Chapter 302: The Padishah’s End Game
“Really?”
“Heh!”
The Padishah laughed lightly. Just as Sean didn’t believe his tall tales, it was clear that he didn’t believe Sean’s either. He asked, “Does it matter whether you’re interested or willing?”
“Just now!”
“You were lecturing me about the way of the king. Have you ever thought about what it means to be a vassal?”
“Obeying orders is a soldier’s duty!”
“If I were to really give you this supreme position, would you resist it simply because you’re not interested?”
There’s no denying it!
The Padishah is not only powerful, but also a master of sophistry. Regardless of how you answer the same question, it’s always wrong!
Do you want to be the emperor?
Alright!
You’re nurturing rebellious thoughts, acting against your superior!!!
You don’t want to be the emperor?
Alright!
You’re resisting orders, deserving of decapitation!!!
Damn!
Sean frowned, so should I want to be the emperor or not???
According to the Padishah, there’s only one truth!
What he says!
What to do!
Sean realized that he didn’t have the right options, so he simply stopped expressing his own opinions and said directly, “Whatever Your Majesty commands, I will do!”
The Padishah was finally satisfied!
“For the past five years, your every move, every word, and action in the North have been clear to me. Defending the country and the borders was your trial!”
“As for the sword and knife just now, they were your tests!”
“If you couldn’t block them, you’d die!”
“You blocked them!”
“I would consider adopting you as my son and adding you to the list of heirs to the throne…”
The Padishah’s voice kept coming, making Sean more and more confused!
Is he serious???
“However!”
The Padishah turned the conversation, and continued, “Before that, I have a very important task to entrust you with!”
“If you do it well!”
“It’s not only for the benefit of the country to eliminate traitors, but also to clear the obstacles on your path to the throne!”
Upon hearing this!
Sean’s face changed again!
This is…
Was the fox’s tail finally about to be revealed after all that foreplay?
“Oh?”
Sean was curious, “What kind of task?”
“The South Forest Uprising!”
When he mentioned this, the Padishah’s voice suddenly became a bit gloomy, he huffed, “Fergus Archer is naturally rebellious and untamed. Your execution of this rebel is considered to have eliminated a calamity for my Kisia!”
“However!”
“The South Forest barbarians have recently been restless, amassing an army of 50, 000, intending to rise up to the north and destroy the foundation of Kisia!”
Fergus Archer was the leader of the barbarians!
And the barbarians!
They were naturally warlike, disrespectful to the law, and have always coveted the Central Plains. This time, Sean’s execution of Fergus Archer and the three great tiger generals brought by Fergus Archer into the capital might seem gratifying, but it also gave the South Forest barbarians an excuse to march north!
After all!
Fergus Archer had a total of eight great tiger generals under his command. Sean killed three of them, and there were still five left in the South Forest. With the death of Fergus Archer, the remaining five great tiger generals would naturally seize power, take control of the barbarians!
And marching north to avenge Fergus Archer was undoubtedly their best means of rallying the people!
“What does Your Majesty mean?”
Sean was not stupid, naturally hearing the hidden meaning in the Padishah’s words!
Sure enough!
Just as Sean had expected, a moment later, the Padishah’s voice came again, “Fergus Archer was killed by you, and the South Forest Uprising was caused by you!”
“So!”
“You have a responsibility, as well as an obligation, to lead troops to the South Forest, to pacify the barbarians, and stabilize my Kisia!”
It seemed to make a lot of sense…
However!
Sean was not very happy!
Executing Fergus Archer was clearly an order from the Padishah, conveyed directly to Sean by the King of Night. It was also the Padishah who lent the Cauldron to Sean, helping him advance into the Bright Realm!
So why in the end, it became Sean’s fault???
After killing Fergus Archer, he still has to lead troops to South Forest to suppress the uprising!!!
“How so?”
Although the Padishah had never shown up, and Sean couldn’t see him, it was as if he could see every minute expression on Sean’s face. Seeing Sean’s hesitation, he asked, “You’re unwilling?”
“Sure!”
