The Song Emperor Destined to Die

"Qiao Feng".

In a courtyard by the water, Murong Fu looked solemnly at the portrait on the Eight Immortals.

The room was decorated in an extremely luxurious manner.

However, the combination is quite strange; much of the decor is simply expensive, a piling up of materials, and doesn't match the surrounding environment at all.

The unusual stones are paired with gold and silver, and the green glass bottle is wrapped in a tacky red scarf.

It's not just the decor that's strange.

Murong Fu's current attire is the same.

He hardly resembled the former Southern Murong; he looked more like a nouveau riche.

This is not surprising, though. After being forced to evacuate from Swallow's Nest and wandering around, he began to pay great attention to appearances and decorum.

He believed that as a descendant of the Great Yan, even the courtyard where he settled should not be treated casually.

His mother had instructed him to learn martial arts from a young age, and he looked down on Han people. He only learned some Chinese characters to learn martial arts, and all his energy was focused on martial arts.

Even though he was learning martial arts and could read, he would not look at martial arts manuals unless absolutely necessary, but would have his cousin read them to him.

He clearly wanted to restore his country, but he only wanted to learn about the history of the Yan state; he was unwilling to read historical records or military books.

Not to mention the layout of the courtyard, clothing and appearance, which he considered rubbish; even if one understood them, he would find them disgusting.

Therefore, after his mother died, and after A'bi and A'zhu, whom his mother had raised, left, he transformed from the handsome and dashing Southern Murong into a nouveau riche.

Feng Bo'e and Bao Butong mistakenly believed that the young master was pretending.

It's fair to say that someone like him would have a hard time even raising an army, let alone restoring his kingdom.

But he himself is very confident.

He considers the current Qiao Feng as his rival.

"Young Master, may I make the first move tomorrow?" Feng Bo'e couldn't help but ask.

He has always enjoyed challenging people to fights, the higher the opponent's martial arts skills, the better. Even if he loses, he is not discouraged at all, but rather enjoys it even more.

However, when faced with someone who doesn't know martial arts, they don't rely on their strength to bully or oppress.

Overall, he was a good person. Although he was a subordinate of the Xianbei people and even wanted to rebel, he had more of a negative effect under Murong Fu, causing Murong Fu to offend many people.

"No, no," Bao Butong retorted habitually. "The assassination of the tyrant tomorrow cannot go wrong. Only Young Master can stop Qiao Feng. Fourth Brother, you should rest. There will be plenty of experts for you to vent your anger on tomorrow."

His sharp tongue is so irresponsible; he'll argue and contradict anyone, regardless of the occasion or the person speaking. He's practically born with the talent to be a contrarian.

He was also a hindrance to Murong Fu's rebellion, even more so than Feng Bo'e.

Even at the Hell Monarch Tang Mu, he had offended him with his sharp tongue and almost got killed.

It would be strange if Murong Fu had succeeded in his rebellion if he had had those two Crouching Dragon and Phoenix Chick as his subordinates.

But in the past, there were reliable figures like Gongye Qian and Deng Baichuan to keep things in check.

Now, Murong Fu's two most reliable subordinates have already perished in the great battle at the Mandala Villa.

Only Bao Butong and Feng Bo'e remained, two retainers who were good for nothing except loyalty.

"Brother Bao is right," Murong Fu straightened his back even more when he heard Bao Butong say that only he could contend with Qiao Feng. "What Qiao Feng has learned is nothing more than the Beggar's Gang Twenty-Eight Dragon Subduing Palms, the Dog Beating Staff Technique, and the Demon -Demon Subduing Palm, one of the Seventy-Two Peerless Skills of Shaolin. His fundamental Curse Technique is still such a flashy but impractical Curse Technique as the Patronus Charm."

"Indeed, I am no match for someone who is proficient in all kinds of martial arts, possesses the Shift of Stars Divine Skill,' and whose fundamental Curse Technique is the Transfiguration."

"He's only four years older than me, so he had more time to practice martial arts."

"And there are reliable teachers to guide you."

"Unlike me, I'm almost entirely self-taught."

As he spoke, the light in Murong Fu's clear eyes grew increasingly intense, and his confidence in his words gradually increased.

"Now Qiao Feng holds a high position and spends his days scheming for power, unlike me who is single-mindedly practicing martial arts."

"I'm definitely better than him!"

"No—" Bao Butong almost blurted out, but seeing the young master's eyes seemingly blazing with anger, he quickly changed the subject, "I mean, young master, you are extraordinary, far beyond what the pampered Qiao Feng can compare to."

Under the blazing sun, in the golden wheat fields.

Qiao Feng, the most powerful Qiao Feng in the martial arts world and considered to be living a life of luxury, is working there.

A dragon's roar seemed to be heard in the palm wind, and the golden waves of wheat were rolled up and fell into the burlap sacks by the field.

The way he walked towards the shade after finishing his work, and even his breathing, contained the most profound secrets of martial arts.

Bai Shijing, who was waiting respectfully by the field, quickly handed over a handkerchief and advised, "Chief, given the current situation, you should not—"

Qiao Feng waved his hand and said, "What's wrong with helping the people with their work? It's a good way to get some exercise and practice martial arts."

