Chapter 67: The Cuis and the Qins Sentenced to Confiscation and Exile

Bai Bohan grew interested, the corners of his eyes lifting slightly. "What useful information did you manage to uncover?"

The Duke of Wei wore a rather peculiar expression, as if recalling something troubling. "My investigation revealed that Princess Anning has, on several occasions, uttered these exact words right in front of Ruyi."

"She said, 'You people here are simply foolish; with just a few trivial schemes, I can wrap you ancients completely around my finger.'"

Hearing this, Bai Bohan fell into deep contemplation.

*These people...*
*Ancients...*

What did Anning mean by such remarks?
Was it as he suspected?

"Prince Ding, do you think it is possible that Princess Anning does not belong to our world at all?" the Duke of Wei shared his hypothesis. "That would explain why Princess Anning has possessed all sorts of bizarre and unfathomable knowledge ever since she was a child."

Bai Bohan reined in his thoughts, his gaze turning profound and dark. "Hard to say."

"Based solely on Anning's words, it is impossible to be certain."

After a brief pause, he added, "However, judging by all the circumstances, there is at least an eighty percent probability."

"There is no so-called master behind the scenes guiding Anning; everything she has done is entirely of her own accord."

The Duke of Wei nodded in strong agreement. "Indeed. If there were truly a master advising Princess Anning from the shadows, that person would never have allowed her to commit so many foolish blunders."

"Furthermore, we have investigated for so long without finding a trace of any such master, which further proves that no such person exists."

Bai Bohan tapped his finger rhythmically against the armrest of his chair, pondering the matter as he spoke. "Assuming there is no hidden mentor behind Anning, and everything has been orchestrated by her alone..."

"Coupled with those remarks, it implies that when Anning's personality drastically changed at the age of two, it wasn't due to illness—it was because she was no longer the original Anning!"

Although the Duke of Wei had long suspected as much, hearing it stated aloud still sent a jolt of shock through him.

"This... a demon? A ghost?"

His brows knitted tightly together, his expression turning grim. "The Emperor cannot possibly be unaware of this."

"Knowing full well that Princess Anning is profoundly abnormal, the Emperor not only keeps her around but even uses her to execute so many of his plans."

Bai Bohan's expression remained serene, his tone as calm as still water. "To our current Emperor, whether his daughter is a demon or not is entirely irrelevant. What matters is whether this demon can be utilized to achieve his own ends."

"Besides, the Emperor fancies himself the Son of Heaven, believing that no demons or spirits could ever harm him in the slightest."

The Duke of Wei let out a harsh, mocking chuckle. "The Son of Heaven?"

"If dragons truly existed in this world, one would have long since descended upon the Emperor to chastise him for acting so recklessly under the guise of the dragon's name."

Especially in recent years, the Emperor's actions had grown increasingly absurd and outrageous.

What the Emperor valued was not personal capability, nor whether a person could genuinely benefit the country and its people, but rather mediocrity—ensuring that no subordinate could ever seize an ounce of real power.

A blade-like chill hardened in Bai Bohan's eyes. "Let the Emperor thrash about as he pleases."

"He deludes himself into thinking he commands the entire chessboard, unaware that once a certain tipping point is reached, he will inevitably face the prospect of being overthrown."

There were far too many influential noble houses and prominent clans in the dynasty for the Emperor to wipe out on a whim.

If those noble families and powerful clans were to join forces, the Emperor's throne would instantly become untenable.

The Duke of Wei sighed. "If that day truly arrives, I fear it will ignite a full-scale civil war."

Bai Bohan replied, "That is bound to happen sooner or later."

"If the Emperor refuses to stop and continues tossing the realm into turmoil like this, a direct conflict between the imperial clan and the noble families will erupt very soon."

A trace of reluctance crossed the Duke of Wei's expression. "Whether it is civil war or foreign invasion, the ones who ultimately suffer and bear the brunt of the agony are the common people."

Bai Bohan saw the situation with crystal clarity. "Without this war, the common people will suffer far more."

"Do you truly believe the Emperor views the common folk as human beings? Does he consider them his subjects at all?"

The Duke of Wei fell silent. The Emperor had never regarded the common people as human.

Even those noble houses and prominent clans were viewed by the Emperor as mere slaves, entities he could slaughter and discard at will.

Bai Bohan continued, "Therefore, allowing Anning to stir up rebellion is, in a sense, a good thing."

"The more frantic her chaos, the sooner the Emperor will be forced to strike, and the faster this volatile situation will reach its breaking point."

When that day arrives, many things will become far easier to handle.

The Duke of Wei quickly composed himself and snorted. "Princess Anning thinks I am on her side, little realizing that I have been using her from the very beginning."

If not for Prince Ding's arrangements, he wouldn't have bothered giving that arrogant and foolish girl the time of day.

Resting his head on one hand, Bai Bohan wore a cynical glint in his eyes. "A foolish Anning is much easier to control."

He placed great value on this idiotic Anning, after all.

"Your Highness!" At that moment, Yang Hu stepped into the study.

He offered a respectful bow and reported, "News has just arrived: the Emperor is already aware that Princess Anning is planning another rebellion."

"This time, the Emperor intends to use this pretext to eliminate the Duke of Wei, thereby seizing absolute control over the military power."

The Duke of Wei let out a dry, mocking laugh. "So the Emperor has decided that I have been bought off by that foolish Princess Anning and belong to her faction."

Bai Bohan cut straight to the core of the matter. "Duke of Wei, the Emperor does not care whether you are on Anning's side. He only cares about finding an excuse to destroy you."

"During this period, close your doors to all visitors, ignore everything happening outside, and have nothing to do with Anning."

"Furthermore, clean up every single loose end."

The Duke of Wei nodded in acknowledgment. Holding military power as he did, the Emperor would never dare make a move against him without sufficient evidence.

"Your Highness, there is one more matter," Yang Hu continued. "The Cui family has completely abandoned Cui Jing, secretly instructing the doormen never to open the gates for him again."

"Meanwhile, the Qin family, in order to protect themselves, has severed all ties with Princess Anning and is secretly searching for a new patron."

Bai Bohan and the Duke of Wei exchanged a glance, seeing the shared mockery in each other's eyes. The Qin and Cui families truly thought too highly of themselves, believing they could bend the world to their whims.

"It won't be many days before the Emperor disposes of both the Cui and Qin families," the Duke of Wei asserted with absolute certainty.

Bai Bohan murmured in assent. "Though the Cui and Qin families are not paramount clans, they serve as useful stepping stones."

"Stepping stones that allow the Emperor to dismantle those other powerful families one step by one."

Originally, the Emperor might not have moved against the Cui and Qin families so quickly, but who could blame those two fools for willingly handing their own weaknesses right into the Emperor's hands?

Just as Bai Bohan and the Duke of Wei had predicted, barely two days later, the Cui and Qin families were charged with corruption and treason, resulting in their estates being confiscated and their clans sent into exile.

Specifically, they were exiled to the very same place as the Song family.

When Song Shiwei learned of this development from Ling Ze, she instantly deduced the Emperor's true motive.

The Emperor intended to use the Cui and Qin families to crush her own family.

And then, use her family's downfall as the pretext to eliminate the Cui and Qin families in turn.

Killing multiple birds with one stone!

"Have any major events occurred in Mingdu recently?" she asked Ling Ze.