chsdbacks Chapter 28: Reactions from All Sides
Chapter 28: Reactions from All Sides
Originally, Fan Xian was preparing to return to Qing Kingdom after investigating the Imperial Treasury's account books in Northern Qi.
After all, given the current situation, there's no point in him staying in Northern Qi any longer.
Secondly, Fan Xian was also thinking about getting married to Lin Wan'er after he returned!
It can be said that Fan Xian was eager to return home at this time.
Unfortunately, some rumors have started circulating in the capital.
It is said that Yan Bingyun is the son of a powerful figure in Northern Qi, who was captured by Southern Qing and trained as a spy.
If Yan Bingyun were to return to Nanqing after hearing this, what would happen?
When Ye Chengfeng heard this rumor, he almost laughed himself to death.
"Shen Zhong's little scheme is too obvious. Is he trying to curry favor with Sean?"
"What a pity! It's a pity that Senior Xiao probably won't appreciate it, hahaha!!"
Old Ma looked at his young master laughing so wildly and didn't know how to comment.
Inside the General's mansion, Sean was furious.
He knew Ye Chengfeng had a plan, but he never expected it to be so childish!
"How could I, an old man, have been so foolish as to give the Heavenly Dao Heart Sutra to that little rascal?"
Sean said through gritted teeth.
With such rumors circulating, regardless of whether Yan Bingyun stays in Northern Qi or returns to Southern Qing,
Their options for survival have been largely blocked.
Unless Sean pays a heavy price and submits to the Northern Qi royal family, Yan Bingyun may still have a glimmer of hope.
The price could even be Sean's own life!
"Father, why don't we rebel and take my nephew to the Western Wilderness?"
Sean believed that Uesugi Tiger had the ability, but he knew even better about Chen Pingping's methods.
Since the other party dared to send Yan Bingyun to Northern Qi, they must be completely confident that Yan Bingyun would not waver in his beliefs because of this matter.
"Useless Tiger, I never expected that another master of manipulating people's hearts would emerge from the younger generation."
Sean really wants to tear Ye Chengfeng to pieces right now.
But he couldn't do that, because Ye Chengfeng had left him a way out.
"Tiger, give me some of your chips."
What are Uesugi Torato's bargaining chips?
Of course, it's his foundation in the military. There are a large number of mid-level generals in the military who were trained by Uesugi Tora.
"Father, is there really no other way?"
Do you think the person who spread this rumor wouldn't have been prepared?
Before Uesugi Tiger could ask any more questions, Tan Wu rushed over.
"What happened?"
"General, sir, the General's mansion is surrounded by the Embroidered Uniform Guard."
Tan Wu, his face grim, reported to the two men.
"Do you know whose people they are?"
"I know a few of them; they are heavy-hearted people."
Uesugi Tora turned around and asked Sean.
"Father, could it be that you're mistaken, and this is all part of a serious conspiracy?"
Uesugi Tora has always been at odds with Shen Zhong, and given the current situation, he really can't suspect Ye Chengfeng.
"Although Shen Zhong was the one who made the move, the person behind it all was that little sword immortal from Dongyi City."
Sean said with certainty.
"Why would he do this, offending my godfather and me like this? What good does it do him?"
Hearing Uesugi Tiger's words, Sean laughed self-deprecatingly and said, "It's laughable, his goal might actually be to help our Northern Qi end the factional strife!"
Uesugi Tora was even more confused. Such actions would still bring no benefit to Dongyi City or Ye Chengfeng.
On the contrary, it will cause Ye Chengfeng to offend many people.
"Godfather, why would he do something so thankless and exhausting?"
Sean's expression was one of apprehension.
"Of course, it's so that our Great Qi can stand on equal footing with Southern Qing."
Now that things have come to this point, if Uesugi Tiger still can't understand, he doesn't deserve the title of War God of Northern Qi.
"Does he, Dongyi City, intend to sit back and watch the tigers fight?"
"That's not the case. Although Dongyi City has a Grandmaster in charge, it is ultimately just a city, and it is more about self-preservation."
