The Deepest Affection in Qin's Time

The snow woman was filled with anxiety and trepidation.

Her room was right next to Cao Yuan and Li Wu's, and she could hear everything they did last night.

After a night of internal struggle, she now has absolutely no idea how to face Cao Yuan.

She planned to hide away for a while after she was cured of the poison, to calm herself down.

Since Xue Nu didn't say anything, Cao Yuan didn't press the matter.

The two walked one after the other to the Crown Prince's residence.

The Snow Maiden deliberately lagged behind Cao Yuan by a few steps to maintain distance and avoid embarrassment.

Cao Yuan didn't care.

The Crown Prince's residence and the residence of Lord Yanchun were not far apart, and the house they rented was also within this area. The three of them were roughly in the shape of an obtuse triangle.

Half an incense stick later.

Cao Yuan and Xue Nu arrived at the Crown Prince's residence.

Yan Dan had been waiting outside the mansion. When he saw Cao Yuan arrive, he quickly went to greet him.

"Mr. Cao Yuan, you've finally arrived! Please come in!"

Yan Dan showed great sincerity and was very respectful, just like most wise men who treat scholars with courtesy.

Cao Yuan nodded slightly.

Regardless of what Yan Dan did afterward, at least at this moment, he was sincere.

There aren't many people who would set aside their princely airs and wait for him personally outside the mansion when he was just a commoner.

No wonder the Mo family listened to Yan Dan's every word after the Six-Fingered Black Knight died.

Little succubus~

The main room is simple and elegant.

Yan Dan sent all the servants away.

He had quite a few spies in his residence, and he didn't want outsiders to know too much.

“Mr. Cao Yuan, please forgive the humble dwelling and lack of hospitality. Dan has his own reasons.”

Cao Yuan smiled and said, "Your Highness is too kind. If I were in Your Highness's position, I would have done the same."

It can be said that Yan Dan had nothing in the Yan state except for the title of crown prince.

He's even worse off than the Crown Prince of Korea.

At least Han Wang An, the father of Crown Prince Han, treated him quite well.

I don't know if this is something passed down from generation to generation.

It seems that the kings of Yan throughout history were all quite adept at ruining their sons' lives.

The most typical example is King Kuai of Yan, who, seventy or eighty years ago, ruined his son so badly that the other states almost laughed their heads off.

Because King Kuai of Yan wholeheartedly agreed with the story of Yao and Shun abdicating their thrones, he passed the throne to Zizhi, the prime minister of Yan.

This move completely baffled the Crown Prince of Yan at the time.

This led to a civil war between the Crown Prince and his son, which allowed the State of Qi to seize the capital and nearly destroy the state.

It wasn't until later, when King Zhao of Yan bought horse bones for a thousand pieces of gold and established a reputation for "many generous and tragic heroes in Yan," that the state of Yan rose to prominence again.

The past is like smoke.

The State of Yan now seems to have returned to the era of King Kuai of Yan.

Yan Dan finished recounting his current predicament with a worried expression, and then mentioned the story of his ancestor, King Kuai of Yan.

"Alas! Mr. Cao Yuan, what should I do? Should I just stand by and watch the Yan Kingdom repeat the same mistakes?"

Yan Dan sighed deeply and said with a dejected expression.

Cao Yuan smiled slightly after listening.

It must be said that Yan Dan is indeed a qualified politician, and her performance skills are absolutely up to standard.

In a short period of time, he vividly portrayed the image of a talented but unappreciated prince who was concerned about the fate of his country and its people.

"Your Highness, please don't be in a hurry. Before that, please allow me to tell you a short story."

"A story? What story?" Yan Dan asked, puzzled.

The Snow Woman narrowed her crystal-clear blue eyes and quietly pricked up her ears.

"The Xuanwu Gate Incident".

Chapter 52 Traditional Arts, the Top of the Top

The Xuanwu Gate Incident... Yan Dan frowned, deep in thought.

Even with his extensive knowledge of various schools of thought and ancient texts, he still couldn't recall where the Xuanwu Gate was among the Seven Kingdoms.

"Please explain in detail, sir."

"Legend has it that several hundred years ago, during the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a remote vassal state, whose name is not recorded in classics or historical records. The state was called 'Tang,' and the royal surname was Li. The founding monarch was named Li Yuan, and he had four sons. The crown prince was named Li Jiancheng, and the second son was named Li Shimin..."

