mousepad-d2 Chapter 365 Tu Xinjian and Li Mu
Chapter 365 Tu Xinjian and Li Mu
"At the beginning of each month, if the antidote is not taken, the body will rot and the person will die."
Xu Lindao.
What do you want me to do?
He feigned composure after the event.
She had already guessed that what she had just eaten was poison.
"If Zhao Qian asks for your opinion on the matter of changing generals, you should know what to say."
Xu Lin said in a deep voice.
After saying that, he turned and left.
He was unsure of how much influence the Empress Dowager could exert on King Qian of Zhao.
But as the saying goes, man proposes, God disposes.
……
The next day.
The Palace of King Zhao.
Although King Zhao Qian was not old, he was like his father, fond of fine clothes and indulging in sensual pleasures.
Therefore, the palace was extremely luxurious, filled with disheveled women and decadent music, just like a brothel.
Upon learning that Lord Chunping was requesting an audience, King Qian of Zhao reluctantly released the maid's waist and had Lord Chunping brought in.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Chunping-kun bowed.
"Uncle, there's no need for such formalities."
King Zhao Qian raised his hand.
Then he dismissed the people around him.
He always respected Lord Chunping, which was understandable, as Lord Chunping and Prince Jia were leaders of the royal family.
"I have finished reviewing all the memorials today, which is why I summoned some dancers..."
King Zhao Qian explained.
"Your Majesty is in the prime of life, so it is only right."
Chunping Jun flattered him.
Because he hated Zhao Qian because of his dislike for Zhao Qian, he was extremely good at disguising himself, just like Guo Kai.
Therefore, Zhao Qian could not see that Lord Chunping was displeased with him.
"Uncle is absolutely right!"
"Was your uncle like this when he was young in Qin?"
King Zhao Qian's eyes lit up with joy.
Upon hearing this, Chunpingjun's eyes flashed with displeasure.
When he was young, he was sent to Qin as a hostage. He lived a precarious life, unable to even afford wine, let alone women.
After the Battle of Changping, did the people of Zhao hate the people of Qin, but the people of Qin stopped hating the people of Zhao?
These words only came from the innocent Zhao Qian, which is why Lord Chunping didn't fly into a rage.
If it were anyone else, Chunping-jun would definitely think that the other person was mocking him.
"Your Majesty."
"Let's get down to business."
"I have come here because of the war at the front."
Chunping cleared his throat.
Chatting with Zhao Qian was pure torture.
If King Zhao were him or Prince Jia, how could the State of Zhao have gradually declined?
"Even Lord Wu'an has been defeated?"
Zhao Qian hurriedly asked.
Li Mu is the most capable warrior in Zhao. If he is also defeated, then Zhao is doomed.
"No."
"But we didn't win either."
"I do not wish to sow discord, but as far as I know, Li Mu and Prince Jia have a very close personal relationship."
"Now that Li Mu holds considerable military power, what can we do if he and Prince Jia join forces from the inside?"
"It's better to be safe than sorry."
"Therefore, I suggest sending someone to the front lines to secretly monitor Li Mu in order to prevent any unforeseen events."
Lord Chunping offered his advice.
His words were logical and well-founded, as if Li Mu truly harbored ulterior motives.
"Who do you think would be the most suitable person to send, Uncle?"
King Zhao asked.
This matter concerns the survival of the Zhao state, and he dared not be careless any longer.
"I do not know."
"This is a matter of great importance and requires Your Majesty's personal selection."
Chunping shook his head.
His mission was complete; as for who to send to the front lines, that was Zhao Qian's business.
"That's how it should be."
King Zhao Qian nodded.
Then they had someone bring Zhao Cong, Yan Ju, and others over.
Although Zhao Cong and Yan Ju were not as skilled in warfare as Li Mu and Sima Shang, they were loyal.
For Zhao Qian, loyalty was paramount.
……
Five days later.
Zhao Cong led 10,000 troops to the front line under the pretext of reinforcement.
Li Mu had already guessed Zhao Qian's intentions, but he didn't care. As the saying goes, "A clear conscience fears no accusation," and "If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear."
But Li Mu forgot about the term "fabricating charges".
Often, you don't need to make mistakes.
