Chapter 1096: Southwest Strategy (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
The messenger only felt the air was hot and dry.
When I came to my senses, my heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of my throat.
This abdication edict provided him with two safeguards.
Firstly, the saying "no killing of envoys in times of war" is just child's play. Shen Tang still needs me to help her bring the edict back, so I certainly won't kill him, guaranteeing my safety on this mission. Secondly, once the abdication edict is issued, Wu Xian, the current king who is trapped in the enemy camp, can legitimately become the retired king, causing his political value to plummet. Apart from his former confidants who might still grumble a bit, other officials, including members of the royal family, can breathe a sigh of relief and abandon him without any burden, without damaging his reputation. It's a double blessing!
As for Shen Tang refusing to negotiate?
The envoy was more inclined to believe that she was trying to negotiate.
The abdication edict in his hand is the best proof!
If he had no ulterior motives, why would he give himself this abdication edict that benefits the Gao Kingdom? Isn't this a subtle way of sending a message of reconciliation? The subtext is—"I've prepared a way out for you; if you don't take it, you're being ungrateful!"
This move would both allow them to openly detain Wu Xian, demonstrating their national strength, and put pressure on the Gao Kingdom, forcing them to offer more bargaining chips. The envoy secretly wiped away his sweat, feeling a lingering fear: "She truly is a terrifyingly cunning woman."
He carefully tucked the edict into his sleeve. Knowing he would not die, the envoy felt more confident and stood up straighter, saying neither servile nor arrogant, "I will take the King's words back untouched and discuss them with my colleagues before giving a reply."
"If there is nothing else, please leave, messenger."
The young man possessed an inherently fragile aura, as if a gust of wind could carry him to the heavens, yet the envoy dared not slacken his vigilance in the slightest. During the war between the two nations, the envoy would witness firsthand the frail youth transform into a burly warrior, charging into battle with ferocity and ferocity no less than that of a true general.
He cautiously made his request, testing Kangguo's attitude.
"I have another request."
"An unreasonable request? Oh, tell me about it."
The messenger said, "I wish to see the Lord."
“This ‘please’ won’t do!” Gu Chi was not surprised by the request at all. He sneered and refused without hesitation: “Without His Majesty’s decree, no one can see Duke Zhaode. His Majesty and Duke Zhaode have a well-known friendship that has lasted for many years. How could His Majesty mistreat such an honored guest?”
"Of course I trust King Shen, but all the ministers in the court are concerned about His Majesty's safety. If I cannot see him safe and sound with my own eyes, how can I convince the other ministers? I will also have no face to go back and face them. I beg Gu Yatai to be lenient in this matter and help me out."
“If you insist on seeing him, I can send someone to ask the master.”
The envoy knew that asking would be pointless and would only anger people, so he had no choice but to use his usual, foolproof method.
He gestured to his attendant to bring a box.
The box alone cost a fortune.
The wood grain has golden threads, forming a small natural landscape painting.
Upon inspection, it appears serene and elegant, as radiant as brocade.
Even those who don't know much about things can recognize the value of this item.
Those who know their stuff need no further explanation.
What is inside the box that is worthy of a box made of Phoebe zhennan wood?
He pushed the items away, his tone tinged with displeasure and warning: "What do you mean by this? Are you trying to bribe me?"
The envoy's expression was subtle yet stiff: "Of course not."
How could a scholar possibly offer bribes?
That word sounds awful; scholars should use elegant bribery.
Gu Chi raised an eyebrow: "No?"
“A unique and beautiful jade should naturally be matched with the most elegant gentleman in the world. It would be a waste for such a thing to fall into the hands of a vulgar person. Today, after meeting Gu Yatai, I know what a noble gentleman is, so I have found a home for it. I only talk about fate and not worldly matters!”
Gu Chi: "..."
Could a gentleman of noble character really be like this?
That's blatant lying.
Gu Chi thought for a moment and finally decided to give the envoy a smile and accept the generous gift. He agreed to let the envoy take a glimpse of Wu Xian from afar, and even pretended to be very embarrassed: "...This is all I can do. If you are allowed to contact each other in private and someone reports it to the Lord, the Lord will surely blame me."
The envoy readily agreed, his joy evident in his words.
Those who didn't know him might have thought he was Wu Xian's staunch confidant.
Despite being more than a hundred paces away, the envoy recognized Wu Xian's aura at a glance. Judging from Wu Xian's aura and complexion, he hadn't really suffered much in the Kang Kingdom's camp these past two days. Apart from his strength being sealed and his range of movement being restricted, he was quite free in other aspects.
No, it should be said that freedom has gone too far!
The main camp was a heavily guarded military stronghold. Even soldiers under Shen Tang's command, belonging to different battalions, were not allowed to wander around freely; their movements were strictly limited to specific routes. Given Wu Xian's treatment, few would believe he was a prisoner.
Heh, Wu Xian's staunch confidants were worried that he couldn't bear the humiliation and might try to commit suicide to preserve his dignity. If they saw Wu Xian in this state, it's hard to say whether they would feel more heartache or more resentment. Gu Chi overheard the envoy's inner thoughts and deliberately interrupted, "Time's up."
