Chapter 1824 – Feng Zhen’s Diplomatic Rap (Part 2)
The Messenger wasn’t annoyed; instead, he smiled and advised, “General, you’re mistaken! A good bird picks the right tree to rest on, and a wise minister chooses the right lord to serve. Is the current royal family of Beiyuan truly legitimate? They merely seized power through underhanded means, with bloodshed and vile tactics. If we delve deeper, their legitimacy is non-existent. How could they possibly be worthy of your loyalty? Should I ask you, General, whom do you serve? The Yi Clan, who murders their lord to seize power, or the common people of Beiyuan?”
The Guard Commander felt restless but had to admit the Messenger had a point.
“General!” The Messenger seized the moment, “Under the Yi Clan’s rule, they’ve massively expanded nobility, devouring the treasury until nothing remains—calling them the nation’s rats would be an understatement. To satisfy their own desires, they increase taxes, oppressing the common people, turning the lands desolate, with countless bones piled up, and the road to the underworld choked! These crimes… may I ask, who in the court—civil or military—doesn’t know, doesn’t acknowledge them? If you were to wield the power of my lord and overthrow the Yi Clan’s tyranny, it would not only avenge your fallen lord but also uphold justice for the millions of common people in Beiyuan!”
The Guard Commander was caught in a web of thoughts but couldn’t argue against the Messenger’s claims.
It was indisputable that the Yi Clan was a usurper, and they had indeed brought suffering to Beiyuan over the years.
The Messenger chuckled, “I’ve heard that remnants of the previous Beiyuan royal family still wander outside?”
The Guard Commander glared fiercely, barking, “Who said that?”
The Messenger showed no fear of the Guard Commander’s intimidation and calmly said, “Regardless of whether the rumors are true or not, they do leave a shred of bloodline for the previous royal family. With the illegitimate rise of the Yi Clan, shouldn’t they be trembling in fear, eager to eradicate any potential threats? Have you thought about finding these descendants? Supporting them to regain nobility would fulfill your loyalty!”
The Guard Commander was slightly unsure now.
Due to Beiyuan’s unique customs, it wasn’t strange for men to sire children everywhere. Who knows if the men of the royal family might not have left traces? The Yi Clan claimed they exterminated the entire royal family, but could that truly be the case? Wasn’t it possible there were survivors?
Not to mention, that record-breaking gentleman who had hundreds of daughters and sons was still the talk of the town!
The noblemen fought to have as many children as possible to gain power and influence. Was the royal family truly that virtuous?
Most importantly—
The Messenger directly suggested it in front of him, which tantalizingly implied they might have the royal descendants in their hands!
The Messenger ignored the Guard Commander’s changing expression and pressed on, “Every civil and military official knows the Yi Clan is a usurping scoundrel, a guilty party that overturns the universe, yet why does no one speak up? Isn’t it because they fear for their lives, and are simply licking the Yi Clan’s boots? It’s not that you, General, are different—a true loyal general, why would you be afraid of these things? If you choose the righteous path now, when Beiyuan’s political situation clears and the people are content, they will clearly know whom to praise and whom to criticize!”
The Guard Commander was riled up by the Messenger’s words as if he had been injected with adrenaline.
The Messenger continued, “Who truly cares about the lord and the nation, thinking of the welfare of the people? Do you know in your heart?”
“It’s you, General!”
Hearing the Messenger’s absurd yet earnest words made the Guard Commander’s internal scale tip in favor of Jiang Pengji.
After a while, the Guard Commander bowed deeply to the Messenger and resolutely said, “Please teach me how to eliminate the Yi Clan!”
The Messenger burst into hearty laughter, helping the tearful-eyed Guard Commander to his feet.
“With you, a loyal and righteous man like the General in Beiyuan, how could the flame of dedication possibly flicker out?”
Next, the Messenger laid out the benefits of aligning with his lord while exploiting Wanzhou and Dongqing.
Listening to the idyllic scenes described by the Messenger, he wore a face as if he had been cheated, berating the Yi Clan for their treacherous deeds.
The Messenger suddenly asked, “Why is the General so angry?”
The Guard Commander sighed, spilling his thoughts.
The Yi Clan was such a bastard, and Jiang Pengji was tireless; even the Guard Commander hesitated, half-convinced.
The Messenger’s face turned serious, but inside, he had sharpened his knives.
The Yi Clan bastards, once they break into the Beiyuan Imperial City, they’ll capture and chop them up one by one!
The Guard Commander hosted the Messenger well, settling him in the best courtyard and sending the most beautiful women to share his bed.
The Messenger smiled and politely refused, saying, “I have a fierce wife at home; I cannot indulge.”
The Guard Commander was stunned.
What does it matter for a man to sleep with a couple of women? Besides, it wasn’t like the Messenger was taking them back!
Just a means of relaxation, why be so cautious?
The Messenger sighed, “Have you forgotten whether my lord is male or female? As a vassal, one should align with the heart of their lord.”
The Guard Commander understood and withdrew the serving women.
That night, the Messenger instructed his guards to keep a sharp lookout, ready to alert him if anything suspicious arose.
The Guard said, “Military Adviser, didn’t you win over that person?”
Feng Zhen clicked his tongue, rolling his eyes, “You can’t be sure they aren’t playing along with my act, maybe they’ll come for me in the middle of the night!”
It seemed he had underestimated the power of his own persuasive rap and overestimated the Guard Commander’s limitations.
The night passed peacefully, and Feng Zhen dreamt that Wan Xiuer gave him a comforting kiss, their spirits soaring together.
He hadn’t strayed outside; he had kept himself intact. Not bad, not bad!
Upon waking, Feng Zhen grumbled to himself while dressing.
“Well, what color could compare with Xiuer’s beauty?”
Could a pure and delicate guy like him just be happy with anyone?
What a joke!
Having dealt with the Guard Commander and confirmed he could flirt, Feng Zhen considered his mission accomplished and left feeling satisfied.
When Jiang Pengji saw the triumphant Feng Zhen, her gaze was teasing, appraising him from head to toe.
Feng Zhen suddenly shivered, feeling nervous under her scrutinizing gaze.
“Does my lord feel… something is off?”
Jiang Pengji chuckled, “Not at all, everything seems just fine.”
Feng Zhen couldn’t help but mutter under his breath.
If everything was fine, why stare at him like that?
Qi Guanrang asked, “Is that Guard Commander reliable?”
Feng Zhen responded, “Reliable enough; it’s usable. But with that brain, he doesn’t have much of a future.”
What a brute, destined to be caught in the trap he set. Feng Zhen was probably a natural-born scoundrel—sweet-talking the Guard Commander yesterday, his words dripping with honey, and now that he had the bait, he was swift to dismiss the matter. Would the Guard Commander be heartbroken upon knowing this? Aww, poor thing!
As once said, it’s better to believe in ghosts than in a strategist’s slick tongue.
The Guard Commander, likely caught up in the mix, perhaps just hadn’t read enough.
_(:з)∠)_
Not long after, Feng Zhen and the Guard Commander began their “secret communications,” launching their drafted public opinion campaign.
With the Guard Commander’s support, the effect was absolutely spectacular.
The narrative spread from the military into the common people, and then feedback from the populace flowed back into the military camp.