After learning of this, Wang Jian wrote to Li Mu, hoping that Li Mu could come out of the city to talk, as this stalemate could not be resolved.
Li Mu disagreed, telling Wang Jian to either withdraw his troops or attack the city; there was nothing more to discuss between them.
After writing four letters, Wang Jian grinned.
Although Li Mu's replies were always very short, the fact that he dared to reply meant he had already fallen into the trap.
When writing the fifth letter, Wang Jian deliberately made some corrections after finishing it.
Wang Ben was initially puzzled, but he quickly guessed the deeper meaning behind his father's actions.
……
Half an hour later.
Li Mu received Wang Jian's letter.
Upon learning of this, Zhao Cong immediately went to Li Mu's camp.
This was the fifth time Wang Jian had written to Li Mu since he arrived at the front lines.
Although Li Mu always acted as if nothing was wrong, the fact that the two continued to correspond was highly suspicious.
Who knows if Li Mu's reply contained a hidden meaning?
The key question is, if Li Mu isn't replaced, when will it be his turn?
At first, he was quite afraid of the Qin army, after all, the Qin army had a great reputation and rarely suffered defeats.
But now it seems that the Qin army was nothing special.
What's so difficult about defending a city?
Upon seeing Zhao Cong, Li Mu calmly opened the letter.
The letter read, "Brother Li is well-versed in military strategy and is no ordinary man. Brother Li previously stated that he would raise an army in October..."
Seeing this, Li Mu realized he had fallen into a trap, but it was too late.
"My Lord".
"May I leave this letter?"
Zhao Cong asked.
He was essentially the king's envoy, so Li Mu had no choice but to accept.
"The handwriting in the letter was not scribbled by me."
Li Mu said solemnly.
"I understand."
Zhao Cong nodded.
Then someone was sent to Handan to deliver the letter.
Watching the messenger walk away into the distance, Li Mu felt a surge of displeasure. He really wanted to kill all the treacherous officials, including Zhao Cong, Guo Kai, and Chunping Jun.
Of course, there's also Zhao Qian.
The root of all this is Zhao Qian; as the saying goes, if the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam will be crooked too.
When the superiors have a certain preference, those below will follow it to an extreme!
Guo Kai, Lord Chunping already disliked him, and now with this suspicious item, even if Zhao Qian doesn't want his life, he will most likely replace him. What can be done?
After pondering for a moment, he had someone summon Sima Shang.
Now that things have come to this, it seems he has no other choice.
"My Lord".
"I have just heard about the letter. Although Your Majesty is young, you should be able to make your own judgment on this matter."
Sima Shang clasped his hands in a salute.
"If he had any judgment, he wouldn't have given Guo Kai such an important position."
Li Mu said coldly.
Unlike Bai Qi, he would not surrender easily.
"Does Your Excellency already have a plan?"
Sima Shang was startled by what he saw and asked in a low voice.
He had advised Li Mu to have more contact with Prince Jia, as Prince Jia would be the best candidate if Zhao Qian were to get into trouble.
If it weren't for the Empress, the position of Crown Prince would have belonged to Prince Jia.
"In urgent situations, we must act expediently. Take some reliable people back to Handan."
“If Young Master Jia is willing, I am willing to lend him a hand.”
Li Mu dismissed his attendants and, after a short while, spoke.
He did not want to kill the emperor, but the emperor wanted him dead, so he had no choice!
As for reputation?
History is written by the victors.
If Prince Jia can reduce taxes and levies after ascending the throne and restore the Zhao state to its former glory, then Li Mu will be no less than Lü Buwei of Qin!
"My Lord".
"Once the arrow is released, there's no turning back."
"You really intend to..."
Sima Shang reminded him.
Supporting Prince Jia is tantamount to treason.
"There is no other choice now that things have come to this."
Li Mu spoke with absolute certainty.
"it is good!"
Sima Shang immediately accepted the order.
He had been waiting for this day for several years.
Serving under Zhao Qian was incredibly difficult, with unclear rewards and punishments!
That night, Sima Shang selected eight hundred trusted men and secretly returned to Handan.
His mission was to persuade Prince Jia to come and rescue him, so eight hundred men were enough; more would only increase the risk of being spotted. (End of Chapter)