Chapter 51
The chief guard looked at Liu Ju, and for the first time felt the ambition and vision hidden within his young age and small body.
Liu Ju raised his chin slightly, his expression firm. "So, sister, I won't agree to this. I absolutely won't agree to this. This goes against my original intention and goes against my ideals. I can't agree to this."
"Sister, I don't want to put a woman in such danger for the sake of my country; let alone push her into danger for my own selfish gain.
"There are many ways to ally with the Western Regions. For example, I mentioned the Western Region trade when I made the glass. Glass products are diverse and wonderful. We can definitely use this to open up trade between the two sides. Moreover, I said that I will not only make one glass in my life.
"According to my vision, Zhang Qian will be sent on a diplomatic mission to the Western Regions to establish friendly relations with their nations. At the same time, we can also form a merchant caravan, borrowing goods that are abundant in the Han Dynasty but rare in the Western Regions, and open up trade routes to the Western Regions.
"The caravans can travel to various countries in the Western Regions, carrying all kinds of rare and expensive items, most of which are favored by the nobles. Not only can we earn gold and silver from the Western Regions, but we can also strengthen our ties with the nobles and royal families of various countries.
"After taking the first step, we can establish Han trading points in the various countries of the Western Regions. Carefully select the members of the trading points. While selling goods, they can also facilitate communication between the two sides and collect intelligence from various countries.
"Of the four classes of scholars, farmers, merchants, and artisans, 'merchant' comes last, but don't underestimate it, elder sister. If used properly, it can strangle the economic lifeline of the Western Regions. The effect will be no less than a marriage alliance, only better."
"As long as I am here, the Han Dynasty can continuously produce things that the Western Regions don't have. This is our greatest asset."
"As for my retreat." Liu Ju chuckled and stepped forward to shake the guard's hand. "Sister, who says that when the trade route matures and becomes bigger and stronger, it can't become my retreat?
"Furthermore, don't you think, Eldest Sister, that when I develop numerous inventions that benefit the country and the people, control the lifeline of the Western Regions' trade, have the trust of all the ministers and the support of the people, and have my uncle and cousin watching over me, that will be my greatest hope in life? Even if the Emperor becomes suspicious and wary, what can he do to me then?"
Father...what can you do to me?
These few simple words conceal a storm, and the deep meaning is self-evident.
The chief guard was shocked, and Zhu Yi subconsciously tightened his hands.
After a long pause, the guard sighed softly, "Brother, I know what you're thinking. I've said I won't choose anyone you have a grudge against, and I won't go against your wishes. Since you have such confidence and ambition, how could I not agree with you?"
She smiled with relief, her eyes doting, "Our little brother has grown up, and has acquired the broad-mindedness, righteousness, and courage of a prince."
Liu Ju felt a little embarrassed by the praise and lowered his head in embarrassment: "Eldest sister is also very capable. She is in control of every move and has a comprehensive plan. I can't compare to her in this regard. Eldest sister just loves me too much and wants to plan everything for me."
The guard frowned. Yes, she wanted to make plans for her brother. But she forgot that her brother was no longer a young bird that needed only care under her wings. He had slowly grown into an eagle that could spread its wings and soar high.
She should no longer regard him as "young", she should get to know him again, understand him, and thus face herself.
The guard sighed softly, "Brother, do as you wish. Let's leave this matter alone. I will handle the aftermath."
end……
Liu Ju's eyes rolled. "Wang Xin's petition to cancel the engagement wasn't initiated by my elder sister. So how did my elder sister originally plan to resolve this?"
Eyi was already engaged, making a marriage difficult. If she were to request a marriage herself, resolving the engagement was her first priority. Although this matter was simple enough for Emperor Liu Che, she could not simply leave it to him, but needed to first resolve this "pre-existing situation" herself, thus demonstrating her competence.
The chief guard took out two bamboo slips from the shelf and handed them to Liu Ju.
Liu Ju opened it and was stunned.
It was filled with Wang Chong'er's crimes.
What year and month did Wang Chong'er do, where did he go, and how did he deal with it? Every incident was listed clearly, including the identity of the victim, his current situation, and his whereabouts.
The Chief of Guards said, “Some of these incidents were resolved after they were brought to light, while others were suppressed before they could even come to light. However, no matter which type, most of them were done through the hands of the Queen Mother and relied on her reputation.
