In a side courtyard on the west side of the Emperor Palace, Yang Xiuqing and Shi Dakai sat facing each other.
This side courtyard was usually where the ministers of Heavenly State worked. But now it was quiet. Other than Shi and Yang, there was no one else around.
The sudden death of the Heavenly King had put the entire Emperor Palace in a state of panic. The palace maids and eunuchs stared at the prepared luggage, not knowing what to do.
If it wasn't for the presence of these two people, the entire Tianjing City would have been in chaos.
Hearing the news of the Heavenly King's sudden death, Shi Dakai had immediately arranged for the army to take to the streets and enforce control over Tianjing City to stop any disturbances.
Logically speaking, Shi Dakai, who held the military power, could easily seize power and take over.
Unfortunately, with Shi Dakai's personality, he would not do such a thing. In reality, Shi Dakai had no intention of inheriting Hong Xiuquan's career.
In Shi Dakai's eyes, the Heavenly State's cause was just a dream.
Now that he had woken up from the dream, Shi Dakai was even more lost. It was as if he had suddenly lost his direction and goal in life.
"Brother, do you know about the historical Heavenly State?"
Yang Xiuqing picked up the teacup, took a sip, and asked calmly.
"That's right!"
"Then in your opinion, can the career of Heavenly State be realized in this chaotic world?"
"…"
Shi Dakai was speechless. Even Heavenly King Hong Xiuquan would not believe it.
"In this chaotic world, only a hero can wield a sharp sword, cut through all obstacles, and wage war in all directions to create a truly peaceful world for the millions and millions of living beings." A trace of excitement flashed through Yang Xiuqing's eyes as she said that.
"Mighty Lord?" Shi Dakai's eyes narrowed and his expression changed for the first time. "Is that you?"
"No." Yang Xiuqing shook her head and smiled bitterly. "I don't think I have that ability."
"Then who is it?"
Shi Dakai did not understand. He had thought that Yang Xiuqing had called him over to persuade him to withdraw from the competition.
"Let me ask, who else in the southwest region is more suitable than that person?" Yang Xiuqing smiled and slowly revealed her trump card.
"It's him?"
Shi Dakai was so shocked that he almost slammed the table.
"That's right, it's him!"
Yang Xiuqing stared into Shi Dakai's eyes and said firmly.
"I didn't expect this, I really didn't expect this."
Yang Xiuqing had mixed feelings when she heard that. He was well aware of the meaning behind Shi Dakai's words.
"So, you've harbored disloyalty since a long time ago?"
Shi Dakai restrained his emotions, his eyes suddenly becoming incomparably sharp. Suddenly, a surge of murderous intent burst forth from Shi Dakai's body, making it impossible for others to look at him directly.
This was a ferocious tiger that was usually docile. Only in times of crisis would it reveal its ferocious claws and teeth. Even someone as experienced as Yang Xiuqing couldn't help but feel astonished.
Shi Dakai was a valiant general of the present age. He truly lived up to his reputation.
Yang Xiuqing was very clear that if he didn't give a good answer, he would be killed. Fortunately, Yang Xiuqing was not an easy person to deal with. The teacup in her hand did not move at all.
"No!" Yang Xiuqing shook her head and said miserably, "When the army was defeated, the other party did come into contact with me. But at that time, I didn't make up my mind. It was only when the Heavenly King wanted to get rid of me that I had no choice but to do so. "
Yang Xiuqing's words were half-truths, and Shi Dakai couldn't find a single flaw in them. Recalling the secret conversation with the Heavenly King yesterday afternoon, Shi Dakai let out a long sigh.
"Fate makes fools of people!"
At this point in the Heavenly State, it was impossible to say who was in the right and who was in the wrong.
"So, the Heavenly King's sudden death has something to do with you?"
The murderous intent in Shi Dakai's eyes did not diminish as he asked the most crucial question.
When the Heavenly King was found dead, the forensic doctor immediately rushed to the scene to examine the body. After some investigation, he only knew that the Heavenly King and Chen Fei had died of an unknown poison. As for anything else, he knew nothing.
In the last moments of her life, Chen Fei had placed the wax pellet back into the cavity of the "fake teeth" and put the teeth back in place. The only trace left was naturally gone.
Therefore, the only conclusion was that the Heavenly King had been assassinated.
However, according to the Heavenly King Palace guard, there were no traces of anyone suspicious that night.
The entire case had become an unsolved mystery.
Of course, there were also those who suspected that the guard had purposely shirked responsibility in order to avoid punishment.
No matter what, it would be impossible to find out the truth in a short period of time. And with the perilous situation in the Heavenly State, who would have the mind to pay attention to the truth behind this unsolved mystery?
To be honest, Yang Xiuqing was not prepared for the Heavenly King's sudden death.
This operation was completely planned by the Black Snake Guards.
"It wasn't me."
Yang Xiuqing did not know how to answer and could only say these three words resolutely.
"Humph!"
Shi Dakai was deep in thought, still unable to calm down.
Although Shi Dakai did not have much affection for the Heavenly King, it was impossible to say that he was not touched by the Heavenly King's forgiveness and trust in him yesterday.
