The Fierce Teacher of Zhenguan: Starting with Teaching the Crown Prince to Make a Comeback

Chapter 12 The struggle for supremacy can be analyzed in such a way!
“On the contrary,” Li Yichen continued, his tone calm and even.

"If Your Highness were to take the initiative, gather evidence of the Prince of Wei's wrongdoings, and even frame him, while the Prince of Wei remains inactive, it might be possible to strike at the Prince of Wei in a short time and consolidate your position. However, how would His Majesty view the Crown Prince for instigating fratricide? And how would the court officials view it?"

Li Chengqian took a deep breath, his brows furrowed: "Father will surely be displeased, thinking that I lack the capacity to tolerate others and am unfit to be a ruler."

“The worst-case scenario,” Li Yichen said sharply, looking directly at Li Chengqian, “is that if you two choose to take the initiative and fight each other, the court will be in chaos, brothers will become enemies, and His Majesty will be furious. Perhaps you will both be severely punished, or even… for the sake of stability, a younger prince might be chosen instead. Wouldn’t that be a lose-lose situation, comparable to being sentenced to eight years each?”

Li Chengqian felt a chill rise from the soles of his feet, instantly spreading to his limbs and bones.

He had never examined his struggle with Li Tai so clearly and so coldly.

It turns out that such a ruthless logic is hidden behind this!

He felt as if he was seeing all the pieces and rules of the chessboard for the first time, whereas before he had been blindly rushing around in a fog.

"Then... then according to this logic, what should I do? Am I just supposed to sit idly by and watch Qingque relentlessly press forward?"

Li Chengqian's voice trembled slightly, a mixture of anxiety and resentment.

He clenched his fist instinctively.

“No.” Li Yichen shook his head, denying his despair.

"Game theory is not about surrendering to the enemy, but about helping people see the bigger picture and find a way out. The core of the 'Prisoner's Dilemma' lies in the lack of trust and communication, as well as the one-off nature of the game."

"But in the imperial court, the power struggles are repeated and not entirely closed off. This is the key."

Li Yichen leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice to ensure that only the two of them could hear him clearly.

“Your Highness, you cannot control how the Prince of Wei chooses, but you can guide your own strategy and influence His Majesty’s perception.”

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian's eyes lit up, and he said, "Tell me in detail!"

"First of all, Your Highness must abandon the idea of ​​initiating a preemptive attack. Once a vicious cycle is started, the consequences will be unpredictable. Moreover, as the Crown Prince, if Your Highness launches the first attack, you will lose even more points in the eyes of His Majesty and the court officials. This is not an advantage, but a disadvantage."

"Then am I left with no choice but to cooperate and be at the mercy of others?"

Li Chengqian blurted it out, his face full of resistance.

His idea of ​​breaking the deadlock shouldn't be so passive.

"Your Highness's 'cooperation' is not about being at someone's mercy," Li Yichen explained, his tone remaining calm.

"Your Highness's strategy should be to strictly adhere to etiquette and refrain from taking the initiative to attack, thus demonstrating to the world the magnanimity expected of a crown prince. This is the state of 'cooperation.' However, at the same time, it is necessary to be vigilant against attacks from the Prince of Wei. Once it is discovered that the Prince of Wei has attempted to frame or slander you, you must immediately launch a powerful and well-founded counterattack, expose his actions to His Majesty and the court officials, and clear your name."

Li Chengqian's eyes lit up, as if he had seen a ray of light in the fog.

"We'll start with cooperation, but if we're betrayed, we'll retaliate in kind?" There was a hint of excitement in Li Chengqian's voice.

“Yes. Furthermore, after the counterattack, if the other party becomes more restrained, Your Highness can also show leniency and return to a ‘cooperative’ state. This is the ‘tit-for-tat’ strategy,” Li Yichen affirmed.

"This strategy can often effectively suppress the other party's intention to betray in repeated games, because the other party knows that betrayal will inevitably be retaliated against. Your Highness always adheres to the principle of 'I will not attack unless attacked,' which puts you in an invincible position morally."

