Chapter 1379 – Southern Prosperity, The Chaos of Autumn (5)
“Alas—are we really going to let the cooked duck fly away like this?”
Jiang Pengji felt a bit regretful; she had already made up her mind to take down Yang Tao, but Wei Ci told her not to, leaving her feeling quite stifled.
Wei Ci chuckled, “My Lord, that’s not what’s happening. We’re not just watching a cooked duck fly away; we’re waiting to see them get even more cooked!”
Jiang Pengji’s eyes sparkled as she laughed softly. “Zixiao, your words resonate with me.”
Wei Ci slightly bowed his head, a smirk forming on his lips.
Qi Guanrang and Yang Si, a few in the know, watched with cold eyes, inwardly snickering.
Kick over this bowl of cold dog food!
Jiang Pengji had no choice but to adjust her plans, while the Tao Clan lacked that kind of understanding and continued to scratch their heads, wanting to stir up trouble.
How could they sow discord between the two factions and get them to fight each other?
This challenge was quite taxing, leaving many scratching their heads.
If Jiang Pengji were a man, they could easily gather the most beautiful women in the land, imitating their predecessors with a “one woman promised to two husbands” act.
For men, the humiliation of a cuckold and the hatred of having their wife taken is deeper than any other insult.
But alas, Jiang Pengji was a woman, and Yang Tao was a man—unless one of them happened to be “gay” or “feminine,” it just wouldn’t work.
“It might still work, though. I’ve heard that Liu Xi lad isn’t interested in men and only has women attending to him.” One brother boldly declared, “That Yang Tao seems to enjoy male companionship… He and his advisor Yan Lin are very close, both married each other’s sisters, often sitting together, sharing a bed, and sleeping side by side… It’s hard to believe there’s nothing going on there…”
Everyone fell silent for a long moment.
So reasonable, there’s no arguing against it!
They were ready to give up on the “beauty strategy,” but after this brother’s words, they felt a surge of anticipation.
Compared to other costly strategies, this “beauty strategy” was economical, low-cost, and quite lucrative.
“No, no, this won’t do, not at all.”
This operation is too risqué—what if it goes awry?
Many old-timers preferred conventional methods, like forging Yang Tao’s troops crossing borders to commit murder and plunder, or fabricating Jiang Pengji’s troops crossing borders to kill Yang Tao’s men to stir up conflict. Besides deception, they could also use their financial might to bribe Yang Tao’s confidants… There’s no loyalty that money can’t shake… The Tao Clan was loaded; with enough money, they could easily win over Yang Tao’s trusted men. They could pretend to defect, sell Jiang Pengji’s military secrets, and when the time was right, betray Yang Tao. Perfect!
This was the proper way of the two-faced schemer; “beauty strategies” were beneath them.
Unexpectedly, in the end, this “beauty strategy” took the lead.
The Tao Clan folks: “…”
Choosing the “beauty strategy” was not just because it was the flashiest choice, but simply because it had the best concealment and practicality.
If they relied on conventional tactics, as long as the leaders didn’t lose their cool, they could easily trace them back, which was too risky. Better to use the beauty strategy, fewer people involved, and it remained secretive.
Even if things blew up, they could abandon the “beauty” and wash themselves clean, making a quick escape.
But how to carry this out?
The Tao Clan folks turned their eyes to the one who proposed this bold operation.
Since you brought it up, you execute it!
What is the “beauty strategy”?
It’s to feed chaos with confusion, using allure to mislead them.
In simpler terms, it’s using beauty as a sugar-coated artillery shell to undermine the enemy’s will, rendering them combat ineffective.
Given that Yang Tao and Jiang Pengji had differing genders and their orientations were unclear, a conventional “beauty strategy” might not work.
The “beauty strategy” had to be tweaked!
They ordered portraits of Yang Tao, Yan Lin, and Jiang Pengji to be brought in; all three were public figures, so their likenesses weren’t secrets.
Yang Tao was open and amiable, often mingling with common soldiers; Yan Lin wasn’t aloof, and Jiang Pengji—who could say she had a face no one in Wanzhou would recognize?
Since the three were all frequent faces among the common folk, many portraits naturally circulated.
This brother gathered their portraits, also finding “witnesses” who had seen the three, searching high and low for lookalikes.
They managed to find a few who bore a five or six-point resemblance.
With a bit of dressing up and practicing some poses, while they lacked the charm and aura, they could pass as seven or eight points close.
Since they were chosen based on looks, the three had different backgrounds and ages.
If they kept quiet, they might fool those unfamiliar, but speaking would reveal the cracks.
This brother gave the families of the three a hefty sum of silver, signing contracts binding their lives: “Whatever we tell you to do, you do. What you shouldn’t do, you better not. Otherwise, your families will only be left with silver, spending their days in the underworld.”
The three trembled in fear.
Facing the pressure of power, there was no alternative but to comply.
Thinking of their families and the silver offered, the three knew their future was bleak but still braved the challenge.
They sent the lookalikes of Yang Tao and Yan Lin to Wanzhou, while sending the one resembling Jiang Pengji to Zhangzhou.
It’s worth noting that all three were male, including the one resembling Jiang Pengji.
“Will this work?”
The Tao Clan’s people looked on with hidden worries.
“Of course it will work.”
“Alas, it seems unlikely. Those three… how could such rough characters bear this heavy responsibility?”
How could three folks from impoverished or brothels incite two lords to brawl?
Even stripping would hardly draw a second glance!
Not to mention their intellect and demeanor didn’t even compare to a single finger of the originals.
When they saw the three fakes talking, revealing their worn and yellowed teeth, it was quite the scene.
They couldn’t imagine Yang Tao, Yan Lin, or Jiang Pengji showing off a mouth full of damaged yellow teeth.
Even worse, the three spoke with thick accents and bad breath—no matter how good-looking they were, their charm would take a nose dive.
Starting with looks, ending with yellow teeth and halitosis.
“I have my own clever plan!”
The Tao Clan folks couldn’t help but roll their eyes inwardly.
They were eager to see what this fellow could pull off!
Watching from the sidelines, Jiang Pengji was also curious, grabbing a small stool to sit back, waiting for the show to begin.
“I remember, Han Mei has met Zheng Ze and Shaoyang, right?”
Jiang Pengji cracked some seeds, gazing cheerfully at Li Yun.
Li Yun, puzzled, replied earnestly, “I’ve indeed met them.”
Jiang Pengji said, “Once you’re done with the troop training in the coming days, remember to stroll around the city gates and see if anyone who looks like them shows up.”
Li Yun was baffled. “How… could they appear in Wanzhou?”
Jiang Pengji said, “I didn’t say they’re the originals; I heard they’re high-quality counterfeits! Just not sure how close they resemble…”
Li Yun was lost about the terms “original” and “counterfeit,” simply nodding in confusion.
Whatever my Lord says, goes.
It’s rare for her to be in good spirits, so he’d better appease her.
When the Lord is pleased, there’s less trouble for him, allowing his Wanhua to finish work earlier to accompany him.
Alas, perhaps this is the plight of dual-income families.
Thinking of Yang Si, he felt much better.
Happiness is always measured against others.
