I play the role of Jiajing in Zongwu: What crime have I committed?

During this period, Prince Yu suffered a series of setbacks, and the faction of the Duke of Qing was completely eradicated. There are bound to be rumors in the court that this prince has lost the emperor's favor.

If we don't offer some incentives, those opportunists might all side with the Crown Prince.

not to mention…

Zhu Houcong smiled slightly.

Prince Yu's offer of Qin Banruo is exactly what I wanted!

As the saying goes, heroes don't ask about origins, and love doesn't ask about age; when it's time to act, act!

Not long after, Qin Banruo entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation under the guidance of a eunuch.

The flickering candlelight in the hall cast a long, thin shadow of her.

Throughout the journey, she kept her fists clenched.

The emperor's decree came suddenly, but it left no room for refusal.

She was merely a strategist, and Prince Yu would not disobey the imperial decree for her sake.

Moreover, in Prince Yu's eyes, offering her to the emperor would obviously bring him greater benefits.

As for the position of strategist, isn't there still the unfathomable Mei Changsu?

"Miss Qin, please."

The eunuch's high-pitched voice interrupted her thoughts.

Qin Banruo took a deep breath and looked up into the hall. The vermilion-lacquered, carved hall doors slowly closed behind her, making a dull sound, as if completely isolating her from the outside world.

The rich aroma of ambergris wafted through the hall, yet it made her feel suffocated.

She walked slowly forward, and with each step she took, her despair deepened.

All my years of painstaking management and strategic planning, those manipulative tactics, seem utterly laughable in the face of absolute imperial power.

It turns out that her talent and beauty, which she was so proud of, were ultimately nothing more than playthings that could be given away at will by the powerful and wealthy.

"This humble woman, Qin Banruo, greets Your Majesty."

A clear, melodious voice echoed in the hall. Qin Banruo knelt on the ground, her posture respectful.

Zhu Houcong then looked up at the slender figure in the hall.

"Raise your head."

Qin Banruo slowly straightened up, her drooping eyelashes trembling slightly before she slowly raised them.

Zhu Houcong stared intently at him, and immediately his breath caught in his throat.

The body, tempered by the Yellow Emperor's inner elixir, experienced a surge of qi and blood at this moment, with a burst of heat shooting straight out from the dantian.

The flickering candlelight inside the hall illuminated her breathtakingly beautiful face.

A purple silk palace dress draped her graceful figure, her skin as smooth as jade, and she resembled the snowflakes falling outside the palace.

She was as delicate as a willow swaying in the breeze, with a hint of sorrow between her brows, like distant mountains shrouded in mist.

With such beauty, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that she could bring ruin to a country, let alone topple empires.

What's most deadly is the seductive charm that emanates from her very being.

It wasn't the vulgarity of a prostitute, but rather a natural and effortless charm.

The charm of Lady Yue and the elegance of Consort Hui paled in comparison to such a stunning beauty.

"What a Qin Banruo..."

Chapter 56 Your Master…is Very Smooth

"I heard you're working for Prince Yu?"

Zhu Houcong looked down at Qin Banruo, who was kneeling on the ground, his tone indifferent.

Qin Banruo slightly raised her eyes, displaying a docile demeanor.

"This humble woman dares not presume. Hongxiuzhao exists in the mortal world; all I do is seek a powerful patron."

"Oh?"

Zhu Houcong walked slowly closer and stopped in front of Qin Banruo.

He stretched out his fingers and gently stroked her delicate, alabaster-like cheeks with the back of his fingers, feeling the cool touch from his fingertips.

"Such stunning beauty, yet forced to compromise and endure hardship in this mundane world, isn't that a pity?"

His voice was deep, but his tone carried an undeniable air of authority.

"Would you be willing to enter the palace to serve?"

Qin Banruo stiffened: "This humble woman comes from a humble background and dares not presume to hope for Your Majesty's favor, lest I tarnish Your Majesty's sacred body."

"interesting."

Zhu Houcong's eyes darkened, and he suddenly pinched her chin with his fingers, forcing her to look at him.

"You don't want to?"

Qin Banruo was forced to raise her head, a hint of stubbornness flashing in her eyes.

"This humble woman...does not wish to."

"hehe!"

Zhu Houcong suddenly chuckled, released his grip on her fingers, and said casually.

"Is it because...you're from the Hua tribe?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Banruo's pupils suddenly contracted, her heart skipped a beat, and her fingers, hidden in her sleeve, unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes.

She forced a smile, her slender fingers unconsciously tightening around her sleeves.

"What Your Majesty says is truly beyond my comprehension."

"not understand?"

Zhu Houcong stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze piercing like a sharp blade.

"Do you really think I don't know that you, Qin Banruo, are the personal disciple of Princess Linglong of the Hua tribe?"

boom!

These words were like a thunderclap, making Qin Banruo tremble all over.

