Cultivation: I Can Reincarnate Into Various Worlds-Chapter 106 - 100、Two-Sleeve Yellow Snake, Enough to Kill a Fairy! (4,000 characters, long - )_2

Chapter 106: 100、Two-Sleeve Yellow Snake, Enough to Kill a Fairy! (4,000 characters, long Chapter)_2

Song Miyao’s eyelashes, holding teardrops, trembled slightly as she continued to ask.

She knew the story that followed. Her Royal Father entered the Imperial Palace, killed her mother with a sword, and killed her younger brothers and sisters. The Royal Family experienced this catastrophe, and she was the only one of direct bloodline left.

"Old man Chongming entered the Imperial Palace, killed his blood relatives, killed the concubines..."

"That is what happened afterward."

"But, unfortunately, retribution is swift and sure. King Xing Tian did not abdicate; rather, he led a Righteous Army of the people to overthrow a tyrant..."

"Stepping on the bones of emperors and ministers on Heavenly Street..."

The storyteller threw back his head and laughed heartily.

What a joyous laugh!

Such a hearty and unreserved laugh!

He shook his fan and chanted, "The Heavenly Dao is incomplete, but a common man can mend it! A good man leaves his parents, not for his own sake, but for the common people, not for any lord... He swore not to rest until the Yellow Dragon was broken. And he did it!"

As his words fell, Song Miyao’s clothes were damp with tears.

She turned her head to look at the towering, dark cyan city walls of Shenjing, only to see willow catkins drifting down like snow.

「...」

「...」

「Fifth day after breaking Shenjing.」

King Zhenbei Li Liang submitted a letter of surrender, expressing his willingness to recognize Xu Xing as the Emperor. He would send the sole remaining royal bloodline, Princess Anren Song Miyao, to Shenjing as a hostage in exchange for his parents’ return to the Border.

Princess Anren had been married for four years. A few months ago, she had become pregnant with the child of the Prince of the Northern Town.

Originally, it should have been the Prince of the Northern Town who was the hostage in Shenjing.

But Emperor Chongming, in order to appease King Zhenbei, sent the Prince of the Northern Town back to the Border. However, Emperor Chongming was not completely foolish. Using the excuse that "the Border is bitterly cold and unsuitable for living a long life," he had King Zhenbei’s parents brought to Shenjing as hostages.

A father can kill his son. A son... however, cannot kill his father.

With King Zhenbei’s parents in hand, the Imperial Court stood in an unassailable position. As long as King Zhenbei’s parents lived, he could never openly rebel; otherwise, he would be accused of attempting patricide.

However, Emperor Chongming also knew this arrangement was unseemly, so he married his favorite daughter, Princess Anren, to the Prince of the Northern Town. After the two families became in-laws, this hidden danger naturally dissipated.

"In the 21st year of Chongming, during Princess Anren’s grand wedding, Emperor Chongming granted a nationwide amnesty..."

"I was fortunate to escape that fate..."

"I never expected that Today, the fate of the royal bloodline would rest in my hands..."

In the former Prince Cheng’s Mansion, now the Court of Xing Tian, Xu Xing met with his Trusted Aides in the living room, his voice tinged with emotion as he spoke.

Back then, he was in a prison cell in the Sky Prison, listening to the sounds of drumming and playing flutes from outside... The tune of "hundred birds pay homage to the phoenix" played continuously. Zhao Yunniang was far from the only one; many admired the splendor of Princess Anren’s grand wedding. He was no exception. Luxury and a good life are what people pursue.

"Ming Gong is blessed by the Heavenly Order..."

"That narrow escape was not due to Princess Anren’s aid, but rather the mysterious workings of Heaven’s will..."

Seeing this, Gongyang Yi quickly gave Xu Xing a subtle look, reminding him to be mindful of his status.

How could the dignified King Xing Tian speak so carelessly?

"There’s no need for such formality..."

Xu Xing sat in the High Seat, took a sip of tea, and smiled. "Everyone here is one of my own Trusted Aides. There’s no need for such distant formalities."

"As people, if we cannot revel in our achievements after a great victory, wouldn’t it be like wearing brocade at night—a wasted splendor?"

His words, both overt and implied, aimed to foster a closer relationship with his generals.

Without accumulating small steps, one cannot reach a thousand miles. Without accumulating small streams, one cannot form a river or sea.

Maintaining too much distance from one’s Trusted Aides in daily affairs is not beneficial. He now possessed sufficient prestige; everyone within and beyond Mount Siming revered him. There was no longer a need to maintain distance to cultivate an aura of power and majesty.

"Heavenly King..."

"The Heavenly King is right..."

The Righteous Army Generals smiled.

Who wants to maintain a stern facade all the time, just for show, after entering a place like this?

The Heavenly King allowing them to dispense with formalities showed his regard for them. In the future, even outside the council hall, they would feel a cut above the rest.

"Li Liang has sent Princess Anren to Shenjing..."

Once the atmosphere was suitably relaxed, Xu Xing broached the main topic. "This move of his holds no good intentions. If I were to kill Princess Anren, it would force him to rebel. Yet, not exchanging the hostages would fail to appease the various feudal lords..."

