Chapter 31

Chapter 31: When the Qin clan collapsed and crumbled (Part 1)

The night breeze gently stirs the curtains, and on the table, the cups are in disarray.

Qiu Ping Tian had a hint of amusement at the corner of his mouth as he sat quietly by the window, watching 

the figures gradually disappearing into the crowd and the night on the street. His fingers gently moved the 

abacus, and he suddenly broke into a hearty smile.

"Boss," Uncle Fu pushed the door open and walked in, looking at Qiuping Tian in surprise, "Are you lovesick?" 

This is really strange! When have I ever seen the boss show such an expression, not going to settle accounts, but 

resting his chin on his hand in a daze, and occasionally smiling "sweetly."

With his eyes narrowed, Qiu Ping Tian said unhappily to his right-hand man's outspokenness: "Uncle Fu, which 

eye of yours saw that I was thinking about love?"

“Two eyes,” Uncle Fu chuckled, looking as if he had just realized something, “No wonder, the master is already 

twenty-four years old and still refuses to marry and have children. So it turns out…” 

“But, Your Highness the Crown Prince has a noble status, and you are so much older than him, sigh,” Uncle Fu 

shook his head and sighed seriously, then continued: "But people say that His Highness loves men more than 

women, and Guard Feng is not young anymore, so you still have hope, Boss..."

Qiu Ping Tian laughed helplessly at Uncle Fu's antics, "Don't talk nonsense. When you follow His Highness in 

the future, it's better not to mention those folk rumors."

Uncle Fu stopped pretending to tease and sighed, "I never thought that I could serve His Highness now. His 

Highness is decisive and wise, he is truly unparalleled in the world!"

Looking at Uncle Fu, who had a face full of admiration, Qiu Ping Tian shook his head. Nowadays, many people 

are crazily pursuing His Highness. His actions of rectifying the officials and reforming the court system, although 

not pleasing to the high-ranking officials and nobles, had deeply won the hearts of the common people! 

"I can only say," Qiu Ping Tian said with a faint smile, "Your Highness's profound scheming truly makes me feel 

inferior."

"Scheming?" Uncle Fu's brows twitched, his face full of disdain. "Your Highness is decisive and straightforward 

in his actions, always upright and swift, where is there any hint of concealment..." 

Saying this, he gave Qiu Ping Tian a pointed look, scrutinizing him from head to toe.

With a helpless expression, Qiu Ping Tian didn't say much more. Accompanying a ruler is like accompanying a 

tiger; some things cannot be spoken of. However, these past few days of contact have truly made him feel that the 

cold and ruthless prince, who acts solely based on his whims, has a level of cunning that even he, a seasoned 

veteran in the business world, cannot match. What is most remarkable is that while everyone knows the world's 

richest man is smooth and deeply scheming, few realize that the prince, who is decisive and wise in his actions, 

possesses a level of depth in his schemes that is rarely matched.

After all, Uncle Fu has lived for most of his life, so he is somewhat clear in his mind. He smiled and said, "Boss, 

Your Highness, if you are in a position like this, how can you get rid of that old fox Qin if you don't have any 

means? However, these are not called scheming; this only shows that Your Highness has farsightedness and 

extraordinary wisdom, which is beyond our reach!"

Qiu Ping Tian touched his nose. After just one sigh, he was criticized by Uncle Fu like this. He smiled gently 

and said, "Uncle Fu, don't mind me. I was just sighing, but I really admire His Highness's style and methods."

He is a businessman who aspires to gain benefits from the world. How can the people he serves be ordinary 

people?

In the Prince's Eastern Palace, the young eunuch Qingxu was walking anxiously around the door. Suddenly his 

eyes lit up, and he went forward eagerly to greet Si Cang Qing who had finally returned.

"Your servant greets Your Highness," Qingxu said urgently, "An hour ago, the Emperor came here and has been 

waiting for you in the study." 

"Hmm, understood," Si Cang Qing replied calmly, and then headed straight to the study, having a rough idea of 

the Emperor's intentions.

In the study, the current emperor and the crown prince sat silently facing each other. 

On the table, the green tea emitted a faint, refreshing aroma. 

Si Cang Qing leaned casually against the chair, waiting for the other to speak.

After a long, silent standoff, Si Cang Juetian let out a slight sigh, his face showing helplessness. "Qing’er, I'm not 

here to blame you. Don't give me such a cold face." 

Although Si Cang Qing always had a cold expression, after a year and a half of being together, he could still sense 

some subtle emotions. 

Si Cang Qing remained silent.

Si Cang JueTian's expression was somewhat complicated, "Qing'er, I'm just a bit annoyed. I didn't even know 

you had arranged so many people in the court..."

