A treacherous minister's self-cultivation: If I can't understand it, there must be a deeper meaning!

Chaoge City.

Fei Zhong's residence.

The mansion was brightly lit, and two figures sat facing each other in the hall; they were Fei Zhong and You Hun, both high-ranking officials of the court.

Exquisite food and wine were laid out on the table, but no one touched them.

Fei Zhong picked up the bronze wine cup, filled it to the brim for You Hun, and then slowly began to speak.

"Doctor You, tell me, what was the King's intention in doing those things at the Empress Wa's Palace that day?"

He couldn't understand this matter at all.

The King has reigned for seven years and has always been wise and powerful, diligent in his duties, and by no means a reckless or muddle-headed ruler.

How could someone do something so reckless?

This is extremely unusual.

You Hun took a sip of wine, narrowed his eyes, and looked confident.

He put down his wine cup and slowly began to speak.

"Doctor Fei, in my opinion, this matter may not be as complicated as it seems."

Fei Zhong immediately perked up.

"Oh? How so?"

You Hun had an inscrutable expression.

"Doctor Fei, in my opinion, does His the King wish to take a concubine?"

Fei Zhong pondered for a moment, a glint of light flashing in his eyes as his thoughts raced, connecting various events from the past.

"That's actually quite possible!"

"Your the King currently has only one queen and one concubine in your harem."

"Queen Jiang is the daughter of Marquis of Dong, Jiang Huanchu, and the head of the Four Great Vassal Lords. The power behind her is deeply entrenched."

"Consort Huang is the younger sister of General of Wucheng, Huang Feihu. The Huang family has been loyal and virtuous for generations, and enjoys high prestige in the army."

"These two were both carefully selected by the late the King during his lifetime, with the aim of consolidating Your the King's position and winning over important ministers and local lords."

Once Fei Zhong starts talking, he can't stop.

"When the late king was alive, he controlled Your the King very strictly, practically grooming you as a future sage ruler, never leaving your side for a moment."

"If these two hadn't been so helpful in Your the King's control of the Great Shang Dynasty, given the late King's temperament, he probably wouldn't have allowed Your the King to be involved with women so early."

This was a fact known to everyone in the court, both civil and military.

The late Di Yi Zi Shou, Shou, to the point of being almost harsh.

"Now, Your the King has been on the throne for seven years, and your position is as secure as a mountain, with the Four Seas submitting to you."

Now that the country is secure, people's minds... naturally become more flexible.

Fei Zhong thought about it more and more and it seemed reasonable, and his thinking became clearer and clearer.

"Otherwise, it's truly inexplicable why the King would compose a poem inside the Empress Wa's Palace."

"To put it bluntly, what's in the Empress Wa's Palace is nothing more than a clay or wooden sculpture."

"No matter how exquisitely carved, how beautiful can it be?"

How could you possibly make the King have such thoughts?

"This is clearly using this as an excuse to send a signal to us, their subjects!"

You Hun's face showed approval, indicating that the boy was teachable.

"Doctor Fei and I are thinking the same thing."

"Your the King is the Human Emperor, possessing the Nine Provinces and holding a noble status. You can't very well say, 'I wish to take a concubine,' can you?"

"Wouldn't that seem a bit... womanizing?"

"That's why he used this subtle method to remind us, his close friends!"

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing excitement in each other's eyes.

Have a look!

What is the art of ruling a kingdom?

Even wanting to take a concubine requires such a roundabout way of expressing one's desire while preserving face.

High!

That's brilliant!

And the fact that these two could see through the emperor's thoughts was an extraordinary skill!

Since the King has this need, hasn't this been their opportunity?

For these favored ministers who rose to power through flattery and understanding the emperor's intentions, the King's desires were the ladder to their advancement.

As long as the King is kept comfortable, what need is there for wealth and glory?

You Hun leaned closer and lowered his voice.

"Now that Your the King has this idea, we, as the King subjects, should naturally share your burdens and solve your problems."

"We should act immediately to select some stunning beauties for the King to enrich his harem."

Fei Zhong's heart skipped a beat; this was exactly what he had been thinking.

"Does Doctor You have any suitable candidates?"

You Hun revealed a mysterious smile, clearly having been prepared all along.

"I have heard that Marquis of Jizhou, Su Hu has a daughter named Su Daji."

"It is said that this woman possesses a beauty that could topple kingdoms and cities, a captivating and alluring charm that bewitches the soul; she is a rare and unparalleled beauty in the world."

"If we could present this woman to the King, we would surely win the King favor, and the credit for both of us would be immense!"

Fei Zhong was deeply moved by what he heard.

If Su Daji is truly a stunning beauty, You Hun claims, then this is indeed a profitable deal.

But soon, he encountered another problem and frowned.

"Su Hu?"

"This man is a regional lord, of considerable status."

"If we wish for his daughter to enter the palace as a concubine, I'm afraid only a decree from His the King himself would suffice."

If Su Daji were of ordinary status, and the two of them had found her and personally presented her to the King, their achievement would have been immense.

But now the other party is the daughter of a feudal lord, and it must be done by the King's decree.

