Chapter 364
"Kill me?" Zhan Feiyu almost spat out the hot tea she had just taken into her mouth, staring dumbfounded at the majestic and stern Duke Zhu. The barbarians truly hated her to the bone.
In the private room, He Sheng, who had been standing silently by the door, suddenly became vigilant. Even though Duke Zhu's going to the barbarians was permitted by the Sage, and the people of Zhenbian Marquis Manor were currently under house arrest in the capital, He Sheng was still uneasy. Seventh Master had once said that this person was a formidable figure, dangerous and terrifying, someone who had to be guarded against.
Ignoring the vigilant He Sheng, Zhu Xiao coldly watched Zhan Feiyu put down her teacup and take out a handkerchief to wipe the corner of her mouth. The young girl was indeed incredibly brave. "If I were to take your head, the barbarians would no longer be wary of me."
Although Zhu Xiao had defected to the barbarians, the barbarians could not trust him in such a short period.
Zhan Feiyu puffed out her cheeks and huffed. The barbarians were too insidious!
"I'll spare your life, if you spare Qian Shipeng's dog life." Zhu Xiao stated his purpose in a deep voice. He had been targeted by the Forbidden Dragon Guards. Regardless of whether evidence was found, Qian Shipeng was finished. The Forbidden Dragon Guards had always preferred to kill the innocent rather than let the guilty go.
Zhan Feiyu raised her eyebrows. "If we follow the clues and uncover the barbarians' spies lurking in Daqing Dynasty, then the barbarians will have to redeploy their personnel. Wouldn't that be even more beneficial to Duke Zhu?"
According to Zhan Feiyu's estimation, the longest-serving of these spies had been lurking for over ten years, possibly even twenty. Once these people were uprooted, and the barbarians redeployed new ones, they would inevitably fall under Zhu Xiao's surveillance. In this way, Zhu Xiao would also be credited.
Moreover, these spies had been lurking for too long and had established connections with the princes in the palace. If they were not eliminated quickly, the consequences would be endless.
"Woman's benevolence!" The icy voice carried a hint of mockery. Zhu Xiao narrowed his tiger-like eyes, revealing hidden ambition. "The Sage has not established an heir. It is better to remain still than to act. Only by acting can there be chaos, and only in chaos can the situation become clear! You are Gu Qingzhou's disciple and have inextricable ties with the Forbidden Dragon Guards. Since you are intelligent, you should know how dangerous Gu Qingzhou's situation is as long as the crown prince is not established!"
The Sage's refusal to establish an heir was for the sake of checks and balances, and also because the adult princes in the palace did not meet the Sage's approval. But equally, it was because the Sage was unwilling to relinquish power. If the Sage had intended to groom a crown prince, the current situation would not have arisen.
Scholar Gu was the Sage's confidant, now holding immense power, second only to the Sage. But precisely because he was a loyal minister serving a single ruler, once a new emperor ascended the throne, it would be a case of a new emperor and new officials. Gu Qingzhou's fate was foreseeable, as was Zhan Feiyu's.
Zhan Feiyu felt a moment of embarrassment at being reprimanded, but she was not a ten-year-old girl after all.
Raising her eyes, Zhan Feiyu looked at Zhu Xiao, whose face was filled with mockery and coldness. After a long silence, Zhan Feiyu suddenly smiled. "Duke Zhu's abandonment of Zhenbian Marquis Manor that day was due to circumstances, but it was also to allow the Zhu family to avoid this whirlpool. Duke Zhu's foresight is admirable, student!"
Zhan Feiyu now understood. With the Yang family of the General's Manor rising again, although Zhenbian Marquis Manor's Zhu family would be targeted, with the bloodline connection to Princess Rén'ān and their efforts over the years, the Zhu family would not be overthrown.
Zhu Xiao's going to the barbarians and sending the old Marquis of Zhenbian, his brothers, and nephews to be under house arrest in the capital, was this not a case of advancing by retreating? No matter how chaotic the situation in the capital became in the future, and no matter who the Sage appointed as the crown prince, the struggle for succession would absolutely not affect the people of Zhenbian Marquis Manor who were under house arrest.
This move was indeed brilliant! With this realization, Zhan Feiyu understood why Zhu Xiao wanted to spare Qian Shipeng and the barbarian spies. Although he was among the barbarians, he did not wish to stay there forever. Zhu Xiao was plotting for the future.
...
"Kill me?" Zhan Feiyu almost spat out the hot tea she had just taken into her mouth, staring dumbfounded at the majestic and stern Duke Zhu. The barbarians truly hated her to the bone.
In the private room, He Sheng, who had been standing silently by the door, suddenly became vigilant. Even though Duke Zhu's going to the barbarians was permitted by the Sage, and the people of Zhenbian Marquis Manor were currently under house arrest in the capital, He Sheng was still uneasy. Seventh Master had once said that this person was a formidable figure, dangerous and terrifying, someone who had to be guarded against.
