Daily Intelligence System: Don't Kill Me, Honey!

"Advise me? Advise me on what?"

Old Hama looked at Chen Jie, and Chen Jie said to him, "Old Lord, I know what you’re thinking in your heart. You believe that driving Tuotuo out of the Capital is a great achievement. But I hope you won’t forget that if Tuotuo can leave the Capital, he can also return."

"Ten years ago, he left the Capital, but didn’t he soon resume his official position, successfully suppressing you, Lord?"

Old Hama heard these words, slightly frowned at Chen Jie, and asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Chen Jie said, "Old Lord, you’re almost seventy years old now, aren’t you?"

Old Hama replied, "Sixty-nine. What do you mean by asking this?"

Chen Jie looked at Old Hama and said, "At sixty-nine, the Old Chancellor seems healthy, but without practicing Martial Arts and being greedy and lustful, this body can barely hold on for ten years. What do you think, Old Lord?"

"People living to seventy is rare indeed. Although I don’t want to die, living another ten years would be quite sufficient."

Chen Jie said, "Then, Old Lord, do you know how old Tuotuo is this year?"

Old Hama replied, "He should be forty-six."

Chen Jie said, "Forty-six, assuming he uses another ten years to return from the remote regions of Yunnan, by then, you’ll be seventy-nine. Even if you use medicines to prolong your life, I imagine your body will not be as strong as it is now, while Tuotuo will be only fifty-six, unlikely to be less vigorous than now."

"When he returns to the Great Capital then, dare I ask, Old Lord, would you still be able to contend with him?"

Old Hama’s face immediately turned ugly; indeed, would I still be his opponent then? Even now, I’m no match for him; this victory was truly due to the right time, place, and people."

Seeing Old Hama’s face turn unpleasant, Chen Jie continued, "Old Lord, you must have already figured out the twists here. And, Old Lord, don’t forget, this time Tuotuo’s exile was entirely your achievement."

"Given Tuotuo’s character, ten years from now, or even using all ten years, when he returns to the Capital, how would he not settle accounts with you, Old Lord?"

"Moreover, given his means, likely not just you, Old Lord, but your entire household would be hard-pressed to escape."

"Can you still laugh now, Old Lord?"

Seeing Old Hama’s face turn quite unpleasant, Chen Jie said, "Old Lord, you didn’t come to say these things just to upset me, did you?"

Chen Jie replied to Old Hama, "What do you mean, Old Lord? We’re in the same boat, I’ve come solely to ease your worries, Old Lord."

Hama looked at Chen Jie and asked, "Ease my worries? How will you ease my worries?"

Chen Jie looked at Old Hama and said, "Old Lord, although Tuotuo is a venomous snake, dealing with him is extraordinarily difficult, but it’s not impossible. After all, this venomous snake has already departed the Great Capital for distant Yunnan, and the road from here to Yunnan is so far, something unexpected might happen. What do you think, Old Lord?"

Upon hearing this, Old Hama said, "You want to take action mid-route to eliminate him?"

Chen Jie looked at Old Hama and said, "Exactly."

Old Hama said, "I’m not a Jianghu person; such things should be done by Jianghu people. Better leave it to you."

Chen Jie shook his head and said, "Old Lord, do you hate Tuotuo?"

Old Hama replied, "Hate him to the core."

Chen Jie said, "Then we can’t handle this matter ourselves, and if we did, it would be hard. After all, as a court Imperial Chancellor relegated to Yunnan, he’ll surely have people protecting him, making action inevitably costly in lives. And killing him like this would be too much of a bargain for him."

Old Hama, hearing this, looked at Chen Jie and asked, "Then what do you want to do?"

Chen Jie replied, eyeing Old Hama, "I don’t have any particular ideas, but just a small suggestion: let’s kill him and destroy him emotionally."

"Kill him, and destroy him emotionally?"

"Killing is simple, how to destroy him emotionally?"

Old Hama looked at Chen Jie and asked, Chen Jie replied, "Destroying him emotionally is also simple, let him die with hope, making him despair to destroy him emotionally."

Old Hama frowned on hearing these words, then looked at Chen Jie and asked, "Let him die with hope, how to let him die with hope?"

Old Hama curiously looked at Chen Jie; Chen Jie’s face slightly curved as he spoke, "It’s rather simple, Old Lord, what do you say Tuotuo’s hope is?"

Old Hama thought for a moment and said, "Tuotuo’s hope is undoubtedly for the court to reinstate him, for the Emperor to recall him to the Capital."

Chen Jie said, "Then let’s have the Emperor kill him!"

Old Hama said, "This, this is impossible, the Emperor greatly favors Tuotuo. For such a major affair now, he didn’t take his life; how could we persuade the Emperor to take his life now!"

Chen Jie said upon hearing this, "Since the Emperor won’t issue a decree, why not have the Old Lord issue it for him?"

"Me?"

Chen Jie said, "Yes, exactly you, Old Lord. Issue a Holy Decree that compels Tuotuo to end his own life, and as for the rest, I’ll handle it."

"This!"

Upon hearing this, Old Hama suddenly looked at Chen Jie, while Chen Jie looked calmly at Old Hama, his eyes carrying a playful hint as he said, "Old Lord, this is indeed a perfect opportunity for revenge, you wouldn’t disagree, would you!"

Old Hama took a deep breath and said, "Chen, Chen Shaohua, why, why do you need to do this?"

Chen Jie said, "To ensure more security, Old Lord. We’re in the same boat, but we’re not tied too tightly. After some time, I’m afraid you might not consider me a friend anymore. So it’s best we have a little secret in common."

Old Hama looked at Chen Jie and said, "Is it necessary to go this far?"