Cao Yuan leisurely recounted the Xuanwu Gate Incident, which was later jokingly referred to by netizens as "a loving family" and "Brother Lao, see you at Xuanwu Gate."

The story of the infighting at Xuanwu Gate, where the winner becomes emperor, is certainly familiar to anyone who frequently surfs the internet to observe politics.

Before Cao Yuan could finish speaking, Yan Dan's expression changed several times.

But he did not immediately reprimand Cao Yuan, as if Cao Yuan's story had a kind of magical power that stirred up his demonic thoughts from many days ago.

Although my father is now in his prime, his body has long been worn down, his ambitions are gone, and he is listless and lethargic. He allows Lord Yanchun to interfere in court affairs and act recklessly, and he has even handed over the most crucial military power to General Yan Yi.

In the state of Yan, who doesn't know that Yan Yi was promoted by Lord Yanchun?

After Cao Yuan finished speaking, he shut up.

The Snow Maiden looked at Cao Yuan with a blank expression.

What was all this about?

A story of patricide and usurpation?

An elderly man, nearing sixty, stroked his beard and emerged from the inner room behind the screen.

"Four hundred years ago, King Mu of Chu was the crown prince. His father, King Cheng of Chu, wanted to depose him, so he led troops into the palace, forced him to hang himself, and then took the throne himself."

"Three hundred years ago, Ji Ban, the Marquis of Cai Ling, was filled with shame and indignation because his father, the Marquis of Cai Jing, had an affair with his wife. He forced his father to commit suicide and took over the throne."

"And decades earlier, King Huiwen of Zhao starved his father, King Wuling of Zhao, to death at the Shaqiu Palace."

"There were no righteous wars during the Spring and Autumn Period, and this was even more true within the palace, where upheavals occurred frequently and there was no kinship whatsoever..."

The old man cupped his hands and said, "I am Ju Wu, the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince. I have come to greet Mr. Cao Yuan."

"Mr. Cao Yuan's story of Xuanwu Gate is extremely detailed and wonderful. I admire it greatly."

Cao Yuan returned the greeting and said, "This junior greets the Grand Tutor."

He had already noticed that someone was listening in from behind the main room.

As he expected, it was Ju Wu, the strategist of Crown Prince Dan, known as the wise man of Yan, a truly influential veteran minister in the court.

Yan Dan remained silent.

How could he not know what the teacher had said?

But it is precisely because I know this that I feel a deep sense of powerlessness.

Whether it's King Mu of Chu, King Huiwen of Zhao, or Li Shimin in the story of Cao Yuan.

Which of them didn't hold military power? Some even had the ability to mobilize the royal guards.

But what about him?

Aside from his teacher Ju Wu, who remained loyal and devoted to him, who else among the civil and military officials in the court cared about him?

Therefore, he chose to become a disciple of the leader of the Mohist school rather than be a nominal Mohist.

One reason is for self-preservation.

Secondly, he wanted to gamble on whether he could use the power of the Mohists to help him rise to power.

Unfortunately, the latter possibility is very small.

Because the Mohists did not have a good reputation in the courts of the seven states.

No ruler would like the Mohists, who are fond of giving orders and have the ability to do so.

King Su of Chu is an example.

Because in order to kill Lord Yangcheng, they killed Mo Sheng, the leader of the Mohist school who was guarding the city for Lord Yangcheng, as well as hundreds of Mohist disciples, which led to the Mohist school's fierce retaliation. As long as other countries showed any intention of attacking the State of Chu, they would immediately help without hesitation.

Ultimately, this led to the death of King Su of Chu, who had the potential to revive the Chu state, in depression.

Therefore, if he were to use the power of the Mohists to help him seize power, he would inevitably face opposition from all levels of the Yan state.

"I wonder what insightful opinion Mr. Cao Yuan has?"

Yan Dan composed herself and asked softly.

Cao Yuan swung his hand with a knife and shouted.

"kill!"

"what……"

Yan Dan was quite frightened by Cao Yuan's loud shout, and her eyes turned terrified.

Ju Wu knelt beside Yan Dan with his head down, not uttering a word, seemingly unaware of Cao Yuan's shout.

The snow woman tightly covered her sexy and alluring little mouth, afraid that if she let go, her little heart would jump out.

What is Cao Yuan saying? Who exactly does he want to kill?

Outside the main hall, the autumn sky was clear and the air was crisp.

But the atmosphere inside the room felt as if it had reached its darkest hour.