Chapter 446: The Game of Power

Fushan Yue did not care in the slightest how many enemies he had. Still, he had learned his lesson after running headfirst into a wall with He Lingchuan. This time, after sneaking back for several days, he only then went looking for trouble with those men.

“You didn’t kill Zhongsun Mou too, did you?”

“No.” Fushan Yue sounded a little put out. “That bastard’s lucky. He came to the Twilight Plains this time because Lingxu City assigned him as Touring Commissioner, having him go on an official inspection tour. At a moment like this, if I killed Lingxu City’s Touring Commissioner, it would bring trouble down on Chiyan. Besides, he’s from a great family. The Zhongsun Family still has roots in Lingxu City.”

He Lingchuan was mildly surprised.

So there are actually people this brat doesn’t dare kill?

The irony was almost comical. Fushan Yue could kill his own younger brother, who was the King of Chiyan’s most beloved youngest son, yet Zhongsun Mou could live safely just by having the title of Lingxu City Touring Commissioner?

“At a moment like this?”

Could it be because even though he’s already killed his brother, he still hasn’t been formally named crown prince?

“The situation is bad. I can’t add more variables for myself just to deal with a petty villain.” Fushan Yue shot him a look. “So I killed four of his close attendants and two of his followers, then tossed the bodies into his courtyard. He won’t be sleeping for days.”

On Lingxu City territory, he could not touch Zhongsun Mou himself. But once he was back in the State of Chiyan, Zhongsun Mou could not touch him either.

The Stone Gate Merchant Caravan had been deliberately bullied because of Fushan Yue, so he had to claw some of that back.

He Lingchuan smiled without warmth. “That’s it?”

This doesn’t feel like the petty-tyrant, eye-for-an-eye style this guy usually goes for.

“I’d just clashed with him. If he died right afterward, everyone would suspect me,” Fushan Yue coughed. “Just wait. There’ll be a chance later!”

As for what exactly made the situation “bad,” he refused to explain further. He Lingchuan had no choice but to switch topics.

“Along the way, there were all sorts of aristocrats and officials waiting for you.”

“Oh?” Fushan Yue didn’t look impressed. “Seemed like only the son of the Assistant Minister of Justice came to receive me.”

He had returned late, and most people simply had not waited that long.

“You suddenly became the hottest commodity because you killed Fushan Ji?”

“Obviously.” Fushan Yue drawled. “They were all betting on Fushan Ji before. Now they have to turn the rudder fast. Otherwise... they’ll be sinking soon.”

That night, Fushan Yue dragged He Lingchuan out drinking. “I’m going back to the palace tomorrow. You’d better wish me luck.”

“You’re really that sure your father can’t do anything to you?” He Lingchuan could not help asking, watching how carefree he looked. “You killed the heir he’d chosen in his heart.”

Fushan Yue threw his head back and laughed. “Is he going to kill his only remaining son too?”

He Lingchuan’s attempt to probe sideways failed. He reminded himself that while the other party looked rough on the outside, he was far subtler and more meticulous inside.

He had wanted to ask whether the Chiyan King was nearing the end of his lifespan and, therefore, forcing himself to compromise, but Fushan Yue kept his mouth shut tight.

Still, Fushan Yue drank cup after cup, fast and urgent. He drank so fast that Peach could not even keep up with pouring for him.

From that alone, it was clear that he was not as unburdened as he pretended to be.

Second Boss Shi happened to pass by. He Lingchuan waved him over to join them for a drink.

Second Boss Shi had just finished checking a batch of goods. He was in high spirits, downing two cups before letting out a satisfied breath. “It’s amazing, we actually managed to make it the entire way without running into bandits.”

“Didn’t you say Beijia’s trade routes are generally peaceful?”

“Overall, sure, but every state’s different. The capital of the State of Chiyan isn’t like Fufeng City, where people can leave their doors unlocked at night, right?” Second Boss Shi said. “Chiyan’s commerce is weaker than what you see in the State of Baoshu. Every time we pass through Chiyan, we stay on alert. There are plenty of monsters here who’ve taken to the hills as bandits. The Stone Gate Merchant Caravan has run into them at least three times.”

Even under Beijia, states still differed.

Fushan Yue frowned. “I’m sitting right here, and you two are already trash-talking Chiyan?”

As the future ruler of Chiyan, he naturally did not want his state to be compared unfavorably with other monster states.

He Lingchuan shot him a look. “Honestly, haven’t you felt something’s off?”

“What’s off?”

“Just like Second Boss Shi said. We traveled this whole way and didn’t see a single bandit.”

Fushan Yue snapped, “Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?!”

If not getting robbed is surprising, just how bad is Chiyan’s usual public security?

“How long has it been since the imperial nectar eruption?” He Lingchuan reminded him. “New wild monsters are popping up all over the wilderness. Those things are reckless and tend to go after humans. The last time imperial nectar descended, did your state have no trouble?”

The State of Baoshu had poured enormous effort into keeping its roads passable. And even then, it had not truly managed it. Their official escort unit had been crushed at Mount Fengmo, thanks to the Wind Demon having been fed a bit of imperial nectar by Fushan Yue, as well as having absorbed the North-South Divine Wind from the ruins of the Ethereal Sect.

So after imperial nectar, accidents should be everywhere. How could the State of Chiyan possibly be exempt?

Once He Lingchuan framed it that way, even Fushan Yue began to feel uneasy. “You’re right. I heard that since this round of imperial nectar, the capital has received only a little over ten reports of wild monsters hurting people.”

He actually pays attention to those reports? This guy really is meticulous.

The next day, Fushan Yue entered the palace early.

