Ma Xiyue heard Zhu Youning mention his father and immediately wore a very strange expression.
Zhu Youning continued, "Your father wants to imitate the Zhuge family from the Three Kingdoms era. That may be good for him, but it has made things hard for you brothers. His title of King of Chu was bestowed by His Majesty, yet he has secretly colluded with Jin."
Hearing this, Ma Xiyue's heart lurched. The good mood he'd been in after playing polo vanished without a trace.
Zhu Youning's words were razor-sharp, making Ma Xiyue's heart clench. All he felt now was shock and fear. How had Zhu Youning learned that his father, Ma Yin, had been to Taiyuan?
Of course, he couldn't possibly know that Zhu Youning was a transmigrator who had observed many things from an all-seeing perspective.
Unable to guess where Zhu Youning had gotten his information, Ma Xiyue could only hope that he was bluffing. He smiled and said, "Your Highness must be joking. How could Chu possibly collude with Jin?"
Zhu Youning glanced at him and spoke as if reciting a familiar list. "As far as I know, Ma Xisheng spent a long time in Taiyuan. He was even as close as a brother to Zhang Zifan, the young master of Tongwen Hall. Isn't that right?"
"This..." Cold sweat poured down Ma Xiyue's face. He wanted to say something, but couldn't find the words.
Fortunately, Zhu Youning's tone softened. He didn't sound as though he were accusing Ma Xiyue; he simply said, "Your father is hedging his bets. In the struggle between Liang and Jin, if Liang wins, you'll become king; if Jin wins, your younger brother will. But I suspect the King of Chu favors your younger brother, Ma Xisheng."
Ma Xiyue immediately objected. "My naive, playful second brother? How could he ever get anything done? First, he can't ride or fight. Second, he knows nothing of military strategy. Third, he can't handle government affairs. Fourth, he has no idea how to balance competing interests..."
"Young Master, it seems you've missed the point." Zhu Youning gave a cold laugh. "Who becomes the next King of Chu comes down to one word from the Old King of Chu, doesn't it?"
Ma Xiyue fell silent.
"What's more, your father's collusion with Jin is ironclad proof. Fortunately, His Majesty hasn't learned of it yet. If he does, a bloody conflict will be unavoidable." Zhu Youning spoke with complete confidence. "Between Liang and Chu, which is stronger? Do you understand now?"
Ma Xiyue knew perfectly well which was stronger. He immediately bowed. "I beg Your Highness to show me the way."
A faint smile appeared on Zhu Youning's face. "Your father was the one who decided to collude with Jin. What does that have to do with you, Young Master? You'd be better off taking power yourself and making peace with Liang. If the two states make peace, there'll be no need to draw swords."
"What does Prince An mean?"
At Zhu Youning's words, Ma Xiyue's face changed in an instant.
The idea was simply too mad.
Zhu Youning was clearly telling him to follow the example of Emperor Taizong of Tang and the Xuanwu Gate Incident.
That would be a betrayal of both loyalty and filial piety!
Seeing that Ma Xiyue was still hesitating, Zhu Youning piled on, "Xiyue, I can say with certainty that you're not the heir in the Old King of Chu's heart. You need to understand that."
Zhu Youning continued to press him. "Think about it. If the Old King of Chu considered you his heir, would he have sent you as an envoy all the way to Bian Prefecture? He knows what His Majesty is like. He must know that coming to Bian Prefecture puts your life in danger!"
Ma Xiyue's face darkened.
What Zhu Youning said made sense.
His father, Ma Yin, truly did favor his second younger brother, Ma Xisheng. From childhood onward, no matter what Ma Xisheng did, Ma Yin would say he was right, while anything Ma Xiyue did earned him a scolding.
Sometimes he'd thought Ma Yin was so strict because he was grooming him as his heir. But if that was truly the case, why hadn't Ma Yin taken him to Taiyuan when he went to Jin? Instead, he'd sent him alone to Bian Prefecture.
Just as Ma Xiyue had that thought, Zhu Youning spoke again, voicing the very same thing he'd been thinking. "And when the Old King of Chu went to Taiyuan in person to meet Li Keyong, he didn't take you. He took Ma Xisheng. In Taiyuan, Ma Xisheng visited every civil official and military commander in Jin. It might seem like nothing, but his connections already far surpass yours. That alone is enough to show what your father has in mind."
"He sent you alone to Bian Prefecture, putting you in danger, yet took Ma Xisheng to Taiyuan himself, where he introduced him to Jin's powerful nobles. Young Master, do you really not understand?"
Ma Xiyue's expression had grown somewhat twisted.
"Impossible! I've rendered meritorious service to Chu! I've shed blood for my father!"
"There's something else. Ma Xisheng's birth mother is Consort Yuan, Ma Yin's most beloved consort. She has the final say in Chu's inner palace. And your mother..."
At that, Zhu Youning stopped speaking at just the right moment. Ma Xiyue would surely understand what he meant.
And Ma Xiyue did understand. His own mother came from a lowly background and was not loved by Ma Yin. She couldn't hold a candle to Ma Xisheng's birth mother, Consort Yuan!
After Ma Xiyue had been silent for a moment, Zhu Youning spoke again, driving the final nail home.
"In the Old King of Chu's eyes, you'll always be an unfilial son. No matter how much you do, in the end the throne of Chu will still go to Ma Xisheng!"
"To accomplish great things, a small sacrifice is nothing. Some things have to be won for yourself," Zhu Youning said. "If you're not sure you can do it, or can't bring yourself to act, I can help."
Ma Xiyue was silent for a while. He drew a deep breath, and his eyes gradually hardened with resolve.
"There's no need to trouble Your Highness. I'll do it myself!"
Zhu Youning nodded in satisfaction. "Also, I have a gift for the future King of Chu."
"The future King of Chu..." Ma Xiyue murmured, his face suddenly brightening with joy. "Your Highness, I hope your words prove true. May I ask what gift you have for me?"
Zhu Youning immediately took out a map and spread it across the table.
Ma Xiyue looked at the map and instantly recognized the mountains, rivers, and cities drawn on it.
"This is a map of Wu?"
"That's right." Zhu Youning nodded slightly. "Once the King of Chu has truly secured his position, Liang and Chu can send their armies together to attack Wu. Chu can split its forces in two: one fleet can sail east along the river, capture Wuchang, and press on to Jiang Prefecture (Jiujiang), threatening the Wu army's rear from the west. One land force can march northeast and attack the prefectures of Yuan, Ji, and Hong."
"My Great Liang's elite troops can also advance along several routes, marching south to attack Huainan. If we take Huainan smoothly, we can press our advantage and attack Caishi Ferry! Our navy can also sail south along the canal to Yang Prefecture, threatening Wu's eastern fleet and waiting for a chance to engage."
"Besides that, I'll urge His Majesty with all my might to issue an order demanding that Wuyue attack Run Prefecture in Wu, Min attack Zhaowu Garrison in Wu, and Han (Southern Han) attack Baisheng Garrison—that is, Qian Prefecture! Then Chu will fight in Jiangnan, Liang will fight north of the river, and Min and Wuyue will fight in the southeast. Eight hundred thousand will gather to hunt Wu; Wu will be too busy fending off its enemies to look after itself, and can only let others carve it up!"
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