Chapter 2831: The stand-in was forcibly taken by the mountain bandit's wife 37

Wu Zhengchu didn't notice these small gestures, finished his tea, and his gaze at Jin Chen grew increasingly infatuated.

"Sutong, as long as the great undertaking succeeds, on the day I ascend the throne, I promise you…… to be my Empress."

Jin Chen lightly raised his eyebrows, "Your Highness, choose your words carefully."

Just then, a servant's voice came from outside the door, "Your Highness, all the officials have arrived and are waiting downstairs."

Wu Zhengchu responded, "Sutong, wait here a moment, I'll be right back."

Jin Chen, however, said first, "I want to go too."

Wu Zhengchu froze.

Jin Chen lifted his eyes to look at him, "Your Highness didn't you say I should be Empress? I can't go?"

Wu Zhengchu: "……"

"Or are your earlier words just meant to cheer me up?"

Wu Zhengchu felt surprised in his heart; although the former Sutong was also beautiful, she always kept her composure and never expressed dissatisfaction like this.

His eyes went wide, he kept nodding, "Can! Of course I can!"

"I will sit together with Sutong."

"Good."

Liu Mianfeng secretly shook his head; this Third Prince usually looked shrewd, but now he's practically being hooked into a daze.

——

The largest banquet hall on the top floor had already been set up; five or six people were seated around the round table, all officials from Southern Province, inspectors, magistrates, ministers of war, a few deputy posts, and three or four local gentry and wealthy merchants,

Seeing Wu Zhengchu enter, everyone hurriedly rose to salute.

Wu Zhengchu sat in the seat of honor, gestured for Jin Chen to sit beside him, then said to everyone:

"This is Master Ruan, a distinguished guest of my palace."

The crowd exchanged glances, all understanding, and then they all bowed their hands to Jin Chen with respectful attitudes.

Jin Chen sat down calmly; Gu Fanghe and Liu Mianfeng posed as attendants, standing behind Jin Chen.

Both kept their heads lowered, but their ears were pricked up, hearing every word at the table clearly.

At first there were only polite pleasantries; after three rounds of drinks, the talk gradually turned to the main topic.

"Your Highness," said the Inspector of Southern Province, a forty-something middle-aged man with a goatee and sharp eyes, "the bandits of Black Mountain Stronghold are ultimately a hidden danger; this person Gu Fanghe…… is unruly and hard to subdue; in my view, we might as well… kill him."

The Minister of War beside him shook his head, "Inspector, your words are mistaken; although Gu Fanghe has become a bandit, he is ultimately the former General Fenghe, whose prestige still lingers in the army. If he can be subdued and used for Your Highness, he will surely be a great aid in any future uprising."

Another Magistrate added, "Yes, Your Highness, the bandits under Gu Fanghe's command are all veteran soldiers who have seen battle; if we could incorporate them, they'd be worth tens of thousands of troops."

Wu Zhengchu pondered, "What you all say makes sense."

"This Gu Fanghe is indeed a fine blade, but…… the edge is wrong; back at court, both the Crown Prince and Father Emperor felt his achievements overshadowed the sovereign, fearing a warrior meddling in politics, and coupled with his upright nature, he often clashed, leading to what followed."

Jin Chen lowered his eyes, sipping tea slowly, and never spoke.

Gu Fanghe and Liu Mianfeng stood behind him, exchanged a glance, and both eyes held mockery.

These people, discussing right in front of him how to kill him or how to use him, is truly amusing.

Just then, the Inspector spoke again, his tone tinged with pride, "Your Highness, you were truly brilliant back then."

"Although the Crown Prince and Emperor thought Gu Fanghe's achievements eclipsed the sovereign, if it weren't for Your Highness secretly fanning the flames, repeatedly slandering him before the Emperor, and sending people to secretly watch the Gu residence, it probably wouldn't have come to this……"

Gu Fanghe's gaze stalled, his pupils contracted.

