Chapter 400: A Rabbit that Bites Others
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Yu Youyao changed the topic. “Cousin, you don’t have to do it personally. The cooperating officials will support them so that they have enough capital to fight the clans and sow discord among the clans. Then, Cousin will exert pressure on Li Qiguang from the outside and break up the alliance of the clans from the inside out. The clans all have ulterior motives and look united, but they’re not. It’s impossible for them to be on the same side as Li Qiguang. At that time, they’ll be in a state of disunity. What’s there for Li Qiguang to fear? If Li Qiguang dies, no matter how powerful the clan is, they won’t be able to do anything. This chaos can be calmed.”
Zhou Linghuai nodded. “That’s right!”
Yu Youyao looked at her cousin and sighed. “Cousin, how did you develop your brain?”
Before he could calm the chaos in Shandong, the situation in Shandong was already in his hands.
She could almost foresee Li Qiguang’s defeat.
It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the wall was reduced to ashes with a smile!
Zhou Linghuai had never thought about this question carefully, but he had never been perfunctory with the little girl’s questions. Hence, he thought about it seriously for a moment and said pertinently, “Probably born with it?!” Yu Youyao was speechless.
Zhou Linghuai clenched his fists and chuckled. “Are you relieved now?”
Yu Youyao pouted. Thinking of how she had lost her temper at her cousin just now because of anxiety, uneasiness, and worry, she couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed.
It turned out that she was the one who was really stupid!
The situation in Shandong was all under her cousin’s control. When Shandong achieved great success and her cousin returned to the capital to quell the rebellion of King You, not only would it be more logical and legitimate, but her cousin would also inherit the title of King You. He would naturally take over the 300,000 troops in Youzhou and openly take back everything that belonged to him.
Not only that, but his cousin had contributed to the suppression of the rebellion. The emperor would also reward him handsomely, and the power in his hands would be even greater than before.
Her cousin’s reputation and prestige would also spread throughout the Great Zhou.
Yu Youyao patted her forehead and thought of how silly she had been just now. “Cousin, I was just worried about Cousin’s health… so don’t…”
Although she knew that all of this had been planned by her cousin, she was a little worried when she thought of how weak he was.
Zhou Linghuai smiled. “No, I think Cousin is very cute.”
Her eyes were red, like a rabbit that wanted to bite someone.
Yu Youyao’s face turned red from the praise, and her eyes wandered. Then, she rolled her eyes and smiled. “Cousin, is this considered leaking a military opportunity?”
Zhou Linghuai’s expression paused for a moment. “Yes!”
Yu Youyao quickly asked, “Then, as the commander, what punishment should you get?”
Zhou Linghuai said, “Depending on the severity of the matter, the lightest punishment will be a hundred strokes of the military paddle and a warning. The heaviest punishment will be to take over his position as the main general and listen to Marquis’s punishment. If it’s more serious, one will be beheaded..
Yu Youyao’s scalp went numb when she heard this. She quickly interrupted him. “Uh, then I’ll punish Cousin. You have to eat well, sleep well, and take good care of your body. When Cousin returns to the court, I want to see a safe and unharmed cousin, okay?”
The little girl squatted in front of him and looked up at him. She knew that he was confident of winning, but her eyes were filled with worry for him. Looking up was a very subtle posture. As she stretched her neck and raised her head, all the emotions on her face were visible.
His wheelchair was about the same height as the little girl’s. Moreover, the wheelchair could be raised and lowered. The little girl did not have to sit or squat and look up at him every time she spoke to him.
He had indeed adjusted the wheelchair to the same height as the little girl.
However, the little girl’s habits could not be changed.
Later on, he realized that the young lady had never cared about height.
Just that he was sitting.
When interacting with others on an equal footing, it was never about heights but mentality.
Talking to a sitting person while standing was equivalent to being a superior to a subordinate. It did not conform to the etiquette of interacting equally, nor did it conform to the principle of mutual respect. Zhou Linghuai chuckled. “When the time comes, bring Uncle Sun along.” As long as it was what she wanted, he could do it.
Yu Youyao finally smiled. She leaned closer to her cousin and held his arm.
“Cousin, when will the army set off? Do we need to prepare anything else?”
Zhou Linghuai smiled. “The Ministry of War is preparing the rations. At that time, the transportation team will set off first. In ten days, after worshiping the heavens and counting the troops at the drill ground of the capital camp, I will lead the troops to quell the rebellion. The emperor will send imperial physicians and eunuchs to accompany me and take care of my food and daily needs. There’s no need to prepare anything.”
Yu Youyao nodded. “In that case, there are still ten days. I have to go back and carefully prepare some useful things for Cousin. The imperial physicians and eunuchs definitely won’t prepare anything meticulously.”
“Thank you, Cousin.” Thinking that he wouldn’t see her for at least a month or two, Zhou Linghuai let her prepare some.
She was right. Anything that came from her was indeed more meticulous than anything else.
The court officials stayed in the palace to discuss all the matters of suppressing the rebellion.
Li Qiguang of Shandong had allied with the local clans to launch a large-scale rebellion by claiming that the emperor was insensible and harmed loyal and kind people. The emperor wanted to send troops to quell the rebellion. However, the Marquis of Ningyuan, who had always been deeply indebted to the emperor, actually excused himself from quelling the rebellion with the excuse that he had leg problems and could not lead troops.
The emperor was furious, but no one in the court was willing to step forward and lead the troops.
Only the heir of King You, Yin Huaixi, invited his troops to calm the chaos with his weak crown, crippled legs, and weak body.
The emperor pitied Young Master Yin’s illness and refused to agree.
Young Master Yin was young and weak. His body was disabled but his mind was not crippled. He was sick and benevolent.
He had made it clear in the court that his father, King You, had been a hero for a lifetime. Although he had died, he had no regrets in the world. In the royal court, a thief that stole the crown in Shandong actually used the name of his father, King You, to carry out a rebellion. The act of rebellion was equivalent to King You being disloyal, unrighteous, and heartless. As his son, he should quell the rebellion and return his father’s clean name. The commoners would be less resentful and he would raise the prestige of Great Zhou.
There was an uproar in the capital.
For a moment, there were various opinions, and the entire capital was in an uproar.
There were people who praised King You for his outstanding military achievements.
“A man should hold a three-feet-long sword and make extraordinary contributions. If he doesn’t follow his ambition today, how can he die? Well said. As expected, a tiger father doesn’t have a dog son. The heir is weak in age and his body is disabled but his mind isn’t crippled. He’s sick and benevolent.
He’s really a hero…’
“The heir has the demeanor of his father. I heard that three years ago, the Di people invaded wantonly. The twelve-year-old heir fought against the Di people with King You and saved Youzhou. How can a mere bandit from Shandong compare to the Di people…”
“Back then, Mr. Xian Yun traveled to Youzhou and set up a precious chess game in the city for half a month, but no one could crack it. In the end, it was Heir Yin who cracked this situation. It’s obvious that he’s talented in military strategy.. What’s there to be afraid of a mere thief…’