430: Chapter 430 Deception and Reality

"It's out! It's out!"

"The topic for the first song!"

"Written by the hand of Grand Scholar Zhu!!"

On the second floor of Zuihua Pavilion, a page boy ran toward the crowd, looking excited, and opened the scroll in public.

People on both sides held lanterns, specifically to illuminate the scroll.

"Zhenbei!?"

Upon seeing those two characters, the crowd erupted!

Everyone's faces showed surprise at first, followed by understanding and approval.

Indeed, let alone in the North, even in the world today, what is more worthy of being celebrated than the Prince of Zhenbei?

Of course, writing "Prince of Zhenbei" directly certainly wouldn't be appropriate, so they had to use the two characters "Zhenbei" to refer to him.

Tianxiang Restaurant.

Lin Xiao saw those two characters and couldn't help but chuckle. "This Elder Zhu, isn't he just looking for trouble for me? What is there to write about regarding this?"

"Your Highness, you have pacified rebels within and eliminated enemies without, expanded our territory, and your achievements will last for generations. Even a thousand years from now, everyone will remember you. Using your title as the first song could not be more appropriate," said Yu Yingying with a look of reverence.

The women present also spoke up one after another, expressing their agreement.

Lin Xiao smiled without saying a word. He knew clearly that he was just an ordinary person who only had the opportunity to achieve these things by relying on the system and his Indestructible Golden Body.

Those ordinary soldiers who knew they would die but still dared to go to the battlefield were each braver than him.

Therefore, all Lin Xiao could do was treat the people under his rule well and not let down those who had died.

As for singing praises and the like, in his view, it was completely unnecessary.

Of course, even if he said so, others wouldn't believe him.

"Husband, a few interesting people just arrived."

Xiao Qingxuan whispered from the side, her beautiful eyes looking toward a restaurant next to Zuihua Pavilion.

On the third floor of that restaurant, curtains had been lowered at some point, obscuring the guests inside.

Lin Xiao had already sensed it, but because he was thinking about some issues, he hadn't mentioned it to her.

Seeing that Xiao Qingxuan had also noticed, he smiled and said, "Wife, guess who that is?"

"Their internal energy is profound, there are a full five Martial Arts Grandmasters. Could it be..."

Xiao Qingxuan's eyes showed a trace of astonishment: "The five great eunuchs? Did the Emperor come for an incognito visit?"

Before Lin Xiao could answer, Xiao Qingxuan began to analyze it herself, nodding as she said, "It must be. Apart from the five great eunuchs, I cannot think of any five Martial Arts Grandmasters who would act together."

"They are scattered all around, with only one person accompanying that man; that should be the Director of the Imperial Household Department, Zheng Yangwei."

Lin Xiao took a sip of wine and turned his wine glass. "Eunuchs are eunuchs, but as for the Emperor... hehe... interesting..."

Just now, when that group of people went upstairs, Lin Xiao had been watching; he had already seen those people's panels.

Among the five great eunuchs, he only saw Zheng Yangwei with his naked eye, who was indeed a Martial Arts Grandmaster.

However, to him, Martial Arts Grandmasters were like ants; having a few more or a few less didn't really matter.

What Lin Xiao found amazing, however, were the two people being protected...

[Prime Minister Yang Gengzhong, 74 years old, Prime Minister of the Great Gan, remnant of the Great Zheng Dynasty, Aptitude: mystic grade]

[Traits: Strategy and Planning (Special), High Prestige (Special), Crouching Dragon (Special)]

Damn it!

If it weren't for the fact that his Eye of God couldn't be wrong, Lin Xiao would never have believed that the current Chief Minister, known for his upright remonstrations... was a mole from the previous dynasty!?

But thinking about it carefully, wasn't the "decree of bestowing favors" that caused the Great Gan Dynasty to collapse so rapidly something that Prime Minister Yang Gengzhong had strongly promoted?

No wonder someone like Minister Liu Zongfu could become a third-rank official; it turned out the cabinet had already been controlled by remnants of the Zheng Dynasty!

One must know that Prime Minister Yang Gengzhong was a veteran of three reigns; three emperors of the Great Gan had been played in circles by him!

