Phoenix's Requiem

Chapter 126: A Startling Secret

To have escaped after hearing a secret?! When they heard Zhuo Yifeng’s words, the girls had to suppress their desire to ask the beastkin siblings what exactly they’d overheard to prompt such a serious reaction.

“What secret?” In the end, that honor fell to Lin Qingxue, the nosiest of them all.

Zhuo Yifeng’s gaze swept over the gathered crowd, hesitating. Yun Ruoyan and the Lin siblings were friends with whom he had faced death, and they were the only friends he and his sister had outside of their clan. He trusted them completely.

Of those gathered, only Yun Moxiao was like a stranger.

“If it’s inconvenient, I’d be happy to leave.” Yun Moxiao was clearly able to sense Zhuo Yifeng’s misgivings.

“Brother, I won’t hide anything from you.” Yun Ruoyan obstinately stared at Yun Moxiao before turning back to Zhuo Yifeng. “If it’s something sensitive, then don’t worry about it.”

Zhuo Yifeng slightly frowned before beginning, “This really is quite a big secret, and I don’t feel comfortable keeping it all to myself. Perhaps I’ll find a resolution if I can discuss it with you, but this isn’t something any of you can spread or make known that it came from me, or my sister and I will be in danger. Do you understand?”

When the girls and Yun Moxiao heard these words, they nodded solemnly and became even more curious.

“Brother Zhuo, what’s the secret? How can it be so serious?” Lin Qingxue added.

Zhuo Yifeng walked to the door and looked all around before slamming it shut and turning back to the crowd. “The secret I overheard was about a rebellion!”

“A rebellion!”

“What?!” Yun Moxiao jumped down from his seat, extremely shocked. “A rebellion?!”

He was already a vice-general in the army despite his young age, and such topics would be particularly sensitive to someone like him.

“Yes,” Zhuo Yifeng replied with certainty. “A rebellion that’s been planned for many years.”

Zhuo Lin’er lay on the bed, not saying anything.

Lin Qingchen and Lin Qingxue were both in a daze; they hadn’t ever come across such an event except in classical history. The Li kingdom had already been established for over five hundred years, and except for a few cases in which the crown prince forcibly took the throne, peace generally reigned.

A few centuries ago, before the Chen and Mo kingdoms had been founded, the east and the north were littered with all sorts of small kingdoms, leading to considerable civil strife. With the establishment of the two kingdoms, the entire Chenyuan continent had ushered in centuries of peace and stability.

The only war in recent memory was that between humans and the beastkin a few decades ago, which had ended in only two years with Li Mo’s bloodthirsty slaughter as commander-in-chief.

That period of history was still filled with a multitude of questions to Yun Ruoyan: if Li Mo truly were related to the beastkin, then why would he use such bloody methods against his own kin? If Li Mo weren’t related to the beastkin, why would those beasts and demons revere him as the Beast King in the forest of dead souls?

Li Mo was likely the only individual in the world who could resolve these questions that plagued Yun Ruoyan. But now, with Zhuo Yifeng’s revelation, the whole party was filled with shock.

“Who’s involved in this rebellion?” Yun Moxiao asked sternly.

Zhuo Yifeng hesitated for a moment before muttering, “The Farsighted King, Li Sheng.”

“Li Sheng?!” Yun Moxiao was stupefied.

Li Sheng was Li Xiu’s elder brother, and was already past fifty. He was famed for being virtuous, as well as for his skill as a forgemaster. Army generals would often boast of having a weapon crafted by Li Sheng himself. How could such a man defect?

In the Li kingdom, although his reputation wasn’t as widespread as Li Mo’s, it was unilaterally positive. He often arranged for adventurer groups to slaughter beasts and rout bandits, and during calamitous years, he would open up his grain storehouses to regular civilians. At the start of the year, Yun Moxiao’s troops had even received a gift of weaponry made by his own hands.

The few cities under Li Sheng’s control were very prosperous. If he truly were to revolt, then the Li kingdom would certainly splinter.

“Zhuo Yifeng, this really is a big deal,” Yun Ruoyan stressed. “Are you sure you heard this correctly?”

“Brother Zhuo, how did you come to know the Farsighted King?”

“I’m certain.” In fact, the man that Zhuo Yifeng had saved when he was out hunting was none other than the Farsighted King himself! His cultivation was so high that it didn’t make sense for him to be surrounded by a group of beasts, but it seemed that his cultivation had been temporarily restricted on that particular occasion.

