novelraw Chapter 748 - 728 Threat
Chapter 748 - 728 Threat
After Prince Jingbei and Dugu Jing left the palace, Xie Xun finally revealed his true nature, cursing them for their delusions. He said they were already being exceptionally generous by accepting the Beiman Royal Family, and it was all for the sake of peace between the two nations. Yet, the Priest Court audaciously demanded equal power, despite the fact that the Beining people do not worship the Heavenly God.
Mocking them, Xie Xun said, "If they truly believed in the Heavenly God, why didn’t the Heavenly God lead them to prosperity instead of their nation’s demise? It’s laughable—what sort of nonsense is that, trying to push their luck!"
"The Priest Court’s control over poison is a major threat. Send someone to monitor them, and you must inspect your own health daily. Never let your guard down." Xie Jue and Xie Xun both harbored deep fears of poison. Their disgust and hatred stemmed from a history where poison had nearly brought their family to ruin, and it had almost claimed Fengyu’s life. For this reason, neither of them was willing to take things lightly.
Fang Chuning remarked, "Since the Priest Court has dared to make demands, it’s only because they hold poison in their hands that they can negotiate with us. If their ambitions remain unchecked, they’re bound to make a move sooner or later. Better to wipe them out completely."
Though Xie Xun spoke ruthlessly, as a ruler of a nation, he had to consider matters more comprehensively. "The Beiman have yet to find their footing in the Capital City, but they do worship the Heavenly God. If we were to exterminate the priests outright, it might chill their hearts. The peace we’ve worked so hard to achieve could be instantly destroyed."
"For now, send someone to observe them and see if they’re willing to accept the conditions. How is Zhang Lingzheng’s research on the poison coming along?"
"Ultimately, it’s not his area of expertise, so it’ll still take time."
"Convince Dugu Jing to help. Dugu Hongying also excels in poison. She might have a way to break the priests’ poison."
"But Dugu Hongying is also a priest!"
Xie Jue sneered, "People have hearts of flesh. She will weigh whether the priests are more important or her siblings are. If she believes that blood ties and kinship outweigh the priests, then I have nothing more to say. Another day, you can sit down and talk properly with Dugu Jing; he still listens to you to some extent."
Xie Xun did not feel that Dugu Jing listened to him at all. Dugu Jing seemed single-mindedly fixated on dueling him. That day, they had a drinking contest, and Dugu Jing looked thrilled to have won. Xie Xun privately suspected that if he could muster all his strength to win a physical match against Dugu Jing, maybe then Dugu Jing would agree.
Killing, that’s the last resort, and unless the High Priest makes the first move, they absolutely must not act rashly.
While Xie Xun sought out Dugu Jing, Fengyu also went to find Dugu Hongying. Dugu Hongying is the younger sister of both Prince Jingbei and Dugu Jing and also an affiliate of the Priest Court. Skilled in poison, Dugu Hongying was the one who had poisoned Yuwen Jing in the past. She never married and had always stayed with the Priest Court. She held strong faith in the Heavenly God and opposed the Beiman surrender, yet her lack of power left her unable to stop it. Despite multiple banquets, Dugu Hongying had never entered the palace.
Fengyu didn’t harbor any resentment towards Dugu Hongying. Each acted for their own cause—standing from Dugu Hongying’s position, she wasn’t inherently wrong. Besides, they had nearly succeeded. Beining’s beautiful lands had almost been handed over to the Yuwen Family, becoming territory of the Beiman.
Fengyu believed Dugu Hongying must be aware of the priests’ plans to build a temple. Even before Fengyu spoke, Dugu Hongying said, "Empress, matters concerning the Priest Court are decided by the High Priest. You’ve come to the wrong person."
