The prince is fierce: Who dares to steal my woman?

Chapter 154 Ruan Dianfu's Conspiracy

Ten days later, on the streets of Jiankang.

A diverse crowd thronged the tavern, moving about bustlingly, creating a vibrant scene of everyday life. Deep within this noisy and bustling tavern, Chu Liangchen was embracing an antique wine jar with abandon, making gulping sounds as he drank heartily, as if trying to swallow all the world's troubles.

"Waiter, another jar of good wine!" Chu Liangchen shook the nearly empty wine jar in his hand and called out to the shopkeeper, his voice carrying a hint of unruliness and carefree spirit.

"Alright, sir, the wine will be right there!" The shopkeeper's reply cut through the noise, conveying a sense of efficiency and enthusiasm.

Amidst this turmoil, in a corner not far away, a pair of sharp and deep eyes had been quietly fixed on Chu Liangchen for several days. It was none other than Ruan Dianfu. Ever since the day he stepped out of Langya Pavilion, Ruan Dianfu's gaze had followed Chu Liangchen like a shadow, simply because the extraordinary strategy of "seizing the world" given to him by Su Changmei was closely related to this seemingly unrestrained Chu Liangchen.

After countless sleepless nights, Ruan Dianfu finally made up his mind and first turned his attention to Chu Liangchen. In his eyes, although this young talent came from a humble background and was like a lone boat adrift in Jiankang City with no one to rely on, his talent and wisdom were undeniable.

Ruan Dianfu knew that Liu Huan lacked a strategist who could plan behind the scenes and win battles from afar. Chu Liangchen was precisely that gem who could fill this crucial gap. Recruiting him would undoubtedly add a significant stroke to Liu Huan's ambitions.

In this way, Ruan Dianfu's chessboard had been quietly laid out in his mind, with each move containing deep thought and far-reaching strategy.

Ruan Dianfu smiled gently and placed a gleaming silver ingot on the counter. He then looked warmly at Chu Liangchen's table and said softly to the shopkeeper, "Shopkeeper, I'll take care of that friend's wine bill."

"Alright, this gentleman is very generous," the shopkeeper replied, his face beaming with smiles.

At this moment, Chu Liangchen was completely immersed in a drunken stupor, utterly oblivious to everything else.

After a long while, Chu Liangchen finally stood up unsteadily, staggered to the counter, and mumbled, "Manager, settle the accounts."

Upon hearing this, the innkeeper replied with a smile, "Sir, the gentleman just paid for your drinks."

Chu Liangchen was taken aback upon hearing this, and quickly squinted to examine him closely. He saw a middle-aged scholar standing before him with a refined and gentle demeanor. The man was about forty years old, with a faint scholarly air about him, giving him a gentle and elegant appearance.

Upon seeing this, Chu Liangchen's brows furrowed with a hint of inquiry, and he asked softly, "May I ask your honorable name?"

Upon hearing this, Ruan Dianfu bowed respectfully, his expression sincere: "I am Ruan Dianfu, the Prefect of Xiangyang. I have long admired Minister Chu's renowned reputation, and it is truly an honor to meet you today."

Chu Liangchen smiled faintly, thinking to himself: everything is proceeding exactly as Jin Yan planned, step by step. He nodded to himself, deciding to follow the plan.

That night, the moonlight was like a ribbon. Chu Liangchen stepped into a secluded room that Ruan Dianfu had carefully prepared, as promised. The two sat facing each other, the candlelight flickering, and the atmosphere gradually deepened.

Ruan Dianfu's eyes shone brightly, and his words were earnest: "Minister Chu, for the sake of the Prince of Xiangyang's grand ambitions and the well-being of the people of the Great Song Dynasty, I humbly request that you condescend to come out of seclusion and join us in this great undertaking! Ruan Dianfu hereby expresses his gratitude in advance!"

After saying this, he actually bowed.

Seeing this, Chu Liangchen quickly reached out to help Ruan Dianfu up, his face bearing a reproachful smile: "Oh dear, Prefect Ruan, why are you doing this? You're making Liangchen feel uncomfortable! We've long been in the same boat, sharing both honor and disgrace, advancing and retreating together. Why are you being so polite? If you continue to be so distant in the future, Liangchen will really get angry!"

Ruan Dianfu felt a surge of joy, secretly thinking: Su Changmei, the former master of Langya Pavilion, once predicted that among the civil officials of the Great Song Dynasty, Chu Liangchen was the best; and among the military generals, Xiao Jinyan was second to none. With the help of either Chu or Xiao, he could conquer the world.

