novelkee Chapter 510 Paintings in the Imperial Palace
Chapter 510 Paintings in the Imperial Palace
“Your Majesty, I am a prince of Northern Qi, and my father-in-law is the Prince of Zhenbei of Great Zhou, who commands a large army.” Zhao Yi’s face showed a troubled expression: “If I go to Great Zhou, I am afraid I will not be able to return to Northern Qi. My father-in-law is coming to Northern Qi, and for the sake of Northern Qi’s safety, he will surely come alone. I am worried that someone will take the opportunity to intercept and kill him to avenge the soldiers of Northern Qi who died.”
The purpose of the Northern Qi emperor in sending Zhao Yi and Shen Qingtan to meet the Prince of Zhenbei in his fiefdom was not only to sow discord between the Prince of Zhenbei and the Jing'an emperor, but also to test the extent of Zhao Yi's ambition.
In the eyes of the Northern Qi emperor, power is the ultimate test of human nature. Once one has tasted the true flavor of power, no one can resist its temptation.
He wanted to see if Zhao Yi would turn against the Great Zhou that had raised him in order to seize the throne of Northern Qi.
As for what tricks Zhao Yi was plotting, that's no longer important.
“It was my oversight,” the Northern Qi Emperor said thoughtfully. “Yingcheng is a border city of the Great Zhou, bordering your fiefdom of Yuncheng. You and your companions can meet at the border.”
Zhao Yi bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise."
“In private, we are father and son, so there’s no need for such formalities.” The Northern Qi Emperor spoke in a friendly manner, gesturing for Zhao Yi to sit down: “Today, we are not ruler and subject, but father and son, so let’s have a private conversation.”
Zhao Yi wanted to see what kind of show the Northern Qi emperor was going to put on, so he sat down.
"You are my only useful son. When you return from your fiefdom, I will make you the crown prince." The Emperor of Northern Qi personally poured tea for Zhao Yi: "Once you become the emperor of Northern Qi, your father-in-law's situation in the Great Zhou will probably not be good. Although Emperor Jing'an is your uncle, he will not make things difficult for him out of consideration for you. But when there are conflicts and differences between the two countries, he will be caught in the middle and it will be difficult for him."
“You were an official in the Great Zhou Dynasty before, so you should know that various forces are entrenched in the court. Your father-in-law holds a high position and wields great power, which has harmed the interests of many people. I am worried that they will take advantage of your status to make a big fuss.”
"As for how to make a big fuss about it, I don't need to tell you, you know. Once these officials in the court have the opportunity to suppress their political enemies, they will use all sorts of methods, whether overt or covert, dirty or foul. They will not stop until they bring their political enemies down."
"My thought is..." The Northern Qi Emperor, seemingly afraid that Zhao Yi might misunderstand, explained, "I have no other meaning. If you think I am right, you can do as I say. If you think I am wrong, just take it as a joke."
As the saying goes, parents who love their children plan far ahead for them.
Looking at the kind father's face in front of him, Zhao Yi couldn't help but feel ironic.
Because every word the Northern Qi emperor spoke, seemingly out of consideration for him, actually concealed a deep-seated scheming.
"Your Majesty treats me as one of your closest confidants, and just now you spoke frankly to me, sharing some intimate thoughts." Zhao Yi's eyes were gentle, and he seemed more affectionate towards the Emperor of Northern Qi: "You have considered everything I could and couldn't have thought of. I will remember your kindness."
The Emperor of Northern Qi sighed softly, seemingly displeased with Zhao Yi's form of address, but said nothing more, continuing, "The Prince of Zhenbei has spent his life on the battlefield, achieving great military exploits. It would be a real pity if he were persecuted by treacherous officials. You will be the future Emperor of Northern Qi, why not summon him to court and make him serve you?"
Zhao Yi lowered his eyes, concealing the fleeting coldness in them.
The Prince of Zhenbei is upright and indomitable, with unwavering loyalty and courage. How could he possibly serve two masters?
Even if it means dying on the battlefield, they will not choose a new master.
The Northern Qi emperor's words were an insult to him.
Even if we take a step back and assume that the Prince of Zhenbei betrayed his promise and defected to the Northern Qi, would the Great Zhou release him?
