Daming: I can’t kill such a greedy prince-in-law?

Chapter 736: Huaixi Party gathers at the Korean Palace (Subscribe please!!)
Li Wenyuan pondered for a moment, then nodded slowly and said, "Brother Mingde is right. We in the Huaixi Party have always respected the old prime minister and General Lan. If we do not discuss this matter with them and act on our own, I am afraid it will ruin the whole thing. The old prime minister is far-sighted. Although General Lan has been temporarily dismissed, his prestige in the army is still there. We must unite to deal with Ouyang Lun's assessment system."

Wang Zhenshan patted the table and said in a deep voice: "In this case, let's split up. Brother Wenyuan, you and Brother Mingde go to the Duke of Han's Mansion together to report this matter to the old prime minister. Brother Zhao and I will go to the Duke of Liang's Mansion to ask General Lan to come out. We must settle this matter today to avoid more trouble later."

Zhao Mingde nodded in agreement: "Brother Zhenshan is right, we should act without further delay. However, we still have to be careful to avoid being noticed by Ouyang Lun's spies. Especially General Lan, his status is sensitive now, when we go to see him, we must be low-key and not show off."

Li Wenyuan stood up, looked around at everyone, and said firmly: "Everyone, this is about the future of our Huaixi children, and we must not be careless. Let's act separately and make sure to meet up at the Hanguo Mansion before sunset. Remember, everything is subject to the instructions of the old prime minister, and do not act on your own."

Everyone stood up and responded in unison: "Understood!"

Wang Zhenshan and Zhao Mingde left first and headed straight for the Duke of Liang's Mansion. They kept a low profile along the way, avoiding busy streets and walking along quiet alleys. When they arrived at the Duke of Liang's Mansion, Wang Zhenshan knocked on the door and whispered to the doorman, "Please inform General Lan that an old friend is visiting and has important matters to discuss."

Seeing the two men's extraordinary demeanor, the gatekeeper did not dare to neglect them and hurried in to report. Not long after, Lan Yu came out in person. Although he had been dismissed from his post, he was still dignified and his eyes were sharp. Seeing Wang Zhenshan and Zhao Mingde, he was slightly stunned, then smiled and said, "Zhenshan, Mingde, why are you here? What happened in the army?"

Wang Zhenshan bowed and saluted, and whispered: "General, this matter is of great importance. Let's go in and discuss it in detail."

Lan Yu nodded and led the two into the inner hall. After sitting down, Zhao Mingde reported in detail about Ouyang Lun's implementation of the assessment system, and explained the concerns and plans within the Huaixi Party. After listening, Lan Yu frowned and pondered, "Ouyang Lun's move is indeed ill-intentioned. He wants to use the name of the assessment to weaken the power of our Huaixi children in the army. But, you came to me, do you want me to come forward?"

Wang Zhenshan nodded and said, "That's right. Although the general has been temporarily dismissed, your prestige in the army is unmatched. Our Huaixi Party now needs you and the old prime minister to jointly preside over the overall situation in order to deal with this crisis."

Lan Yu pondered for a moment and said slowly, "Have you ever been to the old prime minister's place?"

Zhao Mingde replied: "Brother Wenyuan and Brother Mingde have already gone to the Duke of Han's Mansion. We are here to invite the general to go with us to discuss the plan."

After listening to Wang Zhenshan and Zhao Mingde's narration, Lan Yu frowned, his heart was in turmoil. He slowly sat back in his chair, staring at the teacup on the table, but his thoughts had already flown away.

He knew that once Ouyang Lun's assessment system was implemented, the status of Huaixi children in the army would be impacted. If those children from poor families took this opportunity to rise, the foundation of the Huaixi Party's many years of operation would be shaken. As one of the core figures of the Huaixi Party, Lan Yu naturally did not want to see such a situation. However, he also understood that he had been dismissed from all official positions and his identity was sensitive. If he rashly participated in this matter, he might cause greater trouble.

Lan Yu was torn. On the one hand, he knew the crisis the Huaixi Party was facing, and if he did not respond in time, the consequences would be disastrous; on the other hand, he was worried that his involvement would intensify the conflict and even arouse the emperor's suspicion. He thought to himself: "Although His Majesty has temporarily dismissed me from my post, he has not killed me. If I get involved in the court struggle again at this time, I am afraid I will completely lose His Majesty's trust. But if I don't show up, the Huaixi Party will be leaderless, how can they deal with Ouyang Lun's step-by-step pressure?"

He looked up at Wang Zhenshan and Zhao Mingde and saw that they looked anxious, and they had obviously placed all their hopes on him. Lan Yu felt complicated. He knew that if he did not come forward, it would be difficult for the Huaixi Party to form a unified response strategy. Although Li Shanchang was the spiritual leader of the Huaixi Party, he was old and had limited energy, so he might not be able to carry this banner alone.