Now that Princess Xincai, Chu Liangchen's wife, has been seized by Liu Kun and died in the palace, how could he not hate her? Her sincerity towards me is truly a blessing from heaven!

However, what Ruan Dianfu didn't know was that Princess Xincai was not actually dead, but was hidden by Xiao Jinyan in a manor outside Jiankang City.

Ruan Dianfu looked grave and said to Chu Liangchen, “Minister Chu, things have come to this point, so I will no longer stand on ceremony. To tell you the truth, the Prince of Xiangyang is still being imprisoned by Liu Kun in that filthy pigsty, suffering greatly. We must devise a plan to rescue him as soon as possible.”

Chu Liangchen shook his head slightly, his tone tinged with helplessness: "Prefect Ruan, I dare to speak frankly, but it is probably not advisable for the Prince of Xiangyang to leave that pigsty at this moment."

Upon hearing this, Ruan Dianfu was extremely anxious: "What? Why is this? Does even the master have no way to save my prince?"

Chu Liangchen slowly explained, "Of course we can save him, but the time is not yet ripe."

Ruan Dianfu said softly, "Minister Chu, when exactly will the time you speak of come to be?"

Chu Liangchen shook his head slightly, his gaze deep: "Prefect Ruan, look at that Prince of Xiangyang. As the eldest of the late emperor's many sons, he is also Liu Kun's only elder brother. He has been operating in Xiangyang for many years, his power is deeply rooted, and his prestige is at its zenith. Liu Kun is suspicious by nature, how could he easily forgive this elder brother? Imprisonment is a foregone conclusion, and release is absolutely impossible."

He paused, then continued, "If the Prince of Xiangyang wants to break free from this invisible cage, he has no choice but to take a desperate gamble and stage a prison break. But this is no small matter. Once he steps out, it will mean a complete break with Liu Kun, and a bloody storm will be inevitable. He will not hesitate to fight to the death. I only ask the Prince of Xiangyang if he has the courage and determination to do so."

Ruan Dianfu said firmly, "Your Highness has a grand vision and extraordinary courage."

Chu Liangchen sighed softly, his words earnest: "Prefect Ruan, I dare to speak frankly, with the current strength of the Prince of Xiangyang, can he really compete with Liu Kun? If he is not strong enough, even if the Prince can break free from the current predicament, I am afraid he will not be able to escape Liu Kun's relentless pursuit."

Ruan Dianfu raised an eyebrow, his spirits soaring: "Since that's the case, then let's have a head-on clash with Liu Kun, let's see who prevails on the battlefield, and who will ultimately prevail is still undecided!"

Chu Liangchen's eyes flickered slightly, and he tentatively asked, "Prefect Ruan, I still have a question in my mind. I wonder how many troops can be mobilized in Xiangyang City at present?"

Ruan Dianfu smiled slightly and calmly replied, "Currently, there are about 30,000 to 50,000 elite troops in Xiangyang City, working day and night, ready to fight at any moment. What is there to worry about in achieving our great cause!"

Upon hearing this, a hint of doubt flashed across Chu Liangchen's brows. He slowly asked, "Prefect Ruan, please tell me the truth. Are the troops thirty thousand or fifty thousand?"

Ruan Dianfu's expression softened slightly, and he frankly replied, "Minister Chu, I dare not speak falsely. The troops in Xiangyang City, if you count carefully, number no more than 20,000."

Although Xiangyang was densely populated and prosperous, it was ultimately just a small part of the Song Dynasty's territory. It was quite remarkable that Ruan Dianfu was able to amass a fortune of 20,000 soldiers in this tiny place.

Chu Liangchen shook his head slightly, his voice tinged with worry: "With just these 20,000 troops, and lurking in a corner of Xiangyang, even the Imperial Guards of the palace would find it difficult to fight them head-on. How can we contend with Liu Kun for the world?"

Ruan Dianfu said softly, “Minister Chu, although Xiangyang has few soldiers, they are all brave warriors who have experienced the flames of war and can fight against a hundred men single-handedly. Their fighting strength should not be underestimated. On the other hand, Liu Kun has acted rebelliously since usurping the throne, and has lost the hearts of the people. He is like an autumn leaf, about to fall. Our lord, the Prince, has always been highly respected and deeply loved by the people. With this disparity in power, if the Prince were to rise up in anger and raise his arms, I ask you, wouldn't all the heroes of the world be stirred up by this righteous cause, pooling their wisdom and strength to jointly plan the great cause of overthrowing the tyrant? Moreover, with a man of unparalleled wisdom and strategic talent like Minister Chu strategizing behind the scenes, how could the Prince's great cause not prosper and flourish?”

