Zhang San, please behave yourself!
Chapter 285 - 274: Upper, Middle, Lower Strategies - Even a Fool Knows Which to Choose!

Chapter 285: Chapter 274: Upper, Middle, Lower Strategies - Even a Fool Knows Which to Choose!

Within the Imperial Palace, Kaihuang heard from Mozi the tale of the ghosts and monsters of the Path of Life and Death and the differences from the Path of Ghosts and Gods. He then understood that the incident in Fengdu County City was purely a disaster they had encountered, rather than someone intentionally helping the Crown Prince to kill all those officials.

At that moment, Empress Dugu entered the palace with her entourage, smiling as she said, "Mozi is here as well. Why not stay and have a meal with us?"

By then, the maidservant beside Empress Dugu had already taken out the Emperor and Empress’s dinner from the food box.

Four dishes and one soup, three of which were vegetarian.

Upon closer inspection, the soup was also cabbage and tofu soup.

How nice.

"Today, this servant went out and encountered chicken... um... with wings, so tonight’s meal is improved; I won’t stay and disturb Kaihuang and the Empress," Mozi said.

After saying that, Mozi turned and left.

Empress Dugu looked at the four dishes and one soup on the table, and after sitting down, she smiled at Kaihuang.

This man, before he became Kaihuang, had married her and promised to love only her for a lifetime. Indeed, now that he had been Emperor for more than twenty years, he still had not taken any concubines.

Therefore, knowing that Kaihuang was frugal, she accompanied him every day in eating these simple meals.

Kaihuang also sat down and dismissed the others, leaving only the two of them in the palace.

"Have you heard that the Crown Prince annoyed you again?"

Kaihuang gave a wry smile, shook his head, and said in a low voice, "It’s the same old issue, but those officials who were to be escorted back to the capital were killed on the way, not one spared. But I’ve asked Mozi, and it seems it was not man-made, but more like a natural calamity. Thankfully, the Crown Prince still has some humanity and did not send anyone to do the deed."

Empress Dugu countered, "Did he send someone to do it? Or did he send someone, and they failed to accomplish it?"

Kaihuang fell silent.

Because Kaihuang knew that if everything had gone smoothly, they would not have traveled by water on the surface but by land instead.

Moreover, previous reports mentioned encountering resistance when arresting these corrupt officials, with assassins striking on Chuan-Yu Road.

"What will happen next with this matter? After all, he is the Crown Prince, and some face must be saved for him. It cannot be like a few nights ago when he was called over in the middle of the night and flogged with a belt. The Crown Prince is no longer a child, and those times are long past."

Hearing Empress Dugu’s words, Kaihuang couldn’t help but think of the ledger Third Miss Gan had brought over that night.

However, Kaihuang knew that Empress Dugu was kind-hearted and a devout Buddhist, so he did not want her to see those filthy records.

"At that time, there were no suitable weapons at hand... oh no... I was just angry at the moment. After all, this matter is not about how I handle it, but rather how the Crown Prince treats the martial artists of the Town Martial Office on Chuan-Yu Road."

Empress Gudu was broadly aware of the recent events on Chuan-Yu Road and asked, "What do you think the Crown Prince will decide?"

Kaihuang smiled and spoke softly, "There are three strategies: upper, middle, and lower."

"The upper strategy is about heart. The Crown Prince, with the breadth of mind of a future emperor, wins over the martial artists of Chuan-Yu Road, giving them and the Imperial Court a satisfactory resolution. This is the bearing of a benevolent ruler."

"The middle strategy is about attracting talent. The Crown Prince has many capable people under his command, using his loyal followers to suppress the martial artists of Chuan-Yu Road and let them know this is the might of heaven. This is about using force to cultivate the way of kingship."

"The lower strategy is about conquest. Naturally, the Crown Prince has many strong figures under his command, ’those who follow me prosper, those who oppose me die.’ Eliminate these people, and even if people from the capital are sent to investigate, the matter of Chuan-Yu Road will eventually come to nothing. This is the way of a tyrant."

