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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 128: Three Strategies
In the palace, Dai Wang Yang You, with the assistance of Minister Wei Wensheng and others, was struggling to handle some simple state affairs, which mostly involved nodding after reviewing documents.
Although Yang You was naturally intelligent, he was still quite young, and directly managing state affairs was a bit too much for him.
However, this was the emperor's command, and Wei Wensheng and the others did not dare to be careless. Among the princes, King Qi Yang Liang had already been rendered useless, and the staff at Qi Wang Mansion were all old, weak, or ill; this did not conform to the regulations for establishing an heir.
At just seven years old, Zhao Wang Yang Gao was neither the legitimate son nor the eldest son, making him an unsuitable candidate. Although the emperor favored him greatly, he had not appointed him to stay in Chang'an or Luoyang.
It was evident that the emperor still intended to establish an heir from the offspring of the Crown Princess. Although Dai Wang Yang You had two elder brothers, he was indeed the legitimate son of Consort Crown Prince Wei Family. Prince Yan Yang Tan and King of Yue Yang Tong were both born of consorts.
Even though he was not the eldest, being a legitimate son sometimes meant everything in terms of legitimacy.
Moreover, Consort Crown Prince also came from a distinguished background, and the influence of Capital Wei of Jingzhao should not be underestimated.
Thus, after handling various matters, although it took a long time due to Dai Wang's slow reading speed, none of the ministers complained; they treated Yang You with utmost respect.
Once everyone had left, only Deputy Minister of Justice Wei Yijie remained. He was the brother of Consort Crown Prince and thus Yang You's maternal uncle.
"Your Highness has worked hard."
Yang You shook his head. "I am too slow and have delayed state affairs."
Wei Yijie replied, "How can this be blamed on Your Highness? You are still very young; this is only natural. As long as you can learn something from the process of handling state affairs with the ministers, that is enough."
At that moment, a eunuch came forward to report. Dai Wang Yang You took the list and glanced at it before handing it to his uncle. "It is..."
Li Jian Cheng was currently without an official position, and Yang You momentarily found himself at a loss for how to address him. Calling him "Uncle" felt too intimate, while referring to him as "Li Shizi" or using his full name seemed too distant.
Wei Yijie chuckled after reading the situation. "Although it's not particularly valuable, it carries a lot of sentiment. Li Jian Cheng was once a loyal guard of the Crown Princess, and during her lifetime, they were quite close, often referring to each other as brothers. When you meet him privately, you can call him 'Uncle.'
Your Highness, Li Jian Cheng is no ordinary person; he has friends all over the world and is well-connected. The Emperor also holds him in high regard, treating him as a confidant and relative. If he is willing to help you wholeheartedly, many issues will become manageable. This is also a favor left to you by the Crown Princess."
Dai Wang Yang You frowned and asked, "Then why hasn't he contacted me before?"
"He hasn't reached out to anyone, not even had direct confrontations with King Qi," Wei Yijie explained slowly. "Many matters don't require deep investigation; just remember that this person can be of great use to you now, far beyond what an ordinary noble could offer. Treat someone like him with respect and honor."
Yang You nodded obediently. "Alright then, Uncle. Shouldn't I also return the favor?"
Wei Yijie nodded in satisfaction. "Li Jian Cheng is still in filial mourning and doesn't require anything extravagant. He has always enjoyed composing poetry and has quite a reputation for it; sending some rare books would suffice."
…………
Li Jian Cheng couldn't help but smile upon receiving the reward from Dai Wang Yang You. He already knew that the Wei Family was behind it; after all, how many people in this world do good deeds without expecting something in return?
In response to the Wei Family's goodwill, Li Jian Cheng expressed his gratitude without hesitation, promising that he would repay them handsomely in the future.
What was there to fear about owing favors? The more favors one owed, the more others would worry about your well-being; when one dies, debts are settled. If possible, Li Jian Cheng would gladly owe favors to every prominent family in the world.
