Chapter 716
Chapter 716
After a moment of reflection, Ning Yuanxian realized that if Ning Qi ascended the throne, his skills would be more than enough to suppress the Zhu and Zhong clans. Even when the Great Yan Dynasty sought to conquer the world, Ning Qi would likely make appropriate compromises, weigh the situation, and better preserve the royal legacy of the Ning clan. In contrast, if Ning Zheng took the throne, he would probably die before he would bend. But if Ning Qi became king, Ning Zheng and Shen Lang would meet a death with no place for burial. He would be a cold and brilliant monarch, one who would never tolerate Ning Zheng and Shen Lang.
Moreover, Ning Qi had a fatal flaw: he usually favored political maneuvering and would only risk his life and everything he had when cornered. This meant the underlying troubles of the State of Yue would not be completely resolved. Ning Zheng, on the other hand, was rigid and unyielding, always choosing the most difficult path, which meant he would thoroughly solve any problem. While this might seem foolish on the surface, it was, in fact, the path to cleansing the long-accumulated corruption in Yue, even if it meant enduring hardship.
After weighing these thoughts, Ning Yuanxian felt that Ning Zheng was more suited to be the King of Yue. Ning Qi was too clever, not as foolishly steadfast as Ning Zheng. However, if Ning Zheng ascended the throne, he too would have a fatal flaw. In the future, when the Great Yan Dynasty sought to conquer the world, a Yue led by Ning Zheng might be the first to be devoured. He was not particularly cunning and would rather break than bend. It seemed there was no perfect choice in this world. Still, Ning Yuanxian’s heart leaned more toward Ning Zheng. Having two outstanding successors at once was truly a headache.
But when he heard the news that Ning Qi had entered the Chu army's barracks alone, Ning Yuanxian was somewhat disappointed. Soon after, with a father's concern for his son, he issued an order for the Third Prince, Ning Qi, to return to the capital. First, it was to protect Ning Qi; second, it was to pressure him into making his stance clear.
‘You are my son, Ning Yuanxian’s son. What are you doing standing so close to the Emperor of the Great Yan Dynasty? Ning Qi, if you obey my sacred edict and return to the capital, it shows that your heart is with me, and I will give you a chance. But if you insist on remaining in the King of Chu's barracks, it means you are eager to take the fall for the Emperor without a moment's hesitation. It means that in your heart, Ning Qi, your father weighs far less than the Emperor. If you return to the capital, I will personally go to the Yan Capital to discuss the matter of the King of Chu's assassination with the Emperor.’
* * *
Ning Qi was stunned as he held the royal edict, but his heart warmed slightly. It seemed his actions had finally moved his royal father. Ning Yuanxian’s edict clearly stated that if Ning Qi returned to Tian Yue City, Ning Yuanxian himself would travel north to the Yan Capital. As a father, he wanted to protect his son. Moreover, his father's words carried another meaning: he would reconsider Ning Qi, give him a new chance, and no longer favor only Ning Zheng as he had before. But along with this warmth, Ning Qi frowned, even feeling a sense of revulsion. His father, despite being the king of a nation, handled matters too emotionally.
‘My staying in the Chu barracks is the best choice, yet you, the king, are forcing me to choose between you and the Emperor? The State of Yue has suffered under your temperament and ended up in this state. You say you will protect me, but are you even capable of protecting me? His Majesty the Emperor dislikes the King of Chu, but he dislikes you, the King of Yue, as well.’
Between the Emperor and his father, Ning Qi did not hesitate for a moment to choose His Supreme Majesty, the Emperor. That was reality. But Ning Qi also had a headache. Refusing his father would completely expose his intentions, tantamount to pushing away the opportunity Ning Yuanxian had offered. A person who handled matters with emotion was truly unfit to be a king. Ning Qi, indignant, slammed the edict down on the table. The new King of Chu entered and said with a smile,
“Worthy brother, if you wish to return to Tian Yue City, I will not stop you. The King of Yue can simply explain it to me.”
Ning Qi replied.
“Can I go back? If I do, won't everything be for naught?”
“It seems we both have wayward fathers. My father was overly greedy, while yours, having had his dignity wounded in the past, is desperately trying to reclaim it and stand tall again, as if that’s the only way to restore his honor. But in trying to straighten what was bent, he has gone too far. A king of a nation cannot be so willful, especially the king of a vassal state. To break rather than bend is by no means a virtue.”
“A king of a nation should first think of the state and its altars, and only then of himself. Why can’t he understand that one must be unyielding for the country, but also compromise for the country?”
These two were engrossed in a performance of baring their souls. Soon after, Ning Qi wrote a moving memorial, one that could pierce the very heart. But its content was singular: for the sake of his father and for the State of Yue, Ning Qi would remain in the Chu army's barracks. For his father's affection, Ning Qi would be unable to repay it even if his bones were crushed. However, no matter how touching the words, one fact remained unchangeable: Ning Qi had chosen His Majesty the Emperor, not his father, Ning Yuanxian.
“The imperial emissary sent by His Majesty is already heading south!”
At the King of Chu’s words, Ning Qi closed his eyes and said,
“What is meant to come will come. We can only do our best and await the will of Heaven!”
* * *
The capital of Chu was closer to the Yan Capital, so the imperial emissary dispatched there arrived sooner. The emissary was a high-ranking noble of a young age who, upon being enfeoffed as a duke, commanded a retinue of dozens. Arriving in the Chu capital, he first summoned Ning Zheng for questioning on various matters. Afterward, he summoned the Queen Dowager of Chu and questioned her for two full days. Then, he had the body of Chu’s Consort An brought for examination. The entire process was meticulous and professional.