"His Majesty will see this and will think that Your Highness is considerate of the overall situation, tolerant and magnanimous, but not weak and easily bullied. If Prince Wei repeatedly causes trouble, but Your Highness always resolves it with reason and evidence, His Majesty will naturally gradually see who is the one who is disrupting stability and coveting the throne. The opinions of the court officials will also gradually lean towards Your Highness."

Li Chengqian felt a buzzing in his head, as if a brand new door had suddenly opened before him!

Various thoughts came rushing in, and many previously vague, entangled, and contradictory situations were now clearly and distinctly sorted out by this cold logic.

So that's how it is! It turns out that there's no need to be constantly worried about how the other party will act. You just need to set your own principles and make sure the opponent clearly understands the consequences of violating those principles!
This is far more sophisticated and effective than simply enduring or blindly attacking!

This game theory is able to break down such a complex power struggle so clearly and thoroughly!

"Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!" Li Chengqian couldn't help but clap his hands in praise, his face flushed with excitement, and his previous gloom and anxiety were swept away.

"Yichen, this argument is truly astonishing! It seems to have transformed the treacherous nature of human hearts and the turbulent political landscape onto the small chessboard, making one's understanding suddenly clear!"

He stood up excitedly, seemingly forgetting the pain in his right ankle, and paced quickly in the hall, repeatedly pondering the "prisoner's dilemma" and the strategy of "tit for tat".

"So, my recent act of defying Father Emperor, though risky, also turned out to be a lucky one, letting Father Emperor know that I am not someone who only submits to others, and was also a kind of 'counterattack'?"

Li Chengqian stopped and turned to look at Li Yichen, his eyes gleaming with enlightenment.

"You could say that," Li Yichen replied cautiously.

That wasn't just a simple counterattack; it was a meticulously planned adventure aimed at forcibly altering the initial state of the game.

Fortunately, it was successful.

"However, Your Highness must remember that the strategy is different when dealing with His Majesty. His Majesty is the arbiter and the absolute ruler. Your Highness's primary strategy with His Majesty should be 'cooperation' and 'obedience.' Any occasional 'counterattacks' or 'questions' must, as before, be disguised as 'seeking advice' and 'clarifying doubts,' and must be precise and restrained, and absolutely not abused," Li Yichen emphasized.

He knew where the bottom line was when challenging imperial power, and that a successful test did not guarantee success every time.

"I understand, I understand!" Li Chengqian nodded repeatedly. At this moment, he was completely convinced of Li Yichen's abilities and even developed a kind of trust that was almost dependent on him.

He sat back down at the desk, leaned forward, and stared intently at Li Yichen.

“Game theory…game theory…the struggles of the world can be analyzed in such a way! Yichen, where did you learn such knowledge?” He couldn’t help but ask again.

Li Yichen lowered his eyes slightly, concealing the strange glint that flashed across them.

This question cannot be answered truthfully.

He could only stick to his previous statement.

"In my early years, I was fortunate enough to receive some basic teachings from a mysterious person. Recently, after observing Your Highness's predicament, I have pondered deeply and realized that this theory might be useful. I would be very fortunate if it could be of any help to Your Highness."

He reminded himself that he needed to be more careful in the future, and that this knowledge, which was ahead of its time, must be given a reasonable explanation, or at least not cause too much suspicion.

Li Chengqian looked deeply at Li Yichen, his eyes filled with relief and reliance.

He knew that what he had received was an unparalleled treasure, and perhaps it was the blessing of his mother in heaven that sent this person to his side.

"Continue to teach me!" Li Chengqian said urgently, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the desk.

"What other ingenious aspects does game theory possess? What about multi-player games? What about the balance of power?"

Li Yichen met his eager gaze and slowly nodded.

He knew that he had to strike while the iron was hot and implant these thought patterns more deeply into Li Chengqian's mind in order to reverse his dangerous fate as much as possible.

"Since Your Highness is so eager to learn, I will certainly speak freely and without reservation."

(End of this chapter)