The Demon Lords

The grand wedding in Yanjing was impressive, with golden rain and silk road, causing a sensation throughout the capital and spreading across various states.

In your view, and in the view of many others, it was Ji Chengjue revealing all his cards to the court, proving that he was not just any idle prince, that he had the strength to seize the throne.

But in reality, it’s not quite like that.

He wasn’t showing off because he had these cards; he dared to boldly proclaim his intention to seize the throne;

it was because he intended to claim the throne that those cards became his.

Do you understand?

"I somewhat understand."

"It’s actually quite simple. The managers of those businesses, after years of development, have long become new Min Families, and could be called feudal lords in various places.

They have their own forces, their own businesses, their own networks, their own families, their own trade territories, so why would they seek out a father?

Even if they found a nominal father, how could there be genuine devotion towards that father?

At the bedside of a long-sick person, there are no dutiful children, and that’s the real father.

And those newly appointed scholar-bureaucrats, yes, Ji Chengjue is their patron, but Yan is not Qian; the scholar-bureaucrats in Qian State have long woven a dense network with their rules over a hundred years, and if you don’t show respect to your mentor, you can’t survive in that circle.

But Yan is different. These newly appointed scholar-bureaucrats will now act in good conscience for Ji Chengjue, but once they’ve been immersed in officialdom for a long time, how could they continue to care about an idle prince?

The officialdom is a place where conscience is consumed, often eating away one’s own conscience.

Therefore,

This is Ji Chengjue’s real power, seemingly vast but actually scattered, like sand slipping through fingers."

Xiong Liqing understood and said:

"So, this is leveraging force?"

"Yes, it’s leveraging force. Because he openly aims to seize the throne, with the temptation of rewards, those following him will be more tightly aligned with him, transforming into a force represented by him.

If Ji Chengjue hadn’t shown his intention to seize the throne and hadn’t suppressed the East Palace, do you think the Fan Family would wholeheartedly help me snatch you?

Therefore, in Yan, in Jin, it seems like Ji Chengjue’s influence is everywhere, but actually, these are not his people. Businessmen talk about harmony bringing wealth, about today’s loss for tomorrow’s gain; they’re not like the commoners who work for a day to earn money to feed their wives and children.

Look at these two letters; they seemingly express an intention to follow me, but that’s just an intention; no one can live in a dream.

If someday, I gain momentum and forcefully approach Ying Capital City with an army, they might ride the tide and switch allegiance to me. But if someday, I fall into hardship, they would often be the ones to harshly beat me when I’m down."

"My royal brother once said, leveraging force is not as good as becoming a force."

The aristocracy in Chu State is so prevalent that the court has to negotiate with them to get anything done.

In essence, what the regent does in Chu State is also centralizing power, but not as radically as what the Yan Emperor did initially."

Lord Zheng nodded and said:

"Therefore, what I do at Snow Sea Pass is like this: the soldiers and people there, I feed them, clothe them, educate their children, treat their elders;

they rely on me to survive, and better than others, so they can’t afford to lose me because I am their everything.

Leveraging force is like borrowing wind; it seems lively but cannot last."

"I see, so husband, you use me?"

"Yes, I use your influence, but my leveraging is not purely for show; I intend to seize the opportunity to obtain some tangible gains, to make our foundation more robust."

The conversation inside the carriage continued.

Outside the carriage,

a guard returned on horseback to report to Gao Yi, who immediately rode over to the carriage.

"Lord."

Zheng Fan lifted the curtain.

"The imperial envoy delegation took a different route."

Zheng Fan nodded and lowered the curtain.

After rewarding the troops last night, first thing in the morning, Lord Zheng departed from Ying Capital City with his guards, without waiting for Zhang Yuanshan and Feng Guan, and to prevent them from catching up, he deliberately misled them. Now the two factions are on different paths.

Xiong Liqing leaned on Lord Zheng’s shoulder and asked curiously:

"Husband, why not travel with them?"

"Because I am going to a place that requires a bit of a detour, and having them along would be inconvenient."

"Where are you going?"

"Li Tian City."

The shortest route from Ying Capital City to Yanjing wouldn’t pass through Li Tian City, as it is on the southern side of the journey; to detour there would mean taking half an elliptical path.

Lord Zheng reached into his chest pocket and took out a metal box, pulling out a cigarette, he lightly tapped on the back of his hand, speaking slowly:

"I had planned to go there from the start, even without the Ying Capital City incident, I would still go, and actually, in the original plan, the significance of Ying Capital City is far less than there; it’s just that some unexpected things happened causing some changes.

But that place,

I must go."

Xiong Liqing knew what Zheng Fan intended to do and what he wanted to express to the court; she observed and thought, and Zheng Fan had already confided to her even about the identity of the wild people’s king, so he wouldn’t hide these matters from her.

However, what puzzled Xiong Liqing was, if Ying Capital City was just casually done yet yielded greater results, then what exactly is the place initially planned to achieve the intended purpose?

What would make the court wary, prevent them from further centralizing military authority from local commanders, yet not tear open the facade completely?

"What will you do there?"

Lord Zheng’s gaze suddenly darkened, he said:

"To let some people know,

Dujuan’s death,

has not been forgotten."