King of Creation Chapter 2088 - 2073: I Don’t Blame You
Previously on King of Creation...
In the study of Prince Huan Ji Ao’s mansion, the Eldest Prince Ji Ao was discussing state affairs with his think tank Tu Song.
Not only had their plan to seize the Ancient Teleportation Formation of Marquis Haiyuan Kingdom and the Haiyuan Harbor, those two great money trees, fallen through because of Ye Zhen, Ye Zhen had even ripped out his power in Marquis Haiyuan Kingdom down to the roots.
For Prince Huan Ji Ao, who had already stepped into the struggle for the throne, the impact was considerable.
Previously, even without completely taking over Haiyuan Harbor, the Eldest Prince’s trading firm was still making huge profits from Haiyuan Harbor.
Most merchants who travel with caravans must rely on nobles, otherwise they are just fat pigs waiting to be slaughtered.
The main reason is that while traveling they encounter all kinds of extortion and so‑called legitimate taxes and fees.
But for these taxes and fees, tax clerks at all levels of the Great Zhou Dynasty have a certain degree of discretionary power.
For a single batch of goods, depending on various factors, the lowest tax can be one‑thirtieth, while the highest can reach one‑tenth or even one‑eighth; the difference in between can be as much as threefold, or even more.
Those caravans that attach themselves to nobles do so, first, to avoid being ruthlessly fleeced by tax clerks with the highest tax rate, and second, to avoid all manner of petty extortion.
Even so, it still depends on how powerful the noble backing them is.
If a caravan has a Duke standing behind it, then depending on that Duke’s power and influence, the tax rate could be one‑fifteenth, or it could be one‑thirtieth.
But with Prince Huan Ji Ao’s golden name plaque, wherever they go, they enjoy the lowest rate of one‑thirtieth.
And Haiyuan Harbor ships goods directly to the major Ruins Markets along the North Sea, with enormous volume and monstrous profits.
Ever since Haiyuan Harbor prospered, the caravans here have always been one of Prince Huan Ji Ao’s major sources of income.
This is also why Prince Huan Ji Ao had always wanted to completely monopolize the Ancient Teleportation Formation of Marquis Haiyuan Kingdom and the harbor of Marquis Haiyuan Kingdom.
These two locations are like a perfectly matched pair of money trees.
Yet who could have thought that not only did they fail to seize control, even the caravans that had originally contributed vast profits were wiped out in one swoop.
With this source of income gone, Prince Huan Ji Ao’s finances immediately became tight.
At this moment, he was in tense discussion of countermeasures with the Qing Yi think tank Tu Song.
"Your Highness, as for Marquis Haiyuan Kingdom, we can forget about restoring anything there for now. For the present, we can only broaden our sources and cut our expenditures.
As for broadening sources, first we can increase our trade volume with the Taimeng Demon Realm by more than twenty percent. I have already made arrangements; the Taimeng Demon Realm on that side can absorb this batch of goods..."
Just as they were discussing, the Prince Huan’s Chief Steward Zhao Yu walked up with a strange expression and handed a Name Card to Prince Huan Ji Ao.
With just one glance at the Name Card, Prince Huan Ji Ao slammed the table hard. "Such outrageous audacity—he dares come to my door at a time like this? Does he take this prince for someone who has no means to deal with him?"
"Your Highness, that Ye Zhen has not only delivered his Name Card and is waiting outside the gate, he also brought two large carts as gifts for Your Highness. It’s just that on those two large carts, everything is..." The rest, Prince Huan’s Chief Steward Zhao Yu dared not say.
"Is what?" Prince Huan Ji Ao’s face suddenly darkened.
"Is..." Chief Steward Zhao Yu lifted his head to glance at Ji Ao, then spoke in an extremely low voice, "corpse piles!"
"They are entirely corpse piles constructed from the severed heads of Your Highness’s samurai and house slaves slain in Marquis Haiyuan Kingdom!"
In the next instant, Prince Huan Ji Ao sprang to his feet, Killing Qi surging to the heavens. "He’s openly defying me!"
