoundly treasonous.

Even if the Great Qin Empire was no match for the Qinglong Society, everyone knew it in their hearts.

But you, Li Si, dare to say it outright before the civil and military ministers and the Hundred Schools?

Isn't this slapping the face of Qin Huang Ying Zheng?

Yet Li Si's words left no room for rebuttal.

Just say that when the Great Yuan angered the Qinglong Society, four of its Dragon Heads personally led a contingent—only part of the Qinglong Society's forces—to the Great Yuan Imperial Court.