Sean sighed inwardly, “Defending the country and keeping the peace, is the responsibility of every man!”
“Executing the rebels is part of my duty!”
“But…”
Now Cecilia and Phyllis were in the capital. If he rushed to South Forest to suppress the rebellion, he naturally couldn’t bring the two of them with him!
But!
In the battle at Prince Adam’s mansion, Sean killed so many men under Ashby’s command, and his relationship with Ashby had completely broken. If he left, and Ashby attacked Cecilia and Phyllis, what would he do?
“I know your concerns!”
The Padishah said, “Ten miles west of the Imperial City, there is a newly built mansion. It has been in preparation since the day you retired. It is called the Palace of Wolf, specially prepared for you!”
“Later!”
“I will issue a decree, appointing you as General of South, sending you to South Forest to suppress the rebellion. As for your wife and children, they will live in the Palace of Wolf, and I will dispatch fifty royal guards to protect their safety!”
Upon hearing this!
Sean was shocked to the core!
Palace of Wolf?
It seems impressive!
The key point is!
The Padishah’s earlier remarks about the throne, if they were made in jest, could not be taken seriously. However, the Palace of Wolf is real!
At least!
It proves one thing!
From the day Sean retired from the North, he has been on the chessboard of the Padishah. The Padishah has been retreating and practicing, never appearing, but he has been controlling everything in the dark!!!
“I also know!”
The Padishah ignored Sean’s shocked expression and continued, “Before you came to the capital, you had promised your family that you would hold a wedding with your wife on May 20th!”
“Today!”
“Is May 10th!”
“So!”
“There are only eight days in between. Within these eight days, you must suppress the South Forest Uprising. When you return victorious, I will announce to the world, adopt you as my son, and grant you a marriage. I will hold a grand wedding for you in the Imperial City!”
“By then, everyone will celebrate, and the whole nation will rejoice!”
After hearing this!
The Padishah sounded sincere!
And Sean!
Listening, he was dumbfounded!
Adopted son?
Granting a marriage?
Is he really planning to place me on the throne?
Just moments ago!
Sean didn’t believe it at all!
Now!
He started to believe a little, because the Padishah spoke too convincingly. Sean had no royal blood, so he would be adopted. The Palace of Wolf was ready, and the wedding day would go as they had said. Suppressing the South Forest Uprising was a great accomplishment. When he returned victorious and announced it to the world, who could rival Sean’s limelight?
Even if he were to ascend the throne in the future, it would be logical and natural!
“But…”
This time, Sean did not refuse hastily, but hesitated, “The South Forest borders the mountains. The barbarians have tamed many poisonous insects and fierce beasts as pets. Their combat power is extraordinary!”
“Eight days!”
“What if there’s not enough time?”
When it comes to marching and fighting, Sean is definitely an expert in this field. The barbarians have gathered an army of 50, 000, taking advantage of the terrain of the mountains in the South Forest and the assistance of those poisonous insects and fierce beasts, eight days is too short!
Even for Sean, he dared not say that he could definitely take it down within eight days!
Unless!
He was given hundreds of thousands of soldiers to flatten the barbarians and sweep them away!
“Heh!”
The Padishah heard this and laughed, “Don’t worry, among the remaining five great tiger generals in the South Forest, three are mine. They will help you suppress the rebellion and then control the barbarians!”
“So!”
“What you need to do is simply lead your troops there, go through the procedures, put on a show, gild yourself, and pick up a military merit that will allow everyone to sing your praises!”
“Eight days is enough!”
Damn it!
Damn it!
Damn damn damn!!!
Sean was almost shocked by the Padishah’s words!
The remaining five great tiger generals!
Three of them are actually the Padishah’s men???
Then what’s the point of fighting!
Just as the Padishah said, his task is to go to South Forest to suppress the rebellion, which is actually just picking up the scraps!!!
This kind of thing!
It’s simply a cheat code, no matter who you send, even a pig, could return victorious in eight days!!!
“This! Is this the way of an emperor???” Sean was in awe! Truly in awe!!! After the Padishah spoke, he asked, “Do you have any other questions?”
