Volume One: The Turmoil of Yan and Yun Chapter Fifty-Two: As If We Had Just Met (Part Four)

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The meaning of "changing times" was not difficult to grasp, yet the Feng brothers had nearly spent the entire night conversing with the Fourth Prince about it.

The demon clan had declared war, the barbarian tribes were causing disturbances along the borders, the beast folk lurked in shadows, the cults were reviving... And now, perhaps, internal strife within the dynasty must be added to the list.

But Feng Qi did not believe the Crown Prince was unaware of all this. As for insight, the intelligence gathered by the Carefree Pavilion was thorough, and the Eastern Palace had its own band of strategists; surely, they could discern the deeper meaning behind these events.

So what was the purpose, then?

Feng Qi pondered, then spoke, "May I ask what brings Your Highness here?"

Not only did Murong Chenzhang find the situation coincidental, Feng Qi felt something was amiss as well.

Drama originates from life, but life is not a drama—there are not so many coincidences.

Thus, Wei Sanmu ultimately failed to ascend, dying tragically under the assault of heavenly tribulation and several powers united at the Dao-completion stage.

Thus, the old emperor missed his chance with the holy maiden of the Crimson Scale Pavilion; even posthumously bestowing her the title of empress could not change that.

He did not believe in coincidence, only in human agency. More than most in the world, he believed in the power of the human heart.

Du Gu Zhe spoke, "My fourth brother died horribly. In his rage, Father ordered me to go out and temper myself."

Feng Qi raised an eyebrow. "His Majesty is wise. Though he does indeed favor the Fourth Prince, I cannot believe he would do anything to shake the foundation of the realm."

The Crown Prince is the foundation of the realm.

Those who could plot the assassination of the Fourth Prince might have the audacity to attempt the Crown Prince as well.

Especially since the Crown Prince was now outside the protection of the Divine Dragon Array.

Wait.

Feng Qi seemed to realize something. He looked at Du Gu Zhe, incredulous. "Bait?"

Du Gu Zhe's expression did not change. "I knew I could not hide this from you."

Feng Qi was puzzled. "But..."

Du Gu Zhe interrupted him. "There are no buts. The coming days will be difficult; we must work together."

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Feng Qi thought to himself, this was no Crown Prince—he was a rogue.

You and His Majesty have concocted a scheme, determined to test how far the cults have recovered. What does that have to do with me?

This was truly a disaster for those caught in the net.

"Your Highness must tell me what cards we hold," Feng Qi said. "Otherwise, I absolutely will not let you take such a grave risk."

Du Gu Zhe paused, then asked, "Are you not curious why I dragged you into this?"

Feng Qi replied, "The Crown Prince is the foundation of the realm, but your entourage is so conspicuous that no matter how furious His Majesty, no matter how the ministers plead, the possibility of mere posturing is high. The cults may not dare to act rashly."

Du Gu Zhe smiled lightly. "That's true."

Feng Qi continued, "But what if we add the heir of Yanbei? If the heir dies, and my second brother is frail, the gate of Yanbei would be essentially closed. Such an act, no matter how loyal my father is, would inevitably breed suspicion between him and His Majesty. If sovereign and vassal are at odds, and a faction swoops in to win him over, the fire of rebellion might truly spread. If you and I are together, even if the Blood Tears Pavilion knows this is a trap, they will surely be compelled to act."

Du Gu Zhe said, "They say the heir of Yanbei is precocious, well-versed in the Daoist canon and renowned for his wisdom. I hadn't expected you'd grasp so much after meeting me just once. It seems the rumors are unreliable after all."

Feng Qi remarked, "Transplanting all flowers to the Eastern Sea... Has Xu Hai also been claimed by the Eastern Sea? The distance is vast—I'm not sure I believe that news."

Du Gu Zhe replied, "I don't know the details, but the Blood Tears Pavilion and the Flower Transplant Palace seem to have reached some kind of agreement. The Yanbei rebellion is part of that agreement."

A part?

Feng Qi was silent for a moment. "Behind the Yanbei rebellion, there is the hand of the Li Jingxing faction."

This statement was crucial.

Li Jingxing was a formidable adversary of his era. In terms of cultivation, he could rival the Demon Lord; in terms of scholarship, he had mastered the Daoist canon two thousand years ago, and his intellect was unmatched.

To govern the army on horseback, to rule the nation on foot—such descriptions were far too modest for him.

Even more lethal was his immense prestige, rivaling the old emperor. For the common people, if he decided to rebel, followers would gather like clouds.

Du Gu Zhe said, "After receiving the secret report from Yanbei, Father made a special trip to the Palace of Ji. What they discussed is unclear, but Li Jingxing certainly has no part in the rebellion."

Feng Qi asked, "Does he have other designs?"

Du Gu Zhe thought for a moment, then said, "If he truly had designs, the dynasty might not bear the Du Gu name for much longer. Don't forget, snatching chestnuts from the fire is his specialty."

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Feng Qi said, "That they seek something from the Yanbei uprising is understandable... But wait, according to the Divine Guards, they don't actually want Yanbei in chaos. Otherwise, they could simply have Li Shouli attack Yan Yun City. Even if the Sandstorm Array could stop him, how many would die? How many treasures would be lost?"

Du Gu Zhe agreed wholeheartedly. "If that's the case, we can rule out the Li Jingxing faction and focus on our current enemies."

Feng Qi said, "It seems we are indeed in for a bitter battle."

Du Gu Zhe murmured, "Who could deny it?"

The sound of wind, rain, footsteps, blades.

Each sound echoed in their ears.

Suddenly, Feng Qi looked up. The Tyrant Spear appeared in an instant.

A shrill whistle split the air, followed by a thunderous boom.

A hole was blasted through the roof.

Feng Qi vanished without a trace.

Du Gu Zhe stared at the hole, finally sensing the murderous intent hidden within the storm.

He curled his lips and summoned the Royal Sword from his elemental palace.

"Don't die, Heir," he whispered.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than explosions erupted on all sides.

They were under assault from every direction.

...

...

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