Zhuo Yifeng’s appearance had saved him from sudden death. Afterwards, when Li Sheng had found out that Zhuo Yifeng and his sister were orphaned beastkin, he’d invited them to stay in his manor as visitors. Zhuo Yifeng didn’t want to rely on someone else’s charity, and he declined. However, he did agree to start working for the Farsighted King.

A few months ago, the Farsighted King’s manor organized a martial arts competition. The Farsighted King was known to be without heir, but he didn’t want to waste his quota for nominees to enter the imperial territory. The purpose of the competition was naturally to select representatives to enter the territory in his name.

Zhuo Yifeng had surpassed all others during the competition, and because of the Farsighted King’s life debt to him, he gave him an additional nomination. This was how Zhuo Yifeng managed to enter the imperial territory along with his sister.

Zhuo Yifeng was naturally grateful to the Farsighted King upon leaving the territory, and quickly brought Zhuo Lin’er back with him to thank the King.

Li Sheng was also very happy with his success, and even hosted a banquet on Zhuo Yifeng’s behalf. At the banquet, he once again offered Zhuo Yifeng a position working for him after graduating from Kongming Academy. In gratitude for the king’s patronage, Zhuo Yifeng accepted this offer and began to stay in the Farsighted King’s manor.

Everything seemed to be developing well, but on a raining night half a month ago, after Zhuo Yifeng finished patrolling the manor grounds, he saw a shadow on the way back to his own rooms.

That shadow blended in so well with the surroundings that it was almost impossible to detect. With his unusually sensitive beastkin senses, however, Zhuo Yifeng was able to identify his approximate location. Zhuo Yifeng slid into the shadows and followed him carefully.

That shadow finally made its way into the Farsighted King’s study. At the time, Li Sheng’s study was well-lit and clearly occupied. Zhuo Yifeng imagined that the black shadow was about to do something untoward to his master, so he kept a close guard by the door and prepared to rush in at a moment’s notice. What he didn’t expect was for the two men to have a conversation: clearly, the two men knew each other.

Zhuo Yifeng released a breath and was just about to leave when he suddenly heard his name being mentioned. He stuck one ear against the door and could easily overhear their conversation with his enhanced senses.

“The entire Li kingdom, even the palace, has been dotted with our spies.” The speaker’s voice was unfamiliar and hoarse. “Kongming Academy’s the only impenetrable defense, and I can’t get any of my subordinates in.”

“Don’t worry, I already have plans for that. One of my subordinates is a beastkin lad named Zhuo Yifeng. He’s passed the admissions exam for Kongming Academy, and will soon be one of the students within.”

“Is that boy reliable?” the shadow asked. “Now that we’re at the final stage of our grand, decade-long undertaking, we have to be careful in all regards.”

“I’ve already checked his background meticulously,” Li Sheng continued. “He’s orphaned and separated from his clan, and his life is bound to his sister’s. As long as we have his sister, we don’t have to worry that he won’t help us out.”

“Your wisdom is boundless, King,” the shadow laughed in a sinister fashion. “I await your reclaiming your rightful throne.”

“The plans I’ve laid for ten long years are finally on the cusp of fruition, and I’ll soon be able to take back what’s mine!” Li Sheng couldn’t repress the greed in his voice, nor his discontent against fate. “I was meant to be the emperor of the Li kingdom, but my father was biased toward my third brother! The day I finally reclaim the throne will be the start of a new dynasty!”

Only then did Zhuo Yifeng understand the extent of the ambition of this universally lauded king. What left him with gross discomfort was the realization that Li Sheng had been treating him like a pawn all this time, and that his sister would become the lever by which he would exert his control.

In shock and great unease, he retreated to his rooms. After a short discussion with his sister, they decided to pack up and leave the Farsighted King’s estates in the night. It was that pouring night which had left Zhuo Lin’er with a persistent cold.

When the group heard Zhuo Yifeng’s recounting, everyone was silent for quite some time. Li Sheng’s position was truly quite unusual: he was the eldest son of the former emperor and the older brother of the current. Even Li Mo had to address him as Brother. In a kingdom which placed great emphasis on seniority, he was at the top of the social hierarchy. Without any definite proof, trying to accuse him of treason would be akin to seeking death.

This was why Zhuo Yifeng didn’t dare to reveal this secret publicly.

The only method Yun Ruoyan could think of was to let Li Xiu know of this affair so that he could be on guard for it. However, Li Xiu had always been on good terms with Li Sheng. Not only might he not believe the recounting, he might even punish the accuser for trying to sow dissent within the imperial family.

No one had any idea how to proceed.

“Let’s go home, tell Grandfather about this, and see what he has to say,” Lin Qingchen finally suggested.

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