Xiao He, the king of schemes, had a simple idea—one as underhanded as the man himself.
Northern Qi, Western Chu, and Southern Jin formed a three-way horn formation. Thanks to the stability of a triangle, a delicate balance had been maintained among the three states.
To break that balance, one only needed to weaken one side or strengthen another. Then the weak would band together while the strong stood alone, and the landscape of the realm would naturally be rewritten.
Whether Western Chu had grown stronger was hard to say, but Southern Jin had certainly been weakened. Xiang Yuan's trip to Shangyuan was meant to support the new emperor while, along the way, having a little talk with the six Noble Families and winning over their hearts.
As for how to win hearts, the Overlord had his own heartfelt methods. Xiao He would not go into them here.
To Southern Jin, they would say that the Overlord of Western Chu was a Liu Clan kinsman and so close to the Northern Qi emperor that they wore the same pair of trousers. The Overlord's support for Xiao Yan's ascension had, in truth, been secretly instructed by Liu Che.
White Cloud Manor had previously spread this rumor far and wide until everyone knew of it. Even now, quite a few people in Western Chu believed it to be true.
Xiang Yuan would not need to say much. Just mentioning it would be enough for Southern Jin to believe it.
Ah Jin, Northern Qi and Western Chu have already teamed up. Guess who never got an invitation?
To Northern Qi, they would say that after the Overlord returned with his feathers clipped, he intended to support a new emperor in Southern Jin. The two nations would sign a non-aggression pact, joining forces as