Nan Yu was unwilling to accept this!
He had finally managed to usurp the throne and become king, and now, less than two days later, he had to flee for his life—this was simply unacceptable to him.
In order to ascend the throne, he married Zan Rihong's daughter, who weighed over 300 pounds, and was tortured for two days in a row, paying a heavy price.
I haven't even had a chance to enjoy myself, and now I have to run away for my life. How can that be fair to all the torment I've suffered these past two days?
He gritted his teeth and said, "Father-in-law, I am truly unwilling to flee so soon after obtaining the throne. Is there no other way?"
Now, most of the power in Zhennan is in Zan Rihong's hands, and he is the only one who has a chance to save him.
If he can continue to be king, what's wrong with letting him wield absolute power?
"His Majesty!"
Hearing Nan Yu's unwillingness, Zan Rihong's eyes turned unfriendly, and he scolded, "Now that the Great Liang is sweeping in, if we fight them head-on, we'll only end up with two hundred thousand more corpses."
Rather than recklessly courting death, it would be better to find an island to hide on and preserve oneself first.
With such a vast territory, the Great Liang would inevitably suffer from internal strife if there were no external enemies, and might even collapse on its own. If that happens, we could launch a counterattack from the sea and perhaps replace the Great Liang as the dominant power.
Do you want to become a corpse, or a ruler?
Forehead!
Upon hearing this, Nan Yu was taken aback.
He had considered the previous situation. After all, the military strength of Great Liang far exceeded that of Zhennan, and they would be no match for them in a direct confrontation.
Therefore, he wanted Zan Rihong to contact other countries to jointly resist the Great Liang, such as the Frostwest Empire.
To his utter astonishment, Zan Rihong actually said that the Great Liang would collapse on its own, leaving him speechless. How could such a powerful Great Liang possibly perish on its own?
Seeing the shocked look on his face, Zan Rihong snorted coldly and said disdainfully, "Hmph, there are many countries that have risen to prominence and then declined. Throughout history, many hegemonic countries have perished in their glory."
The more powerful a state is, the more prone it is to make mistakes. As the emperor's ambition grows, so too do the ambitions of his ministers, generals, and even ordinary people.
They will crave higher status, greater power, and a better life.
However, these things are destined to be unable to satisfy everyone, which will inevitably lead to fierce conflicts. And at that time, Lin Yi's powerful army will become his biggest weakness!
Human desires are endless; no one wants to remain stagnant, and everyone wants to improve, but resources are the only thing that cannot be increased.
Therefore, a struggle is necessary!
status!
money!
These things will ultimately lead this vast empire to its demise in madness.
"Forehead?"
Nan Yu was completely dumbfounded, staring blankly at Zan Rihong as if she were seeing her father-in-law for the first time.
Although this man holds a high position and wields great power, he rarely speaks out and quietly works for his father, the king. I initially thought he was just an incompetent minister, but I never expected him to have such vision.
His words just now, at first glance, were somewhat difficult to understand, but upon closer reflection, they were thought-provoking, because there was genuine truth to them.
The territory in Zhennan is much smaller than that in Great Liang, and both areas are rife with conflicts, leading to numerous infighting among the people, which has reached a fever pitch.
With such a vast land Great Liang, they're bound to fight like mad. Father-in-law, you've really hit the nail on the head.
But here's the problem: Zhennan has such great talent, how come he was beaten Great Liang by Daliang? Logically, he should be thriving, right?
He couldn't help but mutter, "It doesn't make sense. With such virtuous ministers, Zhennan should have risen to prominence, so why did it perish?"
This isn't right, it doesn't make sense.
"Hehe!"
Seemingly sensing his gaze, Zan Rihong flashed with disdain. "Knowing is one thing, but whether you do it is another."
"It's like many people want the throne; would you be willing to give it to them?"
Of course not!
A sharp glint flashed in Nan Yu's eyes, and she shook her head without hesitation.
He got this position by sacrificing his own father; how could he possibly give it up to someone else? That's absolutely impossible, unless he dies.
A hint of a smile flashed in Zan Rihong as he continued, "Then there's the issue of wealth. For example, Zhennan's wealth is in the hands of several powerful families, and then in the hands of the king."
"If the common people want wealth, they will naturally have to rob these people to get their share. Your Majesty, are you willing to do that?"
Forehead!
Nan Yu's face stiffened, and she shook her head with a dark expression. This was indeed not something that could be given to someone else.
I'm short of money myself, how could I possibly give it to others?
Zan Rihong couldn't help but chuckle.
Zhennan's wealth is almost entirely controlled by a few major families, and his own Zanri Clan is one of the best among them. How could he possibly harm his own family's interests in order to resolve Zhennan's conflicts?
So it's not that he was unaware of Zhennan's conflict, it's just that he didn't want to mediate, nor was he willing to try.
Looking at Nan Yu's sullen face, he said meaningfully, "Many times, conflicts seem obvious at a glance, but when you actually try to mediate, you'll find that they are simply unsolvable."
Because no one is willing to give up their interests; this is a very real problem.
The problem in Great Liang is even more serious. An explosion there could wipe out everything and throw the entire East into turmoil. That would be our opportunity!
Compared to his own interests, the king should know how to choose.
Huh!
Nan Yu's eyes lit up; what he said actually made sense.
Who would willingly give up their own wealth to someone else? It's obviously impossible, and this conflict is destined to remain unresolved.
To resolve this conflict, the only way is to use force to suppress it; otherwise, it will be like trying to catch the moon's reflection in the water—completely ineffective.
The crisis in Great Liang was sown from the very beginning and was destined to explode; it was only a matter of time.
He couldn't help but exclaim excitedly, "My father-in-law's words are thought-provoking and enlightening. Since the Great Liang is destined to perish, we just need to wait for their demise."
It's just a matter of playing it safe; it's no big deal.
The only problem is where to hide; you at least need a place to survive.
Zan Rihong took out a sea chart, pointed to a spot, and explained, "This is a habitable island, far from the territory of Great Liang, enough for us to thrive and multiply."
"Good!"
Excitement gleamed in Nan Yu's eyes. As long as he was far away from Great Liang, he would still be the king.
Although he ruled fewer people, a king is still a king, and his life was incomparable to that of ordinary people.
Although all the power was in Zan Rihong's hands, that old guy was going to die sooner or later, and in the end, it would all fall on his own head.
As long as he outlives Zan Rihong and then Lin Yi, he will inevitably become the Lord of the East.
"Wow, I'm a genius!"
"For a better tomorrow, I have to endure this!"