activa-t Chapter 204 Conspiracy
Chapter 204 Conspiracy
However, Lord Changping had a different plan in mind at this moment. He secretly pondered: [If I could take advantage of this battle to have Li Xin and Li You either die on the battlefield or be seriously wounded, then things would surely go more smoothly for my plan.] Thinking of this, Lord Changping's smile became even more amiable.
Li Xin and Li You were completely unaware of Changping Jun's intentions, and the two had already begun discussing tactical matters. Not long after, after careful planning, the discussion concluded. Li Xin and Li You walked out of Changping Jun's room side by side, and Li Xin immediately turned to the guards waiting outside and instructed, "There's no need to detain Changping Jun any longer."
The guard respectfully replied, "Yes, sir!" After saying that, he turned and hurriedly left.
Li You reached out and pulled Li Xin into Li Xin's room. As soon as they entered, Li You eagerly asked, "General Li, have you noticed anything strange about Lord Changping today?"
Upon hearing this, Li Xin stared intently at Li You and asked in return, "Could it be that you have also noticed something?"
Li You nodded and replied, "From what I've observed, Lord Changping is being overly enthusiastic today, and his smile is constantly on his face, which is quite strange."
Li Xin said with a solemn expression, "Lord Changping has always been firmly opposed to Your Majesty's attack on the State of Chu. Now that Your Majesty has exiled him here, he must be filled with resentment. Therefore, you must pay close attention to this man and not let your guard down."
Li You nodded in deep agreement and replied, "Brother, you are absolutely right. Then I will take my leave now. When it is time to depart, I hope you will come and call me." Li Xin nodded slightly in agreement.
Li You turned and left, returning to his residence with a heavy heart. Recalling his meeting with Changping Jun earlier that day, he felt increasingly that Changping Jun's eyes were unusual. Those eyes were bright and piercing, not at all like those of an elderly man past fifty, but rather like those of a spirited and radiant young man. This strange phenomenon left Li You deeply perplexed.
After much deliberation, Li You decided to summon his trusted confidants and ask them, "Who exactly did Lord Changping meet today?"
The trusted aide dared not be negligent and quickly replied truthfully, "Reporting to my lord, Lord Changping first met with General Li at midnight, then you, and finally Madam Hu."
Upon hearing this, Li You frowned deeply. He had always harbored doubts about why the Hu woman wanted to meet Lord Changping. Now, recalling the unusual behavior and demeanor he had just witnessed, Li You became even more suspicious that the Hu woman must have revealed some important information to Lord Changping. However, he knew nothing about the specific content of their conversation. But an instinctive sense of unease told him that this matter was no small thing and could not be taken lightly.
Li You ordered, "Send men to keep an eye on Lord Changping and Lady Hu."
Upon hearing the order, the confidant's face showed deep worry. He cautiously asked, "Sir, are you really going to accompany General Li to attack those natives? This is no small matter!"
Li You nodded slightly in affirmation, his gaze firm and resolute, and slowly said, "Since I joined the army, I have always cherished the dream of fighting on the battlefield and serving my country. However, for a long time, even when I was on the battlefield, I was only responsible for managing logistics such as food supplies in the rear, and I have never been able to truly go to the front line to fight the enemy. This time, I have finally gotten such a rare opportunity to go to the battlefield and fight bravely, and I am really unwilling to let it go easily."
Seeing that Li You's mind was made up, his confidant frowned and continued to earnestly persuade him: "But sir, what if Lord Changping and Lady Hu harbor ill intentions towards you and take this opportunity to secretly harm you? What should we do then?"
Upon hearing this, a sharp killing intent flashed in Li You's eyes, and he coldly replied, "There is no need to worry about this. Immediately send someone to closely monitor the actions of Lord Changping and Lady Hu. If any abnormalities are discovered, notify Li Xin immediately. With Li Xin's abilities, he will surely be able to protect me."
Upon hearing this, the confidant felt somewhat relieved, and a barely perceptible smile flashed in his eyes. He quickly cupped his hands and replied, "Your subordinate will obey your orders, sir!"
Li You waved his hand, signaling his confidant to leave, and casually said, "Alright, if there's nothing else important, you can go and rest now."
The trusted confidant respectfully replied, "Your subordinate takes his leave." With that, he turned and departed.
The night was still and silent. Li Xin was already fast asleep, snoring loudly. Li You also slowly lay down, closed his eyes, and fell into a deep sleep.
Just then, Changping Jun stealthily slipped out of the house, making his way forward by the faint moonlight. Soon, he arrived at Madam Hu's door and gently knocked. Madam Hu, startled by the knock, tiptoed to the door and peeked through the crack. After confirming that no one was around, she cautiously opened the door.
Lady Hu spotted Changping Jun outside the door at a glance. She quickly looked around to make sure no one else was there, then stepped aside to let Changping Jun enter the room. Changping Jun slipped inside, and Lady Hu swiftly closed the door and bolted it shut.
Hu Ji frowned slightly and asked in confusion, "Why did you come to see me so late?"
Changping Jun lowered his voice with a mysterious yet urgent expression and said, "Tomorrow morning, Li Xin and Li You will lead a large army to conquer those natives. This is a great opportunity for us!"
Hu Ji blinked her beautiful, captivating eyes and pressed for an answer: "What kind of opportunity is it?"
A sly glint flashed in Changping Jun's eyes as he said softly, "If, in this fierce battle, the two of them were to unfortunately die on the battlefield or be too badly wounded to continue fighting, wouldn't that be the most advantageous situation for us?"
Upon hearing this, Hu Ji looked worried and continued to ask, "But what should be done with those natives?"
Lord Changping laughed dismissively and replied confidently, "They're just a bunch of uncivilized natives. How much trouble can they cause? When the time comes, as long as I can control the military, eliminating these small native forces will be a piece of cake."
After pondering for a moment, Hu Ji looked up at Lord Changping and asked, "In that case, what do you want me to do?"
Changping Jun leaned close to Hu Ji's ear and whispered, "You can arrange for someone to sneak up on Li Xin and Li You while the two sides are fighting and assassinate them."