The envoy could only withdraw his complicated gaze.
He forced a smile and said, "Thank you!"
Gu Chi smiled but remained silent.
Upon seeing this, the envoy also revealed a knowing smile.
Their tacit understanding was evident without words.
The envoy, carrying the imperial edict abdicating in favor of the young prince, hurried back to report, his heart pounding with emotion. Gu Chi watched his figure disappear on the horizon, then turned and went to the main tent: "Your Majesty, guess what good thing I got today?"
Shen Tang just ate two bowls of calming soup.
Chong Guchi spread his hands: "Good stuff, everyone who sees it gets a share."
Gu Chi smiled and took out a wooden box, handing it to her. Together with Shen Tang, they looked inside to see what treasure it contained. Their heads were almost touching, one filled with surprise, the other with doubt.
The person who was surprised was Gu Chi.
"Such a rich, deep green jade is extremely rare in the world."
The moment the box was opened, Gu Chi's gaze was immediately drawn to the bead lying in the very center, and he couldn't look away. It was a jade bead the size of an infant's fist, with a rich color and seemingly flawless at first glance. No wonder the envoy looked so distressed.
The one who was puzzled was Shen Tang.
She casually picked up the bead and held it in front of her.
After weighing it in his hand, he said, "It looks like a bead made of glass."
Imperial green glass beads are worthless.
The box is what has real value.
Shen Tang tossed the glass bead to Gu Chi.
"Everyone who sees this gets a share. You can have the beads, but I'll keep the box."
Gu Chi was surprised by Shen Tang's casualness and hurriedly caught the bead. Seeing Shen Tang holding the golden nanmu box like a precious treasure, he was speechless: "My lord, please be mindful of your image."
Shen Tang said, "A poor wretch has no image to maintain."
She still has a mountain of debt to pay off.
Speaking of debt, Shen Tang then remembered the envoy from Gao Kingdom.
"Did he take the abdication edict back with him?"
"As if they had found a treasure! Now Wu Zhaode has truly become a pawn to be discarded."
"It's all because Wu Zhaode was such a failure as a person. Whether as a lord, husband, or father, he failed at every role. It's normal for him to become a pawn. If we're going to lament anything, it's how he managed to hold on until now before becoming a pawn." Perhaps the two bowls of calming soup were starting to take effect, and a strong sense of drowsiness gradually took over her brain. Shen Tang forced herself to ask, "Have our people set off?"
Gu Chi said, "I have already set off with two imperial edicts."
One version is that the son of the Mi family abdicated the throne.
One version is the fifth son who abdicated.
The messenger brought back the youngest son who had abdicated.
The Lord's arrangement is indeed extremely cruel.
The infant was only six months old. His birth mother held a mid-to-high position in the inner court, but her family's status within the Gao Kingdom was not high. They were newly rich who had only gained some status in recent years through military achievements, and their foundation was shallow. With such a configuration, the infant was practically a born puppet ruler.
The defeated remnants of the army were delighted with this outcome.
As long as a peace agreement can be reached with Kangguo, the fact that the new ruler is young is far more in their interest than that of a young and powerful one—someone has to take the blame for this war, and the new ruler may give them important positions, but he may also use them as scapegoats to establish his authority.
The young ruler and the queen dowager would rely more on veteran officials.
This is a faction.
Let's talk about the Five Sons faction.
Wu Xian's fifth son has come of age, and his maternal family is powerful. He has also been given the important responsibility of regent, a privilege usually reserved for the crown prince! If he were to receive the abdication edict, what would he do? Would he accept the abdication edict held by the remnants of his forces?
And that's how the conflict between the two sides started.
Would the ambitious Prince Mi be willing to give up the throne?
Even if he were willing, Mei Jinghe would make him never be willing!
The abdication edict of the Prince of Mi will appear at the climax of this grand drama! When Mei Jinghe completes the ritual of perfecting the Way of the Scholar, assisting the Prince of Mi in murdering his brothers to usurp the throne, Shen Tang will order the abdication edict to be revealed before the oriole hunts the mantis—that will be the decisive blow! Whether it's the Prince of Mi, whose hands are stained with the blood of his relatives, or Mei Jinghe, whose perfect path has been shattered…
This is something so wonderful that just thinking about it makes me smile.
It's a real shame that I can't see it in person.
Gu Chi knew Shen Tang's intentions best.
As an enemy, one can't help but feel a bit of sympathy.
Mei Jinghe suffered a terrible blow this time.
It's comparable to how Jiang Sheng was tricked by Qi Yuanliang back then, leaving him utterly humiliated.
Gu Chi said regretfully, "...It's just that our people aren't very strong, so I'm afraid we won't be able to take advantage of Mei Jinghe's backlash to completely kill her. This plan still has flaws."
Shen Tang felt no regret.
