People in the Qin Dynasty sought good fortune and avoided misfortune.

Chapter 146, Ji Wuye: Rare mercy, yet you let me lose so completely.
Seeing that Liu Yi had taken the bait, Xu Qing got up, patted him on the shoulder, and pressed him back into his original position.

“With your relationship with Madam and the beauty, we are ultimately family. There is indeed a way to solve your predicament, but it depends on whether you dare to do it,” Xu Qing said in a deep voice.

Liu Yi remained silent, his expression shifting between light and shadow. In truth, he had already guessed Xu Qing's plan: to switch sides and side with either Han Yu or Zhang Kaidi.

In truth, he had always considered this as a fallback plan, but his fear of Ji Wuye prevented him from making a decision.

Xu Qing glanced at the silent Liu Yi and continued...

"Ever since the Fourth Prince became lame, the balance of the court has been disrupted, and that is the real reason why His Majesty is angry."

"Now that you have returned defeated, the king is angry, but instead of demoting you, he has suspended you from your post and put you at home. The meaning behind this is self-evident."

Liu Yi's face darkened further. If he still couldn't see through the meaning after Xu Qing's guidance, then all his years as Left Sima would have been for nothing.

With Han Yu lame, the balance of power in the court has been disrupted, and King Han An urgently needs to revitalize the power of Ji Wuye's political enemies.

The Right Sima held a high position and wielded great power. He was nominally the second most powerful person in the Korean military after General Ji Wuye, and he also controlled a portion of the military power.

If a Right Sima who was originally under Ji Wuye's command were to side with Han Yu or Zhang Kaidi, it would not only revitalize Han Yu and Zhang Kaidi, but would also, in a sense, be a suppression and warning to Ji Wuye.

"Imperial Physician, is there really no other way?" Liu Yi asked hesitantly.

Xu Qing gave Liu Yi a deep look. He understood that the other party needed a bit of courage right now, otherwise he would never be able to take the crucial step.

So he looked around a couple of times, then leaned close to Liu Yi and whispered...
"I am able to speak these things with the Right Sima today because I have received instructions."

After speaking, Xu Qing pointed his index finger toward the roof, the meaning of which was self-evident.

Liu Yi looked at the roof, then at Xu Qing, and suddenly realized what was going on.

Although Xu Qing was a rising star in the court, he was ultimately just a powerful imperial physician, so how could he dare to get involved in such court struggles?

The fact that the other party dared to say these things to him must be because it was at the behest of someone above him, and that person above him could only be Han Wang An.

"This is big."

Before Liu Yi could finish speaking, Xu Qing interrupted him.

"It's best for the Right Sima to keep some things to himself; saying them out loud won't benefit anyone," Xu Qing reminded him.

Seeing Xu Qing's attitude, Liu Yi became even more convinced of his own thoughts, confirming that this was indeed Han Wang An's idea.

"If that's the case, then I understand. But I would appreciate further guidance from the Imperial Physician on which of these two paths I should choose?" Liu Yi asked.

He had been away for nearly two months and knew nothing about the current situation in the court. He could only hope that Xu Qing could point him in the right direction.

Xu Qing didn't speak, but quickly wrote the character "four" on the table with her finger.

"Fourth Young Master? Why not Prime Minister Zhang?" Liu Yi asked in a low voice.

Actually, he was more inclined to side with Zhang Kaidi because Han Yu's leg was crippled, and there was no future in him joining Zhang Kaidi.

Zhang Kaidi was the prime minister of Han for five generations, and the Zhang clan was the leader of all the clans in Han. Following him was the most promising and safest option.

"Right Sima, it seems you still don't understand what I mean. If the Fourth Prince falls, do you think Prime Minister Zhang alone can balance the court?"

"Moreover, you now hold military power. If you get too close to Prime Minister Zhang, wouldn't people have something to say about it?"

"As you know, the Fourth Young Master has always wanted to befriend Consort Hu. To put it bluntly, you are Consort Hu's brother-in-law, and therefore part of her family."

"By joining forces with the Fourth Young Master, you can act as a go-between, using it as a pledge of loyalty, and thus gain his favor."

"While Consort Hu cannot plead with the King on your behalf, she can persuade the Fourth Prince to intervene and protect your current position as Right Sima."

Xu Qing looked at Liu Yi with a disappointed expression, her words full of consideration for him, which made Liu Yi feel both touched and guilty.

"I know you mean well, Imperial Physician, but what about the Fourth Young Master?"

Liu Yi sighed deeply. Although he didn't finish his sentence, his disdain for Han Yu being a cripple was obvious.

Seeing this, Xu Qing had no choice but to unleash his final trump card.

"His Majesty once said to the Fourth Prince, 'The Crown Prince is often ill; you should encourage him,'" Xu Qing said calmly.
"You can ask around and see; who in Xinzheng doesn't know this saying these days?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Yi's pupils dilated, and his hands even trembled with shock.

The amount of information conveyed in those words was so overwhelming that Liu Yi was momentarily unable to process it and could only stare blankly at Xu Qing.

"I think the Right Sima knows better than anyone else what the Crown Prince is like. Do you think that if the Crown Prince succeeds to the throne in the future, will this Korea still be the royal Korea?" Xu Qing continued.

Liu Yi gave Xu Qing a meaningful look. His hesitation finally dissipated because of those two sentences. He knew that he needed to take a gamble now.

