The video takes us to ancient times; Li Er transforms into the Tongtian Emperor of Shu Han.

"Your Majesty, the one pulling the strings behind the scenes is you, isn't it?"

Wang Xiang only looked up when Sima Zhao had walked far away.

In just a few moments, he has figured out a lot of things.

Was Gao Rou's situation really just a coincidence?

If the emperor had always had such thoughts, the first person to know would certainly not be Gao Rou, but rather the two Sima brothers!

The entire palace is filled with spies from the Sima family. How could he have kept it a secret for so long?

The only explanation is that Liu Bang never mentioned this matter when he was talking to others.

The allure of the phrase "splitting the land and bestowing the title of king" was purely tailor-made for Gao Rou, or rather, for Wang Xiang!

During his meeting with Gao Rou, he deliberately brought up the matter of being granted the title of king right under the Sima family's nose.

In reality, his true intentions were not with Gao Rou, but with Wang Xiang!

Liu Bang must have known that Gao Rou alone could not accomplish anything, or rather, that with his personality, he was destined to be used as a scapegoat by the Sima family.

The only one who can truly seize this opportunity is Wang Xiang!

From beginning to end, it was him who was being targeted by the emperor!

"As expected, I couldn't hide it from you, Grand Commandant Wang."

Meeting his bloodshot eyes, Liu Bang smiled helplessly.

"Although I know that you are very likely to see something now that things have developed to this point, there is nothing I can do about it."

"You are the most crucial piece, my dear minister."

"Yes, I am the most crucial piece."

Upon hearing his candid admission, Wang Xiang immediately deflated like a punctured balloon.

If Liu Bang hadn't reacted quickly and reached out to support him, he would have nearly fallen while swaying.

"So what are you going to do? Are you going to expose me to Sima Zhao?"

"But it's too late now. Even if you expose me, it's uncertain whether Sima Zhao will believe you or not. Even if he does believe you, will he still use your Wang family in the future?"

Wang Xiang: "..."

Looking at Liu Bang, who had shed his disguise, Wang Xiang felt incredibly conflicted.

It turns out he'd been tricked.

Not only him, but also Sima Zhao, Sima Shi, and even the powerful clans of Wei were all easily manipulated by the emperor!

The emperor may appear to be all alone, but in reality, the entire court is his pawn!

"The Sima family will not give me a way out, nor will they trust me anymore. What about Your Majesty?"

After a long silence, the dejection in Wang Xiang's eyes gradually faded.

Looking at Liu Bang in front of him, he felt as if he had seen a new direction.

"You should know that the matter of granting land and titles to kings is nothing but bait."

"However, apart from that, if I gain power in the future, your Wang family will become the number one aristocratic clan in the Great Wei, and no one can shake it."

Seeing Liu Bang's sincere expression, Wang Xiang was not fooled.

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you grant me an imperial edict."

Liu Bang's series of schemes made him feel inferior.

He was unaware that he was in the thick of it all, so how could he easily believe those empty words?

But even imperial edicts vary from person to person.

When Liu Bang was trying to win over Chen Tai, he did not hesitate to issue a personal edict.

Because Zhang Liang had confirmed that he was a loyal and capable general devoted to the Great Wei.

However, when faced with Wang Xiang, he dared not make a decision easily.

He believed in the principle of "not using those you doubt, and not doubting those you use." From the very beginning, he had no intention of employing Wang Xiang.

If he hadn't seen through my plan at the last minute, this conversation wouldn't have happened.

"This imperial edict can be your proof, or it can be evidence to prove your innocence to Sima Zhao. How can I believe you?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Xiang couldn't help but give a wry smile.

"His Majesty also said that even if Sima Zhao believes him, he will no longer employ my Wang family."

"All those years of scheming and forbearance, is this how it all came to be?"

“You can completely trust this old minister, and you should also believe that with this old minister’s ambition, he will never be willing to let the royal family be kicked out of this temple like this!”

He became so excited that he couldn't stop coughing.

"Furthermore, if this old minister truly intended to betray Your Majesty, he should have told you the truth when Sima Zhao questioned him earlier, but he did not!"

Seeing his increasingly weak appearance, Liu Bang gradually made up his mind.

It's all just a gamble, and it's really unlikely that things will stay stable indefinitely.

Moreover, the role that Wang Xiang might play is indeed worth taking a gamble on!

"What Grand Commandant Wang said makes sense. I can give you this edict. After the Sima family is eliminated, your Wang family will have a seat among the Three Dukes."

"But what can you give me? Since it's a transaction, it can't be just me making the sacrifices, can it?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Xiang's complexion visibly flushed.

"That's natural!"

"After leaving the palace, this old minister will visit each of the various powerful clans, inviting them to witness firsthand how the Sima family treats us gentry!"

"This old minister will let them know that once the Sima family sits on the throne, all that awaits them is a complete purge!"

He would set up a stage for himself and invite enough audience members.

Then, under the watchful eyes of all the spectators, he faced his own death.

"But there is one thing you should be careful about. If those powerful families choose to back down for the time being and do not fully unleash their resentment, then if Sima Zhao wipes out your Wang family, I will be powerless to stop it."

As Liu Bang approached the desk, about to write the imperial edict, he looked up and offered a reminder.

"Your Majesty need not worry about this. Having learned from the previous mistake, I instructed them before coming here that if I did not return within an hour, they would disguise themselves as merchants and peddlers and blend into the crowd, and then seize the opportunity to leave the city."

Having experienced a complete wipeout once, how could Wang Xiang not be prepared?

Even if Sima Zhao acts quickly, his return and the time needed to mobilize his troops will not be enough to surround his residence within an hour!

"Ha, you're really cautious."

Liu Bang couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head, then put pen to paper without further hesitation.

After watching the imperial edict being written and then stamped with the imperial seal, Wang Xiang knelt down on both knees.

"Whether my plan succeeds or not, whether my Great Wei dynasty can be revived, all depends on you."

"Don't let me down."

Wang Xiang accepted the imperial edict with both hands, carefully tucked it into his robes, and then kowtowed three times and bowed nine times before rising.

"This old minister has been planning for himself and the Wang family for so many years, but I never expected that I would be able to stand by Your Majesty's side as a loyal subject."

"This damned fate is truly laughable."

"In that case, let this old minister serve the Great Wei one last time. I wish Your Majesty a swift victory in slaughtering the Sima family and regaining the power of the emperor."

"Hereby, I wish Your Majesty success in unifying the land!"

Wang Xiang turned and left with steady steps, looking nothing like an old man.

Perhaps his desperate climb to the top in his youth was also for the sake of serving the country and realizing his own ambitions.

He had forgotten this ambition at some point, but now, perhaps out of necessity or by fate, he has picked it up again.

Although he was not a loyal minister or a good general, he was able to face death with equanimity.

Watching his retreating figure, Liu Bang murmured softly.

"I also wish you a safe journey."