TMBM Chapter 128: Set a Trap
Bisha’s heart shook, distracted for quite a while before he nodded.
“If everything is as the princess guessed, I can start with those few troops to ruin Haidu Aling’s plan of feigning weakness and make Wakhan Khan more vigilant of him.”
This was exactly what she wanted to discuss with Bisha: “Whether Haidu Aling really broke into the palace on impulse or he had other plans, the general can take advantage of the opportunity to cause trouble. If my guess is wrong, the general can improvise, such as making Wakhan Khan think that Prince Haidu Aling reached some sort of agreement with the Royal Court. He will have to suspect him even if he has never been doubtful.”
Bisha’s eyes widened.
Princess Wenzhao could come up with such a poisonous plan!
If the royal family of the Northern Rong was at peace, they will drive a wedge between Wakhan Khan and Haidu Aling.
If the royal family of the Northern Rong was unstable, they will add fuel to the fire, so that the fire rages more vigorously.
In short, no matter why Haidu Aling came to the Royal Court, Princess Wenzhao will pull Haidu Aling down and bite off a piece of his flesh to completely disrupt the royal family of the Northern Rong!
Bisha’s look was too alarmed. Yaoying inexplicably explained: “The upper military strategy, followed by the second one, ‘to give up the army without fighting’, is also the best strategy. We remind Wakhan Khan to beware of Haidu Aling, intensify the conflict between them, and weaken the Northern Rong, so that have their hands full with their own affairs. That is also one of the military methods to avoid war.”
The Northern Rong sowed dissension and incited the countries of the Central Plains to war, trying to take advantage of the situation and seize any opportunity they could. She was just returning the favor. A tooth for a tooth.
After finishing her speech, Yaoying straightened up and solemnly saluted Bisha, saying, “I am not from the Royal Court and only live in the Holy City, so I should not interfere with such major political matters. I am only facing the same threat as your distinguished country, so I boldly said what is on my mind. I hope you will not take offense, General. Just think of me as a young and ignorant person who is speaking nonsense.”
Bisha’s palms were slightly sweaty. After a moment of silence, he rose and helped Yaoying up: “The princess is an honored guest of the Royal Court. These words will be between you and me. No one else will know.”
Yaoying smiled lightly.
She didn’t care what Bisha thought of her, as long as the advice would come in handy.
Bisha suddenly asked, “Why doesn’t the princess advise the king directly? I am only the general of the Central Army. All decisions must be approved by the king.”
Yaoying blinked, her eyes bright with the cunning playfulness of a young girl: “I’m not going to hide from the general. What a noble and clean character the Venerable Master is. To the Venerable Master, this kind of intrigue… I am somewhat unable to say.”
Tumoroga was like a lotus upright and facing the wind, pure and noble. If she discussed these things with him, wouldn’t he frown and drive her out of the Buddhist temple?
Bisha froze for a moment and then laughed aloud.
“What do you take the king for? He is the monarch of the Royal Court…”
After laughing for a while, the worry in Bisha’s heart dispersed a few points.
Roga was right. Princess Wenzhao had no fondness for him, only pure reverence and gratitude.
Roga has always been so sober and rational, never confused by appearances.
Whether he was Roga or another identity.
Bisha got up to leave. As he walked down the long corridor, he suddenly turned back around, his upper body leaning back into the room: “Princess, there is one thing you said wrong.”
Yaoying lifted her head: “Hm?”
Bisha said seriously, “Haidu Aling is ambitious in his conquests in the south and north, yet he provoked the Royal Court again and again in order to take the princess away even though the Royal Court and the Northern Rong have entered into an alliance. That may not have been entirely for show.”
Yaoying shook her head and lost her smile.
She was born with good looks, beautiful since childhood, plus she was the daughter of the Li family. Even if she didn’t show her face, she was soon famous all over the Central Plains, and there were many noble sons, like carp in the river, who adored her.
Whenever she rode on a horse, those families’ sons vied with each other to chase the horse, just to see her for a little longer.
Zheng Jing, Xue family’s fifth lang, Pei family’s gongzi, Lu family’s gongzi, Cui family’s gongzi… Li De’s men, Xie’s family’s personal soldiers…
Many people admired her beauty.
Yaoying believed their adoration came from the heart, but so what?
She was born in a troubled world and grew up among influential families and rich households. She understood that there was something far more powerful than beauty to arouse men’s desire to conquer, and that was power.
In order to climb to the pinnacle of power, men could leave everything behind.
This was an era of the rise of the lords, where heroes emerged everywhere. Men were busy fighting for power. For them, beauty was only the icing on the cake after the war.
As long as they had the yellow robe, the world was in the palm of their hand, not to mention the beauty?
Li De posthumously named Tang shi as the Empress, and the world sighed at his deep love and affection for his wife, forgetting that he had resolutely abandoned Tang shi to consolidate power.
Li Xuanzhen was obsessed with Zhu Luyun for many years, willing to die for her, but he still, for the position of the crown prince, married the influential family’s Zheng Biyu.
A man like Haidu Aling would never stop conquering for a woman.
Every move he made was for his ambition.
Seeing Yaoying’s very unimpressed look, Bisha grinned.
“Princess, I don’t know Haidu Aling, but I’m a man.”
When a man could not live without a woman, he could forget everything and risk it all.
Yaoying spread her hands.
She did not care what Haidu Aling was really thinking. Even after being captured by that man for six months, even though he occasionally revealed his gentle side, she was still clear-headed: she was taken by Haidu Aling, who wanted to tame her.
Bisha came over with interest, peering past the door frame and looking Yaoying up and down.
“The princess is a Central Plains woman. The Central Plains is about etiquette. The Northern Rong does not talk about those many elaborate rules and customs. We are the same. In a tribe, whichever man is the strongest and bravest will gain the affection of all the women. Haidu Aling is strong and brave. The princess is really not moved at all?”
Yaoying raised her head and looked at Bisha as if she was looking at a fool: “General asked this, could it be that General likes someone like Haidu Aling?”
Bisha was choked by the words.
Yaoying bowed her head and flipped through the scriptures.
Li Zhongqian raised her with love, with affection, with pampering, with spoiling. How could she possibly belittle herself and fall in love with a man who treated her like a plaything?
She respected every type of sincerity. Even if she could not respond, she would not treat their feelings lightly, but Haidu Aling’s kind of like? Sorry, but she couldn’t stand it.
Bisha touched the tip of his nose, his face embarrassed. He turned to leave.
He could now be completely at ease. The princess was so sensible. She would never risk the entire Royal Court’s hatred to seduce Roga.
…
Bisha went back to his residence and discussed with his advisors for a while, and sent the collated memorials to the Buddhist temple.
“The princess suggested these strategies!”
He exclaimed and relayed Yaoying’s original words, emphasizing her final words.
Roga was so high-minded and pure. He must have loathed women with deep hearts.
Tumoroga finished reading the memorials, his expression clear and emotionless. Without a word, eyes lowered, he put pen to paper to comment.
Bisha didn’t know whether he had gotten away with it or not. He took the marked-up memorial and left the meditation room.