"Elder Bai, I am the son of a farmer."

"Whenever I feel down, coming to the fields makes me feel much better."

Even after becoming the ruler of the Beggar Dynasty, and with the Buddha Kingdom considering submitting to him, making him the most powerful person in the entire Song Dynasty, he still didn't hesitate to talk about his origins.

"I used to like drinking to vent my frustrations."

"But when the Beggar's Gang' Beggar Dynasty by everyone, and the matters I handled were no longer limited to the martial arts world, I realized that drinking was not the best choice."

"It can inspire my courage and make me invincible in battle, but it can also disturb my mind and make the malice in my heart burst forth."

"Right now, what I need most is to stay calm. Only by calming down can I reflect on myself and make a decision."

"The leader is wise." Bai Shijing even further.

He had a very good private relationship with Gang Leader Qiao, but Gang Leader Qiao had never said anything so intimate and heartfelt before, so he felt that something was off.

If we're discussing sect affairs, where are the other elders?

If it were a private matter, why would they address him so formally as Elder Bai?

A trace of grief flashed in Qiao Feng's eyes, "Why did you have to target Madam Ma, Master Quan, Elder Xu?"

"You—" Bai Shijing took a big step back in shock.

In his eyes, although Gang Leader Qiao was both brave and resourceful, his bravery outweighed his resourcefulness.

And now, even Gang Leader Qiao has managed to find out that he was the one who did it.

"It's me."

But he was not prepared to make excuses.

His only mistake was killing Ma Dayuan, but Gang Leader Qiao didn't mention him.

"What's the reason?" Qiao Feng asked. "As the Beggar's Gang's enforcement elder, you've always been impartial and incorruptible, why—"

"That harlot deserves to die!" Bai Shijing said viciously.

Power is the best aphrodisiac.

Seeing that Qiao Feng was only one step away from that position, the Beggar's Gang' Sect members were united in their hope that their Gang Leader Qiao would achieve it.

Bai Shijing was one of them, and a staunch supporter of Qiao Feng.

Therefore, he refused Kang Min's advances.

Kang Min killed Ma Dayuan because Kang Min misled him, making him believe that Ma Dayuan was going to reveal Qiao Feng's identity.

The reason for killing Quan Guanqing and Elder Xu was jealousy.

Although he rejected Kang Min, also known as Madam Ma, he was indeed tempted.

He originally planned to take things slowly with Kang Min.

But then they discovered that Quan Guanqing, and even Elder Xu, an old man in his eighties, had become Kang Min's confidants.

Thus, his hidden narcissism and pride turned into anger, and in a fit of rage, he killed several people.

"A whore?" A bad thought flashed through Qiao Feng's mind. "Could it be—"

"Yes, she betrayed Brother Ma." Bai Shijing nodded. "She even tried to use her body as a bargaining chip to bring you down."

"Leave me behind?" Upon hearing this, Qiao Feng's first thought was that it was impossible.

After all, in this era, martial prowess is paramount, and there is almost no other choice in the martial arts world for the position of leader of the Beggar's Gang' Sect except for him.

How could Kang Min, a mere woman, have the audacity to do such a thing?

Elder Xu and Quan Guanqing, known for his wisdom and cunning, would never agree to this.

What he didn't know was that Elder Xu and Quan Guanqing in this world were indeed not prepared to agree, even though they knew about Qiao Feng's background.

In the current situation, even if it were revealed that Qiao Feng was Khitan, from the current emperor down to ordinary people, everyone would only recognize him as a Han Chinese.

With Qiao Feng's Beggar's Gang, it truly became Beggar Dynasty.

Only with Qiao Feng can the Song Emperor be considered a truly powerful ruler.

Elder Xu and Quan Guanqing were simply driven by some dark motive, wanting to not refuse and enjoy themselves.

Both of them were prepared to kill Qiao Feng when they got tired of waiting, or when Kang Min wanted to cause trouble, in order to destroy the evidence that Qiao Feng was Khitan.

Unfortunately, they ran into Bai Shijing, who was consumed by jealousy and lost his guard, and the two men who were preparing to be loyal ministers lost their lives.

"At first, I didn't believe it either," Bai Shijing sighed, "But I witnessed it with my own eyes. I also have evidence."

"Although Master Quan was shrewd and left no substantial evidence, Elder Xu was not."

"Elder Xu regarded this as an honor and even left behind letters exchanged between the two. The wife of the deputy leader of the Beggar's Gang' Sect actually fell in love with such an old man."

"Then I'll let this matter rest for now," Qiao Feng said. "Send someone to bring the evidence later."

Based on his understanding of Bai Shijing, at least eight or nine tenths of what Bai Shijing said was true.

This is theoretically plausible. To save Brother Ma's face, Bai Shijing killed Madam Ma and the man who had an affair with her. There is a plausible reason for this.

"Did you arrange things for Da Hu?"

"Yes." Bai Shijing immediately knelt down, sweat pouring down his face.

"How foolish!" Qiao Feng said. "He is an official (the mainstream term for the emperor in the Song Dynasty)."

