Chapter 925
Rejection
Sun Zhengming told Yang Xia about these situations again, and they were getting more and more outrageous.
Even the dignified General of Yan Kingdom has been ostracized. The old king valued Sun Zhengming highly when he was alive, but the new king is constantly rejecting him.
All of this completely contradicts the development philosophy that Yan Kingdom previously held.
Yang Xia sensed that things were getting more and more serious. Now that he heard that Sun Zhengming was coming to the Great Zhou Dynasty, perhaps they could take this opportunity to discuss some countermeasures.
They certainly couldn't stand by and watch the Yan Kingdom become increasingly precarious.
The next day, Sun Zhengming arrived at the Great Zhou Dynasty and shook his head helplessly at Yang Xia upon meeting him.
The Yan Kingdom is currently in turmoil, and many of the new ruler's actions are unacceptable to them.
"Brother Sun, why is the new king so hostile towards you? What exactly is going on?"
Yang Xia asked the same question again, naturally wanting to get the right answer from Sun Zhengming.
There are some things they need to understand very clearly in order to solve problems in a targeted manner.
Sun Zhengming told Yang Xia everything that had happened before with a wry smile.
"Because I used to groom Prince Kao Dong as my successor, my relationship with Tong Gao was naturally rather ordinary."
"Now that Tonggao has become the new ruler, his military orders are absolute, so of course I dare not disobey, nor do I dare to say anything more."
After explaining the situation, Sun Zhengming shook his head repeatedly, his face full of helplessness.
"Yang Xia, I've come here today to discuss with you how to cultivate a relationship with the new king."
“He is so hostile towards me, and his views on the development of Yan are becoming increasingly outrageous. I don’t care about my official position, but if this continues, Yan will have problems.”
Sun Zhengming sighed. These right-hand men of Yan naturally cared most about the development of Yan.
"Yes, I never expected so many messy problems to arise. Moreover, Yan Kingdom and Xingyun Kingdom are getting closer and closer, which is not a good thing."
"I always felt that there were many unknown aspects hidden behind this matter, and we should try to find out more about it."
Yang Xia thought even further ahead, already sensing that there were far too many things hidden behind the seemingly simple relationship between Yan Kingdom and Xingyun Kingdom.
"Yes, I'm very worried too, but I don't know what to do."
Sun Zhengming was also very worried about this. The Yan Kingdom was becoming increasingly abnormal, which naturally made him feel scared.
"We must not allow Yan Kingdom and Xingyun Kingdom to get too close. We must pull back from the brink and stop such behavior."
Yang Xia made a decisive decision to stop the development of Yan Kingdom and Xingyun Kingdom, but Sun Zhengming shook his head helplessly.
“Yang Xia, if the old king were still alive, our words might have carried some weight, and the old king would know that we were truly thinking of Yan Kingdom.”
"Everything has changed now, and we can't make any progress at all."
Sun Zhengming looked helpless. He knew that the new ruler would not let them speak easily and would not listen to a single word.
“That’s right. We should indeed try to cultivate a relationship with the new king. It’s really too dangerous to continue like this.”
Yang Xia nodded in agreement, knowing that the current situation was very unfavorable for them.
“Yang Xia, if I may be so bold, I’m afraid we can’t cultivate a relationship with the new king. His prejudice against us is too deep.”
"It would be better to directly cultivate Crown Prince Kao Dong and replace him when the time is right."
Sun Zhengming's ideas were more radical; he felt that the relationship with Tonggao was probably beyond repair.
Instead of wasting time on him, it would be better to put the crown prince back on the throne.
This audacious idea startled Yang Xia; he hadn't expected Sun Zhengming to come up with such a thought.
You must understand, this is no laughing matter; if things go wrong, the entire Yan Kingdom could become even more turbulent.
The Yan Kingdom is now in complete chaos, harboring many potential threats that have not yet fully surfaced.
Yang Xia knew that once a certain point was reached, these problems would completely erupt.
By then, things will have spiraled out of control, and the Yan Kingdom will likely be in grave danger.
“Brother Sun, I really cannot agree with your view. Your proposal is too radical and may plunge the Yan Kingdom into greater turmoil.”
"Now that things have come to this, what we should do is guide the new king onto the right path."
Yang Xia earnestly expressed his thoughts to Sun Zhengming, stating that he was always willing to do his best to plan for the stability of Yan Kingdom.
