Thief Emperor

Chapter 543: Emperor of Jinling
In an era when many heroes emerge, will there be true allies?

The answer is yes.

However, there can be no permanent allies.

Because on this road, at the end, there is a high probability that only one person will be left.

Of course, it is also possible that there are only three people left.

But in the end, they will inevitably become enemies.

Take Jiangdong now for example. Even just because Li Yun developed a little faster, he has been targeted by countless people in secret.

At the same time, there are countless people who are preparing to do bad things in secret.

The assassination of Zhou Chang this time is an example.

Fortunately, Zhou Chang did not die in Jinling, so there is still room for this matter. If he really died in Jinling, even if General Zhou could accept it personally, it would be unacceptable for the reputation of the entire Pinglu Army.

By then, the dispute between Li Yun and the Pinglu Army would not only be a dispute over the Huainan Road, but would likely evolve into a life-and-death battle at all costs.

Under the current circumstances, even if Li Yun could defeat the Pinglu Army, it would take at least two or three years, a lot of resources, and all his cards would be used before he could win.

The world situation is chaotic now. Who can tell what it will be like in two or three years?
This is the sinister intention of the person behind this incident. This person's goal is to drag Li Yun into the quagmire of war and make it impossible for him to escape.

That night, Li Yun sent out four or five letters in his study.

It was not until late at night that Li Yun returned to the backyard and slept for a while in a daze.

The next morning, he came to the study again. At this time, Jiusi had sorted out some information and sent it over. Liu Su was in the study, helping Li Yun organize the documents.

Seeing Li Yun enter the study, she looked up at Li Yun.

"Husband, why don't you take a rest for a while?"

"In these troubled times, there is no rest."

Li Yun stepped forward, hugged her, and then whispered: "Sister Su, please be more careful. From now on, please help me pay attention at home. If you think someone is not right, or if there is something wrong, remember to tell me."

Liu Su thought for a moment and asked softly, "Is it Li Yuan, has an outsider sneaked in?"

"I don't know. I still doubt it."

Li Yun sat in the main seat and opened the sorted documents of the Nine Departments. As soon as he opened them, he couldn't help but frowning.

Liu Su walked behind him and massaged his temples, saying softly, "Sister Lu has been retching for the past two days. She has hired a doctor, who is coming to check her pulse today."

She said gently, "My husband may have another child."

Li Yun then looked up at Liu Su, and his mood improved a little. He smiled and said, "Then remember to tell me when you get the result."

Liu Su lowered her head and said "hmm", then put her hand on Li Yun's shoulder and gritted her teeth: "Husband...where did your husband sleep last night?"

"I finished my work yesterday. It was already late at night. No one disturbed me. I found a place to sleep by myself."

Liu Su kept working and whispered, "From now on, I will help my husband in the study more often. If my husband is busy until late at night, then... then..."

Li Yun smiled and said, "I'll go sleep at your place."

"Ah."

Liu Su nodded and stopped talking.

At this time, Li Yun had already opened the second document. After reading it, he closed it and stood up. He looked back at Liu Su and said softly, "I need to go out for a while."

Liu Su sent him to the door.

"Husband, please be careful."

Li Yun nodded and strode away.

Liu Su stood in the study, touched her belly with her hand, and her expression was a little gloomy.

…………

After leaving Li Garden, Li Yun got on his carriage and soon arrived at the gate of a mansion.

This mansion was originally owned by a wealthy businessman named Sun. Later, because the Sun family colluded with Jinling’s former Jinling Yin, Li Yun confiscated their property, and this place became an official property.

Later, King Wu Yuanyou of Chu and his family came to Jinling to seek refuge with Li Yun, and were arranged to live here by Li Yun.

Sun's house became Wang's house.

At this time, at the invitation of the King of Chu, Li Yun had deployed a lot of people at the door of the house to protect the safety of the mansion.

The leader of these people recognized Li Yun. When he saw Li Yun coming, he hurried forward, bowed and clasped his fists, saying, "Take the seat."

"Open the door, I'll go in and take a look."

"Yes."

The door of the mansion was soon opened.

Li Yun walked in.

At this moment, in the front yard of the house, there were two or three children chasing each other. Looking further away, there was a child of eight or nine years old who climbed up a tall tree, sat on a branch of the tree, and looked outside the wall.

These are all the children of His Royal Highness the King of Chu.

At this time, there was a woman standing under a big tree, constantly scolding the child on the tree, trying to get the child to come down from the tree on his own initiative.

No one noticed that Li Yun came in, because no one had ever entered this house.

Several children who were chasing and playing soon noticed Li Yun. They all surrounded him and looked at him with curious eyes.

