Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 522: Chapter 279: What Power Stands Behind the Myna Bird_3

"Brother Ji, since neither the Left nor Right Virtuous Kings want the new Modu Chanyu to become too powerful, why don’t they claim the throne themselves?" Kong Yuan asked, hitting the key point.

Ji Bochang explained, "The Left and Right Virtuous Kings have always been people of the Xiongnu Royal Court, they are also from the Luandi Clan and cannot split from the Luandi Clan to claim the throne, so they have to support the new Modu Chanyu while secretly helping several tribes of the Han Clan." Ji Bochang continued, "Actually, within the Hu Yan Clan, Lan Clan, and Xu Bu Clan, there are also people of the Left and Right Virtuous Kings."

Wang Siqi and Kong Yuan: "!!!!!"

Seeing Wang Siqi and Kong Yuan’s stunned expressions, Ji Bochang smiled and said, "Didn’t expect the power struggles among the Xiongnu to be so intense, right?"

Wang Siqi sighed, "I really didn’t expect it." In Wang Siqi’s perception, the Xiongnu were a group of simple-minded, physically strong savages who could do nothing but fight wars. Playing intrigue was still a specialty of the Central Plains people.

The Eighth Prince said, "Where there are people, there will be competition. Central Plains people like to fight for power and gain, and the Xiongnu are no exception."

Kong Yuan looked at Ji Bochang, his tone very polite, "Brother Ji, please continue."

"The Xiongnu envoy to Great Zhou this time is Hu Yanping. He is a man of the new Modu Chanyu," Ji Bochang continued, "His purpose is to spy on the situation in Great Zhou."

"Brother Ji, what will this Hu Yanping do next?"

"Wait for the Emperor of Great Zhou to summon him, and then propose a contest," Ji Bochang said with a slight frown, "Among the people who came to Great Zhou this time, there are many warriors under the Right Virtuous King’s command." Yitu is not a person of the Right Virtuous King, but under the new Modu Chanyu. "They have undergone special training, have great strength, and are excellent in horsemanship and archery." He turned to look at the Eighth Prince, saying solemnly, "Your Highness, you must arrange for the most elite soldiers to fight them, otherwise you will lose to them."

The Eighth Prince nodded slightly and said, "Father must have arranged it."

Ji Bochang spoke more about the various Xiongnu tribes, leaving Wang Siqi and Kong Yuan bewildered.

After a while, the Eighth Prince let Wang Siqi and Kong Yuan withdraw first. Ji Bochang had more important matters to report to the Eighth Prince.

After listening to Ji Bochang’s report, the Eighth Prince’s expression turned grave for a moment, but soon returned to normal.

"By the way, Your Highness, that unknown force has now infiltrated the Left and Right Virtuous Kings, and some have infiltrated other tribes." A few years ago, an unknown force sent people to the Xiongnu, pretending to be Wusun, Dayuan people, or people from other Western Regions countries, doing business on the Xiongnu Grassland. "Also, the people sent by the Emperor have become important advisers in the Han Tribe."

"If the new Modu Chanyu really wants to attack Great Zhou, won’t the several tribes of the Han Clan attack the Xiongnu Royal Court?"

"That depends on whether the people sent by the Emperor have the ability to incite several tribes of the Han Clan to attack the Xiongnu Royal Court," Ji Bochang said seriously, "The Left and Right Virtuous Kings do not want several tribes of the Han Clan to take advantage to attack the Xiongnu Royal Court."

He added, "That unknown force is collecting and investigating information from other countries in the Western Regions, and they have bought a lot of things from the Western Regions."

"Still haven’t found out whose people they are?" The Eighth Prince asked.

Ji Bochang shook his head and said, "This unknown force is too mysterious to find out whose people they are."

The Eighth Prince frowned, his face heavy as he said, "Who could be more mysterious than the court or the aristocratic families?"

"Could it be the Fourth Prince’s people?" The Eighth Prince thought carefully, only the Fourth Prince, who was also Prince Chu, had such capability.

"Your Highness, I investigated, this group has nothing to do with Prince Chu." Ji Bochang also believed so, "They never contacted Prince Chu."

The Eighth Prince’s expression turned a bit sullen. Although this group had no conflict with them, their existence made him very apprehensive.