We cannot push the Yan Kingdom into a deeper abyss for the sake of momentary pleasure; from a certain perspective, that would be irresponsible towards the Yan Kingdom.
In any case, they must also take into account the late king's dying wish.
Although the old king is no longer here, their friendship remains, and Yang Xia wants to do his best to help the Yan Kingdom move forward smoothly.
"Alright then, in that case, we can only give it our all and hope that the result will not disappoint us."
Sun Zhengming naturally understood Yang Xia's thoughts better; he was the one who truly cared about the Yan Kingdom.
After discussing and agreeing on these aspects, the two prepared to work towards this goal.
But it wasn't long before they discovered that reality was far too cruel, and the possibility of getting Tonggao back on track had been completely shattered.
Sun Zhengming reluctantly told Yang Xia about a recent event that had occurred in Yan State.
"Yang Xia, I think it's impossible to guide Tong Gao onto the right path. That man is outrageously cruel. Let's find another way."
Sun Zhengming brought up his previous claims again, which shocked Yang Xia, who wondered why he insisted on them.
"Brother Sun, what exactly happened? Why did you suddenly change your mind so resolutely?"
Yang Xia began to inquire in detail about what had happened in Yan Kingdom. If there was still room for maneuver, he would not easily agree to depose the king.
"At the court meeting today, a minister raised an opinion contrary to that of Tong Gao, pointing out that the breakdown of relations between Yan State and the Great Zhou Dynasty would ultimately bring disaster upon themselves."
"He also advised Tonggao to be more friendly with the Great Zhou Dynasty, just like the old king. In fact, many people wanted to bring up these things, but only this old minister said it, and the result was disastrous."
Sun Zhengming's voice choked as he spoke. He never dreamed that the new ruler would be so cruel; it was something they found hard to accept.
"Yang Xia, do you know that Tong Gao actually shot that old minister to death with a weapon in public?"
“That old minister is a man of the old king. Tong Gao’s intention is very clear: he wants to establish his authority. Do you think such a person is suitable to be a ruler?”
Sun Zhengming recounted the incident to Yang Xia with great emotion, his attitude remaining intense even after he finished, constantly questioning Yang Xia and feeling that Yang Xia's ideas were too conservative. Yang Xia was stunned upon hearing the news; he hadn't expected Tonggao to be so brutal, far more ruthless than he had anticipated.
This kind of person is indeed unsuitable to be a ruler. If things continue like this, the people of Yan will surely suffer.
"Brother Sun, I understand how you feel right now, but let's not take any drastic actions. We should think it over carefully again."
Yang Xia sighed heavily. He would not agree to Sun Zhengming's plan to change the ruler until the very last moment.
This method is too risky; he cannot allow the Yan Kingdom to face such a severe test.
We must find more prudent ways to solve the problem while ensuring that the foundation of the Yan Kingdom remains unshaken.
“Yang Xia, I think Tong Gao is beyond saving. He is inherently cruel.”
“I had thought of this when we were choosing an heir, but I didn’t expect it to be even more cruel than I imagined.”
Sun Zhengming could never understand why Yang Xia was so persistent in refusing to adopt his suggestions. On the contrary, Sun Zhengming felt that this was the only way to solve the problem once and for all.
"Brother Sun, give me a little more time. If things really can't be salvaged, then we'll proceed with the plan you suggested."
"Right now, we must prioritize the stability of the Yan Kingdom. We can put other matters aside for now."
Yang Xia spoke earnestly to Sun Zhengming, and they began to discuss the matter.
"Alright then, I don't want to see Yan Kingdom in turmoil either. If we can think of a better solution, that would be best."
Although Sun Zhengming was furious, he could only force himself to calm down after hearing what Yang Xia said.
Hopefully, Tonggao's behavior won't be so outrageous in the days to come, and Yan Kingdom can develop normally.
These veteran officials of the Yan Kingdom naturally hoped to see such a situation.
In the time that followed, Sun Zhengming continued to observe Tonggao's every move, but unfortunately, the other party's behavior did not improve at all, but instead became even worse.
Sun Zhengming was utterly disillusioned with Tonggao. He knew that some people's cruelty was ingrained in their bones and could never be changed.
Tonggao practices a domineering rule that is completely opposite to that of the old king, and does not allow anyone to raise any objections, otherwise they will be severely punished.
Recently, more and more people have been executed, and the ministers of Yan Kingdom are all in a state of fear, not daring to offer any suggestions.
