Tumor Sword Immortal

Chapter 44 You Can Make Your Own Choice
"No, no, no, no, that doesn't make sense!" Pei Xia shook her head repeatedly, her face grave.

"This is completely unnecessary, utterly unnecessary."

"Isn't there already a ready explanation? You died from a relapse of your old illness."

"Everyone can accept this explanation; no one will think it's wrong!"

"Luo Xian got what she wanted, and the matter is settled. What's wrong with that?"

Pei Xia knew why she was in such a hurry.

Because if the first layer of narrative is to be confirmed, then someone will be implicated for no reason.

Xu Shangxin, she must be an accomplice of the Northern Barbarians.

The old man slowly moved his hand to the extra circle on the side: "Now, do you know what this is?"

When Pei Xia explained the murder to Luo Xian, Chao Cuo asked him what the motive of the Holy Palace was.
One of Pei Xia's answers at the time was: "If the case is closed because the Northern Barbarians killed the Prime Minister, then the people in Da Ling will inevitably be enraged. If we stir things up, we might be able to start a major war."

He looked at the circle on Pei Xi's withered fingertip: "Northern Expedition."

Therefore, Luo Xian would never allow Pei Xi's death to end with "old illness".

She first needs to hollow out the Palace of the Holy Master.

We must also use this opportunity to send troops out of Tiequan Pass!
Pei Xia was silent for a moment, then looked up at Pei Xi, still with a question: "Can you win?"

This is a very awkward question.

Because when Pei Xia explained his motives for managing the Holy Palace, he concluded by saying that "the war was going poorly and the imperial family's prestige was being damaged."

As a member of the martial arts world, Pei Xia didn't know much about the national strength and military power of Da Ling and Bei Yi.

However, judging from the war situation in the north as reported by the common people, the Ling Kingdom was not in a superior position.

Just like the renowned King Xiao in recent years, most of his victories were achieved through defensive counterattacks at Tiequan Pass.

This is only good news that has started to come back in recent years. In the early years, when Youzhou had just fallen, the war in the north was so dire that even Tiequan Pass had fallen.

It is said that Pei Xi has governed the country well in recent years, and the strength of the Great Ling Kingdom has recovered rapidly, but if it really wants to launch a northern expedition, it is not certain that there will be much chance of victory.

Furthermore, since the domestic situation is stable and improving, and a sit-in war is in my best interest, why should I rashly send troops?
Pei Xi remained expressionless; he was not surprised that Pei Xia would ask such a question.

"If you can't even see through the small details, how can you possibly understand the big picture? If you want to know why Luo Xian did this, you need to..."

The old man gripped his sleeve, then waved his hand, sweeping away all the circles drawn with wine on the ground: "Jump out and see."

The ground was now empty, so Pei Xia could only ask, "What are you looking at?"

"Look at Luo Xian."

One detail is that, according to Pei Xi, he always addressed Luo Xian by his given name.

It seems there is no respect.

"Who is Luo Xian?" he asked.

Pei Xia replied matter-of-factly, "It's the Eldest Princess."

“Yes, she is the eldest princess,” Pei Xi said, which was more of a reminder than an explanation, “...she is not the emperor.”

When the late emperor passed away, he entrusted his son to Pei Xi and Xie Zu on his deathbed. One was a civil official and the other a military officer, both capable of maintaining order in the court.

However, these two pillars of the state, one in civil affairs and the other in military affairs, never once served the emperor in the true sense of the word.

The current emperor of the Great Ling Dynasty should be the former crown prince, Luo Fei, who has been in seclusion for twelve years to seek enlightenment.

The path to enlightenment is extraordinary.

When a cultivator reaches the Heavenly Consciousness Realm, their connection with heaven and earth becomes increasingly close, and their keen perception gradually transforms into what is known as "divine consciousness." Because of the unique nature of divine consciousness, which is like observing the heavens and the earth, it is called the Heavenly Consciousness Realm.

However, humans are ultimately too insignificant.

The deeper one's understanding of heaven and earth, the more easily it evokes awe in mortals. For a lowly ant to seek great power through cultivation is essentially to contend with heaven.

The "Proving the Dao Realm" requires cultivators to face the heavens and earth directly and strive forward to prove the Dao.

Luo Fei's ability to reach this point is undoubtedly due to his rare talent in cultivation, and he has been in seclusion for twelve years.

This long period of time was enough for Luo Xian to grow from a "shrimp" into a smiling, powerful beast.