Yes, it was only today that Si Cang JueTian realized, after seeing the list of officials' appointments and dismissals 

proposed by the other party, why Si Cang Qing could so recklessly dismiss officials and carry out unprecedented 

reforms. It turned out that preparations had been made several years in advance. After all, he was an emperor of a 

generation. Seeing that the officials he ruled were actually loyal to another master, even if it was his beloved son, 

it was inevitable that he would have some emotions…

He had asked Kui to train the prince's thirty-four personal guards and then handed them over to Si Cang Qing. 

However, as the emperor, he had no idea when the thirty-four guards were completely subdued.

No wonder Si Cang Qing was reluctant to return to court back then…

Si Cang Qing lowered his gaze to the tea before him, and after a long pause, he slowly said, "If Father Emperor 

is worried, this son will hand over the Shadow Guards now and then leave." Since ancient times, emperors have 

feared usurpation the most, and even their own children could not be forgiven.

“Qing’er, don’t misunderstand me,” Si Cang Juetian said anxiously, with a bit of annoyance in his heart. “Since I 

handed over Cang Huan Country to you, I never thought of taking it back. I just…”

Having been an emperor for nearly thirty years, the king's confidence and self-esteem had been somewhat 

damaged. 

Shaking his head with a bitter smile, Si Cang Juetian said, "Relieving myself of this burden makes me feel quite 

at ease. Don't blame your father; it's just that after being an emperor for so long, I've developed some bad habits."

Looking at Si Cang Qing, who had been keeping his head down in silence, Si Cang Juetian stood up and sighed, 

"Kui, I just summoned him back." Those personal guards were no longer under Kui's control. 

He then walked towards the door, and after taking a few steps, Si Cang Juetian heard a familiar cold voice say, 

"Father Emperor, I do not blame you."

Si Cang Qing was speaking the truth; being able to trust a strange son so much, Si Cang JueTian was already 

quite tolerant. If it were him, he would never allow any threats to exist. After a slight pause, Si Cang Juetian 

smiled with relief, "Hmm, Qing'er, get some rest soon!" No matter how capable a person is, after being tossed 

around like this for days, they would be tired too!

◇Cang Huan◇Seven Palaces◇

The Crown Prince's new policies are being implemented vigorously. Now, most of the officials in the court are 

young and middle-aged reformists, and with the support of those secretly placed officials by Si Cang Qing in the 

court, everything is proceeding as expected. 

In just a few days, the entire court is filled with a new atmosphere.

The imperial decree of reform, once posted to the world, was met with cheers and support from the people. 

Ambitious individuals in the Canghuan Kingdom were filled with determination. 

With the momentum shifting, the once fiercely opposing elder statesmen have now accepted the reality, no longer 

relying on their seniority, but instead contentedly fulfilling their duties.

Because of Si Cang Qing's toughness, they can't afford to offend him!

On this day during the morning court session, Si Cang Qing listened to various memorials and occasionally 

commented on a few. As the court session was about to adjourn, Si Cang Qing suddenly spoke up, "A month and 

a half ago, our Grand General Gao Fei, who was stationed in the south, was on a mission to eliminate bandits. 

During the rainy season, a landslide occurred due to the rain, resulting in the heroic sacrifice of the general, two 

deputy generals, and three thousand elite armored soldiers.”

"Proclaim the imperial decree: posthumously honor General Gao as the Marquis of Loyalty and Patriotism, the 

two deputy generals as the Generals of Valor, and the three thousand soldiers as the Heroes of the Nation. 

Allocate funds from the national treasury to provide for the families of all the fallen soldiers and ensure their 

livelihoods are properly arranged." 

After speaking, without even glancing at Liu Yi's complex expression, Si Cang Qing left the court.

"Master," Feng Lan did not miss Liu Yi's gaze. After returning to the palace, he quietly said to Si Cang Qing, 

"Lord Liu probably still cannot understand..." 

"That's his problem," Si Cang Qing's voice was cold. "If he truly wants to work under me, there are some things 

he must accept."

"Mm," Feng Lan said with a faint smile, "Lord Liu has always been perceptive. Given time, he will come to 

understand." After all, his talents and abilities would be very beneficial to Si Cang Qing, so it was better not to 

let their relationship become too strained. 

Si Cang Qing's expression was cold and indifferent, but upon seeing Feng Lan's smile, his eyes flickered slightly. 

He then reached out and embraced Feng Lan, pulling him into his arms.

"Master..." Submissively snuggling into Si Cang Qing's embrace, Feng Lan wrapped his arms around the other's 

waist, his eyes filled with gentle waves. He tilted his head slightly, receiving Si Cang Qing's sudden kiss. 

In the backyard of the Prime Minister's residence, a tall figure stood quietly by the small pond, playing a flute 

lightly.

The melody, carried away by the wind, was somewhat heavy, somewhat confused, somewhat sorrowful. 

"Yi'er," a gentle voice came from behind, "You've been burdened these days..."

Turning around, Liu Yi silently looked at his father, his face somewhat dejected. Leaning back, he did something 

he had never done before, resting against the railing. After a long pause, he finally spoke softly, "Father, what do 

you think about the death of General Zhen Nan?"