"If we try to overturn the verdict, the Queen Mother might be implicated. My father might not want to see the Queen Mother being discussed like this even after her death, so he probably won't punish her publicly. But if a commotion breaks out, even if Wang Chong'er is exonerated, he will no longer be eligible to marry a princess.
"I have already given Eyi a copy. If she agrees to marry, she can use it to cancel the engagement. If she doesn't want to marry, but still doesn't want to marry Wang Chong'er, she can also use it to cancel the engagement."
Liu Ju suddenly had an idea: "Is this what my eldest sister said she would give to my second sister?"
"right."
Liu Ju suddenly understood what Zhu Yi had said. The eldest sister had given the second sister more than one path. From what he could see, there were at least three.
Liu Ju sighed, "When did my elder sister collect all this? It obviously couldn't have been done in a day."
"Not only Wang Chong'er, I also have Guangzhong's." The guard sneered, then handed him the other two bamboo scrolls and said, "You also said that these two were rotten people, a toad wanting to eat swan meat.
"Not only are they coveting Eyi, they've also been targeting me and the other towns. Even if they're wary and haven't crossed the line, I still have to be on guard. That way, if they do something excessive, I can strike back quickly.
"But before, we just had people collect the information casually without putting too much thought into it. Only recently have we focused on investigating and compiling it comprehensively."
Liu Ju blinked. As expected of his elder sister, she was truly foresighted. She had taken the concept of "preparing for a rainy day" to its extreme.
He hugged the bamboo slips and said, "Give me these scrolls. I'll go find Father and take care of the aftermath. Eldest sister, why don't you go talk to Second Sister? I'm afraid she's already had some thoughts, and I need you to find a way to suppress them."
The guard chief didn't argue with him: "Okay."
Of course she had to go and "talk it over." How could she not let others know that Adi didn't want a Han woman to suffer the pain of marrying into a foreign alliance? Not only did she have to let Eyi know, but she also had to let many people know.
As for how much to say and how to say it, she knows her own limits.
********
Imperial Palace.
When Liu Ju arrived, several court officials were present in the palace, all of whom advocated a marriage alliance. Before he even entered, Liu Ju had heard about the advantages of a marriage alliance from outside.
Everyone was talking at once, with great passion and excitement, and had already described the marriage as a beautiful thing.
Liu Ju sighed softly and asked the eunuch next to him to report. The eunuch went in and out and led him directly in.
Liu Ju first paid his respects to Liu Che, and after Liu Che spoke, he ran over happily, observing Liu Che's expression, and was surprised that he did not show much anger.
It shouldn't be.
Not to mention his father's attitude towards the marriage, the mere fact that this was the work of Wang Xin and Xiu Chengjun and that the purpose was to take revenge on the royal princess was enough to make his father angry.
Just as he was wondering, Liu Che had already ordered the maid to bring a chair for him to sit down.
Liu Ju readily accepted the advice. As soon as he sat down, Liu Che said, "My dear ministers, continue where you were. The Crown Prince should listen too."
His tone was quite calm. Especially after he finished speaking, he leisurely picked up the cup and sipped it. On the surface, he showed no emotion, but there was a hint of irony in his eyes.
Liu Ju: ...I understand.
This is me quietly watching your performance!
Tsk, that's what it means to laugh when you're so angry.
Okay, then let him take a look too.
"Your Majesty, a marriage alliance is a far-reaching strategy for our country. An alliance with the Wusun will be beneficial to our fight against the Xiongnu."
"Indeed. If we can reach a consensus with the Wusun, they might be able to contain us from the west while we fight in the north."
"Your Majesty, although Wusun's power is not as great as ours, it is still a leader among the nations of the Western Regions. It is the best alliance option right now."
"Next year, when we conquer the Hexi region, we can send Zhang Qian on a mission to the Western Regions. He can stay with the Wusun and negotiate with them, and then have them submit a petition."
…
He spoke eloquently. Liu Ju truly lacked Liu Che's composure. He only slightly raised an eyebrow at the mention of "conquering Hexi next year," figuring his father intended to send troops the following year to fight the Xiongnu again. It seemed he'd have to urge Baishan to hurry things up. He'd try to get it ready by early spring.
