Chapter 86

A Collaboration with the Eunuchs

The army, a group with an infinitely peculiar nature, is cowardly like a flock of sheep before a strong opponent, yet as ferocious as a starving wolf before a weak one. It absolutely obeys the orders of its superiors, but when the authority of those superiors is compromised, it can mercilessly cut them down. Originally raised to fend off external enemies, the army can become a more dangerous entity than the enemy itself when control over it is lost.

However, no matter how much this army turns into a mob, there must always be someone leading them. For a large group to move effectively, a controlling figure is essential. Therefore, the unchanging truth has always been that to effectively control these two-faced groups called armies, one only needs to subdue a few top-ranking officials. But in the Great Song Empire, this truth was gradually crumbling.

The Great Song Empire, in exchange for its vast territory, had to maintain an enormous military force. It had to sustain a central army of 1.12 million, and a local defense force of 2 million to maintain law and order in each region. Additionally, in preparation for war, it had to assemble and train over 6 million reserve forces during the winter agricultural off-season.

All of this does not come cheap. Just feeding the 1.12 million soldiers of the central army, let alone anything else, costs an astronomical amount. Yet, this army, which has been nurtured with such a vast sum, has now become a threat to the Great Song Empire.

The military force the Great Song Empire deployed to conquer the Liao was a massive 1.03 million. Of these, the actual main combat forces were 350,000 from the central army and 150,000 from the local defense forces. However, to maintain this 500,000-strong combat force, over 500,000 reserve forces were mobilized to maintain the supply lines, sweating and toiling. Furthermore, as some form of reward was necessary for Goryeo, the Jurchens, and the Jeongan Kingdom, who assisted in this war, the Song Empire had no choice but to deplete the gold and silver it had stockpiled over several years.

But the problem was not just the funds. The more significant issue was that while the massive military force was on an expedition abroad, King Jinchun launched a rebellion. To make matters worse, Emperor Huizong suddenly passed away at this critical time, causing the Great Song Empire to rapidly destabilize. It was at this moment that a figure emerged on the forefront of power...

In a spacious room lavishly decorated, a large and ornate chair was placed at the upper end, befitting the room's size. The man sitting in this chair had a physique that matched the grandeur of the chair, being quite corpulent. Though his face's contours were dulled by the layers of fat, his still rather handsome features suggested that he must have been a great beauty before he gained weight. He stroked his mustache and his small, cunning eyes sparkled.

"How did it go?"

A man in his mid-50s, standing beside the corpulent figure, quickly whispered in his ear. As the man began to speak, the corpulent figure, who had been smiling broadly, suddenly grabbed his subordinate's collar.

"Say that again."

"Y-Yes... Second Prince has suddenly gone missing. We are searching for him in every direction..."

"Such fools!"

Thud!

"Ugh!"

The corpulent figure lifted his heavy body and pulled his subordinate, who had fallen to the floor, back up by the collar. His voice was filled with deep malice.

"Find him no matter what the cost. I'll give you ten days. If you don't bring me Second Prince's head by then, your head will be the one to roll."

The subordinate, terrified by his superior's menacing words, broke out in a cold sweat.

"I understand."

Suddenly faced with a death sentence, the subordinate darted out of the room as if every moment counted. But even in his hurry, he did not forget to retrieve his sword, which he had left by the door as part of the protocol for approaching his master.

The corpulent figure watched his subordinate's retreating back and raised his tightly clenched fist. His fist was trembling slightly. He was well aware of the enormity of what he was doing. But he had no other choice.

This plan had been formulated nearly ten years ago. His sister's rapid rise to wealth and power began when she gained the emperor's favor. But no one is foolish enough to believe that a man's love for a woman can last forever. Romantic love burns quickly but cools just as fast. However, his sister made relentless efforts to maintain the emperor's favor, and for over 15 years, she managed to keep it.

But recently, the emperor began to show interest in a new woman. At over 60 years old, he seemed to have lost his mind, becoming infatuated with a beautiful palace maid who was not even 15. The corpulent figure realized it was time to put his long-planned scheme into action. It was only a matter of time before the palace maid and her relatives would use the emperor's favor to commit unsavory deeds, including the inevitable purge of his sister, a rival in love. The corpulent figure had done such things in the past.

He struck first before the palace maid's faction could make a move. Killing the emperor was simple. All it took was to present him with a powerful aphrodisiac, purchased at great cost. The only sin he committed was slightly exceeding the recommended daily dose. As a result, the emperor met his end in the arms of his favored palace maid.

The moment the emperor passed away, the corpulent figure sprang into action. He had already forced his confidant into the position of Chief of the Imperial Guard and eliminated General Yu Yingzhen, the emperor's right-hand man. After eliminating General Yu Yingzhen, numerous figures, shocked by his power, bowed to him. In this situation, promoting his confidants to important positions and solidifying his faction was not difficult.

After killing the emperor, the corpulent figure used his faction to begin the final steps. He had to quickly place his sister's fifth son on the throne. The first prince, a capable emperor, the third prince, with a handsome face, and the fourth prince, with exceptional artistic talent, were eliminated by his confidants. But the problem was the second prince, who had escaped.

