Chapter 1448: The Focus of the Struggle

Chapter 1433: The Focus of the Struggle

Doesn't King Jiao fear protests from the Tong family? He Lingchuan sensed something unusual.

For two days, the royal court was calm, and Tienshui City was filled with joy. The dark clouds brought on by Xue Zongwu's death and the continuous impeachment of officials seemed to have dissipated from above Tienshui City. Everything appeared to be quickly returning to its former rhythm. For the past two days, even Qingyang had made no new moves, which likely caused many to breathe a sigh of relief. Could things finally settle down for a few days, at least until after the King's Birthday Ceremony?

In the evening, Fan Shuang arrived again, this time beaming with joy. "Brother He, His Majesty is finally going to grant you an audience!" He Lingchuan was overjoyed. "These past few days of waiting truly weren't in vain!"

"Didn't I tell you? You would definitely meet our King!" Fan Shuang, too, felt relieved, believing he had finally completed the task assigned by the King.

"When can I have the audience?"

"Now." Fan Shuang chuckled; he had come to escort He Lingchuan into the palace. "Right now!"

He Lingchuan returned to his room to change. The Soul-Seizing Mirror scoffed, "Stubborn earlier, polite now—it seems he needs something from you! For all those days, the King couldn't remember you, forgot he specially invited you, as if he had amnesia. Why does he suddenly want to see you now?"

"Chongwu's new appointment suggests that King Jiao and Qingyang might have come to terms, with the King making some compromises," He Lingchuan said, quickly donning a brocade robe. "From now on, we just need to observe Qingyang. If she doesn't make any earth-shattering moves, it means these two parties have reached some agreement in private. The King's concession this time is truly remarkable."

The mirror sneered, "Isn't it just appointing Chongwu as the Guardian General of the North? What's so remarkable about that concession or sacrifice?"

"For the State of Jiao, this is a landmark change," He Lingchuan said soberly. "The royal court has endured for nearly two hundred years, retaining many traditions and not being as open as Beijia. From the intelligence we've gathered, eighty percent of high-ranking officials in the Jiao court are native Jiao people, with the remaining twenty percent in insignificant positions. The proportion of military generals is slightly lower, with half being native-born. So, for a foreigner like Chongwu to serve the State of Jiao, it must be through a military path."

"I've heard that old powerful families in Tienshui City intermarry among themselves, not just avoiding foreigners but also not even considering families from outside Tienshui City—and by 'outside,' I mean even the suburban towns and counties. Once you leave the main gates of Tienshui City, everyone is considered of lower status," he explained, giving an example. "Many nobles pride themselves on their lineage. Xue Zongwu wasn't a native of Tienshui City; when Qi Yunsheng insisted on marrying his daughter to him back then, she was criticized for a long time, until Xue Zongwu rose to prominence and gained power, which changed public opinion."

The mirror chuckled, "A nation that's only two hundred years old, talking about lineage? A bunch of frogs in a well."

"You have to consider where this is," He Lingchuan replied. "In the Glimmering Gold Plains, it's already a great achievement for a nation to last over two hundred years. Precisely because the people of Jiao are inherently xenophobic, allowing a foreign general to guard the national borders really challenges their fundamental principles. It's not as if Jiao lacks capable generals, yet the King chose Chongwu. It's important to remember that Chongwu recently made a mistake and was punished; his sudden promotion to border general is too abrupt. The King must be under immense pressure to issue such a decree, so I'm inclined to believe that Qingyang orchestrated this."

"What's in it for Qingyang?" The mirror's curiosity was piqued. "She's really good to Chongwu."

"For deeper reasons, I don't know enough about Qingyang or her home country to deduce them, but one reason is likely quite accurate—" He Lingchuan donned a white jade crown. Accustomed to being a wanderer and leading troops, he preferred to change clothes and prepare himself rather than relying on an attendant. "Military power."

"Huh?"

"Look, Qingyang brought a few hundred people to Jiao to serve as the Imperial Supervisor. While she seems to be constantly surrounded, I estimate it's difficult for her to extend her influence into the military. The current King Jiao is nearly sixty, has been involved in politics for decades, and his rule is quite stable. Generals like Xue Zongwu, who commanded troops and served as border officials, were staunch royalists. King Jiao has firmly held military power through trusted subordinates like Xue Zongwu."

He paused. "Have you noticed? Up to this point, for Qingyang to perform her duties as Imperial Supervisor, she has had to work through the royal court, essentially leveraging King Jiao's administrative power."

The mirror understood. "Relying on others' power is ultimately neither long-lasting nor reliable."

"To put it plainly, Qingyang is currently relying on Beijia's reputation, the respect the country has for Beijia, and perhaps even the support of the gods—I suspect many officials in the court also heed Beijia's words. But these aren't her own personal influence," He Lingchuan explained slowly. "If she pushes too hard against her father, and he, in a fit of stubbornness, disregards everything, she'll lose her leverage. However, if she can intervene in military affairs, that would be very different. With troops at her command, she could speak with more authority and stand straighter." As a general who commanded troops himself, he understood this point perfectly.

"She wants military power too?" The mirror gasped. "According to you, wouldn't that be undermining the King's foundation? Would he allow that?"

