Chapter 22.1
The surroundings became silent, and only the sound of the horses’ hooves in the distance and the wind rustling the leaves was heard.
The forest’s narrow glade remained quiet.
Holding a sword in one hand, Zong Luo looked down at Gongsun You who was half kneeling on the ground from a high position, silently thinking.
Zong Luo just now really had the intention to kill him.
If this “clever” Gongsun You hadn’t knelt down, he might have already made a move.
He was obviously not a man who believed in Taoism, and although he was different from the serious and ruthless person Yu Beizhou, but since he could become a great general, he must also have a ruthless side.
In the previous life, Gongsun You stood behind Yu Beizhou, and he performed well in the Six Arts, which made Emperor Yuan pay more attention to him, and because of that his official career rose step by step.
Everyone knew that if one wanted to eradicate something, one must nip it in the bud.
Gongsun You had broken his martial arts bamboo slip by himself, while Gu Ziyuan won first place in the calligraphy art. The hunting art was now in progress, and the sword discussion at the Baijia Banquet was used as a stepping stone by Zong Luo.
In essence, he was still just an ordinary, nameless and unremarkable student.
If he doesn’t start now, how long will he have to wait?
Since Yu Beizhou was also reborn, there was no need for him to hold on to the trump card of having amnesia, and he might as well recover his identity as soon as possible. If he could cut off a powerful arm of his deadly opponent here, Zong Luo would rather lose a layer of his disguise in advance.
Zong Luo didn’t hide his killing intent, and Gongsun You naturally wouldn’t misidentify.
Under such cold persecution, his excitement did not decrease but only increased.
Those who want to achieve great things should not be faint-hearted and hesitant in his actions.
Hearing the hearsay about the Third Prince of Great Yuan earlier, Gongsun You was still worried that this person was too benevolent and compassionate, and he even suspected him of being indecisive as well. But looking at it now, since he could become famous in the Great Wilderness, how could he be just a mediocre person? Thinking about it, maybe it’s just the way he is.
Excitement was excitement, but he still had to be steady in front of the other person.
Gongsun You had always been proud of his talents, and had considerable confidence in his strategy. He couldn’t wait to prove his strength in front of this future “ wise monarch” immediately.
“Externally, the present situation of the world is clear, and the heroes are rising together. The Great Yuan has clearly demonstrated its ambition by sending troops to other countries. Now there is still the Yu and Wei Country stubbornly resisting to the end and the two countries have played a game of maneuver to jointly conquer the Great Yuan.”
“Internally, the course of the Fifth and Sixth Princes’ seizing the Crown Prince position has intensified, while the Fourth Prince merely sits on the mountain and watches the tigers fight, eyeing the prey and is only waiting for the right moment. Even if His Majesty has not expressed his intention in establishing a Crown Prince yet, with everything having its bounds, whether the Witch Sacrificial Ceremony or conforming to the public’s opinions, the Crown Prince matter should be settled.”
He spoke while paying attention to Zong Luo’s reaction.
To his disappointment, the expression on the latter’s face was still faint, and even his murderous aura had not been restrained.
This analysis of the situation in the world was not something any random advisor could speak out.
Nowadays, most of the official positions were monopolized by aristocratic scholars and bureaucrats from aristocratic families. Unless the good seedlings were picked up by the different schools of thought, it would be difficult to popularize education, let alone broaden one’s horizons.
If it was instead the Fifth and Sixth Prince in front, I am afraid they would immediately rush to say “this Sir is brilliant and clever, please help me to ascend the throne”.
However, this Third Prince didn’t even move his eyebrows.
“Continue.”
While Gongsun You lamented that this person was unmoved either by gain or loss, at the same time, he was also aroused to be competitive.
It’s all to blame for that nuisance, the King of Beining.
Gongsun You didn’t understand. In the eyes of the other students, he had already offended the King of Beining all over the place during the conversation they had at the Baijia Banquet that day, furthermore, he viewed the King of Beining as someone a bit abnormal. Even if the Third Prince rejected his allegiance, he would rather ride horses than get involved with him.