Liu Ju made up his mind and pressed the button for now. After listening for a while, he couldn't help but speak: "Stop. You've said so much, do you have any suggestions for the selection of the marriage partner?"
Everyone looked at each other.
Wang Xin rolled his eyes and stepped forward, saying, "In the past, the women chosen for marriage were all members of the imperial clan and were given the title of princess."
He then secretly winked at someone beside him. The man immediately understood, "Those who went there to marry were all Xiongnu. We have a blood feud for generations, so we naturally cannot let the real princess take such a risk. But the Wusun have no grudge against us. Your Majesty, do you think it would be wise to show my sincerity?"
Wang Xin added, "The Wusun nation is small, how can it be worthy of a real princess?"
"Wusun is indeed not as vast as our Han Dynasty. However, a princess of the royal family has a lower status, and some things cannot be as convenient as a real princess. Moreover, the real princess is your majesty's bloodline. If she can give birth to a Wusun heir, our dynasty can support her as the future Wusun Kunmi, which will be more beneficial to our Han Dynasty."
"The Queen is a legitimate daughter of a noble family, so naturally she can't do that, but there are other options."
Who this other person is is obvious.
"Is this your suggestion? I didn't notice the word 'suggestion' in it, but you're quite good at playing a double act." Liu Ju sneered and turned to Wang Xin, "Marquis Gai, I have a suggestion too. Would you like to hear it?"
This tone... Wang Xin inexplicably had a bad feeling.
Although Liu Ju asked this, he didn't care whether he wanted to listen or not. He just glanced at Liu Che, and when he saw him nod, he said directly: "I think Wang Chong'er is very good."
Liu Che & Wang Xin & everyone: !!!
"Wang Chong'er isn't stunningly beautiful, and his looks aren't quite as good, but at least he's pretty, barely passable. Even though he's injured and weak now, it's precisely because of this that he looks even more delicate, making him even more lovable, isn't he?"
Liu Che: ...
Wang Xin's face had turned the color of liver. His mouth twitched and he gritted his teeth as he said, "Your Highness, pretending to be a man is a sign of a man."
"I know. But there are many men who like homosexuality in the world. You should know more about this than I do."
Wang Xin's entire body tensed up, his anger rising rapidly. "Your Highness, the marriages have always been with women, never men."
"It's never happened before, so why can't it happen now? In the past, our Han Dynasty never had an emperor's daughter marry someone else's, and didn't you propose the same thing?"
Wang Xin: ...
Liu Ju sighed, "Marquis Gai, are you reluctant to give up? If you can't bear to give up your own son, why do you want the emperor to give up his daughter? Are you more noble than the emperor? Your son is a treasure, and the emperor's daughter is weed?"
Wang Xin's expression changed drastically after hearing this: "I absolutely do not have such an intention."
Liu Ju nodded, but didn't dwell on the point. He kindly suggested again, "How about this? Since Marquis Gai can't bear to part with his son, how about he go up himself?"
Wang Xin: ???
What? What the hell are you talking about? Is my hearing broken?
Liu Ju glanced over, sizing Wang Xin up and down. "You're a bit old, but Wusun Kunmi isn't young either. You two are quite a match. Some people in this world like young handsome men, while others like older men. Maybe Kunmi will like you!"
Puff. Cough cough cough.
Liu Che, who had been holding it in, could no longer hold it in and spat out a mouthful of water, which choked him and made him cough uncontrollably. The look he gave Liu Ju was so subtle that it was hard to describe in words.
Liu Ju stepped forward to help him with his back, saying, "Father, you are already so old, not a child anymore. How can you choke when drinking water?"
Liu Che's mouth twitched, and he glared at him, scolding, "Speak properly. You're so young, how can you say anything? Where did you learn these dirty words?"
Liu Ju shrugged and disagreed. He was just talking, but some people were doing it.
But since his father had said so, he should be serious. After all, he came here to do serious business.
Of course, his method of doing things was also simple and crude. He took out the bamboo slips and handed them directly to Liu Che: "I just happened to get something. Father, please take a look."
He also kindly explained them to Liu Che one by one.
Liu Che's face changed after just one glance.
Even back in the capital, Liu Che wouldn't be completely unaware of Wang Chong'er's actions, but he wouldn't necessarily know everything either. It seemed like some things were quickly dealt with by the Empress Dowager, leaving Liu Che to his own devices and to avoid investigation, leaving him unaware of the details.
