The Bad Guys: Playing the Fake Li Xingyun at the Beginning

"But, for Xueer, I had to take this path. I promised her at the beginning that I would only love her in this life, but..." When he said this, Su Ming's voice choked.

At this moment, Zhang Zifan realized how big a trouble he had caused. He had to persuade Li Xingyun to agree to this marriage.

Being an emperor is not a game. Li Xingyun cannot become an emperor whenever he wants or leave whenever he wants. Once he embarks on this path, there is no turning back. Behind him is a bottomless abyss, and he will be crushed to pieces if he is not careful.

Similarly, Zhang Zifan had no way out. In order to support Li Xingyun, he not only took out money and food, but also brought Taoist priests from the Tianshi Mansion to support Li Xingyun. In the eyes of outsiders, their Tianshi Mansion was a supporter of Li Xingyun.

Once Li Xingyun is defeated, the Tianshi Mansion will be affected, and may even suffer a more severe reckoning than when Zhu Wen besieged Xuanwu Mountain.

For the sake of Tianshi Mansion, Xuanwu Mountain, and Lu Linxuan, he must support Li Xingyun and help him overcome the difficulties.

Although the attack on Tongwenguan failed, Li Siyuan would never give up. Therefore, from the moment he returned to Luoyang, the struggle in the court had already begun.

At this time, Zhang Zifan could not retreat, and he had no way to retreat.

Su Ming, who was sitting aside, looked extremely disappointed on the surface, but he was actually secretly proud in his heart. He had already laid the groundwork for this move when he was on Xuanwu Mountain, and it only really came into play now.

From the very beginning, Su Ming had no intention of being Li Xingyun.

Li Xingyun only loves Ji Ruxue, but he wants to have three thousand beauties in his harem and collect all kinds of beauties.

But doing so would definitely make Zhang Zifan and others suspicious. After all, Li Xingyun is devoted to Ji Ruxue, so why would he have a harem?

In order to prevent them from getting suspicious and to allow him to start a harem and collect beauties, he could only make his good brother Zhang Zifan suffer and bear the blame.

The moment Zhang Zifan was pulled into the water and tied to the chariot, he was destined to fight for his goal until death. Therefore, in this process, he would use any means, even breaking his bottom line, to help Su Ming.

Just like now, Su Ming is wholeheartedly in love with Ji Ruxue. He did not even choose a concubine after ascending the throne. He stays alone in his empty bed every night. Can you say that he is not loyal to Ji Ruxue?

Obviously not. On the contrary, this is already his limit.

Although this was a deeply affectionate act, it hindered his ability to develop his power and his future plans.

This marriage is a good opportunity to break the preconceived impression. He is devoted to Ji Ruxue and is even willing to stay alone in an empty room. It's all Zhang Zifan's fault. If he hadn't rashly agreed to Yelu Abaoji's request, Su Ming would not have been forced to break his oath and marry Yelu Zhiwu.

Even, Zhang Zifan not only had to persuade him, but also Lu Linxuan, Li Cunyi and others. Once their attitudes changed, Su Ming would naturally agree to the marriage, and he would be forced to do so.

He really wanted to be loyal, but the current situation did not allow it. He had to sacrifice his own happiness for the sake of the world and had to start a harem with tears in his eyes.

Chapter 63 Zhang Zifan's Persuasion

"Ugh!"

Zhang Zifan sighed in his heart. He regretted it very much at this moment. Why did he go down the mountain to help Li Xingyun in the first place? Now not only did he get himself involved, but he also implicated the Tianshi Mansion and made them participate in this matter.

But now, it was too late and he could no longer withdraw.

Zhang Zifan walked up to Su Ming and advised him earnestly, "Brother Li, don't be too sad. Miss Xue'er is so kind. If she knew about this, she would definitely forgive you. You are not a person now. You are the emperor, the Son of Heaven, and you are carrying the mission of restoring the Tang Dynasty."

"Even if you don't care about yourself, you should also think about the people of the world. If we form an alliance with Khitan and both sides put an end to the war, the people at the border can live in peace and stability, and will not be affected by the war."

"This alone has saved so many lives and families. Brother Li, didn't you tell me that as an emperor, I should consider the overall situation? If we don't form an alliance, it will inevitably anger the Khitan. Once the war starts, the border will be ravaged by war and there will be countless casualties. Brother Li, think twice."

My goodness, is this moral kidnapping?

Su Ming looked at Zhang Zifan in surprise. He didn't expect that this kid with thick eyebrows and big eyes could use such moral blackmail. However, what he said was indeed true. If they could not reach an alliance, Yelu Abaoji would certainly use this as an excuse to invade the south.

Before the Tang Dynasty was destroyed, Yelu Abaoji went south many times. No matter whether Li Keyong or Li Cunxu was in power, the border was harassed by the Khitan.

Now that he has just ascended the throne, if the Khitans move south, it will inevitably give Li Siyuan the opportunity to gain more military power, and the situation will then become even more unfavorable to him.

Of course, he certainly couldn't agree to Zhang Zifan so easily now.

