stonecrandall Chapter 807 Even if you see through it, you can’t break the deadlock!
Chapter 807 Even if you see through it, you can’t break the deadlock!
"Once Prince Gao of Qin dies, Gao Yao will be able to legitimately take over all power! After all, he built his career on the remains of the Qin Dynasty. Too many of his generals, soldiers, and officials were once Qin officials and soldiers! If he rashly kills the king, even the suspicion of it will be enough to sow resentment among these people and even sow the seeds of division! Gao Yao understands this well. He needs a 'perfect' scapegoat, a reason to stand on the moral high ground and hold high the banner of revenge!"
Fan Zeng's voice suddenly rose, carrying the chilling tone of someone who saw through the conspiracy. "And Wu Shen is the 'perfect' scapegoat! Now that Prince Gao has 'died' at Wu Shen's hands, Gao Yao will not only avoid the eternal infamy of regicide, but can instead transform himself into a 'loyal and righteous leader' seeking revenge for his former master! He can then legitimately and completely annihilate Nanjun with a thunderous force! Then, he will no longer be the powerful minister who needs to borrow the title of King of Qin, but a true and complete 'king'! No longer bound by any nominal constraints!"
At this point, even an old fox like Fan Zeng, who had experienced many vicissitudes of life, could not help but gasp, and his skinny fingers trembled slightly.
This wasn't just a conjecture; it was the realization that they were being drawn into a massive, carefully orchestrated vortex! Gao Yao's ruthlessness and calculations far exceeded their imagination. Every step that benefited Gao Yao was not a good thing for the Chu army; it could even be considered an absolute disaster!
"What I can't understand the most now is..." Fan Zeng frowned, with deep doubt in his eyes, "Wu Can! Are he and the people around him all idiots? Doesn't anyone see that this 'puppet King of Qin' is simply a death warrant? It's a red-hot iron! Whoever touches it will die! Why does Wu Can dare to take it? Why does he really think that he can check and balance Gao Yao by holding Gongzi Gao? This is simply seeking death!" Fan Zeng was puzzled. No matter how clever Gao Yao's "letting go", Wu Can needed to take the initiative to jump into this pit.
"Father, this..." Xiang Yu, after hearing Fan Zeng's analysis, was shocked but still puzzled. "Wu Can's capture of Prince Gao isn't necessarily a bad thing, right? As long as he holds Prince Gao firmly, isn't that equivalent to holding Gao Yao's weak spot? If Gao Yao truly cares about his reputation and is wary of making a move, wouldn't Wu Can be invincible? He could even use Prince Gao as a bargaining chip, constantly negotiating with Gao Yao, demanding benefits, and tying down Gao Yao's forces. Isn't this a talisman?"
"Brother Yu, you're overthinking it!" Yi Xiaochuan said gravely, interrupting Xiang Yu's thoughts. A mixture of wonder and awe hung on his face, shocking Gao Yao's audacity and chilling at the ruthlessness of his scheme. "For Gao Yao, helping Wu Can successfully capture Young Master Gao wasn't as difficult as he imagined!"
Yi Xiaochuan spoke faster, his thoughts clear as he reasoned, "Right now, the morale of Wu Can's troops is low, their minds are changing, and there's probably quite a few who want to surrender or seek another way out! Gao Yao only needs to bribe, coerce, or simply plant a few key insiders in Wu Can's team, and just 'carelessly' 'defend' Gongzi Gao for a moment. There won't even be a fierce battle, and Gongzi Gao, a 'puppet' with more symbolic significance than actual value, will 'easily' fall into Wu Can's hands like a ripe fruit! In Gao Yao's chess game, Prince Gao of Qin has long been a discarded pawn destined to be sacrificed!"
Yi Xiaochuan took a deep breath, glanced at Xiang Yu and Fan Zeng, and threw out the most crucial and most horrifying inference:
"Also, I now understand Mr. Fan Zeng's concerns... Gao Yao will never let Master Gao reach Wu Shen alive!"
"What?!" Xiang Yu and Fan Zeng cried out in surprise at the same time. Fan Zeng's cloudy old eyes suddenly burst into a gleam, as if he had instantly figured out the key link that had been stuck before!
Yi Xiaochuan's voice was icy and penetrating. "That's right! Prince Gao of Qin has been 'taken away' by Wu Shen's men. This news must be made known to everyone to prove Wu Shen's crime of regicide! But whether Prince Gao can be brought to Wu Shen alive and truly 'controlled' by him is another matter!"
The air in the study seemed to freeze, and the candlelight danced restlessly.
Yi Xiaochuan continued, "As long as the news that 'Prince Gao was kidnapped by Wu Shen' spreads throughout the world, Gao Yao's goal will be half achieved! Next, he just needs to make sure that Prince Gao dies on the road! And the person who did it..." Yi Xiaochuan lowered his voice even more, with a chilling look of someone who knows the conspiracy, "It could be Wu Shen's men bribed by Gao Yao! It could be assassins disguised as Chu soldiers or other forces! It could even be an 'accident'! For example... a stray arrow, a landslide, a fall into the water... In short, Prince Gao must die while being 'escorted' by Wu Shen's men!"
Fan Zeng slammed his hand on the table, suddenly realizing something. His voice trembled with deep fear, "Brilliant! What a diabolical plan! This way, Wu Can's crime of regicide will be completely confirmed, leaving him with no defense! The world will only see Gao Yao's failed desperate rescue and the King of Qin's tragic death at the hands of the rebels! Gao Yao will not only be cleared of all responsibility, but will also be able to firmly grasp the banner of raging anger and righteous revenge! Wu Can, this fool who thought he had found a treasure, actually brought back a powder keg destined to explode and blow him to pieces! He won't even have a chance to negotiate with Prince Gao!"
Xiang Yu finally understood the complex, murderous plot. A chill ran through his head. He seemed to see Gao Yao standing atop the Xianyang palace, a cold smile on his face, looking down at the pawns he was toying with—Wu Can, Gongzi Gao, and perhaps even... the Chu army!
"Then what about us..." Xiang Yu's voice was filled with unprecedented solemnity and a hint of imperceptible anxiety. "Are we just going to watch Gao Yao succeed? Watch him use Wu Can as a weapon to eliminate his biggest threat, then legitimately consolidate his forces, and finally turn his guns against us?!"
Xiang Yu was filled with resentment and regret. He secretly thought that if he could seize this opportunity, he might be able to achieve something. Taking Xianyang, or even taking advantage of the situation to attack Hanzhong, would not be impossible. However, time was running out, and Gao Yao's plan was clearly underway.
Xiang Yu's brow furrowed in anxiety. He knew that if Gao Yao's plan succeeded, the situation would be extremely unfavorable to them. At that point, it would be extremely difficult to attack Gao Yao again.