Chapter 2088: The Deposed Crown Prince, Li Xuantu!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Surprisingly, Li Linfu only momentarily trembled upon seeing Genesis Supreme and the Tianfu Divine Lord before quickly calming down.
He raised his head and directly said, “Speak. Why did you come to find me?”
“Hmph, you want to get away from us now that you’ve become the Wise Minister of the Great Tang? Don’t forget how you got the position of Prime Minister!”
Genesis Supreme’s voice was cold as he rudely spoke.
An outsider would have undoubtedly been shocked to hear this. No one would have imagined the mighty Prime Minister of the Great Tang to have such a close relations.h.i.+p with the men in black. Moreover, from the words of the men in black, it was apparent that the men in black had played a significant role in getting Li Linfu the Prime Minister post.
Such news was more than enough to shake the realm.
Li Linfu said nothing, only let out a long sigh.
Brought up and brought down by the same man!
Twenty years ago, he had been a complete n.o.body and completely useless, a member of a branch family of the imperial household that was frequently jeered at by others. In an unexpected turn of events, he saved Genesis Supreme, who was on the verge of death after failing to a.s.sa.s.sinate the Sage Emperor, and a.s.sisted him in hiding from the Imperial Army.
After that, those two began to work together.
With the help of Genesis Supreme and the men in black, along with his own natural talents in politics, Li Linfu had ascended smoothly until he finally reached the post of Prime Minister.
In this process, many of his old enemies or rivals failed or were exiled for various reasons.
Many people said that Li Linfu was a late bloomer, and his luck only erupted when he was forty-some years old and the Sage Emperor began to appreciate his talents, allowing him to reach his current place. Very few people knew that the men in black had been helping him this entire time.
But the existence of the men in black was a taboo, and they were the Sage Emperor’s mortal foes that he had spent many years attempting to annihilate.
Thus, after a.s.suming the post of Prime Minister, Li Linfu had been extremely cautious, avoiding any direct connection with the men in black. Unless it was absolutely necessary, he refused to use their strength.
Alas, everything was decided twenty-some years ago, and he could no longer escape his connection with the men in black.
“This is not what I mean. The new Emperor is only recently enthroned, but your operations have been too frequent as of late. This is extremely unfavorable to me and can easily expose me,” Li Linfu said.
A man had to lower their head when the roof was too low, and even the revered Prime Minister of the empire had to bow to the men in black.
“Hmph, if we didn’t do so, how could we make you come out of the city? If you continue to attempt to distance yourself from us, we might need to go a step farther,” Genesis Supreme coldly said.
Did Li Linfu think he could hide his plans from him?
He had attempted to get in touch with Li Linfu several times, but Li Linfu had pretended to not receive his communications. The organization had nurtured Li Linfu for years, and now that he was Prime Minister, he thought that he could get out without paying back anything? Was anything ever that easy?
Li Linfu dropped his head and said nothing.
“Li Linfu, I know that you have already fallen out of favor. All of this is linked to that King of Foreign Lands. On this point, we actually share a common enemy.
“As long as you help me this once, I guarantee that I can help you remove the King of Foreign Lands—perhaps even that Li Heng as well. When the time comes, we will place someone else on the throne, or perhaps… You are also a member of the imperial household. If you are willing, I can make you master of the Great Tang!
“If you do not wish to have too much interaction after this, once this matter is over, I can guarantee that our relations.h.i.+p will end there and will cease affecting you.”
As Genesis Supreme spoke, his expression and tone softened.
“But before any of this can happen, you must help with this matter. Moreover, it’s about time you paid me for my services!”
“What do you want me to do?”
After a period of internal struggle, Li Linfu finally spoke.
“And can you really get rid of w.a.n.g Chong?”
Upon hearing Li Linfu’s last question, Genesis Supreme and the Tianfu Divine Lord smiled. In the end, what Li Linfu cared the most about was power.
“Sir Li should know of the Venerable Genesis Supreme’s power,” the Tianfu Divine Lord suddenly commented. “w.a.n.g Chong lately has been like a turtle in its sh.e.l.l, not daring to leave the capital. Why do you think that is? You don’t really think it’s because he was cultivating in his estate, do you?”
Li Linfu nodded. He did not doubt their strength, and this was why he had come.
Seeing that Li Linfu had agreed, Genesis Supreme said, “Relax; what I need you to do this time is very simple and will pose no danger to you. You simply need to find someone for me.”
“Find someone?”
Li Linfu creased his brow, raising his head in surprise.
