Chapter 774 Three Strategies for Returning to the Capital
Ouyang Rong started with a single sentence.
This caused Li Guo'er to fall silent, and everyone frowned.
The identity of the swordsman and his possession of the Ding Sword have been revealed.
Although he said it casually, everyone in the room knew very well what it meant.
In a single instant, I guessed many things.
Ouyang Rong's subsequent explanation further confirmed these points.
Even so, after he finished speaking, everyone's faces showed shock.
The main thing is... Ouyang Rong's experience and his quick thinking are enough to make anyone's scalp tingle just by listening to them... This morning, he was proceeding cautiously over there, but one wrong move and he lost everything, forgetting about being able to retreat calmly with the Ding Sword.
Although Ouyang Rong's presentation seemed somewhat focused, mainly on the schemes set up by Wei Wu, Duan Quanwu, and Granny Song, and his judgments and solutions at several key junctures, he didn't talk much about the highest-ranking lady-in-waiting, or rather, he didn't go into specific details or explain how she persuaded Ouyang Rong. However, everyone in the audience could easily guess Lady Rongzhen's attitude and stance in the matter... It can only be said that if Ouyang Rong had hesitated or wavered even slightly at certain junctures, the fate of the Xunyang Prince's Mansion would have been completely different, fitting the description of "falling into an ice cave."
Li Xian, Wei Mei, and Li Dalang's Adam's apples bobbed, their mouths were dry. The Li family father and sons, who were already of a soft nature, were filled with guilt and emotion.
Xie Lingjiang held her senior brother's hand tightly; the sweat from her hands had soaked both of their palms.
The young man in the scholar's robe glanced at his junior sister, smiled, and gave her a reassuring look.
Xie Lingjiang's nose turned red, and she turned her face away, not wanting to look at him anymore, who was calm and composed and even comforting her.
It's heartbreaking to watch.
Li Guo'er pointed towards the Xunyang Grottoes and sighed:
"Well, she really managed to mess with that lady."
Ouyang Rong glanced at her.
After digesting the information, Li Xian's face turned ashen, and he trembled with rage.
"This incident involving the river pirates is indeed inextricably linked to them! They were all bribed or bribed by the Wei family, turning a blind eye to these fake river pirates, making the charade real, and completely disregarding my life and death. I am a vassal king of the Great Zhou, and these people are all eating the king's salary, yet they are just occupying positions without doing any work. Is there no law left in the land..."
"The law?"
Xie Lingjiang smiled slightly, twitched the corners of her lips, and waved her hand, saying:
"Isn't the so-called law of the king 'the law of the king'? Whoever is the king, his word is law. Obviously, the completion of the Four Great Buddhas and the Great Zhou Songde Tian Shu has made many civil and military officials believe that the Wei Prince's Mansion and the Liang Prince's Mansion can rise to power. Some opportunists have already started to place their bets, and those who are not neutral and firm are also being indulged."
Wei Mei cast a grateful glance at Ouyang Rong.
“My nephew Wei Mi has probably been isolated by them. Fortunately, Tan Lang informed him, otherwise he would have been surrounded and might have been further ostracized and accused of some fabricated crime. These people are truly disheartening.”
Li Guo'er's reaction wasn't as intense; her pretty face remained calm.
"Sure enough, there's nothing new under the sun. Even with a formidable enemy at hand and in a critical moment, we still have to fight amongst ourselves. We'll fight to the death without hesitation. It's no use for us to think that we can work together to protect the Buddha. They don't even care about us."
"These bandits from Hukou County started planning a long time ago. They were targeting us from the beginning. It's ridiculous that we were thinking of helping to wipe them out."
Li Dalang's focus was on something else, and he said somewhat quietly:
“That Lady Rongzhen, whose real name is Wei Rong, is some kind of True Immortal Princess, and is of the same generation as Wei Jisi… Doesn’t that mean she is also of the same generation as my father? Is she… my cousin? Goodness, she’s a generation older than me, who would have thought?”
Li Xian shook his head, somewhat forlornly saying:
"I have heard of my mother's younger sister, but I have never heard of this so-called 'cousin.' It must be something that happened later. It has been more than twenty years since I was demoted and I have not returned to the capital."
Wei Mei raised his eyebrows and said:
"No matter what, this Princess Zhenxian definitely has no kinship with Qilang or our family. So what if they are cousins? Wei Jisi, Wei Sixing and Qilang are also cousins, and they have never shown any mercy when they attacked him."
Li Dalang sighed and nodded, then casually said:
"That's true. I doubt her relationship with our family is as deep as her feelings for Tanlang. She even came in person to give a gift for Madam Zhen's birthday last time..."
He gradually fell silent at this point.
However, Xie Lingjiang, Li Guo'er, and the other girls all turned their gazes toward Ouyang Rong.
It landed on his face.
Ouyang Rong seemed not to see it, and said with his eyes lowered:
"If friendship were useful, what would be the point of fighting for the throne?"
He looked up at the sky and said solemnly:
"Pack your things immediately, leave the city right away, and head north back to the capital!"
Li Guo'er asked, "Which way? By water or by land?"