Thinking of this, Lan Yu gradually made up his mind. He took a deep breath, slowly stood up, and said with a firm look: "Okay, in this case, I will go with you. However, this matter must be handled with caution and must not be known to outsiders."

Wang Zhenshan and Zhao Mingde were delighted when they heard this, and they immediately bowed and said, "Thank you, General! With you here, our Huaixi Party has a backbone!"

Lan Yu waved his hand and said in a deep voice: "This matter is of great importance. We must proceed with caution. You go and prepare first, and I will go to the Duke of Han's Mansion with you later."

The two nodded in agreement and then left the room to arrange related matters. Lan Yu stood there, looking out the window with deep eyes, silently thinking about the next move. He knew that once he took this step, there would be no turning back. But for the future of the Huaixi Party, he had no choice.

After a while, Lan Yu straightened his clothes and walked out of the room. His steps were firm and steady, as if he had returned to the time when he led thousands of troops. He knew that the road ahead was full of difficulties, but he had made up his mind to fight for a glimmer of hope for the Huaixi Party no matter what.

After the three of them had discussed the matter, they quietly left the Duke of Liang's Mansion and headed straight for the Duke of Han's Mansion.

At the same time, Li Wenyuan and another official had also arrived at the Korean Palace. Although Li Shanchang was old, he was in good spirits. When he heard that Li Wenyuan and others had come, he knew that there was something important to discuss. He personally met with several people in his study.

Although Li Shanchang was old, he was in good spirits. When he heard that Li Wenyuan and others were coming, he knew that there was something important to discuss. He put down the book in his hand, narrowed his eyes slightly, and thought secretly in his heart.

"Li Wenyuan and others' sudden visit must be about Ouyang Lun's promotion of the assessment system." Li Shanchang understood. Although he had been hiding in his house for a while, he was still well aware of the slightest movement in the court. Ouyang Lun's move was obviously to break the monopoly of the Huaixi Party in the army and support the children of poor families to take office. This was undoubtedly a huge crisis for the Huaixi Party.

Li Shanchang pondered for a moment, weighing the pros and cons in his mind. He knew that if he came forward at this time, he would inevitably be involved in the court struggle again. He was old and no longer wanted to participate in these disputes. He just wanted to spend his old age in peace. However, he had supported the Huaixi Party. If he sat back and let Ouyang Lun disintegrate the power of the Huaixi children, his years of hard work would go to waste.

"If the Huaixi Party falls, my influence in the court will be gone." Li Shanchang sighed inwardly. Although he is already old and may not have much time left to live, he still hopes to retain a seat in the court so that he can fight for the interests of his family and the Huaixi Party at a critical moment. If he stands idly by at this time, he may not even be able to protect himself in the future.

On the other hand, Li Shanchang also knew that Ouyang Lun was now deeply trusted by the emperor. If he openly opposed the assessment system, it would probably arouse the emperor's suspicion. The emperor was already wary of the Huaixi Party's excessive power. If he showed his dissatisfaction with Ouyang Lun again, it would probably backfire. "We must act cautiously on this matter. We can neither sit back and do nothing, nor be too radical." Li Shanchang made a decision in his mind. He decided to meet Li Wenyuan and others first, listen to their ideas, and then decide how to deal with it.

Thinking of this, Li Shanchang stood up and said to the attendant beside him: "Please ask them to come to the study."

The attendant left in response, and soon, Li Wenyuan and others arrived at the study. Li Shanchang sat behind the desk, his expression calm and his eyes deep. He raised his hand slightly, motioning everyone to sit down, and then slowly said: "Wenyuan, are you here today for Ouyang Lun's assessment system?"

Li Wenyuan quickly stood up and answered respectfully, "Old Prime Minister, please understand that I am here for this matter. Ouyang Lun's move is obviously intended to shake the foundation of our Huaixi disciples in the army. We have come to ask the old prime minister how to deal with it."

Li Shanchang nodded, and glanced at everyone, his tone calm but with dignity: "This matter is of great importance, what do you think, why not tell me."

Li Wenyuan and his companions felt relieved when they saw this, knowing that the old prime minister was not standing idly by, so they reported their plans and concerns one by one. Li Shanchang listened quietly, but in his heart he was constantly weighing the pros and cons, thinking about the best response strategy.

Li Wenyuan reported Ouyang Lun's assessment system and the Huaixi Party's response plan one by one. After listening, Li Shanchang narrowed his eyes slightly and said slowly: "Ouyang Lun's move is indeed to shake the foundation of our Huaixi disciples. However, although the plan you proposed makes sense, it is not comprehensive enough."

