ebookland Chapter 248 If there is no king, what use is a shepherd?
Chapter 248 If there is no king, what use is a shepherd?
Chapter 248 If there is no king, what use is a shepherd?
A lone moon hangs high in the sky.
Winter snowflakes fluttered down, falling softly and steadily.
Ying Jing, wearing a thick cloak, stood with his hands behind his back, gazing up at the lonely moon in the sky.
But all the women present knew very well that his feelings at that moment were definitely not about the moon.
"The King of Zhao was assassinated, Lord Chunping died, and the entire palace was purged... Everything was just as Lord Changxin had predicted."
"only……"
The moon goddess's face was no longer veiled, and her clear eyes, reflecting the moonlight, appeared much more lively, making her hesitant expression even more endearing.
"Will Master's letter... really not allow Li Mu to gain power?"
Unlike the Moon Goddess, Yan Lingji was not tactful or hesitant and asked the question directly.
She watched Ying Jing write that letter right there in the courtyard that day.
Chunping Jun merely copied it once.
But it was precisely because she knew the contents of that letter that she felt confused and couldn't quite understand Ying Jing's plan.
Through the Empress's intervention, Chunping Jun orchestrated this staged assassination attempt, sacrificing his life to shield the King of Zhao from an arrow.
The letter that was left behind was so earnest, pleading with the King of Zhao to trust Li Mu and to appoint a member of the royal family who was close to Li Mu as the crown prince...
Ke Yanlingji clearly remembered that her master had said that as long as Li Mu did not perish, the Zhao Kingdom would not be destroyed.
What exactly is the purpose of this letter, which so earnestly pleads with the King of Zhao to give Li Mu an important position?
"You guys..."
Ying Jing shook his head and smiled: "Do you really think the King of Zhao will do as the letter says?"
"If Lord Chunping had not died to save King Zhao, King Zhao would certainly not have been so wary of him."
Yan Lingji tilted her head and thought for a moment before continuing, "But now... both of King Zhao's sons are gone, and Lord Chunping has proven his loyalty. I'm sure King Zhao will seriously consider this."
Ying Jing casually plucked a plum blossom and let the cold wind scatter it, the petals fluttering in the void.
"The human heart is like this flower, with petals that can be blown away by a single breath."
As he spoke, he raised his hand, showing the remaining stamen.
"In the end, only this essence remains."
The letter was indeed written with earnest words, praising Li Mu to the skies.
They even went so far as to say that the state of Zhao could do without a king but not without a shepherd.
However, the praise for Li Mu was ultimately just superficial.
The key lies in the occasional subtle clues that emerge.
Most kings have a tendency to be suspicious, and King Yan of Zhao was an outstanding example of this.
Especially this king, who had already lost two sons and survived an assassination attempt, and was old and didn't have much time left.
And this is indeed the case.
……
"General Mu fell into the trap and investigated thoroughly, which stemmed from his utmost sincerity, but he mistakenly stepped into the snare..."
In the dim light, King Yan of Zhao read this sentence in the letter over and over again.
"Is this the real reason you were so determined to die?"
A deep and desolate voice echoed in the Zhao King's bedchamber, his aged face filled with indifference and sternness.
Lord Chunping entered the palace this time with the intention of dying.
It was merely a matter of chance that he was shielded from the assassin's arrow.
but……
But how could mere rumors possibly force Lord Chunping to commit suicide to quell them?
Besides, even if he dies, will the rumors really stop?
“Li Mu…Li Mu…”
King Yan of Zhao kept repeating the name of this military genius of the Zhao state.
"Yes, Li Mu has never been defeated in battle. He is too important to our Zhao state. Zhao can be without a king, but it cannot be without Li Mu."
"To delve too deeply into a trap only leads to being caught in a snare..."
"Heh... So even General Li Mu, who can see through any enemy trick on the battlefield and is invincible, can fall for such a simple scheme?"
"Or... is it not a trap, but rather, what benefit would you gain from investigating this rumor?"
At that moment, King Yan of Zhao suddenly thought of his conversation with Lord Chunping before his assassination attempt.
Whoever benefits from this is most likely the mastermind behind it!
So... would investigating this rumor benefit Li Mu?
King Yan of Zhao suddenly looked at the letter in his hand.
"If a member of the imperial family were to succeed to the throne, and a close relative were chosen to establish him, then the state would be as secure as a rock."
This seemingly simple sentence was particularly eye-catching in the eyes of King Yan of Zhao.
Upon careful recollection, Zhao Jia had not yet been assassinated when the rumors first surfaced.
"That unfilial son has always been close to Li Mu..."
After Zhao Jia was murdered, Li Mu also stopped his actions.
But after Zhao Qian was killed, Li Mu started again.
"Yes, I have no heir, so I must choose one from my elder brother and a member of the royal family to inherit the throne..."
"With such rumors circulating, my elder brother will have no chance... and many members of the imperial clan are close to Li Mu."
Based on all the known information that had occurred in recent days, King Yan of Zhao had already pieced together a complete picture in his mind...
Li Mu!
It was the rumors he spread.
He is the only one who has benefited the most from this incident!
King Zhao Yan suddenly understood, feeling that he had suddenly "comprehended" everything!
Initially, Li Mu spread rumors to give Zhao Jia the opportunity to return to the country and inherit the throne, thus promoting a king who was close to him and easy to control.
But Zhao Jia was assassinated, so he sent someone to kill Qian'er...
Li Mu continued to investigate the rumors, not hesitating to make the matter a huge scandal, bringing shame upon the king and forcing the queen to endure humiliation, all to ensure that his brother had no chance to approach the throne.
Thus... only the royal family remains as the last option.
If he were killed at this time, and there was no clear successor, Li Muzhi would certainly not have had difficulty supporting a member of the royal family to ascend to the throne.
"Heh...heh heh...good, well done, Li Mu!"
"If I were to choose a member of the royal family who is at odds with you now, wouldn't that lead to another unexpected situation?"
The more Zhao Wang Yan thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed, and the more he understood it. His fear and hatred of Li Mu reached an unprecedented level!
Although he had previously been wary of Li Mu, it was merely the normal wariness a king would have of a general who held significant military power.
But now...
King Yan of Zhao suddenly realized that Li Mu's ambition was so great!
Their methods and strategies are so ruthless and insane!
"Are they willing to assassinate the crown prince, even the king, just to install a completely controlled ruler?"
They wield military power and hold the king hostage!
Subsequently, they gained control of the entire Zhao state.
What grand ambitions! What crazy ideas!
I understand now, it's clear!
The entire process and plan had been thoroughly laid out and placed in the mind of King Yan of Zhao.
Zhao can do without a king, but it cannot do without a governor...
King Yan of Zhao looked at the words on the envelope again. He chuckled strangely, and after a long silence, he finally raised his half-white-haired head.
"Brother, you are wrong!"
A hoarse voice produced a sound like iron filings grinding together, and his somewhat cloudy eyes held only coldness and indifference.
“As long as the surname of the person sitting in this position remains unchanged, the State of Zhao can do without anyone.”
"If there is no king, then there must be a shepherd..."
"What's the use?"