Inspector: "And Gu Fanghe's younger brother…… tsk tsk, Your Highness really has means, you killed the old servant who cared for him without anyone knowing, letting that child starve to death in the room; when Gu Fanghe returned, the corpses were already rotting…… yet he only hates the Crown Prince and Emperor, unaware that it was Your Highness's doing."

Wu Zhengchu gave a light laugh, his tone casual, "He's just a martial man with a simple mind; who would understand all these twists and turns. However…… if he could be subdued, he would also be a capable person."

Gu Fanghe clenched his fists, his pupils turned red, he gritted his teeth hard, barely restraining the impulse to draw his sword and charge.

It turns out…… the death of his younger brother, the accident of the old servant, were not entirely the work of the Crown Prince's faction.

What a move of fanning the flames, what a case of killing two birds with one stone.

Jin Chen's hand reached out from under the table, lightly grasped his hand, gave a gentle squeeze in his palm, as if soothing.

Gu Fanghe's surging killing intent gradually eased; he took a deep breath, then with his other hand grabbed Jin Chen's hand and slowly wrote a character in his palm:

"Shen."

Jin Chen's fingertip lightly tapped his palm, indicating understanding.

"Minister of War Shen is one of ours."

Indeed, Minister of War Shen advised, "Your Highness, I have a plan."

"We could send a crack force disguised as a merchant caravan, traveling the Black Mountain Cliff road to lure Gu Fanghe down the mountain to raid; then we would set an ambush in the valley, sure to capture him alive. If we could further sow discord or lure him out of the stronghold, setting an ambush at a strategic point, we might even seize him in one fell swoop."

The Inspector frowned, "Unsuitable; Black Mountain Cliff's terrain is treacherous, and we are unfamiliar with the geography—if we fail, the consequences would be unimaginable."

Several other officials and gentry also nodded, feeling that Minister of War Shen's plan was too risky.

Wu Zhengchu also showed a hint of hesitation.

Although he wanted to eliminate or win over Gu Fanghe this pawn, he also didn't want to lightly court danger; if they lost, losing troops would be minor, but if Gu Fanghe became aware and even counterattacked, it would be detrimental to his grand scheme.

"I know the terrain."

Jin Chen lifted his eyes, gazing calmly at Wu Zhengchu, "I have stayed in Black Mountain Stronghold for a long time and have figured out its terrain; Your Highness, if you trust me, this plan can work."

Wu Zhengchu looked at him, his eyes full of infatuation and trust, "What Sutong says, I naturally believe."

The Inspector, however, remained uneasy, frowning, "Master Ruan, it's not that I don't trust you; it's just that this matter is of great importance—if anything goes wrong……"

Jin Chen, however, suddenly lowered his eyes, his voice softer, "Your Highness, if you don't believe, then forget it."

Wu Zhengchu's heart ached at once, "Believe! Naturally I believe!"

He then turned to the crowd, his tone leaving no room for doubt, "We will proceed according to Minister of War Shen's plan! Specific details, Minister of War Shen can consult thoroughly with Sutong, must be meticulous! Required manpower and equipment shall all be allocated by the Southern Province administration, must be arranged promptly!"

Minister of War Shen bowed his hands in acceptance.

Jin Chen lifted his eyes, twitched his lips, pushed a plate of osmanthus cake before Wu Zhengchu, "Thank you for Your Highness's trust; I will not disappoint."

With this plan, I'll nab you all in one go.

Just that, Wu Zhengchu felt delighted, quickly picked up a piece and put it in his mouth, and then had the servants bring over more pastries.

Gu Fanghe stood behind Jin Chen, watching this scene, the suppressed jealousy rose again, sour enough to make his teeth itch.

But he couldn't lash out, could only stand like a wooden post, watching helplessly as his beloved was fawned over by another man.

This feeling… is really… indescribable.

Liu Mianfeng stood beside him, barely holding back laughter, quickly covering his face with his fan.

Hey, Dage, you're eating so much vinegar… you could almost dip dumplings in it.

But seeing Jin Chen make Wu Zhengchu go around in circles, and even finalizing the bandit‑suppression plan along the way, this show is truly spectacular.