Many ministers sent secret letters to Sun Zhengming, hoping he could find a way to change the current terrifying situation in Yan Kingdom.
The ministers who had previously followed the old king were even more apprehensive, fearing that Tonggao might take his anger out on them at any time and they would be implicated for no reason.
"My ministers, I have been banished to the Great Zhou Dynasty, so my words have no effect whatsoever."
"Don't worry, I'll try my best to think of another way."
Sun Zhengming could only give such a casual answer, even he himself felt uncertain and didn't know how to deal with what was to come.
He had explained everything he needed to say to Yang Xia very thoroughly, but it seemed that Yang Xia didn't plan to make any moves anytime soon.
These events left Sun Zhengming feeling very depressed, and he couldn't help but talk to Yang Xia about them again.
"Yes, things have gotten worse than expected. Now everyone in Yan is keeping quiet, which will greatly weaken the country's strength."
Yang Xia's mood also became extremely heavy, as he could not bear to see the old king's foundation damaged.
"Yang Xia, I think this matter can't be delayed any longer. Let's start with the plan I proposed."
Sun Zhengming brought the topic back to this matter, saying that people like Tong Gao were beyond redemption and could not be changed simply by wishing to.
Yang Xia remained silent. He had not yet made a final decision and was unsure whether he should heed Sun Zhengming's advice and implement the new plan.
Seeing Yang Xia's reaction, Sun Zhengming knew that he hadn't made up his mind yet. This kind of thing couldn't be forced; they had to cooperate sincerely to accomplish such an important task.
During this period, Sun Zhengming felt extremely tormented. The entire Yan Kingdom was in chaos, and Tonggao's governance terrified the ministers in the court.
Moreover, the relationship between Yan Kingdom and Xingyun Kingdom is becoming increasingly close, clearly indicating that Yan Kingdom is being dragged into a crisis.
Some ministers, unable to bear it any longer, complained to Sun Zhengming and sent him secret letters, hoping that Sun Zhengming could provide a solution.
Sun Zhengming was in a difficult situation, not knowing when Yan Kingdom would end this chaotic situation and return to its former prosperity and strength.
Recalling the glorious era when the old king was alive, it all seems like a distant memory.
"Is our Yan Kingdom destined to never return to its former glory? Is it truly destined to be destroyed by this cruel ruler?"
Sun Zhengming was deeply troubled. He was absent-minded even when he was in the Great Zhou Kingdom, and going back would be of no use.
He had never been in such an awkward situation before, and he was in great distress.
He hoped that Yang Xia could make a decision soon and change the current state of Yan Kingdom; he felt that he was about to reach his limit.
Yang Xia, however, appeared calm and composed, as if he had been waiting for the right opportunity. Sun Zhengming had no idea what kind of opportunity Yang Xia was looking for.
Tonggao's behavior is becoming increasingly outrageous, plunging Yan Kingdom into dire straits. Sun Zhengming believes this is the perfect opportunity.
But Yang Xia didn't agree, so he could only continue to wait.
Sun Zhengming has now become an outsider, ostracized by Tonggao, and has no ability to resist. He can only place his hopes on Yang Xia.
Meanwhile, Ram and Tonggao were drinking merrily in the palace, constantly praising Tonggao's actions.
"Your Majesty, your iron-fisted methods are truly admirable. Only in this way can everyone be obeyed. A ruler must act like a ruler."
"Fortunately, it is someone like you who became the ruler. If it were someone with the weak character of the Crown Prince, the Yan Kingdom would be a completely different place, and the whole country would be sickly."
Ram praised with ulterior motives, saying that the more outrageous Tonggao's actions were, the more beneficial it would be for their Nebula Kingdom.
Seeing that the power of the Nebula Kingdom infiltrating the Yan Kingdom was growing stronger and stronger, and that controlling the Yan Kingdom was only a matter of time, naturally made Ram extremely proud.
He would often come to Tonggao for a drink, praising his actions and trying to turn the king into a puppet of their Xingyun Kingdom.
"General Ram, I should thank you for your support in many ways. I have said before that Yan Kingdom and Xingyun Kingdom are the best allies, and we will be friendly for generations to come."
Tonggao was very pleased with Ram's praise and was already feeling quite smug.
He felt that he was the most suitable candidate to be the king; otherwise, the old king would not have abandoned the crown prince.
Now, Ram has become a highly respected guest in Yan Kingdom, and can even freely discuss important national affairs. (End of Chapter)