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

These words seemed to be high-sounding, but in fact they were profound. The members of the Huaixi Party knew very well that Ouyang Lun was using the name of the assessment to weaken the power of the Huaixi Party in the military cabinet. However, they could not publicly refute it because Ouyang Lun's every step was flawless, and the standards and process of the assessment were impeccable.

At the same time, Qi Tai also realized the deep meaning behind this test. He knew that Ouyang Lun was gradually weakening the power of the Huaixi Party and testing his position. However, Qi Tai did not panic. He knew that he was able to escape this test not only because of his outstanding ability, but also because Ouyang Lun did not want to confront him head-on for the time being.

Qi Tai sneered in his heart: "Ouyang Lun, do you think you can completely suppress the Huaixi Party with this assessment? You are too naive. The more you do this, the more you will provoke a counterattack from the Huaixi Party."

As expected, the core members of the Huaixi Party began to act secretly. On the one hand, they complained for the officials who were removed from the court and tried to recover some losses; on the other hand, they also began to step up their support for Qi Tai, hoping that he could gain a foothold in the military cabinet and gain more initiative for the Huaixi Party.

Qi Tai did not disappoint the Huaixi Party. He used his power in the allocation of military supplies to continue to promote reforms, and at the same time secretly wooed those outstanding officials who had been promoted. He knew that although these people did not belong to any faction for the time being, as long as they were given enough benefits and trust, they might be used by the Huaixi Party.

However, Ouyang Lun did not care about this. He had already seen through Qi Tai's intentions, but he did not take any action. In his opinion, Qi Tai's actions were just a desperate struggle and could not shake his foundation at all. Ouyang Lun's confidence came from his control over the court. He knew that as long as he firmly grasped the trust of His Majesty, no matter how hard the Huaixi Party struggled, it could not really threaten his position.

One day, Ouyang Lun was discussing matters with several trusted officials in his study. One official could not help but ask, "Sir, Qi Tai has been making frequent moves recently and seems to be secretly trying to win over those promoted officials. Should we take some measures to prevent him from becoming too powerful?"

Ouyang Lun smiled faintly, and said calmly: "No need. Although Qi Tai has some tricks, he is just a newcomer after all. The more eager he is to show off, the more likely he is to expose his weaknesses. We just need to wait and see, and when he loses his composure, we can defeat him in one fell swoop."

Another official said with some concern: "But, sir, Qi Tai is backed by the Huaixi Party after all. If we allow him to develop, I'm afraid it will be disadvantageous to us."

Ouyang Lun shook his head, his eyes revealing a hint of depth: "Although the Huaixi Party is powerful, its influence in the court has been much less than before in recent years. Your Majesty's attitude towards the Huaixi Party is also quite subtle. The more eager Qi Tai is to show off, the more likely he will arouse Your Majesty's suspicion. By then, he will find that he is just a pawn."

At this point, Ouyang Lun stood up, walked to the window, looked at the vigorous old pine tree in the courtyard, and said slowly: "The affairs of the court have always been cautious and can't be rushed. The more anxious Qi Tai is to show off, the more likely he is to reveal flaws. We just need to use calmness to control movement, wait for him to lose his composure, and then we can defeat him in one fell swoop."

After listening to Ouyang Lun's analysis, the worries on the faces of several trusted officials gradually disappeared. They realized that the reason why Ouyang Lun was so calm was because he had already seen through Qi Tai's trump card.

After his men left, Ouyang Lun sat back at his desk, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes. He whispered to himself, "Qi Tai, do you think you can compete with me with these little tricks? That's too naive. The chess game in the court has long been under my control. The more you struggle, the more you will find that you are just a trapped beast fighting."

After saying this, Ouyang Lun picked up the document again and his expression returned to calm. He knew that the initiative of this game was always in his hands. And Qi Tai was just a chess piece in this game.

