PFC Chapter 242 The best strategy is to outwit your opponent; other people are hell!
Chapter 242 The best strategy is to outwit your opponent; other people are hell!
"The twenty-three border cities that have been occupied from Dayu over the years will be returned to them in their original state, and fifty rich cities in the northern part of Daliang will be ceded as compensation for this offense and past crimes."
"If even one city remains unclaimed, or even an inch of land is denied..."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the trembling backs of the crowd like icy shards, and said:
"I will consider the Liang Kingdom to have severed itself from Heaven. At that time, what I seek will not be cities, but your Liang clan's ancestral temple and the vast land!"
These words were like shards of ice, chilling Lu Cong and the others to the bone, making their hearts sink to the bottom.
Returning Prince Rui and his wife is easy enough.
But the last two—
Should we hand over the crown prince?
And they want to cede fifty wealthy cities in one fell swoop?!
This is practically tearing the Liang Dynasty apart and bleeding the royal family dry!
You must understand that the Crown Prince is Emperor Liang's most favored heir; to harm him is tantamount to shaking the foundation of the nation.
These fifty cities represent almost a quarter of the fertile land of the Liang Dynasty, the foundation of countless powerful families!
How could His Majesty possibly agree to that?
How could those deeply entrenched forces sit idly by?!
At this moment, Lu Cong finally woke up. Upon hearing the terms, he straightened up, his blood rushed to his head, and he almost fainted again.
"Your Majesty...Your Majesty, please allow me to speak..."
His voice was dry and trembling, and he still tried to struggle: "These conditions... are really too much... Could you allow us to go back and discuss this..."
"I am not discussing this with you!"
Li Wudao interrupted directly, his voice resolute and leaving no room for negotiation, "This is an order. Obey it, and the Liang Dynasty will still exist. If you don't obey... then let's change the name of the country."
As the last word was uttered, the charcoal fire in the bronze incense burner at the corner of the hall crackled and sparked.
"...Yes...this humble subject...understands."
Lu Cong's last hope was extinguished, and he completely collapsed.
All the civil and military officials in the hall watched this scene, and all the pent-up anger in their chests was released.
Not long ago, this Liang Dynasty prince acted arrogantly here, forcing the "former emperor" Li Jing to bow his head and polish his shoes, leaving the entire court officials feeling ashamed and indignant.
Now, the situation is reversed, and the roles are switched.
Watching the arrogant Prince Liang tremble before their new emperor, like a stray dog, bowing and scraping to the dust...
What a wonderful feeling it is to feel triumphant and triumphant!
"Got it? Now get lost!"
Li Wudao waved his hand indifferently, as if shooing away mosquitoes and flies.
Lu Cong and the others felt as if they had been granted a pardon. They scrambled and staggered as they fled from the palace, their backs showing a disheveled state, completely devoid of the imposing manner they had displayed upon arrival.
"Remember, the fate of the Liang Dynasty rests entirely in your hands."
Li Wudao's icy voice was like a death warrant.
This caused Lu Cong to suddenly stop, his face turning even paler, and he sped away without looking back.
After the Liang Dynasty delegation disappeared outside the palace.
Shen Ming couldn't contain himself and stepped forward, his brows furrowed with confusion and worry: "Since Senior Brother has already grasped the overall situation, why not directly send troops to Liang?"
"Given your status, you could easily reach the capital of the Great Liang Dynasty in half a day using the Xuan Tian Sect's flying boat. Why bother dealing with them? With such harsh conditions, the Liang Emperor might resort to desperate measures..."
Shen Huaimin stroked his beard and pondered, while several senior officials nodded slightly.
Pressuring too hard is certainly not the best approach.
"hehe--"
Upon hearing this, Li Wudao smiled, a faint smile, yet his eyes seemed to sparkle like a river of stars.
"The best strategy is to attack the enemy's plans; the next best is to disrupt their alliances; the next best is to attack their army; and the worst is to besiege their cities..."
He lightly tapped the armrest of the dragon throne with his fingertips, his voice echoing in the hall: "The skillful strategist subdues the enemy without fighting."
"Destroying Liang is easy, but the Great Yu is now riddled with problems and cannot withstand the ravages of war. The Xuantian Sect is my support, but not my crutch, and I cannot rely on it for everything."
His gaze swept over the crowd, and he slowly said, "Moreover, what I want is not for Liang to bow down temporarily, but for it to rot completely from the inside out."
