Chapter 242 Cooperation Achieved
No matter the method, there are bound to be concerns, so Li Li showed interest: "Oh?"
Mu Xi, however, wanted to keep her in suspense for a moment: "But the princess must also promise me that if my advisors can devise a plan to help the princess successfully resolve the issue of the succession to the title of Prince Qingyang, so that the princess can rest easy, then the princess must also agree to the two conditions I just proposed."
“No problem, but we also need to add the follow-up to this.” Li Li chuckled and waved the sketchbook in his hand at Mu Xi.
"Of course." Mu Xi breathed a sigh of relief, then clapped her hands twice.
Qi Yingyu pushed open the door and entered.
"The owner of this place?" Li Li was surprised when he saw Qi Yingyu, but quickly regained his composure.
Qi Yingyu entered with a smile and bowed respectfully to the two of them.
Mu Xi gestured for Qi Yingyu to sit to her left.
As soon as Qi Yingyu sat down, she got straight to the point: "Oh dear... hahaha... I heard that the princess has suddenly gained a younger brother in the past two years?"
Upon hearing this, Li Li's face immediately darkened: "Boss Qi, please speak carefully. Making jokes about this county is no laughing matter."
"Princess, please forgive me, but I must say that having a younger brother is indeed a good thing." Qi Yingyu's smile vanished in an instant. "Since you have a younger brother, and the Marquis is already old, the princess should take him under her wing and raise him."
"To keep them by your side and raise them?" Li Li was puzzled.
Qi Yingyu continued, "Yes, Princess, there's a saying among the people: 'It's hard to learn good things, but it's easy to learn bad things.' This saying is especially true for boys. Ten years of hard work in raising them may not produce a gentleman, but if you want them to go astray, three days is enough. Princess, you are a filial and fraternal person, how can you not take care of your father and raise your younger brother?"
“This…” Li Li gradually understood, “Indeed, this is a way.”
Qi Yingyu hadn't finished speaking when she said, "As for Lord Junhou, I've heard that the Princess and Lord Junhou have a delicate relationship now and don't interact much. This is not good. Lord Junhou is already old, yet he is still tirelessly working in the realm of men and women. As a 'filial daughter,' the Princess should care more about Lord Junhou's health and send him tonics. She must not let Lord Junhou become powerless in this realm. Isn't this the proper way to be filial?"
Qi Yingyu spoke tactfully at every turn, but Li Li quickly followed and adapted to this approach.
He then laughed heartily: "Hahaha... Mr. Qi, you're brilliant... How come I didn't think of that before?"
Mu Xi never imagined that the intricacies of power struggles within a family would be so sophisticated, especially for someone like Qi Yingyu, who had "practical experience."
When Qi Yingyu saw Princess Qingyang laughing, she relaxed a lot and habitually laughed along: "Hahaha... Princess is too kind. By the way, I should remind you that for the Marquis to suddenly give birth to a younger brother for you at such an old age is truly remarkable. But how can we guarantee that before that, when the Marquis was in his prime, he did not give birth to more brothers for you?"
Li Li's smile froze, and she gasped, "This..."
She had always thought that Qingyang Jun only developed feelings for her during the two years after his birth mother died, but after Qi Yingyu reminded her, upon closer reflection, it was indeed possible.
Previously, all the retainers who frequented her were men, and only handsome men could catch her eye.
Such men may not necessarily be effective in terms of intelligence and strategy.
The short, plump woman in front of me, though she had a smiling face, was surprisingly shrewd in her words.
Li Li dared not underestimate him any longer, and sat up straight to ask earnestly, "Boss Qi, besides the three points mentioned earlier, is there anything else you would like to advise me on?"
"I am but a woman with limited knowledge, how dare I presume to offer guidance? I am grateful for the young master's appreciation." Qi Yingyu quickly bowed humbly, but when she raised herself up again, she insisted, "However, there is something else I am unsure whether I should say."
“We’ve already come this far, why keep us in suspense? Tell me…” Li Li looked at Mu Xi.
Mu Xi then added, "The princess has already agreed to cooperate with me, so please feel free to speak, Mr. Qi."
"Hahaha... If that's the case, then I'll speak frankly." Qi Yingyu seemed relieved, her smile spreading wide. "Since the Princess is seeking a husband, she should first marry into the Li family, have a daughter, and ensure her daughter's position in the Li family, even guaranteeing her inheritance rights. Then, she should choose a suitable general from among the generals under Lord Qingyang to marry into. That would be the wise move. Marrying a prince from Moyang City, thousands of miles away, is like trying to get something from a distant place, hahaha..."
"Ah...ah...ah..." Li Li exclaimed twice in surprise, as if enlightened, "Yes...that's right...how come I didn't think of that."
"Hahaha... Of course, with the bearing of a princess, there's no rush to choose. It would be best to carefully select from all the generals, so that..."
“In this way, we can both establish ourselves in the Li family and divide the Qingyang Army, making them fight tooth and nail.” Li Li, having already figured it out, clapped his hands in delight.
Qi Yingyu smiled broadly: "Princess, there's no rush. Just let the word out and we can take our time choosing."
Princess Qingyang, with her eyes darting around and narrowing, pondered for a long time before returning to normal: "Your Highness is very fortunate, and Boss Qi is very resourceful. Although Boss Qi's last plan is probably to help your Highness get out of trouble, since it is mutually beneficial, this cooperation is settled. If this matter is successful, I will certainly not let down Your Highness, nor will I treat Boss Qi unfairly."
Next, Princess Qingyang acted swiftly and with exceptional execution.
Mu Xi did not disappoint Li Li, and with a heavy heart, she painted two more albums for Princess Qingyang.
Princess Qingyang, having been invincible with Qi Yingyu's methods, and having obtained three of Mu Xi's painting albums, could not help but forge a strong friendship with Mu Xi. Upon receiving the last painting album, she was so excited that she made a solemn oath with Mu Xi, and the two began to address each other as sisters in private.
However, more than two years have passed in the blink of an eye, and during this time, no news of Mu Xun has been found. Instead, news has come that the former Han Hai Army, a former subordinate of the Yan, has also started an uprising.
The veteran general Tu Feng, commander of the Han Navy, led an army to attack Yu Wang Muji in the name of Xi Xun, grandson of the former Yan King. He listed three major crimes committed by Yu Wang Muji: first, rebellion, framing the former Yan King who saved his lord; second, betrayal of his clan, colluding with pirates to usurp the throne; and third, filial impiety, poisoning and murdering his father in order to seize the throne. Each of the three crimes was supported by physical evidence and was irrefutable.
The last piece of evidence, evidence of patricide and murder, was the previously lost remains of the late king, which provoked a fierce counterattack from the Xuanyou Army.
The three charges caused an uproar throughout the land. Mu Ji became universally hated overnight, but because his strength remained, no one could do anything to him for the time being. The situation in Yan Sheng was constantly changing, and no one knew who would ultimately control this land.
Mu Xi was powerless to do anything about what happened, but since the Han Navy had sent troops in Xi Xun's name, did that mean that Mu Xun had already established a foothold in the northeastern Han Navy territory?
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