Qi Tai returned to his office, still feeling uneasy. He sat at his desk, frowning, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table, making a slight "tapping" sound. At this time, his two trusted subordinates, Li Yuan and Zhao Qian, walked in. Seeing Qi Tai's serious expression, the two looked at each other, and Li Yuan spoke first: "Sir, did the meeting go well today?"

Qi Tai raised his head and glanced at the two of them, with a hint of fatigue in his tone: "Smooth? Oh, Ouyang Lun didn't even glance at my plan, he just said lightly, 'Just do it'. He didn't take me seriously at all."

Zhao Qian frowned and whispered, "Sir, Ouyang Lun's move is obviously to deliberately ignore you. The more he acts as if he doesn't care, the more it shows that he is afraid of you. Should we take some countermeasures?"

Qi Tai shook his head and said with a wry smile, "Counterattack? How can we counterattack? Ouyang Lun has a deep foundation in the court, and His Majesty trusts him. If we act rashly, he will only catch us, and the loss will outweigh the gain."

Li Yuan pondered for a moment and said slowly: "Sir, in my opinion, although Ouyang Lun appears calm on the surface, he may not be completely flawless. We might as well start with those officials he promoted and secretly win them over. Although these people do not belong to any faction for the time being, as long as we give them enough benefits and trust, they may be useful to us."

Qi Tai's eyes lit up when he heard this, but then dimmed again: "Winning over officials? That's easier said than done. You all know Ouyang Lun's methods. Most of the people he promoted are his confidants, or at least they have been strictly screened by him. If we contact them rashly, we will alert them."

Zhao Qian nodded and added, "Your Excellency is right. However, we don't have to rush. Although Ouyang Lun controls most of the power in the court, he is not monolithic. We can start with those marginalized officials, especially those who are dissatisfied with Ouyang Lun. As long as we secretly support them and gradually expand our influence, we may be able to find a breakthrough."

Qi Tai felt a little relieved after listening to their analysis. He took a deep breath and said slowly, "You are right. Although Ouyang Lun is powerful, he is not invulnerable. We should not confront him head-on now, but we can start from the side and gradually weaken his influence."

Seeing Qi Tai's expression eased a little, Li Yuan continued, "Sir, there is one more thing. We might as well do more work on the affairs of the military cabinet. The reforms you have recently implemented have begun to show results. As long as we continue to persevere, His Majesty will sooner or later notice your efforts. By then, even if Ouyang Lun wants to suppress you, he may not be able to succeed easily."

Qi Tai nodded, with a hint of determination in his eyes: "Yes, the most important thing for us now is to do our own thing well. The more Ouyang Lun ignores us, the more we must prove our worth. As long as we gain a foothold in the military cabinet, he will not be able to exclude us easily."

Zhao Qian smiled slightly and whispered, "Sir, in fact, Ouyang Lun's cold attitude may not be a bad thing. The more he acts as if he doesn't care, the more it shows that he is afraid of you. We just need to wait and see, and when he reveals a flaw, we can strike back." Qi Tai's mind suddenly became clear after hearing Zhao Qian's words. He stood up, walked to the window, looked at the palace wall in the distance, and said slowly, "You are right. Although Ouyang Lun is powerful, he is not invincible. We just need to take steady steps and gradually accumulate strength. One day, we will find an opportunity to strike back."

Li Yuan and Zhao Qian looked at each other and said in unison: "Your Excellency is wise."

Qi Tai turned around and looked at the two men with a firm gaze: "From today on, we must act more cautiously. On the one hand, we must continue to promote reforms and improve the efficiency of the military cabinet; on the other hand, we must secretly contact those officials who are dissatisfied with Ouyang Lun and gradually expand our influence. Remember, every step we take must be steady and accurate."

Li Yuan and Zhao Qian responded in unison: "Yes, sir!"

Qi Tai nodded, thinking to himself: "Ouyang Lun, do you think that you can make me, Qi Tai, surrender with your power? That's too naive. The chess game in the court has just begun. I want to see who will have the last laugh in the end."

