Wangfu Street, Li Residence.
Although Li Xian had not been invested as a prince, he already possessed a grand mansion. He spent much of his time living here, frequently interacting with the high-ranking officials and nobles of the capital.
"Damn it! Little bastard, sooner or later, I will destroy you!"
After smashing the teacup in his hand, a look of sinister malice flashed across Li Xian's eyes.
Because Li Feng had brought the matter to light at the Plucking Stars Pavilion last night, coupled with the enormous influence of the Courtesan Poetry Gala, his illicit affair with Liu Ruyan was now common knowledge throughout the capital.
The dignified First Prince of the Xia State having an affair with the Second Prince's fiancée—the scandal directly tarnished his reputation as a man of virtue, and some were already pointing fingers at him behind his back.
He had originally intended to use his influence to suppress the matter, but it had spiraled out of control. It was now impossible to contain, and its spread throughout the country was merely a matter of time.
"Your Highness, the situation can no longer be suppressed. We must come up with a strategy to respond," a slightly plump old man sitting in the hall said, his voice earnest and persuasive.
The man was over fifty years old and none other than the renowned hermit, Zhuge Botong. His slightly ruddy, round face gave him a kindly appearance, though it was a pity he was a cripple. He was currently Li Xian’s chief strategist.
Li Xian gritted his teeth, suppressing the anger in his heart. "Master Zhuge, what brilliant plan do you have?"
"The best strategy is to declare that you and Miss Liu were merely embracing yesterday and did not engage in any illicit acts. Then, we fabricate a moving, tragic love story between you two to win the world's sympathy, and proceed to send betrothal gifts to marry the young lady of the Liu Family," Zhuge Botong said, tapping the lid of his cup against the scalding tea as he proposed his plan.
Li Xian’s face instantly darkened, and he rejected it flatly: "For me, a Prince, to marry a woman from a humble family? Not to mention where I would put my face, how could I pursue my future goals?"
He had seduced Liu Ruyan and sworn vows of eternal love not because he truly loved her, but simply because she had been of use.
If Liu Ruyan were no longer Li Feng’s fiancée and no longer the person Li Feng was obsessed with, the dignified First Prince of the Xia State wouldn't even deign to glance at her.
Liu Rui, sitting across from Zhuge Botong, took a smug sip of his tea.
He had known that Li Xian would react this way the moment the old man suggested marriage. It was pathetic that a man who prided himself on his intelligence would even propose such a plan.
Since he had now become a new strategist for the First Prince, the position of chief strategist would surely belong to him, even if his opponent was this famous hermit of the Xia State.
"The secondary strategy is to declare that Liu Ruyan took the initiative to force herself upon you yesterday. We state that no illicit acts occurred, paint Liu Ruyan as a wanton woman, and push all the blame onto her!" Zhuge Botong was not discouraged and proposed this "sacrifice the knight to save the king" strategy.
Now that the matter was public knowledge, and given that Li Feng’s remarks at the Plucking Stars Pavilion provided an opportunity to smear Liu Ruyan, this was currently the best way to avoid marrying her.
Li Xian thought of Liu Ruyan’s alluring body, licked his lips, and refused: "This plan is also unsuitable. Try another one!"
This...
Zhuge Botong stopped the teacup he had been lifting to his mouth. He looked at the First Prince with a complex expression, realizing that this man lacked the resolve to make any difficult choice.
If he had the courage to "act decisively," he would follow the first plan and marry Liu Ruyan, using the most masculine way to quell the storm.
If he had the courage to "weigh gains and losses," he would abandon a Liu Ruyan who no longer had any utility, even kicking her while she was down to scrub away the stains on his own reputation.
But judging by Li Xian’s attitude, he wanted to pay nothing while constantly dreaming of gifts falling from the sky. Unless a powerful benefactor supported him from behind the scenes, such a man was destined to fail.
"Your Highness, I have a plan!" Seeing his opportunity to shine, Liu Rui spoke up with a smile.
Li Xian felt a spark of joy; he valued this talented but unappreciated scholar highly. "Master Liu, please, speak!"
"We categorically deny the charge of adultery and use the poetry as our breakthrough to ruin Li Feng’s reputation! Once it is established that Li Feng is a shameless plagiarist, his accusations will lose all credibility. The world will only remember the Second Prince as a man of corrupt character!" Liu Rui gently set down his cup and presented his scheme.
"Liu Rui, is the *Qingyun Chronicles* truly not written by him?" Zhuge Botong knew this plan was feasible, but only if Li Feng was truly a plagiarist.
A flash of ruthlessness crossed Liu Rui’s eyes, but he laid out his reasoning: "How could such a magnificent work of genius possibly come from the hands of an ignoramus? I have studied in poverty since childhood for over twenty years and do not possess such talent, and His Highness, a dragon among men, also lacks it. Therefore, the *Qingyun Chronicles* must have been written by a great scholar!"
"If it was not written by him, whose work is it then?" Zhuge Botong frowned, raising the key question.
The corners of Liu Rui’s mouth rose slightly. He confidently tapped the table with his finger: "There are quite a few Royalist partisans in the imperial court. I find that Elder Qin from last night is highly suspicious!"
"That is merely your speculation!" Zhuge Botong was a man of great rigor and did not approve of Liu Rui’s words.
"Master Liu’s analysis makes perfect sense! If that is the case, then we shall follow his plan. We will ruin Li Feng’s name first, refuse to acknowledge his accusations, and expose him for stealing the poetry of others!" Li Xian chose to believe Liu Rui’s judgment and made his position clear on the spot.
"Your Highness, the situation has already developed to this point; you must not take such a desperate risk!" Zhuge Botong was stunned for a moment before attempting to dissuade him.
This method appeared to have no downsides, but a lie was still a lie. If the truth were ever verified, Li Xian’s reputation would be truly destroyed. Li Xian was already an adopted son; if his reputation were ruined, what basis would he have to compete for the throne against Li Feng?
"I have made up my mind!" Li Xian picked up his freshly refilled teacup, looking dissatisfied.
This...
Seeing the First Prince act this way, a thought of leaving suddenly crossed Zhuge Botong’s mind.
Just then, Steward Chen, who had a mole on his face, returned from outside.
Li Xian took a light sip of tea and immediately asked, "Steward Chen, how did the negotiations with the Huaxin Firm go?"
"Replying to Your Highness, they agreed to a fifty percent discount. However, this old servant is confident in securing a ninety percent discount, so I sent Shopkeeper Qian back to consult with Shopkeeper Shen. There will be a result by tomorrow!" A confident smile rose on Steward Chen’s face as he bowed to Li Xian.
Li Xian was about to praise Steward Chen for his efficiency, but Zhuge Botong spoke first, reprimanding him: "Foolish! Hoarding cotton relies entirely on an information advantage. A fifty percent discount is a drop in the ocean compared to the potential gains. Why bother risking the loss of the ocean just for that drop?"