The Prince Wants to Assassinate Me Every Day-Chapter 912 - 496: Gu Xingchuan Confronts Xiao Jinxing (Part 1)
Gu Xingchuan’s dissatisfaction with Xiao Jinxing was quite undisguised.
Song Yanqing stood by, suddenly at a loss for words.
Even though back then, between the Emperor and Prince Chu, the Emperor seized the throne and Prince Chu died, ultimately, the Emperor was schemed against by Prince Chu. If not for the Empress pretending to be dead at Prince Chu’s command, the Emperor wouldn’t have lived the last five years like this, nor would the Bai Family have gained such a huge advantage.
Although Song Yanqing had just defended the Emperor a lot and fully understood his feelings, he still found some fault with the Emperor’s actions. A person with absolute hegemonic power like the Emperor shouldn’t leave any hidden dangers for himself. Even if he planned to relinquish power eventually, handing over the choice to someone he deemed most trustworthy, he shouldn’t have given the option to others. Ultimately, he lost his judgment because of the Empress.
But it was precisely because of such an uncharacteristic action by the Emperor that one could truly feel that his affection for the Empress exceeded his concern for himself.
So.
It was really difficult to comment on whether the Emperor’s compassion back then was right or wrong.
Moreover, everything had already happened and become a foregone conclusion. Now, regretting the past was meaningless. The only thing to do is to look forward and resolve the imminent crisis.
"I heard that Bai Moyi will return tomorrow." Wu Xufan spoke again after seeing everyone’s silence.
"Hmm." Xiao Jinxing responded.
"Will he suddenly rebel upon his return?" Wu Xufan asked.
"No." Xiao Jinxing affirmed, "Bai Mowan has been by my side for years. When Xiao Jinsen forced the palace, we captured the Empress Dowager and previous Emperor first, and attacked Beimu Country, among others. Bai Mowan was there. She is very clear about my capabilities and would not act without full preparation."
"Then can we seize Bai Moyi at the opportunity?" Wu Xufan asked again.
Just eliminate Bai Moyi directly.
Capture the ringleader, which would scatter the Bai Family’s army like sand.
"Didn’t you just say that we can’t act against the Bai Family carelessly? If we do, the Emperor will be left with a reputation that will ruin his legacy. Before that, we need to find a legitimate reason to convict the Bai Family. More precisely, the best way is to force the Bai Family into rebellion and execute them for treason, annihilating all nine branches of the Bai Family!" Gu Xingchuan said emphatically.
In terms of power politics, he actually wasn’t a soft-hearted person.
"But how can we force them to rebel? I haven’t had much contact with Bai Mowan, yet I feel this woman isn’t simple. If she were simple, the Emperor wouldn’t have loved her so much back in the day, loved her to the point of trying to kill Ye Qichi several times." Wu Xufan didn’t forget to tease Xiao Jinxing again.
Xiao Jinxing glanced at Wu Xufan and spoke slowly, "When the Bai Family’s interests are violated to the extreme, they will retaliate."
"How do we violate them?" Wu Xufan asked.
Gu Xingchuan looked at Xiao Jinxing, "Surely, you don’t plan to use Ye Qichi as bait again?!"
Xiao Jinxing chose to remain silent.
"Do you think Ye Qichi doesn’t hate you enough already?"
"Afterward, I will make amends," Xiao Jinxing promised.
"What use is your amends? It’s been five years since Ye Qichi jumped from the city wall. Did she forgive you? Now that she’s back, is it of her own accord? What makes you think she will forgive you, or even hope she will understand you," Gu Xingchuan said, unable to hide his anger.
Xiao Jinxing met Gu Xingchuan’s gaze and said, "This time she will understand."
"The Emperor is still as arrogant as ever," Gu Xingchuan mocked coldly, and then decisively said, "If the Emperor truly puts Ye Qichi in danger, I will stop it at all costs. I will stand by the Empress’s side without hesitation, even if it means betraying the Emperor."
Xiao Jinxing looked at Gu Xingchuan.
Song Yanqing and Wu Xufan turned to look at him as well.
Though Wu Xufan usually had a casual relationship with Xiao Jinxing, he dared not confront the Emperor openly.
Gu Xingchuan truly never compromised when it came to Ye Qichi.
"My life was saved by the Empress. I have never been loyal to the Emperor but to the Empress. If the Emperor finds me useless, he can kill me directly," Gu Xingchuan reaffirmed his stance.
Xiao Jinxing’s eyes turned cold.
At that moment, Wu Xufan, watching the tension between the two rise to a breaking point, felt cold sweat trickle down his back.
He was genuinely afraid that Xiao Jinxing might kill Gu Xingchuan in a fit of rage.
Although Gu Xingchuan wasn’t very likable in everyday life, if Xiao Jinxing truly killed him, Ye Qichi might take an eight-foot long sword and hack Xiao Jinxing into pieces!
The atmosphere in the grand hall was somewhat rigid.
Xiao Jinxing spoke, his tone noticeably calmer, "I won’t gamble with Ye Qichi’s life."
"To the Emperor, as long as one is alive, it’s enough, but to me, mutual trust matters more. If I were the Emperor, I would never harm the Empress a second time!" Gu Xingchuan said unappreciatively, his words still sharp, "And I am plainly telling the Emperor that if the Emperor harms the Empress again this time, I will not let the Emperor and Empress be together again. I will actively pursue the Empress until she accepts me."
Xiao Jinxing unconsciously clenched his fist, obviously infuriated.
Gu Xingchuan met Xiao Jinxing’s gaze, fearless.
Wu Xufan, nearby, could barely hold back anymore.
He signaled to Song Yanqing with his eyes.
Aren’t you good with words?! Why are you silent now?!
Song Yanqing caught Wu Xufan’s glance.
What could he say?
There had always been a long-standing grudge between the Emperor and Gu Xingchuan, only now it was out in the open.
Song Yanqing took a deep breath and finally spoke, "In fact, both the Emperor and Lord Gu have the same starting point; both want to ensure the Empress’s absolute safety, which is why they chose to act against the Bai Family while they hold military power. I believe the most important thing now is to discuss how to successfully take down the Bai Family."
Song Yanqing shifted the topic and also redirected the conflict.
Wu Xufan promptly echoed, "Right, right, let’s discuss taking down the Bai Family, rather than starting infighting before our battle has begun. Isn’t that exactly what the Bai Family would want?! Weren’t we just discussing finding a crime for the Bai Family? To force them into rebellion? I think, before that, we need to be prepared for how to capture them if they do rebel. Currently, the Bai Family wields great military power, most of Daxuan Kingdom’s forces are in Bai Moyi’s hands. Of course, it’s not entirely the Emperor’s fault; the previous Emperor’s military deployment was unreasonable, trusting the Bai Family too much. The Emperor merely inherited this."
Wu Xufan began to speak favorably of Xiao Jinxing.
He truly felt that today the Emperor had been deeply provoked by Gu Xingchuan.
Gu Xingchuan even shamelessly suggested he would pursue the Empress...
He reckoned the Emperor wouldn’t sleep a wink tonight.
"Young Master speaks very rightly, so this war with the Bai Family needs further deliberation."
Song Yanqing and Wu Xufan worked in concert.
