Chapter 2021 - 476: Tuotuo: Ruyang King, You’re Lucky to Have Such a Good Son-in-law!
Hearing this, the Emperor looked at Ruyang King and said, "Alas~ what a pity, what a sigh, if the Commandery Princess is truly rescued, don’t blame her, I won’t blame her!"
Hearing this, Ruyang King was taken aback and looked at the Emperor in surprise.
The Emperor said, "I am not the type to force things. If you see that rebel, tell him I don’t blame him either. Not only do I not blame him, but I also want to reward him. If he and the Commandery Princess are truly in love, I am willing to grant them marriage. If he can perform feats beneficial to the nation, like restoring several state mansions of mine in Hubei, I will even ennoble him."
"Brother Wang, do you think my ideas can move that rebel?"
Ruyang King looked into the Emperor’s seemingly intoxicated eyes and felt an inexplicable sensation. It was as though the Emperor wasn’t drunk at all, and his words were a veiled warning to himself, implying that he might already be aware of Chen Jiusi’s existence.
Even though the Emperor might know, Ruyang King didn’t dare to respond rashly. He could only say, "Your Majesty, isn’t this too lenient towards that rebel?"
Upon hearing this, the Emperor said, "Lenient, perhaps not. After all, young people are full of vitality and talent. As the saying goes, ’In every generation, a great talent emerges, commanding admiration for hundreds of years.’"
"Brother Wang, you must accept it. If that rebel truly changes his ways, Daqian will gain a formidable general, and wouldn’t you gain a virtuous son-in-law? Are there still such good things in the world? Think about it, just think."
The Emperor patted Ruyang King’s shoulder, then lifted his wine cup and said, "Brother Wang, drink, stay at the palace tonight. I can’t handle much wine and will go rest for a while."
After hearing this, Ruyang King looked at the Emperor and said, "Yes."
Having said that, the Emperor swayed and left, leaving Ruyang King there in a daze, wondering if the Emperor truly knew everything.
As the Emperor turned past Yanyan Hall, he spotted the Living Buddha sitting there. The Emperor saluted him and said, "Master."
The Living Buddha has been the mentor of every Emperor, except for the first Grand Ancestor Emperor.
At this moment, the Living Buddha looked at the Emperor and said, "Did you speak with Ruyang King?"
The Emperor said, "I told him everything, yet I don’t understand why we must recruit that rebel!"
As he spoke, the Emperor gnashed his teeth, wishing he could slaughter Chen Jiusi immediately. Recruit him, grant him marriage, ennoble him—yet the Emperor wished to cut him a thousand times, but the Living Buddha didn’t allow it.
The Living Buddha looked at him and said, "Killing is easy, using someone is difficult. That Chen Jiusi is a talent, and if used well, he could prolong Daqian’s life for decades."
"But, Master, he took my Empress!"
"What is more important, territory or a woman?"
After hearing these words, the Emperor remained silent for a long time and said, "Naturally, the country is more important."
"Then is there anything more you want to say? Speaking of the Emperor’s tactics, if Chen Jiusi truly changes sides and serves Daqian, once he pacifies the realm and the world is stable, you may yet have your revenge!"
Hearing this, the Emperor’s face lit up with a smile and said, "Unload the donkey after milling."
The Living Buddha frowned and said, "These are the Emperor’s tactics, not ’Unloading the donkey after milling’!"
The Emperor, hearing this, said, "But what if Chen Jiusi refuses to join the court?"
The Living Buddha said, "Have you persuaded Cha Han?"
The Emperor said, "I should have persuaded him."
The Living Buddha said, "Then you can sow discord among them, preventing Jiangnan from joining together. That itself is the best strategy."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor understood and looked at the Living Buddha, saying, "Master, why make things so complicated? Couldn’t you simply go to Jiangnan and kill all those rebels yourself, wouldn’t that work?"
Hearing this, the Living Buddha’s eyes turned toward the Southwest, toward Wudang Mountain, and said, "I have an agreement with that person; I will not leave the Great Capital, and he will not leave Wudang Mountain!"