C122. News From Jizhou.
Li Li's people arrived bearing an imperial decree. Even if Wu Shanshi didn't wish to see him, he had no choice but to receive him.
The visitor is called Luo Yue, with the courtesy name of Zhongzhang. He is a strategist under Li Li's command, eloquent and shrewd. Li Li sent him to find Wu Shanshi for two main purposes: firstly, to win him over, and secondly, if that fails, to sow discord and create chaos in the North Three Provinces.
After being caught off guard by Yuan Li's rebuttal during their last encounter, Luo Yue spoke carefully this time, speaking only in the name of the emperor and offering the exchange of half the country's territory for Wu Shanshi's protection of the emperor in Luoyang.
Upon hearing about half the country's territory, even though Wu Shanshi looked down on people like Luo Yue, he couldn't help but be surprised and tempted.
That's half the country...
Seeing his reaction, Wei Ji knew that Wu Shanshi was intrigued and immediately coughed softly to snap him out of his reverie.
Wu Shanshi wasn't foolish enough to fall for it. He understood that even though the offer was tempting, he had to reject it, despite his reluctance.
Li Li's reputation was tarnished, and everyone was against him. How could Wu Shanshi stand by Li Li's side at a time like this?
Reluctantly, Wu Shanshi firmly refused, "Absurd. I have no merits or capabilities to receive such rewards from the emperor. Let's not discuss this further, please leave."
Luo Yue smiled faintly and didn't insist, "You have a great reputation, and in the world, besides you, who else can the emperor trust this much? But if you're unwilling, I won't force it. I'm new to Jizhou, please allow me to stay for a few days and enjoy the scenery."
Wu Shanshi waved his hand dismissively, "You can go wherever you want."
After they left, Wei Ji nodded slightly, "You handled it well. Li Li is in a precarious position now, and we must distance ourselves from him for the greater good. They are backed by the emperor's name, so we can't embarrass them openly, but we can't let them stay in Jizhou either. Mi Tai, find an opportunity to drive them out of Jizhou."
Mi Tai stood up to comply.
Wei Ji added, "You all can disperse now. I have something to discuss with the Lord."
The subordinates saluted and left one by one. Zhou Gongdan was among them, respectfully leaving the Wufu. When he returned to his residence, the smile on his face immediately vanished.
It was a gloomy day, with cold winds piercing through the late spring. Zhou Gongdan was dressed warmly, but still couldn't shake off the chilling cold.
Even in his own residence, he felt weary and uneasy.
Zhou Gongdan had been by Wu Shanshi's side for three years, enough time to earn the trust of Wu Shanshi and his strategists, as well as to see through Wu Shanshi's true character.
Wu Shanshi was just a name without substance. While initially impressed, spending more time with him revealed more flaws. Especially with Yuan Li's presence, Wu Shanshi appeared even more mediocre.
Though Wu Shanshi was generous, the luxurious residence was a gift from him. But compared to this grandeur, Zhou Gongdan still missed his days in Youzhou.
He sighed softly, closing his eyes to calm his tense emotions.
The person who is causing him so much stress is not Wu Shanshi, but the group of advisors by his side, including Wei Ji, Mi Tai, and Wang Yun, all from Runan. These three are the real challenge for Wu Shanshi.
Zhou Gongdan's expression gradually darkened.
I need to come up with a way to get rid of these three...
Outside, the birds were chirping incessantly, and the spring leaves were falling in the wind.
A cold breeze blew, and a leaf gently landed on Zhou Gongdan.
Zhou Gongdan opened his eyes and stared quietly at the falling leaf. Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he grabbed some wine and went to find Wang Yun.
*
Wang Yun was currently at home drowning his sorrows in alcohol.
He was straightforward and often spoke before thinking, which often angered Wu Shanshi and made him dislike Wang Yun.
Not being favored by the Lord was a disaster for an advisor. Over the years, Wang Yun had grown increasingly troubled by this and was particularly worried after being rebuked by the Lord today.
When Zhou Gongdan came to see him, he was surprised. Upon seeing Zhou Gongdan, he didn't say anything but bowed and apologized to Wang Yun.
Feeling both surprised and relieved, Wang Yun waved his hand, "The Lord has appointed you to convey the message, it's not your fault, and you don't need to apologize to me."
After saying this, a hint of melancholy appeared on his face. It wasn't that Zhou Gongdan was rude; it was just that the Lord didn't like him and didn't want to hear him speak.
Zhou Gongdan carefully observed his expression and brought over some wine for Wang Yun to drink.
He spoke pleasantly, not trying too hard to please or show off, and Wang Yun unwittingly opened up more. Perhaps due to the alcohol, he even shared his troubles with Zhou Gongdan, "If this continues, I might be sent back to Runan by the Lord..."
Zhou Gongdan listened quietly and sighed, "Your strategies are exceptional. If you were truly sent back to Runan, the Lord would be losing a valuable asset."
Feeling even sadder, Wang Yun said, "You understand the situation, but he... sigh."
Zhou Gongdan raised his hand and poured a cup of wine, swirling the liquid in the glass before offering it to Wang Yun. He drank it in one go and let out a heavy sigh.
"I don't want to leave you in this plight," Zhou Gongdan sighed softly, then suddenly brightened, "I have an idea! The Lord is currently contemplating how to deal with Li Li. If you can come up with a foolproof plan, he will surely reconsider your value."
Wang Yun was surprised, then smiled bitterly, "But I really can't think of a good plan. Yuan Le Jun and Chu Ciye have already proposed taking action against Li Li. They must be prepared, and no matter how you look at it, their chances of success seem greater."
Zhou Gongdan pondered for a moment and slowly said, "I do have a strategy..."
