Journey to the End of the Night-Chapter 1401 - 889: Neither Reward Nor Punishment (Part 2)
The people were not convinced by these words.
Your Highness, you didn’t have any set plan; clearly, you were waiting for Qiao Yu from the Royal Hall to speak and offer his full support, which bolstered your confidence, which is why you dared challenge Shen Tu from the Royal Hall.
Eradicating a false Crown Prince isn’t a significant achievement.
After all, one was in the open, the other in the shadows; Ying Xiu was entirely focused on the imperial power of the Central Netherworld, never anticipating a stab in the back. Being schemed to death was a disaster bound to happen in their life.
But if this newly returned Crown Prince could truly outmaneuver this major royal hall, that would genuinely command the wholehearted submission of all court officials.
After all, from history to the present, aside from the Empress, there has been no other person in the Central Netherworld who could truly shake the six kings of Yin.
But Qiao Yu from the Royal Hall ranks only third. Even with his support, to completely vanquish Shen Tu from the major Royal Hall would be markedly difficult.
As Baili An gently lifted his palm, four seals of the Central Netherworld emitted a faint green glow, coiling around his palm intimately. His middle finger lightly raised, firmly touching the ’Jing’ seal.
The single ’Jing’ seal shot out, transforming into a stream of light, under the trembling gaze of all present, plunging straight into Shen Tu’s heart.
Shen Tu was also shocked, his body slightly trembling, eyes wide as he stared at Baili An, words failing him for a long time.
"Your Highness!!! What are you doing!!!"
Qiao Yu from the Royal Hall finally reacted after a prolonged shock, his face twisting slightly in urgency as he looked at Baili An like a madman?
"Shen Tu harbors ulterior motives, holding the power of the major Royal Hall. Given the ’Jing’ seal, who in the Central Netherworld could suppress him?!"
Shen Tu’s always steady hand holding the court card slowly fell to his sides, looking into Baili An’s eyes, dark, profound, boundless.
Baili An said: "The nation’s treasure, it is to be held by the virtuous."
Shen Tu’s lips moved slightly, his gaze alternately light and dark in confrontation with Baili An: "You think I should be called ’virtuous’?"
A rebel leader plotting against the monarch, can he be called virtuous?
Baili An’s expression remained unchanged, his gaze lowered: "Shen Tu was born in the Central Netherworld, grew up in the Central Netherworld, and is the venerable leader among the kings of Yin. Since the establishment of the You Dynasty, he has guarded the nation’s borders.
My mother once told me, if there is truly anyone who considers the You Dynasty as life, cherishes it like bone, that person could only be Shen Tu from the Royal Hall."
"She said, if I truly wish to be a good Crown Prince of the Central Netherworld, I might not trust anyone in this world, but I must hold trust in Shen Tu from the Royal Hall."
Baili An, with a calm demeanor, spoke words that were incredibly shocking, startling all the officials into a change of color.
In the You Dynasty, Shen Tu from the Royal Hall is high in power and position, arguably second to none.
In the hearts of the Central Netherworld people, this great royal figure, sophisticated and depthful, harbors hidden skills, feared by thousands of heroic spirits for his fierce methods, regarded as the most ambitious to usurp power by the world.
Even Han Qi of the second Royal Hall, whose rank approaches his, is like a world apart in terms of power held.
If one were to say, within the You Dynasty, the only person who could threaten the direct imperial authority, it would be Shen Tu from the Royal Hall.
In the You Dynasty’s longstanding history, there have been countless precedents of Yin Kings rebelling and usurping the throne, much to the detriment of the Empress.
And yet... Shen Tu is the one whom the Crown Prince could trust the most?!
Even Shen Tu himself couldn’t help but have a slight change in expression, seemingly finding it incredible but quickly suppressing the emotions in his eyes.
Shen Tu said lightly: "Your Highness, forget not that three days ago, it was I who meticulously incited Ying Xiu to seek the Holy Word. It was I who tacitly accepted to ally with the Wandao Immortal Alliance’s external cultivators, intending to hand over the Thirteen Cities of the Central Netherworld."
"Honestly, Your Highness’s trust appears overly naive and foolish in my eyes."
Baili An looked at him calmly and said, "The one I trust is my mother, not Shen Tu from the Royal Hall."
After a moment of silence, Shen Tu said, "That is not the reason for Your Highness to bestow the ’Jing’ seal."
