Chapter 121 Playing Chess
Zhi Fang did not bring many people into the capital, only two thousand. Guan Zhiwei was able to take Gao Yang's life from the chaos of the army, so it would be useless for him to bring more people.
He's taking a gamble now, betting that Guan Zhiwei won't hit him.
She used appeasement because she didn't want to see the world fall apart. The lives of the people in those cities were her bargaining chips.
Of course, there is also a very small possibility that his foolish son really did win her heart.
When people are at their wits' end, it's not a matter of belief or disbelief, but of gambling or not gambling.
What if?
Even if he loses the bet, he still has several cities and hundreds of thousands of people to pay for it with their lives.
He dares to gamble, but would Guan Zhiwei dare to gamble with hundreds of thousands of people?
When he arrived in Shangjing, the city was brightly decorated, and the country had not had such a joyous occasion in a long time.
Ordinary people don't understand politics or power struggles; they simply follow the crowd based on their emotions.
When good things happen, they rejoice as if the good fortune has befallen them.
However, this time they weren't just blindly laughing, because if Guan Zhiwei married Zhi Junyuan and could take over Zhifang's troops without bloodshed, then wives wouldn't have to send off their husbands, parents wouldn't have to send off their sons, and there wouldn't be a long conscription procession that would turn the dust kicked up by the carriages into wet mud.
Guan Zhiwei hosted a banquet at the palace to entertain Zhifang, with high-ranking officials in attendance.
Zhi Fang's old face was unreadable; he always had a somber expression, making one feel that he had many worries on his mind.
He showed no shame as a traitor, and said frankly, "When I last came to the capital, the people's faces were numb and bitter. Here, everyone's face is filled with joy. Your Majesty truly has the support of the people."
Guan Zhiwei waved his hand: "I didn't govern very well either. It's just that the war killed many people, so there were fewer people left, and there was enough food. Once everyone was full, they stopped causing trouble."
The officials clenched their fists under their sleeves. Why did His Majesty always speak such blunt truths?
Zhi Fang was a rough man; he didn't bother with the roundabout ways of scholars and asked directly, "Does His Majesty want me to return to the capital to kill me?"
"Father!" Zhi Junyuan urgently stopped him.
"It's alright," Guan Zhi said with a smile. "A Yuan, I'm willing to forgive anything that concerns you."
Zhi Fang squinted, thinking, "Has Guan Zhiwei gone mad?"
What is love?
Humans need affirmation, but they often don't receive enough, so they seek it out from someone under the guise of love.
Human nature is greedy; the more you want, the more you crave. You wish love could erase everything, including poverty, anxiety, and suffering.
It's as if as soon as love is mentioned, all those practical considerations like class, money, and appearance disappear.
Love can't bear such a heavy burden. It's like a fig leaf being blown away, revealing lies and deception. As a result, more and more people are shouting: Love is a liar!
Zhi Fang couldn't explain love in a complicated way, but his instinctive feeling was that it was unbelievable.
She was the emperor, and those who recognized her were the people of the world. That was her equal weight, not those who knew the emperor was far away.
He picked up his wine cup. "Your Majesty, I have a question for you."
Guan Zhi smiled slightly and said, "Go ahead."
"I came from humble beginnings. I was the fourth of six brothers. My father passed away, my mother was blind, and we only had a thatched hut. I was the one who fed my mother and earned money to help my elder brother get married. I was attacked by ten men and stabbed three times while helping an official catch thieves. I survived and earned the official's appreciation. He married his sister to me. I fought on the battlefield time and time again to earn military pay and support my wife and children. I rose from a lowly soldier to a centurion and then a chiliarch. I stood out among tens of thousands of soldiers guarding the border and gained the appreciation of Gao Yang. I accompanied him in his campaigns and became his confidant from a minor general."
He spoke at length, his voice choked with sobs, "Your Majesty, am I incompetent?"
Guan Zhiwei flicked his sleeve and laughed heartily: "Heroes of the world are as numerous as carp crossing a river, but heroes are merely the threshold to see me."
Below her were a hall full of high-ranking officials.
Officials and nobles, dressed in brocade robes and adorned with jade pendants, were among the high-ranking officials and ministers of the court.
These people, even if they hold high official positions, can have their lives ruined if the king displeases them with just a glance.
Zhi Fang looked at her through the crowd, not even noticing the intoxicating dragon bed beneath her.
All I could see was a tall mountain.
He knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, I am completely convinced."
Since you want to act, I'll play along.
They were both very clear about each other's intentions.
Guan Zhiwei wanted to kill Zhi Fang without bloodshed, thus protecting countless innocent civilians.
To prevent this, one must seize the opportunity when the emperor is unprepared, kill him, and take his place.
Neither side could achieve their desired outcome for the time being, so they could only remain in a stalemate, putting on a show of loyalty between ruler and subject.
I don't know how long it will last, but I also know it definitely won't last long.
After all, there is only one kind of relationship that can last: when both parties feel they are getting the better deal.
But the truth is often that everyone feels they've been taken advantage of.
In a sense, the relationship between the ruler and his ministers was like that of a pair of estranged lovers.
Only Zhi Junyuan still clings to unrealistic fantasies, dreaming of his wedding, completely forgetting his mistakes.
History is a strict teacher, but also a patient one. It clearly showed Gao Huan that offending Guan Zhiwei would not end well.
He went to the Imperial Study to request an audience with His Majesty.
"Your Majesty, I have something I would like to ask you."
"I have something I want to ask you. I'll speak first."
Gao Huan listened attentively.
Guan Zhiwei looked him over: "Why didn't you move away?"
He didn't understand His Majesty's meaning at first. What did His Majesty mean by not dodging?
Their eyes met, and Gao Huan suddenly noticed the problem in her eyes.
He understood, and then lowered his head and smiled, "Your Majesty, how could I dodge when you strike me? Thunder and rain are both acts of imperial grace."
Guan Zhiwei shook her head: "You..."
Guan Zhiwei raised her hand and he handed her tea; Guan Zhiwei reached out and he helped her put on her clothes; Guan Zhiwei was setting a trap and he was acting in the play.
He was only hit on the forehead by a teacup, leaving a small wound and getting tea all over himself, yet His Majesty remembered it for days.
He said proudly, "Does Your Majesty think I'm very considerate?"
Guan Zhiwei pondered without speaking. She glanced up at the Killing Yang Blade hanging on the wall, and a flood of thoughts rushed into her mind, but they were too fleeting to take shape.
She looked away and asked, "What are you trying to say?"
"Wouldn't a small ceremony be enough to officially recognize her as empress?" Gao Huan pondered, knowing that Jun Yuan was unlikely to be empress for more than a few days, so a token ceremony would suffice.
Zhi Junyuan, that fool, truly believed that the emperor was devoted to him and even able to tolerate his rebellious father.
Gao Huan was extremely disdainful, saying that even calling him a "blind man to his own affairs" was a compliment.
The authorities claim they are confused, but bystanders will be investigated.
The player is confused, but the spectator sees clearly.
Gao Huan felt that he was the one playing the chess game.
Guan Zhiwei remained silent, simply watching him.
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