Chapter 317 Sweet Dreams
Inside the Di Mansion, Di Renjie was pacing back and forth in the main hall, seeming very anxious.

Li Yuanfang stood guard beside him quietly, while Kui Wenzhong sat in the guest seat, sipping tea continuously.

Although he looked calm, he was actually as anxious as an ant on hot pan.

After a long while, Di Renjie finally made a decision: "Yuan Fang, things have come to this point. If we delay, something bad will happen. We can't wait any longer! We should set out now, sneak into the East Palace, and rescue the prince!"

Li Yuanfang naturally didn't say anything else, he nodded and said: "Okay!"

Although Kui Wen Zhong was reluctant in his heart, he could not show it at all, so he could only agree with Li Yuanfang.

Suddenly, his expression changed and he asked, "Where is General Zhao? Why can't I see him?"

Di Renjie smiled when he heard this, and pretended to be mysterious and said, "He and General Huanbinhuan of the Qianniu Guard have been waiting for you in the palace for a long time!"

Upon hearing this, Kui Wenzhong couldn't help but show astonishment on his face: "In the palace?"

Li Yuanfang also smiled and explained: "Brother Wenzhong doesn't know that Chengyuan sneaked into the East Palace last night and accidentally discovered a secret passage connecting the East Palace and the Imperial Palace."

"We are preparing to gather the Qianniu Guards to sneak into the East Palace through this secret passage. We will do it without anyone noticing and catch the Snake Spirit off guard!"

Kui Wenzhong was a little flustered just now, but after calming down and thinking of Huan Bin, he suddenly relaxed: "So, we are acting together with Qianniu Guards?"

Di Renjie was afraid that Kui Wenzhong didn't understand, so he deliberately added: "Yes, although you and Yuan Fang are highly skilled in martial arts, you are outnumbered. Of course, you still need the help of the Qianniu Guards!"

After hearing this, Kui Wenzhong's doubts finally disappeared. He nodded heavily and breathed a sigh of relief.

"You two go ahead, I'll be there soon!" Di Renjie gave his final order.

Kui Wenzhong did not doubt him, and he and Li Yuanfang agreed again and went to the palace together.

After Li Yuanfang and Kui Wenzhong left, Ruyan, and Xiaomei sisters all jumped into the main hall in high spirits.

Ruyan said excitedly: "Uncle, that's great, you and General Zhao's plan to alert the enemy succeeded! Yuan Tiangang, the old fox, saw that something was wrong and ran away!"

Di Renjie smiled slightly and gave credit to Xiaomei and her sister: "This is all thanks to you two!"

Xiaomei was very modest: "You are too kind, Mr. Di. The snake spirit has been doing evil for a long time, and we sisters don't want to help the tyrant. What's more..."

Xiao Feng has always been a hot-tempered person. Although she just met Di Renjie, she was not afraid at all: "Not to mention that damned guy! We sisters are not as lucky as Sister Ruyan to meet a good match like General Li. When we meet such a master, we have no choice but to accept our fate!"

When Di Renjie heard Xiaofeng describe Zhao Ji in this way, he felt both amused and helpless for a moment, and Ruyan couldn't help laughing either.

Xiaomei scolded her sister and taught her a lesson: "Don't act like this in front of Lord Di!"

Xiaofeng rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue when she heard that, as if she didn't take her sister's words to heart at all, but she didn't continue complaining in the end.

Di Renjie was used to seeing Ruyan's eccentricity, so he didn't take it as an offense, but talked about business: "Now Chengyuan has followed Yuan Tiangang as planned, and the arrangements for the follow-up are all up to him."

"What Yuan Fang and I have to do is to go one step further and deliberately reveal our flaws, so that all the evil spirits will think that the great mission is about to be accomplished, and in their pride, they will all show up!"

Ruyan has deep feelings for Di Renjie, but she is the only one who shows some worry: "Uncle and Yuan Fang are going deep into the tiger's den, will anything happen to them?"

Di Renjie said confidently: "With Yuan Fang here, it won't be a problem!"

Xiaomei and Xiaofeng heard this and thought of Li Yuanfang's extraordinary skills, and nodded with relief.
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On the other side, what was unexpected was that inside the courtyard, Zhao Ji suddenly revealed his whereabouts for some unknown reason and sat opposite Yuan Tiangang.

Zhao Ji was calm and examined the structure and furnishings of the secret room carefully. He said with emotion, "Teacher, I never thought that you would hide your confidant in Qianyifang."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tiangang let out an unpleasant drake-like laugh: "Of course, no one would have thought that the Snake Spirit rebels with over a thousand men were hiding in Qianyifang, the closest place to the palace!"

Zhao Ji was speechless when he heard this. That was not what he meant. He was just remembering that in the Shen Di Yuan world line, a tunnel was dug to Qian Yi Fang.

