Chapter 321

In the following days, Norton convened core members of the family to discuss cooperation with the emperor.

Everyone expressed their opinions. Some thought this was a great opportunity to expand their power and should be seized. Others were worried that this would offend those noble families and bring disaster to their families. For a while, the debate in the meeting room continued.

“Master, I think we should cooperate with the emperor.” said a family elder.

“Those noble families have been eyeing us covetously. If we can borrow the power of the emperor, we may be able to break their blockade and gain more room for development in Sun Moon City.”

“But the risks are too great.”

Another elder said worriedly.

“Those noble families will never let us go easily. Once the news of our cooperation with the emperor is leaked, they will definitely unite to deal with us. By then, I’m afraid we will be unable to resist.”

Norton listened quietly to everyone’s speeches, weighing the pros and cons in his mind.

He knew very well that this was a dilemma. Although cooperating with the emperor could bring huge benefits, it also came with huge risks.

Although the emperor is a puppet now, he is nominally the legitimate owner. If one can get the emperor’s cooperation, then he can truly soar to the sky and reach the current position of the Hongchen family.

Moreover, if his Harik family can help the emperor to restore order, then they will become loyal ministers and directly reshuffle the power of Sun Moon City, and even replace the largest family in the world, the Xu family!
But while doing so would bring staggering benefits, it would also be accompanied by huge risks. Once the fact that the Harik family was collaborating with the emperor was exposed, the Harik family would instantly become the target of public criticism.

By then, let alone the noble families that have old grudges against the Harik family, all the noble families in Sun Moon City will tear each other apart and bury the Harik family together!

Such a horrible risk forced even the head of the Norton family, who wanted to make a small investment for a big gain, to hesitate and be cautious.

However, just as everyone was arguing, Norton suddenly thought of someone – Brigitte!
Now that the Harik family and Brigitte’s power have long been deeply intertwined, why not just throw this problem to them?

So, the Harrick family sent an envoy to Brigitte’s residence again, and the envoy told her all about Norton’s confusion and worries.

After listening to this, Brigitte did not reply immediately, but reported it to Chen Yao.

After listening to this, Chen Yao narrowed his eyes, thought for a moment, and then spoke.

“Let the Harik family test the emperor’s methods first, and secretly give him some manpower. If the emperor does a good job, the Harik family can support me, the emperor. I have a way to ensure that those noble families will not find out.”

Brigitte nodded when she heard this and told the messenger what Chen Yao said.

After receiving Chen Yao’s instructions, the Harrick family had no more objections. The head of the Norton family had a firm look in his eyes. He knew that this was a big gamble, but it was also a great opportunity for the Harrick family to rise. He quickly arranged for the most capable confidant in the family to contact the person sent by the emperor again.

This time, the meeting between the two sides was full of tension and expectation. The Harik family brought not only promises, but also tangible support.

A group of well-trained soul masters, dressed in black, with fearlessness and loyalty in their eyes, stood in a neat line.

Powerful soul fluctuations emanated from them, as if they were ready to fight for a new mission at any time.

There was also a batch of advanced soul guides, flashing with a cold metallic luster, quietly placed, but seeming to be telling of their power to change the situation.

In addition to these, the Harik family also took out a part of the industries that they had been secretly operating for many years. Those industries were hidden in every corner of Sun and Moon City, like treasures buried deep underground. Now they were presented to the emperor without reservation.

After receiving support from the Harik family, Emperor Feng Xiaochen seemed to be reborn.

The loneliness and helplessness in his eyes gradually faded away, replaced by a sharp edge, like a beast that had been imprisoned for a long time and finally waited for the opportunity to break free from the cage.

He knew very well that this was a battle of life and death, and he had to quickly consolidate his power before the aristocratic families could react.

Feng Xiaochen first turned his attention to the interior of the palace. Those spies from the aristocratic families hiding in the dark were like a cancer, constantly monitoring his every move and controlling every piece of information in the palace.

Feng Xiaochen decided to start from here and wipe out these spies with thundering means.

He carefully selected a group of elite soul masters sent by the Harik family. Each of these soul masters was extraordinary in skills, possessed unique martial spirits and powerful strength.

