Dark Sand: My Players Are All Actors-Chapter 521 - 270: The Two Saints Return to Court (8000 Words Vote Request)_5
Chapter 521: Chapter 270: The Two Saints Return to Court (8000 Words Vote Request)_5
Therefore, these three points, which appear on the surface to be an apology, are in reality some kind of disclaimer.
"I did my best! But someone was holding me back!"
Who was holding back?
Nonsense, of course, it was Emperor Gaozong of Qi and Qin Huizhi!
Emperor Qihui was already aging and his health was deteriorating by the day; even if he returned to be carefully nursed, it was estimated that he would not live more than a year or so. Hence, the only desire of Emperor Qihui was to enjoy his twilight years in peace.
As for this "father apologizes, son smiles" father-son relationship, even if he held dissatisfaction in his heart, he was unlikely to quibble about it anymore.
But Emperor Yingzong was still young, he had many more years to live.
General Han’s words had bluntly brought the conflict between him and Emperor Gaozong to the forefront.
At this time, Emperor Yingzong truly only wished to return to the Qi Dynasty, not daring to hope to continue as emperor.
But the problem was, there was a chain of suspicions between him and his ninth brother, Emperor Gaozong.
You say you don’t want to be the emperor, but would Emperor Gaozong believe that?
Emperor Gaozong would rather cease military operations in the midst of General Han’s continuous victories, and even cede the entire northern territory of the Qi Dynasty beyond the Huai River to the Jin Country, rather than welcome back his own father and brother.
Isn’t this attitude obvious?
So what would Emperor Gaozong think now that General Han Fuyue had actually brought their father and son back? Would he wish to eliminate them and only then feel at ease?
Emperor Yingzong currently indeed had no ability to fight back, but that did not mean he was someone who would sit by and await death.
After Emperor Qihui abdicated, he would frequently issue imperial edicts to remotely command. Emperor Yingzong’s response was to counter every imperial decree with one of his own. Later, he even brought Emperor Qihui back to the palace and placed him under house arrest.
This showed that Emperor Yingzong was not without desire for power; he was certainly not a compliant and good-hearted person.
Once he knew that Emperor Gaozong might be plotting against him, Emperor Yingzong’s thoughts would become active.
Of course, even if Emperor Yingzong harbored these thoughts at the moment, trying to act against Emperor Gaozong was impossible.
After all, Emperor Gaozong still held great power, while Emperor Yingzong was only known as the "Second Saint," without any real authority or any dependable people at his command.
But for Zhao Haiping, as long as this seed was planted in Emperor Yingzong’s mind, that was enough.
This time bomb, once sent back, didn’t need an immediate detonation. But once it did go off, it would be powerful enough to cause the Qi Dynasty’s imperial court to crumble from within!
...
The next three years passed in peace.
Qi, Jin, and the Zhao Yi Army had reached a peace agreement, and new conflicts ceased to arise.
However, some seemingly insignificant events still revealed undercurrents and hidden turmoil.
Many of the Qi Dynasty’s commoners fled north into the lands of the Zhao Yi Army, with local officials unable to stop them.
This was because the Qi Dynasty’s taxes were heavy, while the northern regions, where the Zhao Yi Army was located, had quickly recovered their production post-recovery, and by offering land and tax reductions to the refugees, they had won the hearts of the people.
The Qi Dynasty was aware but helpless.
Meanwhile, Emperor Qihui, Emperor Yingzong, and Empress Dowager Wei had long since arrived in the capital of the Qi Dynasty.
It was said that the scene was extremely moving; Emperor Gaozong went out of the city to greet the imperial carriage, then knelt before Emperor Qihui’s carriage in tears, with the father and two sons embracing and weeping together.
Immediately after, Emperor Gaozong expressed his desire to return the governance to his elder brother, Emperor Yingzong, who repeatedly declined, and only then did Emperor Gaozong give up on the idea.
Thereafter, Emperor Qihui, as the Supreme Emperor, began to enjoy his twilight years, while Emperor Yingzong was truly named the master of Taiyi Palace, spending his days in the palace composing poetry and painting, living a joyous and carefree life.
But... soon there was a minor incident.
Emperor Qihui passed away.
In actual history, Emperor Qihui should have passed away five years earlier. It seemed, however, that in this slice of history, he had been tenacious enough to live a few more years.
But regardless, it was normal for someone who had struggled to return to the Qi Dynasty solely on the faith of returning to their roots.
Yet in the discussions among the rural folk, this event mysteriously acquired a conspiratorial hue.
Because Emperor Qihui passed away before he was sixty.
At this age, to say he was plagued by disease and died a natural death, naturally, some believed it; but to say he was poisoned... that didn’t seem entirely off the mark either.
After all, when Emperor Qihui and Emperor Yingzong’s internal conflict was at its fiercest, Emperor Qihui had wished to offer a reconciliatory drink to Emperor Yingzong, who refused to drink it, fearing the possibility of poison. This left Emperor Qihui quite despondent.
From the perspective of conspiracy theories, Emperor Qihui was the Supreme Emperor, Emperor Gaozong’s biological father, and definitely influenced Emperor Gaozong’s authority. Discontent, Emperor Gaozong may have discreetly used a slow-acting poison to kill Emperor Qihui, which didn’t seem too strange a notion.
Although it was mere speculation, without basis, when the rural folk recalled Emperor Gaozong’s lip service of "welcoming the Second Saint" but in reality preferring to have General Han Fuyue retreat rather than to continue fighting...
One could only say that it was not entirely impossible.
At least Emperor Gaozong had the motive.
As for what the closely monitored Emperor Yingzong in the deep palace thought... only he knew clearly.
In short, Qi, Jin, and the Zhao Yi Army continued for more than two peaceful years.
Until this day when Qin Huizhi, who had gained significant influence in the court due to the term in the peace agreement with the Jin Country that "one cannot execute the chancellor without cause," received a secret letter from General Han Fuyue.
It read: "The Zhao Yi Army is willing to help you ascend to the grand throne!"
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