"You—" Bai Shijing sensed that Qiao Feng's tone was off.

His next words confirmed his guess.

"I found an excuse to send Da Hu to guard the venue for the conference."

"You want it too—" Bai Shijing was initially overjoyed, then puzzled, "But why—"

The one thing in this world that cannot be questioned is Qiao Feng's loyalty to the Song Emperor.

Before Gang Leader Qiao's martial arts skills reached their peak, he saved Song Emperor from several fatal crises.

The most dangerous time was the Killing Curse at Tang Mu. His power, which could have Ultimate Liberation broken the curse of Song Emperor's Phoenix Rebirth Charm, was blocked by Gang Leader Qiao.

This brought Gang Leader Qiao to the brink of death. If Gang Leader Qiao hadn't fully grasped the essence of the Patronus Charm during his brush with death, merged with it, and transformed into a dragon to ascend to heaven and be resurrected, Gang Leader Qiao would have died long ago.

He still has a lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead.

"I just realized what I truly need to protect," Qiao Feng said in a deep voice, "The common people of this land, not the so-called officials who want to betray them."

"Betrayal?" Bai Shijing immediately thought of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, which had only recently been reclaimed. "What is this tyrant planning to do?"

"A system of checks and balances." Even a man of steel like Qiao Feng couldn't help but shed tears. "The Emperor trusts me, but he doesn't trust you or Shaolin. He's planning to sell out the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun to gain the support of the Liao Dynasty, introduce external forces, remove my wings, and use me with more confidence."

"That tyrant!" Bai Shijing roared in fury. "Chief, can I kill him myself?!"

If Basil could hear this, he would surely understand Bai Shijing's current situation.

This is like when Guo Jun's men heard that in order to defeat their compatriots with differing political views, they had to hand over Yingzhou to the Japanese and allow the Japanese to carry out a Carnage on Yingzhou's land.

No Han Chinese could tolerate that.

"Shijing," Qiao Feng shook his head, "I did not arrange for anyone to assassinate the emperor. I simply let it go."

"That's it?" Bai Shijing couldn't help but question, "This kind of beast is not worthy of being a ruler."

"Yes." Qiao Feng nodded. "They are not worthy to be a ruler at all. But we just need to let them be. According to my investigation, those who have made a move include not only the expected figures like Southern Murong and Hell Monarch Tang Mu, but also the Liao Dynasty forces."

"Retribution, it really is retribution!" Bai Shijing laughed loudly, "You wanted to cooperate with them, but they wanted to take your life directly."

Inside the bamboo house that moves automatically in mid-air at the foot of Shaoshi Mountain.

Wu Yazi just brought back news that some people wanted to assassinate the emperor at the conference.

As the daughter of the Eastern Heretic, Huang Rong asked this question, "Brother Lin, do you think the Emperor will die? If he dies, it might be a good thing. I've been wanting to see an emperor who came from an ordinary background for a long time."

Unaware that future generations would have emperors who started out as beggars, she eagerly awaited the first emperor who grew up among the common people and understood their hardships.

"Yes," Li Lin said.

He was prepared to take action if the emperor did not die.

Although things are chaotic down below the mountain now, a lot of information is mixed in.

By carefully analyzing this information, the image of an emperor who only knew how to maintain checks and balances and who acted recklessly becomes immediately apparent.

"Brother Li," Wang Yuyan, who possessed a little political acumen because of her cousin's rebellion, asked, "Why did those people kill the emperor? If that's the case, who else can compete with Gang Leader Qiao for that position?"

"They should be protecting the emperor, so that Gang Leader Qiao will always remain the leader of the Beggar's Gang's Sect."

"Because the emperor himself doesn't act like a proper mascot and doesn't do any real work," Li Lin said. "Yet he can still command Qiao Feng and the Beggar's Gang's Sect. If he didn't manage things, in the era of Curse Technique, the martial arts sects could have been proper lords of their respective areas, local emperors."

"Someone like your cousin can find a remote area and live a peaceful life as a king."

"After all, Qiao Feng also knew that things were different now than in the past, and he could only maintain order and justice, while delegating other powers."

"But the emperor was dissatisfied with this kind of enfeoffment system and wanted to recentralize power."

"Under his coercion, the Beggar's Gang' Sect became the Beggar Dynasty, and the Beggar's Gang's Sect's branches replaced the county government."

"The Buddha Kingdom was merely something he deliberately set up to compete with the Beggar Dynasty."

"Those sects that have lost power will naturally be dissatisfied with the emperor and hope to return to that era of freedom."

"What about the Liao Dynasty?" Wang Yuyan asked. "Why would the Liao Dynasty need it? Wouldn't it be better if the emperor were alive?"

"In this respect, the emperor is taking the blame for the Beggar's Gang' Sect," Li Lin said. "The Liao Dynasty believes that this was the emperor's order."

"In short, if it weren't for Qiao Feng, that dog emperor would have died long ago."

"Then I'll go and kill him?" Wu Yazi had turned back into a crow, asked.

"If we're going to do it, let me do it," Li Lin said. "I've never killed an emperor before."