The palace of King Ying was full of lively celebration, and the sound of silk and bamboo music came from the banquet hall, mixed with the movement of pushing and teasing and laughing. At this time, after three rounds of wine, everyone's interest was getting higher and higher. Not only were some people toasting Sun Bi, but also a few people surrounded Li Ling and others.

It is obvious that everyone knows how close Li Ling and the others are to the King of England. Now they are interested in getting close to each other, so they naturally have to show kindness and sincerity. Li Ling and Xiao Chengzhi are also quite happy about this and can always joke with them. The latter is drunk and drank, which has attracted a lot of praise from the guests present.

As for Sun Bi, his alcohol tolerance was not that good. He was already half drunk at this time. He even stood up and tilted his body when he clinked glasses with an official. Fortunately, Li Ling was quick-eyed and quick-handed, so he helped him before he could make a fool of himself. Then he took the opportunity to persuade the other party to sober up in the small hall next to him and leave the seat temporarily.

Fortunately, Xiao Chengzhi and Wei Liang were supporting him, and the banquet was still lively. When they arrived at the small hall next to him, they could still hear a few laughs. However, the standard polite smile on Li Ling's face disappeared after closing the door of the hall, and his expression became a little solemn: "Your Highness..."

"Um..." Sun Bi took a sip of sobering soup, but the person was still a little uncomfortable. After responding softly, he pointed to the seat next to him, "Wen Zhong, sit down and talk."

When he sat down, he said first: "I know what you want to say. Do you think I am too anxious to act this time? Moreover, the officials who were invited to the banquet today seem to be quite complicated. It's really inappropriate?"

Li Ling smiled and gave him a promise. You know, so why do you still do this?

After a moment of silence, he said, "I actually know that if you really want to compete for the throne, there will be less time left for us. And you have just won't be able to follow the steps and proceed step by step like an ordinary prince. However, such a sharpness will eventually arouse suspicion from the prince. Even Your Majesty may feel that you are not steady and too lazy."

These words were indeed from the heart, and only those who treat each other sincerely would say it. Sun Bi's expression also became serious. He moved his right hand, which was originally supporting his forehead, and looked up at Li Ling: "I don't know these questions, but I really have no other better choices other than that."

Why didn't Li Ling say something? He heard him say in a low voice: "Because the father asked me to do this, he asked me to build the team as soon as possible. For this reason, he even secretly let Wang Xiang recruit many frustrated people in the court. Most of the people who attended the meeting today came about like this. Otherwise, do you think that based on my previous identity, I can really attract so many people to surrender in just a few days?"

This made Li Ling take a deep breath: "Is this what Your Majesty mean?" This time, he was really surprised.

Sun Bi looked at him, without dodging at all, and then focused his head. Then he smiled bitterly: "After all, whether I or the previous King Yong, in the eyes of his father, it was just a chess piece, a chess piece used to balance the prince.

"Before, King Yong was in the court, so the prince's power did not expand smoothly, but as you pulled him off the horse the year before, the situation was completely different. For more than a year, the father has been looking for a replacement for King Yong, and now he has found it.

"Although the father did not say it clearly at that time, I could understand the profound meaning of his words. He appointed me as king at this time to establish a force in the court to check and balance the prince. If I could not even do this, I would soon be marginalized and even follow in the footsteps of Queen Yong. Didn't we agree that being the king is just the first step, and we have greater ideals."

Li Ling accepted this fact with some difficulty, and was stunned for a while before sighing. The most ruthless imperial family, in the face of the highest power, the family relationship between father and son and brother will eventually be ignored, and finally turned into mutual use and calculations. The emotions presented by Sun Bi at this time were obviously quite sad. He had never experienced such a thing before.

"So Your Highness promised His Majesty, and then there was this banquet today?"

"Yes, this is just the beginning. Next, I will take the initiative to contact those frustrated people in the court. If I can pull one person in, I will pull one person. Only in this way can I have the strength to compete with the prince."

"Just relying on these people who are not proud of their respective yamen, can we compete with the prince who has grown strongly now?" Li Ling still has little confidence in this. If these people were really useful, they would not have ended up as much as they are today.