“Yes!” Sean took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart, and struggled to calm himself down. He spoke in a low voice: “On a whim today, I killed several elites under the command of the crown prince. He must be desperate to get rid of me now!”
“If he knew about your arrangement, Your Majesty, I fear…”
He didn’t finish the sentence, but the meaning was clear! Over the years, Ashby and Roscoe had been fighting each other for the throne. They wanted to succeed as emperor one day. If they found out that their hard-fought battle ended with Sean, an outsider, seizing the throne, they would probably explode with anger!!!
Who knows, it might even cause a civil war!!!
“Alas!” The Padishah sighed and said, “Although Roscoe is mediocre and lacks ability, he still has some principles and understands the importance of the big picture!”
“But Ashby…”
“This boy!”
“He’s been competitive since he was a child and will stop at nothing. He’s secretly colluding with Fergus Archer, and their target is not just the throne. Heh, he thinks my old bones are useless and wants to replace me!”
“I’m well aware of this!”
To put it bluntly, Ashby is plotting treason. It’s not just Roscoe’s faction he wants to eliminate, but also the current Padishah!
Otherwise, he wouldn’t dare to take a huge risk and choosing to cooperate with a dangerous person like Fergus Archer!
Sean had thought of this too!
However, what Sean couldn’t figure out was, even if Ashby and Fergus Archer joined forces, they could easily deal with Roscoe, but how could they stand against the current Padishah?
Especially after his recent confrontation with the Padishah, Sean felt even more so that even if Fergus Archer got his wish and truly used the Cauldron and Black-Scaled Python to enter the Bright Realm, he couldn’t possibly fight against the Padishah!
Sean was a living example!
He couldn’t figure it out!
So, Sean asked, “Since Your Majesty knows their plans, why let them fight for the inheritance, let Fergus Archer come to the capital, stir up the situation, but not stop them?”
Logically speaking, with the Padishah’s supreme status and Bright Realm strength, it would be easy to stop Ashby and Fergus Archer from secretly colluding, or even to eliminate them!
But strangely enough, the Padishah turned a blind eye and showed a laissez-faire attitude under the guise of secluded cultivation!
“Stop them?”
“Do you think I don’t want to?”
“No!”
“It’s not that I don’t want to, but that I can’t!” To Sean’s surprise, the Padishah’s voice revealed a strong sense of helplessness, and he sighed, “Since you’ve passed my test, I don’t mind telling you some things!”
“In fact, a few years ago, I had an accident during my cultivation, which caused damage to my core that couldn’t be repaired. I can only rely on secluded cultivation to maintain my life. It’s a miracle that I’ve survived until now. I can’t leave the Hall of Throne at all!”
“They found out about this and thought I wouldn’t live much longer, so they dared to openly recruit major families in the capital for their own use, accelerating the pace of their fight for succession!”
“They’re waiting for me to die!!!”
“If I take action against them, they will certainly fight back crazily. At that time, father and son will be at odds, the capital will be in chaos, the surrounding countries will be watching closely and will rise up, causing trouble in my borderlands, and invading my territory!”
“The consequences would be unthinkable!”
“So, I chose to remain silent and ignore it, temporarily maintaining the peace in Kisia, while letting the King of Night search for young talents in Kisia, forming the Bloody Wolf Group, and supporting your rise in the North!”
“Fortunately, you are an extraordinary talent. In just five years, you have entered the ranks of the Bright Realm, decisively killed the traitor Fergus Archer, and caused both sides to suffer heavy losses!!!”
“Now, Fergus Archer is dead, they are not a concern, and you, after defending the North for five years and resolving the crisis in Kisia after coming to the capital, have served the state well. I naturally want to reward you generously!”
“Even passing the throne and entrusting the empire to you is not too much!!!”
The Padishah told the whole story in just a few minutes. When these words reached Sean’s ears, Sean was once again deeply shocked!
He couldn’t believe his ears!
The Padishah’s core is broken?
His life is almost over?
Damn!
