Zongwu: Aspiring to be the mastermind behind the scenes

Chapter 367 The Divine Marquis's Plan: An Invincible Ground
Tianxiang Kingdom was a small country located in the Western Regions, far from the Ming Dynasty.

Although merchants passed through, the reappearance of Tianxiang Beans was a top secret of the Tianxiang Kingdom. Not to mention the passing merchants, even among the officials and nobles within the Tianxiang Kingdom, only a very small number of high-ranking officials knew about it.

Such a top-secret matter could not possibly have been leaked to the Central Plains through other channels.

Lu Xiaofeng and his companions, on the other hand, uncovered the truth without anyone noticing, thanks to their own formidable strength.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Depot's forces pressed in with overwhelming force, not only stealing Lu Xiaofeng and his group's investigation results but also directly overthrowing the entire Tianxiang Kingdom.

In this way, the truth can naturally be found out.

However, the Eastern Depot should also be aware of how alluring the Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom was to the kings and nobles of the world.

If this matter is exposed, it will only help Iron-Blooded Marquis.

Therefore, they wouldn't do such a thing.

But Su Rongrong and the others hadn't had time yet.

So, who else would know the top secrets of a small kingdom in the Western Regions and help the Iron-Blooded Marquis?
That naturally leaves only the establishment of the Heavenly Fragrance Kingdom and investors, those who truly want to recreate the Heavenly Fragrance Bean!

Iron-Blooded Marquis Himself!

This is indeed a very simple principle, but most people probably wouldn't think that way.

Iron-Blooded Marquis has been making mistakes over the past few months because of his adopted son and daughter, and has gradually lost control of the Dragon Guard Manor.

Because of this major bribery case, he was directly imprisoned in the imperial prison.

No one would believe that the Iron-Blooded Marquis could still devise other plans under such circumstances.

After all, the one in charge of the imperial prison was the Eastern Depot, Cao Zhengchun, the mortal enemy of the Iron-Blooded Marquis.

In fact, even Lu Xiaofeng didn't think Zhu Wushi could communicate with the outside world and command his subordinates under Cao Zhengchun's nose.

If he could do that, then Cao Zhengchun and the Eastern Depot would probably have been eliminated by Zhu Wushi long ago.

After all, the Heavenly Prison was located right below the Eastern Depot, making it arguably the most crucial location within the Eastern Depot.

However, if Zhu Wushi had already planned everything and then handed it over to others to handle, then it would be understandable.

"His purpose in doing this was probably to feign weakness and eliminate Cao Zhengchun!"

Li Xunhuan analyzed: "The eunuchs' power comes from the emperor. Even Cao Zhengchun could be demoted to a ninth-rank eunuch immediately if the emperor was angry. However, as long as the emperor has no intention of killing him, Cao Zhengchun could be reinstated at any time."

However, as long as other threats exist, and as long as there are checks and balances on power in the court, Cao Zhengchun will have a reason to exist, and the emperor will not kill him!

The imperial court has always been a three-way power struggle.

Grand Secretary Pei Ju.

Cao Zhengchun of the Eastern Depot.

Zhu ignored the Dragon Guardian Villa.

They maintain a certain balance with each other.

Zhu Wushi's retreat may seem to have caused him to lose all power, but in reality, his power will not be weakened much as a result.

It's impossible for everyone in the Dragon Guard Manor, which he founded, to betray him. Most of them are probably still loyal to Zhu Wushi.

He enjoys an excellent reputation and high prestige among the people.

Many ministers in the court also had dealings with Zhu Wushi.

Before the Forbidden City incident, many of the palace's top experts had excellent relationships with Zhu Wushi.

Along with the Tianxiang Doukou incident, many of the princes enfeoffed in various parts of the Ming Dynasty also intended to establish friendly relations with Zhu Wushi.

And... ten thousand families!
If the entire plan was orchestrated by Zhu Wushi, then did the Wan family, as the starting point of everything, truly betray Zhu Wushi?

Even though he was imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison, Zhu Wushi still wielded so much power that he was even more powerful than Cao Zhengchun.

In contrast, Cao Zhengchun of the Eastern Depot, who seemed to have the upper hand at the moment, had a terrible reputation. There were few ministers in the court who were related to him, and local princes and nobles disliked the Eastern Depot.

Aside from the emperor's favor, he had almost nothing.

In the past, the balance of power among the three parties was maintained. The emperor needed Cao Zhengchun, so even if he was demoted, Cao Zhengchun was quickly reinstated.

Zhu Wushi has now seemingly withdrawn from the scene, although he still has Grand Secretary Pei Ju as his opponent.

