A light wind blew by, like a lover's hand gently brushing past. The warm sunlight was like weightless silk, bathing a pair of intoxicated people in its gentleness.
Ma Lian 'er lay limp on the ground. She didn't want to move her limbs. Her clothing was disheveled and covered her body. A few patches of soft skin could be faintly seen.
A silk dress covered the top of their heads. It was a blur inside. The two were close, so close that their skin touched. They couldn't see each other's faces clearly. It was like the warmth of that night on the snowy mountain.
The smell of the earth and the smell of grass slowly seeped into their nostrils. Yang Ling's hand gently caressed Lian 'er's supple bottom. There were faint red marks left by the grass. The smooth feeling and the marks were especially intoxicating.
Lian 'er's breathing was serene as she lay in Yang Ling's arms. A long while later, she seemed to wake up from a dream and said, "Husband, Lian' er has finally become yours. You … … how much longer can you stay in Jin Ling? Can you bear to leave me now? "
Yang Ling sighed softly and said, "No, I think … … I can stay for another five or six days!"
"That much?" Lian 'er exclaimed in joy. She hugged Yang Ling tightly in satisfaction and then buried her head in his arms as she giggled shyly.
The soft and warm sensation on his chest caused Yang Ling's chest to itch due to the slight trembling. He reflexively gripped the sharp nipple and caused Lian 'er to moan again.
Yang Ling asked in a low voice, "What are you laughing at?"
Ma Lian 'er said in a coy voice, "Brother Yang has no conscience. Originally, you were in a hurry to return to Jing, now … … now that it's like this, you have free time again."
That soft and seductive tone caused Yang Ling's heart to waver but he didn't have the heart to correct her. Originally, he had doted on her and felt that he owed her. Now that the two of them had such a relationship, even though Celestial Master Zhang had said it before, he still felt a faint sense of fear and worry. It would be good if there was a chance to make her happy. He would let her think that he stayed for her.
Yang Ling gently caressed her body and asked in a low voice, "Does your uncle know about me and you?"
Ma Lian 'er nodded lightly and said, "So he didn't know before. Yesterday, after you left, he came to ask me. he heard of your identity and knew that we were already engaged. He only sighed and didn't say much."
Yang Ling also sighed and said, "Now that you and I are husband and wife, I will send the betrothal gift when we get back. You can't get married now, it's better to have a name first."
Ma Lian 'er said faintly, "It's better … … to wait a little longer. No matter how bad my brother is, he is still my only relative. Because of me, he … … he was miserably tortured by Bi Dushi. He wrote to say that you promoted him. In his heart, he is also very remorseful. I think … … when he comes back, he will accept the betrothal gift. An elder brother is like a father."
Yang Ling made an 'hmm' sound. The two of them didn't speak for a while, only their light breaths on each other's skin. After a while, suddenly someone shouted loudly, "Factory Supervisor Daren, Mr Yang, where are you?"
Yang Ling was startled and hurriedly sat up and said, "Why did they come up the mountain?"
As he sat up, his robe was lifted. Ma Lian 'er was blinded by the sunlight and couldn't help but close her eyes. A light breeze passed and a wave of coldness. She finally noticed that there wasn't a thread of clothing on her body. She couldn't help but shout bashfully, "Ah! Look at you, quickly turn around, I won't let you look, I … … I have to dress. "
Lian 'er's pink and curvy body was exceptionally moving. The bashfulness and slight anger were even more alluring. It was a pity that Yang Ling didn't have the attention to admire at this time. He hurriedly grabbed his robe and put it on before turning his head away. Lian 'er endured the pain and sat up, forcing her soft body to dress.
The two looked at each other. Yang Ling was better but Ma Lian 'er's hair was a mess, her face was red, her brows and eyes full of lust. As long as one wasn't blind, anyone could see what had just happened with those watery peach eyes.
In her panic, Ma Lian 'er didn't even want her cup and plate. She just balled up the white silk with the pink flower and hurriedly stuffed it into the food container.
Yang Ling forced himself to shout outside, "I'm here, what happened?"
As he spoke, he beckoned to Ma Lian 'er and led the way out.
Liu Biao was leading a few people and was running around like headless flies. Seeing him appear, he was relieved.