Now that I have watched a series of them, I find myself a little shocked.
I only knew Wang Chong'er was a jerk before, but I didn't know he was this bad. One scroll of bamboo slips wouldn't hold all the text, so I need two.
Thinking that such a person dared to covet the Wei Chang Zhuyi, and looking at Wang Xin, who actually had the nerve to feel unfairly in the posture of a victim, Liu Che felt cold and immediately rolled up the bamboo slips and threw them at him: "Look for yourself!"
The bamboo slips drew a beautiful arc in the air, landed on Wang Xin's forehead, and then fell to the ground with a bang.
Wang Xin bent down to pick it up, his face instantly pale and cold sweat dripping. "Your Highness, may I ask who gave this to Your Highness? It must be a slander. Your servant... your son may have been a bit of a jerk in his early years, but he has never committed such a heinous crime.
"Furthermore, I have already made amends to the victim and obtained their forgiveness. Over the years, my son has reformed and has not committed any offenses in several years.
"This person deliberately created this thing, obviously intending to frame me. I hope Your Highness can tell me who it is. I am willing to confront him face to face!"
Liu Ju raised his eyebrows: "What if I say it's me?"
Wang Xin's expression instantly cracked.
"I'm not unreasonable or someone who only listens to one side. What Lord Gai said about confrontation is excellent. How about I have someone bring all the victims mentioned above and the witnesses involved here, and then confront Lord Gai one by one?"
Bring them all...
Others may not be able to do it, but the prince can!
Wang Xin's throat choked, and he suddenly didn't know what to say. He didn't know whether to say yes or no.
Agree, partially, but the whole thing will be exposed when you confront me.
No, I brought it up myself during the confrontation. I'm just slapping myself in the face.
Wang Xin stammered and failed to answer immediately, which showed that he was guilty, and the truth was revealed.
Liu Che didn't give him another chance to think and roared, "Get out! All of you, get out!"
The others quickly obeyed the order. After all, for such a small amount of friendship and benefits, it would be fine to submit a letter of marriage. Now that they saw that the Wang family was in great trouble, how could they dare to interfere?
Only Wang Xin remained, trembling with fear, not daring to leave. His Majesty's order to leave didn't mean the matter would be dismissed. He feared the reckoning was still to come.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty, please forgive me. I have few children, and Meng Er is a late-born son. I couldn't help but spoil him a bit, which is why he has some bad habits. But he is not a bad person by nature. He is still young, still a child, and now he has suffered a great disaster. He already has only a few years to live. I hope Your Majesty will show mercy, Your Majesty, please show mercy!"
Still a child? It really is the classic saying in the comments, applicable today and in ancient times.
"You're so noisy." Liu Ju rolled his eyes. "Father told you to get out, didn't you hear? Are you deaf, or do you want to disobey his order?"
Wang Xin was not deaf, and he did not dare to admit the crime of disobeying the imperial order. He had a sullen face, but had no choice but to swallow all his words and bow to take his leave.
As soon as he left, Liu Ju handed over Guangzhong's crime charges: "Father, please take a look at this."
After reading it, Liu Che's face turned even worse.
He looked at Liu Ju: "Where did these things come from?"
"I collected them. They want my sister, so I have to teach them a lesson."
As soon as these words were spoken, Liu Che understood.
He looked Liu Ju up and down and asked, "Don't you have anything else to say to me?"
"say what?"
Liu Ju looked confused.
"Why don't you ask me what I think about the marriage? Isn't that why you came here?"
"Do you even need to ask?" Liu Ju put his hands on his hips. "My father was sitting alone on the high platform watching the show. He just nodded and allowed me to speak freely. He wasn't afraid that I would say anything that would damage the marriage. His attitude is very clear. I'm not a fool. Why do I need to ask?"
Liu Che glanced at him lightly, with a smile in his eyes: "You do understand me."
"Of course, I am the emperor's son. As the saying goes, no one knows a son better than his father. The emperor understands me, so how could I not understand him at all? Then we have no tacit understanding as father and son."
Even so, he was still proud of it. Liu Che couldn't help laughing.
After the father and son finished chatting, Liu Che turned serious and said, "These past few days, I've been thinking about what you said the other day about the Glazed Street, about using it to open up trade with the Western Regions, and..."
