Wang Dao had wanted to repair his relationship with the Prince of Langya. When the two restored their former closeness, he would have a heart-to-heart talk with him, analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of returning to the north versus continuing to occupy Jiangnan. But he hadn’t expected Wang Dun’s moves to be so swift and aggressive.

While changing clothes to go to the palace, Wang Dao contemplated the events of this period. Times changed, and truly one could not follow one’s heart—one could only move with the current.

As Judicial Authority, Liu Yu had already learned that a vicious criminal case had occurred at a residence. Hearing that Wang Dao’s household retainers had sent people in and taken away a severely wounded person, he immediately sensed something unusual and personally led people to investigate.

When he arrived at the safe house, Wang Dao had just reached the palace gates. He looked up at the plaque before slowly entering.

The Prince of Langya met him at a pavilion in the back garden. Curtains hung from the pavilion, and when rolled down, they could block the cold wind. When he arrived, the Prince of Langya ordered the curtains rolled up and pushed the brazier toward him, smiling. “I know you fear the cold, but inside is truly stuffy. I don’t like talking indoors, so let’s warm ourselves by the fire.”

Wang Dao arranged his robes and knelt on a mat to the side.

Wang Dao raised the topic first. “Liu Yueshi has submitted credentials requesting an audience with the Great King. Will the Great King grant it?”

The Prince of Langya’s hand paused while making tea. Since the tea-drinking custom from the north had spread, it had become very popular in Jiangnan, and even the Prince of Langya had unknowingly changed his dietary habits.

Making tea could calm the mind, and the movements could conceal much thinking. But no matter how much self-discipline he had, he couldn’t help showing his displeasure now. “I only just received the letter, and Chilong already knows?”

Chilong was Wang Dao’s childhood name. Few people called him this—the Prince of Langya was one of them, but he hadn’t called him this in a long time.

Wang Dao’s tense demeanor since entering relaxed. He shed his pretense and let his shoulders drop. “Because it came from the north via official routes, the letter first arrived at the Administrator’s Office before being sent to the palace.”

The Prince of Langya had a gentle temperament. If one spent time with him, one couldn’t help but be drawn to his likability and unconsciously lower one’s guard. Wang Dao certainly knew that he and the Prince of Langya currently had many conflicts and their friendship was long past.

But looking at his old friend sitting across from him, Wang Dao decided to speak truthfully.

“Has the Great King considered why Liu Yueshi is coming?”

The Prince of Langya said, “Probably also for the grain tax case?”

“Although the grain tax case has no conclusion, everyone knows the truth. What the north wants has long been clear. With Censor Lu and others here, that’s already sufficient. Why would they need to send Liu Yueshi?”

The Prince of Langya frowned but said nothing.

Wang Dao simply spoke directly. “I think he’s coming to persuade the Great King to return to Luoyang.”

The Prince of Langya’s expression changed.

Wang Dao asked him directly, “If Liu Yueshi requests the Great King return to the capital or return to your Langya fief, how will the Great King answer him?”

The Prince of Langya had not formally rebelled against Great Jin, so he had no legitimate reason to refuse Liu Kun.

If he refused, Zhao Hanzhang could completely use the young emperor’s name to crusade against him. The north and south would still inevitably go to war.

The Prince of Langya clenched his fists and probed, “The emperor is young, held hostage by Zhao Hanzhang, causing court power to fall into others’ hands. Court politics are all controlled by the Zhao clan. If I issue a call to arms, summoning all righteous people in the realm to attack the treacherous ministers…”

Wang Dao lowered his eyes, concealing the grief in his heart. “Jiangnan would surely lose.”

If this had been said two years ago, even one year ago, he would have seriously considered the feasibility. Because trusting others was not as good as trusting oneself.

He trusted himself more, and the Sima Rui he personally selected.

