“Kill them?” Zu An exclaimed, his expression changing. He was left in a bit of disbelief as he said, “The State Duke of Triumph and State Duke of Prestige have always been individuals of good moral standing and reputation. Why would they need to be killed?”

After some hesitation, Bi Qi explained, “Ah Zu, because of your relationship with Linglong, you are not an outsider. This is a good chance for me to teach you a few things.

“They chose to do what they did precisely because of their reputation. Previously, there was still his majesty pressuring them. Now that the crown prince is about to succeed to the throne, whether it is his strength or his prestige, the masses will never really be convinced. Who would be able to stop these two if they acted up?”

Zu An explained, “Even though these two coordinated closely with King Qi, they aren’t the type who would go against the court for King Qi’s sake. They still place the court and the empire above all else. Once the crown prince takes the throne, I believe the two state dukes will still remain loyal to him.”

Bi Qi continuously shook his head as he listened, saying, “That is precisely why the Qin clan is naive. They should have either wholeheartedly devoted themselves to King Qi’s camp and aggressively helped him take the throne, or severed their relationship...