Shen Gongbao's Reflections

"What I mean," Lin Chuan said with a smile, "is to give him a little hope, just enough to make him think he can keep climbing the ranks!"

"Then use a few methods to make sure his official rank stays stuck at Lower Grand Master forever!"

"Remember, a Lower Grand Master has no right to make his voice heard before the throne!"

"So no matter what he tries to show off, as long as you're there to use your connections and influence to keep him under wraps, Jiang Ziya will never get back on his feet!"

"And the most important thing is that, no matter what, you mustn't let Jiang Ziya leave Chaoge. Don't give him any chance to meet King Zhou, either!"

"Of course, if he really does find a way to meet King Zhou, you'll have to come up with a suitable response. Do your best to make King Zhou lose faith in Jiang Ziya's abilities!"

"I don't think that should be too difficult for someone as clever as you, right?"

Lin Chuan asked.

"Exactly. We just have to keep him down without letting him go. With my position as Imperial Advisor, keeping a mere Lower Grand Master wrapped around my little finger will be no trouble at all!"

"As long as I keep him from meeting King Zhou—or find a way to make him fail miserably in front of the king—then, over time, even if he really does have some talent he wants to show off, everyone will stop taking him seriously. Then Jiang Ziya will be finished!"

"What a vicious scheme!"

Shen Gongbao's eyes shifted as he thought to himself.

"But it really is a good scheme!"

"As long as I can keep Jiang Ziya down, I don't care about anything else!"

Shen Gongbao thought, his