Over these decades, who knows how many forces from the previous dynasty had been under his protection.

The key was that Prime Minister Yang Gengzhong had not actually gotten involved with the Moon Worship Cult.

What did this mean? They were engaged in a legitimate "Overthrow the Great Gan, Restore the Great Zheng," not playing around with those crooked and evil paths!

Lin Xiao had to admire him. If this guy were even twenty years younger, he would really want to recruit him; he was an absolute talent!

However...

Compared to Prime Minister Yang Gengzhong, Lin Xiao found the one called Lord Hong to be even more absurd...

[Li Sihong (Original name Li Sixun), 50 years old, Emperor of the Great Gan, former Prince of Nanling, Aptitude: Earth Grade]

[Traits: Emperor (Legendary), Great Talent and Bold Strategy (Special), Gold and Jade on the Outside (Special)]

Just by taking one glance, Lin Xiao felt as if question marks were about to grow on his forehead!!

What the hell!?

Emperor Hong is the Prince of Nanling, Li Sixun!?

Then the Prince of Nanling, Li Sixun... could it be that he is the real Li Sihong!?

These two were indeed brothers born of the same mother, but... but how could they swap places to be Emperor!?

Very obviously, this could not have happened in recent years; they must have swapped long ago.

But what exactly happened back then?!

How many people really knew the inside story of this matter?!

If Li Sihong was actually Li Sixun, then who exactly did General Mu Tiexin assist back then?

Could the death of General Mu Tiexin... also be related to this matter?

Could it be that the person Mu Wanying had been hating all along was the wrong person?

Questions abounded!

In a daze, Lin Xiao also remembered that when the Capital Region was in emergency, Emperor Hong conscripted the Red Flame Iron Cavalry of the Prince of Nanling to attack Yong Province.

At the time, in the eyes of many, Emperor Hong doing this was very risky, because the Prince of Nanling might take the opportunity to seize the Capital Region.

But afterward, it was proven that the Prince of Nanling did not do so; the brothers' relationship was quite reliable.

Now Lin Xiao finally realized... these two were in cahoots from beginning to end!

The Prince of Nanling didn't even want to be Emperor back then and gave it to his younger brother, so naturally, he wouldn't take it back now.

During the period of the decree of bestowing favors, although Nanling also blocked trade routes, it was mostly just an act!

If it weren't for his own sudden appearance, perhaps the Prince of Nanling and the Red Flame Iron Cavalry would have been the Emperor's final secret trump card!

Even if Prince Bai killed Emperor Hong, the real "Emperor Hong," the Prince of Nanling, could still regroup and have a second chance to counterattack!

One has to say, if this was the brothers' layout, one could only say... it was terrifying!

It was even highly probable that even a veteran of three reigns like Prime Minister Yang Gengzhong had been kept in the dark!

"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind; these old bastards really know how to play..."

Lin Xiao couldn't help but feel a chill down his spine; if he didn't have the Eye of God, he would never have thought of this, even if he died.

"Husband, what do you mean by that?"

Xiao Qingxuan was puzzled, but the woman was ice-snow smart and couldn't help but have a guess: "Could it be... that the Emperor is fake? A body double?"

Lin Xiao couldn't help but admire her; sure enough, those who became emperors were not ordinary people.

"Wife, this matter is not simple; let's talk about it in detail when we go back."

Although Xiao Qingxuan was curious, she was not in a hurry and smiled: "Very well, let's cast aside worldly affairs tonight and enjoy the romance."

Meanwhile.

Inside the restaurant next to Zuihua Pavilion.

By using the power of money, Emperor Hong and his group forcibly seized a private room.

"Lord Hong, just now this servant was scanned by some kind of aura. It should be that there is a Martial Arts Grandmaster in the Tianxiang Restaurant opposite, and their strength is definitely not below this servant's."

Zheng Yangwei's face was solemn, with a trace of worry.

"Oh? Tianxiang Restaurant... I remember it belongs to the Xie Family of Linyuan, right? Let your fellow disciples go and investigate who is inside tonight," said Emperor Hong.

"As you command!"

Zheng Yangwei's eyes were sharp as he flicked a pebble into the air outside.

In the darkness, on a roof, a figure moved quietly.