In the winter of the third year of Taiping, Guan Lian stood outside the Xuanzheng Hall, his black official robe covered with fine snow. The embers of the dispute three days ago were still there, including the broken jade pendant, the cold words of advice, and the flash of pain in the emperor's eyes. They all know that once some words are spoken, it is difficult to go back.
Li Lin rubbed the newly replaced Panlong Pendant around his waist and glanced at the courtiers who bowed their heads respectfully below the steps. The poisonous arrows on the hunting ground in the spring of 12 years ago, the bloody edict when the New Deal was implemented seven years ago, the sound of horse hooves all night long at the western suburbs racecourse three months ago... There are too many uncountable debts between them.
Li Lin once thought he had the game under control, until he discovered the most dangerous piece, which had already taken root in his heart. The marriage grant was false, but the temptation was real, but when the man knelt in front of the palace and said, "The snake's venom has not yet been purified," he was shocked to realize that he was also afraid of a lie coming true.
Guan Lian always remembered the words of his teacher on the day he became an official: "When playing chess with an emperor, if you make a wrong move, you will be doomed." He calculated all the people's hearts, but he failed to calculate that the emperor who was so arrogant in the court would also be waiting for the umbrella he handed to him in the wind and rain.
Machiavellianism and sincerity intertwined on the snowy night. The ink on the secret report on the imperial case was not yet dry, and the white plum blossoms in the harem had fallen for the third time. When the border war broke out, they finally stood in front of the same map...
"Your Majesty, aren't you afraid that I have other plans?"
"I'm just afraid..." The emperor picked up the hand holding the pen and marked down a line on the territory map, "You don't even want to think about your plans."
Purpose: Struggle together