He had killed Emperor Chongming, the Crown Prince, and Prince Yong.

Ostensibly, this has already created a blood feud with the Royal Family.

Not killing Princess Anren might lead some to believe he was compassionate—sparing women or holding onto a shred of kindness, unwilling to completely exterminate the previous dynasty. However, more people would likely think he was wary of the Outside Iron Riders from Prince Zhenbei’s Mansion.

As for Prince Zhenbei’s Mansion sending their daughter-in-law to the Capital, it might seem like an act of cowardice. However, in the eyes of many, theirs was merely a political marriage alliance. Now that the former dynasty has fallen, King Zhenbei has no reason to invite disaster upon himself.

In short, with the deaths of Emperor Chongming and his direct imperial heirs, the previous dynasty has "lost its deer," and the realm is now open for all to contest.

Among these factions, the Siming Mountain Righteous Army, which toppled the state of Fengxi Country, possesses the strongest military and controls the most territory. Furthermore, having personally overthrown the previous dynasty, they hold the rightful claim to inherit the mandate.

Of course, if someone wished to restore the former dynasty and support a descendant of the Song Family in establishing a lesser imperial court, that would be another matter entirely.

King Zhenbei Li Liang sending Princess Anren to Shenjing as a hostage is a test for Xu Xing and his Mount Siming forces.

One wrong step, a single misplay, could mean losing the political advantage.

It could mean forfeiting the initiative gained from destroying the previous dynasty and establishing a new order!

"King Zhenbei Li Liang has defended the Border for decades without falling out of favor..."

"His mind is like a fox; he cannot be underestimated."

Chang Ji couldn’t help but add a reminder.

He was once a Border general and had served under King Zhenbei Li Liang for a time, effectively as a subordinate commander. Compared to the other Righteous Army Generals from Mount Siming, he was more familiar with Li Liang’s shrewdness.

"We must exercise patience for a time."

"We cannot push Li Liang into rebellion, giving him the pretext he needs."

Xu Xing intended to take a step back himself.

Contending for the throne is much like a game of chess. Blindly pressing for dominance can lead to losing the entire board. Taking a step back may seem like a loss of face, but in reality, it can win the entire game.

"Ming Gong is truly wise..."

Gongyang Yi praised, "To deal with King Zhenbei’s forces, we must prioritize conciliation. Stabilize him, and let the Tartars beyond the Border keep him occupied, preventing him from stirring up major trouble. Li Liang’s current probing... he’s old but not yet finished. He likely wants to make a bid for the throne before he dies. If he succeeds, his Li Family will enjoy the rivers and mountains for generations. If he fails, well, it’s still better than just waiting for death at the Border..."

"If we employ conciliation, his foxy nature—not that of a wolf or tiger—will prevent him from daring to stake everything on a single throw."

He thus elaborated on Xu Xing’s strategy.

Intelligent people in the world constantly make deductions and predictions about the future.

King Zhenbei is no different.

Venturing south to contend for the throne would inevitably expose his Outside Iron Riders to attacks from both front and rear. Therefore, to rally his soldiers’ hearts, he needs a profound grievance.

This profound grievance would be the killing of his parents, the killing of his daughter-in-law.

Only by seeking revenge for their commander’s family could the Outside Iron Riders be mobilized to march south and have a fighting chance.

Otherwise, to deploy troops without a righteous cause would, first and foremost, unsettle the army’s morale.

"Mister Gongyang is correct..."

"Li Liang is old. He may appear valiant, but in truth, he has long harbored a reluctance to fight."

Xu Xing nodded, agreeing with Gongyang Yi’s assessment.

Regardless of whether Li Liang truly possessed the courage to fight or the mettle to contend for the realm, Xu Xing had to say this, at least outwardly, to avoid demoralizing his own generals.

"Relay this king’s order..."

"This king has long admired King Zhenbei from afar, deeply respecting him as a true hero of our times."

"The matter of hostages need not be discussed further."

"Send Princess Anren and King Zhenbei’s parents out of Shenjing, onward to the Border."

Xu Xing finalized the decision.

A mere princess from a fallen dynasty is beneath my concern. While the Fengxi Country Grand Ancestor Song Dao still lives... there’s no point in hastily killing Song Miyao... When the chance arises to eradicate them root and branch, I will show no mercy, just as I did when I killed the Crown Prince and Prince Yong.

Conversely, by not killing Princess Anren Song Miyao now, and instead sending her along with Li Liang’s parents to the Border, to Prince Zhenbei’s Mansion, he could leverage public opinion to elevate King Zhenbei to the status of a hero. Once Li Liang became such a figure, it would be exceedingly difficult for him to step down from that pedestal.

"Ming Gong’s plan is brilliant!"

Gongyang Yi felt a renewed admiration for Xu Xing.

Even though everyone understood that hostages in the Capital held little sway when a border commander was truly determined to rebel, who could actually resolve to send them away?

And to send away Princess Anren and Li Liang’s parents... leaving not a single one! Who could then claim that Xu Xing was intimidated by King Zhenbei’s hundred thousand Iron Riders from the West? This was purely an act of one hero cherishing another!