However, Pei Ju has kept a very low profile in the past year and has even voluntarily relinquished many of his positions of power.

On the surface, Cao Zhengchun's reputation is the most prominent now.

At this point, Cao Zhengchun had become the biggest obstacle in front of the emperor.

Lu Xiaofeng couldn't help but recall the words he had heard from Liu Xi when he was tracking Iron Claw Flying Eagle.

'His Majesty lost his temper again today and reprimanded Cao Zhengchun.'

Clearly, the emperor had grown dissatisfied with Cao Zhengchun.

The word "again" further illustrates that this kind of thing has happened more than once or twice.

"Even so, how can Zhu Wushi be sure that the emperor will definitely kill Cao Zhengchun because of this?"

Li Xunhuan frowned: "Now that things have developed to this point, it's a foregone conclusion that Iron-Blooded Marquis will be released. As long as he doesn't die, the emperor will probably keep Cao Zhengchun alive and won't kill him easily."

"Um……"

Lu Xiaofeng also couldn't quite understand this.

He loosened the reins, letting the horse carry him forward, but closed his eyes and began to ponder.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes and said, "I understand now, Zhu Wushi's real target is still Cao Zhengchun!"

Li Xunhuan was taken aback: "Yes, his target has always been Cao Zhengchun?"

"No, what I mean is that he probably never intended for the emperor to kill Cao Zhengchun. The purpose of all his plans was to make Cao Zhengchun make a mistake!"

"Make a mistake? Cao Zhengchun has been navigating the court for many years, how could he possibly make a mistake so easily, especially one that could be fatal?"

"No, he might!"

Lu Xiaofeng said decisively, "Have you noticed how old Cao Zhengchun is now?"

Li Xunhuan thought for a moment: "I don't know the exact number, but he is over sixty years old."

"Not bad!"

Lu Xiaofeng said, "He is already an old eunuch in his sixties, while Zhu Wushi is still in his prime. Even if he has profound cultivation and can live to be ninety or even a hundred years old, living to that age does not mean that he can maintain his prime until that age!"

True superior martial arts can nourish the body and prolong life.

Huo Tianqing's father, the Heavenly Bird Elder, was only a Second-Grandmaster, yet he was still able to father a son at the age of seventy-two.

Masters like Cao Zhengchun, who were masters of the Three Flowers, could potentially live to be over a hundred years old.

But living to that age doesn't mean you can maintain your peak martial arts skills even at over a hundred years old; that's simply impossible.

Before breaking through to the Grandmaster level, Mu Daoren often traveled the world, but he rarely fought with others. Even when he did fight, it was purely a contest of swordsmanship and he almost never used his true energy.

Why? Because he's old.

An old man's strength is no longer dependent on his physical abilities; even if he possesses the cultivation of a Three-Flower Grandmaster, his power will be greatly reduced.

If they really fought, he, a Three-Flower Grandmaster, might not even be able to defeat a Thirty-something One-Flower Grandmaster. It would be truly shameful.

This decline in strength due to physical aging is almost unstoppable.

Unless you break through to the Grandmaster level.

Otherwise, we can only watch helplessly.

This aging process usually begins around the age of sixty.

Depending on the individual, it may happen sooner or later.

"Cao Zhengchun, who is now over sixty years old, may have already sensed this. So, he will naturally become anxious! And this is exactly what Zhu Wushi wants to see."

"I see……"

Li Xunhuan suddenly realized.

He hadn't really thought of this before, after all, the head of the Eastern Depot was truly energetic and full of vigor.

Who would have thought that such a person is actually an old man in his sixties, who, despite possessing the cultivation of a Three Flowers Grandmaster, is about to enter a period of decline?

In contrast, Zhu Wushi was in his prime.

What in the world is more terrifying than one who is about to weaken while the enemy is at the height of his power and even has room to advance further?

Once Zhu Wushi is released, he will likely take back his power step by step.

Cao Zhengchun's strength waned over time. Even though his power remained unchanged, he was essentially getting weaker.

Putting aside the fact that once his strength weakens to the point where he can't even defeat a Second-Grandmaster, will Liu Xi, who has been suppressed by Cao Zhengchun, still obediently listen to him?

Not to mention Zhu Wushi.

The two sides have been fighting for so many years, yet no victor has emerged.

This opportunity may be Cao Zhengchun's last chance to defeat Zhu Wushi!

If he misses this opportunity and Zhu Wushi escapes, he will then have to face his own decline and Zhu Wushi's revenge.

This foreseeable future has turned into a raging fire, constantly scorching Cao Zhengchun in the present, making him increasingly anxious.