I'm afraid the Great Zhou would rather kill the Prince of Zhenbei than give him the chance to point his blade at their throats.
"The Prince of Zhenbei is brave and skilled in battle, and has made great contributions to the expansion of the Great Zhou territory. Emperor Jing'an cherishes good generals and has not been suspicious of him because of his high achievements. On the contrary, he has given him important positions, allowing him to command the three armies, granting him a tiger tally, and bestowing upon him a mansion. Such great favors and honors have made the Prince of Zhenbei swear an oath to serve the monarch to the death. If he were to seek comfort and change allegiance, seeking a new master and betraying his subordinates who have risked their lives with him, such a person without integrity would also turn to another when the Northern Qi is in trouble."
At this point, Zhao Yi countered with a question: "Your Majesty, would you dare to give him an important position?"
The Northern Qi emperor naturally dared not give the Prince of Zhenbei an important position. The purpose of these words was merely to test Zhao Yi's attitude. Secondly, he was genuinely considering this idea, but not to give the Prince of Zhenbei an important position; rather, he wanted to weaken the power of the Great Zhou.
Without the mighty Prince Zhenbei, the strength of the Great Zhou will be on par with that of the Northern Qi.
If Zhao Yi is ambitious and willing to attack the Great Zhou for the throne of Northern Qi, what harm is there in passing the throne to him after he conquers Great Zhou?
After all, the annexation of the Great Zhou into the territory of the Northern Qi laid the foundation for the Northern Qi's enduring legacy.
He thus became a great ruler, his name etched in history, his fame lasting for eternity.
This was the grand ambition of emperors throughout history.
The Northern Qi emperor even planned to order the execution of the Prince of Zhenbei before he died, to prevent Zhao Yi from ascending the throne, allowing his relatives to seize power, and ultimately usurp the throne.
Zhao Yi, unaware of what the Northern Qi emperor was thinking, kept changing his expression.
He continued, "Although I am the son-in-law of the Prince of Zhenbei, we each serve our own masters and bear heavy responsibilities. When it comes to the interests of the country, we should set aside personal feelings."
This statement can be seen as a statement of his position.
The Northern Qi emperor deduced the meaning behind Zhao Yi's words: if his own interests were involved, he would, if necessary, put aside personal ties for the greater good.
Having gotten the answer he wanted, he looked relaxed and much more energetic.
The Northern Qi emperor patted Zhao Yi on the shoulder: "Even if you were to serve the same master, it would be difficult to achieve both goals."
He didn't see anything wrong with forcing Zhao Yi to take action against his own uncle and father-in-law.
If you want to achieve hegemony, you must be cold-blooded and ruthless. You must abandon not only your uncle, but also your master who has been kind to you, your wife who has been with you through thick and thin, your closest relatives, and your brothers.
Once Zhao Yi sits in that position, he will surely understand his good intentions.
The Emperor of Northern Qi extended his hand: "Help me up."
Zhao Yi was slightly taken aback, but quickly realized what was happening and helped the Northern Qi Emperor to his feet.
His failure to answer the summons to the palace yesterday was indeed to test the Northern Qi emperor's attitude.
As he had expected, when he entered the palace today, the Northern Qi emperor did not make trouble for him.
Through this conversation, he discerned the Northern Qi emperor's intentions.
The arrangement for him and his princess to return to their fiefdom to meet the Prince of Zhenbei was not simply to sow discord between the Prince of Zhenbei and Emperor Jing'an; it was likely intended to provoke him to take direct action against the Great Zhou.
“When I was young, I was surrounded by people, bustling and noisy, giving me a headache. Now that I’m old, people have left or scattered, leaving only you. It’s finally as I wished, with peace and quiet. But I feel empty, and I crave the liveliness of the past. People are so strange; nothing seems to bring them contentment.” The Emperor of Northern Qi took a few steps, then felt weak in his limbs, his chest tight, and he couldn’t breathe: “Help me to the inner palace.”
Zhao Yi helped the Northern Qi Emperor walk into the inner palace and slowly steered the conversation toward the Imperial Tutor: "The ministers who were loyal to you when you were a prince are still here today."
Suddenly, he stopped and looked at a painting hanging on the wall.