With such an arrangement, he wouldn't need to work hard; they would elevate him to the Emperor's throne themselves.
However, being lifted up by others was ultimately not as stable or reliable as sitting there on his own.
Li Jian Cheng continued to calmly plan his own affairs. He couldn't remain in this estate for filial mourning forever; these three years were a critical period that required his utmost diligence.
Without the emperor's intervention, he could not simply disregard filial piety. Doing so would invite criticism from all corners of the world, and the reputation he had built over the years would be lost in an instant.
"Brother Xuan Gan, you must encourage yourself!"
...
"It is time."
The campaign against Come to Protect the Child could no longer be concealed; after all, their actions had been quite blatant. This was the final Consultation before their formal rebellion.
Many decisions needed to be made, but the most challenging was undoubtedly the issue of direction. Yang Xuangan had always looked down on Han Wang Yang Liang, believing that if it weren't for his indecisiveness, they wouldn't have ended up in such a predicament.
Now he faced a similar dilemma as Yang Liang did years ago. The world was vast; where should they strike first?
Everyone was at a loss, or rather, none could convince the others. Yang Xuangan was troubled by the noise and turned his gaze to Li Mi: "Master of Law, you often take it upon yourself to aid others. The time has come; what is your plan?"
Li Mi felt a surge of relief at the question. He had long been overlooked and had always hoped to emulate Zhuge Kongming, finding a wise ruler to showcase his talents and leave a mark in history.
Li Mi smiled and said, "I have prepared three strategies for you: upper, middle, and lower. Choose whichever you prefer."
"Excellent! I knew that to achieve Great Undertaking, we must have Master of Law by our side."
Li Mi stood up eagerly and waved his arms: "The emperor is far away in Liao, and reaching Youzhou is still a thousand miles away. To the south lies a vast sea, to the north are fierce nomads; traversing this path is fraught with danger.
You command troops unexpectedly, advancing swiftly into Ji, seizing the perilous position of Lingyu to cut off their retreat. Once their escape route is severed, Goguryeo will surely pursue them. In just a few months, their supplies will run out; if they do not surrender, they will collapse. This is the best strategy."
In essence, they aimed to strike directly at Zhuojun, cutting off Yang Guang's escape route while flanking him with Goguryeo from both sides.
Upon hearing this strategy, many cheered and praised it, but Yang Xuangan did not feel joy. He silently calculated in his heart.
This plan sounded feasible, but the actual number of soldiers he could muster was only around ten thousand. The rest were merely conscripted men, not even strong young adults. Yang Guang had left little in the way of able-bodied men for the common folk.
With such a force, would they not encounter resistance while rushing a thousand miles to Liang? Even if they managed to reach Zhuojun smoothly, would they truly have the strength left to capture Zhuojun and intercept the furious Yang Guang on his return?
Yang Xuangan did not voice his concerns; Li Mi was still very important to him. He was currently the most distinguished among them, and it was not the time to sow discord.
"This plan is excellent, but since the Master has three strategies, let us hear them all at Consultation. After all, this is a significant matter."
Li Mi naturally understood that the so-called best strategy could not be implemented, but he could not say so outright. How else could he demonstrate his extraordinary wisdom? If this Great Undertaking succeeded, he would have the opportunity to restore his family's reputation and attain a position of great power.
"Guanzhong is fortified and abundant in resources. Although there is Wei Wensheng, he is not a cause for concern. Today, we will lead our forces westward without attacking the city, directly aiming for Chang'an. We will gather its heroes and pacify its people while holding the advantageous position. Even if the Emperor remains, he will lose his foundation; we can plan accordingly."
This implied a direct assault on Chang'an. Not to mention that it was extremely far away, Chang'an was an immensely strong city. Yang Guang's four hundred thousand troops had struggled for a long time to capture Liaodong City, which was far less fortified than Chang'an. With the small number of troops under his command, they would barely be able to scale the city walls.
……………
(End of Chapter)
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