“Mei Jinghe has Qi Yanqing protecting her. Even if she were terminally ill, let alone just being affected by the backlash from the disrupted ritual, she wouldn’t die.” A cold, calculating glint flashed in Shen Tang’s eyes, but he quickly lowered his eyelids and concealed his true intentions. “It’s better if she doesn’t die. If she were here, her story would be over. How would the show in the southwest go on?”
Disrupting Mei Jinghe's perfect ceremony is nothing more than collecting interest.
Shen Tang has a surprise waiting for her.
Gu Chi felt that Cui Xiao wouldn't be happy with this surprise.
Because the plan also involved Cui Xiao's daughter, Cui Hui.
Gu Chi: "We should ask Shan Xiao about this."
If you're going to take advantage of someone else's daughter, you should at least inform the father first.
Shen Tang: "That's natural."
She wasn't worried that Choi Hyo-hyun would object.
It wasn't because Cui Xiaohui would unconditionally dedicate everything to her, his lord, but rather because Shen Tang had no intention of using Cui Hui for anything else. She simply wanted Cui Hui to visit her ex-husband's family, see the children, and catch up with her ex-husband. Cui Hui's ex-husband was the leader of the Qi State's aristocratic power and a representative of the old guard.
To put it simply, Cui Hui was a persuader.
Besides Cui Hui, Shen Tang also arranged another storyline.
This round isn't about killing people, it's about destroying their spirit.
Give Mei Jinghe a good lesson!
Besides men and women, there is another gender in this world called "power"! To consolidate their power, even the closest relationships between ruler and subject can one day turn sour. Is Mei Jinghe the kind of person Mei Jinghe's lord needs?
No, what she needs is an ally to solidify her position; this person could be Mei Jinghe, or someone else...
not to mention--
Mei Jinghe also possessed a scholar's way that kept the lord awake at night! Her situation was quite similar to that of Qi Shan back then.
Once a crisis of trust between the ruler and his subjects erupts, a falling out is only a matter of time.
Gu Chi felt a chill run down his spine as he listened to these heartfelt words. The power of words was indeed true; birds of a feather flock together! The reason the Lord could take a liking to Qi Yuanliang was because they were on the same wavelength.
The envoy brought back Wu Xian's abdication edict.
He hadn't even caught his breath: "I have fulfilled my mission!"
The appearance of the imperial edict solved the problem that had been bothering everyone the most.
It's not that no one raised objections.
"Why the young master?"
I haven't heard anything special about this young master.
New children are born in the inner court every year, and with those born before the founding of the nation, Wu Xian's number of children is astonishing, exceeding fifty. He himself probably can't even match the faces and names of his children, so how could he notice the unremarkable young master? Let alone abdicate in his favor... If he were to abdicate, the candidate would be chosen from among the already adult sons, which is truly abnormal.
Some speculated: "Perhaps it means his surname is Chen."
From Kangguo's perspective, he did indeed prefer younger people.
This guess is reasonable.
No one questioned it further—the king was arrested, and the successor was being manipulated; it was a disgraceful affair no matter how you looked at it.
Little did they know, another bombshell was about to explode from behind!
The people Shen Tang sent out timed it perfectly.
Fifteen minutes before the news arrived that the remnants of the army had been ordered to enthrone the young prince, the fifth prince, the regent, upon hearing this devastating news, angrily smashed all the furnishings in the room. At this moment, the room was a complete mess, with not even a place to step: "My lord, there is great joy!"
at the same time--
The news of supporting the young prince also reached the Mi family.
She silently watched her son, who was like an enraged beast.
He whispered, "Why don't we just accept it?"
The son, breathing heavily, asked, "Admit it? Admit what?"
Mi Shi closed her eyes, unable to bear it.
Even if her son had always pretended to be harmless, she could see his undisguised ambition and desire in his behavior just now: "Just accept your fate! If I get it, I'm lucky; if I lose it, it's my fate. Some things are destined not to be ours, and it's useless to fight for them! The late queen and the two princes were born into good families and had everything they wanted, but in the end, didn't they still end up like that? What's the point of you fighting for that?"
The son said angrily in a low voice, "If we don't fight, our fate will be even worse than those three idiots! We'll die a much worse death! I'm just not reconciled. Why should we accept our fate? There are some things that Grandfather and Father can do, and I can do too!"
His words sent a chill down Mi Shi's spine.
She hurriedly covered his rebellious mouth.
"You're crazy!" she exclaimed in panic.
The son brushed Mi's hand away, disappointment welling up in his eyes.
"Mother, if you still consider me your son, please help me!"
Mi said with heartache, "Help you? Do you know what you're going to do? The rightful heir is your younger brother. Even without him, you have several other adult brothers. What do you have to compete with them? And what's the point of competing? Even if you win over Gao, what will you use to fight against Kang?"
A sharp glint appeared in his son's eyes.
"It's useful! Even if the country falls and I die, my son will still perish!"
|ω`)
The believer wishes to maintain a balanced diet of meat and vegetables throughout her life, and prays to pass her driving test next week.
(End of this chapter)
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