son, don't mess around

Chapter 876 Xu Wang and His Son
Northern Prefecture, Xu Wang Mansion.

A few days ago, heavy snow fell, and snow still lingered on the roof tiles in the courtyard. The temperature was much colder than usual.

The cold wind raged, cutting like a knife against everyone's face.

The gloomy sky shrouded this most magnificent and grand mansion in the north.

This once magnificent and bustling mansion has, for some reason, fallen into silence today.

The ancestors of the Xu family once followed the founding emperor of the Great Ning Dynasty in his campaigns to conquer a vast territory and made outstanding military achievements. They were enfeoffed as the Prince of Xu and guarded the northern border for the dynasty.

Over the past century, most of the kings of different surnames who were enfeoffed at the founding of the dynasty have long since disappeared, but the Xu family has remained standing.

Through a century of cultivation, they have woven an extremely terrifying network of power within Xuzhou. It can be said that the entire territory of Xuzhou has long been infiltrated by the Xu Prince's Mansion.

The entire Xu Prefecture was under the control of the Xu Prince's Mansion.

It is no exaggeration to say that many people in Xuzhou only know the King of Xu, but not the Emperor!
Six months ago, the Xu Prince's Mansion launched a rebellion!
Prince Xu Hong, citing the presence of treacherous officials in the court who plotted to murder the late emperor and seize control of the government, supported the Third Prince Li Yuan as the leader of a rebellion to purge the court of corrupt officials.

In just a few days, they took control of the government offices and troops throughout Xuzhou Prefecture and County. Then, the army marched south, sweeping all before them and defeating the imperial army and local reinforcements.

The cavalry of Prince Xu's mansion were unparalleled in the world, rampaging through everything in their path, unstoppable by anyone. This forced the imperial court into a series of defeats, eventually forcing them to retreat to Anping City, thus beginning a protracted war of attrition that lasted for months.

However, all of this was part of King Xu's plan.

The Xu family had been planning and preparing for this for many years. Over the decades, the Xu family mansion had accumulated a wealth of resources, a strong army, and ample provisions.

He was prepared for a protracted war when he launched this uprising. Decades of preparation and the efforts of generations of the Xu family were determined to culminate in a decisive victory this time.

Therefore, they made thorough preparations. They stockpiled tens of thousands of tons of grain and military supplies, and their armor and weapons were countless.

In fact, over the years, the Xu Prince's Mansion has secretly colluded with the tribes on the border, using huge profits to win them over and unite them to resist the Great Ning Dynasty.

Now, what the Xu Prince's Mansion fears least is going to drag things out with the imperial court. Even in a protracted war, the Xu Prince's Mansion's resources are enough to contend with the imperial court for several years.

In contrast, the imperial court simply couldn't afford to wait any longer!

The longer the war lasts, the more detrimental it is to the Da Ning Dynasty; public opinion alone is enough to crush a country.

Xu Hong was well aware that the imperial treasury was empty and could not sustain a prolonged war. More importantly... King Xu knew that Li Cining was physically weak and did not have many years left to live.

Everything went exactly as Xu Hong had predicted, even faster than he had imagined... Li Cining passed away less than a year after ascending the throne!

This unexpected good news came much faster than expected.

With Li Cining dead, the Great Ning court will inevitably descend into chaos. That will be the time for him to raise his arms in celebration and lead his army south to capture the dragon.

What was unexpected was that... before his death, Li Cining actually passed the throne to that eldest princess.

This result was beyond Xu Hong's expectations.

Li Piaomiao?
Xu Hong naturally recognized the girl.

The throne was passed down to this girl who was born with a cold constitution, possessed unparalleled beauty, and had extraordinary martial arts talent, a rarity in hundreds of years, earning her the title of the number one sword immortal.

Even more so, rumors have it that this girl has already reached the realm of a first-grade grandmaster!
A few months ago, this princess appeared on the front lines, became the commander of the imperial army, took control of the troops, and led the army to defeat several offensives by Prince Xu's army.

This woman truly possesses the demeanor of a great general!

Her role in guarding Anping City became a source of great anxiety for Xu Hong.

However, she was ultimately a woman. Becoming a great general might not be anything special.

But Li Cining made such a foolish move... he actually passed the throne to Li Piaomiao.
In Xu Hong's eyes, Li Cining's move was very risky.

He was also extremely incompetent.

He could naturally see through Li Cining's intentions... The Great Ning Dynasty was in chaos, Li Cining had no sons, and the remaining collateral bloodlines were all unreliable. To stabilize the court, the throne had to be handed over to an heir who could command respect.

Otherwise, if the court were to lose control, the resulting chain reaction would inevitably cause the new regime to collapse instantly.

There are no suitable heirs among the royal bloodline. Li Piaomiao, who enjoys considerable prestige in the military, is the best choice left!

Indeed, that girl was the most suitable candidate... If she weren't a woman, she would definitely become Xu Hong's most troublesome and difficult target.

