Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 1003 Learning from the Great Ancestor

Therefore, as he gritted his teeth and said these words, the black aura that had been lingering between his brows due to the forced divination seemed to be drawn and nourished by some invisible force, and suddenly increased dozens of times!
An intensely dense, malevolent aura of death seemed about to burst forth from his seven orifices!

This is a sign that disaster is imminent!
Every time he had the thought of killing Xu Xuan, his own calamity increased!
"Impossible." Although King Liang was also seething with anger and wanted to find someone to vent his anger on, he was ultimately a villain with intelligence and cunning.

He forcefully suppressed the impulse and calmly analyzed the situation.

"Not to mention that Xu Xuan could not possibly have discovered the pass in our backyard."

"Not to mention that he had just accepted a generous consultation fee and hush money from the Prince's Mansion."

"Even from the most basic human perspective, it's absolutely impossible!"

King Liang's voice carried an unquestionable logic: "Xu Xuan was 'kidnapped' by my stupid son on his own initiative. There was no prior connection or background between us. It was purely an accident."

Moreover, he only stepped into the Prince's residence for the first time yesterday, and today Ebotai is in trouble. If it was really him, the speed of his actions is far too illogical.

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of understanding of the logic behind "normal" behavior:
"Would someone who could win the top scholar position in the imperial examination in a place like Yangzhou, a place renowned for its literary culture, be a madman who acts recklessly? Would he lack the worldly desires and the ability to weigh the pros and cons of ordinary people? Would he actively provoke a powerful prince who could easily ruin his future or even endanger his life?"

"Besides, since the other party comes from the Pure Land School, if he suddenly dies, it will be a problem for the Buddhist community."

After calmly considering the matter from multiple perspectives, King Liang felt increasingly suspicious: "If we panic at this time and focus all our attention on Xu Xuan, who seems the most suspicious but actually has the least motive, wouldn't we be falling right into the trap of the real person in the shadows?"

After listening to King Liang's meticulous analysis, Li Gongfeng found it quite reasonable, and his murderous intent and the violent anger arising from his panic were somewhat dissipated.

It must be admitted that in terms of weighing the big picture and understanding people's hearts, King Liang was indeed a step ahead of him.

He cooperated with King Liang for two reasons: first, King Liang had shown him great favor by providing protection and a position of respect after he defected from his master's school; second, King Liang was ambitious, intelligent, and possessed the resources and energy to realize his ambitions.

In terms of assessing the situation and making strategic decisions, the prince almost never made a mistake.

So, what should we do next?

Li Gongfeng's mindset at this moment was subtly similar to that of Huiren in Linji Temple.

They all went from initially acting on their own to quietly staying aside and waiting for the more capable person in front of them to give orders.

So, the current situation is Liang Wang vs. Xu Xuan.

But the King of Liang was surnamed Sima!

In the history of the Central Plains dynasties, this surname itself represented power struggles and forbearance.

Regardless of their personal reputation, they are generally quite shrewd and calculating.

Of course, nothing is absolute. The "outstanding" performance of the Prince of Liang's precious heir was somewhat beyond what ordinary people expected. It's hard to say whether it lowered or raised the average.

King Liang paced slowly in his study, his brow furrowed, pondering a way to break the deadlock.

Does the enemy... know what I'm doing? If they do, how far have they gotten? Have they reached the core? All of this crucial information is currently unknown.

The unknown is what makes people most uneasy.

He needs to calm down.

He then walked to the bookshelf, took out a seemingly ancient silk scroll, carefully unfolded it, and began to read it intently, hoping to calm his restless mind.

This book, titled "A Letter to the Prime Minister Rejecting His Position," was a royal secret, not to be seen by outsiders.

Because its author was none other than Emperor Xuan, the founding emperor of this dynasty, also known as Sima Yi, who was famous for his forbearance and political maneuvering.

On the surface, the contents of this book appear to be very serious, even exemplary of loyalty.

It was a memorial written by Sima Yi during the Cao Wei period in order to decline the position of prime minister.

The book cites ancient regulations and systems, pointing out that the position of prime minister was first established in the Qin Dynasty and continued unchanged in the Han Dynasty, while the current Three Dukes system in Cao Wei was already complete.

Based on the principles of "established by the sage king" and "written in the rites," they advocated maintaining the existing system and that it was not advisable to easily add a prime minister.

He further expressed his humility and loyalty by saying that he was "deeply worried and burdened with responsibility" and that his "merits were insufficient" and declined the position of prime minister.

He declared that if he did not "persist" in this "violation of regulations," he would incur criticism from the people and damage the reputation of the court. At first glance, this memorial appears to be full of loyalty to the Cao Wei regime and humility.

