https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-663-The-Three-Dukes-Nine-Ministers-and-Six-Ministries/12852599/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-665-The-Twelve-Heroes-of-the-Green-Forest-Down-and-Out-/12852601/
Chapter 664: The Canal Hides Disaster, Again Speaking of Regicide
Chapter 664: The Canal Hides Disaster, Again Speaking of Regicide
"Damn it, find out where that brat found such a group of people. Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, well, well, well, I really underestimated this Qian Emperor."
I thought he was just a waste, but I didn't expect his bizarre behavior these past few days was just to numb us.
Prime Minister She Xi had already torn off his human disguise, standing like an upright snake, his forked tongue hanging down as he cursed, truly angry.
"Old Master, why be angry? It's just a matter of making him slip and fall into the water. We can replace him tomorrow." Minister of Revenue Su Shu, who looked like a human with a rat's tail coiled around his waist, calmly picked up his tea and took a sip.
"It's too late. That brat has already taken control of the palace guards. When I left court and contacted my inside man, he just watched me coldly." Ye Yin walked in, his voice filled with murderous intent.
The other non-human races murmured to each other. Who would have thought that just as their plan was about to succeed, they would end up selecting a capable Qian Emperor, causing their plan to be consistently thwarted.
"It's too late, but what can we do? Even if this Qian Emperor has great skills, what use is it? What can he do by distributing power to those blood feeders of unknown origins? Without our approval, the blood feeders we raised won't listen to those blood feeders with no qualifications." She Xi calmed down. He was indeed angry, but so what? They still held the upper hand.
"Let it be. They won't amount to much. We can give up some power when the time is right, making him too busy to notice the situation with the Grand Canal."
"What's the current situation with the Grand Canal?"
She Xi spoke again, and the murmurs among the non-human races gradually subsided. This showed that the snake race held a very high status among all the non-human clans, which was why She Xi became the prime minister and gained the greatest benefits.
"Old Master, rest assured. We have already made arrangements. In a few days, when the Grand Canal floods, our plans will succeed. Then, news of the Qian Emperor's tyranny will spread, and with a single call from our people, the whole country will rebel." Su Shu said calmly.
"That's good. Once the rebels rise from all directions, the Qian Empire's fortunes will be suppressed to the lowest point. We just need to support one rebel king to break through the capital, and our great cause will be accomplished." She Xi was very satisfied with this.
"Old Master is right, but there is one thing. Why support just one rebel king? Why not use the numbers of the Thirty-Six Celestial Spirits and the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends, splitting them into thirty-six major kings and seventy-two righteous armies? Then, there will be no worry about the Qian Empire not falling apart." Ye Yin was even more ruthless, planning to tear the Qian Empire into pieces.
If there was only one, it would just be a change of dynasty. But with one hundred and eight rebel groups, it would be a division.
"Only the money..." She Xi hesitated, looking at Su Shu, the Minister of Revenue, who controlled all the imperial treasury.
"Lord Ye's idea is indeed good. We don't value this money anyway; it's the Qian Empire's foundation. We can still support these one hundred and eight righteous armies." Su Shu said lightly. The Qian Empire's treasury was empty, but they had money. As non-human races that had usurped the Qian Empire, they didn't care about using human resources.
After all, the Qian Emperor would bear the blame for the annual extortion, but the real benefits would fall into their hands. If they were gone, it wouldn't matter; they could always sell titles and offices for income later.
Before, they hadn't been so brazen, at most selling exam questions to let those incompetents rise to power. But since the Qian Emperor used the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers to oppose them, they naturally had to cash in as soon as possible, or they would lose their chance. This would also hasten the Qian Empire's downfall.
"Notify the four barbarian tribes. When the rebels rise from all directions, let them enter the Qian Empire and carry out mass killings according to our list. Kill those talented people first, to prevent one of the one hundred and eight groups from producing a true dragon."
"Without support, those blood feeders are just peasants. With our help, they can reach the capital, and then, under our arrangements, further divide the territory."