Liu Che paused, then turned to look at Liu Ju with a serious expression. "Although you haven't been able to reveal much of your adventures, you've occasionally shared snippets with me. You told me you've seen many wondrous artifacts, including one that, with a resounding bang, could split mountains and dig rivers, like a divine weapon descending from the sky."
Liu Ju: ???
Did he say that? He clearly only said that he could blow up mountains, rivers, and anything else he wanted, right?
Where did you get this magical weapon from? Can you please stop making up my own settings every time?
Liu Ju rolled his eyes: "Father, there are no magic weapons."
"This is not important, it's not the point, don't dwell on it."
Liu Ju: ...
"Just tell me, is it true that you cut through mountains and dug rivers?"
Liu Ju nodded and added, "But I don't know how to do it right now."
He pointed to his head and said, "I can't remember it for now. And the more powerful something is, the harder it seems to be to remember."
Liu Che was not disappointed, but felt that this was the way it should be. Otherwise, if it wasn't a bit difficult, how could it be worthy of such a divine artifact?
"That's fine. If it weren't for you and these artifacts, I don't know if I would even consider a marriage alliance. But with you and these artifacts, I don't think we need to exchange a marriage alliance for anything."
Liu Che's expression was solemn. He still remembered the numerous shameful marriages he had made since the founding of the Han Dynasty. Although the marriages with the Xiongnu and the Wusun were different, the former involved forced submission to the enemy in order to maintain temporary stability; the latter involved proactively cultivating alliances to achieve a win-win situation.
But if there is another path that makes him happier and more suitable, why should he choose the worse one over the better one?
"I know that some things may not be completed in the short term. But I am still in my prime, I can wait. Even if I can't wait, you can wait."
Liu Ju shook his head and stepped forward to hold Liu Che's arm. "Father, please don't say such things. I won't. Long live your Majesty. And I will never make you wait so long. In ten years, no, maybe five years, I will be able to figure it out."
Ten years, five years...
Liu Che's eyes flashed: "Okay, I'll wait for you."
Liu Ju proudly raised his "little tail" and rolled his eyes before asking, "What does your Majesty intend to do with Wang Xin and Xiu Chengjun?"
Liu Che's smile faded, his eyes darkening as he said, "Let's see if they know how to behave."
Seeing this, Liu Ju understood and tactfully stopped asking questions.
********
Wang family.
Mrs. Gai Hou was extremely anxious: "How could this happen? The deafness incident has already been resolved, how could it be brought up again?
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty doesn't really intend to punish him, does he? Chong'er is already like this, how can he bear it? My dear, you have to think of a solution, think of a solution quickly."
Wang Xin's face was pale and he said nothing.
Suddenly he stood up and went out, all the way to Tian's house. Tian Sheng was eating at that time, and Wang Xin got straight to the point: "Why didn't you want to join me in submitting the petition for marriage?"
Tian Sheng glanced at him and asked, "Were you scolded?"
"It would be nice if I was just scolded."
Tian Sheng raised his eyebrows: "Your Majesty intends to punish severely?"
Wang Xin shook his head: "I don't know. If I knew, I wouldn't be so uneasy and at a loss."
Tian Sheng put down his chopsticks and said sternly, "You asked me why I didn't join you in submitting the petition. First, tell me why you wanted to submit the petition. The marriage is a serious matter, and Eyi is your Majesty's own daughter. How dare you do that?"
"So what if it's your own daughter? When has Your Majesty ever valued her? A marriage is beneficial to the court, but why not give up a dispensable daughter with whom you have no feelings? Even if Your Majesty disagrees, just veto it. How could he... how could he have such an attitude?"
Wang Xin wasn't completely clueless; he clearly understood that the charges had already been settled. Even if the Crown Prince had brought them up, His Majesty would have suppressed them if he didn't intend to pursue them. Throwing the bamboo slips directly at him and deliberately hitting him on the forehead was a statement of intent. His Majesty was furious.
Tian Sheng was not surprised by his answer and sighed, "I knew you'd think so. I think you're blinded by resentment and injustice. You only see that Eyi is unpopular, but even if she's unpopular, she's still a royal princess."
"Your Majesty may not care about Eyi, but he will never care about the royal dignity. Are you taking revenge on Eyi? It's the royal princess. The focus is not on the princess, but on the royal family."