Li Qingge found a moment in her schedule and told He Lingchuan, “Tonight, our wager will have its answer.”

In less than four hours, Fushan Yue was back, radiant and high-spirited.

Second Boss Shi’s face lit up, and he said, “It looks like Young Master Fushan made it through.”

“More or less!” Fushan Yue finally could not hold it in and burst into loud laughter, exhilarated to the bone. The sparrows dozing under the eaves were startled into flight.

“What did the king say?”

“I didn’t see him.” Fushan Yue scratched his head. “He issued an order: I’m not allowed into the palace. He told the palace guards to chase me off the moment they saw me.”

Second Boss Shi’s smile froze. “Huh?”

Then what are you so happy about?

He Lingchuan, off to the side, said casually, “The Chiyan King’s anger hasn’t faded, but he only drove Fushan Yue away. That means he doesn’t intend to kill him. Otherwise, he would’ve summoned him inside, seized him on the spot, and executed him.” When it came to the twists and turns between father and son, no one understood them better than He Lingchuan.

Fushan Yue kept grinning. “Right, right, you get it.”

He Lingchuan glanced at him.

Mm, I understand your old man.

And of course, He Lingchuan was not the only one who read the Chiyan King’s meaning.

After returning to the capital, Fushan Yue naturally brought little Peach back to his own residence. His guards were everywhere; the security was thick.

Once Fushan Yue survived this brush with the gates of hell, visitors came that very night.

That was only the beginning. Soon, there were more and more officials and wealthy magnates from all over paying him visits. Even many high ministers of the Chiyan Royal Court sent gifts through intermediaries under various pretexts.

They called it a “visit,” but it was, in truth, a surrender.

Second Boss Shi even reminded He Lingchuan, “These are all humans.”

“What?” He Lingchuan did not follow at first.

“Everyone trying to curry favor with Young Master Fushan is human.” Second Boss Shi always observed from odd angles. “Have you seen a single monster? Because I haven’t.”

“Monsters are rare to begin with.” He Lingchuan thought a moment. “But you’re right, it really does seem that way.”

Second Boss Shi frowned, musing, “If Young Master Fushan rises to the throne soon, that’ll be the first change of rulers in Chiyan in over a hundred years. That’s huge!”

“What’s so huge about it?”

Isn’t it just a succession of the throne?

“In human states, even peaceful successions are hard to pull off. We’ve seen enough of that.”

When the throne changed hands, external threats and internal unrest were common. He Lingchuan immediately thought of the State of West Ji. The old ruler died, and soon after, the whole state vanished.

“With that already being the case for human states, then what more for monster states where the ruler only changes once every one or two hundred years? When that happens, this trade route may have to be altered again. It won’t be easy to travel, not easy at all.”

He Lingchuan asked in surprise, “Does the State of Chiyan have enemies watching it like tigers?”

“Not that I’ve heard.”

“If there’s no external enemy, and the old king has no third son, what’s there to throw the state into chaos?”

“A new ruler brings new ministers.” Li Qingge returned from outside, removing her cloak as she spoke. “In monster states, changing ministers with each reign is very different from other places. The turmoil is intense.”

She glanced outside twice. The entire second floor was empty; only then did she lower her voice and say, “You two know this, right? In these monster states, internal governance is basically handled by human ministers.”

Both He Lingchuan and Second Boss Shi nodded. Most monsters’ ability to govern and administer policy was, compared to humans, simply worlds apart, and that was beyond doubt. Otherwise, since the Middle Era, human states would not have risen in waves while monster clans and races retreated. There were reasons for such outcomes.

Not even Lingxu City could be managed without humans, let alone a vassal monster state. A monster king who wanted stable rule had little choice but to employ human ministers.

That had nothing to do with preference.

To govern a great realm is like cooking a delicate fish: you must use the capable. If a ruler or monarch was stubborn and biased in how they chose people, the northern monster state’s history over the past several centuries offered plenty of cautionary examples.

“A monster state is different from a human one,” Li Qingge continued. “A human ruler’s lifespan is short, and after a few decades, there’s a turnover, so ministers change along with him. However, monster states aren’t like that. A monster king lives long and sits on the throne for a hundred years, possibly even several hundred. Most of the time, they don’t even bother with court affairs. The human ministers who assist them gradually seize real authority. Within ten or twenty years, they develop into noble clans or aristocratic families; after a hundred years, their roots are tangled deep. Now, when the new ruler ascends, what he faces are these entrenched old ministerial families.”

At that, He Lingchuan understood. This really was a situation unique to monster states.

Li Qingge asked, “So tell me, after Fushan Yue takes the throne, how do you think he’ll replace his ministers?”

A new monarch brings new ministers. A ruler rises and inaugurates his own people.

“Given his temperament?” He Lingchuan considered it. “There’ll be blood in the streets.”

“Of course, and he’ll do it under the banner of rectifying the court and purging official corruption.” Li Qingge smiled. “Not only does that make his actions justified, the common people will cheer him on. The new ruler stabilizes his seat, earns a fine reputation, and fills the treasury. Mm, these aristocratic families are all wealthy enough to rival states.”

Second Boss Shi cut in, “I’ve heard monster kings kill human ministers without blinking. The State of Shanyu once had a powerful minister named Mao Qijun. At his height, he controlled half the court. Someone filed a complaint with the Shanyu King. One day, the monster king was still drinking with Mao Qijun, and the next day, he had him killed. He was subjected to the nine familial exterminations, nine degrees of kin exterminated cleanly.”

“That’s only natural. Origin energy and the military are controlled by the monarch of the state. Human ministers are merely there to do the monster clan’s work. They must never grow arrogant, never take credit they don’t deserve.”