Chapter 839

Li Chuyuan stood before the familiar Prince of Chu’s residence, almost shedding tears.

More than two years had passed, and he had finally returned to the home he longed for day and night. However, the moment he saw Cao Zhengtong emerge from the Prince of Chu’s residence, his joy of returning home turned into resentment.

Emerging with Cao Zhengtong was the Prince of Chu, who now looked at Li Chuyuan with considerable disbelief.

“How dare you escape from Qingzhou Province and return to Lin’an? Do you not know the consequences of doing so?”

Seeing Li Chuyuan, the Prince of Chu, instead of offering warm greetings, harshly reprimanded him, which made Li Chuyuan’s face even uglier.

To avoid alerting the Cao family and “beating the grass to startle the snake,” his return to Lin’an this time was extremely secretive. Even the Prince of Chu had not known.

“Father King, this time I, your son, did not return on my own initiative. Rather, His Majesty ordered me to return.” Li Chuyuan’s tone was very indifferent. His father’s attitude just now left him deeply disheartened.

He even suspected that his father’s promises to him back then were nothing but a trick. Anyway, his father had many sons, and if he died in Qingzhou Province, someone else would naturally take over the position of Prince of Chu.

“His Majesty!” The Prince of Chu was somewhat surprised. “Why would he let you return to Lin’an?”

Li Chuyuan’s heart grew colder. Now, his father was acting entirely like he was interrogating a prisoner. He felt none of the warmth of a father-son reunion.

After a moment of contemplation, he said, “I, your son, am not very clear. That day, His Majesty summoned me for an audience and merely said that I did not need to remain in Qingzhou Province, because he greatly trusted my imperial father.”

“Nonsense! This Xiao Ming must have malicious intentions.” The Prince of Chu paced back and forth restlessly. After the Northern Expedition ended, his mood became unstable.

Because Xiao Ming in the north was like a murderous sharp sword hanging over his head, ready to strike at any moment.

“Your Highness need not worry. I, your humble servant, believe that Xiao Ming letting the Prince back carries ill intent, to lure Your Highness into raising an army.” Cao Zhengtong’s expression was strange, but he only spoke half of his thoughts. The other half was not suitable to say now, which was that it was also to deal with their Cao family.

It could be said that this was Xiao Ming’s open scheme.

The Prince of Chu’s emotions gradually calmed down. He nodded slightly. “You are right. If it were before, I might have fallen for his trick. But now, the State of Chu needs time. However, since Xiao Ming let Chuyuan return, he must already be wary of the State of Chu.”

“The Cao Family Banks in Qingzhou Province were almost entirely eradicated overnight. This shows that Xiao Ming is already targeting the Cao family and the State of Chu. Your Highness, our time is running out,” Cao Zhengtong said seriously.

The Prince of Chu was somewhat worried. “If war breaks out between north and south now, I estimate the State of Chu has no chance of winning. What should we do?”

A strange glint flashed in Cao Zhengtong’s eyes. He instigated, “Your Highness, the only solution now is to open up private militias and allow merchants to train troops. This way, with the power of the merchants’ council, we can jointly resist the northern invasion.”

In an instant, Li Chuyuan’s face turned ashen. He angrily said, “Father King, you absolutely cannot allow the merchants’ council to possess military power! Otherwise, the State of Chu will no longer be the State of Chu, and then Xiao Ming will not spare the State of Chu even more!”

“Prince, why do you say that? Now the merchants’ council and His Highness the Prince of Chu are one entity. Our common enemy is Xiao Ming. How could the merchants’ council be detrimental to Your Highness?” Cao Zhengtong appeared harmless.

The Prince of Chu frowned. He also had some doubts. However, just as Cao Zhengtong said, Xiao Ming’s army was about to march south, and he now seemed to have no choice.

Because cooperating with the merchants’ council offered a glimmer of hope, while facing it alone meant certain defeat.

Sighing deeply, he said to Cao Zhengtong, “As long as the State of Chu can be preserved, I will agree to your terms.”

Cao Zhengtong was overjoyed upon hearing this. He was now truly grateful to Xiao Ming, because it was Xiao Ming’s threat that allowed them to obtain what they had long yearned for.

Li Chuyuan opened his mouth, then said anxiously, “Father King must be mad! The Cao family will destroy our Li family’s foundation!”

“Shut up! You have no say here! I know what you’re thinking! Did Xiao Ming confuse you with a few words? Wasn’t Prince Wei his own uncle? What was his fate? Do you think he will spare us?” The Prince of Chu suddenly flew into a rage, loudly rebuking Li Chuyuan.

Cao Zhengtong could see through it. How could he not see through Xiao Ming’s intentions?

After a pause, he said, “Since you’re back, be a good Prince. If you dare to disrupt the State of Chu, I will absolutely not spare you.”

Li Chuyuan’s face was pale. At this moment, he finally despaired of his father.

The Prince of Chu paid no attention to Li Chuyuan’s expression. He said to the guards behind him, “You are responsible for protecting His Highness the Prince. You must not let anything happen to him.”

The guards, hearing this, immediately walked behind Li Chuyuan.

Cao Zhengtong revealed a victorious smile. The Prince of Chu had indirectly placed Li Chuyuan under house arrest. Now, his fear of Xiao Ming had blinded him, and this was precisely the opportunity for their merchants’ council.

They had received news that Xiao Ming would not immediately attack the State of Chu, because attacking the south was no simpler than campaigning against the barbarians in the north. He would need some time to prepare for a southern expedition.

After all, the war with the barbarians had consumed a lot of resources in the north.

Thinking of this, Cao Zhengtong continued to say to the Prince of Chu, “Your Highness, our envoys sent to the grasslands and Japan have all brought good news. Lord Yamada of Japan has agreed to jointly deal with Xiao Ming, and the Golden Tent Khanate is even more so. Once Xiao Ming dares to march south, it will be a chain reaction.”

The Prince of Chu nodded in satisfaction. This was why he trusted the Cao family. Now, the situation in the State of Chu was developing in a more favorable direction.

As the group was speaking, a carriage passed by on the street outside the residence. Through the gaps in the carriage curtains, a pair of eyes observed the Prince of Chu and the others.

This person was none other than Li San.

To ensure the assassination of the Prince of Chu would succeed in one fell swoop, he personally came to Lin’an to plan. Now, he had thoroughly understood the environment around the Prince of Chu’s residence and had also formulated different plans.

For him, the best opportunity would be when the Prince of Chu went hunting. At this time, he could not only kill the Prince of Chu but also make a perfect escape.

However, if the Prince of Chu canceled the hunt, then they would have to act in Lin’an City, but escaping completely would be very difficult.

Glancing at Li Chuyuan, Li San lowered the curtain. He pondered in his mind when to act.

From the situation just now, the conflict between the Prince of Chu and Li Chuyuan had already become public. And according to the intelligence he had received, many powerful families in the State of Chu were also very much against the Prince of Chu relying on the Cao family.

It could be said that the undercurrents of conflict were already surging in the State of Chu. If the Prince of Chu were killed now, the dissatisfied conservative forces would surely side with Li Chuyuan.

By then, the internal contradictions of the State of Chu would surely intensify, and this was precisely what they needed.