"Hand over the crown prince? Cede fifty cities? When this knife falls, it won't just hurt one person."
Upon hearing this, the senior officials, led by Shen Huaimin, had a look of understanding in their eyes. They muttered those key points of military strategy to themselves, their expressions excited, as if they had found a treasure.
They have fought on the battlefield for many years and pride themselves on their deep knowledge of military strategy and tactics, yet they are no match for a young boy. It is truly shameful.
"How many people has the Crown Prince of Liang blocked in his path over the years? Are the other princes and members of the imperial family really willing to submit?"
Li Wudao continued speaking, a knowing smile playing on his lips:
"The powerful families that lost their cities felt the pain, but what about those who weren't? What they saw were vacant positions of power, and opportunities to rise to prominence..."
He paused, a chilling insight into human nature creeping into his voice: "When the executioner's blade is hanging over their heads, people's first thought is never about sharing the burden, but about how to push those around them out to take the blow."
"The emperor wants to protect the crown prince, but others want to protect their own wealth and lives."
The hall was silent, with only the sound of water dripping from the water clock.
Shen Ming was stunned, then a realization dawned on his eyes: "Senior brother wants to... make them fight amongst themselves?"
“Exactly.” Li Wudao gave him an approving look, then stood with his hands behind his back.
"The imperial court is never a monolithic entity. There have long been resentful people about the position of Crown Prince of Liang. Now that this knife has been handed over, naturally some will rush to grasp the hilt."
After saying that, his eyes showed a hint of reminiscence, recalling the power struggles he had witnessed in the financial battlefield in his previous life.
Those so-called "partners" who would betray their colleagues at any time for personal gain are well aware of this.
As the saying goes, "Hell is other people."
The deepest malice often comes from those closest to you when you threaten someone's survival or interests.
Li Nanzhi blinked, still wondering, "But what if Emperor Liang is determined to protect the Crown Prince..."
"Then he will have to face the alienation of the entire court." Li Wudao's tone was resolute: "Know that the easiest city to breach in this world always collapses from within."
"The powerful clans will not sacrifice their entire lineage for the Crown Prince's mistake, and the other princes will certainly not let go of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If the Emperor insists on going his own way—"
He paused, then said, word by word, "That would be cutting oneself off from one's subjects, leading to the faster demise of the country."
The entire hall of civil and military officials held their breath.
Immediately, low gasps of amazement spread like a tide.
"Your Majesty is wise! This is a strategy to destroy their spirit!"
"Let the Liang people kill each other, and we'll reap the benefits..."
Shen Huaimin bowed deeply, his white beard trembling slightly: "This old minister...only today does he understand what 'the best strategy is to subdue the enemy without fighting' means. I have learned a great deal."
Li Wudao had already turned to look at the vast sky outside the hall, his last words as soft as a sigh:
"Human nature is like this, and so is the fate of a nation."
.......
The palace path was deep and secluded, with the bluestone slabs reflecting the pale light of the sky.
The Liang Dynasty delegation staggered forward, their official robes covered in dust.
"Your Highness, is this truly how you intend to report back?" The deputy envoy's voice trembled. "His Highness the Crown Prince is His Majesty's Achilles' heel..."
"Fifty cities... the imperial court is likely to be overturned!"
Lu Cong suddenly stopped.
He stared blankly at the palace gate ahead—
The massive iron gate, weighing tens of thousands of pounds, had a terrifying fist-shaped indentation in the middle, and the broken hinge looked as if it had been torn apart by a giant beast.
From the palace gate to the Golden Palace, the cracks in the bluestone are stained with an indelible dark red.
Further away, palace servants were carrying water to wash the stone steps, and the bloody water formed a shallow stream that flowed into the white jade trough.
All thoughts of "returning to the capital to negotiate" vanished completely at that moment.
Lu Cong looked ashen-faced, finally understanding.
This is not a negotiation.
Rather, it is a decree issued by the powerful to the defeated.
Lu Cong closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, all that remained in them was despair: "Go back... and report the truth."
He glanced one last time at the broken palace gates, his voice so soft it dissipated in the wind:
"At least for now, you and I can still stand and walk out of this door... If we hesitate any longer, the next thing to be smashed will be the palace gates of our Great Liang."
Everyone followed his gaze and shivered in unison.
No one uttered a sound. They lowered their heads and quickened their pace, rushing out of the broken palace gate as if fleeing.