At the same time, in Ouyang Lun's study, a trusted official whispered, "Sir, Qi Tai has been making frequent moves recently. Should we take some measures?"

Ouyang Lun smiled faintly, and said calmly: "No need. Although Qi Tai has some tricks, he is just a newcomer after all. The more eager he is to show off, the more likely he is to expose his weaknesses. We just need to wait and see, and when he loses his composure, we can defeat him in one fell swoop."

The trusted official nodded, a hint of admiration on his face: "Your Excellency has a good opinion."

Ouyang Lun didn't say anything more, just tapped the table lightly, with a deep look in his eyes. He knew that the initiative of this game was always in his hands. And Qi Tai was just a chess piece in this game.

However, Qi Tai was not discouraged. On the contrary, he strengthened his belief: as long as he did not fall, there would always be a chance to turn the tide. So he continued to work hard in the military cabinet, leading the officials of the entire cabinet to roll up together. And this silent contest also continued quietly in the undercurrent of the court.

Although Qi Tai's hard work in the military cabinet greatly improved the efficiency of the entire cabinet, it also made other officials feel more stressed. As time went on, this pressure gradually turned into dissatisfaction and complaints. Officials began to talk about Qi Tai's "excessive diligence" in private.

One evening, several military cabinet officials finished a busy day's work and met in a secluded teahouse. As the aroma of tea wafted around them, the topic quickly turned to Qi Tai.

"Don't you think Qi Tai is going too far?" A middle-aged official spoke first, with obvious dissatisfaction in his tone. "He comes to work before dawn every day and leaves late at night, forcing us to work overtime. If this continues, my old bones will not be able to bear it."

Another younger official sighed and agreed, "Yes, he is full of energy, but how can we compare with him? He is a newcomer, and he works so hard just to show off in front of His Majesty. But we are no longer at the age of being competitive."

"Humph, Qi Tai is just a newcomer. Why should we all follow him?" A slightly fat official snorted coldly, with disdain in his tone. "I think he is deliberately putting pressure on us to show how capable he is. But in fact, his so-called reforms are just some fancy words."

"That's right," the middle-aged official nodded in agreement. "His reform plans may look good on the surface, but there are a lot of problems in practice. We are so busy every day, but in the end, all the credit goes to him. It's really absurd!"

The young official shook his head and smiled bitterly, "What I can't stand the most is his condescending attitude. Every time we have a meeting, he always looks like he knows best and doesn't take us old officials seriously at all. It's as if all of us are useless and only Qi Tai is capable."

The slightly fat official sneered and said in a low voice: "What do you think, he is trying so hard, is he planning something? I heard that he has been secretly trying to win over some officials recently, and it seems that he wants to cultivate his own power in the military cabinet. If he succeeds, won't all of us be trampled under his feet?"

The middle-aged official's face darkened when he heard this, and he whispered, "Now that you mention it, I remember something. A few days ago, one of my clerks told me that Qi Tai's people had contacted him privately, and it seemed that they wanted him to help collect some confidential documents from the cabinet. I didn't pay much attention to it at the time, but now I think Qi Tai might have no good intentions."

The young official frowned and said worriedly: "If that's the case, then we have to be careful. Qi Tai looks honest and selfless on the surface, but who knows what he is planning behind the scenes? If he gets the upper hand, I'm afraid we won't have a good life."

The slightly fat official snorted coldly, with a hint of ruthlessness in his tone: "In my opinion, we can no longer sit and wait for death. No matter how powerful Qi Tai is, he is just a newcomer. Are we old officials still unable to defeat him? Why don't we unite and teach him a lesson, so that he knows that he doesn't have the final say in the military cabinet alone."

The middle-aged official nodded, a hint of viciousness flashed in his eyes: "You are right. We have to find a way to make him suffer a little, or at least make him restrain himself. Otherwise, if this continues, sooner or later we will be forced into a dead end by him."

As they were talking, they suddenly heard footsteps outside the teahouse. They immediately fell silent and looked towards the door warily. (End of this chapter)