I just reached the maximum level, and you want me to be a puppet emperor?

Chapter 454 Official positions in the imperial court are more useful than status in the holy land! (Please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets)
These are things that Xu Zifeng, at his current level, cannot understand; only seasoned veterans would know how careful and cautious they are in their actions.

Yun Xu is able to maintain his position because no one has been able to find any fault with him.

Otherwise, there would be too many people who want to replace him; which general doesn't want to be the commander-in-chief?

The father and son talked for a long time, and Xu Zifeng suddenly lowered his voice: "Father, our plan is probably even more difficult to implement. Since Li Chen ascended the throne, he has not only quelled many internal troubles, but also enjoys a very high reputation among the people. If we start a rebellion now, I'm afraid even the southern tribes will not support us."

Xu Zifeng had not forgotten his father's instructions. He had entered the capital to become an inside agent for the Southern Army.

Xu Su sighed softly and patted his son's shoulder: "It's more than that. I've recently discovered that even within our Xu family, there are quite a few people who oppose Li Chen. He really is a good emperor."

Xu Su only said that he believed Li Chen would let Xu Zifeng come back.

He paused, then said solemnly, "Remember, as long as the emperor doesn't force us, the Xu family will never rebel. From today onwards, all plans are suspended."

Even a rebellion needs a legitimate reason, and the Tian Ce Dynasty valued legitimacy.

Just like the policies adopted by the late emperor, Xu Su's rebellion could be said to have been forced. The Xu family was united in their hatred of the enemy, and the princes with military power around them also felt that there was no need to stop Xu Su, because if Xu Su was eliminated, they would be the next to be eliminated.

To put it bluntly, they might even help.

Now things are different. With Li Chen's policies in place, the princes with military power are living comfortably. They don't want to get involved in the mess, and they don't even want Xu Su to become emperor.

Xu Su knew that rebellion would be difficult, so pausing was a reasonable choice.

But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t need to prepare. If Li Chen starts to go back on his word, he will immediately rebel.

"That child," Xu Zifeng didn't finish his sentence, but he clearly asked his father what he was going to do.

A hint of reluctance flashed in Xu Su's eyes, but he said firmly, "You should develop your career well in the capital. With the Empress Dowager's support, your future in court is limitless. Staying in the Prince's residence for too long will only attract criticism. Return to the military camp tomorrow."

"Alright, do I need to hide my talents in the imperial court and the military camp?" Xu Zifeng pondered.

“No need. Among the newly promoted officials in the court, there are several very powerful figures. If you hide your abilities, they will rise to prominence.” Xu Su’s words proved that he still had many informants in the capital.

"Sigh, Father, you mean Lin Mo, Xiao Ming, and the others, right? They are indeed very strong and not easy to deal with." Xu Zifeng sighed.

He thought he was a chosen one of heaven, with unparalleled talent, but after arriving in the capital, he discovered that he wasn't as amazing as he had imagined.

At the very least, there are actually people his age who can hold their own against him.

"Do you know them?" Xu Su asked, puzzled.

"I know them, we've met before."

"How's the relationship?"

"Well, some are fair-weather friends, and we have some kind of relationship with them, while others have a rather bad relationship."

Xu Zifeng answered honestly that his relationship with Lin Mo, Xiao Ming, Wu Qi, and others was just something they got together for when they drank. They had some friendship, but it wasn't that deep.

Those with a bad relationship were Fang Qian and Luo Yong from the Ministry of Personnel.

Xu Zifeng still can't remember when he beat up Luo Yong, but since Luo Yong can accurately say when and where he hit him, it's highly likely that this happened.

After all, he was hiding his true strength at the time, had fought too many people, and was drinking heavily, so he didn't remember these defeated opponents.

As for Fang Qian, Xu Zifeng felt it was purely due to unforeseen circumstances. Fang Qian was Luo Yong's good friend and Xiao Ming's love rival, while Xu Zifeng and Xiao Ming were also drinking buddies.

So, they actually have absolutely no relationship or hatred with each other, because these two people are simply adversaries.

Xu Zifeng also remembered a fellow general named Liu Hao. Liu Hao deliberately kept his distance from him, and for some reason, their relationship was lukewarm.

This is Xu Zifeng's network of connections among the younger generation in the capital. Of course, he didn't mention Lin Yue'e's matter.

Xu Su remained silent for a while, realizing that these people were not simple. Deliberate flattery was useless. The chosen ones were all arrogant and would not develop any goodwill towards you because of your flattery. Being flattered was their nature, and his own son would disdain doing such things.

Therefore, the best way is to work hard and surpass these people.

The chosen ones only admire those who are stronger than themselves.

However, Xu Su still left Xu Zifeng with a trump card.

Prince Xu Su of Zhennan patted his son on the shoulder and said in a low voice, "During the last campaign against the sea tribes, I took special care of that scoundrel, Prince Li Ji of Anxi. He owes us a favor. If you encounter any trouble, just go to him for help."

Xu Zifeng's eyes lit up: "Li Ji? Is that the guy who likes to invest and start businesses but always fails? I remember meeting him once and even having drinks with him."

“Exactly.” Xu Su smiled meaningfully. “Don’t let his reputation as a scoundrel fool you; he has a clean background and a good relationship with Li Chen. This kind of orthodox prince can actually be very useful in crucial moments.”

There's another point Xu Su encouraged Xu Zifeng to do boldly: don't be afraid of overshadowing your master with your achievements.

In this era, who has achieved more than Li Chen? Li Chen not only expanded the territory of Tian Ce, but also brought Tian Ce's prosperity to a new level.

Most importantly, Li Chen is young, and he is not afraid of being worn down.

Why do old emperors sometimes kill important officials when they are old?

It was because he feared that his descendants would not be able to control the situation.

Li Chen wasn't afraid at all, so Xu Su told his son to focus on his career development.

After a brief private conversation, Xu Zifeng hurriedly ate his dinner and returned to the military camp that very night.

He knew that staying in the Prince's mansion for too long would inevitably attract criticism, so he thought it better to go back sooner.

At the same time, Mahei also returned to the Ten Thousand Mountains.

This senior disciple from the sorcery holy land was dressed in the uniform of the Tian Ce army, with a captain's token hanging at his waist, a stark contrast to his usual appearance.

"Lord Ma, this way please!"

"Commander Ma, your humble servant has prepared a feast to welcome you!"

The local officials' overly attentive attitude left Mahei somewhat bewildered.

You should know that when he was the successor of the Holy Land, these officials made things difficult for him quite a bit.

Every time I come to do business, I have to go through layers of approval and obstacles everywhere.

After several rounds of drinks, the county magistrate leaned closer and whispered, "Lord Ma, I've heard you're highly regarded in the army. Would you be so kind as to introduce me?"

Ma Hei chuckled inwardly; this was the taste of power.

Although he was the senior disciple in the Holy Land, his influence was limited to the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

Now that he has an official position, he is fawned over wherever he goes.

Throughout the entire Tian Ce Dynasty, he was highly sought after.

Having spent a lot of time with Xu Zifeng, he also knew how to handle social situations. He would agree to anything he could, and there wouldn't be any major problems.

After the banquet, Ma Hei rode straight to the depths of the Ten Thousand Mountains.

He couldn't wait to tell the Holy Lord this good news, because an official position in the imperial court was more useful than a status in the Holy Land!
(End of this chapter)