Chapter 54 This is Experience My Imperial Father Gained from Hangouts in Brothels

Li Wenxuan watched the two of them staring at him with wide, incredulous eyes, and couldn't help laughing inwardly.

My evidence is that I woke up inside the carriage and overheard the conversation between you, Superintendent, and Li Hu.

This old fox actually tried to whitewash himself right in front of me.

A crow can be whitewashed.

However, he, Li Hu, will never, ever be whitewashed!

Yet, the fact that he had overheard the secret conversation between the Superintendent and Li Hu after losing consciousness was something he could never, ever utter, even if it cost him his life.

However, now that he already had the correct answer in hand...

Working backward from the correct answer to deduce the reasoning process would obviously make it easy to come up with a brilliant process that would astonish even the person who set the problem—in other words, ah, was this really what I was thinking when I set the problem?

Overwhelmed with shock, the problem-setter would slam a fist onto the table and say, That's right, that's exactly what I was thinking!

Thus, under the astonished gazes of the Martial Emperor and the Crown Prince, Li Wenxuan spoke with poise and eloquence.

"The art of war dictates that one should strike where the enemy is unprepared and attack where they least expect it. Father and son of the Cui family, along with their son-in-law Li Hu, boast of being experts in military strategy. Yet Your Majesty displayed profound mastery of military tactics in this matter, holding victory firmly in the palm of your hand, and defeated them in the very field they excel at. This is the true way of breaking both their bodies and their spirits!"

"Once the Cui family was stripped of their noble titles, ranks, and privileges, everyone would naturally assume that Li Hu was destined to be the next one destroyed."

"In other words, Cui Yuanhai and his numerous faction members must be fully prepared at this very moment to flood the court with petitions and pleas for mercy the very moment Your Majesty issues an imperial decree to deal with Li Hu!"

"Yet Your Majesty did the exact opposite, turning instead to strike at Cui Yuanhai and his two sons. This is bound to catch them completely off guard. With the Cui faction equally unprepared, the Cui family can thus be completely uprooted!"

The Martial Emperor stared at Li Wenxuan with wide eyes. I... was that really what I was thinking?

Wasn't it simply because Li Hu secretly surrendered to me and handed over much of the damning evidence against the Cui clan that I acted this way?

Since when was I capable of such exquisite military strategy?

Hey!

Wait!

The Martial Emperor's gaze turned resolute.

That was precisely what I was thinking!

I was holding victory in the palm of my hand, defeating Cui Yuanhai and his sons in their strongest domain!

"Furthermore, Your Majesty's departure from conventional tactics this time will also drive a wedge between Li Hu and Cui Yuanhai, turning father-in-law and son-in-law against each other."

Li Wenxuan reasoned based on the secret conversation he had accidentally overheard upon waking up.

The Martial Emperor's jaw dropped open.

"Cui Yuanhai will inevitably suspect that Li Hu secretly tipped off Your Majesty. Otherwise, why would Your Majesty suddenly turn the blade and strike down Cui Yuanhai just as he mobilized all his resources to protect Li Hu?"

"Once the Cui clan falls, Your Majesty can also seize this opportunity to crush other powerful ministers, serving as a warning to deter the rest!"

"As for ordinary officials, it will completely serve the purpose of killing the chicken to scare the monkeys—making the dishonest ones behave and making the already honest ones even more obedient!"

The Martial Emperor was shocked!

Am I... really this badass?

Right!

I am just this badass!

That was precisely what I was thinking!

Who would have thought that a youngster like young Li could actually pierce through such meticulous thoughts of mine.

Fortunately, you are someone I can use; otherwise, I would have...

A hint of a smile appeared in the Martial Emperor's eyes: "The speculations made today must not be spread outside."

The Crown Prince was momentarily stunned. Only when he saw Li Wenxuan looking at him with a smiling expression did he realize—good grief... this was directed at him!

He immediately slipped into the role of Zhao Lie, the Hundred-Man Commander of the Penal Court, cupped his hands in a salute, and said, "Rest assured, Superintendent, this subordinate would never dare to leak a single half-word."

"Hmm..." The Martial Emperor stood up. "Rest and recover from your injuries. As for me... if things are truly as you described, it proves that your grasp of the court's political situation has reached a certain level of maturity."

"This subordinate was merely spouting random analyses; the Chief Eunuch must not take them seriously!" Li Wenxuan felt an indescribable wave of secret satisfaction as he looked at the shock still lingering on the Chief Eunuch's face!

The Martial Emperor's strides were somewhat unnatural. He nodded with a smile, turned around, and led Zhao Lie quickly out of the room.

The Crown Prince had originally wanted to greet his imperial younger sister, but seeing the Martial Emperor stride away in a hurry, he had no choice but to follow.

"What do you think of this man?"