Even with a broken core, he was still able to launch such a sword attack earlier, and strike such a blow. If the Padishah’s body was in good health, free from disease and disaster, just how strong would he be???
Most importantly!
Five years ago!
The sudden formation of the Bloody Wolf Group by the King of Night was actually a precaution against Ashby and Roscoe’s struggle for the throne???
It was to prevent Fergus Archer’s rebellion and the chaos in the South Forest???
Cold sweat!
Unconsciously, it began to bead on Sean’s forehead and back. The means of an emperor were indeed extraordinary, a chess game that took a full five years!!!
In an instant!
Sean understood a lot of things!
No wonder!
No wonder the Padishah had been in seclusion and didn’t come out. It turned out that he couldn’t leave the Hall of Throne at all!
No wonder Ashby and Roscoe were fearless, Fergus Archer dared to come to the capital, and even when the South Forest was on the verge of rebellion, he remained in the capital and did not run away. It turned out that they all knew that the Padishah couldn’t leave the Hall of Throne and couldn’t leave the imperial city!
Before Sean reached the Bright Realm, under the Padishah, Fergus Archer was almost invincible in the Dark Realm, and it was hard to find an opponent!
This!
This was the confidence that allowed Fergus Archer to act recklessly in the capital!!!
He understood!
He understood everything!
The doubts that had been lingering in Sean’s heart were suddenly clear at this moment!
After thinking for a moment, Sean asked, “Now that the overall situation is set, then…”
“Your Majesty!”
“How do you plan to deal with them?”
This!
This was critical!
Sean was now at odds with Ashby, and Roscoe was one of the people behind the assassination of his grandfather, Williams Mason. Before, due to their status as princes, Sean couldn’t take action!
But now!
As long as he got the Padishah’s permission, Sean would definitely not be merciful!!!
The Padishah was silent for nearly five minutes, seemingly indecisive. After five minutes, he sighed deeply and said, “They are all my sons!”
“Although they are guilty, I can’t bring myself to punish them!”
“So, Roscoe is only coveting the throne and does not have a rebellious heart or oversteps his bounds. Let’s confine him at home for a period of reflection!”
Upon hearing this, Sean’s heart skipped a beat. Just confinement for reflection???
Then, the Padishah said, “As for Ashby…”Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.
“He colluded with Fergus Archer, plotted rebellion, and attempted to kill the king and seize the throne. His crimes are unforgivable!”
“He deserves to die!”
“How about…”
“Let’s do this!”
“I will draft a decree later, ordering him to accompany you as your deputy to suppress the rebellion in the South Forest. Once you’re in the South Forest, you can find an opportunity to execute him, then announce to the outside world that Ashby died bravely in battle, leaving him a good reputation of sacrificing himself for the country. This could also be considered a consolation for our father-son relationship…”
Upon hearing this, Sean’s heart skipped a beat again, and he vaguely felt like he was being used by the crafty Padishah!
The Padishah wanted to kill Ashby!
But he didn’t want to do it himself to avoid getting a bad reputation for “a father killing his son”. So, he wanted to use the hatred between Sean and Ashby to kill Ashby and still leave Ashby with a good name!
Sacrificing for the country!
A deserving death!
It was simply the best of both worlds!
It was clear!
The old fox, the Padishah, had long thought about how to deal with Ashby and Roscoe, but he didn’t say it directly. Instead, he waited for Sean to ask. Sean’s question was exactly what he wanted!
But he pretended to be reluctant and put on a show of “deep father-son love” for Sean!
Damn it!
Sean had a curse in his stomach that he really wanted to say out loud!
But he didn’t dare!
“Then…”
Sean was not resigned and wanted to pursue the matter with Roscoe further. However, at this moment, a guard’s voice came from outside the hall, “Your Majesty!”
“Prince Ashby is seeking an audience outside the imperial city!”
Sean was taken aback!
It was clear that Ashby knew about the Padishah summoning Sean, so he followed close behind and came to the imperial city to see him. He was probably worried that Sean would complain about what he did and he was here!