World's First Traitor System (441)

Chapter 441 - The Empress Dowager's Cunning Plan

Peng City, Great Chu.

Yao Guang's submission to Emperor Jiajing was a staggering turn of events that nearly frightened Xiang Chong to death! Earlier, the civil and military officials had requested Xiang Chong attend court to discuss matters.

"Attend court?" Xiang Chong scoffed. "Among all the officials, who could defeat Jiajing? Who could force Yao Guang to submit?" He declared, "I refuse to attend court! What's the point? I need to see the Empress Dowager!"

Xiang Chong abandoned his retinue of eunuchs, palace maids, and guards. Casting aside his imperial dignity, he bolted into Empress Dowager Li's bedchamber.

"Mother!" he cried. "It's over! This time it's truly over!"

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Empress Dowager Li inquired, calmly taking an elegant sip from her teacup.

The Empress Dowager had aged well. Ten years had passed, yet she retained the graceful charm of a mature woman. Clad in the supreme and noble attire of the palace, she outwardly possessed the appropriate bearing and appearance for an Empress Dowager.

"Mother, didn't you see the Sky Phase Mirror?"

Xiang Chong’s face turned deathly pale, sweat was pouring down like rain. "Our backer, Yao Guang—she actually lost! Before the entire world, she knelt and submitted to Emperor Jiajing!"

"Defeat is defeat," Empress Dowager Li replied languidly. "What is there to be so alarmed about?"

Xiang Chong was utterly astonished. With disaster looming, how could the Empress Dowager remain so composed? Unless... she already had a solution?

"Mother, if you have a plan, please tell your son quickly!" Xiang Chong urged excitedly.

Empress Dowager Li, however, remained silent. Instead, Chen Gonggong, bowing low like a shrimp, approached Xiang Chong and presented him with a cup of tea. "Your Majesty, please have some tea first."

Xiang Chong paused. The old eunuch was the Empress Dowager's confidant; every action held significance, and this was certainly not a simple offering of tea. Resigned, Xiang Chong could only lift the teacup and gulp down a mouthful like a thirsty donkey.

"That's better," Empress Dowager Li finally spoke. "My son, you hold the supreme imperial position, and you carry the bloodline of the Grand Ancestor Overlord. As the noble Emperor of Great Chu, you should remain composed even if Mount Tai crumbles before you! Do not cry out in alarm at every shift in worldly affairs."

The Empress Dowager's tone was exceedingly confident, subtly conveying an air of commanding the situation, of patiently waiting like a fisherman. When she finally finished speaking, Xiang Chong realized awkwardly that it had all been empty platitudes and grand principles, without a single piece of practical advice.

"Your Majesty, Her Ladyship the Empress Dowager is supremely wise and has already devised a way to resolve this," Chen Gonggong interjected, playing the role of a supportive attendant.

Some statements, if spoken by the Empress Dowager herself, might sound boastful. But coming from Chen Gonggong, they struck just the right note.

"Her Ladyship's meaning is that since one pillar of support has fallen, we simply find another," Chen Gonggong explained.

Xiang Chong listened, only half understanding. He asked doubtfully, "Find another pillar of support? Is there anyone in this world who can contend with Emperor Jiajing?"

Chen Gonggong beamed. "Since no one can contend with the Great Ming Emperor, then we shall ask the Great Ming Emperor to be the pillar of support for Your Majesty and Her Ladyship. Wouldn't that solve the problem?"

"What!?" Xiang Chong exclaimed. "You want me to betray the alliance and formally align Great Chu with Great Ming? What about the Emperors of Wei, Han, and Wu? Aren't Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Sun Quan my allies...?" As Xiang Chong spoke, his voice trailed off.

In truth, he didn't particularly care about allies; he had merely spoken according to convention.

Chen Gonggong smiled again. "Your Majesty, please remember: Humans are, by nature, and forever will be, self-interested creatures. The fundamental nature of man is the pursuit of personal benefit. In most situations, pure justice is merely a passive virtue."

Xiang Chong listened, dumbfounded! The words coming from the old eunuch, though plainly spoken and easy to understand, were gems of insight, leaving Xiang Chong utterly unable to retort!

