Chapter 930: The Young Empress (67)

"You don't need to bother with that foolish woman Tang Nuoyue anymore."

The two had arranged to meet in a private room of a secluded tavern. After a brief silence upon meeting, Xiao Jin spoke first.

His expression was dark as he uttered those words, clearly showing that his recent experiences had been anything but pleasant.

Su Qing frowned in confusion. "What happened?"

"There have been some matters within the residence. They're not worth mentioning. The important thing is that taking the Tang Nuoyue route is no longer feasible."

At the thought of certain things, Xiao Jin's voice turned cold.

"Ever since the incident with Nan Yunchuan, that idiot Tang Nuoyue has been frightened out of her wits. She believes the Empress spared her only because of the late Emperor and their blood ties, and that Her Majesty has already shown her the utmost benevolence. No matter how anyone tries to provoke her, it won't work."

"Now, the moment the Empress is mentioned, she immediately starts expressing her loyalty. Wherever she goes, she praises Her Majesty endlessly, and if anyone dares speak ill of the Empress, she jumps in to argue with them."

"That woman is truly stupid beyond belief."

Xiao Jin spoke through clenched teeth.

"We'll have to think of another way."

"So that's how it is?"

Su Qing paused in surprise.

"I'm no longer in the palace, and Tang Nuoyue is no longer useful. I still have some forces at my disposal, but we're facing the mighty Western Saint Kingdom. There's nothing I can do alone."

"Brother Su, you can't give up."

Panic flashed across Xiao Jin's face.

He had already been branded as Tang Nuoyue's secondary husband.

If Western Saint Kingdom wasn't overthrown, that mark would remain on him forever.

He would endure humiliation for the rest of his life. Even if he escaped back to Qi Kingdom, he would only become the laughingstock of others, utterly devoid of status.

But if he could overthrow Western Saint Kingdom through his own abilities, then—as the saying went—history was written by the victors.

Once he borrowed these forces and rose to supreme power, no one would dare mock him.

And when people mentioned his time as Tang Nuoyue's secondary husband, they would only praise him with the words:

Enduring humiliation for a greater cause.

"I've never thought about giving up. That's precisely why I've come to discuss this matter with you."

Though what Su Qing said differed somewhat from what he truly thought.

Xiao Jin was using him.

But wasn't he using Xiao Jin as well?

Both of them needed the other's strength.

It was only fair.

Xiao Jin fell silent, and Su Qing patiently waited.

He refused to believe that Xiao Jin, once a prince of Qi Kingdom, would have nothing left. Even after becoming a hostage prince, he should still possess considerable hidden forces.

How could Su Qing not understand that Tang Nuoyue had already lost the courage to oppose the Empress?

His target had never truly been Tang Nuoyue.

Rather, it was Xiao Jin—the man hiding behind Tang Nuoyue and seeking to control the entire situation.

At present, only he and Xiao Jin could work together.

Xiao Jin himself wasn't truly free, making many things impossible for him to accomplish.

That left only one person who could carry them out.

Su Qing.

"Brother Su, how about this?"

Xiao Jin finally spoke.

"I'll hand over my forces in Qi Kingdom to you. The only question is whether you're willing to go and whether you dare gamble everything on it."

Truthfully, he had been reluctant.

The power he retained in Qi Kingdom was his final trump card.

But now, using Western Saint Kingdom as the breakthrough point was no longer possible.

Su Qing was a clever man.

He should understand what he meant.

"Nothing comes easily anymore. I still possess considerable power in Qi Kingdom, but accomplishing what we desire won't happen overnight. Brother Su, if you're confident and willing to stake everything on this, then I'll entrust it to you."

These were precisely the words Su Qing had been waiting for.

"The fact that I came to see you means that I intend to continue this to the end."