After deceiving the villain, I was forced to love him.

After relaying the news of the internal strife within the Baili family and explaining some details, Lu Jian went to arrange for people to catch the "rats."

Bai Li Ce said that the two people she killed were deliberately provoking her, probably bribed by someone to test the strength of the mastermind behind them, so she was too lazy to control them and just killed them.

Following this lead, Lu Jian actually found out some things.

Sure enough, it was sent from the capital again.

This indicates that neither the capital nor Hezhou is safe anymore.

But Lu Jian didn't alert the enemy; instead—

"Comer"

"exist"

"Make arrangements; I wish to see Wang Qingyan."

......

Lu Jian had very limited time to give Baili Ce, so the next day she was rushed to Jiangzhou in a "coma" state.

Having nowhere else to go, Lady Sun chose to go with them, while Song Zhaohe, who was the most seriously injured and not yet fully recovered, stayed in Hezhou to recuperate.

At that time, Lu Jian had almost no one he could rely on.

“You arrived later than I expected.” Sitting upright in the prison cell, Wang Qingyan showed no embarrassment on his ferocious face.

"..." He leisurely chose a clean and bright spot, waiting for the jailer to bring him a chair to sit down. Unlike talking to Baili Ce, Lu Jianke had to keep his distance at all times.

After a moment of silence, Wang Qingyan couldn't help but speak again, "If Your Majesty is only here to see a joke, then you can leave now."

"I was just wondering how you knew it was me."

What I mean is, you're clearly blind, and you haven't spent much time with me, so how can you possibly tell who's who?

"When people are extremely bored, they always look forward to the arrival of an opponent."

"And you have always been a worthy opponent."

Lu Jian scoffed, unconcerned.

"The last time we sat down and talked like this was eleven years ago."

"Back then, you didn't refer to yourself as '朕' (Zhen, the imperial emperor)."

Gently patting his clothes, Lu Jian spoke in a casual, old-fashioned manner, "People always change."

"Then, what does Your Majesty wish to change this time?"

Eleven years ago, Lu Jian was eighteen years old and had just been made crown prince. He not only had to face a group of senior and powerful relatives, but also had no weight in the eyes of the military generals.

Among them, the generals of the northern frontier were the most outstanding.

Lu Jian sought his cooperation, on the condition that if the Northern Frontier rebelled, the Wang family would assist in suppressing the rebellion.

The stated condition was that after ascending the throne, he would bestow a marriage upon Baili and Wang.

"You should ask yourself what else you want to change."

At the beginning of his reign, Wang Qingyan seemed to keep his promise and helped him quell the chaos in the northern frontier overnight.

In reality, however, the Wang family's power had infiltrated both inside and outside the court, uniting two-thirds of the powerful families and putting him under immense pressure.

The so-called "arranged marriage for him" was just a joke that was hardly worth mentioning.

"Hahahaha..." Wang Qingyan laughed so hard he was bent over.

"Change? All I want is destruction."

"So there's no room for negotiation?"

When Lu Jianzhen asked this question, Wang Qingyan shook his head again, "No."

"Then be straightforward and tell me what you want."

"Don't kill me before I return to the capital."

"That was my original plan."

"I need clean food, water, clothes, and a bed."

"Can"

“Song Zhaohe has a tiger-shaped pouch on his waist. Have him give it to me.”

Lu Jian immediately replied, "No."

It sounds like a completely righteous statement: "What are you doing with other people's private property?"

"Then I need to know where Baili Ce went during those five years."

Lu was speechless.

After a while, he said, "I'll bring you the purse in a bit."

His words were full of helplessness and disdain.

"Then I will also tell Your Majesty that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, your beloved should have already been brought back to the capital by Baili Jiangluo."

"anything else?"

"Baili Jiangluo was able to walk again because he took the medicine I gave him."

"You planted a curse on him?"

"He doesn't deserve it yet."

Good, good, good. To be able to be poisoned by Wang Qingyan is a great honor.