"To erect corpse piles in front of a Prince Mansion of a royal Prince—does he intend to rebel?"
"Go, summon the Tributors of the mansion to strike, and kill on the spot this madman who dares affront the dignity of the Prince Mansion. Tell them that for everything, this prince will bear full responsibility!"
"He’s just a minor Wind Patrol Envoy—so what if he has a few connections? I am noble blood of the Heavenly Emperor; killing him is like killing a dog!
Even if Father Emperor learns of it, at worst he’ll scold me a few times, that’s all."
As he spoke, Prince Huan Ji Ao let out a cold laugh. "A creature ignorant of life and death—since you’ve chosen to court death and deliver yourself to my door, don’t blame this prince for being ruthless and vicious."
Prince Huan Ji Ao had issued his orders, but Prince Huan’s Chief Steward Zhao Yu did not move at all.
This made Prince Huan Ji Ao’s eyelids twitch sharply. "Still not going to pass on the order? What are you standing here stunned for?"
Zhao Yu’s face was somewhat ashen now. Bent at the waist, he spoke slowly, "Your Highness, before coming, that Ye Zhen already filed with the Heavenly Patrol Department and the Military Department.
He stated that these rebels who plotted to seize the Ancient Teleportation Formation actually all tried to implicate Your Highness Prince Huan, so he specially brought the heads of these fellows to give Your Highness an explanation!"
Prince Huan Ji Ao raised an eyebrow. "And what of that?"
"We’ll just grit our teeth, cut him down and take a reprimand. What else can they do?"
"But Your Highness, just moments ago, a message arrived from the palace. The Vice Mansion Manager Yane Bian whom you sent this time to Marquis Haiyuan Kingdom to discuss important matters with the King of Marquis Haiyuan Kingdom, Guo Zhang, has already been delivered by Ye Zhen to the Inner Prison Punishment Department."
"In less than two hours, Vice Mansion Manager Yane Bian was subjected to extreme punishment by the Punishment Department. It is said that this had Chief Yu’s explicit approval."
Hearing this, Prince Huan Ji Jie flew into a rage. "That old bastard Yu Chao’en—he dares tilt his backside toward Ye Zhen’s side?
Since when did Inner Eunuchs dare take the side of an outer minister in a struggle between a Prince and outer ministers?"
"Your Highness, the Innate Divine Soul of the executed Vice Mansion Manager Yane Bian was subsequently sent to the Ancestor God Hall Man Spirit Hall to be used in Artifact Creation. It is said that Princess Changle personally spoke up for it."
As Prince Huan’s Chief Steward Zhao Yu spoke these words, a trace of fear flashed in his eyes.
For them Inner Eunuchs, though they appear to be able to call the wind and summon the rain while following behind Prince Huan Ji Ao, the Inner Prison Punishment Department is in fact a sharp blade hanging over their heads that can claim their lives at any time; in that regard, even Prince Huan Ji Ao is of no use.
And Princess Changle had an extremely close relationship with Chief Eunuch Yu Chaoen, while the relationship between Ye Zhen and Princess Changle was anything but ordinary.
In this situation, this combination exerted a truly terrifying deterrent effect on eunuchs like them.
"Changle?"
Prince Huan Ji Ao’s pupils suddenly shrank. "That bitch whose elbow always turns outward! She actually helped an outsider to go against me, her elder brother."
"I heard this Ye Zhen is that bitch’s beloved." With a cold laugh, Prince Huan Ji Ao issued another order. "Since that’s the case, this prince will simply fulfill you both."
"No matter, go on and pass down the order. Command the Tributors to leave the mansion at once, kill Ye Zhen, and take his head for this prince to use as a wine vessel! Since that bitch Changle has already begun to set herself against this prince, we might as well tear the mask off altogether."
Regarding this order from Prince Huan Ji Ao, the Qing Yi Think Tank Tu Song expressed his approval.
