After the enthronement ceremony and the banquet, Qian Renxue invited Prince Xue Xing, Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, Dugu Bo, and Chu Chengzhou to a side hall for discussion.
After dismissing the attendants in the hall, Qian Renxue spoke earnestly to the five: "Teacher, the three Douluo, and my worthy younger brother, although we did not catch the assassin who attacked Father, this absolutely cannot be separated from the Star Luo Empire. Now that Star Luo has lost many experts, the empire intends to send troops against Star Luo. I ask all of you to lend your full support."
"Rest assured, Qinghe. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is an ally of the empire. Since the Star Luo Empire dared to assassinate His Majesty Xue Ye, they must not be forgiven!"
Ning Fengzhi nodded at once.
In Ning Fengzhi's view, besides the Star Luo Empire, Spirit Hall was also highly suspect in the assassination of Emperor Xue Ye.
But regardless of whether Star Luo did it or not, this blame could only be borne by the Star Luo Empire.
Even if the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect joined forces with Heaven Dou, they would likely not be a match for Spirit Hall. Tearing faces held no benefit.
Star Luo was different. Now the Star Luo Empire had become a soft persimmon. With the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's help, Heaven Dou could topple Star Luo with ease and, at little cost, gain huge benefits.
Dugu Bo nodded in agreement.
At this time, Chu Chengzhou said in a righteous tone, "Father-in-law is right. The Star Luo Empire has repeatedly tried to assassinate me and now has murdered Emperor Xue Ye. Such an evil empire should have been destroyed long ago.
"Brother Qinghe, I believe that under your rule, the billions on the continent will welcome lasting peace."
Heaven Dou sending troops to annex Star Luo, though initiating war, was no unjust act and not out of mere ambition, but for the sake of the continent's billions.
Better a short pain than a long one. Compared to the coming long peace, the casualties in a war of unification would be little.
After all, with two empires standing opposed, war was only a matter of time.
And with Star Luo's high-end power severely depleted and its strength weakened, the Heaven Dou Empire could complete the great cause of unification at minimal cost.
Hearing this, Qian Renxue turned to Xue Xing. "Imperial Uncle, for the empire's campaign against Star Luo, I intend to appoint Marshal Ge Long as commander of the grand army and you as deputy commander, to annihilate the Star Luo Empire in one stroke."
"This minister accepts the order!"
Xue Xing froze for a moment, then nodded in excitement.
Xue Xing knew he did not get along with Xue Qinghe. He had thought that after his eldest nephew ascended, he, a prince of the empire, would be marginalized.
Unexpectedly, not only was he not stripped of power, he was even entrusted with an important post, appointed deputy commander of the expedition against Star Luo. The happiness came too suddenly.
You had to know, in this campaign the empire was very likely to swallow Star Luo's territories and complete the work of unification. As deputy commander of the grand army, would Xue Xing not be able to leave his name in history?
In this life, people chase nothing more than fame and profit.
Of the seven present in the hall, who would be remembered centuries hence?
Chu Chengzhou counted, for so long as he did not die, he would surely be hailed in the future as an invincible expert and might even found a powerful Spirit Master clan.
Xue Qinghe, as the Heaven Dou Emperor, counted, for under Emperor Qinghe's leadership, the Heaven Dou Empire would annex the Star Luo Empire and complete the continent's unification.
Ning Fengzhi counted for half. He was the imperial tutor. So long as Emperor Qinghe was not forgotten by history, the imperial tutor of Emperor Qinghe would also be mentioned.
Xue Xing also counted for half, for he would be one of the grand commanders who completed the empire's unification.
As for the Titled Douluo present, Chen Xin, Gu Rong, and Dugu Bo, they might be glorious now, but centuries later, those who remembered them would be very few. In fame, they would not rank as high as "famous general of the empire" Xue Xing.
Xue Xing thought: I, Xue Xing, famed general of the empire, will surely be remembered by the world.
"Qinghe, my nephew, your uncle was wrong. The true culprit who murdered my second and third nephews back then must have been someone else."
So Xue Xing sighed in his heart.
Back then his second and third nephews had died under strange circumstances. Xue Xing had thought it was Xue Qinghe's ruthless methods, sparing not even his own brothers. But now it seemed it had all been a misunderstanding.
Otherwise, if Xue Qinghe were truly so ruthless and pitiless, how would he entrust him with an important task?
In fact, Xue Xing did not know that he was not far from death.
In Qian Renxue's revised plan to seize the throne, ascending the Heaven Dou throne was only the first half.
The remaining half was to purge the entire Heaven Dou Empire, replacing the court and local officials and senior military officers with her own trusted subordinates and those faction members who could only follow her to the bitter end.
Otherwise, once her identity was exposed, there would be no place for her within the Heaven Dou Empire.
And to purge the empire, it would not do to simply raise the butcher's knife and start a massacre.
Therefore launching a war to annex the Star Luo Empire was very necessary.
The court ministers and local officials are not mine?
Embezzling military funds, reselling military supplies, colluding with Star Luo, betraying imperial interests—under "ironclad evidence," kill!
The army commanders and officers are not mine?
Have Spirit Hall Elders pose as Star Luo experts and ambush them on the battlefield, then promote trusted officers to take their place.
When a war that was certain to be won ended, all key positions across the empire would be her people. By then, whether she was Xue Qinghe or Qian Renxue would no longer matter. Nothing would matter.
Moreover, once the overall situation was set, even if her good teacher Ning Fengzhi knew she was Qian Renxue, the young master of Spirit Hall, he could only hold his nose and accept this disciple.
After all, with their teacher-student tie, the Heaven Dou Empire changing masters would not affect the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's interests in the least. And since Spirit Hall and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had no irreconcilable blood feud, why not hold their nose and accept it?
An hour later, Chu Chengzhou left the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace by carriage.
"Next, advance to eight-ring Spirit Douluo, then make a trip to the Sun Moon Continent and work out battle armor."
In the carriage, Chu Chengzhou thought to himself.
But just as the carriage was about to pass a teahouse, a figure who had been waiting in a private room sent a thread of soul power toward Chu Chengzhou.
At the same time, a voice sounded in Chu Chengzhou's ear: "Kid, come up."
At once, Chu Chengzhou's pupils contracted sharply.
Though the ripple of soul power was extremely faint, hard to detect even for a Titled Douluo nearby, he could clearly sense that the owner of this aura was far above him.
In his life he had met many experts, but the only one comparable to this aura was Bo Saixi, the Sea God Douluo.
Of course, Bo Saixi felt as deep as the sea, while the owner of this aura was like a blazing sun and radiated a sacred air.
T/N: For up to 30 chapters ahead on my translations, become a p@tron at [email protected]/LordHipposApostle