As soon as these words came out, Wang Xin was enlightened. The white mist that had been clouding his resentment and injustice dissipated. He finally reacted, trembling all over: "I...what should I do now?"
"Your Majesty hasn't ordered you or Wang Chong'er to be arrested, which means he doesn't intend to kill you. It seems he's leaving some wiggle room, out of consideration for the relationship between uncle and nephew, and for the Queen Mother's favor. The rest is up to you."
"It depends on how much you're willing to pay for it. You're my brother, older than me, so you should understand this. Go back and think about it carefully."
Wang Xin came in a hurry and left in a daze.
Mrs. Tian Sheng smiled and complimented, "My husband is smart. He didn't get involved in their affairs. Otherwise, I'm afraid he would be dragged into it too."
"They've all been blinded by their sons, but they're not my sons. I don't have any. This one at least managed to turn back after hitting a wall, but there's another one who'd probably hit his head hard but still refuse to turn back."
Mrs. Tian Sheng naturally knew who he was talking about, Xiu Chengjun.
Tian Sheng thought for a moment and said, "Never mind. Just call me uncle. Before the Queen Mother passed away, I promised to look after her. If you go over there after dinner and give her a few reminders, I'll have fulfilled my duty."
After saying that, he added, "Don't tell that to someone who's out of his mind or crazy. Talk to Guangyun instead."
Mrs. Tian Sheng agreed: "Okay."
********
Guangyun wept and knelt down, begging Xiuchengjun, "Mother, please stop. These past two days, how many people dared to accept the gifts you've given away? How many dared to do things for you and write letters on your behalf?"
"Isn't there still some? If I can find one by visiting a hundred houses, then I can visit a thousand houses, and that will make a hundred."
Xiu Chengjun was in a frenzied state, his eyes bloodshot, "Brother, we are born of the same mother. As your sister, you can stand by and watch, but as your mother, I can't.
"Don't try to persuade me. If you're worried about getting into trouble and getting yourself into trouble, don't worry. I'll say it was all my fault and I won't involve you."
Watching from the sidelines and getting implicated?
These words stabbed into her heart like a knife, but that was not what she was afraid of.
"Mother, you don't care about yourself, so don't you care about my brother too? Although my brother is beyond saving, we can choose an heir for him to carry on the family line. That way, he won't have to worry about no one to support him in the future. If... if something happens to you, who will choose an heir for him? Do you want him to have no descendants?"
Xiuchengjun was stunned.
Guangyun was delighted to see that his words were effective. He was about to continue to persuade him in this direction, but Xiuchengjun had already come to his senses.
"Even without me, don't we still have you? Don't you even want to choose an adopted son for your brother? I'll help him get revenge, and you'll help him choose an adopted son. Isn't that great? Anyway, I have to do it. I have to do something for Zhong'er. I can't let him be harmed in vain."
After saying that, Xiuchengjun flicked his sleeves and left.
Seeing that he couldn't persuade him, Guangyun had no choice but to grit his teeth, pick up the stick next to him and hit Xiuchengjun on the back of the head.
Xiucheng Jun groaned and fainted on the ground.
Guangyun hurried forward to check the situation. Seeing that she was just fainting, he breathed a sigh of relief and called the maids and servants over: "Send the lady back to the house, find a doctor to check her injuries, and ask him to prescribe some medicine that can make people sleepy.
"Remember to lock the door from the outside. No matter how much the lady makes a fuss, don't let her out. If necessary, tie her to the bed, but remember not to use ropes. Ropes can be strangulating, so use softer, gentler strips of cloth. If all else fails, give her some medicine to make her sleep."
The maidservant trembled: "Yes."
Guangyun stood up and forced himself to cheer up.
She can't collapse, she must hold on.
She still had a lot of things to do, such as collecting the family's property, finding her mother's seal, and then going to the emperor to apologize.
Brother can no longer be saved, but there is still hope for mother. She must at least protect mother and cannot lose both brother and mother at the same time.
As for what happens after she saves him? Guangyun gave a bitter laugh. Mother still wouldn't give up. Then she had to leave Beijing. She could only give up everything and take Mother away, far away.
As long as we are not in Chang'an and not under the emperor's nose, no trouble will occur.
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