Seeing that King Wei could no longer be relied upon, everyone was secretly competing to see who would be the next to stick their neck out.
For the past few days, the Emperor had not slept through the night. He had no immediate intention of fighting King Wei to the death, especially since the others were also harboring ill intentions. He suddenly felt that this position was not as good as he had imagined; after all, it was lonely at the top, and everyone targeted him.
Finally, King Lin could not resist. He launched an attack on the cities near his fiefdom. His intention was simple: to expand his territory, not to wage a prolonged war against the court.
Although he had secretly trained for many years, like King Wei, he had not expected this war to be so difficult. When the imperial reinforcements arrived, he was even forced to retreat.
Taking advantage of the court's inability to send more troops against them, the other vassal kings expanded their territories in unison. Huangfu Xingchen was no exception.
Looking at the latest intelligence, the Emperor flew into a rage. "What do they mean by this? Attacking me simultaneously, even Huangfu Xingchen is no exception. They have no filial piety. Doesn't he consider his father on the throne? He only knows how to expand his own influence with them."
The Grand Eunuch beside him quickly minimized his presence, refraining from making any comments. After all, they were father and son. No matter how strained their relationship was now, they might reconcile at any moment.
The Emperor knew his thoughts and did not trouble him further. In fact, he was just venting his frustration. "Regarding the Crown Prince, go and tell Lord Li to make another trip and warn the Crown Prince to stay out of it. With that energy, he should focus on dealing with two more vassal kings for me."
"Your servant obeys." The Grand Eunuch, as if granted a reprieve, quickly left the place of contention.
The court indeed lacked surplus troops to deal with other vassal kings, but they could press their advantage. Ultimately, King Lin was captured and brought to the capital overnight. He was immediately taken to Meridian Gate and beheaded. Furthermore, King Lin's corpse was hung on the city gate for three days and three nights as a warning.
The Emperor's decisive actions did indeed frighten some of the more timid vassal kings, such as King Zhao. His restless ambitions immediately subsided.
However, this was a minority. More people were captivated by the throne. King Bai, King Qin, and King Wu formed an alliance and launched another assault on the court. In their view, although the Emperor had captured King Lin, the victory was hard-won. After several wars, the court's troop strength had significantly weakened, making it an opportune time for them to attack.
Things unfolded much as they had predicted. The court's military strength was indeed not what it used to be. They pursued their victory, capturing several cities in succession.
It was at this time that Lord Li once again arrived in Youzhou. This time, he distinctly felt that the local customs and atmosphere were different from his previous visit.
He could not help but secretly marvel at the Crown Prince's administrative talent. In just two years, he had transformed Youzhou, a poor and backward region, into a prosperous and thriving city.
Upon hearing of his arrival, Huangfu Xingchen knew the purpose of his visit. He was too lazy to meet him and merely instructed An Feng to treat him with good food and drink.
While the court and the three vassal kings were engaged in fierce battles, he was not idle. He often launched surprise attacks or bribed city officials, working from both inside and outside to capture as many cities as possible with minimal losses.
In fact, most people at this time were royalists. The reason Huangfu Xingchen found it so easy to persuade them was primarily because they all believed he was the most suitable candidate to inherit the throne.
Moreover, the officials who had interacted with Huangfu Xingchen found him to be an exceptionally talented individual. They believed the Emperor was foolish to favor the second prince. As his subjects, they were willing to take a gamble, for fortune favors the bold.
Besides, his current influence was not much weaker than that of the court; it was still uncertain who would ultimately prevail.
Lord Li was extremely anxious. He felt that this mission was even more difficult than the last. Every time he wanted to see the Crown Prince, he was blocked. Of course, they did not restrict his movements, but he was always accompanied.
One day, while listening to people in a teahouse say that the Crown Prince had captured several more cities, he suddenly stood up. He suddenly realized that what the people in the mansion had told him, that the Crown Prince was not at home, might be true. After all, he had to go to the front lines to command. His heart pounded. Wouldn't this mean he had failed the Emperor's trust? Su Dan Novel Network.
"I want to see the Crown Prince." He found An Feng and clearly stated his request.
"How many times have I told you, the Crown Prince is indeed not here." To be honest, An Feng did not want to deal with him, as he had many other matters to attend to. The logistical support from the rear was all under his control, and he could not afford any carelessness.
"I know the Crown Prince is not here. I want to go to the front lines to find him. The Emperor entrusted me with this mission, and I cannot fail." Lord Li looked at him with firm eyes, unwilling to compromise this time.
An Feng stared at him for a moment, secretly contemplating a strategy. In his opinion, he did not want to bother with this person. Whether he lived or died was none of their business.
However, this was not the time to break ties with the court, and besides, he did not know what the Crown Prince was thinking. If he went to find the Crown Prince alone and something happened, he could not bear the responsibility.
After a moment of hesitation, he said, "The roads are not safe right now. If you want to see the Crown Prince alive, you should depart with our grain transport team this afternoon."
"Alright, I'll pack my things now." Lord Li agreed without thinking. As long as he could see the Crown Prince and have a proper talk with him, he would have no regrets.
Huangfu Xingchen looked at Lord Li, who appeared before him, and was momentarily surprised, but then found it to be expected.
"Lord Li has risked his life to find me. Please state your business quickly."
"The Crown Prince avoids seeing me, and I presume you have already guessed my purpose. I will say the same thing: no matter what, you are father and son. The Emperor's intention is for you to consider him and not to take advantage of the situation. For the sake of your father-son relationship, if you wish to expand your territory, go and help fight those vassal kings."
Huangfu Xingchen let out a cold laugh. "You speak of father-son affection now. What were you doing back then?"
"The Emperor had no choice back then. Which vassal king's Crown Prince is not sent to the capital as a hostage?" Lord Li quickly made excuses for the Emperor.
"Honestly, I envy the Crown Prince of King Liang. Although he is in the capital, he has a loving father and mother, and the entire King Liang's Mansion who considers him in every way. What do I have? I have known since childhood that whatever I want, I must fight for it myself and cannot rely on anyone."
"Is the bond we have forged over so many years worth nothing?" Lord Li was somewhat astonished by the Crown Prince's thoughts and could not help but raise his voice.
"Touch your conscience and tell me, have you ever considered me? Have you ever mocked me behind my back, dismissed me, and watched me scurry around like a clown?" Huangfu Xingchen directly exposed his true colors, otherwise, he would still think that the people of King Lu's Mansion treated him quite well.