Under the cover of night, they sneaked into every corner of the palace like ghosts.

The guards in the palace were quickly subdued by these soul masters before they realized the danger was coming.

Those spies were still dreaming of stealing information when they were eliminated one by one by the soul masters in a lightning speed.

The whole process was clean and neat, without any unnecessary sound, like a silent killing.

While slaughtering his spies, Feng Xiaochen was still planning his next move.

He knew very well that it was far from enough to simply eliminate the spies in the palace. He also had to do something in the court to divide and win over those ministers from aristocratic families.

He began to summon ministers frequently, ostensibly to discuss state affairs, but in fact to secretly observe everyone’s attitude.

For those ministers whose stance was wavering, he did not hesitate to promise them large sums of money and high positions in order to tempt them with benefits.

His words were sincere, and his eyes revealed his vision and determination for the future, which made those originally hesitant ministers begin to waver.

Among them was a minister named Rodrick. His family was not very powerful among the aristocratic families and had always been excluded by other aristocratic families.

Feng Xiaochen keenly sensed his dissatisfaction, so he went to visit him in person.

In Roderick’s mansion, Feng Xiaochen had a long talk with him, not only promising to give him more power and wealth, but also saying that he would help his family improve its status among the aristocratic families.

Roderick was moved by Feng Xiaochen’s sincerity, and the balance in his heart gradually tilted towards the emperor.

However, not all ministers from aristocratic families are so easily won over.

The powerful families scoffed at Feng Xiaochen’s attempts to win him over. They believed that the emperor was just making a last-ditch effort and that it would not cause any trouble. Xu Zhentian, the head of the Xu family, even openly mocked Feng Xiaochen in court, calling him a “clown”.

Faced with these ridicules and boycotts, Feng Xiaochen did not back down.

He knew very well that this was a long-term battle and that he could not rush for success.

He began to use the power in his hands to gradually weaken the power of those stubborn families.

He promulgated a series of new policies to limit the privileges of the aristocratic families in the business and military fields, while increasing support for ordinary people and winning the hearts of the people.

Those noble families finally realized the threat posed by the emperor, and they began to unite and try to fight against Feng Xiaochen.

The heads of several families including the Xu, Li, and Wang families met in secret to discuss countermeasures. They decided to make trouble again in the court and force Feng Xiaochen to withdraw those new policies.

At a court meeting, Xu Su took the lead in making trouble. He pointed at Feng Xiaochen’s nose with a scowl on his face.

“Your Majesty, the policies you have recently promulgated have seriously damaged the interests of our family. We have protected Sun Moon City for generations and made great contributions to the country. Now you treat us like this, which is really chilling!”

Other ministers from other noble families also echoed the words, and the court was in chaos for a while. Feng Xiaochen was not in a hurry, he smiled slightly and said.

“My dear ministers, everything I do is for the future of Sun Moon City. Those policies are not aimed at the noble families, but to make the entire country develop more fairly and justly. Look at Sun Moon City today. The gap between the rich and the poor is getting bigger and bigger, and the lives of ordinary people are difficult. If this continues, how can the country be stable?”

Xu Su snorted coldly and said.

“Your Majesty, what you said is very high-sounding. But your policies are clearly weakening the power of our family and strengthening your own power. Do you think you can control the court in this way?”

Feng Xiaochen’s face darkened and he said.

“Lord Xu, please don’t spit blood at me. As the emperor, I am naturally concerned about the country and the people. If your family can work hand in hand with me and work together for the prosperity of Sun Moon City, I will naturally not treat you unfairly. But if you blindly resist or even want to rebel, I will never be merciful!”

The two sides were in a stalemate and the atmosphere was tense. Xu Su thought to himself that the emperor’s attitude today was so tough, it seemed that he had something to rely on.

If he is not dealt with as soon as possible, he will definitely become a serious threat to the Xu family in the future.

Thinking of this, a hint of ruthlessness flashed in Xu Su’s eyes. He was even thinking about simply deposing the emperor and taking the throne himself.

