Dark Sand: My Players Are All Actors
Chapter 438 - 252 Cleanse the Royal Side_4

Chapter 438: Chapter 252 Cleanse the Royal Side_4

And unexpectedly, when Chu Ge playing the role of Li Hao did not go to find the emperor, the emperor took the initiative to summon him into the palace and asked about the situation of the Jin.

Though he didn’t say it outright in his words and demeanor, he did hint at something.

The emperor wanted to talk peace.

At this time, the emperor was the Ninth Prince of the Qi Hui Emperor, also known as Emperor Gaozong in later generations.

He was also an emperor suffering from a severe phobia of the Jin, frightened by years of warfare to the point of even losing his reproductive capacity. His greatest wish when he lay down in his dragon bed every night was that the Jin would not attack anymore, allowing him to sleep in peace.

Chu Ge knew very well what Li Hao would do next.

Therefore, after careful consideration, he still made a promise to the emperor as Li Hao would have done.

He truthfully told the emperor about his dealings with Wanyan Chang, saying that he could work with Wanyan Chang to facilitate a peace treaty between the two countries, so that the Qi Dynasty would no longer suffer from the ravages of war, allowing the people to live in peace and contentment.

Of course, these were all pretexts. The real purpose was to let the emperor, who had a phobia of the Jin, sleep soundly.

So the emperor was overjoyed and appointed Li Hao as the current Chancellor.

After becoming Chancellor, Chu Ge immediately carried out sweeping reforms.

First, he reorganized the administration, and then he strongly supported the needs of the generals led by General Han Fuyue.

A year later, the results were significant.

Li Hao was dismissed from his post, never to be employed again.

...

In the Trial Illusion that Fan Cun was in, the Western Army led by Prince Yun had already arrived outside the capital city.

And the Jin soldiers could only retreat from beneath the city walls to the nearby Moutuo Ridge, facing off against this Western Army of uncertain strength.

But this brought about a highly sensitive issue.

Emperor Yingzong of Qi was still in the Jin Camp, and he was taken away with them.

Not long after Prince Yun’s Western Army encamped, a decree from the emperor was delivered by the Jin soldiers.

The decree contained but a few simple lines that conveyed one meaning.

The peace treaty with the Jin is settled, so why provoke trouble anew? Retreat!

Upon seeing this decree, Fan Cun sneered and handed it to Liu Fa, Zhong Pingyuan, and the other generals to read.

Liu Fa snorted coldly, while Zhong Pingyuan sighed and shook his head.

To be so unaware even when death is at hand!

Obviously, the overly clever emperor had not yet grasped his own situation.

From the moment he entered the Jin Camp, his life was no longer his own. This emperor with the highest status in the Qi Dynasty was now a mere bargaining chip in the hands of the Jin, used to extort more money.

The more Emperor Yingzong of Qi became compliant with the Jin, the less likely he was to be released. Conversely, only when he was no longer emperor might there be a chance of him being let go by the Jin.

After all, by then, he would be of no use to the Jin—useless to keep, yet a waste to kill. Better to send him back to the Qi Dynasty to incite internal chaos.

Of course, it was uncertain whether the Jin possessed this basic political wisdom. Perhaps in a fit of rage, they might decide to kill Emperor Yingzong.

But regardless, it was already time to consider Emperor Yingzong as good as dead.

"Your Highness Prince Yun, the Supreme Emperor has also sent a decree, inviting us to enter the city and discuss strategies for repelling the enemy," Zhong Pingyuan said.

Liu Fa immediately frowned, "We must not enter the city!"

Clearly, both famous generals knew that once inside, the nature of the matter would change.

The troops in Prince Yun’s hand were ultimately bestowed by the court of the Qi Dynasty. If the two emperors now wanted to reclaim these military powers, Prince Yun would have no grounds to refuse.

In other words, as long as Prince Yun kept his troops outside the city and refused to enter, the current Qi court had no way to deal with him; but if Prince Yun entered the city, he would effectively be integrating himself into the court’s system, and what happened next would no longer be up to him.

It was like the first time Zhong Pingyuan had returned to aid the capital, when he stayed outside the city, he remained the supreme commander of all the Western Army; but once inside, the emperor could easily transfer control of the Western Army to someone else, ordering them to lead an assault and disregard Zhong Pingyuan.

Fan Cun chuckled and shook his head slightly, "No, we must enter the city.

"The emperor’s command must not be defied."

Liu Fa and Zhong Pingyuan both frowned, clearly, this was the outcome they least wanted to see.

Moreover, their faces revealed some confusion. After all, Prince Yun was not known for being so inflexible and unable to adapt.

Fan Cun looked at Liu Fa and Zhong Pingyuan, "Would you two be willing to die for me?"

They looked at each other and said resolutely, "This life was given by Your Highness Prince Yun, it’s merely a matter of giving it back. What’s there to be unwilling about!"

Fan Cun nodded, "Good, bring only your personal guards, your private soldiers, in short, only those you trust the most.

"Follow me into the city.

"If you are willing to follow me, I certainly won’t let you die. Not only will you not die, but in the future, you will command armies and hold the highest offices!"

The two were startled and asked, "Your Highness, what do you mean by this..."

Fan Cun smiled coldly, "I aim to... purge the palace!"

Liu Fa and Zhong Pingyuan were horrified.

Purge the palace!

This was an ancient saying, meaning that there were traitors around the emperor, and the emperor was deceived by them, therefore I must help the emperor by purging these traitors, and of course, I myself remain a loyal official.

But in reality, those famous purges in history weren’t about purging the palace, but rather, "purging the emperor"...

It was nothing more than a convenient excuse to mask a rebellion.

A noble slogan, but in reality, it became a fig leaf for rebellion.

Yet at this moment, everyone felt that the slogan sounded so wonderful and delightful!

This act was nothing less than treason, a crime that, if failed, would warrant the execution of one’s entire clan.

But...

In such a desperate situation, the words "treason" somehow sounded exhilarating!

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