Amidst the vast, snow-covered landscape, the Martial Emperor gazed into the distance at the bustling construction site for a long time, then asked without turning his head.

The Crown Prince was slightly startled, then hurriedly nodded and said, "Imperial Father, this man truly possesses the talents of a statesman who could assist a king!"

"The talents of a statesman who could assist a king?"

The Martial Emperor cast a glance at his heavily-backed son as if looking at someone who had truly never seen the world.

The Crown Prince lowered his head in embarrassment. Surely... he wasn't that ignorant of the world, was he?

Every single one of his tutors was a man of renowned fame throughout the realm, after all!

However, the Martial Emperor was quite satisfied with his son's extraordinarily high praise for Li Wenxuan.

Because, barring any accidents, this man was the future prime minister he was selecting for his son.

"The late Emperor had a total of eighteen sons. Do you know why I, a neglected imperial son of humble rank at the very bottom, managed to surpass all those astonishingly talented imperial elder brothers and finally inherit the grand succession?"

"Ah? This..."

The Crown Prince froze instantly, nearly blurting out: Wasn't it simply because the Crown Prince of that time lost his patience, launched a military coup, and slaughtered most of the people above you, which was how Your Imperial Father finally ascended to the throne?

"Hmm? My son, why are you wearing such a foolish expression?"

The Martial Emperor asked strangely.

"Imperial Father, how could this son possibly know?"

The Crown Prince lowered his head and said.

The Martial Emperor patted his son's slightly tender shoulders: "Because most imperial princes, from the moment they are born, live in luxury and splendor within the palace walls, completely ignorant of the sufferings of the mortal world."

"Unlike most imperial princes, I was unfavored, frequently ventured outside the forbidden palace, and was left unattended by anyone. Therefore, I witnessed the sufferings of the common people with my own eyes and knew just how difficult their lives truly were."

The Crown Prince was shocked once more.

Imperial Father, didn't you often sneak out of the palace to listen to tunes at pleasure houses back then when no one was keeping an eye on you?

This son has often heard the Empress mother complaining that you are still acting improperly to this day, slipping off to brothels to listen to music whenever you have free time!

Imperial Father, you... this son knew you were capable, but I never expected you to be *this* capable!

The Martial Emperor had no idea that his lofty, majestic image as an imperial father had already completely collapsed into utter ruin in front of his son...

Ignorance, however, is fearless.

Thus, the Martial Emperor continued: "The world belongs to me now, but it will belong to you in the future..."

The Crown Prince was startled into a cold sweat. He dropped to his knees on the spot and kowtowed, saying, "May Imperial Father live for ten thousand autumns and reign in your prime. How would this son ever dare to covet the divine vessels..."

Watching his son kneeling on the ground, frightened out of his wits and pale with terror, the Martial Emperor squatted down, secretly grabbed a handful of snow, and stuffed it straight down the back of his son's collar...

"Ah! Imperial Father! It's so cold! Ahhhhh..."

Watching his son leap up instantly from the ground and perform an awkward dance in place, the Martial Emperor was tickled pink!

After a long while, the Crown Prince finally calmed down—the snowball had already been melted by his body temperature...

"Imperial Father..."

Meeting his son's resentful gaze, the Martial Emperor gave a light snort. "Who can live for a thousand or ten thousand years? Back then, I was merely an insignificant fellow who never imagined the imperial throne would fall to me, let alone that your eldest uncle would launch a military coup and slaughter everyone from top to bottom..."

The Martial Emperor shook his head, a look of paternal affection appearing in his eyes as he looked at his son and said, "Therefore, the courtiers, including you, all assumed that I would strictly guard against you, my own flesh and blood. But I am very clear on what caused all of that to happen back then."

The Martial Emperor took his son's hand and walked forward along the boundless snowscape.

"Between father and son, there shouldn't be so much suspicion and wariness. Your younger sister said something very right: the courtiers address me as 'Ten Thousand Years,' but can I really live for ten thousand years?"

"You, too, should cast aside those things taught to you by corrupt Confucians. This world belongs to me now and will belong to you in the future, but the future doesn't entirely belong to you, because it will eventually belong to your son as well."

"Therefore, I made you cast aside your status and become a penal officer in the Eastern Depot precisely to make you open your eyes and see things that those renowned scholars and grand masters will never teach you."

"To take a look... at this Great Wu state filled with the warmth of human life."

"Only then will you know how to be a good emperor in the future, and also..."

In the end, the deeply reflective emperor suddenly gave a soft cough, though he could no longer conceal the sudden shift in his demeanor from profound to frivolous.

"And remember, when you go to listen to tunes at the pleasure houses, make sure not to use your real name... When you are out in the world, your identity is whatever you claim it to be!"

"Ah! Imperial Father, this son has never thought of going to such places... Yes, this son will remember it."

"Of all things, that's the one you remember most clearly, isn't it?"