Behind him, Ma Lian 'er shyly walked out. Liu Biao didn't seem to see her. He hurriedly walked next to Yang Ling and said, "Daren, Da Duotou came from Jing overnight. He said he has an urgent matter to see you. He heard you were at Qixia Mountain and couldn't wait a moment before rushing over. Right now, he is searching all over the mountain for you."
Hearing this, Yang Ling's expression couldn't help but change. Right now, the inner factory was developing rapidly. Wu Jie was guarding the capital and couldn't leave for even a moment. For him to suddenly rush over, something major must have happened in Jing.
Yang Ling immediately said, "Quick, I'll wait for you here. Find him immediately."
Liu Biao and the foreigners scattered in all directions to search for Wu Jie. Lian 'er saw Yang Ling's expression wasn't right and hurriedly went forward to ask, "Yang Dage, has something major happened?"
Yang Ling nodded with a serious expression. He said apologetically to Ma Lian 'er, "Lian' er, Da Duotou came from Jing overnight. It must be something important, I … …"
Ma Lian 'er immediately understood. She lowered her head and combed her disheveled hair. She smiled sweetly and said, "What is it? You feel bad that you can't say sweet words to me and spend time with me? If you have business to attend to, then go do it. Is Lian 'er an indecisive woman? "
Yang Ling was a bit anxious but he couldn't help but chuckle when he heard this. He lightly hugged Lian 'er and said in a gentle voice, "As expected of my, Yang Ling's woman. I still have a few days. After I finish my business, I'll come and accompany you every day."
Ma Lian 'er nodded with a red face. She felt sweet inside. At this time, someone called from the distance, "Daren, this lowly officer has arrived."
Yang Ling turned his head and saw Wu Jie running as though he was flying. Liu Biao was following with light steps. The other foreigners were jogging along.
Wu Jie was in his fifties but he had good martial arts. His face didn't blush or his heart didn't jump as he hurried up the mountain. When he reached them, he saw Ma Lian 'er and his gaze couldn't help but focus.
Wu Jie spent most of his time outside the Great Wall. He was the highest leader of the Imperial Bodyguard outside the Great Wall. His ability to read people was extraordinary. Even if he took a look at the most average person, he wouldn't be able to make him look the wrong way after two years. Much less a beauty like Ma Lian 'er.
However, his expression was anxious and he clearly had something important on his mind. At this time, he didn't have the time to be courteous with Ma Lian 'er. Wu Jie hurriedly raised his hands towards Yang Ling and said, "Daren, this lowly officer has hurried from Jing and has an important matter to report. Daren … …"
Yang Ling understood. He turned to Ma Lian 'er and said, "Lian' er, I'll have someone take you back first. Once I'm done with business, I'll come see you."
Ma Lian 'er obediently agreed and went down the mountain accompanied by two foreigners. Yang Ling pulled Wu Jie to sit on a rock and asked, "Old Wu, what happened in Jing?"
Wu Jie waved his hand and the foreigners immediately dispersed. Wu Jie then said to Yang Ling seriously, "Factory Supervisor daren, ever since you left Jing, Liu Jin, Ma Yongcheng, Gu Daeyong and the others have been looking for strange things to deceive His Majesty. They want him to wander around and neglect government affairs. First, they stopped the Imperial Court and the afternoon court. Then, even the morning court has been intermittent. The Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet and the officials in the court have been constantly submitting petitions.
Because daren's relationship with these eunuchs is very good, rumors have begun to spread in the marketplace that these eunuchs have been instructed by daren to deliberately deceive His Majesty so that His Majesty will be too lazy to attend to government affairs. They also say that daren is ambitious and wants to monopolize power.
Lowly officer felt it was strange, so I bribed a small eunuch close to His Majesty. Only then did I find out that recently a group of eunuchs in the Palace have submitted to these eight eunuchs. All day long they persuaded them, saying that Mister Yang is His Majesty's trusted subject, that he is now a high-ranking official, enjoying all the glory and splendor of wealth. These eunuchs are also His Majesty's trusted subjects; as long as they can coax His Majesty to be happy, they will be able to get a more prestigious job.
These eunuchs seemed to be blinded by lard; unexpectedly they believed it was true. All day long they racked their brains to come up with some tricks to coax His Majesty. Now all the civil and military officials in the court saw them as a thorn in their side; they wanted to get rid of them as soon as possible.