Li Yun squatted down, but he was too tall. Even when he squatted down, he was still too tall for these children.

He looked at one of the boys, who was about six years old, and asked, "What's your name?"

The child looked at Li Yun and answered crisply, "Wu Yansheng."

Li Yun looked at another child.

The child was younger and also answered: "My name is Wu Yanliang."

Before Li Yun could ask again, the chubby Prince Chu came running out from the backyard.

At this moment, he didn't even put on his clothes properly. He ran to Li Yun breathlessly, forcing a big smile on his face: "Mr. Li, why are you here?" "I came to see the prince and the princes and princesses in his family."

Mr. Li chuckled and said, "I haven't paid you a proper visit since you moved to Jinling."

As he spoke, he took out a small bag of cakes from his arms and distributed them to the children.

"Bought it on the road."

He explained to His Royal Highness the King of Chu.

His Royal Highness the King of Chu looked at Li Yun, then at the cakes in his hand, and said nothing. He just asked the children to run away and play. He took Li Yun to the main hall of the house and sat down.

After sitting down, His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu smiled bitterly and said, "If you have anything to say, just tell me directly."

"Imperial City Division, how many people are there in Jinling?"

Li Yun didn't waste any words and asked directly to the point.

The King of Chu sighed silently and said, "I don't know exactly how many people there are, but it should be quite a lot."

Li Yun nodded and asked, "How many of the people from the Imperial City Department that Your Highness brought here are from the imperial court?"

When King Wu Yuanyou of Chu first arrived in Nanjing, he brought two or three hundred people from the Imperial City Bureau and presented them all to Li Yun.

Li Yun's Nine Departments were successfully built, and these people also made great contributions.

At that time, His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu said that those people were the "legacy" given to him by the old emperor.

"I do not know."

The King of Chu looked at Li Yun, clenched his fists, and spoke with a trembling voice: "I really don't know."

"I thought…I thought those were my people."

Li Yun looked at him seriously and suddenly smiled: "I believe Your Highness."

"Last time, His Highness said that someone who delivered food to your residence gave you a secret letter from the capital."

The King of Chu nodded and said, "Yes."

"I have already captured the person."

Mr. Li said softly, "Maybe we can catch those people from the Imperial City Division in Jinling City."

His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu sighed and did not respond. Instead, he asked, "Lord Li, what happened?"

"The major general of Qingzhou was assassinated in Jinling yesterday, according to the information I have found now."

"It has something to do with the Imperial City Division..."

His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu's expression changed slightly: "I know nothing about it."

"I know. Otherwise, it should be His Highness who comes to see me today instead of me coming to see His Highness. I have a few things I want to ask His Highness."

"Excuse me, sir."

The King of Chu heaved a sigh of relief: "I will tell you everything I know."

"Last time, Your Highness reported to the court that I was not going to continue to serve as an official. What was the court's reaction?"

The King of Chu shook his head: "No response, at least he didn't say anything to me."

"Besides this, does Your Highness have any other connection with the court?"

"No no."

His Royal Highness the King of Chu shook his head repeatedly: "There is no connection at all."

"Ah."

Li Yun looked at the King of Chu and said with a smile: "I will slowly investigate this matter, but before that, I have one last thing I want to ask Your Highness."

"Say, you say."

The King of Chu said cautiously: "I will tell you everything I know."

"I no longer have the title to lead the southeast, so this may cause some trouble in the future."

"If I become enemies with the imperial court because of the Imperial City Bureau."

"Your Highness, are you willing to be my name?"

Wu Yuanyou was confused: "What...what do you mean?"

"Put it in simpler terms."

Li Yun looked at him and asked, "Your Highness, are you willing to be the emperor? The emperor of Jinling?"

"Let's work together to defeat the rebels and put down the rebellion."

"me…"

His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu was dumbfounded and could not speak for a long time.

"not now."

Li Yun patiently explained to him: "It doesn't matter if Your Highness doesn't want to. If you don't want to, I will think of another way."

When Li Yun accepted Wu Yuanyou, he had this idea in mind. After all, this is a very good banner.

But at that time he was still holding a position in the Wu Zhou court, and his power was too small, so the banner of the King of Chu was of little use for the time being.

Now, he is likely to officially oppose the court, so this banner will be useful.

Of course, for now, this is just a contingency plan for Li Yun and one of the options for the future. It does not necessarily have to be implemented, but preparations must be made in advance.

Thinking of this, Li Yun paused, then looked at Wu Yuanyou again, his voice calm.

"But if Your Highness doesn't want to, in the future..."

"There will be no two kings and three Kes."

(End of this chapter)