You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 137 What do you think?
The Palace of the King of Shu.

The atmosphere in the council chamber was eerily unsettling.

The moment Yuan Ziming uttered the words "the throne of the emperor," the temperature in the council hall immediately plummeted to freezing.

King Zhou Zhi of Shu stood up, staring intently at Yuan Ziming. His innate royal aura emanated from him, overwhelming the entire council hall.

From the moment he learned that Yuan Ziming and his three great families had come together, and that they were careful not to let a fifth person be present, Zhou Zhi knew that Yuan Ziming and his group's purpose in seeking an audience with him, the King of Shu, was definitely extraordinary.

The matter to be discussed is certainly not an ordinary one.

But to my surprise, it turned out to be something quite extraordinary.

The position of the emperor?

It's fortunate that this eldest son of the Yuan family dared to speak out.

Isn't this eldest son of the Yuan family afraid that the King of Shu will arrest the three of them for the sake of these four words of treason?

Faced with Zhou Zhi's eagle-like sharp gaze and the royal aura that suddenly emanated from him, Yuan Ziming, Zheng Wangzhi, and Fan Shaohe all felt a sense of oppression.

However, the three of them were, after all, from one of the seven great families and were worldly-wise.

The skill of cultivating composure and inner strength is exceptionally profound.

Although Yuan Ziming and the other two felt very depressed, they remained calm on the surface.

“Young Master Yuan, I will only see you out of respect for the Yuan family of Runan.”

"Yet you dare to utter such treasonous words in front of me! Where do you place me?"

"If Young Master Yuan cannot explain this clearly today, then don't blame me for being impolite."

"Even if the three of you are from the seven great families, you will not be able to leave my Shu Prince's Mansion today."

Zhou Zhi withdrew his imposing aura and sat down again.

Zhou Zhi looked coldly at Yuan Ziming and the other two, and spoke without any emotion.

Zhou Zhi didn't know what Yuan Ziming and the others meant by saying that.

Regardless of Yuan Ziming's intentions, Zhou Zhi, as the King of Shu, must demonstrate the normal reaction befitting a King of Shu.

If Yuan Ziming and the others cannot explain their treasonous words clearly, then Zhou Zhi will have no choice but to leave the three of them in the Shu Prince's residence for the time being.

Upon hearing Zhou Zhi's bluff, Yuan Ziming and the other two exchanged a knowing glance and smiled inwardly.

The fact that King Zhou Zhi of Shu did not immediately capture them after hearing those words speaks volumes.

This also symbolizes that they have already achieved half of their goal for this trip.

Yuan Ziming looked at Zhou Zhi in the main seat and said sincerely, "Your Highness, I know that these words are somewhat disobedient."

"But the three of us have traveled a long way to see Your Highness, precisely for the sake of the stability of the Great Zhou Dynasty, which is why we have no choice but to say such disobedient words to Your Highness."

"Please, Your Highness, listen to what we have to say."

……

Half a day later.

Yuan Ziming, Zheng Wangzhi, and Fan Shaohe bid farewell to King Zhou Zhi of Shu and left the King's Palace.

No one knows exactly what Yuan Ziming and the other two said to the King of Shu.

But in the end, Yuan Ziming and the other two completely left the Shu King's Mansion.

He left the Shu Prince's Mansion with a smile from the steward.

Clearly, Yuan Ziming and his two companions had a good talk with the King of Shu.

After Yuan Ziming and the other two left, Zhou Zhi sat in the main seat of the council hall, his eyes flickering somewhat uncertainly.

"What do you think?"

Zhou Zhi asked a question out of the blue.

"What does Your Highness hope I will think?"

The middle-aged scholar who had left the council chamber earlier came out from the side.

It was obvious that the middle-aged scholar had overheard the conversation between Yuan Ziming and the other two with King Zhou Zhi of Shu.

Yuan Ziming and his two companions believed that no one else could hear their conversation with the King of Shu.

Little did they know that this middle-aged scholar had been at the back of the council chamber the whole time, and had not gone far.

"You heard what the three of them just said. How feasible do you think it is?"

Zhou Zhi looked at the middle-aged scholar.

This middle-aged scholar is Zhou Zhi's strategist and Zhou Zhi's most trusted right-hand man.

Therefore, Zhou Zhi generally wouldn't hide anything from this middle-aged scholar.

Just like what Yuan Ziming and the others had just discussed with him, Zhou Zhi did not hide it from the middle-aged scholar.

Zhou Zhi wanted to hear his right-hand man's opinion on what Yuan Ziming and his group had said.

The middle-aged scholar hesitated for a moment, then cautiously replied, "Fifty percent."

"How low?" A hint of surprise flashed across Zhou Zhi's face.