Empress Dugu agreed with Kaihuang’s words.

"Then what do you think, which option will the Crown Prince choose?"

Kaihuang laughed. Although the Crown Prince had been somewhat disappointing, as a father, Kaihuang still had high hopes for his son.

"With the three strategies of superior, middle, and inferior, even a fool knows which to choose! Moreover, the people under his command are not idlers; how could they choose incorrectly?"

However, Empress Dugu slightly shook her head.

"Kaihuang, you haven’t paid attention to the Crown Prince for too long. Have you ever considered what would happen if the Crown Prince chose the inferior strategy and failed?"

At that moment, Kaihuang was taken aback.

Meanwhile, in the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince was summoning all his trusted aides.

"The officials from the Chuan-Yu Road who were to be escorted here are dead, which is naturally a good thing. But could my father suspect that I was behind this? Now that the people from the Town Martial Office on Chuan-Yu Road are about to enter the capital, what solutions do you all have?"

The Crown Prince was quite panicked at this moment.

Because he had heard in the afternoon that Kaihuang, while cursing him, had gone to seek Mozi, he knew for sure that nothing good was coming.

At this time, Yun Shengxu, the Crown Prince’s Horse Washer, stepped forward to comfort him: "Your Highness, rest assured, there is currently no evidence to prove that those matters are related to you. If there really were evidence, His Majesty would be doing more than just scolding Your Highness."

The Crown Prince’s aides all knew that the Crown Prince had been called to Ganlu Hall the night before and had received a severe scolding.

Of course, the Crown Prince was too embarrassed to say that he had been beaten to within an inch of his life with his father’s belt.

"This lowly official deduces that although Kaihuang is displeased with the Crown Prince over this matter, it is perhaps also a test for the Crown Prince. Now, with the officials from Chuan-Yu Road dead, no one knows about the connection to Your Highness. Therefore, if Your Highness were to eliminate those martial artists from the Town Martial Office on Chuan-Yu Road who are about to enter the capital, this issue could quietly disappear."

Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince frowned slightly, his expression not very pleased.

The other confidants at his side immediately urged him: "Your Highness, please think carefully. If those people from the Town Martial Office on Chuan-Yu Road enter the capital and start spouting nonsense or frame the Crown Prince, and His Majesty becomes enraged, you might face another scolding from His Majesty!"

Originally, the Crown Prince thought it was a good thing that those officials were dead.

Over the years, the Crown Prince also knew that his father was frugal and plain, and his mother even more so.

Yet, being a member of the royal family, living a life that isn’t even as good as some of the ministers below, isn’t the life a Crown Prince should have.

He was only trying to live the normal life a Crown Prince should enjoy.

But due to the small amount of money provided by the Treasury, he had no choice but to rely on his aides to find ways to make money from the masses.

Not only did he make money, but he also allowed some martial path forces to profit.

Once they made money, they were stable.

In a way, he was also securing peace in the realm.

Unfortunately, his father could not understand his actions.

Now, because of such a minor matter, to be whipped with a belt by his father, his dignity as Crown Prince was lost.

But now the Crown Prince truly hesitated to order a killing.

"After all, the martial artists of the Town Martial Office are my father’s ministers, and will be my ministers in the future. I cannot bear to give the order myself!"

Having said this, the Crown Prince gestured for his aides to leave.

After everyone left, many looked towards Yun Shengxu, who was not only the Crown Prince’s Horse Washer but also the brother of the Crown Princess Consort Yun, and thus the Crown Prince’s brother-in-law.

So the aides subconsciously depended on Yun Shengxu.

At that moment, everyone looked to Yun Shengxu, who sighed and said, "The Crown Prince is a benevolent ruler, reluctant to act against the martial artists from Chuan-Yu Road. If someone must bear the infamy, then let it be me. You all go and arrange skilled fighters; make sure it’s a swift kill without leaving any trace. If by chance it gets exposed, then I, Yun Shengxu, will take on all responsibility on behalf of the Crown Prince!"