The color of his eyes slightly changed, and Liu Ziwen looked with a hint of surprise. Ever since Liu Yi entered 

the court to serve as an official, they had only discussed family matters privately and never talked about state 

affairs. Now…

In his heart, he understood somewhat. General Gao Fei of Zhennan was a rare general who was both brave and 

wise, but unfortunately, he was utterly loyal to the Qin family. Today, during the morning court, he suddenly 

heard the news of Gao Fei's demise and was extremely astonished. It seems that the officials who were originally 

worried about a rebellion by the Qin family were all well aware; the incident involving Gao Fei and the three 

thousand elite soldiers was just too coincidental.

Liu Ziwen smiled faintly and said, "General Gao Fei is a hero. Dying for the country today is a worthy death." 

"Father, even you..." Unlike the anger from that day, Liu Yi looked at Liu Ziwen with some confusion and 

sadness.

"Yi'er, you are too upright." Liu Ziwen sighed, his gaze falling on the lotus flowers gently blooming in the center 

of the pond. "How many people have died in the Nanjiang flood? How many have been displaced and left 

homeless?" 

Surely, no one knows better than Liu Yi, who patrols the flood zone!

Liu Ziwen asked again: "If General Gao Fei were still alive today, what do you think would happen?"

Liu Yi was silent.

"You are a fair and upright official, and you care about the people," Liu Ziwen said calmly, "Father knows very 

well that you must be heartbroken to see those 3,000 soldiers sacrificed like this."

"But, if the new policy is to be successfully implemented, a stable environment is necessary. The success of any 

new policy requires a huge price to be paid; some will see blood, and some will not." 

"Think it over carefully," Liu Ziwen said, his words filled with love and concern, "You are now an important 

assistant to His Highness, so don't be difficult. You should know..." 

He didn't finish his sentence, but Liu Yi understood: one must know that serving a ruler is like serving a tiger. 

With another sigh, Liu Ziwen's expression was one of helplessness as he was about to leave, but then he suddenly 

heard Liu Yi speak, "Actually, Liu Yi has come to terms with it these past few days." 

The anger from that day didn't last long. If he couldn't understand this principle, what right did he have to stand in 

the court? 

It's just that…

"Then why can't you let go?" Liu Ziwen said calmly, "If you want to be a good official who serves the people, 

you must first learn how to be an 'official'."

"I just," Liu Yi laughed self-deprecatingly, "I always thought that although His Highness was cold, that was only 

for those corrupt officials. In private, after spending so much time together, I thought he was just a little 

indifferent, but I didn't expect ..."

Si Cang Qing's coldness was beyond his imagination. To calmly order the elimination of three thousand innocent 

lives without any hesitation was unimaginable.

Si Cang Qing's cruelty was beyond his imagination. Three thousand innocent lives could be eliminated with such 

calmness and without mercy.

Liu Ziwen was completely stunned. He didn't expect Liu Yi to be troubled by this, so he said, "Your Highness is 

cruel, and everyone knows it. But Your Highness will be a good monarch and will lead our world. As we head 

towards an unprecedented prosperity, why bother yourself with trivial matters?"

"I..." Liu Yi's expression showed a hint of annoyance, "Your Highness's talent, methods, and charisma have 

deeply impressed me. But I never regarded him merely as a ruler; in my heart, I considered him a confidant. Now, 

however, I suddenly realize..." 

It turns out, he never really understood this person at all.

With a complicated expression, Liu Ziwen looked at his son carefully. After a moment, he sighed quietly, "Yier, 

you are too demanding. Since you admire and are impressed by his courage so much, why can't you tolerate his 

cruelty? Your Highness is the Prince, he can’t be soft-hearted.”

"Liu Yi understands." Liu Yi half-lowered his eyes and played with the short flute with his fingers.

The father and son were silent for a long time. Liu Ziwen broke the suffocating silence, "Let's take a step back, 

Yi'er, if His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was not in this position today, do you think he would be the kind 

of person who cares about the life and death of others?"

Si Cang Qing's indifference is his nature; if he were not the prince, he would not care about anyone's life or death 

at all.

Liu Yi fell silent, as if thinking of something, the corners of her lips slightly lifted, revealing a hint of bitterness. 

"It's late, Yi'er, you should rest early," Liu Ziwen hesitated for a moment before advising, "You should keep your 

distance from His Highness in private." 

"Why?" Liu Yi asked, puzzled.

No response, Liu Ziwen gave a bitter smile. How could he answer? Should he say, ‘Don't follow in your father's 

footsteps?’Looking into Liu Yi's clear eyes, he saw only confusion. Liu Ziwen smiled mockingly and said, "I 

overthought it!" 

With saying that, Liu Ziwen turned and left.

Watching the departing figure, Liu Yi leaned against the railing, looking up at the bright moon in the sky, as cold 

and clear as ever. 

The night was deep, with faint sounds of the flute drifting by. 

Serene, indifferent, no longer heavy.
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