Just as Xu Su was thinking about how to implement his plan, suddenly, a burst of hurried and orderly footsteps came from the palace gate.

Everyone turned their heads to look, and saw a guard army composed of soul masters rushing into the court like a black torrent. These soul masters were all fierce and powerful, emitting powerful soul fluctuations, like a towering mountain, which made people afraid. Their steps were uniform, and every step seemed to step on everyone’s heart, making a dull sound.

The ministers present were horrified when they saw this scene. Their eyes widened with fear and confusion.

Some ministers couldn’t help but take a few steps back, as if these soul masters were demons from hell.

They were extremely frightened for a moment, not understanding where the emperor got these soul masters from. At the same time, they were also worried that the emperor would be suppressed for too long and would perish with them in the court.

Feng Xiaochen looked at the horrified expressions of the crowd and felt secretly proud in his heart. He knew that his goal had been achieved.

These soul masters are secretly supported by the Harik family. Bringing them to the court today is to give the aristocratic families a warning.

Xu Su looked at these soul masters, and a moment of hesitation flashed across his eyes. His originally firm determination began to waver, and an inexplicable fear surged in his heart.

He knew very well that the strength of these soul masters should not be underestimated. If they really came into conflict with the emperor in the court, the aristocratic families might not be able to gain an advantage.

Moreover, once things get out of hand, other forces may take the opportunity to intervene, and the situation will become even more complicated.

Xu Su stood still, the murderous intent in his heart was like a turbulent undercurrent, surging in his eyes, but he had to pretend to be calm on the surface. He clenched his fists tightly, and the veins on the back of his hands bulged, as if he wanted to squeeze sparks out of the air in the court. He knew in his heart that the emperor at this moment was definitely not the puppet that he used to be. If he acted rashly, it might not only damage the power that the Xu family had accumulated over the years, but also cause a chaos that would be difficult to end.

Feng Xiaochen sat upright on the dragon throne, his eyes as sharp as torches, taking in every subtle change in Xu Su.

He knew very well that although the current situation seemed to be under his control, he was actually walking on thin ice.

These noble families are deeply rooted in Sun Moon City, and any move they make could have an impact on the entire alliance. If he were to attack any one of them today, it would undoubtedly be a declaration of war on the entire alliance of noble families. Everything he has worked so hard to build would likely collapse in an instant, and be devoured by the noble families’ frenzied counterattack until nothing remains.

At this tense and explosive moment, Feng Xiaochen took a deep breath, suppressed his inner anger and murderous intent, and put on that gentle yet majestic smile on his face again.

He slowly raised his hand and waved it gently towards the black torrent of guards, his voice steady and powerful: “Retreat.”

The guards turned around in unison. Although the footsteps were still orderly, they gradually faded away, leaving only dead silence in the court.

The ministers’ tense nerves finally relaxed a little, and many of them breathed a sigh of relief. Fine beads of sweat on their foreheads sparkled in the candlelight.

Feng Xiaochen glanced at the ministers below the stage, his tone calm but unquestionable: “My dear ministers, what happened today is not what I want. I am only concerned about the prosperity of Sun Moon City and the well-being of the people, and I have no intention of making an enemy of any of you aristocratic families.” His eyes swept across everyone’s faces one by one, trying to catch a hint of understanding and support from their expressions.

Xu Su snorted coldly. Although he was unwilling, he also knew that it was not appropriate to resist forcefully at this moment. He lowered his head slightly, hiding the resentment in his eyes, and said.

“Since Your Majesty says so, we would like to hear what your so-called compromise is.” There was a hint of provocation in his voice, as if he was declaring to Feng Xiaochen that the dignity of the aristocratic family should not be easily trampled upon.

Feng Xiaochen smiled slightly, as if he had already expected Xu Su to ask this question.

He slowly stood up and paced in front of the dragon throne. Each step was steady and powerful, as if he was measuring the balance of power in the court.

“I propose that, in the commercial field, some restrictions on the trade of noble families be lifted, but at the same time, a special regulatory agency should be established to ensure that commercial activities are fair and just, benefiting all the people rather than just a few noble families.”

His voice echoed in the court, clear and firm.

(End of this chapter)