CHAPTER 192: 132, I’M SU, NOT WRITING POEMS ANYMORE (6K CHAPTERS)_2

Some formalities could be dispensed with. However, if he truly overstepped his bounds, Xu Xing might tolerate it initially, but dissatisfaction would inevitably grow over time. Chang Kun, though outwardly coarse, understood this perfectly.

The Ice Room had been restored to a living room. A maid poured Spirit Tea. The fragrance filled the entire room, making mouths water.

Xu Xing took the seat of honor, with Chang Kun accompanying him in a secondary seat. After they had each taken a sip of the tea brewed from Illusion Mist Spiritual Tea, Xu Xing stated the purpose of his visit to the Kun King Mansion: to investigate the current situation at the Imperial Court.

"At Court..."

Chang Kun rubbed his head.

Although he was touched that his Fourth Brother didn’t treat him as an outsider, he still had to speak the truth. He laughed awkwardly, saying, "Your Majesty, you know me. I’m alright when it comes to battles, but I’m not very good at handling affairs at Court. Even when I try, I don’t manage them well. So, as early as the second year after you left, I simply shut the gates of the Royal Mansion and stopped receiving guests..."

His words weren’t false, but there were some things he hadn’t mentioned. In fact, aside from his own lack of desire for power, the main reason he had closed off his mansion was the attention that Feudal Kings of a different surname attracted...

In the fourth year of the Tiande era, someone impeached him, Heavenly Kun King Chang Kun, for accepting bribes. Chang Kun was furious. He had abhorred Corrupt Officials his entire life, so how could he himself be corrupt? Furthermore, Xu Xing constantly bestowed rewards upon his sworn brothers. He wasn’t short of money, so why would he accept bribes? Later, bombarded with impeachments from the Civil and Military Officers in the Court, he finally realized that this trouble stemmed from his status as a Feudal King of a different surname. So, Chang Kun rushed to Prime Minister Gongyang Yi’s mansion overnight to ask for advice on his next course of action. Gongyang Yi advised him to relinquish his authority and become a Wealthy Prince.

"Then who holds absolute power at Court now..."

"Third Brother, you should know about this."

Xu Xing’s tone turned slightly cold.

He finally understood. Chang Kun was feigning ignorance to avoid offending anyone.

But after a moment’s thought, he let it go. He could just leave, but Chang Kun still needed to secure his own position and a future for his descendants. Offending him, the Grand Ancestor, wasn’t a grave concern now, as he no longer held power and wouldn’t resort to killing over such a small matter, thereby severing their past bond of brotherhood. But if Chang Kun offended those currently in power at Court, his own future, as well as that of his descendants, would become uncertain.

"It’s... the Empress and Prime Minister Gongyang Yi. They jointly hold power."

Chang Kun hesitated for a moment before saying this.

This was something that couldn’t be hidden from Xu Xing. As long as Xu Xing inquired a little in Shenjing, he would find out who held power. All the Civil and Military Officers knew, as did the Common People. If he truly pretended to know nothing, he would completely offend Xu Xing.

However, after saying this, Chang Kun added, "Your Majesty, you know that you claimed illness and didn’t see the Civil and Military Officers. Although we ministers knew you had gone to seek immortality, the mid- and low-ranking Officials, and the Common People of the realm, do not. The Empress is also in a difficult position... The Crown Prince is young. If the Empress doesn’t manage state affairs... Imperial Power will be difficult to maintain!"

He spoke from the heart.

"I understand this..."

Xu Xing nodded after a moment’s silence, his expression calm and composed.

Empress Zhao Yunniang’s interference in politics and assumption of power were, in fact, his deliberate arrangements before he left. If he had truly intended to restrict the power of the harem, as the Founding Emperor, he could have dictated it with a single edict left behind. Even if Zhao Yunniang had any other schemes, she couldn’t overturn the heavens.

"So, the Official who impeached you, Third Brother... that was the Empress’s doing?"

Xu Xing glanced at Chang Kun and smiled faintly.

Of the two holding power in the Court, one was Empress Zhao Yunniang, and the other was Prime Minister Gongyang Yi. The former, as the Empress and mother of the realm, nominally possessed the authority to oversee state affairs when the Emperor was not personally governing. The latter, as Prime Minister, possessed the inherent political authority to lead all Civil and Military Officers. The downfall of a Feudal King of a different surname, like Heavenly Kun King Chang Kun, was clearly a political maneuver by Gongyang Yi and Zhao Yunniang to consolidate power within the Central Axis. After all, disturbances caused by external Feudal Kings could affect the Court’s political affairs. This was an inexorable trend. Anyone in Gongyang Yi’s and Zhao Yunniang’s position would have done the same.

At the dawn of the dynasty, Meritorious Officials were enfeoffed, necessitating the devolution of power from the Central Axis. However, subsequent rulers clearly lacked the prestige of the Founding Emperor. Thus, the central government would inevitably and continually consolidate power, undermining the "Feudal Kings" and "Meritorious Officials" to ensure the stability of the Central Axis.

"That son of a bitch... So, it was Gongyang Yi’s idea! And to think I kept blaming the Empress and even went to him for help..."

Hearing this, anger instantly flared on Heavenly Kun King Chang Kun’s face. He cursed, "I knew Gongyang Yi was a scheming bastard ever since the uprising! I thought we shared the bond of comrades-in-arms, but I never expected him to plot against me."

He had only seen the surface layer. He had believed Empress Zhao Yunniang wanted to consolidate Imperial Power to prevent it from being usurped, so he had willingly become a Wealthy Virtuous King. But he never imagined Gongyang Yi’s machinations were behind it all.

"What about Big Brother?"

"How is he..."

"Is he willing to be a Wealthy Virtuous King?"

Xu Xing asked again.

During his time on Guanxi Road, to build his reputation, he had left a thousand Silent Cavalry with King of Sorrow Yao Dang. After unifying the world, since his throne had essentially been taken from Yao Dang, he bestowed the most substantial enfeoffments upon him. It could be said that Yao Dang was likely the most powerful among all Feudal Kings of a different surname, commanding at least ten thousand soldiers.