In order to rescue Ji Sunsu, the Ji family not only returned the territories of Ju and Zhu. And in order to show sincerity of repentance to the Jin State, they even gave up many cities that originally belonged to them.
But on the other hand, even if they don't want to pay it back, it's no longer possible. Because these cities are no longer in their hands. And this was all a big move caused by the coalition forces of Ju and Zhu led by Sun Wu.
But even so, the Jin State still had no intention of releasing Ji Sunsu.
Ji Sunyiru knew very well how important Ji Sunsu was to the entire Ji family, and immediately jumped into panic. He directed all his resentment and hatred at Li Ran, and when he heard that Li Ran returned to Qufu, he secretly arranged for his disciples to find an opportunity to assassinate Li Ran again.
Moreover, a small city with a monthly salary of up to 500 shi was offered a reward. No matter who could bring Li Ran's head to see him, he would immediately become the leader of the city.
However, when Li Ran first arrived in Lu State, not many people in the capital knew about him. If the Ji family wanted to kill someone like Li Ran, he would do it openly and in public.
At this time, Li Ran was already a guest minister of the Lu State. If he was blatantly robbed and killed in this turmoil again, Ji's family would be suspected of being domineering again.
Therefore, the only way to kill this person now is to do it secretly and wait for the opportunity.
Can just killing Li Ran completely solve the problem?
Obviously not.
If you want to rescue Ji Sunsu, you have to make other plans.
"Lord, if you don't let me go to Jin to lobby, I can guarantee that Han Qi will never let him go!"
At this time, a child in his teens appeared next to Ji Sun Yiru.
Ji Sun Yiru turned around and saw that although this man was only ten years old, he was extremely handsome, with a face as bright as jade, and an extraordinary handsomeness.
"Yang Hu?! What nonsense are you talking about here, you little brat!"
"Doctor Zifu's lobbying efforts have been fruitless. How can you, a kid, compare to Dr. Zifu?!"
There were many guests present to discuss together, but Ji Sun Yiru immediately revealed the identity of this person and did not take this boy seriously at all.
It turned out that this Yang Hu was Ji Sun Yiru's personal attendant. Originally a member of a branch of the Meng family, because of his agility and cleverness in doing things, he was assigned to serve at Ji Sun Yiru's side.
Yang Hu smiled when he heard the sound and didn't comment, just looking at Ji Sun Yiru.
Ji Sun Yiru was already in a state of panic, but when he heard Yang Hu's words, he immediately dismissed it and waved his hands and said:
"Then tell me, what solution did you come up with?"
In fact, it's not surprising that Ji Sun Yiru was so perfunctory with him.
Because even a lobbying master like Zi Fujiao can't handle it, so what can you, a child, do?
Naturally, he had no hope for Yang Hu. Could it be that a child's ability could be compared to that of a doctor? At best, this is nothing more than Tongyan's rampant behavior.
This is no joke.
Unexpectedly, after his words fell, Yang Hu immediately smiled and said:
"Actually, the reason is very simple. We, the Ji family, are the senior officials of the Lu State, and Han Qi is also the senior official of the Jin State. In essence, we and Han Qi are the same."
"Now that the sect leader is in trouble and trapped in the Jin Kingdom, our Ji family is also in danger. But if we think deeply, the Lu Kingdom only has three Huan, while the Jin Kingdom has as many as six ministers. Can Han Qi guarantee that he will not have this day? If If he is trapped in trouble one day, will the other five ministers stand by and do nothing?"
"We are unlucky now, but their fate at that time may be even worse than ours. Han Qinai is a smart man, and it is impossible not to understand this truth."
"The reason why Master Zifu failed to succeed after several attempts to persuade him was not because what Master Zifu said about the righteousness of Zhou rites was wrong. In fact, it was because as an envoy, he could not have too much contact with Han Qi in private. And these principles cannot be explained openly. Therefore, it is useless."
After the words fell, everyone in the hall started talking one after another.
Yang Hu's words are not unreasonable. After all, the Ji family and the Han family are essentially the same. As the head of the Jin Kingdom, Han Qi has been detaining Ji Sunsu, but what if one day, the Han family is also punished by other officials in the country?
Moreover, this Yang Hu not only told the key here, but also gave Zi Fujiao a step that was not even a step. Such quick wit is indeed good.
Ji Sun Yiru is not a fool. After understanding the connection, he nodded slightly:
"Well, what you said makes sense."
"Okay, then I'll send you to Jin!"
Yang Hu was overjoyed when he heard this. He immediately bowed and went down to prepare.
After he left, the other elders of the Ji clan were still full of suspicion and asked:
"This Yang Hu is just a child, can he really convince Han Qi?"