The bloody battle of more than 20 years ago seemed to reappear before my eyes.

When Emperor Liang first ascended the throne, in order to quell the border unrest, he formed an alliance and marriage with Princess Linglong of the Hua tribe. The Hua tribe's iron cavalry helped him eliminate border troubles and consolidate his power.

However, after the country was stabilized, Emperor Liang ordered the complete extermination of the Hua tribe on the grounds of "colluding with foreign enemies".

She still remembers that night when flames soared into the sky and blood flowed like a river in the capital of the Hua tribe.

The entire Hua tribe was wiped out, and even women and children were brutally slaughtered.

If Princess Linglong hadn't secretly rescued these orphans as seeds for revenge and restoration, the Hua tribe would have been wiped out long ago.

Not long after, Princess Linglong was also ordered to commit suicide by Emperor Liang.

She never expected that after hiding her identity for so many years, Emperor Liang would expose her identity so easily.

"What, you still won't admit it?"

Zhu Houcong approached slowly, his calm tone chilling.

"Using 'Red Sleeve Pavilion' as their eyes and ears, and taking advantage of the songstresses to infiltrate the Six Ministries, this method is exactly the same as that of Princess Linglong back then."

"Do you think I can't detect your little tricks?"

Qin Banruo bit her lower lip tightly until she tasted blood and realized what was happening.

She finally realized that her every move was being revealed to Emperor Liang.

The methods employed in Nanjing now seem utterly ridiculous.

Seeing that her identity had been completely exposed, Qin Banruo simply tore off her disguise.

She suddenly stood up, her purple gauze sleeves fluttering even without wind, and her eyes flashed with deep-seated hatred.

"You tyrant, I've lived in anonymity for twenty years, yet you still managed to see through my disguise."

She raised her snow-white neck and sneered.

"Do as you please, Qin Banruo. If I, Qin Banruo, were to even flinch, I would be unworthy to be Master Linglong's disciple."

"Good! Good! Good!"

Upon seeing this, Zhu Houcong was not angry but laughed, and even clapped his hands in praise.

He strolled to the dragon-shaped desk, his fingertips lightly tracing the gilded incense burner on it, a look of reminiscence appearing in his eyes.

"The moment I saw you, I was reminded of your master. Although I wronged her back then, I still think... she was very beautiful."

"You! Shameless!"

Qin Banruo trembled all over, her nails digging deeply into her palms.

Zhu Houcong turned around, ignoring her anger, and instead looked her over with interest.

"Your beauty surpasses even that of Linglong from back then. Now that I've killed her, how could I bear to kill you?"

"You beast!"

Qin Banruo's breathing became rapid, and her eyes were bloodshot, like a trapped beast.

Zhu Houcong paid no attention to her murderous gaze, leisurely sat back down in front of the bed, and tapped on the dragon table.

"Seeing that the Hua tribe still has remnants like you, I am very pleased."

"Back then, Linglong helped me pacify the northern border. Now... it's your turn to help me infiltrate the Southern Chu court."

Zhu Houcong's words can be described as something truly shocking.

Qin Banruo's pupils dilated sharply in an instant, and even her voice changed tone.

"Infiltrate Southern Chu? You intend to wage war against Southern Chu?"

"good."

"In today's world, warring states are frequent; the strong become strong, and the weak perish."

"Only by annexing Southern Chu and securing its rear can the Great Liang accumulate the strength to march north."

At this moment, the candlelight in the hall flickered, reflecting the ever-shifting ambition in Zhu Houcong's eyes.

"And you, having inherited Princess Linglong's true teachings, are adept at political maneuvering and cunning."

"I order you to send your men into Southern Chu to instigate a rebellion, paving the way for my conquest!"

The moment Zhu Houcong saw Qin Banruo, he had already made up his mind to use her to take action against Southern Chu.

Based on the length of Jiajing's reign, he would have to remain in power for at least another forty-five years. How could he do that without a strong nation?

What if an emperor is overthrown halfway through his reign?

He didn't believe that with Liang's current strength, it could withstand that charming ancestor in the northwest.

Not to mention the Qin state, he couldn't even defeat the Qing state in the northeast!

Even the Great Yu of the Northern Territory dares to challenge the Great Liang.

How could he not be anxious?

Moreover, the Jiajing reign was not a peaceful one, with Mongol raids from above and Japanese pirates from the southeast below.

He also wanted to see what reward he would receive if he really destroyed Southern Chu.

Qin Banruo was shocked. She finally understood that this tyrannical emperor wanted to squeeze the last bit of value out of their Hua tribe.

"Ha, wishful thinking. I will never do anything for you." She sneered, her eyes full of mockery.

Zhu Houcong, however, remained calm and unperturbed, and instead slowly poured himself a cup of tea.

Why are you in such a hurry to refuse?