The number one rebel of the Great Wu

"Oh? It was out of necessity... Could it be that you were being held hostage?"

The old man suppressed his joy and quickly asked a question.

Chen Changgeng sighed and shook his head.

"That's... owing money? Signing a contract of servitude?"

Chen Changgeng shook his head again.

"That is..."

"Oh dear, you little eunuch, why are you being so fussy?"

"Just say what you need. As long as you haven't offended the Emperor, the Jiang family can handle it for you!"

Jiang Baiwei couldn't wait any longer and angrily interrupted her grandfather, saying in a very casual tone.

"Bai Wei, how dare you be so rude!"

The old man was startled by his granddaughter and quickly stopped her.

"I owe someone a favor."

Chen Changgeng sighed again, followed by a helpless shake of his head.

That feeling of bitterness and helplessness welled up immediately, almost making Chen Changgeng himself cry.

"Forget it, it's all old news, let's not talk about it anymore."

"Alas... debts of gratitude are priceless treasures, and the hardest to repay."

Jiang Boheng gave an awkward smile, then glared at his granddaughter Jiang Baiwei without making a sound, inwardly cursing her for being so insensible!

No matter what, this Eunuch Chen is also a strategist in the Crown Prince's mansion. How could they so openly poach his talent?

After her outburst, Eunuch Chen was clearly unwilling to continue the discussion, and the matter had to be temporarily dropped.

Jiang Baiwei then realized she had gotten herself into trouble. She pursed her lips and slunk away behind the old man.

"Please forgive me, General, but the affairs of this residence are very busy. Unless there are other important matters..."

"Then I'll get back to work, won't I?"

Chen Changgeng stood up and bowed.

"Wait a minute!"

"I have one last question, and I hope you can offer some guidance."

Opportunities to have a heart-to-heart talk with Eunuch Chen like this are rare, so Jiang Boheng naturally wouldn't let him leave so easily.

After much deliberation, he finally brought up the biggest problem currently facing the Jiang family.

"With the internal strife intensifying, even though my Jiang family is far away in Yunzhou, I'm afraid we won't be able to protect ourselves."

"If forced to do so, you must choose a side."

"Which prince does Eunuch Chen recommend?"

Chen Changgeng deliberately turned his head to look in the direction of Xiao Xizi and Xiao Fuzi, pretending to be anxious.

"Very well, since I chose to save people in the palace, I have become entangled in karma."

"It would be somewhat unbearable for me to just watch Miss Jiang and her family fall into such a quagmire."

"I only have one question for the old general, and I ask that you answer truthfully."

This young eunuch Chen is actually concerned about me?

Jiang Baiwei frowned slightly. Thinking of how he had taken such good care of her treatment, and how she had doubted and made things difficult for him, she couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

"Please ask, sir. I will answer without reservation and without reservation, and I would never dare to utter a single falsehood."

When Jiang Boheng saw that Chen Changgeng had said this, his expression immediately became serious.

"What is the reason His Majesty summoned you all the way to the capital this time? What did you discuss with His Majesty in the Imperial Study?"

Instantly, Jiang Boheng's expression changed drastically.

You should know that what Chen Changgeng asked about was a top secret!

In some matters, when he secretly discussed them with the Emperor, even his granddaughter Jiang Baiwei was driven out!

"If it is inconvenient for General Jiang to say, then there is nothing I can do."

Chen Changgeng shook his head and shrugged, indicating that the guest should be seen out.

From the moment that policy document was issued, Chen Changgeng had been trying to figure out the true intentions of the current emperor.

Thanks to Crown Prince Xiao Lie's repeated foolish mistakes, Chen Changgeng has figured out most of the situation.

If Chen Changgeng's calculations are correct, the final piece of this puzzle lies in the hands of the person before him, Jiang Boheng!

"No, no! The saying goes, 'If you employ someone, trust them; if you don't trust someone, don't employ them!'"

"Although this matter is confidential, I trust you, Father-in-law!"

Jiang Boheng beckoned and leaned close to Chen Changgeng's ear.

"His Majesty intends to send troops to annihilate the Di people and eliminate future troubles!"

"Before we set out, this old man must accompany His Majesty in staging a play, which is..."