Now, the Third Prince actually mistakenly thought that he had a connection with Yu Beizhou, he felt terribly wronged.
Gongsun You sighed.
After talking about the internal and external situation at present, next would be to talk about the countermeasures. This was the most important thing to show personal ability.
“The Wei Country King is cautious and weak by nature, and is also deeply involved in the struggle for the abolishment of its Crown Prince. After all, he still has a hundred years of saved monetary hegemony. The Yu Country, on the other hand, is considerably weaker than the former, with its old and fatuous monarch and with only the famous general, Lord Wu An struggling to support him. I don’t need to say more about the method to break with the use of political and diplomatic means. Your Highness once fought in Hangu Pass, serving as that brilliant jade in front. But if you want to send troops, you must first send troops to Yu Country. And because its terrain is dangerous–we must not be indisputable, we must be drastic, fast, and ruthless, only then can we catch Lord Wu An by surprise.”
“Although the Great Yuan has let a hundred flowers bloom, despite today’s violent government, the power of discourse in the court is firmly controlled, however the core is still dominated by Legalism. Legalism emphasizes law, and it is true that strict laws enforced in troubled times can play the role of security, just like a castle in the air. Yet, even though it is built high, the foundation is not stable, after all, it is not a long-term plan. After the world is unified, it is very easy to give rise to violent insurrections.”
(t/n a let a hundred flowers bloom – idiom , Pinyin: bǎi huā qí fàng. It is a metaphor for the free development of art in various forms and styles.)
(t/n Castle in the air- means an attic hanging in mid-air, which is a metaphor for illusory things or unrealistic fantasies.)
Speaking up to this point, Gongsun You bowed with his hands to him. “His Highness should have seen the hidden dangers behind it, that’s why he joined the Confucian excursion team. This one really admires His Highness.”
“The Hermit family can’t come out easily, but once they do, they will choose a “wise monarch” to stir the lands under the heavens. His Highness is the Prince of the Yuan Dynasty, therefore he is dignified and upright and has the power to compete. If this one can assist His Highness to rule the world, it will really be the first time in the history of the Great Wilderness for millions of years.”
The successors of other reclusive aristocratic families were at most also supporting a prince, and even the disciples of the Ghost Valley next door were stirring wind and rain in various countries as well.
Gongsun You had ambitions, and his ambitions were not small.
Not only did he want to shake the Great Yuan, but he also wanted to shake the world, and participate in this unprecedented achievement.
How important a powerful advisor was, which was no less than a crouching dragon and phoenix chick, that one person alone could even secure the world.
(t/n Crouching dragon and phoenix chick-buzzword, sometimes it is to ridicule the other party for being too showy and silly, sometimes used when speaking ironically, and to ridicule the other party for being weak. ** Zong Luo was being sarcastic above **)
Gongsun You was not like Zong Luo who was a transmigrator. Zong Luo was a real person who had read and then transmigrated inside the book, therefore he had the ability to anticipate what was to come……nonetheless, he could only say that Yu Beizhou was really blessed and was worthy of being the book’s protagonist.
Zong Luo only stared at him intently, then suddenly withdrew his sword. He pulled the reins without even saying anything, and continued towards the place where Ye Linghan had left.
Before leaving, he used Qixing Longyuan to pick up the jade token that lay motionless in Gongsun You’s hand.
The jade tablet, to start with, was slightly cold, with distinct lines. It was indeed the token of the Hermit family.
Zong Luo knew that Gongsun You was a descendant of such a family, all thanks to the friends in the comment area he had read before transmigrating.
But in fact, in his previous life, until that time he committed suicide, only Yu Beizhou in the Imperial City knew about it, and the other princes who had thought that they had subdued Gongsun You were all kept in the dark.
Presumably also, if Gongsun You’s identity was revealed as the heir of the Hermit family yet refusing to give anyone his jade tablet, wouldn’t it be plain and to the point, with four characters written on the face that says “I am a spy” be labeled on him?
However, now, Gongsun You revealed his identity in front of him, and presented him with his token. Zong Luo couldn’t help being suspicious.
