69novels Chapter 1211 It's time to get rid of this guy!
Chapter 1211 It's time to get rid of this guy!
This wasn't because he was afraid of Hong Sixiang. Hong Sixiang was far too insignificant; with his current strength, if he were to personally intervene, Hong Sixiang would have no chance of survival. The problem was, once he acted, his identity would inevitably be exposed. At that point, his carefully cultivated businessman identity over the years would become worthless, and all the pawns he had secretly planted would be laid bare for posterity.
He cannot reveal himself yet.
His identity as a businessman was his best cover.
Emperor Qing was suspicious, but his suspicion followed a pattern. He suspected everyone—his ministers, wife and children, brothers, and confidants—but he rarely suspected those who were greedy. In Emperor Qing's eyes, merchants were driven by profit, seeking only wealth, not power. As long as they didn't threaten his imperial authority, he couldn't care less how much money the merchants made.
This was Emperor Qing's arrogance, and also his blind spot. Gao Yao exploited this blind spot. Rebellion requires a foundation. Gao Yao understood this principle better than anyone else.
Ordinary people are living their lives just fine, so why would they be so foolish as to rebel? That would just be asking for trouble. So what he wants to do is make life difficult for the people of Qing Kingdom—not to make them starve, but to make them think that perhaps things would be better if someone else were the emperor.
This takes time, patience, and a gradual, subtle process.
The western border was barren and already rife with public resentment, making it the perfect entry point. Otherwise, Gao Yao wouldn't have advised Han Xin to raise his army there.
As for boiling a frog in lukewarm water, once the heat is right, the frog will naturally be cooked.
Hong Sixiang was the first frog in that pot.
Eliminating him would be tantamount to severing one of Emperor Qing's arms. More importantly, Hong Sixiang knows too many secrets—about Emperor Qing, about Ye Qingmei, about what happened back then. If these secrets can be obtained, it will give us a greater chance of dealing with Emperor Qing in the future. If we can't obtain them, then let these secrets disappear along with Hong Sixiang.
In the Qing Kingdom's palace, the Jingxin Hall is located in a secluded courtyard in the northeast corner of the inner palace. Unlike the surrounding halls with their carved beams and painted rafters, the furnishings here are extremely simple, with blue bricks and gray tiles. Even the courtyard gate is not painted, revealing the original grain of the wood.
This was a place that Emperor Qing specially reserved for Hong Sixiang after his ascension to the throne—it was less a favor and more a tacit approval. For someone like Hong Sixiang, having a secluded haven within the deep palace was more valuable than any reward of gold or silver.
The hall was sparsely furnished, containing only a low table, a futon, and a whisk hanging on the wall. Hong Sixiang sat cross-legged on the futon, his eyes slightly closed, his breathing long and even. Outsiders only knew him as the most capable chief eunuch by Emperor Qing's side, in charge of the palace's trivial affairs, but very few knew that this seemingly frail old man had already reached a state of profound cultivation. Every morning and evening after his morning and evening greetings, unless Emperor Qing gave him any other instructions, he would return here to hone his inner strength in the silence.
A sparse shadow fell across the window, and a breeze swept through the hall, ruffling a few strands of silver hair at his temples. Hong Sixiang remained motionless, like a clay sculpture, only the slight undulation of his robes revealing that within this aged body, true energy still flowed ceaselessly. He was practicing an extremely ancient breathing technique, his breath mingling with the heavens and earth, long and thin, almost imperceptible.
However, this tranquility is destined to be shattered today.
The footsteps approached from afar, extremely light and fast, but stopped abruptly outside the palace gate. Hong Sixiang opened his eyes, a flash of shrewdness appearing in them before they returned to the murky appearance of an ordinary old man.
"Come in."
A young man dressed in black slipped inside, knelt on one knee, and whispered, "My lord, news has come from outside the palace."
Hong Sixiang did not get up, but simply nodded slightly: "Speak."
"The Kyoto Prefecture, the Censorate, and our own people have all mobilized." The young man lowered his voice. "As for the Princess, almost all the leads we could find have run dry. After Commander Yan died, her former subordinates were either purged or transferred to the border, scattered in all directions. Our people went to great lengths to get a little information from the Northwest Army—three months ago, someone secretly contacted the deputy generals of several garrisons in the Western Border with a token from the Princess's residence."
Hong Sixiang's brows twitched slightly: "The Western Territory?"
“Yes. Although those garrison troops are nominally under the command of the imperial court, their supplies have always come from the imperial treasury.” The young man paused. “Sir, this matter is far too complex. Should we hold off for now and wait for His Majesty's decree to become clearer—”
“No need.” Hong Sixiang slowly rose, his whisk lightly fluttering. “His Majesty’s meaning is already very clear. Before, because of Yan Xiaoyi’s death, everyone thought that the Princess had lost a powerful ally and had no chance of turning things around. Now it seems that we were too naive.” He walked to the window and looked at the old plum tree in the courtyard. “If she didn’t have some ability, she couldn’t have managed to operate in the palace for so many years. Yan Xiaoyi was a visible weapon, but who can say what was hidden beneath the scabbard?”
The young man lowered his head and remained silent, a thin layer of sweat already visible on his forehead.
Hong Sixiang was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Is there any movement from the First Prince and the Second Prince?"
"Yes," the young man replied, becoming increasingly cautious. "According to our people planted in the residences of the two princes, the eldest prince summoned his advisors last night, and the meeting didn't end until 1:45 AM. The second prince went even further, having already secretly contacted several vice ministers of the Ministry of War, ostensibly to inquire about the allocation of military provisions in the northwest, but I'm afraid..."
“I’m afraid her true intentions are not what they seem.” Hong Sixiang took over the conversation, a very faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. “Both of Your Highnesses are intelligent people. If they still can’t see through the Princess’s move so quickly, then all these years of struggling in the court have been for nothing.”
The young man hesitated for a moment, then mustered his courage and asked, "Sir, there is something I do not understand."
"speak."
"Although the Eldest Princess's consolidation of military power this time is aggressive, it is still under His Majesty's nose. Five hundred thousand troops, it's not a small number, but it's not a large number either. Qing Kingdom is currently beset by rebels in the west and Northern Qi in the north. The famine has just ended, and the national treasury is empty. Even if she really has ulterior motives, how can she succeed? Why are His Majesty and the two princes so... so..."
"So wary?" Hong Sixiang finished the sentence for him.
The young people bowed their heads and acquiesced.
Hong Sixiang did not answer immediately, but looked out the window, his gaze seemingly piercing through the palace walls and landing on the magnificent yet murderous court. After a long while, he slowly spoke: "Do you know that the most terrifying people in this world are never the enemies with open swords and spears, but those you cannot see through."
He turned around, lightly flicking his whisk: "The Princess has lived in the palace for so many years, and fought with His Majesty for so many years. What do you think she relied on? Her face? Her cleverness? Neither. She relied on patience, the kind of patience that allows her to endure for ten years without making a move. Once such a person makes a move, it means she is already prepared."