But if it's not about using Gu poison, then things are much easier. "So what you told Madam Sun before, that you told others about the method of using Gu poison, was also a lie?"

"I didn't say that."

His exact words were—

I have not kept the method of planting Gu poison to myself.

As for how Lady Sun interprets it, that's completely irrelevant to him.

"Logically speaking, you should be allies. Isn't what you're doing self-destructive?"

"So-called allies are nothing more than those with shared interests. When he only cares about his own interests, why should I keep his mouth shut?"

Baili Jiangluo forgot who made him stand up like a human being again, and he didn't understand that if he had the ability to send him up, he naturally had the ability to kick him down.

Dare to outwardly comply while inwardly defying him? Trying to climb over him to get ahead?

Then don't blame him for undermining your cause.

“Then tell me, what exactly are you… oh, no,” Lu Jian began, then changed his words with a hint of sarcasm, “your former allies, what are they plotting?”

"What else could it be but controlling imperial power and ruling the world?"

Overthrow Lu Jian and become emperor himself?

Not only is it difficult, but it is also very difficult to maintain control of the country once it is acquired.

Because if you can do it, so can others.

Rather than letting the world descend into chaos, it's better to place an obedient puppet in that position and find a bunch of parasites to bear the world's gaze and judgment for oneself.

Baili Jiangluo himself, as the biggest beneficiary, will maintain the prestige of his aristocratic family and remain noble forever.

“That makes some sense,” Lu Jian said. Not only was he not angry, but he was also pleased that Wang Qingyan had told the “truth.”

Of all the royal powers and riches, the privileged families truly enjoy the most effortless life.

Being a wise and honest ruler is too tiring. It not only makes you suffer, but also makes those around you suffer. At the same time, you have to be cunning and resourceful on everyone's part in order to fight against corrupt officials and powerful ministers.

But both clear and muddy water can be used to irrigate farmland, so the suppression cannot be too severe.

Of course, this was only a barely acceptable step into the realm of becoming a wise and upright ruler and official.

It's much easier to be a tyrannical ruler and a treacherous minister, but you won't live long and your reputation won't be good after death.

Only these aristocratic families can navigate the lines between right and wrong with ease, never having to do the dirty work themselves, yet still reaping every penny of the profits.

If handled well, it can even earn you a lasting reputation, which is incredibly worthwhile.

"It is difficult for a dynasty to last for a hundred years, but it is not impossible. However, to last for a thousand years is simply a pipe dream."

“But a powerful family is different. I believe His Majesty understands this better than I do.”

During the Tiande era, Lu Jian's father once wanted to take the eldest daughter of the Cheng family in Jiangzhou into the palace as a concubine, but she refused outright.

Although the old, foolish emperor was angry, he ultimately let the matter drop because he feared the power of the powerful clans that shared the same blood.

And this is the glory that Baili Jiangluo wants to restore to his aristocratic family.

"Even if Baili Jiangluo is very capable, he alone could never have done this much."

"That's your business, Your Majesty. In short, I simply helped him get back on his feet."

The word "that's all" sounded mysterious, but Lu Jian didn't ask any further questions.

Besides, this question isn't hard to guess.

Since it wasn't Wang Qingyan, then it must be a remnant of aristocratic families who, like Baili Jiangluo, were unwilling to give up.

Of course, Wang Qingyan's words cannot be taken entirely at face value.

......

Listening to Lu Jian's receding footsteps, Wang Qingyan sat back down in the corner.

Soon after, someone came to change the clothes and bedding.

After so many days, he finally got to eat normal food. As the jailer turned to leave, he suddenly asked, "Excuse me, is the sun out today?"

The jailer immediately started cursing, "Are you blind and deaf? Didn't you hear the loud rain?!"

He left immediately after hurling his insults, not lingering even for a moment.

"..." Listen quietly, and sure enough, rainwater is splashing in through the window above.

There was also a hint of grass and soil in the air.

The rainy season has arrived.

.......