Therefore, if possible, Shi Dakai naturally wanted to avenge the Heavenly King.
Unfortunately, the current him was probably powerless to do anything. Because there was a huge shadow looming over the sky of Tianjing City, suffocating everyone.
Yang Xiuqing knew where Shi Dakai's weakness was and said faintly, "Brother, for the sake of the people of the Heavenly State, please do not do anything stupid."
Hearing this, Shi Dakai's expression became more and more complicated.
"Is it worth it to drag the people of the city to death just to avenge the Heavenly King?"
Shi Dakai had to face such a choice.
Silence. It was a deathly silence.
The last two pillars of the Heavenly State sat facing each other in silence, their emotions fluctuating.
Compared to Shi Dakai, Yang Xiuqing was much calmer. He was confident that he had not judged wrongly. Once a person's character was completely seen through by the opponent, he would be defeated before the battle even began.
As expected, Shi Dakai gave a long sigh and slowly removed the military seal from his waist. He placed it on the stone table in front of him and said bitterly, "I hope you can let them live."
The "them" Shi Dakai was referring to was naturally his supporters.
Seeing this, Yang Xiuqing was shocked and waved his hand. "Brother, you don't have to be like this. As long as you and I come to an agreement, it doesn't matter who holds the military power. "
"No." Shi Dakai shook his head. "I am already disheartened and have no intention of participating in the court."
"Brother, you are in the prime of your life. It is the best time for you to make a name for yourself. Why are you so pathetic?"
Seeing this, Yang Xiuqing frowned deeply. There was a hint of anger in his tone. He did this not only because he felt sorry for Shi Dakai's self-abandonment, but also because he had a mission at hand.
The Marquis behind the scenes had specifically requested that Shi Dakai stay.
"Let's leave it at that!"
Shi Dakai had no intention of defending himself. He stood up and left.
"Wait!"
Yang Xiuqing stood up as well. "May I ask if little brother has a clear destination in mind?"
"In the vast wilderness, where can I not find shelter?!"
Shi Dakai did not turn around. His voice was full of exhaustion. He was really tired and wanted to rest.
"Since you have no clear destination, why don't you make a trip to Shanhai City's military lecture hall?" Yang Xiuqing's expression changed. He said sincerely, "You and I are both poor people with shallow foundations. The principal of the military lecture hall is War Sage Sun Wu. Brother, you will definitely gain something from this trip. Not only can you stay away from the disputes of the court, but you can also increase your military knowledge. Why not? It's better than wandering aimlessly in the wilderness, isn't it? "
Hearing this, Shi Dakai's body paused. He did not say anything and left.
Looking at Shi Dakai's back, Yang Xiuqing sighed.
He had done all he could.
Even if the Marquis reprimanded him, he had nothing to say.
The chaos in Tianjing City quickly came to an end after the two leaders reached an agreement.
Yang Xiuqing held the military seal. With the support of his trusted subordinates, he successfully controlled the army in the city. No matter what, Yang Xiuqing's prestige in the army was still very high.
Coupled with the instigation of the Military Intelligence Bureau, everything fell into place.
In the court, seeing Yang Xiuqing gain power, the officials who had originally supported Shi Dakai were all panicking. Fortunately, Yang Xiuqing kept his promise. He only put them under house arrest and did not kill them.
As for Shi Dakai, he disappeared.
After taking power, Yang Xiuqing did not ascend to the throne as the outside world had guessed. His first order was to announce the official dissolution of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and surrender to Shanhai City.
When the news came out, the Heavenly Kingdom was in an uproar.
Some loyal followers were dissatisfied with Yang Xiuqing's decision and protested on the streets.
Yang Xiuqing's attitude was extremely unyielding. He used iron-blooded methods to forcefully suppress them. He knew very well that since he had decided to surrender to Shanhai City, he could no longer rely on luck.
His current most important task was to clear all obstacles for the Marquis to enter Tianjing City.
…
The news of Hong Xiuquan's sudden death, Yang Xiuqing's rise to power, and the surrender of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom swept across the Southern Sichuan Province like a hurricane.
For a moment, the world was shaken.
The players knew in their hearts that it was only a matter of time before Shanhai City wiped out the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. What shocked them was that it was so fast and so ingenious.
The people could not help but sigh. How many trump cards did the Marquis of Lian Province have?!
At the same time, with the surrender of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, a shocking reality was placed in front of all the players in the China region.
The Lord of Shanhai City, the Marquis of Lian Province, was not without clothes. He officially occupied a province.
More than 90% of the lords had not been promoted to county cities. The vastness of Shanhai City's territory was really unrivaled.
Only a king could have such a majestic appearance.
The world was shocked. The ruler of a generation had officially revealed his ferocity.
In a short period of time, no one in the China region could rival the Marquis of Lian Province.
Affected by this, the Shanhai Alliance's reputation soared again, even more than before. The reputation that the Yan Huang Alliance had painstakingly accumulated fell to the bottom in an instant.
The entire southwest region seemed to be shrouded in the shadow of "Not Without Clothes".
The Protectorate of the Southern Border was becoming more and more worthy of its name. (To be continued.)
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