Chapter 00079: Nian Zanli's Choice
# Nian Zanli's Choice
Chapter 79
Novel: After the Immortals Disappeared
Chapter 79: Nian Zanli's Choice
He Lingchuan was puzzled.
"What does all this have to do with Sun Fuping and Nian Songyu? Why did they come to seize the Great Square Pot?"
"Sun Fuping conspired with the Grand Marshal to rebel. Afterward, the king personally stripped him of his position as State Preceptor. That's why he never used the Imperial Decree during the entire time in the Panlong Desert," He Chunhua explained.
"As for the Governor of Xunzhou, he was originally part of the Grand Marshal's faction and had a close relationship with him. But so far, he has remained inactive and hasn't openly rebelled. In my estimation, if Nian Songyu could retrieve the Great Square Pot for him, it would be a significant bargaining chip. He could choose to side with anyone he wanted."
Sun Fuping, a man of such cunning, had chosen the wrong side this time, and the price he paid was his life in Panlong City.
In the struggle for power, one misstep could be fatal.
He Yue said calmly, "The grand battlefield is in the north and central regions. Blackwater City and the Panlong Desert are just small ripples caught in the storm."
He Chunhua and his eldest son exchanged a glance.
Their thrilling, life-and-death adventure seemed insignificant in the eyes of those who were strategizing on a larger scale.
He Lingchuan searched his memory for a moment but gave up.
The original owner of this body had spent his days indulging in food and drink, with no understanding of national affairs.
The prominent figures his younger brother mentioned were almost entirely unfamiliar to him.
Madam Ying, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up.
"So, it seems the trip to Panlong City yielded nothing? And we even lost many lives."
She rarely involved herself in the men's discussions of state affairs, but the He family had narrowly escaped death.
They had set out with two hundred men and returned with only a few dozen.
They had come back empty-handed, and the dead still needed to be compensated.
Was her husband's adventure not worth it?
He Chunhua, however, burst into laughter.
"Madam, that's not how you should look at it!"
"Although we didn't get the Great Square Pot, we eliminated Nian Songyu and Sun Fuping. That's the greatest gain from this trip!" He grabbed a full cup of wine and downed it in one gulp.
"Sun Fuping was one of the main instigators of this rebellion, a major threat to the royal court. By killing him, I've relieved the king of a great worry and boosted the morale of our troops. It's a significant achievement."
He Yue added, "Sun Fuping served as State Preceptor for many years and knew countless secrets. He was a man of deep schemes and formidable abilities. His attempt to seize the Great Square Pot in Panlong City, whether to aid the Grand Marshal or to defect to another faction, was a serious concern for the royal court. By eliminating this threat, we've essentially joined the fight against the rebellion. We might even be rewarded for our efforts."
He Lingchuan chuckled.
"Killing Sun Fuping was for the good of the nation, and killing Nian Songyu was to eliminate a threat to our second brother. If we had died in the desert, he would have come after you."
Madam Ying was curious.
"What business would he have with Yue'er?"
He Yue's face paled, and he said unhappily, "Don't listen to my elder brother's nonsense. But the Governor of Xunzhou didn't get the Great Square Pot and even lost a son. I wonder what he'll do next."
He Chunhua sneered.
"I've been thinking all along about how to explain the deaths of Sun Fuping and Nian Songyu to the royal court, but it turns out I was overthinking it. Tomorrow, I'll send a message to the royal court about the Governor of Xunzhou and Sun Fuping's plot to seize the Great Square Pot. After this, he won't have the time to trouble me anymore."
He Lingchuan recalled his father's worried expression during the desert march over the past ten days and compared it to his current elation, with a faint hint of ruthlessness in his eyes.
He knew his father had finally let go of the regret of losing the Great Square Pot.
He Chunhua turned to He Yue.
"Let me test you. If news of Nian Songyu and Sun Fuping's deaths reaches Xunzhou, how do you think the Northern Expedition General will act?"
He Lingchuan protested, "Father, why don't you ask for my opinion?"
"Then speak."
"Rebellion," He Lingchuan said with a smile.
"There's no use in defending himself. Other than rebellion, he has no other choice."
The Governor of Xunzhou, Nian Zanli, had always been in cahoots with the Grand Marshal.
But when the Grand Marshal rebelled, he wasn't present, and afterward, he kept his troops hidden.
No one knew what he was planning, but the royal court was certainly displeased: not sending troops to fight the Grand Marshal was a sign of disloyalty.
Now that news of Nian Songyu and Sun Fuping's attempt to seize the Great Square Pot had spread, Nian Zanli was in a tight spot.
No matter how he defended himself, the royal court wouldn't believe him.
Moreover, he had ill intentions from the start.
Wasn't this forcing him to rebel?
"Not necessarily. Nian Zanli still has another choice," He Yue said.
"Besides joining the Grand Marshal in rebellion, he could also defect to the northern demon kingdom!"
He Lingchuan was stunned.
"He's called the Northern Expedition General. Didn't he fight many battles against the demon kingdom?"
It seemed he really needed to find an opportunity to catch up on these matters.
"Actually, the Nian family has done quite well in the north," He Yue explained.
"After Father came to Qiansong County, we were constantly at war with foreign enemies for ten years. But look at us now—our border trade is thriving, and we have good relations with many countries."
"That's because we have the Panlong Desert between us and the foreign enemies. As long as we hold Blackwater City, they can't get through..."
He Lingchuan chuckled.
"Alright, alright, I get what you're saying. Nian Zanli might surrender to the northern demon kingdom."
"Then his offering to the northern demon kingdom would be his own territory, Xunzhou," He Yue said seriously to He Chunhua.
"In the end, he wouldn't lose out, because the northern demon kingdom would still appoint him as the governor of the region. Using a surrendered general to govern a surrendered territory is something that has happened before."
"So, he only has two choices left: follow the Grand Marshal or defect to the northern demon kingdom," He Chunhua mused.
"Although the Grand Marshal has recently suffered a defeat, his foundation is strong. With the addition of the Governor of Xunzhou, the civil war in the country could drag on indefinitely. If he defects to the north, the northern demon kingdom would certainly welcome him. They would gain a region without shedding blood, and Xunzhou is strategically important. Once the demon kingdom takes it, the vast plains and fertile lands beyond would be easy to attack but hard to defend."
"In other words, no matter what the Governor of Xunzhou does next, it will be a severe blow to Dayuan, a bloody wound," He Lingchuan said, stretching lazily.
"If I were the king, I'd rather maintain the status quo."
He Chunhua frowned at this.
He Lingchuan wiped his mouth and was about to leave the table when he suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, Father, Sun Fuping's staff isn't responding to me. Do you have any instructions on how to use it?"
After losing its master, the beast-headed staff had reverted to its original form, a vajra.
No matter how much he tried to channel his energy into it, it remained unresponsive.
"That staff isn't really suitable for you. Why not sell it?" He Chunhua suggested.
Madam Ying also spoke up.
"After this adventure, we have more expenses to cover. Not to mention, compensating the families of the deceased will cost a lot of silver! Why not sell it to make up for the losses?"
He Lingchuan crossed his arms over his chest.
"This is my reward for saving dozens of lives. Father personally gave it to me. How can you take it back?"
Trying to trick him? The compensation for the families would come from the public funds, not the He family's pocket.
He Chunhua seemed deep in thought.
He casually pulled out a notebook from his pocket, flipped through it, and then tore out a page, handing it to He Lingchuan.
"Here, the instructions for using that staff are written here."
(End of Chapter)