The strange thing is, these eunuchs are all deacons in the Palace. Their power is no less than that of Liu Jin and the others. If they wanted to submit to them, they should have done so long ago. How could it be so coincidental that as soon as daren left the capital, they immediately submitted to him together and even spoke in unison to make such a move? This is clearly … "
Yang Ling had already understood. He smiled faintly and said, "This is clearly a game of finger-guessing, lowly official drinking, Xiang Zhuang waving the sword, the intention is Pei Gong."
Wu Jie was startled for a moment before he smiled cheerfully and said, "Daren saw through it? Since ancient times, when there was a struggle in the court, it was rare to directly target the final target and directly expose one's own strength and purpose.
Those officials' usual method was to first find a small, inconspicuous person who had a close relationship with the other party and use this as an excuse until the matter became bigger and bigger. By the time the real opponent realized the danger, the situation in the court would already be irreversible, and then it would be the time to reveal the dagger.
But Dongchang and the Imperial Bodyguard are not familiar with this method. They have always used their power to oppress others, tyrannical and tyrannical. At most, they would use the method of framing others. I have always been very familiar with their methods of playing tricks on people, so I did not think that they would come up with such a treacherous plan. I was worried that there were people in court who wanted to harm you, milord, so I have been secretly investigating this matter.
A few days ago, a few foreigners from the factory had a conflict with Dongchang's people in a restaurant and were captured by them. They said that they would not let them go unless the head of the inner factory came forward to apologize. Daren is away, and I really do not want to meddle. When I heard the news, I personally rushed over.
I didn't expect … that Eunuch Dai Yi, who was negotiating with this lowly officer, would secretly stuff a ball of paper into my hands while we were arguing. When this lowly officer went back and read it, it said that the East Faction Guards and the Embroidered Uniform Guard were secretly working together to plot against you. This coincided with this lowly officer's conjecture of the conspiracy. This lowly officer didn't dare to be negligent and hurried over to see you. "
Yang Ling thought for a while in a daze, then murmured, "Dai Yi? Oh … he has long been dissatisfied with Wang Yue and Fan Ting. The information he revealed should not be false, and he has no reason to lie to me. What did he say in the letter? "
Wu Jie said, "I still remember the original words in Dai Yi's letter. Dai Yi said: 'Dongchang and the Imperial Bodyguard plan: to lure Liu Jin, Zhang Yong and the others to do evil, provoke public anger and shift the blame to Yang Ling. When Yang Ling returns to the capital, hundreds of officials will submit petitions to be beheaded, but His Majesty will not allow it. Therefore, they will imprison Yang Ling for investigation, and His Majesty will certainly allow it.
When the Imperial Bodyguard receives the imperial edict to arrest him, they will ambush the Imperial Bodyguard elites inside and outside. Using the reason that Yang Ling resisted arrest, they will kill him and clip his wings. Using the remaining power, they will get rid of Liu, Ma, Zhang and the other eight chamberlains. The inner court will get rid of the traitor, and the outer court will build momentum. Even the Emperor cannot be blamed, and the world will be at peace. '"
Hearing this, Yang Ling suddenly stood up and hurriedly took two steps forward. He was so angry that the veins on his forehead were bulging. Wu Jie stood up and followed beside him, quietly not saying a word. Yang Ling looked at the fiery red maple forest in front of him. His chest rose and fell rapidly for a while before he gradually calmed down.
What was there to be angry about? Since he had come to this era, he had to abide by the rules of the game. He felt that they were cruel and merciless in cutting the weeds and eliminating the roots, but in their eyes, it was a matter of course.
In such a dynasty, could political differences still be expected to be decided by voting like in a modern democratic society? To defeat the opponent, it was a battle of life and death. Wasn't this the reason why official careers were dangerous?
He let out a long sigh of relief and said calmly, "It's been a tough journey, Bigshot. Come, let's go back to the residence and have a few drinks, then discuss in detail."
A look of admiration quietly flashed in Wu Jie's eyes. He cupped his hands and said, "Yes, your humble servant obeys."
※ ※ ※
In the small hall, the two drank lightly with Liu Biao accompanying them. Both of them were upper-class figures in the Inner Factory, so there was no need for them to worry about anything.