Dugu Hongying was direct and didn’t bother with pretense, while Fengyu, who was accustomed to maneuvering tactfully, found herself having to speak plainly with the Beiman. "You entered the palace together with Dugu Jing today, didn’t you? Regarding the priests’ desire to build a temple, the Emperor has actually agreed, but with minor conditions added. We hope the Duke Wu’an siblings can act as intermediaries. After all, Beining doesn’t worship the Heavenly God. If you wish to conduct rituals and worship the Heavenly God, we have no right to interfere. Constructing a temple shouldn’t be a big deal. We welcome you wholeheartedly, having established academies to teach you Beining customs, etiquette, and language. Since your arrival in the Capital City, you haven’t been mistreated. Even during multiple conflicts, we’ve not taken sides. After years of border battles, the Emperor and I both cherish the peace we’ve finally secured and don’t wish to breathe new life into conflict. Ultimately, this boils down to differences in our customs and mutual concerns. But if the priests threaten us with poison, the Emperor and I will regard it as an act of provocation. You’ve studied our etiquette and customs for some time now, so you should know that in Beining, provoking the Imperial Family is equivalent to treason—it’s punishable by the extermination of one’s entire family. The Emperor is kindhearted, unwilling to see rivers of blood flow again, and thus hopes the Duke Wu’an siblings can persuade the High Priest to accept the Emperor’s conditions. If not, the temple cannot be built, and the High Priest cannot remain."
"Are you threatening us, Empress?"
"Isn’t it the High Priest who threatened us first?" Fengyu replied with a smile. "Using poison as leverage. I’ve been poisoned before, and incidentally, it was the poison you once used on Yuwen Jing, which later ended up on me."
Dugu Hongying’s expression turned slightly awkward. She steadied herself and said, "I have no regrets. When Prince Yan entered Fox City, it led to the deaths of several of my brothers. This is merely a matter of blood debts repaid with blood."
Fengyu spoke calmly, "The Marquis Zhenbei Mansion and the Beiman have harbored longstanding enmity. Your Beiman’s beloved Er Lang fell on the battlefield, and the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion has also seen its bloodline diminish. Who hasn’t had grudges in their hearts? Now that the Beiman have surrendered, mutual understanding will take decades. We don’t want the border to reignite in conflict or more lives lost on the battlefield. Everyone hopes to enjoy peace and stability. You’ve come from behind the bitterly cold snow mountains to live in the Capital City. You must have felt the changes during this time. Do you truly wish to lead your people back to the snow mountains? The priests are the ones instigating disputes now, not us."
Xie Jue’s points were predictable. The High Priest would never agree to them. They were hoping to erode Beining’s imperial authority gradually after building the temple. But Xie Xun was not the Beiman King, nor did Beining have a Heavenly God, and he would not condone such actions.
Fengyu chuckled lightly and said, "Miss Dugu, at the end of the day, you are first and foremost the daughter of the Dugu Family, not just the High Priest of the Beiman. Your elder brothers are now Prince Jingbei and Duke Wu’an. Within a few months, once Prince Jingbei becomes more familiar with the Capital City, the Emperor will bestow him with even greater responsibilities. This includes Duke Wu’an, who will not remain idle in the Capital City. Your nieces will also have the freedom to marry and live without interference. As long as the Priest Court refrains from causing trouble, we all have a bright future ahead. Your family will also enjoy peace and stability."
"You’re threatening me!" Dugu Hongying glared at her indignantly.
Fengyu thought to herself, "Stubborn until faced with reality!"
"Fine, yes, I am threatening you. And what can you do about it?" Fengyu said mildly. "I’ve only ever heard of a victorious figure uplifting their followers, but never of defeated generals being led astray by greed. The Priest Court’s role is to assist the imperial authority, not undermine it. The Beiman Royal Family has allowed priests to run rampant for years and now hopes for the Priest Court to flourish in Beining. Beining does not have a Heavenly God, nor do we worship your Heavenly God. Giving you a corner to offer your sacrifices is already an extraordinary act of kindness. You’ve reversed priorities, allowing the Priest Court’s greed to swell—it’s because of your own incompetence. Don’t try to impose that on Beining."