Instead of trying to start a fire on Zhang Kaidi's stove, Xu Qing suggested that it was Han Wang'an's idea to start a fire on Han Yu's stove, which was still burning. With Hu Meiren's connection, what else did he have to hesitate about?

Anyway, he couldn't stay with Ji Wuye anymore. Whether he joined Zhang Kaidi or Han Yu, it was all betrayal to Ji Wuye, so there was no difference.

After thinking it through, Liu Yi's expression hardened, and he slammed his fist on the table, saying...
"Alright, thank you for your guidance, Imperial Physician. I know what to do now."

"My wife is completely ignorant of court affairs, so please take good care of the beauty."

"It's only right for family members to exchange a few words," Xu Qing said with a smile, looking at Liu Yi with a beaming smile.

Having been part of the "family" group in his previous life, Xu Qing felt that no one understood the true value of the word "family" better than him. Aren't family members just for taking advantage of?
"Thank you very much, Brother Xu. From now on, we are family. I must visit your home sometime." Liu Yi looked at Xu Qing gratefully.

He never expected that when everyone was avoiding him, Xu Qing would be able to open up to him so much and help him see the way out of his confusion.

Once he has resolved his current predicament, he will certainly invite him to his home, treat him well, and present him with a generous gift of thanks.

"Definitely, definitely," Xu Qing replied with a smile.

Liu Yi was actually a pretty good person; even after being sold out, he still thanked her, which made Xu Qing feel a little guilty.

After exchanging a few more polite words, Liu Yi put his cloak back on and left.

As Liu Yi's carriage disappeared around the street corner, Xu Qing revealed a cold smile.

"Liu Yi has already fallen into the trap. It's just a pity that Ji Wuye, who rarely shows mercy, has been hurt so badly. I wonder if Liu Yi and Han Yu can withstand his revenge."

After reflecting on his feelings, Xu Qing returned home and began practicing the Evergreen Skill and the Eight Swords of Noble Void.

Meanwhile, at the General's Mansion.

Ji Wuye embraced two beautiful dancers, his large hands constantly teasing them, causing their delicate bodies to tremble.

"Tiger, when do you think Liu Yi will come to me to apologize?" Ji Wuye asked.

Looking at Ji Wuye, who was in a great mood, Jade Tiger said obsequiously...
“I estimate it will be soon. He returned defeated and, according to the law, should have been demoted to a commoner. But now he has only been suspended from his post to reflect on his actions, and you have not targeted him in court.”

"He will naturally understand that you are protecting him; otherwise, who else could protect him?"

"He has been in the court for many years, so he should be able to tell. If nothing unexpected happens, he will come to apologize to you tomorrow."

“Yes, just as I thought. Although Liu Yi has his own little ideas, he is ultimately a good dog. Keeping him alive is more useful than getting rid of him,” Ji Wuye said with a loud laugh.

He and Han Yu were locked in a fierce battle when Han Wang An's words, "The Crown Prince is ill, you should encourage him," helped Han Yu recover from his setbacks and made him realize Han Wang An's desire to balance the court.

Although Liu Yi went behind his back to try and pull strings with Xu Qing, which annoyed him, Xu Qing's position was very important.

If Liu Yi is removed from office, Zhang Kaidi and Han Yu will definitely keep a close eye on the positions of Left Sima and Right Sima.

To maintain balance in the court, King Han An might just hand over one or two positions to Han Yu or Zhang Kaidi.

Considering Liu Yi's loyalty to him over the years and how he helped him embezzle a considerable amount of military funds, he decided to let him go.

Not only could he continue to have Liu Yi help him control the army, but he could also demonstrate benevolence. After all, governing people cannot only involve ruthless methods, but also requires kindness and compassion.

However, a proper reprimand is still necessary. As long as Liu Yi admits his mistake, he can let bygones be bygones; however, he can forget about being appointed Right Sima and will have to continue serving as Left Sima.

Ji Wuye didn't care who the Right Sima was, since he held most of the military power, and he didn't care about the Right Sima's small amount of military power.

However, the Left Sima, who controlled the military pay and equipment, had to be his man; only in this way could he help him extract money from the army.

“However, General, I think we should still give him a little reminder. If we scare him too much and make him side with Han Yu or Zhang Kaidi, it would be a loss,” Emerald Tiger said worriedly.

"Tiger, you're overthinking it. Liu Yi knows my methods very well. Even if he had ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare to truly betray me," Ji Wuye said nonchalantly.

Years of holding a high position and wielding great power have instilled in Ji Wuye an arrogant and conceited personality that makes him look down on everyone.

Moreover, he had already given Liu Yi a chance this time, and in his opinion, Liu Yi should be grateful for his kindness, not betray him.

Jade Tiger looked at Ji Wuye with a hint of worry in his heart. Unlike Ji Wuye, he had bribed high-ranking officials a lot before he got on Ji Wuye's good side for business.

Gift-giving is also an art. If you give a gift without letting people know who you are, then you've wasted your time giving the gift. The same principle applies to showing kindness.

However, Ji Wuye's practice of having his subordinates guess is bound to backfire.

But Ji Wuye himself didn't care, so he didn't say anything lest he upset the other party.

“The General is right. After tomorrow, everyone in the court will feel the General’s benevolence, and these officials will love and support you even more,” said Emerald Tiger.

"Hahahahaha."

(End of this chapter)