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

As soon as he finished speaking, the hall suddenly became quiet. Everyone looked at Li Shanchang, waiting for his further instructions.

Li Shanchang put down his teacup, glanced at everyone, and said in a steady tone: "The officials promoted this time must gain a firm foothold in their respective positions as soon as possible, and secretly contact other forces that are dissatisfied with Ouyang Lun to form a joint force. At the same time, we must also create public opinion in the court to make more people aware of Ouyang Lun's arbitrary behavior. Only in this way can we truly reverse the situation."

After hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement. Qi Tai stood up and said respectfully, "Mr. Li is right. We must follow his instructions and proceed step by step, and never give Ouyang Lun a chance to take advantage of us."

Li Shanchang nodded with satisfaction and continued, "In addition, we need to do something in the local area. Those demoted generals and officials are our potential allies. If we can get them to write a joint letter to complain to His Majesty, Ouyang Lun's assessment will naturally be questioned."

The officials in the hall showed their approval one after another. An old official could not help but exclaimed: "Mr. Li, this is a great idea! In this way, we can strike Ouyang Lun and protect ourselves at the same time. It is really a great idea!"

Li Shanchang smiled slightly, with a hint of deep meaning in his tone: "Everyone, remember this sentence - 'If you are patient, the wind will be calm; if you take a step back, the sky will be wide open.' As long as we can stay calm, this storm will eventually pass."

Everyone in the hall stood up and bowed to Li Shanchang: "Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Li! We will definitely follow your instructions!"

Li Shanchang waved his hand, motioning everyone to sit down. He picked up the teacup, took a sip, and a gleam of light flashed in his eyes: "Okay, when you go back, do your own thing and be careful. This game has just begun."

Everyone nodded, and then continued to talk in the mansion, the atmosphere was warm and cheerful. The officials of the Huaixi Party seemed to see the dawn of hope, and their hearts were full of fighting spirit. They knew that as long as they united and made secret plans, they could eventually turn the situation around.

Li Shanchang sat alone in the main seat, looking at the excited people in the hall, thinking to himself: "Ouyang Lun, Ouyang Lun, do you think you can cover the sky with one hand just by relying on the favor of His Majesty? It's not that simple in the court..."

Although Li Shanchang appeared to cooperate closely with the Huaixi Party, gave them advice and even acted confident, deep in his heart he gradually developed distrust and alienation towards them.

He was clearly aware that the Huaixi Party members were brought together only for their own interests, rather than for real loyalty or common ideals.

They appear respectful and obedient on the surface, but in fact they have their own thoughts and may turn against each other at any time for greater benefits.

This profit-first attitude made Li Shanchang feel uneasy because he could not fully trust these people.

What made him even more dissatisfied was that the Huaixi Party members were often eager for quick success and lacked long-term vision.

When faced with Ouyang Lun's threats, they were always eager to succeed, and might even destroy his carefully laid plans because of a momentary impulse.

Li Shanchang knew that the struggle in the court was a game that required patience and strategy, and the short-sighted behavior of the Huaixi Party disappointed him. In addition, the Huaixi Party was not monolithic, and there were many contradictions and conflicts of interest among its members.

Although Li Shanchang tried hard to maintain superficial unity, he knew that these contradictions could erupt at any time, leading to internal divisions and affecting the strength of the entire Huaixi Party.

Despite this, Li Shanchang still needed to rely on the Huaixi Party to maintain his influence and status.

He understood that his relationship with the Huaixi Party was a double-edged sword, which could bring him strength but also become his weakness. The behavior and decisions of the Huaixi Party would not only affect his reputation, but could even put him in a passive position. Therefore, his attitude towards the Huaixi Party was both dependent and wary. He needed their support but was unwilling to fully trust them.

Li Shanchang had a clear understanding of the situation.

He knew that Ouyang Lun was only an opponent in the court struggle, and the Huaixi Party was not his only support.

He had to remain calm and cautious in this complex game, taking advantage of the power of the Huaixi Party while preventing himself from being dragged down by their shortsightedness and internal conflicts. Therefore, despite his dissatisfaction with the Huaixi Party, he still chose to forbear and continue to cooperate with them, because he knew that only by stabilizing the Huaixi Party could he be invincible in this power struggle.