Su Ming shook his head, his eyes seemed sad and sorrowful, "Brother Zhang, please go down first, I want to be alone."

Zhang Zifan opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know where to start. He could only sigh and turn away.

Su Ming sat on the throne, his face expressionless, without any sadness or joy. He was wondering what Yelu Abaoji was going to do.

Was he overestimating him by placing a heavy bet before the situation became clear? Or did he trust Li Xingyun so much that he was willing to invest heavily to support him?

No, a man like him, a founding monarch with great talent and vision, would never delay national affairs for personal feelings. There must be some unknown calculations behind this.

Wait, support Li Xingyun!

A gleam of light flashed in Su Ming's eyes, and he quickly analyzed the situation. Right now, the Xuanming Sect's intelligence network on the grassland had just been launched. He did not have enough understanding of Yelu Abaoji and could only guess his thoughts through imagination.

If he were Yelu Abaoji, what would he do facing the current situation in the Central Plains?

The various princes and local vassal states in the south were all waiting and watching, waiting for Su Ming and Li Siyuan to have a conflict, and then they would reap the benefits after a big fight. This would be a safe approach.

But that was not enough. Yelu Abaoji was a Khitan, and even more so a foreigner. It was much more difficult for him to go south to the Central Plains than for the local vassal princes. His purpose was definitely not just to go south to the Central Plains to rob and leave.

If it was just for this, why would he go through so much trouble and even involve his own daughter?

Therefore, he did this for three purposes. First, supporting him was to give him enough power to fight against Li Siyuan and intensify the internal strife. In this way, when the war in the Central Plains broke out, the Khitan would be able to take advantage of the situation and act.

Secondly, marrying Yelu Zhiwu to him as the emperor was for the purpose of gaining status. Whether he or Li Siyuan won, the Tang Dynasty had to recognize Yelu Zhiwu because the Khitan was behind her.

It would be even better if Yelu Zhiwu could give birth to a prince after marrying him, so that he would have more room to maneuver.

Finally, Yelu Zhiwu was a chess piece, a chess piece placed in Luoyang. With her, the Khitan could legitimately plant spies in Luoyang and pass on intelligence information.

"Whoo~"

As expected of a founding emperor, he is not simple. This move is really far-sighted and ordinary people really can't think of it. I really don't know how Li Xingyun got to be sworn brothers with him. Maybe he knew Li Xingyun's identity and did it on purpose, making a foolish move.

It’s a pity that this move never came into effect until his death.

Now that he has replaced Li Xingyun, he has been able to let him play his due role. It can be said that it is a perfect opportunity. After understanding Yelu Abaoji's plan, Su Ming feels relieved. He is not afraid that he has any plan, but is afraid that he has no plan.

However, if this matter were brought to the court, it would definitely cause an uproar.

Marrying a woman of a foreign race as a queen is not only an act of inciting chaos among the Chinese, but also disrupts the moral code, making the royal bloodline impure and unable to occupy the orthodox position. It took a huge price to eliminate the contradictions during the integration of the Hu and Han peoples. Su Ming does not want to be caught by the court officials and criticized by everyone because of this.

Therefore, he would never marry Yelu Zhiwu as his wife. This is a matter of principle. If Yelu Abaoji was sincere, he should know how xenophobic people in the Central Plains are.

In short, he needs to prepare for this matter early.

······

Harem.

Lu Linxuan received the news that Zhang Zifan had returned yesterday. She first cooked a large table of dishes, then changed into new clothes, put on beautiful makeup, and waited in the room.

Zhang Zifan didn't open the door until the food was almost cold.

Before he could say anything, Lu Linxuan threw himself into his arms, "Zifan, I miss you so much."

Seeing his wife, Zhang Zifan couldn't help but smile. He touched her hair and hugged her tightly in his arms. This time when he went to Mobei, he almost couldn't come back.

After a long while, he finally let go of Lu Linxuan. Seeing the dazzling array of food on the table, he asked in surprise, "Linxuan, how did you prepare so many dishes today?"

Lu Linxuan smiled slightly, his eyes curved into crescents, "Zifan, you've been outside for so long, you must not be used to it, I specially made your favorite food, come and try it."

Zhang Zifan happily took a seat and had his meal with Lu Linxuan.

After eating and drinking, the couple looked at each other and went into the room, with a tacit understanding between them.

After the tender moments, Zhang Zifan lay on the bed, hugged Lu Linxuan's shoulders, and talked about the mission to Khitan, especially what they saw and heard on the road, which surprised Lu Linxuan. Since coming down the mountain, she had been running around with Li Xingyun and didn't know much about the real situation outside.

Especially the sufferings of the people, which she did not understand at all. When Zhang Zifan talked about these, she quickly showed sympathy.

However, next, Zhang Zifan really got to the point. If he wanted to persuade Li Xingyun, he had to deal with the people around him first, and Lu Linxuan was the easiest one.

Chapter 64: Difficult Problems

Zhang Zifan was silent for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Lin Xuan, when we were in Mobei Royal City, I agreed to one condition from the Khitan leader in order to get him to form an alliance with the Tang Dynasty."

