Chapter 204 - 133: Seizing Power, Bargaining Chip

"You needn’t worry about that," Li Chang’an said calmly. "Since I dared make such a boast before Your Majesty, I naturally have the ability to follow through."

Su Ying looked Li Chang’an up and down.

She first heard Li Chang’an’s name five years ago. The story was that, at only a few years old, he had managed to escape unscathed from the Witch Ran Qingqiu.

After having him watched for a long time, she discovered he was likely a rare Martial Dao prodigy.

Thus, once he was a little older, she penned him a letter to gauge his feelings toward the Li Yang Imperial Court and invite him to the Martial Arts Examination.

Li Chang’an did not disappoint her.

In fact, events had unfolded almost *too* smoothly.

Li Chang’an had participated in the Martial Arts Examination and even achieved the highest rank.

She had been thrilled at the time, believing Li Chang’an was a talent she herself had discovered and nurtured. To that end, she had even spared no expense in his training.

But now, she suddenly realized she had never truly understood the young man before her.

Her gaze turned cold, her voice icy. "You’ve had your eye on me for a long time, haven’t you?"

Li Chang’an didn’t deny it. Instead, he spread his hands. "Your Majesty, you sent me the letter. You wrote its contents. Weren’t you the one who had your eye on me first?"

Su Ying didn’t answer. She continued her interrogation. "Speak. Were you sent by the Buddhist Sect or the Demon Sect? You’re involved with the Witch Ran Qingqiu. You’re a sleeper agent for the Demon Sect, aren’t you?"

Li Chang’an knew she was on edge right now, ready to see an enemy in everyone.

So, deciding to go all in, he simply returned to his chair and feigned sleep. "Your Majesty, in light of the cultivation and care you’ve shown me, I promise to help you once, free of charge. As for whether you want my help, or what you want me to help with, that is for you to decide. Come find me when you’ve made up your mind."

He paused, then smiled at Su Ying. "I am not your enemy, Your Majesty. With your intelligence, you should be able to figure it out quickly."

Su Ying stared at him for a long time.

In the end, she said nothing, simply turning and leaving.

Li Chang’an didn’t try to stop her.

He was in no hurry.

...

The next morning, Su Ying appeared again at the entrance of the Library Pavilion. Seeing Li Chang’an inside, flipping through a book, she asked in a calm voice, "Can you help me deal with the Grand Elder?"

Li Chang’an set down his book and nodded. "Of course. No problem."

Though she had no idea where his confidence came from, Su Ying had no other options to rely on. She pressed on, "And what about the Demon Sect and the Buddhist Sect?"

"Not a problem either," Li Chang’an replied without hesitation.

Su Ying smiled. "And what price must I pay for you to handle both?"

Li Chang’an mulled it over for a moment. "One is complimentary. As for the other... my request isn’t steep. Just grant me access to the floors above the third in the Library Pavilion."

Su Ying nodded. "You have a deal."

"A deal," Li Chang’an echoed with a smile.

Having settled on his price, Li Chang’an went to a residence outside the Imperial Palace that very evening.

The residence was called Prince Chun’s Mansion. It was the home of one of the most prominent clan elders among the Li Yang Royal Family and also served as the Grand Elder’s base of operations.

The mansion was massive, with a sprawling seven-courtyard layout. Li Chang’an slipped inside like a Ghost, silently taking out several gate guards before entering the rear courtyard, an area inaccessible to ordinary people.

In the center of the courtyard, the Grand Elder was playing a game of Go with the Second Elder.

Five or six decorated members of the Imperial Family were also in attendance, observing the game.

The Grand Elder placed a stone on the board. "How are things progressing? The Demon Sect and Buddhist Sect are making aggressive moves. We can’t drop the ball at this critical juncture."

The Second Elder’s expression was grim. "Preparations are complete, and we’ve negotiated with our contacts outside," he replied. "But they refuse to yield on their conditions. This time, they’ve truly gone too far."

To ensure the Capital City wouldn’t be attacked by the Buddhist and Demon Sects, the Grand Elder and Second Elder had joined forces to seize most of Su Ying’s power. They were merely waiting for the morning court session tomorrow to force her abdication.

Yet even they were indignant and found it difficult to accept some of the conditions set forth by the two Sects.

Of the four conditions, the last two were trivial.

The Empress Su Ying’s abdication. They were already working feverishly on that.

Handing over the Martial Champion Scholar who had injured someone during the Martial Arts Examination three years ago was even simpler; a single order would see it done.

But the other two conditions—banning the Martial Arts Examination in all regions outside of Kyoto and forbidding the Liyang Dynasty from calling itself the orthodox power of the realm—were tantamount to severing the dynasty’s very roots.

Liyang might never recover, unable to ever make a comeback.

The two Elders clearly wanted the Demon and Buddhist Sects to concede on these two points, but so far, their negotiations had yielded no results.

The Second Elder placed a stone on the board and couldn’t help but complain, "That girl Su Ying has been acting recklessly for years. If she hadn’t started this trouble in the first place, we wouldn’t be in this mess. Now, Old Third is in seclusion, and we don’t even know if he’s alive or dead, leaving us two old geezers to clean up after her!"

The Grand Elder toyed with a game piece for a long moment, saying nothing.

A middle-aged man in his thirties standing beside him seemed to understand the Grand Elder’s thoughts.

He spoke up. "Doesn’t that girl always profess her willingness to sacrifice for Li Yang? We could secretly hand her over to the two Major Sects as a peace offering. If that gets them to concede on the first two conditions, then it would all be worth it!"

As they played, they schemed, turning even the Empress herself into a bargaining chip.

...