Chu Liangchen pondered for a moment and said, "If we were to rescue the Prince of Xiangyang from the pigsty now, we would inevitably turn against Liu Kun immediately, thus beginning the struggle for supremacy. Although I, Liangchen, am not one to underestimate myself, I dare not claim certain victory. I am not entirely confident in defeating Liu Kun. Without a sure chance of winning, it would be unwise to rashly break with Liu Kun. We might as well let the Prince of Xiangyang suffer a little injustice in the pigsty for now and wait for the right opportunity. When the time is ripe, we will rescue the Prince of Xiangyang and then fight Liu Kun to the death, deciding the fate of the world in one battle."

Then, Ruan Dianfu sighed softly and said slowly, "Minister Chu, do you know that the Prince is still trapped in that filthy pigsty, exposed to the elements, eating chaff and bran, and is exhausted in body and mind. The suffering he has endured is beyond the imagination of ordinary people."

Upon hearing this, Chu Liangchen's expression remained unchanged; instead, a resolute glint flashed in his eyes as he slowly spoke: "As the ancients said, 'When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on someone, it first tests their will, strains their muscles and bones, starves their body, empties their resources, and frustrates their endeavors, so as to strengthen their resolve and increase their abilities.' This is how Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on the Prince of Xiangyang. Is this ordeal not precisely Heaven's tempering and test for the Prince of Xiangyang?"

Upon hearing this, Ruan Dianfu thought to himself: This Chu Liangchen speaks so lightly. If he hadn't experienced it firsthand, how could he understand the suffering in the pigsty? He truly embodies the saying, "If it doesn't concern me, I'll mind my own business."

However, it is not a long-term solution for the Prince of Xiangyang to remain under Liu Kun's control. If Liu Kun were to harden his heart one day, the Prince of Xiangyang's life would be in grave danger! Once the Prince of Xiangyang is gone, what will become of his grand ambition to contend for the Central Plains?

At this moment, Ruan Dianfu spoke again with deep concern: "Minister Chu, in the current situation, the Prince is trapped in Liu Kun's clutches, and his life is on the verge of being extinguished at any moment!"

Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Chu Liangchen smiled faintly, waved his hand gently, and said to Ruan Dianfu, "Prefect Ruan, please rest assured. As the saying goes, 'The most dangerous place is also the safest place.' Although the Prince of Xiangyang is temporarily trapped in a dangerous situation, it may not be an unsafe haven."

A hint of doubt appeared between Ruan Dianfu's brows as he asked softly, "What do you mean by that?"

Chu Liangchen smiled slightly and patiently explained, "As long as the Prince of Xiangyang behaves himself and stays in that pigsty, within Liu Kun's sight, Liu Kun's doubts will naturally dissipate, and the Prince of Xiangyang's life will be in no danger. However, once the Prince of Xiangyang breaks free and escapes, this sudden change will definitely trigger Liu Kun's sensitive nerves, making him wary and even giving rise to murderous intent."

Upon hearing this, Ruan Dianfu's worries did not completely dissipate. He hesitated for a moment, then spoke again: "But...Minister Chu, this..."

Upon hearing this, Chu Liangchen impatiently interrupted Ruan Dianfu, his tone firm and unwavering: "Prefect Ruan, do not utter that 'but' again! I know well the deep bond between you and the Prince of Xiangyang, like master and servant, even more like brothers. Now, I too serve under the Prince of Xiangyang as his advisor, and naturally, I am deeply concerned for his safety. However, Prefect, you must be clear-headed. What the Prince of Xiangyang desires is the supreme throne, not merely escaping his predicament and seeking a life of ease!"

Upon hearing this, Ruan Dianfu paused slightly, then sighed deeply, his eyes filled with helplessness and resignation. He slowly said to Chu Liangchen, "Alas... since that's the case, then let's proceed according to Minister Chu's wishes."

Chu Liangchen pondered for a moment, a deep look flashing in his eyes, and slowly said, "As the ancient saying goes, 'Those whom Heaven wishes to destroy, it first makes mad.' Our urgent task is to fan the flames and drive Liu Kun into a state of madness, until he is abandoned by all and incurs the wrath of Heaven and the resentment of the people!"

Upon hearing this, Ruan Dianfu nodded slightly and echoed, "Minister Chu's words are indeed wise and insightful!"

Chu Liangchen's gaze sharpened, and his tone became even more resolute: "Not only that, the most urgent matter at present is to eliminate a key figure!"