Deep in the East Palace, the prince's study was filled with a depressing cloud.
Yin Zhao's face was so gloomy that water could drip out of it. The wolf hair brush in his hand was almost crushed by him, and his knuckles turned white due to the force.
Wei Qian, his confidant and important adviser, who had followed him for fifteen years, had to be abandoned!
That hatred was like a poisonous snake, gnawing at his heart and lungs.
"Zhao Muyun, you're quite capable! First you rejected my seductive advances, and now you're overturning the table in the Golden Throne Hall!"
"If we go together with Lao Jiu, we can really make some waves!"
The prince squeezed out a few words from between his teeth, each one as cold as ice.
The guard commander Chen Xiong standing beside him was as tall and strong as an iron tower, but his eyes were as sharp and calm as an eagle's.
He bowed slightly, his voice low and steady: "Your Highness, calm down! Zhao Muyun is a powerful figure at the moment, and the Prince of Jin is willing to mobilize troops for him, even if it arouses Your Majesty's suspicion. Your Majesty's attitude is ambiguous..."
"If we force our way in at this point, it might not be the best strategy and we'll end up in a passive position."
The prince suddenly raised his eyes, his gaze like a knife: "Are we just going to let him run rampant? Let Old Nine and his gang stir up trouble behind the scenes?"
"No."
A gleam of light flashed in Chen Xiong's eyes. "Your Highness, this is not the time to confront him head-on. His Majesty's intentions are unpredictable. He has signaled that he is supporting Prince Jin and suppressing you, while also tacitly approving Prince Jin's deployment of troops for Zhao Muyun..."
"In this game, His Majesty is leveraging the opponent's strength to balance the two sides. If we force our way in, His Majesty will only lean towards them."
He took a step forward, his voice lowered, with a cold calculation: "Your Highness, I believe that the most urgent task is to facilitate the marriage between Zhao Muyun and Qinghe County Princess Yin Yao!"
Crown Prince Yin Zhao's pupils suddenly shrank: "Facilitate? Are you crazy?"
"Your Highness is wise."
Chen Xiong's lips curled up in a cold arc. "Prince Jin must be feeling very proud right now, thinking that his gamble paid off, sending reinforcements to save Shuozhou, and also connecting with Zhao Muyun."
"When people are proud, they are most likely to reveal their flaws! Let them think they are in power, let them think we are helpless, then they will dare to go further and have a greater chance of making mistakes!"
"If you want to destroy someone, you must first drive him crazy!"
He paused and continued, "As for Zhao Muyun, once she truly marries into the Prince of Jin's Palace, she will be completely tied to the Prince of Jin's ship."
"By then, they'll be on the same page. We just need to wait for the right moment. Once their 'alliance' reveals a sufficiently significant flaw, we'll uproot them with lightning speed and wipe them out!"
"This is much safer and more deadly than dividing our forces to deal with just one of them!"
The anger on Prince Yinzhao's face gradually faded, replaced by a deep thought.
Chen Xiong's words were like an ice-cold key, opening another door full of calculations in his heart.
Let the enemy think they have won, and then they will be destroyed in their complacency...
This is more insidious and more effective than direct confrontation.
He slowly sat back in the chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the smooth rosewood armrest, making a dull sound.
Just then, there was a gentle knock on the study door.
A trusted eunuch slipped in quietly, walked quickly to the prince's side, and whispered a few words in his ear.
The message the eunuch brought was none other than the news that Cao Chunfeng, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Study, had risked his life to pass on: the Emperor was not furious and severely punished the Prince of Jin for mobilizing troops, but instead showed a hint of secret approval that the chess game was developing as expected!
After hearing this, Yin Zhao's expression changed several times, and finally turned into a cold understanding.
He waved away the eunuch and looked at Chen Xiong. There was no hesitation in his eyes anymore, only depth.
"You're right." The prince's voice returned to his usual calmness, but it was even more sinister.
"Let Zhao Muyun and Yin Yao marry as soon as possible! This matter requires the Queen Mother's help. Pass my message to Fengyi Palace and ask the Queen Mother... to persuade the Princess Qinghe and make sure she agrees willingly!"
He emphasized the word "willingly" with an unquestionable pressure.
......
In the warm room of Fengyi Palace, the aroma was lingering in the air, but it could not dispel the cold and suffocating feeling in Yin Yao's heart.
The queen sat upright on the phoenix couch, with graceful demeanor. The smile on her face was still gentle, but her eyes were as sharp as needles, with an oppressive feeling of insight and control over everything.
"Qinghe!"
The Queen's voice was like a knife wrapped in honey, "His Majesty is very concerned about your marriage!"
"General Zhao is a remarkable hero. Your Majesty and I are both very satisfied."
"This match made in heaven, if it were finalized sooner, would reassure everyone involved, wouldn't you agree?"
Yin Yao lowered her head, and her long eyelashes cast a heavy shadow on her pale face.
Her slender fingers tightly grasped the silky fabric of her palace dress, and her knuckles turned white from the force.
The pressure exerted by the Queen was like an invisible boulder, weighing heavily on her chest.
She thought of her father, who had violated the Heavenly Law to save Shuozhou, of Zhao Muyun's uncertain fate in the capital, of the soldiers fighting bloody battles on the walls of Shuozhou...
She was like a bird in a golden cage, her wings already bound tightly by invisible silk threads.
The Queen's voice continued, gentle yet with an irresistible force:
"You are a smart child, you should know the importance of this matter. This marriage not only concerns you personally, but also the safety of the Prince of Jin's Mansion, and the life and death, honor and disgrace of thousands of soldiers in Shuozhou."
"General Zhao is a man who values love and loyalty. If you marry him, you will be his legitimate wife. The Prince of Jin's Mansion and he will be one and the same, sharing honor and disgrace."
"Your Majesty and I will naturally view Prince Jin... differently."
The implications and threats in the words were laid bare in front of Yin Yao.
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