The Prince was taken aback, then slapped the table. "Good move! The Second Prince definitely didn't expect you to respond like this."
"He originally wanted to make you a target for everyone, letting others deal with you. But you pulled him in as a shield instead. Still, if you're doing this, you'll have to spread the news first and make it convincing. You can't let anyone see through it."
Lin Taichu said, "That's easy. Tomorrow, I'll take a stroll through the streets and find a few vendors I met during the Martial Arts Tournament. I'll 'accidentally' let slip that the Second Prince recruited me and that I accepted."
"Those vendors spread news faster than anyone. Within a day, the whole city will know."
Wang Yue was somewhat worried. "If the Second Prince finds out, won't he get angry? What if he turns around and targets you?"
Lin Taichu smiled. "It'll be better if he gets angry. The angrier he is, the easier it'll be for him to lose his composure."
"Besides, he still wants to win over the Prince. Even if he knows I did it deliberately, he won't dare do anything to me openly. Otherwise, if word gets out, people will say he can't tolerate his own people. Who would dare join him after that?"
The prince nodded. "Taichu is right. What the Second Prince values most is his reputation and influence. He won't fall out with you over something like this. But you must be careful. He'll definitely test you in secret to see whether you've truly joined him."
Lin Taichu said, "I know. When the time comes, I'll play it vague with him. I'll neither admit nor deny anything, leaving him unable to read my intentions."
Early the next morning, Lin Taichu did not go to the