Zhou Zhi had originally thought the middle-aged scholar would say seven or eight out of ten!

Unexpectedly, the middle-aged scholar only gave such a low figure of 50%.

This was somewhat unexpected for Zhou Zhi.

In Zhou Zhi's own opinion, the feasibility of what Yuan Ziming and the others said was at least 60%.

The middle-aged scholar shook his head and said, "Your Highness, this is already quite feasible."

"This is only because the three families were forced by circumstances to do everything they could to help the prince."

"If the three families don't fully support the prince, the feasibility of this would be even lower."

Upon hearing the middle-aged scholar's words, Zhou Zhi frowned and remained silent for a moment before sighing, "This is also what I am most hesitant about right now."

"Now, after the extermination of the Cui family of Boling and the purge of the powerful families in the four northern states, these powerful families are forced by the situation to no longer only exert a fraction of their strength."

"Otherwise, they all know what kind of situation they will face next."

"This is a rare opportunity."

"But from your expression, it seems you don't think much of this matter."

As Zhou Zhi spoke, he looked at the middle-aged scholar.

The middle-aged scholar understood what Zhou Zhi meant.

Normally, to gain the support of these seven powerful families, you need to have sufficient vested interests involved.

These powerful and influential families are the type to only act when they see a tangible benefit.

Even with sufficient vested interests involved, these powerful and wealthy families would at most contribute a small portion of their efforts, not their full strength.

However, due to the current situation, these powerful and wealthy families have no choice but to exert all their efforts.

This is indeed a rare opportunity to gain the full support of these powerful and influential families, but it is also a rare risk!

The middle-aged scholar looked at Zhou Zhi in the main seat and said with a solemn expression, "Your Highness, this matter is of utmost importance. If there is even the slightest mistake, it will lead to an abyss."

"Now, His Majesty has first purged the Wu clan, the faction of the Grand General, then quelled the rebellion in the four northern provinces, and exterminated the nine clans of the Cui family of Boling, one of the seven great families."

"It can be said that the Emperor's power is now at its zenith, and is incomparable to what it was before."

"The conversation between the eldest son of the Yuan family and the prince only demonstrates the feasibility of this matter, and does not prove anything else."

"Putting aside whether Your Highness can succeed, even if Your Highness does succeed, has Your Highness thought about how to clean up the mess?"

"Can Your Highness control the Yuan family and other powerful and influential families?"

"How will Your Highness deal with Lü Bu and Cao Zhengchun then?"

The middle-aged scholar asked Zhou Zhi, who was in the main seat, a series of questions.

As Zhou Zhi's strategist and right-hand man, the middle-aged scholar was no ordinary person; his insights were absolutely profound.

In the eyes of the middle-aged scholar, putting aside whether this matter could succeed, the mess would be difficult to clean up.

If things go wrong, it could cause unrest in all directions.

Moreover, the middle-aged scholars were not optimistic about this matter, feeling that the chances were slim.

Faced with the middle-aged scholar's three questions, Zhou Zhi smiled faintly; "Isn't this what I'm here for?"

"I know you are a man of great wisdom and unparalleled intelligence, with the talent of a prime minister."

"With your strategies, Ji Wusheng, my chances of winning will definitely increase by 30%." "As for the endgame, I believe that it shouldn't be too difficult for you, Ji Wusheng."

Zhou Zhi looked at the middle-aged scholar with a smile and said.

Zhou Zhi knew better than anyone the capabilities of his right-hand man.

With his own strategist offering advice, Zhou Zhi dared to say that, based on what Yuan Ziming and the others had discussed, their chances of winning would increase by 30%.

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged scholar sighed helplessly.

It seems that this prince has made up his mind.

Also.

Who wouldn't be tempted by such a supreme artifact!
Who wouldn't want to wake up and wield power over the world, and then lie drunk on the lap of a beautiful woman?

Especially those born into royalty seem to have an innate obsession with that supreme artifact.

"Your Highness flatters me. I, Ji Wusheng, am but a scholar and do not deserve such praise."

"However, if Your Highness needs anything, I, Ji Wusheng, will do my utmost to assist you."

The middle-aged scholar bowed and said.

"Alright, Ji Wusheng, your words are enough."

"Don't worry, I will give you a chance to showcase your knowledge."

Zhou Zhi nodded in satisfaction at the middle-aged scholar's words.

……

In the hall of a mansion.

Yuan Ziming, Zheng Wangzhi, and Fan Shaohe sat facing each other.

"Ziming, what do you think our Prince of Shu will choose?" Zheng Wangzhi asked Yuan Ziming after sitting down.

Yuan Ziming smiled slightly; "Doesn't Wang Zhi already have the answer in his heart? Why ask me?"