However, Li Piaomiao was ultimately a woman!

This seemingly insignificant point can become the most crucial weakness!
Could it be that Li Cining didn't think of this?

Doesn't he know that... Li Yuan, the more suitable heir to the throne of the Great Ning Dynasty, is now in Xu Hong's hands?
Xu Hong knew that Li Cining wanted to take a risky step, but in Xu Hong's eyes, this new emperor was still a bit too inexperienced.

His passing the throne to Li Piaomiao undoubtedly gave Xu Hong a tremendous opportunity.

And so, just as Li Piaomiao ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor before the imperial army, on the Xu Prince's side, under Xu Hong's instruction, Li Yuan also declared himself emperor, claiming to be of legitimate lineage from the Great Ning Dynasty's royal family.

At the same time, under the pretext of punishing the demoness empress, they announced to the world, united with local forces, and launched an offensive against the imperial army under the guise of restoring the legitimacy of the Great Ning Dynasty!
Although both are of royal blood from the Great Ning Dynasty, Li Yuan is a man, and it is clear to everyone in the world who is the legitimate heir.

Xu Hong was originally worried that if he raised an army to purge the court of corrupt officials, he would inevitably leave behind a lasting infamy even if he seized the throne of the Great Ning Dynasty.

But now, the court's actions have instantly made Li Yuan, whom he controls, the legitimate heir to the Great Ning Dynasty.

In this way, his pretext of "purging the court of corrupt officials" has now become legitimate.

This truly delighted Xu Hong, and even the soldiers and strategists of the entire Xu Prince's Mansion... The imperial court has truly gone mad and incompetent!

Li Cining's move was undoubtedly a blunder, even a foolish one... Before today, from Xu Hong to the entire Xu Prince's Mansion, and even many soldiers in the Xu Prince's army, this was the opinion of many.

They had even begun planning the next major battle, preparing to unite various forces for a final offensive against Anping City.

This time, we must press on with our momentum, march south, and march straight to the capital, breach the imperial city, and help the prince ascend to the throne.

However, just as all the soldiers in the Xu Prince's mansion were excitedly anticipating this day, a sudden message from the south shattered their hopes.

This also left all the soldiers in Prince Xu's mansion, who had been dreaming of gaining merit by following the emperor, dumbfounded.

...He went to the Prince's residence, raised an army, and marched north to quell the rebellion.

They've come to collect them?!
……

"Father!"

In the deserted hall, a young man dressed in brocade robes walked in. His gaze fell on a middle-aged man, who looked to be about forty or fifty years old, dressed in a gray robe, with his hands behind his back, looking at the map on the wall.

The young man in brocade robes stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

After a long while, the middle-aged man slowly turned around, revealing a face full of vicissitudes, yet still showing some rugged handsomeness.

His eagle eyes gleamed with a sharp light, yet at this moment his brows were furrowed and his expression was grave.

This was the first time Xu Xuan had ever seen his father with such a solemn expression... In the past six months, when their Xu Prince's Mansion had raised an army in rebellion, he had never seen his father so worried.

This also made Xu Xuan feel vaguely uneasy.

"Father, news has arrived from outside... The Prince of Lin's Palace has dispatched an army of 100,000, which will be divided into three routes and head north to join the imperial court in annihilating us..." Xu Hong stared at the sand table on the table, lost in thought.

After a long pause, Xu Hong looked up at the young master before him and asked, "Xuan'er, what do you think?"

“Father, we have no way out now, I think…”

A resolute glint flashed in Xu Xuan's eyes: "Neither the imperial court nor the Prince Lin's mansion can stop our grand plan!"

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Xu Hong's eyes: "As expected of my son, Xu Hong. It's truly commendable that you have such thoughts, but..."

Xu Hong sighed deeply: "Father is still worried."

"Is the Prince Lin's residence something that makes Father so worried?"

Xu Xuan asked in bewilderment, "Father, we have been preparing for so many years. Now our Xu Prince's Mansion is strong and well-equipped. Even if the Lin Prince's Mansion comes, so what... They only have 100,000 troops, and they have traveled a long way from the south. Once they reach Xuzhou, how much strength will they still have left?"

"This Xuzhou is the territory of our Prince Xu's Mansion, why should we be afraid of him?"

"Furthermore, are they truly of one mind with the imperial court? Would they really fight to the death against my Xu Prince's Mansion?"

"Isn't Lin Hengzhong afraid to fight my Xu Prince's Mansion to the death, only to have the imperial court reap the benefits in the end?"

"Therefore, in my opinion, Father, our Xu Prince's Mansion may not necessarily lose this battle!"

Xu Hong's eyes grew increasingly gratified; what he appreciated most was having such an outstanding son, his successor.

His son is no less capable or intelligent than him. Given time, he will surpass him.

It was Xu Xuan's existence that finally made Prince Xu decide to raise an army.