Baili An mused, "Perhaps, the reason lies in the unfounded and naive trust the Royal Hall has in my mother."
Shen Tu suddenly lifted his head, staring intently at Baili An.
Baili An seemed oblivious to his emotional shift and continued, "With such a shrewd gaze, how could the Royal Hall not see that Ying Xiu’s abilities are insufficient to shoulder the great responsibility of Central Netherworld.
Three days ago, the various actions of the Royal Hall seemed to harm Central Netherworld with every move, yet in my eyes, it was a desperate move made when backed into a corner."
"In my mother’s current condition, it is difficult for her to continue managing national affairs. The Royal Hall clearly understands that if she continues to wield power, it will inevitably become a sharp blade that deeply wounds her.
The Royal Hall, fully aware of this, therefore chose to fan the flames, seemingly forcing a usurpation through Ying Xiu, but in truth, it harbors the intent to protect.
As for the Thirteen Cities of Central Netherworld, when Ying Xiu presented that contract paper, I saw that nine out of the thirteen cities were under the Royal Hall’s name.
This move by the Royal Hall appeared at the time to have secret dealings with Ying Xiu, yet it was actually using a strategy of ’feeding flesh to the tiger’ to create conditions and space for Ying Xiu’s growth."
Baili An lifted his gaze, looking towards the Shen Tu Royal Hall: "With such formidable strength, and always holding a lofty view, how could the Royal Hall condescend to associate with Loose Cultivators of the Immortal Sect.
Upon reflection, the Royal Hall has only one objective, which is to spare no expense, wagering everything on the emergence of a wise and enlightened monarch by his own hand."
"Therefore, rather than saying the Royal Hall is scheming for Ying Xiu, it is more accurate to say it is planning for the future of Central Netherworld."
Shen Tu’s fingers, hanging at his side, tightened but he did not speak, his expression deep and unfathomable.
After a long time, he slowly exhaled a turbid air, with a long sigh, said, "I, Shen Tu, have lived arrogantly all my life, and yet, I did not know that I could be judged in such a manner in His Majesty’s heart."
He originally planned to sully his own reputation to pave a smooth and steady path for Ying Xiu.
When Central Netherworld rises again to prosperity, he would then, under the name of a traitor, accept all sins and punishments, redeeming through countless deaths, to restore clarity to the world of Central Netherworld.
But who could have foreseen that Ying Xiu was false, and everything was but an illusion.
Baili An’s appearance, his heroic act to save the collapsing situation, and the joy of seeing light and hope, made him, Shen Tu, even more grateful and relieved than the old loyal minister Qiao Yu.
Even if today he were to spill blood before the hall and redeem his sins with crushed bones, it would be what he ought to endure.
Yet, Shen Tu never expected he would not wait for the sword tip aimed to question his sins, but instead, received such a thorough analysis, each word striking to the core.
Understanding and trust, how immensely precious they are.
Even the ’Jing’ mark, he gave freely, without hesitation.
Shen Tu could not believe, three days ago, when he instigated Ying Xiu to intrude upon the National Governance Hall, his plot to unsettle the mind of the Holy Master, that this Crown Prince could harbor not a shred of resentment or anger in his heart.
That was his own mother, yet even in extreme anger, he was capable of such supremely rational and baffling judgments and decisions.
Is this divine mercy to Central Netherworld, weak for hundreds of years, by granting such hope and grace?
Shen Tu never imagined that within the territory of the You Dynasty, there would be someone who understood him, read him, and even approached his heart.
It’s truly laughable and ironic to say, but Shen Tu exhausted everything, even betting his life and name, to secure a prosperous path for Ying Xiu.
Even though he knew Ying Xiu could hardly become a Holy Master, facing a perilous path ahead, he still spared no great expense to achieve it.
Just because he was the Crown Prince of Central Netherworld, the legitimate son of His Majesty.
But in the end, all his efforts and sacrifices could not support Ying Xiu onto the path envisioned in his heart.
The young man before him, however, took but a simple step, easily reaching distances far beyond his expectations, a delightful surprise.
"Since the Royal Hall has harbored the intent to harm my mother, the punishment of three hundred thunderbolts of fire, Shen Tu from the Royal Hall cannot escape, this Jing mark conferred to the Royal Hall is not a reward, but hopes that the Royal Hall can use the power of this mark to protect Central Netherworld from external threats, this heavy responsibility, I think only Shen Tu from the Royal Hall can be entrusted with."