He acted as if he had come solely for the matter of the King of Chu's assassination, not mentioning a single word about Ning Zheng conquering the Chu capital or burning the royal palace. Furthermore, officials from Yue, Chu, and the Great Yan Dynasty were present to observe every interrogation, and every detail was clearly questioned. In three days, this imperial emissary and his subordinate officials had summoned and interrogated dozens of people, producing hundreds of volumes of investigation records. Not only that, but every piece of investigation and interrogation material was recorded in meticulous detail, so much so that one could picture the situation just by reading it. The records from the few days of interrogation alone exceeded a hundred thousand words. Such a serious attitude toward the investigation was enough to make everyone marvel. Not a single minor detail was overlooked; it was as if a master detective had descended.
However, many in the upper echelons had long seen through the truth of the King of Chu's assassination. The direct culprits were Fudao Shan, Consort An, and An Liang, and of course, Shen Lang could not escape responsibility. But the King of Chu's death was the will of His Majesty the Emperor. So, in a way, all these culprits were merely working for the Emperor, which meant this whole professional investigation was a complete fabrication.
The Queen Dowager of Chu and the Director of the Bureau of Military Affairs, Yan Jing, knew this as well. Thus, when they were interrogated, they knew exactly what to say and what not to say. The so-called professional interrogation was merely to construct a meticulous and perfect lie—a lie mixed with seven parts truth and three parts fiction.
Was the Queen Dowager of Chu inwardly furious upon hearing of the King of Chu's sudden death? Of course, she was, but what could she do? This was done with the tacit approval of His Majesty the Emperor. Could she possibly tarnish the reputation of the supreme Emperor? That would be courting death. Therefore, everyone in Chu cooperated with the imperial emissary, filling in the gaps and providing answers. After a full five days, the interrogations came to a temporary halt. Yet, in those five days, the imperial emissary sent by His Majesty had not asked Shen Lang a single question. He had even interrogated Gao Duhuan and Jin Mulan, but Shen Lang alone was left untouched. Finally, on the sixth day, the imperial emissary summoned Shen Lang.
* * *
“An Liang, the grand eunuch of Chu, never even had a chance to twist the dark-fragrance poison gas bomb he carried. The reason for the King of Chu's sudden death was that he was holding that secret letter from the Queen Dowager of Chu. The letter was laced with the liquid form of dark-fragrance, which immediately awakened the Gu worms in the King of Chu's body. The letter was written by the Queen Dowager, and it was scented with the perfume she normally uses, so it smelled exactly like her perfume. But the dark-fragrance liquid on it was added by you. Therefore, the direct culprit who assassinated the King of Chu is you, Shen Lang!”
The Emperor's emissary got straight to the point.
“Shen Lang, you originally wanted to use the King of Chu to eliminate the Zhong clan and Ning Qi. Then you planned to assassinate the King of Chu afterward. However, the Seventh Prince of Chu, Chu Lin, arrived on the battlefield too late. Any later, and Ning Qi would have put on a grand performance of shooting the King of Chu with an arrow, achieving a world-shaking merit. Thus, you had to strike first, to pin the crime of assassination on Ning Qi.
When the King of Chu saw that secret letter, the Gu worms in his stomach went into a frenzy. In that final, desperate moment, the King of Chu cried out that Ning Qi had colluded with Fudao Shan to assassinate him. That way, even if Ning Qi jumped into the Nu River, he would not be able to clear his name. Shen Lang, your methods are truly remarkable!”
So, was that the truth of the matter? Roughly, yes. In fact, the truth of this incident was not complicated at all. Shen Lang was not the least bit surprised to hear his words.
“Shen Lang, if you cannot clearly refute the crime of assassinating the King of Chu, you will surely die.”
Shen Lang said nothing. The great event of assassinating the King of Chu was bound to happen, and Shen Lang had merely seized a timely opportunity to act. But Shen Lang, too, had considered countless ways to kill the King of Chu.
“Lord Emissary, if you have something to say, please say it directly.”
The Emperor's emissary said.
“First, about the ancient ruins within Prince Gong’s territory. Where are they, and how are they opened?”
What was the meaning of this question? Was the Great Yan Dynasty offering to pardon him if he revealed the location of Prince Gong's ancient ruins?
‘My good sir, the one who truly wanted to kill the King of Chu was His Majesty the Emperor. I, Shen Lang, merely escalated the incident.’
Shen Lang replied.
“My apologies, but I truly do not know.”
The Emperor's emissary stared intently at Shen Lang.
“Shen Lang, many in the Yan Capital do not like you. You may have lived joyfully in the State of Yue, but your life is as perilous as walking a tightrope. The evidence of your assassination of the King of Chu is solid. Once that crime is confirmed, no one will be able to save you.”
Shen Lang once again said nothing. The Emperor's emissary lowered his head, took out a file, and read its contents for a moment.
“Did you have an affair with Qiu Yao'er? Did she even bear you a child? She has now established a kingdom overseas, and we want you to write her a letter. You may even have to visit her kingdom as a representative of the Great Yan Dynasty.”
Shen Lang waved his hand dismissively and said,
“Lord Emissary, you overestimate my importance in Qiu Yao'er's heart. By a twist of fate, I did indeed spend a night with Qiu Yao'er, and she became pregnant. But strictly speaking, I merely lent her a seed. In her heart, I am just a passerby. By the way, is the kingdom Qiu Yao'er established overseas very strong?”
The Emperor's emissary did not answer and continued to flip through the documents, which appeared to be Shen Lang's file. As he flipped through them, he stared at Shen Lang.