Remould the Glory of Sword Art-Chapter 1226 - 143: Finale of Departure (4)_2
Many people say he doesn’t know the hardships of the people.
Actually, he does know, and better than anyone else... After all, from the first day of this struggle, the Crown Prince has been ready to inherit the throne and lead the dynasty.
All the cities and citizens of the Nine Provinces of Great Li are his "appendages."
He sees the bleak scenes of the Northern Five States.
He hears the curses from the people.
Perhaps.
Many years ago, if he had been willing to cooperate with his Ninth Imperial Brother, and play a good show of brotherly love, Li Kingdom would not be in such chaos...
Perhaps.
In the very beginning, if he had been willing to step back, then things wouldn’t be this bad...
"What mistake has His Highness made?"
A powerful response interrupted the Crown Prince’s thoughts.
Nalan Xuance slowly approached behind the massive throne, extended his hands, and gently placed them on the Crown Prince’s shoulders.
"If there’s any mistake, it’s the Emperor’s mistake."
Nalan Xuance lowered his gaze, coldly saying, "Having established His Highness as the Crown Prince, why create more troubles... This is all the Emperor’s mistake!"
From the beginning.
The very beginning before all trouble was born—
Great Li was peaceful, the Nine Provinces were together.
If such a situation continued.
Li Kingdom wouldn’t have chaos, wouldn’t have struggles.
However.
The Zen Master of Fan Yin Temple supported the "Ninth Prince," and since that day, the court’s direction changed drastically. Although the Crown Prince remained Crown Prince, many young talents switched allegiance to the Ninth Prince... For the Da Li Dynasty, the Zen Master’s reception was of immense weight, too immense!
This was the peak of the Da Li Dynasty in three hundred years.
Or rather.
This was the undisputed "strongest" since Da Li’s founding.
Even the King.
Had never received the Zen Master’s audience.
But the Ninth Prince... uniquely received this divine favor.
Since then.
The King started to deliberately groom the Ninth Prince, severely undermining the Crown Prince’s status.
Everything started to rapidly deteriorate.
Fortunately.
The Emperor "conveniently" fell seriously ill, unable to speak, unable to see...
This monarch still occupied the supreme Dragon Throne but had to relinquish the power he tightly held for a lifetime.
A life-and-death struggle.
Thus began.
Nalan Xuance had considered using the Xuanwei technique to desecrate the Emperor, tamper with the edicts, and logically ascend the throne.
However...
The essence of this struggle was not about the Emperor.
But about the Zen Master.
About Fan Yin Temple.
The influence of Buddhism in Li Kingdom’s homeland was too great; as long as the Ninth Prince remains alive and the Buddhist order exists... Even if the Crown Prince alters the edicts and assumes the throne, he cannot quell the turmoil. Nalan Xuance first meticulously planned an assassination against the Ninth Prince, and after it failed, he forcefully initiated the "Destroying Buddha" plan.
There is only one Dragon Throne.
To reach the top.
One must be ruthless.
Both the Crown Prince and the Ninth Prince... were once his students.
Unfortunately, circumstances dictate. He must make decisions and sacrifices.
"Now, the plan to destroy Buddhism has reached the final stage."
Nalan Xuance said expressionlessly, "As long as we breach Phoenix Seal City in Wu State, we can effortlessly flatten the Main Sect of Fan Yin Temple. Then, everyone in the world can enter the temple and see that old fellow hiding in Red Pearl Cicada Country, and after three hundred years, see what kind of relic he burns out..."
"In Sheng Zhou, the four great families have already signed a blood covenant."
"One hundred thousand Iron Cavalry from Yun Province are approaching Wu State."
"The Forbidden Army of Qianzhou Imperial City can be mobilized at any time."
"As for the Northern Five States, although there are one hundred fifty thousand Iron Cavalry, if Demon Country marches south again... those who can respond to Wu State would be less than ten thousand, or even fewer."
"In Ning State, I’ve already sent the Shadow to take over."
"I’ve already sent messages to the ’Seven Marquis’ for His Highness, and except for Zhu Gong of Xining City, the other five all replied. Although Marquis Bei’an has fallen, the main cities guarded by these five marquises are the necessary paths to blockade Wu State."
"Chen Chong’s betrayal, Han Li’s betrayal, and Luo Lie’s betrayal are significant but not fatal."
"This battle... is still worth fighting."
Every word carries a murderous aura.