Li Wenyuan asked respectfully, "What do you think, old Prime Minister?"

Li Shanchang stroked his beard and said in a deep voice: "Ouyang Lun is now deeply trusted by His Majesty. If we openly oppose him, it will only bring disaster upon ourselves. Instead of confronting him head-on, it is better to overcome him with softness. You can do something in the assessment, but don't make it too obvious. At the same time, we must win more support in the court, especially from those neutral officials. As long as they speak for us in the court, Ouyang Lun's plan will be difficult to implement smoothly."

Li Wenyuan nodded and said, "The old prime minister is indeed far-sighted. I have learned a lot from him."

Just then, a report came from outside the door that Lan Yu, Wang Zhenshan and Zhao Mingde had arrived.

At this time, a report came from outside the door that Lan Yu, Wang Zhenshan and Zhao Mingde had arrived. Upon hearing this, Li Shanchang raised his eyebrows slightly, and a complicated look flashed in his eyes. He thought to himself: "Lan Yu is here too... It seems that this matter is indeed very serious."

Li Shanchang was surprised and somewhat worried about Lan Yu's arrival. He knew that since Lan Yu was dismissed from all official positions, he had been living in seclusion and almost no longer participated in court affairs. This time he came in person, obviously because Ouyang Lun's assessment system touched the fundamental interests of the Huaixi Party, forcing him to come out again.

However, Li Shanchang also had a hidden worry in his heart. He was worried that Lan Yu would be devastated by being dismissed from office and would lose his former vigor and courage. If so, even if Lan Yu came forward, it would be difficult for him to play an important role in dealing with Ouyang Lun. What made Li Shanchang even more worried was whether Lan Yu had any grudges against him. When Lan Yu was dismissed from office, although Li Shanchang was the leader of the Huaixi Party, he did not fight for him with all his strength, but chose to protect himself. He was worried that Lan Yu would resent him because of this, and even doubt whether he was still trustworthy.

"Lan Yu is a man of strong character, and he is very clear about gratitude and resentment. If he bears a grudge against me, I am afraid that this cooperation will not go smoothly." Li Shanchang sighed inwardly. He knew that the Huaixi Party was now facing a crisis, and it must be united internally to deal with Ouyang Lun's challenge. If there was a rift between Lan Yu and himself, it might affect the implementation of the entire plan.

Thinking of this, Li Shanchang decided to put the overall situation first and put aside his worries for the time being. He stood up and said to his attendants, "Please invite Lan Yu and the others in."

Soon, Lan Yu, Wang Zhenshan and Zhao Mingde walked into the study. Li Shanchang's eyes fell on Lan Yu. He saw that although he looked calm, there was still a hint of coldness between his brows, and his heart tightened slightly. He smiled slightly and said in a calm tone: "Lan Yu, I haven't seen you for a long time, and you are still as charming as ever."

Lan Yu bowed his hands, his tone calm but respectful: "Old Prime Minister, thank you for your compliment. I am just an idler now, how can I have any elegance to speak of."

Li Shanchang heard the alienation implied in his words, and was more certain that Lan Yu was dissatisfied with him. But he did not show it, and continued: "Lan Yu, although you have temporarily retired, the Huaixi Party is still proud of you. This time Ouyang Lun is promoting the assessment system, which is related to the future of our Huaixi children. It is really great that you can come forward."

Lan Yu raised his eyes to look at Li Shanchang, his gaze was deep, his tone was calm but with a hint of probing: "Old Prime Minister, you are too kind. I came here this time just because I couldn't bear to see the Huaixi people being bullied. As for other things, I don't think much about it."

Li Shanchang was startled, knowing that Lan Yu was hinting that he had not done his best to fight for him. He pondered for a moment and said slowly: "Lan Yu, I had my own reasons for what happened back then. Now that the Huaixi Party is facing a crisis, we should put aside our past grudges and deal with it together. What do you think?"

Lan Yu was silent for a moment, then nodded: "The old prime minister is right. I came here for the future of the Huaixi Party. As long as the old prime minister doesn't mind, I am willing to do my best."

Li Shanchang felt relieved when he saw Lan Yu's attitude soften, so he continued, "Okay, in that case, let's discuss together how to deal with Ouyang Lun's assessment system."

Lan Yu nodded in agreement, and then sat down with Wang Zhenshan and Zhao Mingde. Li Shanchang was relieved when he saw this. He knew that as long as Lan Yu was willing to cooperate, the Huaixi Party still had hope. As for the rift between the two, it could only be resolved slowly in the future.

(End of this chapter)