Yang Ling raised his chopsticks and frowned. He pondered for a while, the food in his mouth completely tasteless. Dongchang's plan was indeed vicious. Everyone knew that he was on good terms with the Eight Tigers. As for whether or not the Eight Tigers were bewitched by him, there was no need for concrete evidence. The rumors in the marketplace were equivalent to the direction of public opinion in the future. As long as he could not produce any evidence to the contrary, it was enough.
If the court officials and gentry and celebrities all stood against him, then the Dongchang Imperial Bodyguard would take advantage of his sudden return to the capital, and before he was aware of their plan, to suddenly attack and uproot the elites of the Inner Factory overnight. Even if the Emperor found out later, he would be powerless to reverse the situation, let alone punish a single person.
The most difficult thing was that he could not think of a way to break this plan at the moment. Who controlled public opinion? In the hands of the scholars, and the court officials were the core of the scholars. This ever-victorious weapon had always been in their hands, and even the Emperor feared it like a tiger. Who could he defend himself to? Ridiculous! Even if his tongue was like a lotus flower, how could he win against thousands of mouths?
If he could not eliminate the misunderstanding of the officials, he would always be at a disadvantage in terms of morality. Not to mention returning to the capital to propose the lifting of the ban on the sea, opening trade for the benefit of the people, and attempting to change the fate of Ming Destiny, he was afraid that it would be difficult for him to move forward in the future. He would have to tremble with fear just to be an official.
Yang Ling sighed. Seeing Wu Jie and Liu Biao's solemn faces, he could not help but smile and comfort them. "Don't worry too much," he said. "They still underestimate our power. They don't know that we have people in the Bureau of Rites, and they don't know that we have people in the West Factory and the Imperial Bodyguard who have allied with us. They want to kill us with lightning speed? Now that we know about this, they know themselves but don't know the enemy. What are their chances of winning? "
Wu Jie nodded and said, "I understand. Now that we know their plan and have power they don't know about, wanting to suddenly kill the elites of the Inner Factory is empty talk.
But now the situation is unfavorable for us. Other than Dongchang and the Imperial Bodyguard, the number of officials who hate us is increasing day by day. If this matter is not resolved, it will always be a big problem. It has always been said that one can only be a thief for a thousand days, but there is no such thing as guarding against a thief for a thousand days. "
Yang Ling smiled and asked, "What do the civil and military officials say? Have they all stood on the side of the internal court? "
Wu Jie thought about it and showed some relief on his face. "Not necessarily. Of the six ministries in the court, the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Rites are at least neutral. As for the military officials, most of them are leaning toward the Factory Supervisor's side.
In addition, after the news of the Factory Supervisor fighting off a large group of Wokou pirates alone before the Haining tide spread back to the capital, the various tax inspectors promptly handed over the court's taxes to the capital. The Imperial Envoy's Office and some of the civil officials of the Hanlin Academy are also very supportive of you.
Although this power is too small and not enough to affect the situation, it has clearly had a certain effect. From the situation of my investigation, the three scholars do not have a unified opinion. Scholar Li Dongyang seems to still be watching, unlike Sir Liu and Sir Xie who have a look of deep hatred toward you. "
A glimmer of hope rose in Yang Ling's heart. Li Dongyang's prestige was outstanding, and there was a group of officials in the court who followed his lead. If he did not agree to deal with him, then he could split a portion of his power from the civil official group. Even if they could not be turned into his support, as long as they maintained their neutrality, the pressure on the Emperor would be greatly reduced. Using this delicate situation, coupled with the hidden power he had, he should be able to compete with Dongchang.
At this moment, a foreigner walked to the door and cupped his hands. "Factory Supervisor, Second File Chief requests an audience."
Wu Jie stood up in shock. "Second File Chief? Is it Elder Huang or Yu Yong? Didn't I tell them to strictly guard the capital and not to take half a step out of it? What happened now? "
Yang Ling smiled. "Elder Wu, don't be alarmed. This is a new subordinate that I have taken in. He is helping me with a major matter. However, it seems that if we don't resolve the hidden danger in the capital, this matter can only be delayed."
He sighed and said, "Invite Second Gear Chief Cheng in."
