"What is there to discuss between us, father and son? Just tell me what you want your father to do." Qing Xiong patted his chest, telling Qing Chen not to be so distant and to speak frankly.
"Before that, I hope Father will first tell me, do you have any intention of rebelling?" Qing Chen asked, "Or, do you want to be the Emperor?"
"Be the Emperor?" Qing Xiong waved his hand. "No interest. The reason your father has come to this point is simply because I am in officialdom and had no choice. If you don't act like a tiger and eat others, others will become tigers and eat you."
To put it more bluntly, Qing Xiong did all this for self-preservation. Now, he has no way to retreat.
Under the external propaganda and hype of the Xia Clan, Qing Xiong had already become the powerful minister and treacherous prime minister who brought disaster to Great Han, the source of all mistakes.
Qing Xiong didn't care about this. It was much better for people to fear and respect him than to be looked down upon and ridden all over.
"Since that's the case, I have already promised the Emperor that the Qing family will never rebel. Father, please withdraw the 100,000 elite cavalry guarding outside the city, or move them further away, so as not to put so much psychological pressure on the Emperor," Qing Chen suggested.
"No! If we withdraw those 100,000 elite cavalry, how can our safety be guaranteed?" It wasn't that Qing Xiong didn't want to agree, but that he couldn't.
Suspecting that Qing Chen had been bewitched by the Martial Emperor, withdrawing the troops was not impossible, but Qing Xiong was truly worried that the Xia Clan would discard him after using him!
The precedents were clear, and he had to be on guard.
Upon hearing this, Qing Chen did not rush to continue persuading Qing Xiong verbally.
Behind him, shadows surged, and a Shadow Puppet emerged from within.
Seeing this, Qing Xiong reacted extremely quickly. He immediately turned around, drew a long sword from the sword rack behind him, and pointed it at the Shadow Puppet. "How dare you! How dare you trespass into the Qing Estate!"
Qing Chen, however, raised his hand and gently moved the sword that was hanging by his ear, Qing Xiong's sword, and said, "Father, there's no need to panic. This item is called a Shadow Puppet, and it is a Puppet controlled by your son."
"Shadow Puppet?" Hearing Qing Chen say this, Qing Xiong recalled hearing similar news from his spies.
"Is it him who killed the assassin sent by Heaven Feather Sect?" Qing Xiong lowered his sword, not rushing to sheath it, and asked.
"That's right." Qing Chen nodded. "This Shadow Puppet is equivalent to a Peak Soul Emergence Realm Cultivator."
"A Puppet at the Peak Soul Emergence Realm?!"
After understanding this, Qing Xiong's heart was filled with both shock and joy.
He was very curious about where Qing Chen had managed to get such a powerful Puppet Magic Treasure.
Logically speaking, even the slightest disturbance in the entire capital should not escape his notice.
Thinking of this, Qing Xiong was not only unafraid of his son Qing Chen, but instead felt very gratified that he had surpassed him!
He was fortunate to have such an all-rounder son, and the continuation of the Qing family line no longer needed to be worried about.
"Your son has over a hundred more Puppets like this one…"
Qing Chen hadn't finished speaking, but Qing Xiong's heart was already in turmoil. 'Over a hundred? Doesn't that mean he has over a hundred Peak Soul Emergence Realm Cultivators! And they are over a hundred absolutely loyal Peak Soul Emergence Realm Cultivators who will never betray him!'
Qing Chen struck while the iron was hot and continued, "Father, in your opinion, can these over a hundred Shadow Puppets guarantee the safety of us, father and son?"
"Yes! They certainly can!"
Soul Emergence Realm, if Qing Xiong remembered correctly, the current Sect Master of Heaven Feather Sect was only at the Soul Emergence Realm, and he couldn't even compare to this Puppet of Qing Chen's.
Now, he finally understood, completely understood, why Qing Chen had the confidence to call Heaven Feather Sect and the Second Prince of Great Han mere chickens and dogs.