He was determined to fight for his son's chance, no matter what!
"That's true, but Xuan'er, you must not underestimate the Prince Lin's Mansion, especially Lin Hengzhong..."

Xu Hong's eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of apprehension flashing across them.

No one knew Lin Hengzhong's terrifying nature better than him.

As princes of different surnames in the Great Ning Dynasty, Xu Hong had crossed paths with Lin Hengzhong in their earlier years. In fact, there had always been some considerable grudges and conflicts between the Xu Prince's Mansion and the Lin Prince's Mansion.

"Lin Hengzhong is more terrifying than we imagined."

Xu Hong's gaze was deep as he said in a deep voice, "This time, the Prince Lin's Mansion has sided with the imperial court. We don't know what kind of deal they made, but it's definitely not a good thing for us."

"Father, you can rest assured."

Xu Xuan's gaze was firm: "Neither the imperial court nor the Prince Lin's mansion can stop us!"

Xu Hong said in a deep voice, "That's not what I'm worried about."

"Then what is Father worried about?"

Xu Hong looked up at the outside of the mansion, his gaze growing increasingly complex and grave: "If it were only the Prince Lin's mansion, we wouldn't need to worry too much. At worst, we could hold Xuzhou and wear them down. The foundation of our Xu family, built over generations, might not truly be unable to withstand it. But what I fear is..."

At this point, Xu Hong said in a deep voice, "The governors of the various prefectures within the territory of the Great Ning Dynasty will defect. Once they truly unite, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Xu Xuan was well aware of this, and his eyes turned slightly cold: "Father, you don't need to worry too much. Those people and our Xu Prince's Mansion are all in the same boat now. If they really turn against us, none of them will survive."

The Xu Prince's Mansion holds quite a few things in its hands.

If the Xu Prince's Mansion falls, those people will not have a good end either.

"I hope so."

Xu Hong's expression was solemn, lost in thought. After a long while, he suddenly asked, "Where is Chaoge?"

"My sister is in the manor. Does Father want to see her?"

Xu Hong narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he had just thought of something: "I heard that Chaoge was assassinated in Jiangnan, and that he was with that Prince Lin's heir?"

Xu Xuan was taken aback, then nodded: "That is indeed true. Why did Father suddenly ask about this?"

"Who assassinated Chaoge? Has anyone been found?"

"Father, it was the Sixth Prince in the capital. He intended to incite conflict between the Prince of Lin's residence and the court in order to seize the throne. However, his plan was thwarted by the Prince of Lin's heir, and his whereabouts are now unknown."

"I suppose he's already dead at his hands."

The Xu family had planted many spies in the capital, so the matter of the Sixth Prince naturally could not be kept from their eyes and ears.

The feud between Lin Jiangnian and the Sixth Prince did not escape the investigation of the Xu Prince's Mansion.

Xu Hong's gaze deepened as he silently murmured the name: "Lin Jiangnian..."

"This kid has a really lucky life!"

"Yes!"

Xu Xuan nodded.

The Xu Prince's Mansion and the Lin Prince's Mansion have a long history of grudges. Over the years, the Xu Prince's Mansion has repeatedly tried to sow discord between the Lin Prince's Mansion and the imperial court, attempting to kill the Lin Prince's heir.

However, he always managed to escape danger.

He's incredibly lucky!
Xu Hong seemed to have thought of something: "I heard that Chaoge has a good relationship with him?"

Xu Xuan was taken aback again, wondering why his father would ask this, but he still answered, "Your subject does not know, but I heard that on the night Chaoge was assassinated, it was the heir of the Prince of Lin who saved Chaoge."

"Afterwards, Chaoge stayed in the Jiang family in Jiangnan to recuperate for a while before leaving... It seems that he had a good relationship with Chaoge..."

At this point, Xu Xuan paused, seemingly realizing something, and suddenly looked up at Xu Hong: "Father, you mean..."

Xu Hong looked up at the distance outside the courtyard, his gaze slightly somber: "The grudges between our Xu Prince's Mansion and the Lin Prince's Mansion are all old stories. Now, our Xu Prince's Mansion is guarding the north of the dynasty, while the Lin Prince's Mansion occupies the south of the dynasty. We don't really want to fight to the death with the Lin Prince's Mansion so that the court can benefit!"

"There may still be room for maneuver in this matter."

Xu Xuan's heart skipped a beat. He realized his father's purpose, and his eyes became somewhat complicated: "Father, do you want Chaoge to..."

Xu Hong didn't say much, just glanced at him and said, "I'll leave this matter to you."

"But, Father..."

“Xuan’er, those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles, and must put aside personal feelings… You are the heir of my Xu Prince’s Mansion, and in the future, the Xu Prince’s Mansion, and even the empire of the Da Ning Dynasty, will be handed over to you.”

"There are some things you need to decide for yourself!"

"There's not much I can do to help you... I hope you won't let me down!"

"..."

(End of this chapter)