Chapter 255: Mercy Does Not Command Soldiers!
"Take the death list for example. The vast majority of those who died this time were followers of the Crown Prince, while not a single person on the Fourth Prince's side had an accident. How do you explain that?"
"Furthermore, with Spirit Hall helping us to such an extent, it's hard not to imagine they have some ulterior motive."
"To put it another way, what benefit does Spirit Hall get from doing this?"
Hearing this, Chancellor Qin gave a mocking, light laugh.
"The primary target of their assassination this time was the Crown Prince, so naturally, those protecting the Crown Prince were his own followers."
"As for why Spirit Hall is helping us, you can well imagine—how much has Spirit Hall changed since they replaced their Pope?"
"Even setting that aside, there is one point we all agree on!"
"His Majesty's poisoning was indeed the work of the Clear Sky Sect!"
Chancellor Qin's words were not without merit, causing the room to fall back into silence for a moment.
"Then, is there a possibility that this entire affair was directed and performed by Spirit Hall themselves?"
"His Majesty's poisoning and subsequent detoxification could all be the work of Spirit Hall, simply to win our trust!"
Upon hearing this, Chancellor Qin looked at the speaker as if they were a fool.
"Are you saying that the current Spirit Hall, which possesses dozens of Titled Douluo, would forgo military conquest and go through all this trouble just to win our trust?"
"If they had such a miraculous poison, why would they neglect the essentials for the trivial? Why not use poison to kill everyone instead of going through such great effort just to kill one of our Crown Princes?"
"Is everything they've done just to be on good terms with us?"
Saying this, Chancellor Qin gave a disdainful smile and stopped speaking.
"Enough! All of you withdraw for now, let Us think about this alone!"
After Emperor Xue Ye drove everyone out, he sat desolately alone on the dragon throne.
By this time, Qin Mu had already returned to his room.
Inside his room, Lingyuan, Gui Mei, She Long, and Ci Xue were all present.
Yue Guan had been ordered to escort Qian Renxue out of Heaven Dou City and back to Spirit Hall.
"I really didn't expect Xue Beng to strike so ruthlessly!"
Qin Mu gave a bitter laugh, then downed the tea in front of him in one gulp.
Just as Qin Mu said, this massive rebellion in the Heaven Dou Empire was not actually his doing.
His original goal was merely to use the chaos to have his men pose as the Clear Sky Sect, abduct Qian Renxue, and then release news to the outside world that Xue Qinghe was dead.
At the same time, they would intercept and kill Elder Chen, taking him away.
Since Elder Chen's identity as a Clear Sky Sect mole had already been established, his disappearance alongside Xue Qinghe provided the Heaven Dou Empire with a logical explanation.
This way, the flames of war could be directed toward the Heaven Dou Empire.
But before the operation, Qin Mu had held some private conversations with Xue Beng through Dugu Bo.
Of course, regarding Qian Renxue's infiltration, Qin Mu did not have Dugu Bo mention it.
Qin Mu simply had Dugu Bo vaguely indicate that they had received information that a major battle was likely to occur that night, and the target would likely be the current Heaven Dou Crown Prince.
After the two exchanged more words, Xue Beng eventually seemed to understand something.
That night, the operation that was originally intended only to intercept and kill Elder Chen turned into internal strife within the Heaven Dou Imperial Family!
The people besieging the Crown Prince's Mansion were none other than the forces Xue Beng had secretly cultivated over the years!
Although Dugu Bo's message was vague, Xue Beng heard the information that Xue Qinghe would encounter a crisis.
For all these years, Xue Beng had been feigning weakness under Qian Renxue's suppression. Now that he had news that could turn the tables, how could Xue Beng not seize this opportunity?
If the Heaven Dou Crown Prince didn't die here this time, there was no guarantee that Xue Beng wouldn't follow in the footsteps of the two previous princes in the future!
Thus, when Qin Mu's operation began that night, the manpower Xue Beng had summoned simultaneously attacked the Crown Prince's Mansion.
As it happened, the people guarding the Crown Prince's Mansion were all the Crown Prince's followers; in Xue Beng's eyes, these people were all accomplices to a villain.
Now that the roles of predator and prey were reversed, how could Xue Beng miss this chance?
A massacre thus unfolded within the Crown Prince's Mansion!
As for those attacking the Heaven Dou Imperial City, they were naturally people brought in by Xue Beng and Prince Xue Xing, who supported him from behind.
His going to the palace gates to provide'support' was merely for show.
Aside from Qin Mu and a few other powerful individuals, no one else knew the truth about this battle.
Even the perpetrators, Xue Beng and Prince Xue Xing, were currently feeling smug about the decisiveness they had displayed.
"Alright, let their affairs come to a temporary close."
"Now that Qian Renxue has returned to Spirit Hall, our future contact with the Heaven Dou Empire will be limited to ordinary exchanges."
"No matter how they view this matter, as long as they aren't hostile toward us, nothing else matters."
"Of course, even if they are hostile, it doesn't matter to us."
Hearing this, everyone present laughed relaxedly.
From beginning to end, Qin Mu and his group, including Lingyuan, had no intention of harming the Heaven Dou Empire.
On the contrary, Qin Mu had even treated the toxins in Emperor Xue Ye's body and tied up the loose ends regarding Qian Renxue's situation.
How the Heaven Dou Empire developed in the future would have nothing to do with Spirit Hall.
"Gui Mei, have you contacted the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?"
With the Heaven Dou Empire's affairs settled, Qin Mu immediately set to work on another matter.
"I've already spoken to them. They should be mobilizing their manpower now."
"In a few days, once we've confirmed the location of the Clear Sky Sect, we can coordinate with them."
"By then, joining forces with the two great Sects, we will surely be able to wipe out the Clear Sky Sect in one fell swoop!"
Speaking of this, a trace of excitement couldn't help but appear on Gui Mei's face.
Not just him, but Lingyuan and the others all shared the same expression.
"Mm, then we shall take our leave of Emperor Xue Ye now, stay in Heaven Dou City, and wait for the operation to begin!"
Qin Mu was equally looking forward to facing this old rival, the Clear Sky Sect.
After confirming the plan, Qin Mu immediately met with Emperor Xue Ye to bid him farewell.
Afterward, Qin Mu and his group stayed temporarily in the largest hotel in Heaven Dou City, enjoying a few days of leisure.
On the day before the operation preparations, an imperial official suddenly arrived at Qin Mu's door.
"Pope Qin Mu, our Heaven Dou Emperor wishes to invite you to the palace for a meeting; there are important matters to discuss."
After hearing this, Qin Mu felt a bit puzzled.
Everything had clearly been resolved, so why was he coming to find him again?
However, with Qin Mu's strength, there was no one in the entire Heaven Dou City who could do anything to him.
Out of respect for Emperor Xue Ye's request, Qin Mu decided to pay a visit to the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.
Arriving at Emperor Xue Ye's bedchamber, Qin Mu immediately noticed a brocade tray placed beside the Emperor.
The tray was covered with a layer of red cloth. There was something bulging underneath, though its nature was unknown.
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