"I... I hadn't realized Chen Gonggong was such a learned scholar," Xiang Chong admitted, genuine admiration coloring his features. "A few simple sentences, yet more profound than the principles many Confucian scholars spend their entire lives poring over classics to understand?"

Yet, the more admiration Xiang Chong showed, the more awkward Chen Gonggong became. "Your Majesty," the old eunuch began, looking hesitant.

"Yes?" Xiang Chong prompted.

"Those sentences your servant just spoke... they are from Duke Jin Fan Li's 'The Wealth of Nations' and 'The Theory of Moral Sentiments,' published three years ago. Both sets of books are widely circulated. Does Your Majesty not know of them?"

Xiang Chong's face instantly turned bright red. "That... that treacherous minister's books! How could I possibly read them?"

The old eunuch realized he had spoken out of turn. Over the years, let alone Fan Li's works, Xiang Chong hadn't been seen reading even half a page of the writings of contemporary renowned Confucian scholars.

"Yao Guang has already surrendered to Emperor Jiajing, and besides, our Great Chu is not a major power," Empress Dowager Li finally interjected. "If the world wishes to condemn treachery, they will curse Yao Guang first. That is the first point."

"Secondly, if Emperor Jiajing seeks to unify the world, his true enemies should be the remaining three Great Vehicle realm Emperors: Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Sun Quan. Great Chu poses no threat to him. Surrendering would demonstrate genuine allegiance, and Emperor Jiajing would have no reason to refuse."

Xiang Chong listened and found it made sense. Still, a trace of unwillingness lingered in his heart. "The whole country submitting to Great Ming?" he asked. "Mother, does this mean we will become subjects in Great Ming in the future? The taste of living under another's roof... is truly bitter."

The question of their future status was Xiang Chong's greatest concern. As for the shame of surrender, the ancestors, or the fate of the dynasty itself, he didn't take those matters too much to heart.

"Silly child," Empress Dowager Li laughed. "Surrender doesn't necessarily mean going to Great Ming. We can request to abolish our imperial title, renaming ourselves 'State Lord' or 'Vassal King,' following the examples of the Spring and Autumn period, acknowledging Great Ming as the orthodox power under heaven."

"Then, we request His Majesty Jiajing graciously bestow the lands of Chu upon us, mother and son, as our feudal fiefdom. Could he possibly refuse such a modest request?"

Xiang Chong suddenly understood. After all this fuss, he only needed to relinquish the empty title of Emperor to continue ruling peacefully in his own corner?

"Brilliant!" he exclaimed. "Truly brilliant! Mother! Your son is willing to abolish the imperial title! Call me King of Chu, or Duke, or Marquis – anything is fine. As long as Emperor Jiajing agrees, your son is willing to guard the lands of Chu for Great Ming for generations to come!"

Hearing this, Empress Dowager Li nodded with satisfaction. "The child is teachable. Truly my good son."

Just as the two were feeling pleased, Chen Gonggong thought of someone. He sighed, somewhat dampening the mood. "However, Fan Li still holds great power. And this expedition of his against Great Ci... who knows what the outcome will be?"

"Hmph!" Xiang Chong sneered. "Even if Yao Guang lost, she only lost to Emperor Jiajing. How much weight does Fan Li carry? Does he dare provoke the might of Great Ci? Not to mention Great Ci commands three hundred thousand troops, and my own Empress is personally overseeing them. Wu Gang has slept for ten years, but with the Empress's current cultivation, who under Fan Li could possibly be her match?"

The words had barely left his mouth when a young, trusted eunuch from the Empress Dowager's palace ran in breathlessly from outside the hall.

"Losing your composure before the throne! What sort of decorum is this?" Chen Gonggong glared at the young eunuch and said coldly, "Whatever your business, you'll be dragged out and given twenty strokes of the cane later."

"But... but..." The young eunuch looked utterly aggrieved. "A military report has arrived! Duke Jin led a great army and attacked Chao Ge's imperial city! The Great Ci army and populace have all surrendered. Her Ladyship the Empress fled not far outside the city and was slain by the hand of Sage Ruler of the Sword, Han Yue!"