Madam, please ascend.

Chapter 263 The chess player
Qin Dingfeng looked at Yun Yi again and said with a smile, "I didn't expect that the person who planned to destroy the Tiancan Sect would be so young. No wonder the little junior sister and the eldest princess both look at you differently."

"Prime Minister Qin, thank you for your compliment, but now is not the time for polite conversation."

"Oh?"

"After all, you killed Prince Duan of Daxia, didn't you?"

Qin Dingfeng looked around and found that Yun Yi, Su Qing and Bo Yue had surrounded him. Moreover, the eldest princess had a complicated expression and it was obvious that she was suspicious of him.

He laughed out loud and said, "You actually figured it out. Could it be that my old servant killed someone and left a clue?"

"No, actually, I also thought it was done by a prisoner at first."

"Then how did you think of me later?"

"The death of Prince Duan Su Cen will benefit Da Xia, not harm it. If the Da Yan prisoners kill him, they will only expose themselves. Therefore, they will not waste the opportunity to assassinate an insignificant prince."

Yun Yi continued, "But you, Prime Minister Qin, are different. You are wholeheartedly concerned about Daxia. In your opinion, Su Cen's death is the best thing. At the same time, it can force the prisoners to act quickly, and once they act, you will kill Helian Ran.

"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Prime Minister Qin wants to be the oriole."

Su Qing sighed, "No matter what, Su Cen is the prince of Daxia. If you want to kill him, you should judge him according to the law."

"It should be so. However, I wanted to use Prince Duan's head to force the prisoner out. This way, his death would be a well-deserved one."

Qin Dingfeng smiled bitterly and said, "Without Shan Changqing, the border of Great Yan has suffered a heavy blow. After this battle, Crown Prince Helian Ran will keep a low profile and avoid causing trouble when he returns. And Her Royal Highness, the Princess, has established a good relationship with the Great Yan Imperial Master through tonight's incident, and will surely benefit from it in the future.

"So, my Great Xia has only sacrificed one prince."

Yun Yi added: "There are also many innocent people in Dong'an who have suffered."

Qin Dingfeng's face was filled with grief: "There is no other way. When two countries fight, there must be sacrifices."

He didn't look fake, and his clothes were stained with ashes, which showed that he had indeed put in a lot of effort in putting out the fire and saving lives tonight.

This kind of person is the most troublesome existence. If you stand on the opposite side of him, you can't kill him, but ignoring him will leave hidden dangers.

Qin Dingfeng saw the confusion among the crowd and said with a carefree smile, "Although my junior sister and I haven't said it explicitly, we actually both view the crucifixion plan as a competition. In this battle of the Dao, I am ultimately a bit behind."

Su Qing said: "Daxia has not completely lost to Dayan. Prime Minister Qin's words are premature."

"That's not the case. The Princess has been back in the court for some time now, and she should have seen through the deep-seated ills of Great Xia. They can't be cured overnight. And with all due respect, the current emperor is incompetent. Unless the retired emperor wakes up, the fall of Great Xia is only a matter of time."

"Qin Xiang really thinks... Da Xia is beyond salvation?"

"A dynasty, like every mortal, has its own destiny. While a mortal's life can be extended through spiritual practice, a dynasty must find someone to turn the tide."

Su Qing glanced at Yun Yi and saw him nod slightly, so he asked, "Prime Minister Qin is unwilling to be the one to turn the tide?"

Qin Dingfeng laughed heartily after hearing this and said, "Of course I am willing, but I have made a grave mistake. There is no place for me here anyway."

He said this with a smile, and inexplicably shed two tears, "As for the reason, I think Master Yun knows it best."

Yun Yi nodded and said, "Prime Minister Qin must have sensed the presence of Futian Pavilion, so he is standing by and watching to protect himself." "Young Master Yun seems to know Futian Pavilion very well?"

"What Futian Pavilion did was nothing more than to stir up a war between Da Yan and Da Xia, dragging the secular world into endless disputes so that they could fish in troubled waters."

Yun Yi pointed at Shan Changqing's corpse and said, "Daxia's Prince Duan Su Cen is a pawn of Futian Pavilion, and so is Shan Changqing of Da Yan. Their actions are somewhat similar. They don't care about whether their country can become stronger, but only care about how to provoke disputes."

Qin Dingfeng felt the same way: "If Shan Changqing kills Helian Ran, Da Yan will definitely raise an army to avenge the crown prince. If Prince Duan is not stopped, he will also collude with Da Yan, and with internal and external support, he will destroy Da Xia sooner or later."

"To be honest, I once suspected that Prime Minister Qin was also a pawn of Futian Pavilion."

"Oh? So you don't doubt me now, sir?"

"Zuixianlou left a batch of wine for Prime Minister Qin. Lu Ziwei also hid there when she infiltrated Daxia. I believe Tianshuyuan must be behind Zuixianlou. For you, the conflict between Daxia and Dayan is like a chess game, but the players are still united and will never fight against each other."

Yun Yi's bold speculation was also related to Lu Ziwei's reminder.

Qin Dingfeng replied, "That's right, although it may seem a bit arrogant... In the eyes of Tianshu Academy, the world is like a chess game, and all living beings are pieces."

"Winning or losing on the chessboard is indeed important, but there are also wins and losses outside the chessboard."

"Mr. Yun really sees things clearly."

"The Futian Pavilion is simultaneously making plans in Daxia and Dayan. Doesn't Prime Minister Qin want to confront it? I just asked Lu Ziwei, and she plans to cause a big commotion when she returns to Dayan this time."

"Of course I don't want to admit defeat. I accept defeat to Junior Sister, but I refuse to accept defeat to the giant hand that is trying to secretly control Daxia."

At this time, Su Qing finally spoke up and said, "Since Prime Minister Qin is not convinced, why not work hard for a few more years? Now that Su Xin and Su Cen are no longer holding the court of Daxia back, I think you can also realize your ambitions."

Qin Dingfeng's eyes were filled with shock. "But I did kill Prince Duan, and I also forced prisoners to attack Her Royal Highness the Princess, and I also left Dong'an City in ruins."

"I have something in common with Prime Minister Qin. I would rather suffer some losses as long as it benefits Daxia."

"This..." Qin Dingfeng thought that he had completely lost the game since he failed to kill Helian Ran, but unexpectedly, there was still a chance for a turnaround.

He bowed deeply to Su Qing and said, "I am grateful to the Princess for not abandoning me. I will do my best to serve you!"

Su Qing, however, stepped aside to avoid the ceremony. "I hope that Prime Minister Qin will put aside past grudges. Although the current emperor is not a good ruler, he may be able to maintain the status quo after careful guidance."

Bo Yue didn't understand these social conventions, so he quietly approached Yun Yi and said, "Your sword has improved again. That's really good news."

"I wonder what Brother Boyue's plans are going to be. Will he return to Fuyao Sect to continue his cultivation?"

"It's a rare opportunity to come out, I don't want to go back early."

"Why don't we go to Dayan and visit the Qinglian Sect?"

"The Qinglian Sect is a good place to go. I can experience the Qinglian Sword Intent... Oh, and I can also see Lian Xin. But he's too sharp-tongued, so I try not to talk to him."

Yun Yi smiled with a hint of success, "In that case, please, Brother Boyue, help me pass on a message."

(End of this chapter)