Having a powerful unknown force by his side made the Eighth Prince uneasy.

"Your Highness, whoever this group belongs to, they have no conflict with us, and there’s no need to keep focusing on them," Ji Bochang worried that continuing to watch this unknown group would certainly anger them. At that time, if a conflict arises, they wouldn’t necessarily win against this group.

The Eighth Prince understood Ji Bochang’s concerns, nodded, and said, "Then don’t focus on them anymore." He would continue sending people in Great Zhou to investigate this group.

"Achoo!" Zhao Yao suddenly sneezed.

Tong Xi heard Zhao Yao sneeze and immediately became nervous, hurriedly asking, "Your Highness, did you catch a cold?"

"No, it must be Xiao Pang and them thinking of me." The Xiao Pang Zhao Yao mentioned refers to Song Jicai and them.

At that moment, Xiao Jin flew back from outside with a letter tied to its foot.

It actively reached its claw towards Zhao Yao, who stroked its small head before removing the letter.

It was a letter from He Lianfang.

After reading it, Zhao Yao exclaimed, "I didn’t expect there to be several factions among the Xiongnu people who came this time, and they are fiercely contesting against each other."

"Your Highness, what are you saying?" Tong Xi was confused.

Zhao Yao handed the letter to Tong Xi for him to read.

After reading it, Tong Xi was shocked, "So the Xiongnu also like to fight for power and gain, I thought they only knew how to wage wars and kill."

"Where there are people, there’s intrigue." Zhao Yao just didn’t expect the twenty plus Xiongnu people who came, to involve so many factions.

[Yao Yao.]

Zhao Yao heard a bird calling him and quickly poked his head out the window. After a while, he saw Lai Yi flying towards him.

"Lai Yi, why did you come back?" A few years ago, Zhao Yao specially trained his bird friends to fly to various places to help him gather information. Lai Yi and its friends volunteered to fly to the Xiongnu.

[Yao Yao, I have big news to tell you.]

Zhao Yao first poured a cup of water for Lai Yi, "Lai Yi, have some water first."

Lai Yi was indeed a bit thirsty and lowered its head to drink some water.

Zhao Yao stroked Lai Yi’s small head and the feathers on its back, letting it rest for a bit.

Lai Yi enjoyed the petting very much. After a while, it began to speak: [Yao Yao, let me tell you...]

Zhao Yao listened carefully to what Lai Yi had to say. After hearing it all, his expression drastically changed.

"Lai Yi, are you sure what you said is true?"

Lai Yi nodded and said, [Yao Yao, it’s true, we didn’t hear wrong or see wrong.]

Zhao Yao gasped in shock, his pretty little face turning bright red with anger.

"How dare they?"

[By the way, Yao Yao, when I came back earlier, I met up with Lai Qian and them. They asked me to tell you that they followed your Eighth Brother to that house in North Market and saw a Xiongnu meeting with him.]

Zhao Yao was taken aback, "A Xiongnu meeting with my Eighth Brother?" After saying this, his expression turned severe again. He couldn’t believe his Eighth Brother could have dealings with the Xiongnu?

Lai Yi saw Zhao Yao was angry and quickly flew onto his shoulder, rubbing his little head against Zhao Yao’s cheek to comfort him: [Yao Yao, don’t be angry.]

"I can’t accept that my Eighth Brother is connected to the Xiongnu."

[Yao Yao, actually that Xiongnu is a Central Plains person, not a real Xiongnu.]

"What?" Zhao Yao was a little confused, "A Central Plains person, how is that possible?"

[Yao Yao, there are Central Plains people in the Xiongnu Royal Court.] Lai Yi was very smart and had a good memory, [Oh, they said they were from Southern Wei.]

"Southern Wei people?" Zhao Yao knew about Southern Wei, he had seen it in history books in the past, but there wasn’t much recorded, just a few words. Southern Wei was a small country in the previous dynasty, with complex ties to the previous dynasty, but it disappeared eventually, and it’s not recorded in history books.

[Yes, that’s what they said.]

"Southern Wei people in Xiongnu, and linked to my Eighth Brother?" Zhao Yao appeared confused, "What is going on here?" Just what is my Eighth Brother up to, why does it feel like his matters are getting more complicated. Also, what force is behind him that it even involves Southern Wei and the Xiongnu?