The Crown Prince calmly watched the dark curtain before him.
He knew, of course, that he had long since lost any retreat, but having reached this point, his heart couldn’t help but rise with a ridiculous thought.
If he took a step back.
What will happen?
Will my Ninth Imperial Brother, famed for his "compassion and benevolence," also take a step back?
"Your Highness—"
Nalan Xuance, ever perceptive, had a moment of silence, but he guessed what the Crown Prince was thinking.
"In this royal power struggle, there can be no wavering."
Even children playing games have jokes about "surrendering half."
But in the struggle for the throne, the contest for the dragon seat, there is no such jest. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺
The Great Li Throne.
There is no reasoning of surrendering half.
Through the years, Hook and Clamp Masters have attempted to assassinate the Ninth Prince countless times.
Now, surrender.
How could these Hook and Clamp Masters survive?
Nalan Qiutong who commanded the Hook and Clamp Masters, the Flower Master, and himself...how could they survive?
As for the Crown Prince, who orchestrated everything from behind, there is even less chance of survival.
"Naturally."
The myriad stray thoughts in the Crown Prince’s mind were suppressed in an instant.
He recalled countless scenes over the years.
Scene after scene.
Flowing through his mind.
The blazing light emanating from [King Hunting] quickly became fiercely intense.
The Crown Prince sat on the throne, expressionless, and said, "I will personally lead the campaign against the Main Sect of Fan Yin Temple. To achieve victory, it must be a grand triumph that will enter the historical records."
"Yes."
Nalan Xuance said in a deep voice, "Your Highness must attend this battle personally. I will exhaust every means to clear the obstacles for you."
"..."
The Crown Prince slowly turned his head, looking back at the tall man behind him.
"Sir."
He spoke in a hoarse voice, "Are you not harboring thoughts of the north..."
Previously, he had heard Nalan Xuance mention Xuanbei Pass word by word.
In this current campaign, the greatest internal threat is Chen Chong and the devastatingly powerful hundred thousand-strong Iron Cavalry of Yuan Province!
To restrain Chen Chong.
It is only possible to utilize the power of the Demon Country.
This... is the last thing the Crown Prince wishes to see.
In fact, the banquet laid out at the mansion last night was initially really meant for "celebration." Though the Crown Prince competed with the Ninth Prince for the throne, he did not wish to let go of the Northern Land, a consensus he and Nalan Xuance had not reached. Nalan Xuance believed that to settle external troubles, one must first pacify internal issues. It was precisely due to repeated leniency in previous years that allowed the Ninth Prince, like a malignant tumor, to gradually expand and grow within Li Kingdom, now reaching a point where delay is unacceptable, and the destruction of Buddha must be completed at all costs.
Subsequent matters can be dealt with slowly once the Crown Prince ascends the throne.
But the Crown Prince does not think that way.
He is well aware.
The breach of Xuanbei Pass signifies what.
If Chen Chong is defeated.
Then it will not be long before most of Chong State, or even the entire Chong State, will fall into the belly of the Demon Country... For years, the people of Chong State have lived in dire straits, and once the Demon Country occupies Chong State, their plight will become even more miserable.
Millions of people losing their homes, families falling apart, wandering with nowhere to go... even becoming food for the Great Demons.
"Your Highness, do not harbor so-called ’women’s mercy’ anymore."
Nalan Xuance said coldly, "The refugees of the Northern States will not perish, and the throne of Qian State will not be given up. If these two options were mutually exclusive, how would Your Highness choose?"
"..."
The Crown Prince fell silent for a moment.
"I will use [Iron Curtain] for divination."
Nalan Xuance said wearily, "Before this final battle begins, there is a crucial figure that requires Your Highness’s personal contact."
"A crucial figure..."
The Crown Prince frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled.
He did not understand.
Who could be considered crucial in this battle?
"A little more than a year ago, Your Highness met him."
Nalan Xuance paused and softly reminded, "On that night of upheaval in the South Border when the Three Great Sects attacked the Great Chu Sacred Land..."
"Lu Yuzhen?"
The Crown Prince immediately understood.
He still frowned.
On that night, he reached an agreement with Lu Yuzhen, asking this Paperman Daoist Master to kill Xie Xuanyi for him.
The condition was that he would concede a portion of the Great Li’s fortune once it was done.
However, Lu Yuzhen defaulted...
Xie Xuanyi did not die.
Thus, this debt still remains unpaid.
