Chapter 448: Two peaches kill three scholars and the prisoner

Dingguo Duke Prefecture.

In the main hall.

Gao Tianlong and Gao Feng walked out from one side, their voices echoing.

"The heads of the Xie, Wang, and Zhao families, but only two 'Royal Special Supply Bai Yu Sugar' signs—your move is to make them kill each other and guard against each other!"

"Truly a good method!"

Gao Tianlong wore cloth clothes, his body filled with a majesty that made people afraid to look directly at him, a hint of admiration flashing in his aged eyes.

Seeing this, Gao Yang stood up and bowed, "Sun Er pays respects to Grandfather."

"Actually, I had no choice; otherwise, under an alliance of three families, how could I make them bleed more?"

Gao Tianlong looked curious and said in a deep voice, "What is this scheme called?"

Gao Yang faced Gao Tianlong and said, "This scheme is called 'Two Peaches Kill Three Scholars'!"

"'Two Peaches Kill Three Scholars'?"

Gao Tianlong frowned tightly.

Gao Feng also couldn't help but look at Gao Yang more; there are poison schemes among merchants too?

Gao Yang explained, "This is one of the extremely vicious 'Yang' schemes."

"This is also a 'Yang' scheme?"

Gao Tianlong was a bit shocked.

Gao Yang nodded and said: "I will give Grandfather a simple example. The defense of Changancheng was a great victory. Wang Zhong, General Nangong, and General Lu Zhen all established great merit. Naturally, they should be rewarded afterward, but they all think highly of themselves and despise His Majesty!"

"Then His Majesty can use this scheme, rewarding three meritorious officials with two peaches, comparing their merits—whoever has the greater merit gets to eat the peach."

"Two peaches are not enough to divide, which will inevitably cause the three to fight. Otherwise, if it spreads, not only them, but even the families behind them will be ridiculed."

"This 'Yang' scheme can even make the three draw their swords and commit suicide!"

Once these words were spoken.

Gao Tianlong looked shocked; so this is 'Two Peaches Kill Three Scholars.'

But soon, he frowned tightly and said.

"This scheme is indeed vicious, but it is useless against me and even more useless against that old fellow Lu."

These words piqued Gao Yang's interest, and he asked curiously, "Grandfather, why is that?"

Gao Tianlong stood in the main hall with his hands behind his back, and he said faintly, "According to what you said, this scheme is a 'Yang' scheme aimed at people with extremely high morality."

"I have no morality to speak of; what can it do to me?"

"As for that old fellow Lu, there is no need to say more. With his character, he would likely speak directly, publicly accusing His Majesty of being too petty—giving two peaches to three people, what does this mean?"

"Let His Majesty give another one; that is also possible!"

"Furthermore, it is also possible that he alone eats both peaches; how to break this?"

Gao Tianlong's voice carried righteousness, echoing through the main hall.

Gao Yang was dumbfounded.

But he had to say that Gao Tianlong's words exhausted the loopholes of this scheme.

"According to Grandfather, the poison scheme of 'Two Peaches Kill Three Scholars' is indeed helpless against Grandfather and General Lu."

"After all, without morality, there is no way to balance it. Whether it is asking His Majesty to take another peach, or eating two by oneself, or shamelessly refusing to commit suicide—all can break this 'Two Peaches Kill Three Scholars'!"

Gao Tianlong touched his beard, feeling proud.

Ginger is ultimately spicier when it is old!

He, Gao Tianlong, has traveled north and south, seen much, and has many corresponding methods!

As long as one is thick-skinned and refuses to commit suicide, and has no morality or quality to speak of, one can directly break this scheme.

Just two peaches, and this makes one draw a sword and commit suicide?

But at this time, Gao Yang smiled again.

"Grandfather, but if His Majesty sets up Left and Right Grand Generals, holding the military power of the world, and makes the three compare their merits and fight each other, how to solve this 'Two Peaches Kill Three Scholars'?"

Inside the main hall.

Following Gao Yang's words, Gao Tianlong's eyes changed drastically.

Even Gao Feng was full of shock.

His eyes looked at Gao Yang, his expression flickering.

Three great generals with great merit, but only setting up Left and Right Grand Generals, and making the three compare their merits and fight each other—even if they were brothers who lived and died together on the battlefield, they would suddenly turn into enemies, right?

Gao Tianlong's hands exerted force unconsciously, and he even accidentally pulled out a few hairs from his beard.

But he acted as if he didn't feel it.

"Grandfather, this is the viciousness of 'Two Peaches Kill Three Scholars,' and this scheme is not a scheme of slaughter, but a poison scheme to stir up contradictions!"

"Generals of the world holding military power need the art of balance most. Using this 'Two Peaches Kill Three Scholars' is enough to make them guard against each other!"

Gao Tianlong's voice sank, his tone lowering, "So the peaches in 'Two Peaches Kill Three Scholars' represent more of interest?"

Hearing this, Gao Yang nodded directly.

"That's right, these peaches are interest. Using interest that is not enough to divide to make people fight—this is the most vicious part of 'Two Peaches Kill Three Scholars'!"

"Three family heads, two 'Royal Special Supply Bai Yu Sugar' signs—this is the same principle."

"There are no allies under interest. This Bai Yu Sugar is a big piece of fat that none of the three families are willing to give up, so this can provoke the contradictions between the three families!"

"In front of this scheme, the so-called alliance of the three families is just a joke. They will report a sky-high price while guarding against each other!"

"Not only that, I also added a psychological effect to 'Two Peaches Kill Three Scholars'."

Gao Tianlong asked curiously, "What psychological effect?"

Gao Yang said word by word.

"This psychological effect is called the prisoner effect; I also call it the prisoner's dilemma."

"To explain it simply, suppose the Ministry of Justice caught two criminals, but lacked sufficient evidence to convict them. Then they can be detained and interrogated separately!"

"And promise them separately that as long as they are willing to testify and report the other party, they will be granted bail, while the other party will be beheaded."

"At this time, something very interesting will happen."

Gao Yang said this, a smile rising on his face.

"If only one side betrays, the one who betrays will be pardoned, and the one who was betrayed will be beheaded."

"If both sides bite their teeth and refuse to confess, they will both be sentenced to one year in prison."

"But if both sides betray, they will be detained until they die of old age in the prison cell."

"Grandfather and Father might as well assume: what choice will these two criminals make?"

Once these words were spoken.

Both fell into silence.