Ouyang Rong pondered for a moment and said:
“I told Pei Shisan Niang to prioritize the land route, continuing along the Mount Lu route. The water route to Longcheng was an alternative, but the situation has changed now. The water bandits have been dealt with by the Old Celestial Master, so we can resume normal operations.”
After the topic shifted, Xie Lingjiang didn't ask about Rong Zhen again. Focusing on the present, she calmly said:
"Before the old master left, he calculated for us that it would be safer to travel by water. His exact words were that it would be a close call but no real danger."
Ouyang Rong pondered for a moment and said:
“Okay, we’ll do as the old master says. Let’s go to Pei Shisan Niang’s house first and meet up with Auntie and Xiu Niang. I’ve already told them to pack their luggage, they should be here soon.”
He paused, then turned to look at Li Xian and Li Guo'er, and asked:
"Your Highness, Your Highness, what did the Old Celestial Master say to you before he left? Would you mind telling me? You didn't say anything just now."
Li Guo'er turned her gaze away, looking into the distance, and said:
"It's nothing, just an interpretation of my dream, something about supernatural beings and ghosts."
As she spoke, she noticed out of the corner of her eye that her father had taken a piece of paper directly from his sleeve, smiled at Ouyang Rong and the others, and said:
"My father was always in poor health back then. The old celestial master told me to take this as a lesson and passed on to me a set of Five Animal Frolics boxing techniques and a nourishing prescription, so that I could take good care of myself and try to outlive Wei Jisi and the others."
Li Xian made a joke later on.
Li Guo'er glanced sideways, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that he still had the mind to joke.
Ouyang Rong nodded thoughtfully, then glanced at Li Xian and Li Guo'er:
"Alright, you should listen to the Old Master. It's not a bad thing."
When he heard Li Guo'er talk about dream interpretation, he was reminded of what had happened before.
Was Jie's dream that "bright moon" dream? Li Guo'er had been honest with him about it before.
However, it wasn't convenient to ask too many questions right now, so he held back for the time being.
Li Xian put away the prescription, rubbed his hands together, and asked somewhat impatiently:
"Tanlang, as we rush back to the capital, shouldn't we use today's incident with the river pirates to launch an attack on Wei Jisi? Let's say that the river pirates started the fire, and then reveal the identities of these river pirates and Wei's assassins, so that the officials in the court can put the Wei family on trial."
Li Guo'er also looked at Ouyang Rong.
Her brows furrowed slightly. In fact, she had asked about this matter earlier, but Ouyang Rong had not answered.
Ouyang Rong glanced at everyone and asked a question that made them pause in surprise:
"If simply speaking the truth were enough, if in the imperial family, even the squeaky wheel gets the grease, would the prince have been exiled for so many years? Would the Wei family have been so highly regarded by the emperor for so many years?"
“Your Highness, some lessons are best learned once and for all. Once you understand the rules, follow them from now on. The Wei family is very cunning, but we good people have to be even more cunning than them.”
"What do you mean by this, my lord?" Li Xian asked in confusion, but still chuckled awkwardly, composed himself, and bowed respectfully to Ouyang Rong with clasped hands: "Please instruct me, my lord."
Ouyang Rong remained calm and raised three fingers in front of everyone:
"Pretending to be a victim and going to the capital to appeal to the emperor is the worst option. There are also middle and best options."
Li Guo'er frowned and asked, "What is the middle strategy? Is there a better strategy?"
Ouyang Rong lowered one finger:
"The middle strategy is to continue feigning illness. However, this time, we can use the excuse of the bandits setting fire to the Xunyang Prince's Mansion to rush back to the capital as soon as possible, enter the palace and report to the Emperor that the Prince has suffered another seizure and is unconscious. Anyway, he had a seizure once before, and it even took him to Xunyang City. This time, we can have him have a seizure a second time, go to the capital, and enter the palace. It makes perfect sense, doesn't it? When it comes to illness, if you can get sick once, you can naturally get sick a second time. It's such a simple principle that everyone in the world will agree with and accept it."
"Once the prince is in the palace, he can stay there and not leave. Or rather, we won't even need to stay. No one can urge him to leave. How long he stays in the palace will depend on when the prince recovers. That will depend on our mood."
Li Guo'er lowered her head and pondered, while Li Xian, Wei Mei, and the others exchanged glances.
Li Dalang whispered, "Going to the palace to recuperate? Will Grandmother allow Father to stay in the palace?"
Ouyang Rong asked in a strange tone:
"Why not? The prince is a legitimate vassal king. After the auspicious omen, his title was restored. The whole world knows that the emperor and the prince are a loving and filial couple."
"Moreover, staying in the palace means staying under the emperor's nose. Back then, when the prince was deposed, the successor, Prince Xiang, abdicated the throne and changed the emperor's name to Empress Zhou. Wasn't he imprisoned in the palace and raised by the emperor?"
"This time, the prince took the initiative to offer himself up, to enter the palace to recuperate, and to stay behind to serve the Empress Dowager. Why did the Emperor refuse? Could it be that he is afraid that the prince, the former deposed emperor, will be able to gather his old officials and servants in the palace where she ruled for decades and seize the throne again?"