Sean stood up and looked in the direction of Nanqing.
"Emperor Qing is ambitious and has always wanted to annex our Great Qi. The outcome of this war with our Great Qi is not the point. The main purpose is to test that hypocritical fellow Ku He."
"Let's go, Tiger, accompany your father to meet our little emperor."
"Father, why don't we go and pledge allegiance to the Empress Dowager's faction?"
Although Uesugi Tora had already agreed with Sean's guess,
However, in the current factions of the Northern Qi court, Shangshan Hu favors the Empress Dowager's lineage more than the young emperor.
"How does the young emperor's lineage compare to the empress dowager's lineage?"
"Naturally, the Empress Dowager's faction is more powerful. The Embroidered Uniform Guard is entirely under the Empress Dowager's control, and Shen Zhong is also her confidant."
"So, do you think that if we side with her, our status will surpass that of Shen Zhong?"
Unfortunately, Sean's time back in Northern Qi was too short.
Uesugi Tora wasn't a skilled intelligence gatherer; he only provided Sean with some superficial information.
Sean naturally didn't realize that Zhan Doudou and the Empress Dowager of Northern Qi were putting on an act.
In the Imperial Garden, Zhan Doudou sat on a reclining couch in a pavilion, unable to hide her smile.
"Little nun, whose handiwork is this?"
After reading Ye Chengfeng's letter, Shen Zhong went to see the young emperor that very night.
He naturally went to serve Zhan Doudou.
Moreover, Shen Zhong spared no expense, handing over all the power of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to Zhan Doudou.
How could Zhan Doudou not be happy?
Some may wonder, weren't the Embroidered Uniform Guard originally serving the royal family?
It can only be said that Shen Zhong's prestige within the Embroidered Uniform Guard was extremely high.
Even if Shen Zhong hadn't made a serious mistake, or even if he had, the Embroidered Uniform Guards would still fear him.
Moreover, Shen Zhong has a group of die-hard loyalists.
In the original novel, Shen Zhong led this group of people to intercept and kill Fan Xian.
If it weren't for Haitang Duoduo bringing the Imperial Guards, Fan Xian would have been in real danger.
It should be noted that the delegation was quite large, including not only the delegation's guards but also the Tiger Guard squad led by Gao Da.
Haitang Duoduo rolled her eyes.
"Who else could it be but that little thief Ye Chengfeng?"
"Junior Sister-in-law, how can you slander others like this?"
Seeing Zhan Doudou so protective of Ye Chengfeng, Haitang Duoduo became angry.
Haitang Duoduo could see that Ye Chengfeng did this in order to make their Great Qi and Southern Qing stand on equal footing.
Although Northern Qi did gain substantial benefits this time, Haitang Duoduo disliked the feeling of being schemed against.
Not only did she dislike it, but Haitang Duoduo also felt fear.
"Do whatever you want, I don't understand people like you."
Haitang Duoduo picked up a slice of watermelon and started eating it without any regard for her image.
Zhan Doudou sighed, "He is more suited to be emperor than I am, but it's a pity he is from Dongyi City."
Actually, Zhan Doudou didn't say one more thing.
"If only he were my older brother, or even my younger brother!"
Despite dressing as a man every day and engaging in fierce power struggles with officials, Zhan Doudou is ultimately just a teenage girl.
If it weren't for the Empress Dowager of Northern Qi keeping the situation under control, Zhan Doudou really wouldn't have been able to hold on.
Even so, she now feels physically and mentally exhausted.
For example, in a recent incident, officials kept urging her to establish an empress and take concubines.
This is a normal thing, but she is a woman. Even if she were to take a concubine and establish an empress, she would definitely choose the person she trusts most.
The person Zhan Doudou chose was Si Lili, who was originally from the Southern Qing royal family and whose real name was Li Lisi. However, her lineage failed in the struggle for the throne.
That's how he escaped to Northern Qi.
Moreover, Si Lili has a younger brother who is also under Zhan Doudou's control, so there is no need to worry about Si Lili betraying him.