He had thought of many possibilities, but he had never imagined that Genesis Supreme would cause such a stir in the capital simply so that he could find someone.
No one understood more than him the power of the men in black. Genesis Supreme could simply appoint someone to find whoever this person was. There was no need to mobilize the Prime Minister of the Great Tang.
And how could people of their ability fail to find a person?
As if knowing what Li Linfu was thinking, Genesis Supreme waved his sleeve and indifferently said, “Of course it’s not that simple.
“This person is very special, and after wracking my mind, I find that you are only the person who can find his location.”
“Who is it?”
Li Linfu creased his brow in surprise.
While he had originally come to complete his agreement with Genesis Supreme and had been rather reluctant, Genesis Supreme’s words had piqued his curiosity.
What sort of person did Genesis Supreme want to find that not even the men in black could find? Why could only he find him?
“I wish you to find a person of extremely high status, someone who should have reigned over the realm but has now been forgotten, a former loser!”
Genesis Supreme smiled as he spoke a riddle.
“A sovereign of the realm… loser?”
Li Linfu was perplexed. Genesis Supreme was not one to joke. What sort of person could have had the power to rule the realm yet had been forgotten?
When had such a person appeared in the Great Tang?
“Hmph, Li Linfu, you shouldn’t have forgotten the Divine Dragon Coup from thirty years ago, right?” Genesis Supreme suddenly said.
Bang!
As if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning, Li Linfu shuddered and stared in disbelief at Genesis Supreme.
“Yo-you’re talking about him?!”
Li Linfu was shaken, his mind reeling.
He had never imagined that Genesis Supreme would be looking for him!
He was the only one in the realm who matched Genesis Supreme’s conditions.
Genesis Supreme earnestly nodded.
The deposed Crown Prince, Li Xuantu!
Thirty years ago, he had been the Sage Emperor’s greatest rival, and in the Divine Dragon Coup, he had almost become the true ruler of the realm.
If not for that coup, the Great Tang might have been completely different.
“But didn’t Li Xuantu die in that coup?” Li Linfu said.
Everyone knew that the Sage Emperor had emerged victorious in the Divine Dragon Coup. With the defeat of the Crown Prince, the Sage Emperor a.s.sumed the throne and became the ruler of the Great Tang, the architect of a golden age.
As for the deposed Crown Prince, losers all suffered the same fate.
Li Xuantu never appeared again after the coup, and the final result was obvious.
Genesis Supreme was implying that Li Xuantu was not dead?
But how could that be?!
Li Xuantu had possessed extraordinary talent and had been the Sage Emperor’s strongest rival. There had been many times when he had almost pushed the Sage Emperor into a dead end, and the previous Emperor had greatly favored him, believing that he could succeed the throne. How could the Sage Emperor not have killed such a significant threat after emerging victorious in the coup?
After so many years, was he still alive?
“You’re too naive. If Li Xuantu were really dead, I wouldn’t have come to find you. According to our intelligence reports, while Li Xuantu was defeated in the coup thirty years ago, your Sage Emperor spared his life and imprisoned him in a secret location.
“We’ve searched many places but have failed to find him. But based on the results, all the evidence points at the Imperial Palace! For so many years, Li Taiyi had him at his side this whole time. Although our group is immensely powerful, this is true only outside the capital. The capital and the Imperial Palace are enclosed within a domain that prevents our people from entering.
“Only you can accomplish this task!”
Genesis Supreme turned to Li Linfu.
Li Linfu’s heart was in turmoil.
If what Genesis Supreme said was true and that man was still alive, the entire power structure of the realm could s.h.i.+ft!
This was a result he had never expected from his meeting with Genesis Supreme.
Li Linfu suppressed his shock and nodded. “Understood. I will help you find this man!”
After exchanging a few more words with Genesis Supreme, Li Linfu left.
Genesis Supreme and the Tianfu Divine Lord watched as he disappeared from sight.
The Tianfu Divine Lord drew back his gaze and asked, “Venerable One, though he is the Prime Minister, he is an ordinary man without the strength to truss a chicken. Can he really find Li Xuantu?”
He was also surprised to learn that Genesis Supreme wanted to find the deposed Crown Prince.
But in his view, Li Linfu was a feeble scholar, and he simply couldn’t bring himself to trust such a man.
“Heh, you cannot underestimate this mortal. He has far greater abilities than you can imagine! A man who can sit on the seat of Prime Minister is not as simple as you think!” Genesis Supreme coldly said, looking in the direction Li Linfu had left.
With a shake of his sleeve, Genesis Supreme turned around and vanished.