However, in this world line, the Imperial Palace and the East Palace are connected. The tunnel was dug directly from the Luo River to the East Palace, and even directly to the underground of the Imperial Palace.

As for why Di Renjie in the original world line was able to walk from the Qianyifang tunnel to the Prince's Palace, Zhao Ji was very puzzled.

After all, the lotus pond in the Prince's Palace was already filled with water. Logically speaking, if the tunnel was connected, even if there was a sluice blocking the water, the tunnel could only lead to the lotus pond. How could it lead to the side hall where the Li Tang artifact was imprisoned?
This will be an eternal mystery, an eternal mystery!
After his thoughts drifted away, Zhao Ji came back to his senses and focused his gaze on Yuan Tiangang again.

I saw Yuan Tiangang staring at me with a glimmer of admiration in his eyes.

Yuan Tiangang sighed and said, "Your Highness, I, Yuan Tiangang, have always been conceited and thought I was the smartest person in the world. But these days, I have to admit that you and Di Renjie are both comparable to me!"

"You were able to find clues from the grain and determine that there were a large number of people hiding in Qianyifang. You were able to see the big picture from the small details and then tracked the large-scale grain transactions to find our base. I really have to admire you!"

Zhao Ji looked at Yuan Tiangang in surprise. Is this tea? Why does the old man look drunk?

He deliberately looked away, gently turned the teacup in his hand, and slowly said: "Teacher, speaking of which, if you are really hiding in the East Palace, what can I do?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tiangang immediately looked up at Zhao Ji, then slowly stood up and turned his back.

"You are blaming me for hiding something from you!" Yuan Tiangang's tone was filled with emotion.

Zhao Ji's face darkened and he slammed the cup on the table: "Isn't this the truth? We can't trust each other!"

After hearing this, Yuan Tiangang did not refute, but just sighed: "You are right, but I also have my own difficulties. You are a smart man. I have been in prison for ten years. After I regained my freedom, the world has changed."

"Could it be that my old subordinates will really continue to obey me out of some old feelings for their old master?" Yuan Tiangang shook his head and sighed, "Alas, things have changed!"

"Let alone master and disciple, even if they are brothers whose blood is thicker than water, if they haven't seen each other for decades, once a conflict arises, I'm afraid they will turn their swords against each other..."

As Yuan Tiangang spoke, he glanced at Zhao Ji out of the corner of his eye, as if seeking a little sympathy.

However, Zhao Ji remained unmoved and waited quietly for Yuan Tiangang's next words.

Seeing that Zhao Ji had no reaction, Yuan Tiangang had to sit back down: "I just want to tell you that I am old now, and I no longer have the final say on matters concerning the snake spirit."

Zhao Ji finally couldn't stand Yuan Tiangang's ambiguous words and coldly pointed it out: "Yes, isn't there the shadow of the Prince's Mansion behind the Snake Spirit?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tiangang's face suddenly changed, and he asked in horror: "How do you know?" Zhao Ji looked at Yuan Tiangang's shocked expression and sneered: "Could the fake prince in the East Palace be Li Chengqi, the Prince of Shouchun?"

"Ah!" Yuan Tiangang leaned back, as if he was frightened again. There was a flash of doubt in his eyes as he stared at Zhao Ji.

Zhao Ji frowned slightly, with a faint smile on his face.

He turned his head slightly, changing the angle to observe Yuan Tiangang's reaction: "Why, I was right again?"

Yuan Tiangang narrowed his eyes, lowered his gaze, looked at the teacup on the table, and his tone became cold: "It seems that you already know everything!"

"Of course not, I have no idea about your arrangement, teacher!" Zhao Ji noticed the changes in Yuan Tiangang's expression.

Yuan Tiangang fell into a long silence, as if he couldn't find the right words for a moment.

Zhao Ji's eyes were as sharp as torches, fixed firmly on Yuan Tiangang, without any slackness.

Finally, Yuan Tiangang let out a long breath, as if he had made up his mind: "Now that things have come to this, I don't want to hide it from you."

"The original plan was that the Snake Spirit conspired with Prince Li Dan to use the magic of the Luo River to cause chaos, kill Wu Zhao, and then frame Li Xian and exterminate his entire family."

"At this time, Prince Li Dan will become the only heir to the throne and will naturally inherit the throne. The Snake Spirit will also transform from a rebel to a hero who restores the country."

"And I will become the national teacher, and Li Dan promised me that he would make use of us meritorious officials!"

Zhao Ji suddenly laughed when he heard this: "The previous plan may not be impossible, but this promise is too ridiculous! It's just a lie to a three-year-old child!"

Yuan Tiangang sighed and said, "Everyone can see this clearly. Li Dan has been the heir to the throne for many years and has a strong foundation in the court. If he is allowed to succeed to the throne, the Snake Spirit will surely end up like a cunning rabbit dying and a running dog being cooked!"

