Through countless dynasties, I can summon the heroes of Chinese history.

Chapter 36 Yuan's Vicious Scheme: Killing Without Shedding Blood

She originally thought that sending Jiang Ce to Laizhou would completely crush him.

Unfortunately, man proposes, God disposes.

But she never expected that Jiang Ce would be able to gain a foothold in Laizhou even in such a desperate situation.

And now, he has received such a real reward of military power.

Thinking of this, Yuan Bingyan was so angry that her lungs felt like they were about to explode. She suddenly kicked the pear wood table in front of her, splitting it in two, causing the documents on the table to scatter all over the ground.

At this moment, her chest heaved violently, and the crimson in her eyes was almost overflowing. Her usual composure as an empress was now completely consumed by anger, leaving only hysterical rage.

Just as chaos erupted inside the palace, a palace attendant whispered that the emperor's father-in-law, Yuan You, requested an audience.

Yuan Bingyan took a few deep breaths, barely suppressing the ferocity on her face, but her expression remained ashen. Upon seeing Yuan You, she questioned him sharply, "Father, you saw it all! Jiang Ce is trying to turn the world upside down! His Majesty has bestowed such honors upon him; will he also be given the position of Crown Prince to my son in the future?"

At this moment, Yuan You, dressed in court robes, remained calm and composed. He then glanced at the mess in the hall without any change in expression. He simply raised his hand to signal all the palace servants to leave. Only after the hall doors were closed did he slowly walk up to Yuan Bingyan.

"Daughter, do not worry. I already know about this matter. Although the officials in the court were shaken, no one dared to openly contradict His Majesty's will. It is a foregone conclusion that Jiang Ce will receive this reward."

"Is it a done deal?"

Yuan Bingyan's eyes reddened with anxiety, and her voice choked with sobs.

"Then should we just let him hold onto his heavy military power, and even fight his way back to the capital one day? Father, you can't just sit idly by. The court officials are already outwardly complying with the Crown Prince's wishes but inwardly defying him because the Yuan family is becoming increasingly powerful."

"They're doing this simply because they're afraid of my Yuan family. If Jiang Ce establishes himself in Laizhou and accumulates some merit in the future, I'm afraid..."

The Empress has been dedicated to suppressing Jiang Ce, partly out of hatred for his mother, but also out of fear of him. Now that he has established a firm foothold in Laizhou, if his wretched mother were to lend a hand again, Jiang Ce's rise to power might truly be...

"Daughter, you've gone mad!"

Yuan You interrupted her in a deep voice, his tone filled with disappointment.

"How can someone who aspires to great things be so impatient? It's just a hundred thousand new troops. Although they are supplied with provisions by the court, they are far away in Laizhou. They seem to have power in their hands, but in reality, they are isolated. This is both His Majesty's favor and His Majesty's check and balance."

Yuan Bingyan was taken aback by his words, her anger subsiding slightly, and a hint of doubt appeared in her eyes: "Father, what do you mean by that?"

Yuan You walked to the window, looked at the dark sky outside, and a sinister smile appeared on his lips.

"Jiang Ce has achieved great military exploits this time, saving His Majesty's face. That's why he was rewarded with the right to recruit 100,000 new troops and put in charge of recovering Laizhou. It may seem like a delegation of power, but in reality, it's just using him as a sharp weapon."

"Laizhou has been lost for two years. Those powerful families in Laizhou have finally broken free from the control of the imperial court. How could they possibly submit to Jiang Ce? It will inevitably be a fierce battle between dragons and tigers."

"Moreover, besides the powerful clans, the Eastern Yi forces are also eyeing Laizhou with covetous intent. It's still unknown whether he can truly gain a foothold in Laizhou, so how can he be considered a threat to the Crown Prince?"

Yuan You's words instantly awakened Yuan Bingyan. The latter was not just a pretty face; she was also quite shrewd and insightful. However, this time she suffered from a common woman's ailment: jealousy, which made her impulsive and easily angered.

Once she regained her senses, the anger in her eyes gradually subsided.

"Father, although I hate Jiang Ce to the bone, I have to admit that his abilities are indeed beyond the reach of ordinary people."

"Moreover, even if that woman has left Cangming, I don't believe she hasn't left behind any tricks. If that bastard Jiang Ce really gains a foothold in Laizhou and starts to conserve his strength, it will be a great disadvantage to our Yuan family. I wonder if Father has any way to deal with this."

Once Yuan Bingyan regained her senses, her mind immediately began to work.

"Daughter, this is the reason I have come here today."

Yuan You smiled faintly, then turned around.

At this moment, his gaze was sharp as a knife, and his words were filled with murderous intent.

"Since His Majesty has bestowed such a generous reward upon Jiang Ce, we naturally cannot stop him. Not only will we not stop the reward, but we should also 'help' him out."

How to "help"?

Yuan Bingyan naturally understood her father's meaning, so she quickly pressed for an answer.

"Firstly, the matter of provisions, supplies, and equipment."

Yuan You spoke slowly, his tone carrying a hint of malice.

"Although His Majesty has decreed that the imperial court will provide the supplies, the transportation of grain and the manufacture of weapons all need to go through the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works. This gives our Yuan family the opportunity to manipulate things and, when necessary, directly control their throats!"

Yuan Bingyan nodded repeatedly, a glint of ruthlessness flashing in her eyes: "That's a brilliant plan. What's the second point?"

"Secondly, that is the strategy of sowing discord and cutting off their arm."

Yuan You continued, "According to the scouts, Jiang Ce was able to achieve military merits entirely thanks to the assistance of several fierce generals under his command, as well as the support of his former generals."

We can secretly send people with large sums of money to win them over. Those who can be used by us will be offered high-ranking positions and generous salaries. Those who refuse to submit will be framed with fabricated charges, such as treason or having their military pay withheld. Even if we cannot eliminate them, we will still annoy them and make them unable to live in peace in Laizhou.

"Furthermore, although Jiang Ce has successfully recovered Laiyang County, there are still three counties in the hands of powerful families and clans. We can secretly contact them to create trouble for Jiang Ce and hinder his path to growth."

"I believe that those powerful and aristocratic families will be happy to cooperate with our Yuan family in order to maintain their local tyrant status."

"Thirdly, and most importantly, is to use someone else to do the dirty work."

Yuan You lowered her voice even further, carrying a chilling undertone.

"We can use the Eastern Yi's help to send a large sum of money to Yelü Qing, the King of Shuofeng. If they can kill Jiang Ce, we promise to give him Laizhou!"

"Anyway, His Majesty has already abandoned Laizhou, so let's just make the most of it. I believe that under the invasion of the Eastern Yi army, Jiang Ce's troops will suffer heavy losses."

"At that time, we will impeach him in the court for his poor military management and loss of territory, saying that he has betrayed His Majesty's trust. Then we will force His Majesty to strip him of his military power and demote him to a commoner in the Golden Hall."

"As long as we can accomplish this step, what is there to fear from Jiang Ce, who has lost everything?"

Hearing this series of vicious schemes, Yuan Bingyan was overjoyed. Her previous anger vanished, and a smug smile appeared on her face.

"Father is indeed a brilliant strategist, truly the pillar of our Yuan family. With this, Jiang Ce is doomed. Not only is the Crown Prince's position secure, but our Yuan family's status will also continue!"

Yuan Bingyan smiled broadly, showing no trace of her previous shrewish demeanor.