PNB Chapter 259 Young Man on a White Horse Drunk in the Spring Breeze 33
Chapter 259 Young Man on a White Horse Drunk in the Spring Breeze 33
Of course, this confidence is not blind arrogance, but a profound and restrained strength.
Even though he possessed extraordinary cultivation such as the Divine Realm of Profound Journey, he never easily revealed it to others. He even intentionally or unintentionally downplayed this halo in the eyes of the world and tended to win by intelligence.
He is adept at understanding people's hearts and comprehending the complexity and variability of human nature. He can skillfully utilize the relationships between people to weave an invisible web.
In this network, every node is closely connected, and every role plays a crucial part.
Finally, by quietly setting up a trap, the opponent was lured into it without realizing it. In the end, without losing a single soldier, the forces behind King Luoyu and King Qing were dismantled, forcing them into a desperate situation.
It's as if all these complex situations and endless problems are meticulously designed games, and he is the player who controls the whole situation.
He enjoyed the game and the thrill of outsmarting his opponents.
Like a cunning cat, after catching a mouse, it doesn't rush to enjoy its prey, but instead plays with the mouse that is trying its best to escape in an almost mocking manner.
He was happy to see his opponents struggle in despair, gradually come to terms with reality in the struggle, and ultimately have to accept their fate of defeat.
Brother—enjoying the process!
The thought flashed through Xiao Ruofeng's mind like lightning, making him feel a sudden tightness in his chest.
However, when he mustered the courage to raise his head, hoping to find the answer in his brother's expression, he unexpectedly met a pair of gentle and doting eyes.
That look in his eyes was like the warm spring sun, instantly dispelling the gloom and unease in his heart.
Under Xiao Ruojin's tolerant gaze, Xiao Ruofeng gradually understood something.
The path to the throne is inherently a brutal competition, where life and death are the norm.
Their feud with King Luoyu and King Qing had long since reached a point of irreconcilable conflict. What wrong had their elder brother done?
Moreover, although his elder brother's methods were ruthless, he did not implicate the innocent, fabricate charges, or falsely accuse and frame loyal officials. Compared to Qing Wang and his group, his methods were definitely aboveboard.
Perhaps the elder brother was simply seeking a way to relieve stress and find a bit of fun amidst the cruel and tedious struggle for the throne.
What's wrong now?
Does one have to look gloomy and resentful every day to be considered virtuous?
Having been deeply brainwashed by Xiao Ruojin, Xiao Ruofeng has now evolved to another level. He has begun to adjust his perspective and find reasonable explanations for Xiao Ruojin's behavior from different angles.
This process of self-adjustment further deepened his trust and admiration for Xiao Ruojin, leading him to believe that Xiao Ruojin's actions were correct.
Having finished his self-prank, Xiao Ruofeng felt instantly relieved, and a smile unconsciously crept onto his face. He picked up a teaspoon and happily poured Xiao Ruojin another cup of tea.
“At this point, they have very few chips left, but based on my understanding of them, I don’t think they have the guts. At most, they’ll choose a compromise, such as sowing discord or using a feint?” Xiao Ruojin chuckled as she pondered, her words tinged with a hint of mockery.
Given the current situation, even if King Luoyu and King Qing were willing to take a desperate gamble, Emperor Tai'an would not agree.
The older Emperor Tai'an got, the more timid he became.
Just like how he was the one who promoted Ye Yu to a high position, but in the end he became wary of him and wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible.
However, he acted hesitantly and lacked thorough consideration, ultimately making things unclear and ruining his reputation.
Strictly speaking, Ye Yu's charge of treason is valid.
The Ye family was originally a prestigious family in Beique, but due to taking the wrong side in the power struggle within the royal family, they gradually lost their foothold in Beique. As a result, Ye Yu's father fled to Beili with the whole family.
When Ye Yu first arrived in Beili, he did not immediately gain enough attention and respect. It was not until Ye Yu and Emperor Tai'an became good brothers that Ye Yu's family rose in status. He and Baili Luochen assisted Emperor Tai'an in seizing the throne and became famous generals in Beili, becoming heroes known to everyone in the Beili court and the country.
Later, when Bei Que and Xi Chu failed to attack Bei Li, Ye Yu was ordered to annihilate Bei Que. However, because he could not bear to kill his homeland, he deliberately slowed down the march, which allowed Emperor Yue Fengcheng of Bei Que to escape successfully. He led a group of Bei Que survivors to retreat to Tianwaitian, biding their time and waiting for an opportunity to restore the country.
When Emperor Tai'an wanted to get rid of Ye Yu, he could have investigated the matter thoroughly, revealed the truth to the public, and killed Ye Yu in a fair and square manner.
Unfortunately, Emperor Tai'an was too timid and acted too hastily and cowardly. When he realized that Ye Yu's achievements and prestige were rising and that he might threaten his throne, he chose the simplest and most despicable method—fabricating charges and ordering Ye Yu to be executed on charges of treason.
As a result, by the time the truth came out that Ye Yu had secretly released the remnants of the Northern Kingdom, the best opportunity had already been missed.
Everyone in the world believed that Ye Yu had died an innocent and wrongful death. The military officers were even more disheartened by Ye Yu's fate, fearing that they would follow in Ye Yu's footsteps. Instead of being as eager to kill enemies and make merits as before, they became conservative and cautious, just getting by without any achievements.
Faced with this situation, Emperor Tai'an was not anxious at all; on the contrary, he felt a strange sense of peace.
He seemed to have a twisted logic deep in his heart: he would rather Beili suffer defeat in the war than have Beili produce a military god like Ye Yu who could influence the imperial power.
In Emperor Tai'an's view, even if Beili suffered a temporary setback in the war, as long as the foundation of the country was not shaken, he could continue to sit firmly on the dragon throne and enjoy the glory brought by imperial power.
If another military genius were to emerge in Beili, it could disrupt the existing power balance and put him in an even more dangerous situation.
In addition, Emperor Tai'an may have also harbored a sense of wishful thinking.
Whenever Beili suffered a defeat, some martial arts masters would step forward to join forces to resist the enemy. This alleviated his fear of defeat to some extent and also subtly shaped the delicate power dynamic between the martial arts world and the imperial court.
The reason why people in the martial arts world despise the imperial court lies in this.
In their eyes, the power struggles in the imperial court are often full of deceit and entanglements of interests, while true heroes should be like them, speaking with strength and proving their value with actions.
Corruption and incompetence in the imperial court often lead to the decline of the country and the suffering of the people, while heroes in the martial arts world often become the key force to save the situation from crisis.