Standing outside the palace gate, it looked or sounded like a celebration of triumph; however, deep inside the Northern Qi imperial palace, the brightly lit palace was filled with a strong atmosphere of conspiracy. The gorgeous decorations of the palace looked particularly cold under the cover of night, and the face of Emperor Gao Wei was covered with an icy expression that was difficult to fathom. He sat on the tall dragon throne, his hands slightly crossed, his eyes like cold swords, staring at the counselors in front of him. The maps and scrolls on the table were scattered all over, just like the complex interweaving of power and wisdom.
In the years after he inherited the throne, Emperor Gao Wei killed his half-brother Gao Chuo, who was born on the same day as him, and also fabricated charges to kill other generals he suspected were not absolutely loyal, consolidating his power. Now Prince of Lanling is always in the center of his vision, lingering.
His deep jealousy is not without reason. Prince of Lanling not only won the love of the people with his outstanding military talents and extraordinary appearance, but also frightened the enemies of Northern Qi with his devilish image. At this moment when Prince of Lanling once again won the cheers of the people in the city, the emperor once again summoned his advisers to plot countermeasures for the hidden dangers in his heart.
"Gao Changgong's momentum is so great that it has not only affected the morale of the army, but also gained too high a reputation among the people." Gao Wei's voice was cold and steady, "His threat to me can no longer be ignored, and measures must be taken to weaken it."
A middle-aged strategist named Wang Yao, Gao Wei's right-hand man, bowed at the bottom of the steps and spoke. "Your Majesty, although Prince of Lanling is famous, his influence can still be controlled by us. We can start from several aspects, on the one hand, weaken his military position, and on the other hand, shake his people's hearts."
Gao Wei frowned slightly, obviously full of interest in Wang Yao's proposal. "How to do it specifically?"
Wang Yao's eyes flickered, and he pointed to several important cities on the map. "First, we need to strike Prince of Lanling militarily. We can arrange some false battle reports to create the illusion of his military failure. This will not only affect his prestige in the army, but may also make his subordinates begin to waver."
"Second, we must secretly manipulate public opinion." Wang Yao continued, "We can control the media and literati in the court to spread negative news about Prince of Lanling and gradually weaken his reputation in the hearts of the people. At the same time, we can create some scandals about him personally to further undermine his reputation."
Gao Wei's eyes became sharp, and he thought about Wang Yao's suggestion. "Are there any other measures?"
Wang Yao nodded, and his fingers crossed several key areas on the map. "Finally, we can try to create internal divisions by winning over the powerful officials and generals around Prince of Lanling. Through clever rebellion and alienation, let him feel isolated and helpless."
Gao Wei was silent for a moment, obviously satisfied with the proposals of his advisers. He nodded slowly, and a hint of cold determination flashed in his eyes. "Okay, let's proceed according to your plan. Although Prince of Lanling's glory is dazzling, it is only a flash in the pan. We must remain hidden in the process to ensure the effectiveness of the action."
In the depths of the dark palace, with the issuance of an order, the thread of conspiracy was quietly woven in the political situation of Northern Qi. Gao Wei and his advisers knew that this game of power would determine the future direction of Northern Qi. At the same time, Gao Changgong, who was riding his horse to the palace, was still unaware that he had become the core of this conspiracy in the interweaving of glory and shadow.