stonecrandall Chapter 973: Overt conspiracy, conspiracy, I want them all!
Chapter 973: Overt conspiracy, conspiracy, I want them all!
However, after he expressed his willingness to pledge allegiance to Gao Yao through the Qingyi Society, Gao Yao's response again surprised him. Gao did not want him to immediately leave Wei Bao and return to the southern border. The instructions in the letter were clear and calm: stay in office for the time being, wait for the opportunity, and cooperate with subsequent actions.
Upon first reading this order, Kuai Tong was somewhat puzzled. With the Qingyi Society's capabilities, it wouldn't be difficult for them to quietly help him escape Wei Bao's control. Having already lost power, Wei Bao wouldn't necessarily expend significant effort pursuing a "useless" strategist. But he soon understood Gao Yao's deeper intentions. Gao Yao's target had never been solely Kuai Tong. Chen Ping, another advisor who was currently absent from the Wei capital but held a significant influence on Wei's military and political affairs, was the true dragon Gao Yao sought to capture.
Compared to Kuai Tong's awkward position, Chen Ping's situation under Wei Bao was quite different. Leveraging his outstanding military and political talents, he had already established himself firmly within the army. Although not a close member of the imperial clan, he was not given a top position, he held real power and was a trusted and trusted official of Wei Bao, particularly in military deployment and strategic planning.
When Wei Bao was debating whether to intervene in Gaoyao's attack on Wu Rui, Chen Ping had been dispatched to the front to coordinate military operations against Han Xin, and had missed the debate. Had Chen Ping been there, with his vision and eloquence, the situation might have been very different.
To persuade such a highly trusted, highly shrewd figure to defect was far more difficult than recruiting the frustrated Kuai Tong. Forced contact would not only fail, but would also alert Wei Bao. Gao Yao needed an opportunity, one that could drive a wedge between Wei Bao and Chen Ping and force Chen Ping to seek alternative solutions. Kuai Tong's continued tenure was a crucial, hidden move in this grand scheme of things.
Opportunity soon emerged vaguely under Gao Yao's precise layout.
When Chen Ping finished his duties at the front and rushed back to the Wei capital, he immediately sensed a strategic error. He immediately sought an audience with Wei Bao and bluntly pointed out that his strategy of sitting back and watching Gao Yao annex Wu Rui was inappropriate.
"Your Majesty!" Chen Ping spoke earnestly, his analysis penetrating. "Gao Yao has wicked ambitions. How could he possibly be interested in a mere Wu Rui? If he were to seize Nanjun entirely and integrate its territory and people, his power would undoubtedly grow. Then, our Great Wei would be bordering him and bear the brunt of the attack! We should seize this opportunity when Wu Rui requests aid, either openly or covertly, but at the very least, deploy troops in a large scale on the flank of Nanjun. This would threaten Gao Yao's flank and force him to deploy at least 50,000 troops to confront us. Our army could then defend the strategic position without engaging in direct combat, effectively tying down a significant portion of his forces and slowing his annexation. Combined with a possible Chu attack, Gao Yao would be under attack from all sides, likely forced to halt his offensive and negotiate peace with us. This is the best strategy for the greatest strategic buffer at the lowest cost! We could preserve Nanjun as a barrier while simultaneously depleting Gao Yao's strength. Why not?"
This analysis coincided precisely with the concerns expressed by Gao Yao, Xiao He, Zhang Liang, and others during their initial deliberations about the "threat of a flank attack by the Wei army." In fact, Gao Yao had already taken a two-pronged approach to prevent this possibility: on the one hand, he ordered Han Xin to deploy additional troops to the Wei border, exerting military pressure; on the other hand, he dispatched an eloquent envoy, bearing valuable gifts, to Wei Bao, earnestly "inviting" the Wei army to join him in attacking Wu, a move that was in reality a test and a means of paralysis.
Wei Bao was a suspicious and cautious person. He was deeply wary of Gao Yao's "good intentions" and worried that it was a trick to lure the emperor into a trap. In addition, those around him who were bribed by Gao Yao with large sums of money, such as the doctor Jin Yuan and the internal historian Jia Xu, kept whispering in his ears:
"Your Majesty is wise! Keeping your troops in place and watching the tigers fight from the mountain is truly the best strategy!"
"Gao Yao and Wu Rui are both jackals. It would be best if they both suffered heavy losses."
"Although Lord Chen Ping possesses extraordinary talent and wisdom, he has been overly aggressive this time. Our Wei army is well-equipped and well-stocked. Why resort to such a risky tactic? What will we do if we fall prey to Gao Yao's treacherous scheme?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Chen Ping's words, could it be that he thinks that only he can see the situation clearly, and that we, and even Your Majesty, are mediocre?"
Instilled with these slanderous words, Wei Bao's vanity was greatly satisfied, and he gradually developed the illusion that his conservative strategy was the most mature and effective in governing the country. Chen Ping's return not only completely negated his previous decisions, but his unquestionable confidence and strategic superiority in his words further stung Wei Bao's increasingly arrogant heart.
Wei Bao's face darkened, and his tone tinged with displeasure. "Mr. Chen, you've traveled a long way and have worked hard. However, I and the other ministers have discussed military and national affairs repeatedly. How can we change our plans overnight? Gao Yao is cunning and his intentions are unpredictable. If we rashly send troops and fall into his trap, it will be too late to regret! Mr. Chen, you should rest well first. We can discuss this matter later."
This was the first point of conflict between Wei Bao and Chen Ping. Chen Ping saw the right strategic direction, but was defeated by the entangled slander around the emperor and the emperor's own stupidity and suspicion. He clearly felt that Wei Bao was no longer as obedient to him as before, and that their trust had begun to crack.
However, this level of conflict alone was far from enough to force Wei Bao to abandon a capable minister like Chen Ping. Even if Wei Bao was foolish, he fully understood the importance of Chen Ping's talents to the Wei state and would never cut off his own hand unless absolutely necessary. He merely developed a negative impression of Chen Ping, believing him to be "arrogant" and "unsubmissive," far from doubting his loyalty.
Gao Yao's next, more sinister move, quietly unfolded at this moment. This time, he no longer targeted Chen Ping's advice directly, but instead aimed to shape Chen Ping's influence into a threat that Wei Bao could not tolerate.
Kuai Tong received a secret order from the Qingyi Society: without exposing himself, he should participate in court discussions in an unobtrusive manner at appropriate occasions. The key point was to highlight Chen Ping's talents and influence.
During a discussion on how to respond to Han Xin's pressure to increase border troops, one general suggested a strong countermeasure. Kuai Tong, standing by, would lament in an objective and neutral tone, "Lord Chen Ping is a master of military affairs. If he were here, he would surely have discerned Han Xin's strengths and weaknesses and devised a flawless strategy. A certain battle in the past was entirely due to Lord Chen Ping's strategic planning, enabling a small force to defeat a larger one... It's a shame, Your Majesty didn't adopt Lord Chen's advice regarding the Nanjun strategy. Otherwise, the situation in Great Wei would have been much more advantageous today."
Such remarks, seemingly praising Chen Ping, actually planted a deeper thorn in the hearts of Wei Bao and his envious colleagues. They constantly reinforced the impression that Chen Ping was exceptionally capable, even able to foresee the monarch's mistakes, and that all the generals in the army believed in Chen Ping, even more than the monarch.