The Red Mansion in its bustling glory

Then, carrying a book, he walked over and said to Jia Jue, "Second Master, Master Zhao has sent you an invitation to a gathering."

This Master Zhao is Zhao Xing.

"He's looking for me?" Jia Jue asked with a smile. "When and where?"

Fu Shu said, "He said he would be at his residence immediately."

"Alright." Jia Jue nodded. "Tell Bao Jian to prepare the carriage and horses. I'll go change my clothes and come right away."

Fu Shu nodded in agreement and left.

A short while later, Jia Jue changed his clothes, left the Jia mansion, got into a carriage, and headed to Zhao Xing's residence.

To say that this is Zhao Xing's residence is not quite accurate; a more accurate description would be that it is the Zhao family's residence.

Like the Jia family, the Zhao family was also a powerful and wealthy clan.

Upon reaching the door, Jia Jue alighted from the carriage and was led to the place where Zhao Xing received guests.

As soon as Fang entered, Zhao Xing stood up and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Brother Jia, on becoming the top scholar at the age of thirteen! It's a rare sight indeed!"

Jia Jue laughed and said, "Brother, you flatter me!"

The two chatted and laughed as they sat down.

Although this was Zhao Xing's residence, he did not sit in the main seat, but rather in the lower right seat.

Jia Jue then realized that this residence today was not Zhao Xing's idea alone.

Sure enough, not long after the two began talking, a servant-like man rushed in and whispered a few words in Zhao Xing's ear.

Zhao Xing smiled and said, "Brother Jia, please sit down. Excuse me for staying."

Jia Jue laughed and said, "Brother, you may go ahead."

A short while later, Zhao Xing came in.

Jia Jue looked up and, sure enough, saw Li Ren following behind Zhao Xing, walking slowly towards them.

Jia Jue then stood up and bowed, addressing him as "elder brother".

Upon seeing Jia Jue, Li Ren smiled and said, "I never imagined that Brother Jue would be so talented, ranking first in the examination. Truly, you are a gem unearthed by our dynasty!"

Jia Jue laughed and said, "Brother, you flatter me."

The three exchanged a few more pleasantries and then took their seats.

After a while, Li Ren suddenly slammed his wine cup heavily onto the table, followed by a long sigh.

"well--"

Zhao Xing, who was standing nearby, understood and waved his hand, signaling the maids and servants around him to leave.

Jia Jue followed suit, asking, "I wonder why you sighed, brother?"

Li Rendao: "I am worried for my brother!"

Having said that, he tilted his head back and drank the fine wine in the cup to the last drop, saying, "I am but a mediocre person, with no great ambitions in my heart. Although I was born within the palace walls, I have no interest in the struggle for the imperial throne. But my two elder brothers are unkind, making things difficult for me at every turn. What can I do?"

Zhao Xing, standing to the side, said, "In that case, we must strive to be the first! If you win, the two princes will live; if they win, you will surely perish!"

Li Rendao: "Brother Xing, do you have a good plan?"

Zhao Xing laughed and said, "Brother, why must you abandon the virtuous and pursue the foolish? Brother Jia is exceptionally talented and wise; he must have some brilliant insights."

Jia Jue chuckled inwardly, knowing that these two were testing him again.

He originally thought he had passed the Third Prince's test outside the city that day, but he never expected that he would be tested again because he was so cautious.

At that moment, he could only pretend to think it over, but in reality, he already had a solution in mind.

After a long pause, Jia Jue finally said, "At this critical moment, I have three strategies, superior, middle, and inferior, which you may consider, brother."

Li Rendao said, "Brother, please speak. I will listen attentively!"

Jia Jue said, "The first strategy can be summed up in one word—'kill.' Now that you, brother, hold the Embroidered Uniform Guard, you might be able to have someone assassinate the two princes. However, this is extremely risky—first, we don't know if there are any other people within the Embroidered Uniform Guard who are either the princes' people or His Majesty's spies; second, the princes' residences must be heavily guarded, making the mission difficult to accomplish; third, the princes are your brothers, and killing them would be unrighteous; fourth, if this is exposed, your brother will surely be doomed. Therefore, this is the worst possible strategy, and I sincerely do not recommend that you choose this option."

Jia Jue's single word "kill" dampened the initial probing intent in Li Ren and Zhao Xing's hearts.

Li Ren was also very clever. After a little thought, he understood that Jia Jue had seen through Li Ren's probing intentions and was therefore deliberately using this to express his dissatisfaction.

Li Ren, of course, would tolerate such resistance.

Rather, he genuinely hoped that Jia Jue would say something surprising.

After all, at such a time, if Jia Jue were merely someone who completely obeyed him, submissive and foolish, he would inevitably fail and have no chance of victory.

Moreover, his probing today was too crude—he clearly stated in the carriage that he wanted to compete for the position of crown prince, but today he sighed insincerely, wasn't he hoping that Jia Jue would see through him?

Li Ren said, "What you say makes sense, my brother. I have also considered the possibility of 'killing' him, but upon careful consideration, the risk is indeed too great."

Upon hearing this, Jia Jue's first thought was—"Did he really think about it?"

He then realized that this was Li Ren's way of protesting against his attempt to scare him.

Jia Jue then said, "The second strategy revolves around the word 'name'—His Majesty, in desiring to establish a Crown Prince, will inevitably have to consider the opinions of the Retired Emperor, the Dowager Empress, the officials, and even the common people; he will certainly not act unilaterally. Therefore, it is necessary to highlight the name of our elder brother and suppress the names of the two princes, and then this strategy will succeed. However, the time it takes for this strategy to succeed varies; it may be long or short. But there are no downsides. Even if our elder brother ultimately fails to secure the position of Crown Prince, it will lay the groundwork for subsequent steps. Moreover, the timing of this strategy is difficult to control; if it is too mild, it will not achieve its purpose; if it is too strong, it will arouse suspicion. Therefore, this is a moderate strategy."

Li Ren nodded. This middle strategy was also a plan he had discussed with Zhao Xing and others. Now that he was eager to find talented people, this plan was probably the reason for it.

He continued to wait for Jia Jue to present his third strategy.

Jia Jue then said, "As for the third strategy, it is all about 'stability.' First of all, you must serve the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Concubine wholeheartedly, fulfill your duties as a son to His Majesty, be filial to your parents and observe proper etiquette, and be guided by the principles of 'benevolence and kindness.'"

"Afterwards, having heard that His Majesty has involved the three princes in government affairs, elder brother should consult His Majesty more often. This will not only improve your own political skills but also enhance your relationship with His Majesty. When handling the tasks assigned by His Majesty, you must only report the results and never claim credit."

"At the same time, elder brother must keep himself clean and avoid any faults. Elder brother is well-versed in history books, so he knows that those who have succeeded in seizing the throne throughout history, no matter how chaotic or disorderly their lives were behind the scenes, will always present a clean and flawless image in the eyes of the public."

"From now on, when you act, try not to have the purpose of 'becoming the crown prince'. Try not to overstep the rules, do not try to guess the emperor's mind, dare to do the hard work assigned by His Majesty, and return the power once it is completed without any attachment."

"Brother, you must understand the principle that 'only by not contending can one be invincible.' Therefore, I believe this is the best strategy."

After listening to Jia Jue's long explanation, Li Ren was pondering when Zhao Xing spoke up:

"Brother, Brother Jia, I have something to say, but I don't know if you can say it?"

Li Rendao said, "Brother Xing, why be so formal? Please speak."