"So, General, you intend to step down and yield your position to a more capable person?"

Upon hearing the words "annihilate the Di," Chen Changgeng immediately understood and added the second half of the sentence.

Jiang Boheng's body trembled, his face filled with disbelief!

"The old general is worried that the war to destroy the Di will surely severely damage the Jiang family."

"In the future, they will become cattle and sheep to be slaughtered at will, and they will have no choice but to choose a prince to support."

Chen Changgeng eloquently explained what Jiang Boheng was thinking.

"Eunuch Chen, you... are truly a diviner!"

"If you, sir, can help my Jiang family overcome this calamity, we will surely repay you handsomely in the future!"

Now, Jiang Boheng was completely convinced.

Chen Changgeng smiled slightly and glanced at Jiang Baiwei.

"Among the princes in the court, the third prince is the wealthiest."

"If General Jiang trusts me, he should go to the Third Prince's residence to pay his respects today."

"If His Majesty then instructs someone to recommend a candidate for General Zheng Di, we urge General Jiang to prioritize the Third Prince!"

"what?"

Jiang Boheng could hardly believe his ears.

Today, he talked with the Crown Prince about the Battle of Sekigahara. In fact, he wanted to recommend the Crown Prince to lead the army to destroy the Di.

Although the Crown Prince is a bit dim-witted, he is undeniably skilled in warfare.

Among all the princes, the Crown Prince is the most experienced and has outstanding military achievements.

The Third Prince... has never participated in a war before!

Asking him to fight is just throwing him away for free.

"General, don't be surprised. The Third Prince is not fit to go to the battlefield."

"You just need to do as I say, and that will be fine!"

Jiang Boheng pondered for a moment, then nodded heavily.

"Alright, I'll do as my father-in-law says!"

"I will go find the Third Prince in a moment!"

After watching the two leave, Chen Changgeng stood under the tree with his hands behind his back.

After a long while, he finally opened his mouth with a deep sense of emotion.

"Indeed, the imperial family is the most ruthless."

"Our current emperor of the Great Wu Dynasty is truly ruthless!"

"No, we need to stay away from him from now on. If he targets us, we'll be in serious trouble, even if we don't die!"

……

It was afternoon.

Shen Qingci was leisurely drinking tea in his palace.

Sitting beside her was another woman with an elegant demeanor and a quiet temperament.

This person was none other than Crown Prince Xiao Lie's other imperial concubine, Lin Wan'er.

The two enjoyed tea and snacks, and had some private conversations. Just as they were talking about Crown Prince Xiao Lie, Xiang'er walked in quickly.

"Greetings, Consort Lin."

"Your Highness, Xiao Gengzi is waiting outside."

Shen Qingci raised an eyebrow slightly, then smiled slightly.

"Wan'er, this young man Gengzi is the gentleman I mentioned before."

"He is a man of exceptional literary talent, and a man of great character..."

The word "upright" was on the tip of her tongue, but Shen Qingci swallowed it back down.

Lin Wan'er naturally noticed this small change.

"By the way, haven't you always liked poetry? Would you like to meet up with someone?"

Lin Wan'er wore a simple and plain blue-and-white floral long gown. When she looked up, her eyes were clear and calm, like a still well.

"Sister Shen, I think we should call it a day."

"I've been out for a while now, it's time for me to go back."

Seeing that Lin Wan'er was about to leave, Shen Qingci stood up and took her hand.

"My dear sister, you usually prefer to lock yourself in the palace. Aside from calligraphy and painting, you don't seem to have any other interests."

"You don't even have many servants in your courtyard, you can't even find anyone to talk to, what's the rush to go back?"

"If you stay cooped up like this, you'll go crazy sooner or later. You rarely come to see your sister, so I'm not going to let you off the hook!"

"Xiang'er, quickly go and call Xiao Gengzi over."

"Sister Shen!"

Lin Wan'er's face immediately showed a hint of anxiety.

She struggled slightly, but couldn't shake him off. She could only look at Shen Qingci with pleading eyes.

"He's just a lackey, are you afraid of him?"

"Oh dear, Ru Shuang and Ru Yi, go and bring the screen from the inner hall!"