Ouyang Rong shook his head and answered his own question:
“Your Highness, if I may speak against the grain… the Emperor knows his son’s character and abilities best. If the Emperor were to refuse this offer from Your Highness, then her current state would be something for people to ponder.”
He turned to Li Dalang, who seemed hesitant to speak, and continued solemnly:
"Secondly, what if, by some chance, the Sage refuses? So what? Even if I'm asked to leave the palace and settle down in a random house in the capital or the Imperial Medical Bureau to recuperate, it won't be so bad."
"Besides, isn't this the result we've been striving for all along? Being able to enter the capital and stay in the capital is much better than being kept in Xunyang City like a caged bird. In the capital, there shouldn't be any fake river thieves who would dare to break into the mansion and commit violence in broad daylight, right? Under the emperor's nose, would they dare?"
"As the saying goes, if you aim high, you'll get the middle; if you aim for the middle, you'll get the low; if you aim for the low, you won't get anything... Let's aim for the 'high' first, and then push our luck a little further. If we succeed, we'll make a big profit; if we don't succeed, we won't lose anything. Why not?"
"This is the middle course of action."
When everyone first heard this, they were amazed. They exchanged glances and all felt that it made perfect sense and was highly feasible.
Wei Mei's mouth was dry: "A word from you, my lord, is worth a fortune!"
"Okay, okay, let's do it this way... By the way, Tanlang."
Li Xian, his face flushed, couldn't help but ask again:
"Shouldn't we report this group of fake river pirates to the Empress? Making a scene in front of the Emperor would be a great opportunity to strike a heavy blow against the Wei family."
Before the idle chatter could be finished, the young governor in front of him asked in a questioning tone:
"Your Highness, does it really matter whether the pirates are real or not, or what the truth is?"
Li Xian muttered, "Isn't...it important...?"
Ouyang Rong smiled:
"The truth is important; it is very important in people's hearts, but it is not important at all in the court. What matters is how to use it."
"Your Highness, the Four Directions Buddha Statue and the Great Zhou Praise Heavenly Pivot have now been completed, and the Heavenly Pivot Formation surrounding the Emperor Wen has been constructed. In the eyes of the Sage, the Wei family is a meritorious family. They cannot be overthrown simply because of the Water Pirate incident. Forcibly revealing the truth would be a waste."
"Why not say nothing and keep it all in mind? This way, we will not only appear very sensible in front of the sage and gain his favor, but we can also maintain our deterrence against the Wei clan."
"Let Wei Jisi and Wei Sixing be unable to figure out our situation, and not know how much leverage we have over them regarding the river pirates. Let them be uneasy and feel like they have a thorn in their side. Although they should know that this matter cannot bring them down, it is still a small sword hanging over their heads... The best outcome is that it will not fall for a long time."
"In that case, if the prince claims to be ill and stays in the palace, the Wei family won't dare to say anything. We've created a bargaining chip, which will make it easier for us to deal with them in the capital in the future."
At this point, Ouyang Rong emphasized again:
"Your Highness, Your Highness, we must reiterate: the reason we are not exposing the river pirates is not because we are afraid of them, but because we are clear-headed. Some things can be dealt with in the future; let's stay in the capital for now."
Li Xian suddenly realized:
"I see, I've learned something, my lord!"
Ouyang Rong glanced at him again and said softly:
"Your Highness, if we can return to the palace by following the middle strategy, that would be a good outcome. But there is one detail you should pay attention to."
"Please tell me, my lord, what details?"
"Once you enter the palace, no matter what official post the emperor bestows upon you, no matter how great or tempting the benefits are, you cannot leave the palace or the capital."
Why is that?
"The closer you are to the center of power, the better. It's a very simple and crude principle: if the prince isn't in the palace, and someone around the emperor is gossiping, it's difficult for you to defend yourself immediately. But if you're in the palace, the prince can deal with these whispers as soon as they surface, and most of the gossip won't even start. The reason is simple: unless they're mortal enemies or fools, most people subconsciously won't speak ill of others to their faces. As long as the prince stays in the palace, all sorts of petty people who look down on or dislike the prince will have to keep quiet..."
"On the other hand, if you don't stay in the palace, what good will it do if you are sent out to other places and promoted? A few words spoken to you by the emperor can change your fate, and you may never be able to return to the capital. It's a demotion in disguise. So, staying in the palace and serving the emperor is the best path for princes like us who have just been reinstated and whose foundations are still shallow. It is also... the most convenient way to seize the throne. Do you understand, Your Highness?"
Li Xian nodded hurriedly.
Li Guo'er looked around at the ruins with deep emotion, her beautiful face filled with sighs:
"Indeed, chaos is a stepping stone. In this great upheaval caused by the rebels in the southern Jianghu, both we and the Wei family have been using their unique abilities to fight it out."
As if remembering something, she asked with a curious look:
"By the way, what is the best strategy? This strategy is already brilliant, it can be called the Dragon-Slaying Technique, is there an even better strategy?"
Ouyang Rong didn't even lift his eyelids, and spoke concisely:
"It's very simple, offer the cauldron and sword."
The entire room fell silent.
(End of this chapter)
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