After some thought, Li Shanchang decided to transfer Qi Tai from the Minister of Works to the Military Cabinet as a military officer. He picked up the teacup, took a sip, and looked out the window with deep eyes, as if weighing something. After a moment, he slowly opened his mouth and said to Qi Tai: "Qi Tai, your performance in the Ministry of Works is obvious to all, and the Beijing-Pingyang Railway is a great contribution to future generations. The situation in the court is complicated now. Ouyang Lun has a monopoly in the Military Cabinet. After Lan Yu was kicked out, our Huaixi Party has no foothold in the army. You are the person I trust the most and the most capable person. I hope you can enter the Military Cabinet and stabilize the situation for us."

Qi Tai heard this with a solemn expression, and bowed respectfully, saying, "Mr. Li has shown great love for me, Qi Tai will do his best to live up to your trust. But Ouyang Lun is so powerful, I am afraid..."

Li Shanchang waved his hand, interrupting him, his tone was calm but with a hint of coldness: "No matter how powerful Ouyang Lun is, he is only a temporary favorite of His Majesty. In the court, the situation is changing, and it is still unknown who will have the last laugh. After you enter the military cabinet, remember not to act rashly, and you must be stable. Secretly contact those generals who are dissatisfied with Ouyang Lun, and gradually accumulate strength. As for Ouyang Lun, if he attacks you, you don't have to be afraid. You have the merit of building the Beijing-Ping Railway, and His Majesty also favors you, so he dare not touch you easily."

Qi Tai nodded, but there was still a trace of doubt in his eyes: "Mr. Li, if Ouyang Lun targets me everywhere in the military cabinet, how should I respond?"

Li Shanchang smiled slightly, with a gleam in his eyes: "Be patient for a while and the sea will be calm; take a step back and the sky will be wide open. You have just entered the military cabinet, so you don't have to compete with him. If he wants power, you give it to him; if he wants influence, you give it to him. But you must remember that what you give is not your bottom line, but his arrogance. When he gets carried away, it will be the day for us to strike back."

After hearing this, Qi Tai suddenly understood and said solemnly: "Mr. Li, your opinion is great. Qi Tai understands. I will be careful and will never give Ouyang Lun a chance to take advantage of me."

Li Shanchang nodded with satisfaction, and said with a hint of deep meaning: "Qi Tai, this game has just begun. Ouyang Lun thought that he could cover the sky with the favor of His Majesty, but he forgot that the court has never been ruled by one person. After you enter the military cabinet, you must not only stabilize the situation, but also make secret arrangements. Those demoted generals and officials are all our potential allies. If we can get them to write a letter jointly to complain to His Majesty, Ouyang Lun's assessment will naturally be questioned."

Qi Tai's eyes flashed with admiration, and he whispered: "Mr. Li is far-sighted, Qi Tai admires him. But within the Huaixi Party..."

Upon hearing this, Li Shanchang's face darkened slightly, and his tone was filled with helplessness: "The Huaixi Party members are united on the surface, but in fact they have their own thoughts. They gather together only for the sake of interests. You don't have to have too high expectations of them. Just remember that our real enemy is Ouyang Lun. As for the others, use them if you can, and don't force them if you can't." Qi Tai nodded in agreement, and his admiration for Li Shanchang deepened. He knew that although Li Shanchang was dissatisfied with the Huaixi Party members, he still chose to endure and continue to cooperate with them, all for the sake of the overall situation. And he was the key link in Li Shanchang's layout.

Li Shanchang was relieved to see Qi Tai's resolute expression. He stood up, patted Qi Tai on the shoulder, and said earnestly: "Qi Tai, this storm will eventually pass, but before that, we must be patient. Remember, only by being patient can we achieve great things."

Qi Tai nodded solemnly: "Don't worry, Lord Li, Qi Tai will remember your teachings and will never let you down."

Li Shanchang smiled slightly, with a hint of sternness in his eyes: "Okay, go and get ready. Remember, after entering the military cabinet, you must be careful. This game has just begun."

When the news of Qi Tai's entry into the military cabinet spread, people in the court had different reactions.

The Huaixi Party was naturally delighted, believing that this was an important step in Li Shanchang's plan; but Ouyang Lun did not show too much surprise.

He had long expected that Li Shanchang would take action, but he did not expect that he would send someone like Qi Tai who was both capable and prestigious.

However, Ouyang Lun did not feel uneasy, but seemed particularly calm. He knew very well that although Qi Tai was capable, he had just entered the military cabinet and his foundation was shallow, so it was difficult for him to pose a threat to him in a short period of time.