This was by no means arrogance, but the confidence that came from strength!
"Withdraw the troops! I will immediately order those 100,000 elite cavalry to withdraw from the capital!" Although he didn't know Qing Chen's intention in doing this, Qing Xiong believed that he wouldn't trick his father.
He was convinced that Qing Chen was playing a grand game, and he, as the old father, only needed to cooperate with him and not overstep his bounds.
[Successful Wife Favoring! Congratulations to the Host for obtaining a random reward: Shadow Puppet +10,000!]
Although he had expected the reward to be generous this time, Qing Chen was still slightly shocked when he truly saw and clearly read the text on the System panel.
That's right, the 100,000 troops were not withdrawn to reassure the Martial Emperor or the entire Xia Clan. It was simply to make his wife, Han Qingyue, understand his "true feelings" for her.
Withdrawing 100,000 elite cavalry for 10,000 Shadow Puppets with the strength of the Peak Soul Transformation Realm, it was more than just a good deal, it was an explosive profit!
As long as Qing Chen was willing, he could summon 10,000 Shadow Puppets in the blink of an eye and sweep across the entire Great Han!
After learning that the 100,000 elite cavalry outside the city had withdrawn, the Martial Emperor's heart, which had been hanging for nearly ten years, finally settled down.
"It seems Han Qinyue truly found a good son-in-law for me!" Han Cheng said with satisfaction.
State Preceptor Xiao He, who was beside him, looked as if he wanted to speak but hesitated.
"State Preceptor, feel free to speak. We are not outsiders," Han Cheng noticed the change in his expression and gestured.
"Now that the threat outside the city has been eliminated, Your Majesty, why not take the opportunity to completely remove Qing Xiong, this thorn, from Great Han?" Xiao He was worried about eavesdroppers, so he leaned in and whispered into Han Cheng's ear.
"No, many civil and military officials in the court still belong to Qing Xiong's faction. Acting rashly would only backfire and cause great chaos in the court."
"Secondly…"
Compared to Qing Xiong, Han Cheng was now more wary of Qing Chen. He considered himself a judge of character, yet he couldn't see through Qing Chen.
He didn't believe that with Qing Chen's cunning, he wouldn't have thought that if the 100,000 elite cavalry withdrew, he might make a move against the Qing family.
Since that was the case, Qing Chen daring to let Qing Xiong withdraw the troops meant he must still hold a trump card that would prevent him from making a move.
Therefore, Han Cheng chose to wait and see.
Little did he know, this decision directly saved the Xia Clan and averted a crisis of annihilation.
The trump card Qing Chen held now was far beyond what 100,000 elite cavalry could compare to.
If Han Cheng was unwilling to be graceful, Qing Chen wouldn't mind helping him be graceful and changing Han to Qing!
Of course, if Qing Xiong truly didn't want to be the Emperor and suffer the burden and public scorn, Qing Chen wouldn't mind advancing the plot and helping his wife, Han Qingyue, become the Empress…
Returning to the Royal Study.
After clarifying Han Cheng's attitude, Xiao He no longer brought up the matter of destroying the Qing family.
Instead, he brought up another matter, "Regarding the Cultivator who previously assassinated Qing Chen in the palace, your subject has investigated and found that he came from Heaven Feather Sect."
"Heaven Feather Sect? Is this related to the Second Prince?" Han Cheng was startled and stopped writing.
He didn't think that Heaven Feather Sect was simply trying to eliminate evil and protect the country.
And among all the Xia Clan members, the one closest to Heaven Feather Sect was his second son.
"Most likely related," Xiao He gave his judgment.
"Go, have someone throw the body in front of that rebellious son's mansion gate." Han Cheng did this to warn the Second Prince not to cause any more trouble.
What he could find out, the Qing family could also find out. If things really escalated, he shouldn't blame anyone for not reminding him and collecting his corpse!
"Yes."
...
Qing Estate.
Han Qingyue suddenly sat up in bed, startled awake.
She had a "very terrifying" dream