"The fact that we were able to leave the Shu King's residence unharmed already demonstrates the choice our Shu King made."

Yuan Ziming glanced at Zheng Wangzhi and said.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Wangzhi smiled and nodded. "Indeed, I originally thought it would take some effort to win over this King of Shu, but I didn't expect it to be so easy."

"Human hearts!"

"The most difficult thing to grasp is people's hearts, yet the easiest thing to conquer is also people's hearts."

Zheng Wangzhi sighed with admiration.

Fan Shaohe glanced at the two of them and said indifferently, "You two shouldn't be so pretentious. Wasn't the King of Shu's attitude exactly what we expected?"

"Now we should think about how to play the next game. One wrong move and we'll lose the whole game."

"If we lose this game, we will end up like Cui Songshan."

Fan Shaohe said with a serious expression.

Cui Songshan?
"Pity."

"Back then, the four of us played chess together, discussing the game and pointing out the key points. I never expected that he would be the first one to be eliminated."

Upon hearing this, both Yuan Ziming and Zheng Wangzhi sighed with emotion.

However, both of them put away their frivolousness and became serious.

Yuan Ziming and Zheng Wangzhi both knew that Fan Shaohe was right. In this game, if they made one wrong move, they would follow in Cui Songshan's footsteps.

Therefore, they had no choice but to take this seriously.

"Shaohe, in this game of chess, where do you think the most important fulcrum is?"

Yuan Ziming looked at Fan Shaohe.

Fan Shaohe's eyes flickered, and he softly uttered a few words: "Cao Zhengchun and Lü Bu."

"If we can separate these two, it will be much easier to deal with the one in the palace."

Yuan Ziming nodded.

indeed.

Once Cao Zhengchun and Lü Bu are separated, it will be much easier for them to deal with the one in the palace.

Now Lü Bu is still outside, and only Cao Zhengchun remains.

If we can keep Cao Zhengchun entangled outside, we've already won half the game.

"Don't forget, there's also that person from the Imperial Clan Court."

Zheng Wangzhi glanced at Yuan Ziming and Fan Shaohe and then spoke up.

……

late at night.

Zheng Wangzhi and Fan Shaohe had already left.

Yuan Ziming sat in the main seat in the hall, holding a cup of tea and taking a sip, seemingly waiting for someone.

soon.

A figure walked into the hall.

"coming."

"sit down!"

Yuan Ziming glanced at the newcomer, took a sip of tea, and spoke.

"no need."

"Young Master, please speak plainly if you have something to say!"

"Your Highness has been operating in this Shu region for a long time, so I cannot stay here any longer."

Ji Wusheng shook his head and said.

Indeed, the visitor was none other than Ji Wusheng, the middle-aged scholar who served King Zhou Zhi of Shu.

Perhaps Zhou Zhi never imagined that his strategist, whom he considered his right-hand man, would secretly meet with Yuan Ziming, the eldest son of the Yuan family, late at night.

"how?"

"After spending a few years by the side of the King of Shu, he has become estranged from me, his eldest son."

"After all, you are a disciple of the Yuan family. You shouldn't be so distant from me, the eldest son!"

Yuan Ziming put down his teacup, glanced at Ji Wusheng, and said calmly.

Upon hearing this, Ji Wusheng hesitated for a moment, then had no choice but to sit down.

Regardless, Ji Wusheng was a disciple of the Yuan family, and his achievements today were largely due to the Yuan family.

He Ji Wusheng acknowledged this point.

Seeing that Ji Wusheng had sat down, Yuan Ziming finally spoke, "I called you here for no important reason."

"We all know what choice the King of Shu will make, even if you don't say it."

"The reason I sent you to the side of the King of Shu was so that you could display your knowledge and have a bright future."

"Now is your chance to show what you've learned. You must seize this opportunity and do your best to assist the King of Shu."

"It has not been in vain for the Yuan family to cultivate you."

Yuan Ziming glanced at Ji Wusheng and said calmly.

Although Yuan Ziming's words seemed to be an instruction to Ji Wusheng to assist the King of Shu well, they were actually a subtle reminder to Ji Wusheng.

Don't forget that you, Ji Wusheng, are a disciple of the Yuan family.

Upon hearing Yuan Ziming's words, Ji Wusheng's expression remained largely unchanged. He calmly glanced at Yuan Ziming and said, "I know I am a disciple of the Yuan family without needing your reminder, young master."

"But that doesn't mean I owe the Yuan family anything."

"I understand what you mean, young master. I'll take my leave now."

After Ji Wusheng finished speaking, he stood up and left.

Yuan Ziming was left alone, his eyes constantly darting around.

(End of this chapter)