A few days later, Ouyang Lun summoned Qi Tai to the meeting room of the military cabinet.

When Qi Tai received the notice, he was a little nervous. Although he was mentally prepared, he still felt a lot of pressure when facing such a powerful person like Ouyang Lun. He straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, and walked into the meeting room.

In the meeting room, Ouyang Lun was sitting in the main seat, holding a memorial in his hand, with a focused expression. Hearing the footsteps, he raised his head, looked at Qi Tai calmly, smiled slightly, and said in a gentle but dignified tone: "General Qi, here you are."

Qi Tai hurried forward and bowed respectfully: "I am Qi Tai, your humble servant, and I greet Lord Ouyang."

Ouyang Lun nodded, motioning him to sit down, then put the memorial in his hand aside and said calmly: "General Qi, there is no need to be polite. You are new to the military cabinet, so you must not be familiar with the affairs here. I summoned you here today mainly to chat with you and explain some matters."

After Qi Tai sat down, he placed his hands on his knees, looking a little reserved: "Thank you Lord Ouyang for your concern. I will do my best to familiarize myself with the affairs as soon as possible."

Ouyang Lun glanced at him, with a trace of scrutiny in his eyes, but his tone was still calm: "General Qi's performance in the Ministry of Industry is obvious to all, especially the Beijing-Pingyuan Railway, which has contributed to the country. His Majesty also praised you. Now that you are transferred to the military cabinet, it must be His Majesty's intention."

Qi Tai's heart tightened, and he quickly said: "I am a humble official with little talent and knowledge. I was able to enter the military cabinet thanks to the support of Your Majesty and Lord Li. I will live up to your expectations and work hard to do my job well."

Ouyang Lun smiled slightly, with a hint of meaning in his tone: "General Qi, there is no need to be modest. Newly appointed officials have a probation period. As long as you work hard to do your job well, pass the probation and future assessments, there will be no problems between us."

Qi Tai heard the warning in Ouyang Lun's words and became even more nervous, but he remained respectful on the surface: "I understand. I will remember Lord Ouyang's teachings and will never let your majesty down."

Ouyang Lun nodded, his tone still calm: "The military cabinet has complicated affairs and heavy responsibilities. You are new here, if you have any questions, you can ask me at any time. In addition, other colleagues in the cabinet are also experienced people, you can ask them for advice."

Qi Tai quickly responded: "Thank you Lord Ouyang for your guidance. I will learn with an open mind and integrate into the cabinet affairs as soon as possible."

Ouyang Lun glanced at him with a hint of deep meaning in his eyes: "General Qi, you are a smart man, there are some things I don't need to say more. The military cabinet is an important place in the court, and everything is based on state affairs. I hope you can understand this."

Qi Tai's heart trembled, knowing that Ouyang Lun was reminding him not to get involved in factional struggles. He nodded quickly and said sincerely: "I understand. I will put national affairs first and will never have any selfish thoughts."

Ouyang Lun nodded with satisfaction, then stood up and said in a more relaxed tone: "Okay, let's stop here today. If General Qi has any other questions, you can always come to me."

Qi Tai also stood up quickly and bowed respectfully: "Thank you, Lord Ouyang. I will take my leave."

After walking out of the meeting room, Qi Tai breathed a sigh of relief, his clothes on his back were soaked with cold sweat. He looked back at the closed door and thought to himself: "Ouyang Lun is really unfathomable. His words are impenetrable. He not only hit me, but also left me no way to refute. It seems that the road ahead will not be easy."

In the meeting room, Ouyang Lun sat back in his chair, looking deeply at the door, his mouth slightly raised, and whispered to himself: "Qi Tai, Li Shanchang sent you here just to check and balance me. However, this game is not as simple as you think."

After Qi Tai left the conference room, his steps were steady but his heart was filled with turmoil.

On the surface, he was respectful to Ouyang Lun and spoke cautiously, but deep down, he was strongly dissatisfied with this powerful minister. This dissatisfaction was not impulsive, but stemmed from the arrogance and contempt in Ouyang Lun's words, as well as his implicit suppression of the Huaixi Party and even Li Shanchang.

First, although Ouyang Lun spoke in a calm tone, every word he said was condescending. He mentioned that "newly appointed officials have a probation period", which was apparently to remind Qi Tai to work hard, but in fact it was to imply that Qi Tai's position was not stable and he could be kicked out of the military cabinet at any time. (End of this chapter)