"These people still have the ability, otherwise they can't stay in their current official positions. They either have offended their superiors or have been suppressed by others. But it is obvious that they are unwilling to be just obscured in this way, and this has the motivation to let them use it for me to do things that ordinary court officials dare not do.

"In addition, I have also checked them. These people are not brave enough to be gentlemen, but they have not used the power they have to do evil and harm the people, so I feel at ease with them. Of course, the most important thing is that I believe in Wen Zhong. If you help me stare at them and plan to take charge, they can have the strength to fight with the prince."

Li Ling couldn't bear the gift when he was sent up, so he waved his hand and said, "Your Highness is too ridiculous, I can't afford it. But according to you, these people can really be used, and now, apart from them, there is no more suitable candidate in the court."

Of course, in addition to the prince's party, there are actually many officials with real power in the court, such as the important officials of the Six Ministry, and officials of the important yamen such as the Privy Council. But these people are either Lu Zhen's people or just the emperor's close ministers and confidants. Of course, Sun Bi can win over and instruct. As for big bosses like Lu Zhen, it is even more impossible for him to pull him into his own camp. Even Wang Han just helped him according to the emperor's will, and he himself was out of the matter.

After accepting this fact, Li Ling had another concern: "Your Highness, what I am more worried about now is, are they really trustworthy? Among the many guests who came today, they really wanted to join you, instead of having other plans, such as being instructed to find out what we are doing?"

This question came to the point, which was the most embarrassing thing like Sun Bi who had no foundation before but now was eager to win over the court officials. Because he could not confirm that some of these people were deliberately sent by people like the Prince or Yong Wang. Once they believed in the wrong person, many future plans would be leaked at the least, and the worst was that they lost in the hands of the eyeliner in the final competition.

Sun Bi also considered this point and smiled bitterly at this time: "I naturally understand this point, so I can only believe in it. Others can only use it and doubt it. However, one thing can be clear. As long as I can really give them enough benefits, these people will stand on my side in the future regardless of their original attitude. After all, compared to the prince's side, they can still get more benefits after following me."

Such a clear and calm understanding made Li Ling shout in his heart, and then he savored a deeper meaning: "Your Highness said, is there already such an opportunity?"

Sun Bi chuckled: "Since my father wants me to fight with the prince, I always have to help me, otherwise with my current weak power, it is impossible for me to gain a foothold in the court."

"But what's the way?"

"Huguang." Sun Bi gave the answer without hesitation, but made Li Ling stunned, and then he frowned: "The disaster over there..."

Sun Bi's expression also darkened: "I had some doubts before, why the disaster in Huguang lasted for so long, and the court's response was always insufficient. I heard that a small number of disaster victims had even died of starvation before the New Year.

"But after my father told me that this was an opportunity he left to me, I understood the whole story. This disaster in Huguang is not only a natural disaster, but also a man-made disaster. The situation is further deteriorating. Once civil rebellion is caused, not only many local officials will be insured, but also someone in the court will be implicated!

"And as long as all this comes true, once there is a vacancy in the court, it will be our opportunity. By the way, my father is still interested in handing over all the errands to me for the investigation of the disaster situation and the relief work. Wen Zhong, you are the person I trust the most, are you willing to help me with this trip?"

Li Ling lowered his head and did not respond for a long time.

At this moment, he was full of anger. He really didn't expect that His Majesty, whom he had always respected, would make such a decision. For the balance he wanted, he actually used hundreds of millions of people in Huguang as pawns and even gave up them at will.

That's countless lives!

Can people really be able to distinguish between pros and cons for the sake of so-called power?

In the eyes of the emperor, the people of the world are just playing with power tools. As for their life or death, they are not considered at all? Is such an emperor really the lord of the world he wants to be loyal to?

"Wen Zhong..." Sun Bi's call again, then pulled Li Ling out of his thoughts. When he raised his face, his expression changed and fell into the other party's eyes, which shocked him: "You..."

Li Ling forced himself to control his emotions and smiled reluctantly: "For the sake of Your Highness and for those innocent people, I should take on this task and do my best to do my job."
Chapter completed!