allendalepharm Chapter 23: "Are you really stupid, or are you pretending?"
Chapter 23: "Are you really stupid, or are you pretending?"
Not long after Xiaolan left, the Eight Swordsmen arrived with Sean.
The inn was not far from the handover point.
Otherwise, Ye Chengfeng wouldn't have been able to see Fan Xian passing by from the attic.
Because there's only one street between them.
It was only because the alley next to us was too narrow that we arrived much earlier.
"Young Master, the Emperor of Northern Qi has ordered us to bring Xiao En to you."
The eight swordsmen bowed in unison.
"Okay, bring it up!"
With a wave of his hand, the Eight Swordsmen led the Imperial Guards who had followed him to Ye Chengfeng's room.
"Senior Xiao, life is truly unpredictable. I never thought you would end up here with me."
"You brat from Dongyi City, do you really think this is a good thing?"
Although Sean didn't know exactly what was going on, he could guess that someone was plotting against Ye Chengfeng.
He wasn't trying to be helpful by reminding Ye Chengfeng; everyone else had already arrived.
No matter what Ye Chengfeng does, he can no longer remain uninvolved.
Sean just wanted to disgust Ye Chengfeng.
"Sigh, there's nothing we can do. Your Northern Qi's little emperor has something wrong with his head. Your presence here is her arrangement."
Ye Chengfeng signaled the eight sword servants to remove the shackles from Xiao En's body.
Sean was even more surprised; he couldn't quite understand Ye Chengfeng anymore.
"You're just letting me go like that? Aren't you afraid I'll run away?"
"What do you mean by that, senior? You are, after all, a former official of Northern Qi. I have no reason to make things difficult for you, neither morally nor logically."
Sean suddenly burst into laughter and sat down on a chair nearby without any regard for his image.
"You young man, you are indeed cunning. The young emperor thought he had outmaneuvered you, but you found a way to deal with it in the blink of an eye. That's truly remarkable."
"What do you mean by that, senior? What can I do to deal with this? It's just a last resort. How will you decide, senior, and are you willing to comply with my wishes?"
What are Ye Chengfeng's wishes?
Of course, the best course of action is to have Xiao En take over the current Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard), so that he can better control that ruthless little emperor of Northern Qi.
Why should I grant your wish?
Ye Chengfeng didn't answer, he just stared straight at Sean.
"You little brat, don't you want to know the secrets I know?"
"Senior is too kind. May I ask, senior, if the secret you possess could help me become a Grandmaster?"
"cannot."
"That settles it then. Although Dongyi City is one of the three major powers in the world, it is ultimately just a city."
Ye Chengfeng's words were simple: their Dongyi City only sought the highest level of martial arts and had no ambition to dominate the world.
Of course, both Northern Qi and Southern Qing were aware of this at the time.
No matter how much trouble Dongyi City causes, even the assassination attempt on Fan Xian involved people from Dongyi City.
What did Emperor Qing do in the end?
They shifted the blame for Lin Gong's death to Si Gu Jian, but made no mention of attacking Dongyi City.
It wasn't just the Grandmaster Si Gu Jian that was feared; Northern Qi also had its own Grandmasters.
Rather, it's because for Si Gu Jian's Dongyi City, as long as Si Gu Jian is alive, it is irrelevant.
Both the Northern Qi and the Southern Qing would disregard Dongyi City.
"Hmph, you cunning brat, I know."
Sean snorted and got up to leave the inn.
The Eight Swordsmen kept a wary eye on Sean.
Sean was once the number one person below the Grandmaster level, but now he is old and has been imprisoned for many years, and his strength is only one-tenth of what it used to be.
"Young Master, are we just going to let Sean leave like this?"
"No need to worry. His decisive departure is in our best interest. What I'm more worried about is that this old scoundrel insists on staying."
"By the way, you two escort Senior Xiao to make sure nothing unexpected happens."
"Yes, young master."
The eight people immediately followed.
Ye Chengfeng was right. After Sean left the inn, the Imperial Guards that Shen Zhong had arranged to keep watch there went back to report to him.
Upon learning that Ye Chengfeng had actually released Xiao En, Shen Zhong was so angry that he gritted his teeth.
"This boy has grand ambitions. Men, come with me and bring Sean back."
Shen Zhong and his men had just reached the gate of the garrison when they suddenly stopped.