The corpulent figure gazed at the night sky and muttered to himself.

"The highest position cannot be obtained by mere force, like King Jinchun. With a bit of cunning, strategy, and a little luck... hehehe."

After staring at the night sky and chuckling for a while, the corpulent figure suddenly asked in a solemn tone.

"What do you think?"

Though it seemed like he was talking to himself, a voice responded to the corpulent figure. It was a hoarse voice that gave a somewhat eerie feeling.

"It could be right or wrong."

"Right or wrong?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"If you have a stronger force than your opponent, relying on brute force might be more effective than using cunning or strategy."

"Hmm, what about my case?"

"In your case, using cunning and strategy would be faster. Your greatest enemy has not yet revealed themselves."

"Not revealed? But the old generals of the military and the senior ministers have already lost their power. The old generals are too busy fighting King Jinchun to pay attention to anything else. The ministers, who rely on their meager knowledge and seek power, are still in shock over the emperor's sudden death. Are you saying there are still enemies left for me to face?"

"If you think about it carefully, you'll know."

After pondering for a while, the corpulent figure answered.

"General Jin Jilong?"

The eerie voice gave a slightly scolding chuckle.

"Hehehe, General Jin Jilong may be powerful, but he is 10,000 miles away. By the time he returns, everything will be over."

"Then King Jinchun?"

"King Jinchun is also preoccupied with fighting General Li Taizhen of the Northern Command."

"Then... hmm, could it be King Zhencheng?"

The eerie voice chuckled again.

"Hehehe, yes, King Zhencheng is also a hidden enemy. The fact that the southeastern forces have not moved suggests that King Zhencheng harbors some dark intentions. He has quietly taken control of the southeastern forces and is eyeing the throne. But the real strong enemy is not someone like King Zhencheng."

"Ugh, then who?"

"Have you heard of the Blood Sect in the martial world? You might underestimate their power, but in the past, half of the Black Wind Sect's forces were destroyed in an attempt to destroy just one of their branches."

The corpulent figure suppressed a groan. He was unaware of the Black Wind Sect's significant losses because the incident was kept secret. If it were revealed that the Black Wind Sect, known for suppressing ethnic minorities and rebel forces, had suffered such a blow, the ethnic minorities would not remain idle.

A figure of his status could have easily discovered such information if he had wanted to. However, the corpulent figure had not paid much attention to the Black Wind Sect at the time. He only began to take notice and harbor open hostility towards them after the Mongol expedition, so he was not concerned about their strength before then.

"Are they that strong?"

"Yes, but fortunately, the Blood Sect cannot fully deploy their forces. They must also be wary of the orthodox sects, which are the strongest force in the current martial world. The orthodox sects seem weak because they are scattered without a central focus, but when a powerful enemy appears, the situation changes."

The corpulent figure nodded, as if he had realized something.

"Good point. Then we don't need to worry about the Blood Sect..."

"That's not the case. They may find it difficult to reveal their full strength, but they might attempt to assassinate key figures on the opposing side. The Blood Sect is skilled in dark arts and has many powerful experts."

The corpulent figure flinched at the word "assassination." Despite the many private soldiers in his mansion, the person he was talking to had entered and exited his home unnoticed. Seeing his expression, the other person spoke in a calm voice.

"You don't need to worry about your safety. Twenty of our sect's experts are providing airtight security."

"Hmm, is that so?"

"Yes."

"Are there any other hidden enemies?"

"No. However, the orthodox sects might also get involved to expand their influence. Of course, only a few of the many orthodox sects are powerful enough to have such ambitions. Moreover, the orthodox sects are not idle enough to pay attention to such matters. We are working to ensure they do not turn their attention to the palace."

The corpulent figure nodded approvingly.

"However, there is one thing you must also ensure. Do not interfere in the affairs of the martial world for the time being. If you antagonize the orthodox sects, they will plot to eliminate you. For a while, the palace must not draw the attention of the orthodox sects. The martial world and the palace are separate domains, and the orthodox sects will pretend not to notice unless something extraordinary happens."

"I understand. I will keep that in mind."

"Thank you, sir."

"By the way, why are you here today?"

"Yes, I bring a message from the Sect Leader. Our sect has started a war with the orthodox martial world. As a result, there will be sword fights in various places. Even if the scale is excessive, we ask you to turn a blind eye, citing the suppression of King Jinchun's rebellion. This will benefit both sides, as the orthodox sects will not have the time to pay attention to the palace while fighting us."

"I understand. I will do as you ask. Tell the Sect Leader that I will treat him well after I seize power."

"Thank you, sir. I will take my leave now."

As the eerie voice bid farewell, the corpulent figure turned his gaze back to the window. The splendid garden, illuminated by the bright moonlight, tried to catch his attention, but his eyes did not linger. The corpulent figure was not in a state of mind to appreciate such things.

'First, I must place my nephew on the throne. After that... hehehe, there is no law that says I cannot become emperor. But first, I must eliminate all forces that oppose me. Control the military, and then the martial world... hehehe.'

The corpulent figure's fleshy cheeks glowed palely in the moonlight.