Ye Feng currently still needs the nominal emperor Ling Di to guard Liangzhou for him, allowing the people to rest and recuperate. There are plenty of ways to deal with someone who is undeserving of their position, and at least he should teach him a lesson this time.
As expected, not long after Song Jingang left, Ling Di swaggered over. However, the journey was not smooth sailing; he was met with countless glares from the common people!
Ling Di's face was grim, and he coldly cursed, "These commoners, one day I will make them all pay the price!"
Ye Feng heard him clearly and snorted, "Ling Di, if I let you leave today, then I am not the King of Chu."
The King of Chu now had the capital to contend with Ling Di. As soon as Ling Di entered the King of Chu's manor, he was stopped by the housekeeper.
"Open your dog eyes and see clearly, who am I?" Ling Di roared angrily.
The housekeeper trembled and stammered, "Your Majesty, the King, the King specifically instructed that if it were you, you were not to be allowed in!"
"He dares!" Ling Di's voice rose, "Hasn't Ye Feng forgotten how this title of King of Chu came about?"
The news that the King of Chu had blocked the dignified Ling Di from entering the gates spread like wildfire. The common people flocked to the King of Chu's manor, gathering to watch the spectacle.
"Get lost, or I'll kill you all!" Ling Di roared furiously, a helpless bellow.
"He is Ling Di, if only those people would rebel, then we could be reunited."
"Who's to say? It's only thanks to the King of Chu that she can even defend Liangzhou."
"I heard Liangzhou was gifted to him by the King of Chu. If he expects him to conquer Liangzhou himself, he's dreaming!"
"..."
The hushed whispers made Ling Di's face turn red. For a long time, he couldn't speak, "You, you commoners, attack!"
The eunuchs, carrying long swords, charged towards the people. However, the commoners, outnumbering them, showed no fear. Armed with various farming tools, they surrounded Ling Di.
"Presumptuous! I am Ling Di, the Emperor!" Ling Di roared, but his words lacked conviction. "Be gone!"
"He still wants to throw his weight around at this point. Brothers, can we stand for this?" a man shouted, his mustache twitching on his face.
"No! Kill him, kill him!"
Seeing the crowd of people closing in, Ling Di became terrified. His crown fell to the ground with a thud. With disheveled hair, he hid in the corner by the door and grabbed a trembling young guard.
"You, go quickly, quickly, quickly knock on the door and ask the King of Chu to save me!"
The eunuch stared at Ling Di, who was acting like a madwoman, utterly devoid of imperial dignity. He couldn't help but curl his lips and reluctantly stepped forward, gently knocking a few times.
"My lord has instructed that he will not see anyone, no matter who it is. He is busy enjoying himself with Diao Chan!" the housekeeper shouted.
Ling Di's smile froze. In Ye Feng's eyes, was he, the Emperor, less important than Diao Chan, who was enjoying herself? He couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy.
"Tell Ye Feng to come out and tell me, what are you? You are worthy of me speaking to you!" Ling Di shouted, hands on his head, exuding an air of dominance.
The housekeeper hesitated. Ye Feng had given clear instructions, but the person in front of him was, after all, the Emperor!
"Beat this dog emperor to death!"
"Thwack," a punch landed heavily on Ling Di. Before Ling Di could react, another kick followed.
The onlookers were stunned. They had actually beaten the Emperor. But Ye Feng had only told them to scare him, not to go this far.
Instantly, their faces turned pale as earth. They stammered, "What do we do now?"
Before they could figure it out, another person whispered in an ear, "What are you afraid of? The King of Chu said everything would be on him. Even if he doesn't help us, the law doesn't punish the masses!"
The man's eyes lit up. Before he could think further, a tempting voice sounded again, "You've already hit the Emperor. One punch and one kick are no different from ten punches and ten kicks."
"Brother, I think what you're saying makes a lot of sense!"
With these thoughts, his fear vanished, and he began raining punches down on Ling Di!
Meanwhile, Ye Feng heard the sounds outside gradually fade. He rushed to check himself. The housekeeper was sitting alone by the garden, muttering to himself.
"What exactly is going on? Why has the noise outside stopped?" Although Ye Feng had said he would cover for them, he was still worried something might happen to Ling Di.
"My lord, I heard them beating Ling Di, and then the noise stopped. Should I go out and see?"
Ye Feng's heart skipped a beat. He pulled the housekeeper aside and rushed out. The moment the door opened, the people outside scattered and fled!
"Your Majesty!" Ye Feng shouted urgently.
"I am here." Ye Feng followed the sound and looked. In a corner, there was only a pile of rags. From within the rags, a hand tremblingly reached out. Ye Feng suppressed a smile as he looked at the footprints and injuries on Ling Di's body!
"King of Chu, save me," Ling Di said with a hint of a sob.
This time, he was truly defeated by Ye Feng. He had gone out and gotten beaten, and when Ye Feng came out, everyone scattered. Whose empire was this, Ye Feng's or Ling Di's? Ling Di couldn't help but question it.