Cheng Qiyun was dressed in a purple scarf, blue sash, and green muslin robe. She was disguised as a handsome scholar. She slowly stepped into the hall and was about to bow to Yang Ling when she saw two people standing in the room. She couldn't help but be startled and stop.
She recognized Liu Qianhu, but the other person was an old man with a thin face and divine eyes. Cheng Qiyun looked at him curiously. Her eyes slightly drooped. She saw that this person was standing behind Yang Ling and was half a step ahead of Liu Qianhu. She faintly understood. She smiled and cupped her hands. "Your humble servant pays her respects to Daren. This is …"
Yang Ling was putting her in an important position. It was not like Wu Jie was shameful. If she was secretive, how could they meet in the future? Therefore, he laughed and said, "Chief Cheng, this is Wu Jie, Chief File Chief Wu. He is your immediate superior. Quickly, come forward and greet him."
Cheng Qiyun thought to herself, "So it's him. The person Mr Yang chose is indeed extraordinary. Even if he has no romantic feelings for me, it is rare to see a man with such calm and cold eyes seeing me for the first time."
Most of the people she had met in the past were perfume sniffers. She was used to seeing those people's mouths and faces drooling. She was also used to seeing men first to see if they cared about their appearance to judge their character.
But she had forgotten that she was currently in the appearance of a man. Although Wu Jie could recognize at a glance that this was a beautiful woman, men's and women's clothing and makeup were closely related to one's appearance. With Wu Jie's experience, he naturally would not be stunned by her current appearance.
Cheng Qiyun came forward and bowed. Her actions and posture were very manly. Wu Jie smiled and helped her up. His gaze seemed to have a deeper meaning to Yang Ling.
He had not seen this woman's talents. But after a closer look, although this woman had deliberately dressed up, her limpid eyes and exquisite facial features showed that she was clearly a beauty.
Although the officials of the Inner Works were not part of the court's official system, he had never heard of a woman being an official. For Yang Ling to put a woman in such an important position, he couldn't help but think a little crooked.
Cheng Qiyun bowed and took two steps back with a smile. She said to Yang Ling respectfully, "Daren, your humble servant has not failed you. Our conditions are generous, and the one surnamed Peng is not in any danger. So when he saw your waist token, he readily agreed to help with this matter. According to him, the preparations can be completed within a month. As for the specific time to go to the capital, it is still up to you to decide."
As she spoke, she reached into her bosom and took out the ivory waist token. She respectfully presented it with both hands. Yang Ling took the waist token. The waist token was warm in Cheng Qiyun's bosom and still carried a faint fragrance.
Yang Ling couldn't help but hesitate for a moment. He handed the waist token back and said, "There is no time to make a waist token for you right now. You can take this. I will draw a picture later and inform the Inner Works that this is the token of Cheng Qiyun's second rank."
Cheng Qiyun happily accepted the waist token and put it back into her bosom. Yang Ling thought for a moment and said, "Let him continue with the preparations, but there is no rush to enter the capital. Right now, there is a major matter in the capital. I cannot attend to this matter for now."
Cheng Qiyun was shocked. The smile on her face immediately disappeared. She hesitated and said, "Finding a reason to have him wait slowly is not a problem, but … your expression is so serious. Has something major happened in the capital? Ah! I was rash. If it is not convenient … "As she spoke, her eyes quickly glanced at Yang Ling.
Given her suspicious personality, if she did not know the truth, it would be difficult to scratch her heart. Thus, she asked without thinking. As the words left her mouth, she remembered that she had just joined the Inner Works. She held a high position but had not achieved anything. At the moment, it was difficult for her to gain Yang Ling's trust. If there really was something major, it was not inappropriate for Yang Ling to not mention it to her. Wouldn't that be asking for a snub?
Yang Ling, on the other hand, had another plan. He had just analyzed the strength of the two sides in the court. Although his side was weak, he knew the other side's plan while the other side did not know his hidden strength. In addition, the civil and military officials were not united. If the foreign officials did not fully support him in terms of morality and public opinion, Dongchang and the Imperial Bodyguard would not dare to take the risk of "rebellion" and use force.
He had already prepared to inform the West Factory and North Town Discipline Commission to be secretly on guard. Before he entered the capital, he would publicize the Bodyguard's plot in advance. As long as this matter became known to everyone, the hidden plot would become an open one. If they wanted to use this as an excuse to kill again, they would have to consider the public's opinion.
