novelhk Chapter 974 The opportunity arises, how to capture Chen Ping!
Chapter 974 The opportunity arises, how to capture Chen Ping!
At the same time, the Qingyi Society's secret agents scattered throughout Wei County also began to spread similar remarks in the streets, alleys, wine shops, and teahouses:
"I heard that Gao Yao of the Southern Territory is most afraid of our Lord Chen Ping!"
"Isn't it? They say 'Wei can lose ten cities but cannot lose one Chen Ping!'"
"With Lord Chen here, our Great Wei can rest easy!"
These rumors, carefully disguised to appear as the people's support for a virtuous minister, took on a completely different meaning when they reached Wei Bao's ears. Any monarch, especially one with limited ability and a narrow mind, would instinctively be wary of and dislike ministers whose achievements were so great that they threatened the monarch, and whose reputations surpassed their own. Gao Yao's strategy precisely exploited this fact.
Wei Bao began to regard Chen Ping with a scrutinizing, suspicious eye. He noticed Chen Ping's high prestige among the officers and commanders, and that his proposed strategies often garnered widespread support. He increasingly recalled the time when Chen Ping had disregarded the emperor's disdain for his direct admonition. The seeds of suspicion, nurtured by slander and rumors, began to take root and sprout in Wei Bao's heart.
Criticism against Chen Ping began to grow in the court, with some previously fearful individuals now daring to question his plans. Chen Ping keenly sensed this shift in the atmosphere, feeling an invisible net tightening around him. The chill from behind forced him to act more cautiously, yet also felt more constrained and his ambitions unfulfilled.
Kuai Tong watched all this unfold with a cold eye. He knew full well that Gao Yao's strategy was working. He was using his continued tenure, coupled with external rumors and internal strife, to create a classic dilemma for Chen Ping: his achievements frightening the emperor and drawing his suspicion. He waited, waiting for the straw that broke the camel's back, the moment when Chen Ping would become completely disappointed with Wei Bao and completely disillusioned with the future of Wei.
By then, he, the latent chess piece, might receive the final order of action, and extend the olive branch that could win over the talented Chen Ping for Gao Yao and for himself.
Gao Yao's fingers tapped lightly on the smooth rosewood table, and his eyes once again fell on the letter secretly sent by Kuai Tong.
The contents of the letter, like a stone dropped into a calm lake, sent ripples through his mind. He knew clearly that against a sage of Chen Ping's caliber, repeating the same scheme that had worked on Kuai Tong would be like trying to find a sword by carving a mark on a boat; not only would it be ineffective, it might even alert the enemy. Kuai Tong's weaknesses lay in his lack of appreciation and inner frustration, while Chen Ping, deeply trusted by Wei Bao, possessed a far greater stature and intelligence than Kuai Tong. He could no longer hope to sow discord between Wei Bao and Chen Ping by simply offering them generous gifts.
This letter provided a new and more practical opportunity. The letter mentioned an event that had just occurred, but had caused considerable turmoil within the Wei State: a fierce conflict had broken out between Chen Ping and Wei Bao's cousin, Wei Tong, a man he trusted deeply.
The cause was Wei Tong, who abused his power to enrich himself, brazenly withholding rations and wages for the front lines. This act, which undermined military morale and eroded the nation's foundation, happened to play into the hands of Chen Ping, the typically prudent official in charge of military affairs. How could Chen Ping tolerate such a corrupt official? He immediately gathered evidence and bluntly impeached Wei Tong at court, demanding severe punishment.
But Wei Tong was no fool. He always behaved respectfully and courteously in Wei Bao's presence, and due to their blood relationship, Wei Bao naturally trusted and favored him. Faced with Chen Ping's resounding accusations and irrefutable evidence, Wei Bao, knowing full well that Wei Tong was in the wrong, ultimately imposed a minor punishment—sentencing Wei Tong to confinement for half a month and ordering him to return the money he had embezzled.
Chen Ping considered this verdict a joke! The money was military supplies; how could returning it to its original owner be considered punishment? This would simply encourage others to follow suit; if caught, they would simply return it; there would be no cost. Chen Ping argued forcefully, explaining the pros and cons to Wei Bao: if military discipline were relaxed, and the laws lost their authority, the consequences would spread from top to bottom, inevitably leading to administrative chaos and official corruption, ultimately shaking the foundations of his own rule!
If it were in the past, without the rumors about Chen Ping's achievements being too great and being arrogant, Wei Bao might have really adopted Chen Ping's advice and severely punished Wei Tong to serve as a warning to others.
But at this moment, Chen Ping's unquestionable, unyielding attitude was particularly jarring to Wei Bao. He seemed not to be offering advice, but rather forcing the king to make a decision. The unpleasant feeling of being manipulated by his own will, coupled with the vague whispers of his closest ministers, tipped the scales in Wei Bao's heart. He ultimately suppressed Chen Ping's advice and upheld the original verdict.
The matter seemed to have settled, but to discerning minds like Kuai Tong, it was the beginning of a deep rift. Wei Bao's trust in Chen Ping had clearly wavered, and Chen Ping's disappointment and resentment towards Wei Bao must have been building. Kuai Tong detailed the entire incident in his letter to Gao Yao, including Wei Bao's displeased expression and Chen Ping's silence after leaving the court.
Kuai Tong's purpose was very clear: if such an opportunity could be carefully designed and operated skillfully, he would be able to pry open a fatal crack in the seemingly ironclad relationship between the monarch and his subjects in the Wei State.
Even more intriguing, the letter also hinted at a crucial foreshadowing. Although Kuai Tong had been alienated and marginalized by Wei Bao, he, through his eloquence and deliberate attempts to cultivate friendships, managed to maintain a good relationship with the narrow-minded and profit-seeking Wei Tong, even frequently offering him favors. Wei Tong, too, was a useful pawn. If he could be used to further amplify the conflict between Chen Ping and Wei Bao, the effect might be surprisingly effective.
Gao Yao slowly rolled up the letter and resealed it with wax, his eyes gleaming with calculation. This was indeed a good move, but how to proceed required careful consideration. He was not one to act arbitrarily, and he understood the importance of gathering the wisdom of all. He would need to gather Zhang Liang, Xiao He, and other trusted advisors tomorrow to discuss this matter together, so that a comprehensive plan could be formulated.
Pulling his mind away from the turbulent times in Wei, Gao Yao returned his attention to the family dinner before him. The hall was brightly lit and filled with warmth, a stark contrast to the coldness of his earlier political scheming.
By this time, the songs and dances presented by the ladies were nearing their end, the lingering music lingering. Gao Yao was in a good mood and waved to the waiting palace maids, "Pour some wine for the ladies."