She Xi was meticulous in his plans. Over the years, they had chosen the worst, so many talented people had fallen into obscurity.
Although most of these people had wasted their talents on the eight-legged essays, the fact that they had achieved academic success showed they still had potential. If given the opportunity, they might rise again.
"Therefore, to ensure stability, he cannot be left alive."
"Yes, Old Master, I will arrange it immediately." The Undersecretary of War, a ghoul named Shi En, took charge of such matters. It was he who had turned all of the Great Qian's military forces into useless entities.
They no longer hid their actions; instead, they acted openly. After all, from top to bottom, they were all their own people.
"Alright, let's talk about the Qian Emperor. Although he won't cause trouble, he cannot be left alive. We must resolve this issue quickly to avoid any unforeseen complications." She Xi redirected the conversation, clearly very wary of Qin Muye.
After all, they had never seen such a formidable Qian Emperor.
"This might not be easy. The Qian Emperor's surroundings are now like an iron bucket. The blood feeders who used to be our informants have received some unknown benefits and have even betrayed us." Ye Yin, if he had any facial features, would have looked very grim.
"Then we'll send the outlaws. They are lawless and can be easily manipulated. Once they kill the Qian Emperor, we can use them as blood feeders to dispose of the body." She Xi quickly proposed a new plan. He was capable, and when he said he would kill Qin Muye, he definitely had a follow-up plan.
"But these outlaws are all rebellious. As blood feeders, they would taste excellent, but using them for this task might be difficult." Su Shu knew that the outlaws, under their guidance, had no good feelings towards the court.
What were outlaws? A group of self-proclaimed heroes who were actually nothing more than street thugs. They might form gangs like the Canal Gang or the Salt Association, or they might retreat to the mountains and call themselves green forest heroes, specializing in robbery and banditry. In short, whatever was illegal, they did it.
However, not all of them were like that. Some were indeed true heroes.
"I remember that the Downhill Tiger Huang Dao was recently arrested and charged with rebellion, and he is about to be executed." She Xi said slowly.
Downhill Tiger Huang Dao was a famous outlaw, a man known for his reputation and connections, who engaged in robbing the rich to help the poor.
"Old Master, do you want Huang Dao to do this?" Su Shu asked, not knowing who Huang Dao was. As a high-ranking official, how could he know such a person?
"Not exactly. Sending Huang Dao wouldn't work. I remember he has eleven sworn brothers, known as the Twelve Righteous in the outlaw community. They are currently trying to rescue their leader, Huang Dao." She Xi paused, and all the non-human races present understood his meaning.
"I understand. I will take care of this matter. I guarantee that within ten days, the Qian Emperor will be assassinated by bandits." The Minister of Justice, a worm-like creature formed by countless wriggling worms, known as the Wriggler, volunteered.
The method was simple: frame Huang Dao's situation on the Qian Emperor, imply that he is a tyrant, and subtly suggest that he also wants to save Huang Dao but the Qian Emperor won't allow it.
Then, guide the eleven outlaws to assassinate the Qian Emperor.
As for how to get into the palace to see the Qian Emperor? That was even simpler. With the help of the non-human noble families and the palace's incompetent guards, it would be easy for the eleven outlaws to infiltrate.
If the palace informants hadn't been removed, it would have been even easier—just have a eunuch push the Qian Emperor into the pond in the imperial garden.
"Good, I'll leave it to you." She Xi, seeing someone step forward to take on the task, had no objections. However, he didn't promise any rewards, as this was not a major issue, and the other party didn't dare ask for any benefits.
Tricking eleven fools into regicide was indeed easy. With the right timing, location, and people on his side, if this failed, the Minister of Justice should not hold his position.
The assassination plan might seem crude, but it would be effective. As long as they didn't do it themselves, the national fortune would not find them.
"There is one more thing. In the coming days, be sure to look for a new Qian Emperor. We need to carefully select him." She Xi got up to leave and added this final note.
The Qian Emperor could die, but the Great Qian's downfall must occur with a Qian Emperor in place. Therefore, they needed a new puppet emperor.
(End of Chapter)
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