Thus, other than the matter of the West Factory and North Town Discipline Commission, there was no need to hide anything else. This was the perfect time to show his generosity to Cheng Qiyun.
He glanced at Wu Jie and said with a smile, "Old Wu, why don't you tell Dage Cheng? Dage Cheng is wise and resourceful. Maybe he can think of a good way to deal with it."
Everyone returned to the table and sat down. Wu Jie recounted the situation in the capital to this' Deputy Head '. Cheng Qiyun listened with a strange light in her eyes. She slightly tilted her head and pondered for a long time without saying a word.
Seeing this, Yang Ling could not help but lean forward and ask in a low voice, "Dongchang and the Imperial Bodyguard are like tigers waiting for prey. The situation is critical. Dage Cheng, do you have any countermeasures?"
Cheng Qiyun smiled slightly and looked at Yang Ling. In a sweet voice, she said, "If you returned to the capital without knowing anything, nine out of ten deaths would be certain. Fortunately, I came to Jinling to seek luck and avoid calamity. Now that I know their ins and outs, what danger would there be? "
Not only had Yang Ling seen her in women's clothes, but he had also seen her body from head to toe. In front of Yang Ling, she subconsciously did not pretend to be vigilant, so just now she could not help but reveal her feminine charm.
Yang Ling touched his nose and looked a little embarrassed. Cheng Qiyun smiled and was about to speak when she suddenly sensed the strange look in Wu Jie and Liu Biao's eyes. She came to her senses and coughed twice in embarrassment. "Presumably, you already have a well-thought-out plan," she said. "Your humble servant has thought of three strategies. Perhaps it is just a painting of a snake and adding a bamboo to a bamboo stick. If I say it, I will embarrass myself in front of you two."
Wu Jie was shocked and said hoarsely, "What? There are three strategies? Please speak frankly, Dage Cheng. "
Cheng Qiyun's eyes narrowed. Very sinisterly, she said: "He is heartless, I am unjust. Between us, there is an exceedingly rich Revenue Commissioner. There is no possibility of peace talks between us and the Eastern Faction Guards. Why can't we give him a taste of his own medicine? So my best strategy is to strike first to gain the initiative! "
She thought for a moment and then said, "In front of His Majesty, you are close, but Dongchang is far, so they will use their power and borrow the power of the officials to suppress the supreme martial artists, which will be disadvantageous to you. We can take advantage of the fact that their power has not yet formed and secretly sneak into the capital to meet His Majesty, striking first to seize their power, and even … we can take a little more risk. The Inner Factory has the responsibility of inspecting Dongchang and the Imperial Bodyguard, so why not use it? We can ignore the imperial edict and directly go to Dongchang to investigate and capture people! "
Yang Ling, Wu Jie, and Liu Biao couldn't help but be shocked. Liu Biao cried out involuntarily, "That's not feasible. If we make such a big move and give them power, won't we be making a fool of ourselves?"
Cheng Qiyun laughed in spite of herself and said, "Of course it's not a big move. Right now they are secretly plotting against the Factory Supervisor, so they must have ulterior motives. As long as we give them the misconception that you want to make the first move, we can force them to make the first move and give us an excuse."
"As for the crime …" Cheng Qiyun laughed lightly and said, "A few years ago, when Li Guang was in court, he wanted auspicious signs, and suddenly there were auspicious signs everywhere. Now that Dongchang has fallen, I believe that as long as you give a hint, the various tax inspectors will be able to provide endless evidence of Dongchang's crimes. "
"In fact … we can directly find large amounts of evidence of rebellion in Dongchang. If there is, then there is. If there isn't, then there is. With the evidence, this is a matter within the duties of the Inner Factory. What can the civil and military officials say? If you aren't afraid of being trapped in the muddy pond of Dongchang, then come at me. "
Hearing this, Yang Ling sucked in a breath of cold air, his scalp tingling faintly. "This woman is too sinister. Her heart is black enough, and her methods are ruthless enough. If she was a man and could enter court politics, ai! Then the people who see her as a political enemy will not have an easy time. "
Yang Ling also knew that there was a time to be soft-hearted. Right now, the other side was already sharpening their knives. If he was still soft-hearted, not only would he harm himself, he would also harm the thousands of brothers who had followed him bitterly.
