No one was born accustomed to taking orders from others; it was merely a habit formed through the accumulation of time.
Once one had grown used to freedom and tasted its sweetness, it was difficult to make them submit to being casually manipulated like a toy or puppet.
Though Meng Zhao did not know Dragon Tree Monk's exact circumstances, he keenly sensed that Dragon Tree Monk and Beitang Sheng were likely not of one mind—at least, not as close and inseparable as he had previously assumed.
"Haha, in terms of status, I can indeed be considered one of the Emperor's men. However, when it comes to interests and closeness, I'm afraid the Emperor and I have no small number of conflicts."
Meng Zhao was testing him bit by bit. He appeared to be revealing certain details about his own identity, but upon careful consideration, there were truly quite a few—no, one could even say many—people like this under Beitang Sheng.
Imperial authority was tyrannical and imposing. Beneath its crown lay the vast majority of people. Even the Nine-Surname Houses could be considered Beitang Sheng's subordinates, yet the Nine-Surname Houses, Beitang Sheng, and the Beitang Imperial Clan were precisely bound by conflicts of interest.
Thus, even if Dragon Tree Monk possessed heaven-piercing wisdom, so long as Meng Zhao did not actively reveal his identity, it was absolutely impossible for him to guess Meng Zhao's true origins.
Still, based on Meng Zhao's skills, martial arts, and the information he had revealed, though Dragon Tree Monk could not reach a definite conclusion, he could more or less infer his inclinations and position.
There was an overwhelming chance that he came from a great aristocratic clan or powerful noble house. Only then could he bask in the lingering grace of the Beitang Imperial Clan