"Your Highness is decisive in killing, with the makings of a heroic ruler! Indeed, since Her Highness Princess Changle has already stood on the opposite side from us, we might as well kill this Ye Zhen and remove this hidden danger first. That would actually be more advantageous."
What surprised the two of them, however, was that Chief Steward Zhao Yu still stood there without going to relay the order, his face instead full of bitterness.
"What’s going on?" Seeing something was wrong, the Qing Yi Think Tank Tu Song asked.
"To answer sir, at this very moment Princess Changle’s carriage is right at the corner of the street outside the Prince Mansion. If we make a move...."
"That bitch Changle is pushing me too far!" Prince Huan Ji Ao suddenly slammed the table with a furious roar, and the expensive table made of Purple Dragon Wood that had grown for a thousand years instantly shattered into powder.
"Your Highness, as things stand now, with Princess Changle present, killing Ye Zhen on the spot is impossible. After all, Princess Changle’s strength and status are right there for all to see.
As for that Ye Zhen, just have someone send him away for now; we’ll look for another chance to deal with him later!" Tu Song suggested.
After pondering for a while, Prince Huan Ji Ao finally slumped back into his chair and said helplessly, "Then I must trouble sir to send this thief away first."
As the Qing Yi Think Tank Tu Song hurriedly left, the sound of teacups shattering once again came from Prince Huan Ji Ao’s study.
In the span of just two days, Prince Huan Ji Ao had suffered two unbearably humiliating setbacks, something that had never happened before.
The feeling left Prince Huan Ji Ao so stifled he almost wanted to cough up blood.
The two large carts loaded with Corpse Piles made of human heads that Ye Zhen had sent to the gate of Prince Huan’s Mansion vanished in an instant after Tu Song received them and sent Ye Zhen away.
From start to finish, they had appeared at the gate of Prince Huan’s Mansion for less than a quarter of an hour.
But what kind of place was Luoyi of the Great Zhou Dynasty?
The pivot of the realm!
A place where even a certain Military Affairs Minister eating two extra bowls of rice could become a piece of gossip.
Not to mention an explosive piece of news like large carts piled with human heads forming Corpse Piles appearing at the gate of Prince Huan’s Mansion, which instantly spread throughout all of Luoyi.
At first, many officials thought misfortune would soon befall Ye Zhen.
But as Ye Zhen safely departed, the expressions of countless officials and onlookers once again became incomparably astonished.
For a time, all kinds of speculation arose.
An incident so publicly humiliating, and Prince Huan’s Mansion could endure it?
This made those with an extremely keen sense of smell, or those with far‑reaching vision, see a faint signal.
Later on, this incident would be called the landmark event marking Prince Huan Ji Ao’s first step onto the road of destruction.
It was also a milestone event in the battle for the crown of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
....
"Why did you come?"
In front of others, Ye Zhen kept to a minister’s proper conduct, walking at one side of Princess Changle’s carriage, but in secret he was communicating with Princess Changle through Divine Soul Telecommunication.
"I was a bit worried. My elder brother, once he takes action, tends to disregard everything, so I came to pick you up," Princess Changle said.
Her words left Ye Zhen a little helpless. "Killing me is not that easy. But by doing this, you’ve completely torn your face with Prince Huan."
"So what?"
Inside the carriage, Princess Changle sounded utterly unconcerned. "Back then, when you were protecting me, weren’t you also throwing everything aside?"
"That was different. That was my duty."
"Was it merely duty?"
Ye Zhen fell silent again. Just as the atmosphere between the two sank into silence, Princess Changle’s Divine Soul Telecommunication sounded once more. "You’ve been away for so long this time, did you prepare any gift for me?"
"Well..." Ye Zhen once more fell into embarrassment. "You know, this trip out was full of killing intent at every step, so I didn’t..."
"I know, so I don’t blame you. But you have to make it up to me." Princess Changle chuckled softly.
"Then how do you want me to make it up to you?"
"Do you still remember when we were in the Demon Clan’s territory, I couldn’t stomach their food, and you personally cooked those meals for me?"
"I want you to cook for me like that again."