His words were earnest and he quoted extensively from classical texts, presenting himself as a loyal minister who would never cling to power and influence for the sake of the country and its people.

However, what's rather awkward is that this book was written precisely after the Gaopingling Incident.

At that time, Sima Yi had already killed Cao Shuang and completely seized power in Cao Wei.

Against this backdrop, he wrote this memorial declining the position of prime minister. His true intention was not merely to show humility, but to cope with the drastic adjustment of the power structure within the Cao Wei regime, to avoid prematurely revealing his full ambition, to retreat in order to advance, and to appease the people. It also fully demonstrated his forbearance and strategy as a top politician.

Therefore, this memorial, which was beautifully written but full of political calculations, was carefully sealed in the imperial treasury after the Sima clan officially usurped the Wei throne and established the Jin dynasty.

So as not to let it get out and be scrutinized and even ridiculed by later historians and scholars for its hypocrisy.

The bamboo scroll in Liang Wang's hand had been rubbed so smooth and warm that the edges were exceptionally smooth and lustrous, and the bamboo strips had a deep patina, clearly indicating that it had been frequently read and carefully studied by its owner.

It is evident that some people's ambitions and the ways they achieve them are also consistent.

Unlike the King of Chu and the King of Runan, the King of Liang did not constantly collude with powerful ministers in Luoyang or the maternal relatives in the palace, and his actions were quite significant.

But the pawns he secretly laid out and the schemes he carried out were by no means few, only more concealed, and more in line with the true meaning of his ancestor's "still waters run deep".

It's interesting to say that all the princes of the Sima family were quite interesting. Those who were enfeoffed in important northern towns all seemed to have inherited a bit of "ambition that was not yet fully realized" deep down.

They all followed suit, imitating their ancestor Sima Yi, and pretended to play the trick of "forbearance".

Then, without prior arrangement, they all began to amass power in their respective fiefdoms, keeping a watchful eye on the direction of Luoyang.

The emperor in the palace must be quite troubled. He has been practicing alchemy in the deep palace for decades, but he has not yet achieved immortality, while his brothers are all "thriving".

Undercurrents are surging; it's hard to say whether the elixir in the furnace can suppress the "heart disease" passed down through generations of the Sima family.

Returning to the present, King Liang calmed his mind and read the ancestral writings in his hands three more times.

I felt that every word and phrase resonated with the profound strategic mind of our ancestors.

Seemingly having gained some understanding, the panic in his heart caused by the strange changes at Ebotai dissipated considerably.

Not only that, he even gained a sense of pride and composure from this dialogue that transcended time and space.

Emperor Xuan of the Eastern Han Dynasty, in a time of great upheaval and brilliant generals, was able to endure and persevere, ultimately seizing the opportunity to establish his dynasty. The hardships, open and covert attacks he encountered during that period were undoubtedly far greater and more perilous than those faced today!

My plan is still in its early stages. How can a little accident and setback cause me to lose my composure and live in constant fear?
"Even if the enemy is in the dark and we are in the light right now, so what? I am a dignified prince of the Great Jin Dynasty, possessing the land of Liang, commanding a large army, and with countless experts in my palace. As long as I hold my ground, remain still, and defend my palace, who can break in and truly do anything to me?!"

Having thought this through, I had already made up my mind.

"So... we'll just hold back?" Upon hearing this decision, Li Gongfeng looked somewhat bewildered. Wasn't this... a bit too passive?
“Yes, hold back.” King Liang confirmed firmly, then explained, “You must understand our identity and the power we wield.”

"I am a prince personally appointed by His Majesty. As long as I do not formally raise the banner of rebellion and no conclusive evidence of treason is exposed to the public, no one can easily touch me, and no one dares to forcibly break into my palace to 'investigate the case' without imperial decree!"

Of course, the remnants of Shang Zu's apolitical will don't count... It is indeed a problem, but fortunately, Linji Temple is there to protect us.

After listening to the analysis given by the Prince of Liang based on his own power and the rules of reality, Li Gongfeng greatly admired the prince's composure and decision-making.

The panic I felt earlier has completely subsided. What composure! No wonder he's capable of great things!
That makes sense. As long as the prince himself doesn't cause trouble, the fate of Liang Kingdom won't change!

Day three.

On the surface, everything seemed calm and peaceful.

Yesterday's commotion near Ebotai seemed to have never happened. Even the Tuen Mun troops who had been stationed there withdrew and returned to their posts to continue guarding the Suiyang capital. Everything seemed to have returned to normal.

However, if a discerning person were to observe carefully, they would realize that things were not entirely peaceful within the territory of Liang.

A barely perceptible tension filled the air as many skilled martial artists and even some enigmatic cultivators secretly gathered.

(End of this chapter)