Wang Yun quickly asked, "What strategy?"
After hesitating for a moment, Zhou Gongdan shook his head, "I'd rather not say; my plan is a bit unorthodox."
Curious, Wang Yun questioned him further until Zhou Gongdan reluctantly revealed, "Li Li wants to win the Lord's favor, which presents an opportunity. If the Lord pretends to conspire with Li Li, leads the troops to Luoyang, and strikes when Li Li least expects it, he will surely achieve great success before Yuan Lejun and Chu Ciye."
Wang Yun's eyes lit up, "Although this plan is somewhat risky, it could be a shortcut, but..."
"But this method is not righteous," Zhou Gongdan shook his head, "Even if Li Li is truly killed in the end, it may harm the Lord's reputation."
Upon hearing this, Wang Yun felt otherwise.
Although pretending to cooperate with Li Li might lead to misunderstandings, once the Lord kills Li Li, all previous slander would be forgotten. If executed well, others would not see the Lord as unrighteous but as enduring humiliation for the greater good of the people.
Such actions would earn the admiration of the people, and the Lord's reputation would soar to great heights.
Nobody would dare speak ill of Wu Shanshi any longer, as they would be castigated.
Wang Yun hesitated, "It's not impossible..."
But to proceed, they must ensure Wu Shanshi truly takes down Li Li.
Seeing Wang Yun lost in thought, Zhou Gongdan remained silent. After finishing his drink slowly, he bid farewell.
That night, Wang Yun couldn't sleep.
The words of Zhou Gongdan echoed in his mind, and the more he thought about it, the more convinced he was of the plan's viability. It would give the Lord a chance to personally eliminate Li Li in advance and earn his respect in the process.
Wang Yun tossed and turned, feeling as if he were caught in a dilemma.
*
Meanwhile, news from Jizhou reached Yuan Li's ears.
The intelligence personnel of the Grain Allocation Department had been trained for three years, and those orphans who had grown up and qualified were sent out quietly, spreading out a wide net from Youzhou.
This piece of information was transmitted back along this network.
Upon learning of this news, Yuan Li was pleased.
He said to Chu Hechao, "Li Li sent someone to Jizhou but was rejected by Wu Shanshi."
Just back from training, Chu Hechao poured a basin of cold water over his face to cool off and threw his sweat-soaked clothes to the side. He chuckled, "Even if Wu Shanshi has lost his mind, he wouldn't agree to him at this moment."
"But Li Li's men haven't given up yet," Yuan Li said, "They are still wandering around in Ye County, drinking and carousing, not knowing what Li Li is planning."
"No matter what he intends to do, it won't harm us. Li Li is already in deep trouble," Chu Hechao stood up, his face dripping with water, the Guanyin jade pendant on his neck swaying as he moved.
He leaned in and took a look at the note in Yuan Li's hand, "Luo Yue... This person is quite adept with words."
Curious, Yuan Li asked, "In what way is he skilled?"
Chu Hechao tore the note into pieces and dropped it into the basin, the clean water soaking the paper until it disintegrated.
In a calm tone, he uttered, "He can make the living seem dead and the dead seem alive."
Yuan Li astutely observed, "You don't like him?"
Chu Hechao smirked, "Can't really say if I like him or not. When he falls into my hands, I will definitely deal with him."
...That's probably a sign of not liking him.
Yuan Li furrowed his brows, curiosity piqued, "How exactly did he provoke you?"
Chu Hechao glanced at him, shook his head, and didn't want to speak.
The young man became even more curious, with a pleading look in his eyes, "Brother?"
Hearing himself being addressed as "Brother" made Chu Hechao feel comfortable all over. He chuckled, "Your brother is tired."
Yuan Li quickly brought a chair over, urged Chu Hechao to sit down, and took a seat beside him, eagerly eyeing Chu Hechao.
Leaning back, Chu Hechao scanned the room and finally settled his gaze on the teapot on the table.
He raised his chin, implying without words.
Yuan Li poured him a glass of water again, "Brother, have some water."
Chu Hechao couldn't keep the smile off his face, he downed the water in one go. Initially, he wanted to tease Yuan Li some more, but seeing the warning look in Yuan Li's eyes, he wisely decided to stop.
"When Chu Mingfeng was raising funds for me, this person repeatedly obstructed him," Chu Hechao narrowed his eyes, his expression turning grim, "His words are so persuasive that even the late Emperor would have been convinced by him. Little did I expect that he is actually working for Li Li."
Yuan Li fell silent for a moment, seeing Chu Hechao's refusal to elaborate, he asked, "Is that all?"
Chu Hechao raised an eyebrow, "What else do you want to hear?"
For such a simple matter, Chu Hechao had initially hesitated to speak, making Yuan Li think there was some big secret involved. Yet, after all the chair-moving and water-pouring, it turned out to be just that.
Yuan Li rubbed his forehead and suddenly looked up with a smile, "Chu Hechao, are you purposely teasing me?"
Chu Hechao feigned surprise, furrowing his brow, "No."
Yuan Li chuckled lightly, looking at him with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.
The look in his eyes was sharp and commanding, with a hint of condescension.
Chu Hechao cleared his throat, subtly suggesting, "I know someone who is even more skillful with words than Luo Yue."
Yuan Li snorted, "Who?"
Chu Hechao replied, "You know this person too."
Yuan Li's expression shifted slightly as he pondered the people he knew.
Just as he delved deeper into his thoughts, Chu Hechao couldn't resist a laugh, "Haven't figured it out yet?"
Yuan Li was stunned.
Chu He Chao teased, "It's you!"
Yuan Li: "...."
The veins on his forehead throbbed.