"Frankly speaking, even if Luo Fei were to emerge from seclusion now, it would be extremely difficult for him to fully reclaim his power as emperor, and besides..."

Pei Xi shook his head with a mocking expression, his voice hoarse: "Can a martial arts fanatic really be a good emperor?" Pei Xia understood what he meant: "Luo Xian can?"

"I don't know. Anyway, I don't have much time left. As long as I die quickly enough, even a raging flood can't catch me."

Old Pei looked up, his gaunt face barely recognizable as skin and bones, somewhat eerie: "However, if Luo Fei really emerges from seclusion, then Luo Xian's life will become difficult. She will completely lose the legitimacy to rule the empire, and if she wants to reverse all of this and truly make what she possesses her own..."

There is only one answer.

Usurpation.

Pei Xi asked Pei Xia, "Do you know why Beishi City is called Beishi City?"

Pei Xia nodded: "Fifteen years ago, Youzhou fell. As the first empire spanning four states, being trapped by barbarians was a great humiliation for the entire Da Ling, from top to bottom. So the late emperor changed the capital to 'Beishi', meaning the royal army would pacify the north."

"Yes, the royal army will pacify the north. This is the cause that the late emperor did not finish before his death, and it is also the heart's desire of the entire Da Ling."

Pei Xi let out a long breath: "Those who seize power throughout history must have great achievements to back them up. Therefore, if Luo Xian wants to truly sit in that chair, he has no choice but to launch a northern expedition."

She doesn't even need to achieve the ultimate goal; just winning back one or two of the seven counties of Youzhou would be enough to ignite public support.

After saying all that was said, the two generations of the Pei family sat on the terrace of the waterside residence in silence for a moment.

Pei Xi is the prime minister of a great nation, and his words and thoughts are indeed in areas that Pei Xia cannot access.

Because Pei Xia was neither a so-called elite who had experienced the ups and downs of officialdom, nor one of those exceptionally talented geniuses who could easily outwit high-ranking officials and nobles like fools at a young age.

To reiterate, in the ten years he has been in Kyushu, he has always been a wanderer of the martial world.

You can't say that people from the martial arts world are stupid.

He just thinks about things from a different perspective than you.

Pei Xia slapped her knees with both hands: "I don't accept it."

This sudden declaration made Pei Xi turn her head in surprise: "You won't accept what?"

“My older brother is such a good person, upright, kind, hardworking, and adorable,” Pei Xia said righteously. “She is innocent, she cannot die.”

Pei Xi stared intently at Pei Xia with his deep, weathered eyes, and after careful consideration with his aged but wise mind, asked his child, "Where did you get your older brother from?"

"Don't worry!"

After sorting through all the details, Pei Xia instantly regained his composure. Xu Shangxin was right; he wasn't one to dwell on trivial matters.

He even dared to glare at Pei Xi: "Xu Shangxin is someone you raised since she was a child, how can you bear to watch her die?"

"I raised Pei Yu myself, so what's there to be reluctant about?"

As the old man spoke coldly and ruthlessly, he asked in a daze, "Wait a minute, why is your older brother Xu Shangxin?"

No sooner had they finished speaking than Ye Lu's urgent shouts rang out from outside the waterside residence: "Young Master, Young Master, are you there?!"

Pei Xia glanced at Pei Xi, and seeing that he didn't seem inclined to lie back in the coffin, she simply replied, "What's wrong?"

Ye Lu's voice was anxious: "Yang Xu has brought his men to our door!"

"He still dares to come to our door?"

"They've brought the Feathered Army," Guard Ye shouted loudly. "They've come to arrest the young mistress. They say she's having an affair with the Northern Barbarians, plotting to murder the master, and is committing treason!"

Pei Xia's pupils dilated.

Just as Pei Xi said, Luo Xian had clearly reached a deal with the Holy Palace. Now, she needed to act decisively and set the record straight.

"You go first, I'll be right there!"

Pei Xia gave Ye Lu instructions, then took a deep breath, stood up, and walked out of the waterside residence.

Just as they reached the door, Pei Xi's voice came from the terrace.

The old man said, "There's something I've told you before, and I hope you still remember it."

Pei Xia turned around: "What is it?"

"Yang Xu, Ye Lu, Xu Shangxin."

From within the dimly lit waterside dwelling, came the voice of the Prime Minister of the Great Ling Kingdom, tinged with a faint smile: "You may choose for yourself."

(End of this chapter)