But now…

Knowing the path ahead led to certain defeat, he naturally wouldn’t be someone who brought disaster to the country and people. But he couldn’t say this outright—he could only analyze the situation for the Prince of Langya. “Zhao Hanzhang has won the people’s hearts. Not to mention Yuzhou—even in Sizhou, Jizhou, and Yanzhou, because she personally led troops to pacify them and lightened corvée and taxes to settle the people, popular sentiment only knows Zhao Hanzhang and doesn’t know the young emperor.”

“In terms of military strength, Zhao Ming in Yuzhou, Zhao Ju in Yanzhou, Zhao Yong in Yongzhou, Zhao Kuan in Qingzhou, Sun Linghui in Guangzhou—all are from the Zhao clan. These people absolutely will not betray Zhao Hanzhang,” Wang Dao said. “Besides them, there are Beigong Chun in Bingzhou and Zu Ti in Jizhou.”

“Beigong Chun is loyal and brave. He won’t help Zhao Hanzhang commit treason, but he also won’t send troops to support the Great King. Zhao Hanzhang placed him in Bingzhou because she absolutely trusts him. With the Xianbei of Dai State there, even if Zhao Hanzhang proclaimed herself emperor, he wouldn’t bring troops back to rescue.” Because in Beigong Chun’s heart, guarding against external enemies was certainly far more important than suppressing Zhao Hanzhang’s rebellion.

“As for Zu Ti,” Wang Dao shook his head, “he certainly won’t respond to the Great King.”

Zu Ti had long stated that all disasters originated from the Jin court. Years ago, he practically wanted to raise his own banner against Jin. He only endured the disgust of eating fly dung and worked for the country because he didn’t want this chaotic world to become more chaotic.

So he certainly wouldn’t help the so-called legitimate Prince of Langya.

“That only leaves Shi Le in Youzhou and Li Xiong in Shu…” Wang Dao paused, then said, “These two can only be driven by profit.”

The others couldn’t be motivated even by profit, because what they could offer, these people gained even more from Zhao Hanzhang.

But the profits for Shi Le and Li Xiong…

The Prince of Langya took a deep breath but said nothing.

Wang Dao couldn’t help but be awed by this strategic positioning Zhao Hanzhang had set up. “I don’t know if she arranged this unintentionally or deliberately.”

Wang Dao looked up at the Prince of Langya. “If it was unintentional, then it’s heaven’s mandate. If it was deliberate, someone with such deep scheming and far-sighted planning, wielding heavy military power—what do we have to contend with her?”

Wang Dao hinted, “That Guo璞—since fleeing to Luoyang, he has never left once, holding multiple positions and working tirelessly for Zhao Hanzhang.”

The Prince of Langya’s heart took another arrow. If Guo Pu were here, he would definitely grab his shoulders and ask, “Didn’t you say heaven’s mandate was with me? Why did you flee to Luoyang and work under Zhao Hanzhang? Why, why?”

But at this moment, sitting across from him was Wang Dao, who had already become distant from him. He could only suppress the bitterness and unwillingness in his heart, turning the question back to Wang Dao. “The Zhao clan won’t be swayed by profit and has only chosen Zhao Hanzhang alone. But can Chilong remain as before? Or has Chuzhong grown closer to you, so you’ve already switched to supporting Chuzhong?”

Hearing this, Wang Dao couldn’t help but crawl around the low table between them, kneel beside him, and grasp his sleeve, hurt and distressed. “My abilities are insufficient. The grand plans I once mapped out for you are no longer achievable. But my heart toward you has never changed. I would absolutely never commit such treachery. If Chuzhong insists on doing so, I will expel him from the clan.”

“Jingwen, most of the Wang clan descendants are in Jiankang City. If I were determined to rebel, how would I dare leave them in the city?” Wang Dao’s eyes reddened as he tightly gripped his sleeve. “I won’t hide it from you. Since I withdrew from politics and claimed illness at home, I’ve been considering returning to our old home in Langya to live in seclusion and no longer serve in office. But the Jingzhou grain tax case—I, I had to emerge. I cannot watch Jiangnan and the north go to war again.”

“Jingwen, you and I once deeply hated this chaotic world. In private, we often resented the Rebellion of the Eight Princes. So now, are we going to do what the Eight Princes did?”