According to Iron Claw Flying Eagle, Cao Zhengchun had even tortured Zhu Wushi.

It's important to understand that Zhu Wushi is currently only a suspect, not a criminal.

Besides, even if he is a criminal, he is still the emperor's uncle and a descendant of the Zhu family. How can he be tortured at will?

These actions reflect Cao Zhengchun's urgency.

If he accepts his fate, then so be it.

But if he doesn't accept his fate, this sense of urgency might turn into madness at some point!

That was the time when Cao Zhengchun made a fatal mistake!
Even so, whether this plan will ultimately succeed is still a matter of probability.

"But for those in the court, that's enough. Besides, we're not Zhu Wushi; perhaps in his eyes, the probability of this plan succeeding is one hundred percent?"

There's a saying that the person who understands you best is not yourself, but your enemy.

Zhu Wushi, who had been entangled with Cao Zhengchun for many years, probably understood him better than Cao Zhengchun himself.

This plan was actually aimed at Cao Zhengchun, and was naturally designed specifically based on Cao Zhengchun's personality.

Neither Li Xunhuan nor Lu Xiaofeng are Cao Zhengchun.

In their view, this plan, though incredibly complex, ultimately boils down to a matter of probability and is therefore somewhat of a waste of time.

However, when this plan actually fell into Cao Zhengchun's hands, there was absolutely no chance of it happening; it was 100% certain!
"Now that you've seen through this plan, what are you going to do?"

Li Xunhuan asked.

Lu Xiaofeng rubbed his temples.

"I don't want either of these two to win... Ha, it's not like I can defeat either of them with a single move."

He couldn't help but reveal a self-deprecating smile: "In fact, even if I saw through the truth, I couldn't change anyone at all!"
Although Zhu Wushi's plan was risky, he never put himself in danger!

Zhu Wushi framed himself for bribery, a crime for which, as the emperor's uncle, he was not deserving of death.

Even if Cao Zhengchun suddenly went mad and wanted to die together with Zhu Wushi, it was impossible.

Because Zhu Wushi himself was extremely powerful, the title of the number one person below the Grandmaster level was not given lightly.

If Cao Zhengchun really goes mad, Zhu Wushi can immediately retaliate.

The two Grandmasters of the Three Flowers Sect fought so fiercely that they could have demolished the Heavenly Prison!
Moreover, the Heavenly Prison is located in a corner of the palace. If the two sides fight and make too much noise, it will immediately attract many experts from the palace.

Therefore, even if Cao Zhengchun wanted to die together with his opponent, he simply couldn't do it.

From the very beginning, Zhu Wushi was in an invincible position.

Even if Cao Zhengchun ultimately chooses to endure the situation, as long as this plan is successfully implemented, he will still have lost.

After all, he didn't kill Zhu Wushi with such a good opportunity. What would his subordinates think of him?

In fact, some people have already betrayed us and secretly switched sides to others.

"Zhu Wushi has planned everything perfectly. No matter what we do, this matter will proceed smoothly. He will not lose. As for Cao Zhengchun, he lost from the very beginning."

The whole affair, rather than being a scheme, was more about Zhu Wushi revealing some of his previously hidden strength, thus creating the current situation.

Lu Xiaofeng sighed, "Even if I guessed everything, what good would it do? In the end, there's nothing I can do..."

"Not necessarily!"

Li Xunhuan's lips curled up slightly, revealing a smile: "You were just advising me to look at this from another angle, but now you've gotten yourself stuck in a rut? The main characters in this matter are indeed Cao Zhengchun and Zhu Wushi, but aren't there a whole bunch of people watching the show?"

Lu Xiaofeng was taken aback, then slapped his forehead and said in annoyance, "I really got stuck on this one point. There are three pillars in the court. Besides those two, there is also the Grand Secretary Pei Ju!"

Li Xunhuan laughed and said, "Besides, His Majesty the Emperor has his own ideas. Cao Zhengchun's victory may not be what he wants to see, but Zhu Wushi's victory is even more undesirable!"

"what do you mean?"

"Let's leave the question of how to end this struggle to His Majesty!"

"Haha, that's true. This matter should be the Emperor's concern. We're just overthinking it by thinking about this and that."

Lu Xiaofeng laughed heartily, suddenly feeling a sense of vastness and openness.

Since neither of those two people were good people, and I really didn't have the ability to influence the overall situation.

Then let's leave it to a third party that can influence the overall situation.

Moreover, that third party is none other than the current emperor, the ruler of the entire Ming Dynasty!

(End of this chapter)