of the grass pheasants, Jing Erlang, wouldn't have exceeded 1.6 meters according to Li Chen's estimation, probably around 1.58 meters.Short in stature, he wasn't handsome. In fact, he looked shifty-ey...Chapter 1714: So-Called Schemes

"You said it," Li Chen replied without hesitation.

Zhou Ping'an showed no hesitation whatsoever, not even a hint of shyness. He went straight to the point and said: "Your Majesty, I need the authority to control the Jinyiwei."

Hearing this, Chen Tong exploded with anger.

Zhou Ping'an is trying to encroach on his power.

"Why" asked Li Chen.

Zhou Ping'an said, "Just in case."

"If we need to take preemptive measures and use force, the Imperial Guards stationed in the capital are sufficient. Why would I need command of the Jinyiwei" Chen Tong couldn't help but retort.

Zhou Ping'an gave Chen Tong a withering look and said, "The capital is the most inviolable place. Does Commander Chen expect me to lead troops to Zhao Mansion to force him into agreeing"

Chen Tong was dumbfounded.

"The Jinyi Guard was spread throughout the nation, numbering in the tens of thousands. Moreover, they were most familiar with the local conditions of their assigned areas. If the squeeze continued to worsen, within Zhao Xuanji's time of waiting for the price to rise, using the Jinyi Guard for unofficial suppression would be the only viable solution."

After hearing Zhou Ping's words, Chen Tong frowned and said: "But everyone knows that the Jinyiwei is an agency of the Dongchang, subordinate to the court..."

"Belonging to the imperial court, the Jinyiwei were seen as lapdogs in the eyes of commoners and martial artists. They enjoyed a high degree of freedom and authority, but no matter what, they weren't regular troops. Dispatching regular troops from local garrisons to suppress dissent would be more likely to spark uprisings. But the Jinyiwei were different."

“Because the Jinyiwei are involved in the Jianghu and the common people the most, some greedy Jinyiwei centurions and thousand households come out. With their arrogant faces, they bully others wantonly. So, the hatred will only be concentrated on those few centurions and thousand households. The common people think that it is these people who do all kinds of evil. The more these centurions and thousand households behave arrogantly and commit crimes, the better the effect.”

"But the court's hatred wasn't as intense."

Zhou Ping'an smiled and said, "In this case, we can only sacrifice a few hundred households and thousand households after the event to resolve a dispute and pacify the situation. Wouldn't it be great if the common people applauded us, saying that the court enforces the law justly and cares for the people Commander Chen, isn't this a profitable deal"

Chen Tong's eyes widened.

To be honest, after attending this small meeting, he really opened his eyes and saw what it means to wield politics with a bloodless touch.

Looking at Chen Tong's expression of disbelief, Li Chen shook his head inwardly.

Chen Tong's road is still very long.

Such a wrist, is an indispensable skill for a ruler.

Some of the most striking examples include the Yue Fei case.

Yue Fei was devoted to his country and died tragically at the Wind Pavilion. The whole of China has reviled Qin Hui, hanging him on a pillar of shame for a thousand years. But few realize that Qin Hui was simply a sword in the hand of Emperor Zhao Gou of the Song Dynasty.

Those who wanted to kill Yue Fei were never Qin Hui, but Zhao Gou and the Zhao imperial family.

The emperor's wrist, is to achieve the most sinister purpose, but with clean hands, allowing others to take the blame.

Now Zhou Ping'an's strategy is also similar in principle.

At that time, once implemented, from the perspective of the common people, it would be like several hundred and thousand household commanders of the Jinyiwei running rampant, causing public outrage. After he reaches an agreement with Zhao Xuanji and weather the storm, he will then eliminate these commanders. In this way, the common people will see that the court enforces the law justly and fairly, which is a way to gain the hearts of the people.

But who could have imagined that the entire process and final outcome had already been meticulously arranged by the schemer before anything even began

With a resolute look in his eyes, Li Chen spoke, “Agreed.”ors I have received over these years, there are countless to count. It's impossible to calculate precisely, but in terms of silver, it would be around four or five million taels."Even Chen Tong could...