Lu Linxuan's eyebrows were full of seductive spring charm. He was still savoring it when he asked casually, "What conditions did you agree to?"

"The Khitan leader, Yelü Abaoji, wanted to form an alliance with the Tang Dynasty and marry his daughter to Li Xingyun, and I agreed."

Lu Linxuan didn't even think about it and muttered, "I agreed, so what's the problem?"

Zhang Zifan sighed, "Lin Xuan, although that is true, Brother Li is deeply in love with Miss Xue'er and does not want to agree to the marriage, so I am in a dilemma now."

At this time, Lu Linxuan finally reacted and said in surprise, "Zifan, you know what kind of person Senior Brother is, why did you agree to this condition?"

"Lin Xuan, I have no choice. If we don't agree to them, the Khitans will not form an alliance with us. At that time, Brother Li will continue to be suppressed by Li Siyuan in the court. If this continues, let alone restoring the Tang Dynasty, it will be difficult for us to protect ourselves."

Lu Linxuan was shocked and didn't care about the exposure of his body. He stood up and asked seriously, "Zifan, are you telling the truth?"

"It's absolutely true. How dare I lie to you? In the struggle for world dominance, if you don't advance, you will retreat. You are not unaware of Li Siyuan's threat. Now Brother Li doesn't dare to kill him. If he kills him, the world will be in chaos. It's not easy to stabilize the world. The people are innocent."

"But the Khitans would raid the south every year, and the people living on the border were suffering. Just for the sake of those people, Lin Xuan, please help me persuade Brother Li."

Faced with Zhang Zifan's earnest persuasion and his pillow talk, Lu Linxuan had no resistance at all and agreed in a daze.

······

Jin Palace.

Li Siyuan learned the news of Zhang Zifan's entry into the palace as soon as possible, so he summoned his men to discuss countermeasures.

In the hall, Li Siyuan was wearing a dragon robe and a purple gold crown, sitting high on the throne. Kong Xianwen and Yan Suchen were sitting respectfully on both sides. No one knew why they were summoned here.

"You two, the envoy Zhang Zifan sent by Your Majesty to Khitan has already returned to Luoyang. What do you think about this?" Li Siyuan picked up the teacup and took a sip, speaking slowly.

Kong Xianwen and Yan Suchen looked at each other, and at the same time, they reached a tacit understanding and said in unison, "We are willing to serve the King of Jin."

Hearing this, Li Siyuan smiled, put down his teacup, and said comfortingly, "You two adults are not only the pillars of the court, but also the leaders of the Tang Dynasty literary world. Your Majesty wants to go on a diplomatic mission to Khitan, make friends with them, and save the people living on the border from war. Your original intention is good." At this point, he changed the subject.

"But this time, there are no officials from the Ministry of Rites accompanying us. The envoys may collude with the Khitan barbarians and do things that are detrimental to the interests of our Tang Dynasty. When you go to court tomorrow, you two adults must take good care of the court and not bring shame to His Majesty or humiliate the court."

Kong Xianwen stroked his beard and smiled confidently, "Don't worry, Your Highness Prince Jin. I will not let those who have ulterior motives and betray the interests of the Tang Dynasty succeed."

Yan Suchen, who was standing by, also quickly stated his position, "I agree with Confucius' words. Selling out the interests of the Tang Dynasty is an unforgivable crime. We must not allow such people to deceive Your Majesty."

Oh?

Drive away Zhang Zifan and weaken His Majesty's influence?

Li Siyuan glanced at him. He didn't expect that this seemingly gentle, elegant, and kind-looking old man would have such thoughts. He nodded and said in a deep voice, "Okay, I will be relieved to have your help. Your Majesty has just ascended the throne and is still in the ascendant. He is not familiar with the government affairs. He still needs the assistance of mature and steady ministers like you to revive the Tang Dynasty and rebuild the world. Your Majesty and I have seen your contributions to the Tang Dynasty."

"The court has its own system, and will not allow anyone to break the rules. I will not let anyone with ulterior motives go, and I will not be stingy with rewards for ministers who are loyal to the Tang Dynasty."

As for who has ulterior motives and who is loyal to the Tang Dynasty, that is a matter of opinion.

······

After dealing with Lu Linxuan, Zhang Zifan found Li Cunyi the next day. He was Li Xingyun's sworn brother and also his fifth uncle. Apart from Lu Linxuan, he was the person he could most easily convince.

Zhang Zifan came to Li Cunyi holding a jar of imperial wine and said, "Fifth Uncle, we agreed to the conditions of the Khitan King in Mobei before. Now that we are back, you have to help me."

As soon as he returned to Luoyang, Li Cunyi couldn't wait to find some wine to drink. After walking for such a long time on the grassland, the wine he brought with him had long been finished. He was not accustomed to the grassland people's milk wine, so he had to hold it in all the way. Last night, he slept in the palace wine cellar and barely satisfied his craving.

Li Cunyi hiccuped with a red nose, "Zifan, this is difficult. For Ji Ruxue, Li Xingyun had to take this path, but now you want him to betray Ji Ruxue. How is this possible?"