In this way, at most they can only gain the credit of a recommendation.

Although there was merit, it fell far short of expectations.

But it's better than nothing.

"It seems we can only report this matter to His the King and let the King decide."

Upon hearing You Hun, You Hun shook his head.

"Doctor Fei, this is absolutely unacceptable."

Fei Zhong looked at him, puzzled.

Why?

You Hun gave him a look that said, "You're still too young."

"If Your the King were to personally issue an edict to summon the daughter of a vassal lord to the palace, and such a thing were to spread, wouldn't it make it seem as if the King of the Great Shang Dynasty is obsessed with women and forcibly takes a subject's daughter?"

"How can we, as your subjects, allow Your the King to bear such a tarnished reputation!"

"This is not the behavior of a loyal minister!"

You Hun's words were righteous and indignant.

Fei Zhong nodded repeatedly, his admiration for You Hun deepening even further.

High!

That's brilliant!

He was only thinking about how to claim credit, while Doctor You had already thought about how to protect the King's reputation.

This is on a completely different level.

What they need to do is flatter the King and consolidate his favor, not tarnish his reputation.

If this displeases the King, then it would be a great loss.

"In your opinion, Doctor You, what should be done about this?"

A confident smile appeared on You Hun's face; this was the essence of his entire plan.

"Doctor Fei, have you forgotten what day it will be in a while?"

Fei Zhong thought for a moment.

"The day when all the feudal lords come to Chaoge to pay homage."

"That's right!" You Hun affirmed.

"At that time, Marquis of Jizhou, Su Hu will surely come."

"The two of us should take this opportunity to 'persuade' that Su Hu."

"Let him... personally present his daughter to the palace as the King's consort!"

"In that case, the nature of the matter is completely different!"

"This is no longer a case of Your the King forcibly taking a subject's daughter, but rather the feudal lords' gratitude for Your the King's kindness and admiration for Your the King prowess."

"I am willing to offer my own daughter to the palace as a concubine!"

"This will not only not damage Your the King's reputation, but will greatly enhance Your the King's virtue."

"Let the whole world know how popular my Great Shang Dynasty Human Emperor is!"

"At that time, all the people of the world will praise Your the King's wisdom and martial prowess."

Even the daughter of the Marquis of Ji Province admired him and was willing to enter the palace as a concubine to serve him.

Fei Zhong's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

High!

That's brilliant!

This is what a treacherous minister does... no, this is what a capable minister should do!

In this way, the King gained both a beautiful woman and a good reputation.

And those two accomplished such a tremendous feat; wouldn't their contribution be even greater?

But then he thought about it again and felt it wasn't a good idea.

Will this work?

"That Su Hu is also a regional lord, known for his fierce and unyielding character. What should we do if he disagrees?"

You Hun chuckled and filled Fei Zhong's cup with wine.

"Doctor Fei, we have to try to know if it will work."

"Whether he agrees or not depends on our methods."

"If kind words don't work, we can give him a gentle reminder so he understands that you can't fight city hall."

"Whether it's coercion or bribery, we have to find a way to get him to agree."

"Does a mere warlord guarding Ji Province dare to oppose us?"

"If he remains obstinate in the end, we will report this matter to His the King and let the King decide for himself."

You Hun raised his wine cup and offered a distant toast to Fei Zhong.

"However, we cannot skip any of the steps we are required to take."

"After all, 'we did it, but failed' and 'we didn't do it at all' are two different things."

"The former shows that we did our best, but that Su Hu didn't appreciate it."

"The latter shows that we haven't taken His the King's thoughts to heart at all!"

"We must make our stance clear and let the King know that we always keep his needs in mind."

"This is the very foundation of our role as subjects."

Upon hearing this, Fei Zhong suddenly understood.

Yes!

As long as they do it and try their best, even if they fail in the end, the King will only see their loyalty and will not blame them.

It would be truly foolish to not even dare to try.

"Doctor You is brilliant!"

Fei Zhong had no more doubts.

"Then let's do as Doctor You says!"

"Once Su Hu arrives in Chaoge, the two of us will go and meet him, and have a good talk with him!"

You Hun raised his wine cup and clinked it with Fei Zhong's.

"Doctor Fei, I wish us every success!"

Fei Zhong drank it all in one gulp and laughed heartily.

"Hahaha, the King! Congratulations to us all!"

The two exchanged a smile, everything understood without a word.

For the King's happiness, and for their own wealth and glory.

They've decided to see this Marquis of Jizhou, Su Hu, for sure!

Su Daji must also enter the palace!

And at this very moment.

Inside the Marquis of Jizhou's Manor, a thousand miles away.

Su Hu, who was reading military books by lamplight, suddenly shivered without warning.

He looked up, somewhat puzzled, at the pitch-black night outside the window.

A strange chill crept up my spine.

It was as if an invisible net was being cast down from the distant Chaoge City, slowly but irresistibly enveloping Ji Province.

Su Hu put down the military treatise, his brow furrowed.

"Strangeness..."

Why is there always a sense of unease in my heart?