Chapter 1292: Chapter 1128: The Shen Family’s Plot

"Since the last time Prince Jing seized the horses and weapons of Prince Gong, Prince Gong has been furious. These days, he’s been causing trouble for Prince Jing. But it seems they don’t plan to confront each other just yet, it’s just small skirmishes."

Gu Chengyu was a bit surprised, they could endure it? Such a large amount of military supplies requires a significant amount of silver, it seems Prince Gong’s resources are quite substantial!

"Since they’re unwilling to act, let’s add more fuel to the fire! Didn’t you discover another weapon workshop belonging to Prince Gong? Leak the information to Prince Jing."

He couldn’t believe that Prince Gong could endure it any longer, he was determined to ignite the fury of both families.

"But will Prince Jing still be fooled this time? Won’t it be too obvious? He knows that if he angers Prince Gong, he won’t come out unscathed!"

Ming Yan was a bit hesitant, what if Prince Jing doesn’t take the bait?

"Even knowing it’s a trap I’ve set, he’ll still jump in. He can’t help it, because he’s desperate. Those weapons and horses have already given him a taste of the benefits, how could he possibly give up the meat at his mouth now?"

Prince Jing doesn’t have much of a foundation in the first place, even though this is risky, could he really give up such significant benefits?

...

"Uncle Three! How long do you intend to wait?" Qin Yingyuan looked at Liao Wu sitting opposite her, asking urgently.

She didn’t understand, it was already certain that the Emperor couldn’t obtain the antidote, so why hadn’t Uncle Three taken action yet? Big Uncle had already started a rebellion, yet Uncle Three remained inactive.

"Rong Jia, why are you so restless? Just wait a bit longer, the time isn’t ripe yet!" Liao Wu poured another bowl of tea for Rong Jia, he could sense the urgency of the Duke Qin Mansion, but ultimately felt it wasn’t the right time.

The Emperor’s poisoning had only recently manifested, judging by his current health, he should at least live for more than a year. During this time, he could make further arrangements.

After all, the border isn’t stable right now. If he intervenes at this moment, he’d only be taking on a mess. Moreover, Da Xing would take advantage of the situation, which wouldn’t benefit him.

Moreover, Prince Gong has just taken over two cities, feeling triumphant. Even if he managed to seize the Dragon Throne, he might not be able to hold onto it for long given the other side’s strength.

Therefore, before weakening Prince Gong’s power, he needed the second brother to remain in position to shield him from storms.

"Uncle Three, Rong Jia doesn’t understand what you’re still waiting for. The border conflict has temporarily settled, with Gu Chengyu present, there’s no need to worry about it now. Presently, the most urgent matter is the expansion of Big Uncle’s power. If he acts against the Emperor before us, Father doesn’t stand much of a chance against him."

Qin Yingyuan furrowed her brows, even though they had discreetly gathered considerable support, they still couldn’t rival Prince Gong. Their earlier misjudgment lay in underestimating Prince Gong’s formidable power.

It seems Prince Gong had benefited greatly from the Emperor’s favor, accruing resources such as troops, horses, provisions, and weapons, each requiring substantial silver.

"Da Xing is only temporarily subdued, their previous battle resulted in significant losses, they won’t attack soon, but that doesn’t mean they’ll give up. Just wait! It won’t be more than a few months before they return with a vengeance."

"Once you take the position, wouldn’t you be confident in overpowering Da Xing? Uncle Three, when did you become so timid? Now that the Emperor is poisoned, factions have started to form within the court, with the faction led by Shen Shikang gaining strength. If we do not act soon, once their power solidifies and they discover the Emperor’s poisoning, they might replicate the tactics of High Ancestor Zhao!"

Qin Yingyuan set down her tea bowl, her words were not mere scare tactics. No wall in the world is completely impermeable; in recent days, the Emperor had been confined to bed for days, officially due to a cold, but this couldn’t prevent the noble families from investigating.

Even with no absolute proof, rumors were rampant. Moreover, since waking up, the Emperor’s condition appeared far worse, leaving courtiers speculating.

If people learned the Emperor’s days were numbered, they might secretly consolidate their power, anticipating overturning the Zhao dynasty, mimicking the methods of High Ancestor Zhao in bygone years.

Liao Wu’s face grew solemn after hearing this. Upon reflection, Rong Jia’s concerns were not unfounded.

"Did you discover something?" Suddenly, he considered that Rong Jia’s words might suggest she had found some clues.

"A few days ago, the Emperor sent people to Jiangnan to seek the antidote. Although this was done covertly, it couldn’t escape the eyes of some scholarly families. For the moment, these families are secretly investigating the matter and have uncovered about eighty to ninety percent of it. But they haven’t exposed it, isn’t that suspicious?"

Qin Yingyuan glanced at Liao Wu, then continued, "Recently, Father found that several aristocratic families in the Capital have shown unusual activity, secretly forming alliances, and even the military generals weren’t exempt. You know how the noble families of the Capital generally look down on those military generals; such sudden frequent interactions, don’t you find it peculiar?"

Liao Wu pondered for a moment, "You suggest they are already aware of the Emperor’s condition, yet pretend ignorance, secretly amassing power, intending to overthrow the Zhao Dynasty?"

Liao Wu considered this somewhat exaggerated; perhaps a couple of major scholarly families in the Capital might harbor such ambitions, but the others likely had people to whom they were loyal!

Overthrowing a dynasty wasn’t so easy. Without military command or counsel from virtuous ministers, it would be a fantastical dream; otherwise, wouldn’t everyone aspire to become the Emperor?

Nevertheless, the concerns of the Duke Qin Mansion weren’t entirely unwarranted. The Shen Family was indeed gaining prominence lately; if left unchecked, the dynasty might indeed one day bear the name ’Shen’!

"Though we aren’t fully prepared, using others to do our bidding could still be worth a try." Liao Wu suddenly smiled, instantly hatching a brilliant plan.

"Uncle Three, pray tell, have you thought of an excellent strategy?" Qin Yingyuan slightly smiled, eager to hear if Uncle Three’s idea aligned with the Duke Qin Mansion’s, to assess if her father’s decision was wise.

"Since the Shen Family’s ambition is so significant, let’s expose it. Under the pretense of purging the Emperor’s surroundings, we can eliminate them and, amidst the chaos, deal with the Emperor as well..."

Liao Wu drew a line across his neck with his hand, pausing briefly before continuing, "Wouldn’t that be justified? It would also save us from being vilified by the world, ruining my reputation!"

"Uncle Three’s thoughts are identical to Father’s. If carefully planned, this matter could achieve multiple objectives simultaneously. The advisers in the mansion have already drafted detailed plans, but who’d have thought Uncle Three could come up with such a strategy in such a short time, proving Father judged correctly."

Qin Yingyuan beamed, complimenting Liao Wu with a radiant smile.

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