"Of course he wouldn't. Which person in power is willing to surrender even a tiny bit of their authority? But isn't this precisely the goal of their current struggle?" He Lingchuan smiled. "It seems Qingyang holds a strong hand. Chongwu's promotion very likely means the King has made concessions."

"What if her father adamantly refuses to concede?" the mirror asked, perplexed. "Isn't military power the most important? How could he bear to relinquish it?"

"When a powerful ruler suddenly becomes agreeable, it's not due to their nature; it must be out of necessity," He Lingchuan explained. "Assume King Jiao refuses to budge. Qingyang would then play her cards one by one. I speculate—and I believe the King likely thinks the same—that the cards she holds as a last resort are very significant, and playing them would inevitably cause a shock throughout the court and the populace. Among those affected are high-ranking officials and military commanders. Once they realize the King cannot protect them, what do you think they would do?"

The mirror pondered. "Eliminate Qingyang to stop her from revealing more?" The protective mirror was quite ruthless. He Lingchuan couldn't help but smile. "It's probably not that easy. Qingyang has been the Grand National Preceptor in Beijia for over a hundred years; her own strength is astounding, and she has a several-hundred-strong elite guard. Could she be easily taken down? Furthermore, if the Imperial Supervisor sent from Lingxu City dies for no reason, how would Jiao explain that to Beijia?"

"More simply, they'll just beg her for mercy," He Lingchuan shook his head. "Qingyang's forceful actions in the country mean most officials know she is actually in a power struggle with King Jiao. Their minor transgressions are merely bargaining chips caught in the crossfire. Therefore, the more aggressively Qingyang attacks, the more officials are likely to pledge allegiance to her, possibly including high-ranking military commanders. By then, Qingyang would still get the military power and influence she desires, throwing the royal court into chaos and severely diminishing the King's prestige." He spoke slowly, "Facing such an outcome, what do you think the King would choose now?"

"...Then it's better to be straightforward and concede a little." A single decisive step could save so much turmoil and damage. In the end, it all comes down to practicality; if King Jiao doesn't act impulsively, this is the most cost-effective approach. Who would have thought that a mere military transfer order concealed so many implications and entanglements?

"True to Qingyang's nature, she's managed to create so many opportunities out of the Imperial Supervisor position, which originally held little real power." He Lingchuan adjusted his belt. "Since her father is now summoning me to the palace, it means we're about to enter the next round."

"Are there any specific protocols?"

"Today, when we enter the palace, we must observe carefully," He Lingchuan said with a smile. "Originally, the King invited me to Tienshui City, but after I arrived, he left me waiting. This was likely because, over the past few days, he had a request of Qingyang and didn't want to provoke her."

"So, now that he's summoned you to the palace, does he have a plan?"

"Her father just made a big concession to Qingyang, so perhaps his mindset has changed again," He Lingchuan said, turning to walk out. "For us, this is an opportunity."

The King's Palace of Jiao was roughly the same size as the King's Palace of Yuan. Its buildings typically featured red roofs, ranging from ochre to crimson in the sunlight, layered like a maple forest in late autumn. He Lingchuan had rarely seen so many shades of red gathered in one place elsewhere. The architecture of the King's Palace of Jiao was very distinctive, boasting numerous circular structures. He Lingchuan also noticed the varied glazed tile windows. Aside from Beijia, he had rarely seen such a palette used elsewhere.

The King's Palace of Yuan, which he had visited before, was in disrepair, its garden overgrown with weeds, vast and desolate. This palace, however, was meticulously maintained with exquisite flora everywhere, featuring vibrant gardens every hundred paces or so.

Turning past a corridor gate, a sudden chill hit them, as if they had jumped directly from early summer into late autumn, sending shivers down their spines. He Lingchuan asked, surprised, "This place is so cold." Fan Shuang introduced, "This is Jade Spring Palace. In front of it is a cold spring that maintains a constant temperature year-round. It feels cold now, but in midsummer, it's an excellent place to escape the heat."

Jade Spring Palace had fewer plants, but its ginkgo and hibiscus trees were still beautiful. Rounding a set of strangely shaped rocks, He Lingchuan's eyes lit up, and he instinctively held his breath: in front of him, an ancient tree dominated half the garden, its canopy flourishing. The cold spring reflected the tree's shadow, making the large tree appear to grow downwards into the water simultaneously. It was certainly not as massive as the King of Precious Trees, but in terms of delicate beauty, it was unlike anything He Lingchuan had ever seen. This pear blossom tree glowed with white light, as if it shone brilliantly every second of every minute. He Lingchuan couldn't help but exclaim, "What a magnificent pear tree! Has it become a spirit?" Ordinary pear trees couldn't possibly withstand constant cold like this. The palace attendant leading them smiled and said, "We do not know. But this pear blossom shares its lifespan with our King; it can bloom all year round, and His Majesty particularly cherishes it."

Though pear blossoms are beautiful, they typically bloom only in spring, and their flowering period lasts just one month. He had never heard of one blooming continuously throughout the year. He Lingchuan wondered, "Is this pear blossom less than sixty years old? Why does it look like it's two hundred years old?" A pear blossom planted on a cold spring should grow very slowly.