"go back."
Shen Zhong lost all interest in capturing Sean.
Because he suddenly realized that Sean was just bait.
And the fish they wanted to catch was this one!
If he dares to go today, he will probably never return.
"This must be a trap set for me by the young emperor and Ye Chengfeng."
Based on what his trusted confidant had reported to him, Shen Zhong immediately pieced everything together.
Shen Zhong broke out in a cold sweat.
"No, this is an open conspiracy. If I don't kill Sean, his return will be just as disadvantageous as my own!"
Shen Zhong sat up abruptly; he had to report this matter to the Empress Dowager.
Ye Chengfeng will also be entering the palace!
Because the young emperor of Northern Qi summoned him.
And he happened to run into Shen Zhong at the palace gate.
"Is Ye Jianxian also going to the palace?"
Shen Zhong asked the question knowingly. When he saw the eunuch leading Ye Chengfeng, he could guess that the young emperor had summoned Ye Chengfeng.
"Haha, Commander Shen, it's been a long time! Are you going to the palace to pay your respects to your Empress Dowager?"
Ye Chengfeng laughed, but his last sentence was tinged with contempt.
"Unlike Ye Jianxian, who became very close to His Majesty the Emperor of Great Qi as soon as he arrived in our Great Qi."
Shen Zhong was no pushover, and immediately retorted, bringing up the matter of Ye Chengfeng's secret meeting with the young emperor that day, making a sarcastic remark about Ye Chengfeng.
The two snorted coldly at the same time and went their separate ways.
Upon seeing the young emperor, Zhan Doudou teased Ye Chengfeng, "Why did you get into a quarrel with that Shen Zhong?"
Ye Chengfeng rolled his eyes when he saw Zhan Doudou's barely suppressed smile.
"Hey, young emperor, you seem quite happy that I'm arguing with one of your own ministers?"
Zhan Doudou dismissed the palace maids and eunuchs, and summoned Ye Chengfeng, naturally not to argue with him.
"Shen Zhong went to see the Empress Dowager. What is his intention?"
"Heh, what does it have to do with me? It's your own business as courtiers, figure it out yourselves. I'm not a strategist for Northern Qi."
Ye Chengfeng was genuinely amused and exasperated that Zhan Doudou would actually ask him about something like this!
"Hmph, if you hadn't released Sean, I wouldn't be facing this situation."
"Then may I ask, Your Majesty, where have you sent Sean, and what is your intention?"
Zhan Doudou was now embarrassed. How could she say something like this out in the open? Wouldn't it be better if everyone just kept quiet about it?
"Hmph, I don't care. If you don't come up with a solution for me, I will arrange a marriage alliance with your Dongyi City."
At this moment, Zhan Doudou no longer resembled an emperor.
This is clearly a little woman coaxing her lover.
Ye Chengfeng looked at Zhan Doudou strangely, thinking to himself, "Could this girl be in heat?"
Ye Chengfeng suddenly felt a chill. Although before he transmigrated, Ye Chengfeng liked girls with short hair and a heroic demeanor.
But I really don't feel anything for women in ancient times who dressed as men.
To understand how women in ancient times could disguise themselves as men without being detected, one must know what Zhan Doudou's disguise was like; it was definitely not the kind of makeup and costume seen in TV dramas.
"I'm really speechless. An emperor, acting like a woman."
Despite being mocked by Ye Chengfeng, Zhan Doudou was not angry.
Instead, he smiled as he looked at Ye Chengfeng.
Would the young emperor be so unwise?
In the original work, she was shown to be exceptionally capable; how could she act on emotion?
This was merely a test of Ye Chengfeng.
Ye Chengfeng's performance completely sank the young emperor's heart.
He just didn't show it. How could someone who could become emperor not be able to control his expressions?
"Well, I really don't know what you're worried about. I can only tell you four words."
"Oh? Those four words?"
"Sean is getting old."
What does this mean?
"Are you really stupid, or are you pretending? Such a great opportunity to win over Uesugi Tora, and you've completely ignored it? Have you become a fool from being emperor?"
Ye Chengfeng's words were indeed quite harsh, and when they reached Zhan Doudou's ears, they were like a thunderclap.
After being emperor for so many years, Zhan Doudou realized that she had lost something: loyalty, righteousness, benevolence, and filial piety!