Ignoring the vigilant He Sheng, Zhu Xiao coldly watched Zhan Feiyu put down her teacup and take out a handkerchief to wipe the corner of her mouth. The young girl was indeed incredibly brave. "If I were to take your head, the barbarians would no longer be wary of me."
Although Zhu Xiao had defected to the barbarians, the barbarians could not trust him in such a short period.
Zhan Feiyu puffed out her cheeks and huffed. The barbarians were too insidious!
"I'll spare your life, if you spare Qian Shipeng's dog life." Zhu Xiao stated his purpose in a deep voice. He had been targeted by the Forbidden Dragon Guards. Regardless of whether evidence was found, Qian Shipeng was finished. The Forbidden Dragon Guards had always preferred to kill the innocent rather than let the guilty go.
Zhan Feiyu raised her eyebrows. "If we follow the clues and uncover the barbarians' spies lurking in Daqing Dynasty, then the barbarians will have to redeploy their personnel. Wouldn't that be even more beneficial to Duke Zhu?"
According to Zhan Feiyu's estimation, the longest-serving of these spies had been lurking for over ten years, possibly even twenty. Once these people were uprooted, and the barbarians redeployed new ones, they would inevitably fall under Zhu Xiao's surveillance. In this way, Zhu Xiao would also be credited.
Moreover, these spies had been lurking for too long and had established connections with the princes in the palace. If they were not eliminated quickly, the consequences would be endless.
"Woman's benevolence!" The icy voice carried a hint of mockery. Zhu Xiao narrowed his tiger-like eyes, revealing hidden ambition. "The Sage has not established an heir. It is better to remain still than to act. Only by acting can there be chaos, and only in chaos can the situation become clear! You are Gu Qingzhou's disciple and have inextricable ties with the Forbidden Dragon Guards. Since you are intelligent, you should know how dangerous Gu Qingzhou's situation is as long as the crown prince is not established!"
The Sage's refusal to establish an heir was for the sake of checks and balances, and also because the adult princes in the palace did not meet the Sage's approval. But equally, it was because the Sage was unwilling to relinquish power. If the Sage had intended to groom a crown prince, the current situation would not have arisen.
Scholar Gu was the Sage's confidant, now holding immense power, second only to the Sage. But precisely because he was a loyal minister serving a single ruler, once a new emperor ascended the throne, it would be a case of a new emperor and new officials. Gu Qingzhou's fate was foreseeable, as was Zhan Feiyu's.
Zhan Feiyu felt a moment of embarrassment at being reprimanded, but she was not a ten-year-old girl after all.
Raising her eyes, Zhan Feiyu looked at Zhu Xiao, whose face was filled with mockery and coldness. After a long silence, Zhan Feiyu suddenly smiled. "Duke Zhu's abandonment of Zhenbian Marquis Manor that day was due to circumstances, but it was also to allow the Zhu family to avoid this whirlpool. Duke Zhu's foresight is admirable, student!"
Zhan Feiyu felt a moment of embarrassment at being reprimanded, but she was not a ten-year-old girl after all.
Raising her eyes, Zhan Feiyu looked at Zhu Xiao, whose face was filled with mockery and coldness. After a long silence, Zhan Feiyu suddenly smiled. "Duke Zhu's abandonment of Zhenbian Marquis Manor that day was due to circumstances, but it was also to allow the Zhu family to avoid this whirlpool. Duke Zhu's foresight is admirable, student!"
Zhan Feiyu now understood. With the Yang family of the General's Manor rising again, although Zhenbian Marquis Manor's Zhu family would be targeted, with the bloodline connection to Princess Rén'ān and their efforts over the years, the Zhu family would not be overthrown.
Zhu Xiao's going to the barbarians and sending the old Marquis of Zhenbian, his brothers, and nephews to be under house arrest in the capital, was this not a case of advancing by retreating? No matter how chaotic the situation in the capital became in the future, and no matter who the Sage appointed as the crown prince, the struggle for succession would absolutely not affect the people of Zhenbian Marquis Manor who were under house arrest.
This move was indeed brilliant! With this realization, Zhan Feiyu understood why Zhu Xiao wanted to spare Qian Shipeng and the barbarian spies. Although he was among the barbarians, he did not wish to stay there forever. Zhu Xiao was plotting for the future.
Feiyu now understood. With the Yang family of the General's Manor rising again, although Zhenbian Marquis Manor's Zhu family would be targeted, with the bloodline connection to Princess Rén'ān and their efforts over the years, the Zhu family would not be overthrown.
Zhu Xiao's going to the barbarians and sending the old Marquis of Zhenbian, his brothers, and nephews to be under house arrest in the capital, was this not a case of advancing by retreating? No matter how chaotic the situation in the capital became in the future, and no matter who the Sage appointed as the crown prince, the struggle for succession would absolutely not affect the people of Zhenbian Marquis Manor who were under house arrest.
This move was indeed brilliant! With this realization, Zhan Feiyu understood why Zhu Xiao wanted to spare Qian Shipeng and the barbarian spies. Although he was among the barbarians, he did not wish to stay there forever. Zhu Xiao was plotting for the future.