"But people like Kui Wenzhong are naturally biased towards the surname Li, and Huan Bin has a close relationship with the Prince of Xiang. I can't do anything about it!"

Zhao Ji heard this and smiled softly: "So, you want to win me over?"

Yuan Tiangang did not shy away from the question. His face flushed red as he began to lobby: "Yes, you are also a descendant of the late emperor! Why can't you sit on the throne?"

"As long as you kill Wu Zetian and Li Xian's family, and then expose Li Dan's conspiracy, you can ruin his reputation! It would be best if you kill his entire family as well! Who else can be the emperor if not you?"

When he got excited, Yuan Tiangang suddenly stood up and danced.

His eyes sparkled with ambition: "You have made military achievements at a young age. Generals like Wang Xiaojie have a close relationship with you. Di Renjie even treats you as his nephew. If they are willing to help you, great things will be accomplished!"

"But even though you have become an emperor, your foundation is still shallow. You are the descendant of King Yong and have a close relationship with the Snake Spirit. Kui Wenzhong and his men will become your helpers and followers, which will make up for your shortcomings."

"You don't have to be controlled by others, and the snake spirit won't be discarded by you immediately. Isn't it wonderful that they complement each other?" Yuan Tiangang was so moved by what he said that he spread his hands, overjoyed!

After the joy, Yuan Tiangang closed his eyes happily: "I can also enjoy the honor of my old age with peace of mind, and be honored to be the emperor's teacher. Tsk!"

"As for your increasing favor and power, if you want to hide your bow and fly, I'm afraid I'll be dead by then. By then, I'll have nothing to do with him even if he continues to flood the country!"

Zhao Ji listened to Yuan Tiangang's dream, his expression was in a state of tension, and he felt very uncomfortable.

"Impossible, I know Di Gong, he will never get involved in such a conspiracy!" Zhao Ji coldly shattered Yuan Tiangang's dream.

Yuan Tiangang shook his head, with a bit of madness in his expression: "Why don't you understand? As long as we kill all the members of the Li Tang royal family, he won't be able to do anything about it!"

"Isn't Di Renjie most concerned about the Li Tang bloodline? At this point, given his relationship with you, why wouldn't he help you?"

Zhao Ji was slightly stunned when he heard this, and seemed to be thinking about the feasibility of the matter.

He poured himself a glass of water, his hand holding the glass almost trembling: "As the saying goes, no merit, no reward. What virtue and ability do I have to make the teacher help me so much?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tiangang slowly turned his back and said faintly: "Alas... your surname is Li, and you are the bloodline of the late emperor. This is the greatest virtue!"

Zhao Ji was completely stunned, his hand holding the water stopped in mid-air, and he didn't know what to say for a moment.

Yuan Tiangang hadn't finished speaking yet, he continued: "Besides, as you said, there is also the risk of failure. At that time..."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ji lowered his head, slowly put down the cup in his hand, and remained silent.

Seeing this, Yuan Tiangang sighed and said, "In short, you still have a choice. After thinking about it, this is the only way that will yield the best results. If you think otherwise, you will inevitably be controlled by others and end up in disgrace!"

Zhao Ji took a deep breath, slowly picked up the water cup again, and drank it all in one gulp: "Teacher, I still think your plan is not feasible. But the Prince of Xiang is so rebellious, I can only help Di Gong to defeat his rebellion in one fell swoop. As for other things, please take care of yourself!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tiangang suddenly burst into laughter, shook his head as he laughed, and gently patted Zhao Ji's shoulder: "Good! Good! You are indeed my favorite student!"

In Yuan Tiangang's view, since Zhao had already agreed, he would not stop it, would not participate on the surface, and would wait and see the outcome, leaving a way out.

If it succeeds, Zhao is indispensable to the plan. If it fails, it has nothing to do with me, and it cannot be blamed on him. He is so shameless, he has really learned a lot.

Yuan Tiangang's eyes flashed with a strange light: "At 3:00 pm the day after tomorrow, the miracle of Luo River will soon appear! I think Di Renjie will launch an offensive against the East Palace tonight. I would like to wish you a successful start!"

Zhao Ji shook his head and smiled, then picked up the tea and said, "Teacher, let's use tea instead of wine. It's a deal!"

Seeing this, Yuan Tiangang was overjoyed and immediately raised his tea cup to clink with Zhao Ji: "It's a deal!"

The two smiled at each other, but in fact they each had their own ulterior motives, and put down their cups at the same time.

"The time agreed with Di Renjie is almost here. Teacher, I will leave first!" Zhao Ji bowed and said goodbye.

"Ah, take care, Your Highness." Yuan Tiangang actually followed him to see him off, and was very respectful, which surprised everyone again.

However, as soon as Zhao Ji left the courtyard, the smile on Yuan Tiangang's face immediately disappeared.

And behind him, there was a long shadow.

　Kavin was in great pain and had a splitting headache.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)