"Your Majesty, rest assured, the instigator of this incident will not escape. I have already sent people to pursue them!" Ye Feng said righteously. A burly man responded and rode out of the general's manor.
Ling Di wanted to step forward and say a few words, but he almost fell over. He quickly got up and looked at Ye Feng, saying slowly, "King of Chu, I entrust this matter to you. I will definitely bring that person to justice!"
"Yes," Ye Feng replied with a look of remorse. "Your Majesty, this incident is entirely my fault. I had originally instructed the housekeeper to welcome you through the main gate, but he misunderstood and thought I meant not to open the door, which is why this happened!"
Could he have misunderstood? Ling Di didn't believe it one bit, but out of consideration for Ye Feng, he could only force a smile and say, "I knew the King of Chu would never treat me like this. With the King of Chu here in Liangzhou, I am at ease!"
Ling Di mentally added the words "as if" to his thoughts.
"Foolish subordinate, why aren't you quickly apologizing to His Majesty? If anything had happened to His Majesty, you would have lost your head today!" Ye Feng scolded angrily. "Fortunately, His Majesty is unharmed!"
"I beg Your Majesty to punish me severely. This king will absolutely not shield him!" Ye Feng said with clasped fists, his voice sincere.
"How can that be? After all, he has been with me for so many years, and making a mistake at times is understandable!"
Ling Di, filled with resentment, still pretended to be magnanimous.
He had already cursed Ye Feng countless times in his heart.
*You are so noble, you are so impressive. Then you should have handed it directly to me.*
*Instead of putting on a show and saying all that!*
"Since Your Majesty has pardoned you, I naturally won't say anything more. But if you make another mistake, I will not spare you!"
Ye Feng scolded fiercely, his voice cold. He reached out as if to welcome Ling Di in.
Ling Di stared at the general's manor, which seemed like a gaping abyss. He swallowed and his face instantly turned grim. He quickly changed his tone.
"I see the scenery here is particularly good. It's better to talk here," Ling Di said hurriedly. "What are King of Chu's plans for dealing with those refugees?"
"The key to dealing with those refugees lies not with me, but with Your Majesty," Ye Feng countered. "If Your Majesty were truly as diligent and caring for the people as they say, how would so many problems have arisen!"
"You mean it's my fault?" Ling Di's voice faltered. "Must I change myself for those refugees?"
"This minister does not know," Ye Feng lowered his head slightly. "However, I only remember one saying: water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. Currently, the area outside Liangzhou city is filled with people. Your Majesty should appease them, rather than shouting for them to be killed!"
Ling Di stood frozen. He knew very well what those people wanted, didn't they just want land?
But if he gave it to them, he would no longer be able to live a life of luxury and extravagance. A wave of conflict washed over him, and after a moment, he said, "Does King of Chu believe I should give all the land to the people?"
"Your Majesty knows this clearly in your heart, why ask? However, no matter how Your Majesty decides, please make a firm decision!"
Ye Feng earnestly reminded him again, "If something happens, the foundation of the Great Han will surely be shaken."
Ling Di still wouldn't give up and asked, "Can't King of Chu send troops to deal with this matter? Must the land be given to those people?"
"What Your Majesty is reluctant to part with is nothing more than power. As long as Your Majesty understands this, I guarantee that Your Majesty's life will remain unchanged, and you will reign for a thousand generations to come!" Ye Feng said with a serious and righteous expression.
As for the method he spoke of, a certain country in later generations still used it, which was the constitutional monarchy of Britain.
As long as Ling Di and his descendants existed as mascots, they would surely become a permanent royal family. This was also an indispensable step towards modernization.
These words, however, sounded utterly ironic to Ling Di's ears.
He could accept becoming a puppet, but he wanted his descendants to be puppets too? He was dreaming!
"Since King of Chu does not agree, then I have come for nothing this time." Ling Di's expression changed. "Farewell. I hope King of Chu will consider carefully how to deal with this matter."
As Ling Di's carriage receded into the distance, Diao Chan stepped out from behind the door and said softly, "You have rejected Ling Di. I'm afraid your days ahead will be difficult!"
"I never thought a beauty would care so much about me. But rest assured, my beauty, Liangzhou is still under my control!"
"You old rogue?" Diao Chan pouted charmingly. "If Ling Di wants to deal with you, what will you do!"
"Does he really think my Third Army Corps is made of straw?" Ye Feng's voice was gentle. "This is also thanks to you, my beauty!"
The night passed without incident. In the middle of the night, someone secretly entered Liangzhou. Outside the city, they were illuminated by the bright red flames.
"Who is it? Come out! Are you a spy from inside?"
"Don't talk nonsense. We've surrounded this place, how could anyone get in?" the leader reprimanded. "Take them to Brother Da Niu to see what's going on."
The newcomer shook the package of Da Xian Liang Shi and entered the city!