At that time, would the other side admire his benevolence? They would probably only laugh at his stupidity. Did he have to learn from Yuan Chonghuan? Let the commoners eat the meat, and then exchange it for a sigh and a cry of repentance? Furthermore, who would understand his ideals? Who would know that he might not even be able to obtain his innocence after death?
But if he followed Cheng Qiyun's method, in the eyes of the civil officials, he would be an out-and-out traitor. No matter how many reasons he had, he would not be able to turn the situation around. Right now, there were still a portion of the officials in court who were inclined to his side. Push them away? Had he reached the point of taking this step?
He hesitated for a moment, then lightly shook his head and asked, "Then, what about the second plan?"
Cheng Qiyun saw his actions and couldn't help giving a light sigh. She felt slightly disappointed but also relaxed. Rationally, she very much hoped that Yang Ling would be a decisive, ruthless, and unscrupulous person to achieve his goals. Only this kind of person had a future and was worth following.
But there was an inexplicable feeling in her heart that made her wish that Yang Ling was a loyal and loyal person who was willing to suffer losses. Even she didn't know why she would have this kind of contradictory mentality.
She bit her lip and continued, "The second plan is to advance in order to advance. If daren is willing to part with the eight chamberlains, then after entering the capital, immediately create a great commotion. It would be best if everyone knew about it and publicly appeal to the Emperor to comply with the officials, punish the treacherous officials, rectify court discipline, and get rid of the eight chamberlains who seduce the ruler. They have no power or influence, and their favor in front of the Emperor is not as great as daren's. This action can be easily accomplished.
Furthermore, there are also the civil and military officials in court. How would they dare not stand out to support daren for their own benefit? In this way, the civil and military officials, Dongchang, and the Imperial Bodyguard's painstaking efforts to weave a crime for daren will instead become daren's merit.
Daren will become the person who pleads for the officials. Even if they are well aware, they will at least nominally advance and retreat with daren. For a period of time, they will not be able to publicly harm daren. However, although this plan is more reliable than the first plan, it can only solve a temporary crisis. Leaving behind a major problem like Dongchang will ultimately be a disaster. "
Liu Biao suddenly interrupted, "Daren!"
Yang Ling looked up and saw Liu Biao's face redden. With some embarrassment, he said, "This lowly official feels … feels that daren's first plan is worth the risk!"
Yang Ling fixed his gaze on him and exchanged a look with Wu Jie. Without batting an eyelid, he said, "Oh, then … what about the second plan?"
"The second plan …" Cheng Qiyun laughed bitterly and said helplessly, "If it is the second plan, then we can only deal with it as it comes. This second plan is to spread the conspiracy of Dongchang before daren returns to the capital. Afraid of public opinion and not knowing what countermeasures daren has, their plan to eliminate daren cannot be carried out.
Daren can return to the capital safely. However, if this plan fails, they will certainly find another way to attack daren. The relationship between the eight chamberlains and daren is unclear. This stigma will always be an excuse they use to threaten daren. Also, the morale and strength of the internal and external courts have not been damaged at all. If this continues, it is hard to predict what will happen. "
It turned out that the brilliant plan he had thought of was only the second plan in Cheng Qiyun's eyes. Yang Ling couldn't help but laugh bitterly to himself. He stood up and paced around the room with heavy steps.
Reason and emotion, the pros and cons, he constantly calculated and weighed in his mind. There was still at least one scholar, two ministers, a portion of civil officials, and a large majority of military officials in the court who were neutral. If he really used Cheng Qiyun's best plan, he would have to pursue greater power in order to protect himself. How would they view him then? Had they really reached the last step where they would have to fight each other?
Yang Ling pondered and hesitated. Wu Jie, Cheng Qiyun, and Liu Biao held their breaths and stared at him nervously, waiting for him to come up with a decision.
Yang Ling stopped in front of the screen and looked at the fairyland-like scenery on the screen. His mind was in a mess and he couldn't think of a solution.
At this moment, a foreigner in green clothes and a red hat suddenly rushed in from the door. He stood on one leg and said loudly, "Reporting to the Factory Supervisor, the Minister of Jinling's Ministry of Rites, Wang Qiong, Lord Wang has sent someone to seek an audience!"
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