Ji Sun Yiru also sighed:
"Is there a better way? Now we can only take one step at a time. No matter whether he can convince Han Qi or not, we have to give it a try."
In fact, he still didn't have high hopes for Yang Hu. After all, Yang Hu was too young.
…
On the other side, inside Shusunbao's mansion.
During this trip to Jin, Li Ran's mission was a complete success. Ji Sunsu was detained by the Jin State, and rumors spread all over the Lu State. The reputation of the Ji family also fell to the bottom for a while.
Coupled with the previous tax reduction and the auspicious events from heaven, it has been dormant for a long time. Now that something like this happened again, even the Meng family began to waver, not to mention the other associates of the Ji family and the people of Lu.
But is this situation enough?
In Li Ran's opinion, he still owed something.
"Then what's the next step?"
Shu Sunbao also knew that Li Ran's plan was not over yet, so when Li Ran came back, he immediately asked.
However, Li Ran did not answer this question directly, but instead asked:
"Doctor thinks that we can use this matter to completely eradicate the Ji family?"
Uncle Sunbao couldn't help but be startled when he heard this. He looked around hurriedly to make sure no one heard him, and then said in panic:
"Ziming, what on earth do you want to do?!"
When Li Ran saw this, his expression immediately changed and he said with a smile:
"What's wrong, doctor? Do you still have to be so nervous in your own home?"
Unexpectedly, Shusun Bao was quite shocked and could only whisper:
"The Ji family is our top minister in the Lu State, and has been in the Lu State for three generations. How can we easily eradicate it? Not to mention the difficulties involved, even if we do this, how can we calm down the turmoil caused by it?"
"The Ji family's tree has deep roots and is already extraordinary compared to the ordinary Qing clan. We are very lucky to be able to weaken its power through this incident."
Shu Sunbao still has a clear understanding of the situation in the Lu State. He knows that if he wants to shake a behemoth like the Ji family, he must borrow the power of the Jin State. But if he wants to uproot it, it is probably harder than climbing to the sky. .
Li Ran also knew this very well.
"So the next step is to use the Ji family's authority in the court. What do you think of the three powers now?"
Only then did Li Ran answer Shusun Bao's question just now.
"Then how to shake it?"
As far as the current situation is concerned, many of Ji's comrades in the Lu court have already wavered. But after all, the Ji family controls two of the four armies of the Lu State and is still the largest military force.
As the saying goes, political power comes from the barrel of a gun. As long as the Ji family still holds a large number of troops, Shusun Bao will not be able to compete with it.
Therefore, if you want to shake the Ji family's authority in the Lu State, you must give Shusun Bao the confidence to compete with him.
"Unite the Meng family to counter the Ji family!"
Li Ran said eight words, and Shusun Bao was suddenly startled, with a face full of surprise.
"Then the Meng family has been following the Ji family for many years and has already become a treacherous enemy. How can that old fox Meng Sunjie join forces with us to fight against the Ji family? Zi Ming is probably not kidding, right?"
How could Shusunbao imagine that Li Ran would say such a thing?
You must know that the Meng family and the Ji family have been in the same spirit for many years. This time when the Ji family was in trouble, the Meng family also made great efforts to rescue Ji Sunsu. Although it was ineffective, it is not difficult to see from the Meng family's attitude that they trust the Ji family.
Wouldn't it be foolish to try to alienate the relationship between them and the Ji family?
"I'll leave this matter to you. The doctor will come to the palace tomorrow and tell Marquis Lu..."
In order for the State of Lu to reach a situation where the three kingdoms stand at the same level, one person is needed to mediate, and this person can only be the Marquis of Lu.
…
The next day, under the arrangement of Shusun Bao, Li Ran met Meng Sunjie again.
"Haha, it seems that Dr. Meng Sun also knows that Ji's family is doomed this time."
Li Ran smiled when he saw Meng Sunjie coming as promised.
But Meng Sunjie did not comment on this, pretending not to hear it at all, and just said lightly:
"Where is Shu Sunbao? Didn't he call me here? Why are you waiting here?"
Li Ran immediately smiled and said:
"Whether Dr. Shusun invites you here or you are waiting here, it is Dr. Mengsun who is waiting after all."
"From this point of view, it seems that Dr. Meng Sun has already made arrangements, doesn't he?"
It is impossible for Meng Sunjie not to understand this truth when a tree falls and the monkeys scatter.
Now Ji Sunsu is trapped in the Jin Kingdom, and his life or death is uncertain. The reputation of the Ji family in the Lu Kingdom has fallen again and again. Shusun Bao's power in the Lu Kingdom has gradually improved, and the prestige of the Marquis of Lu has even increased. A rising tide lifts all boats.
Under such circumstances, Meng Sunjie certainly has to think about the future of the Meng family, and where to go now has become a key issue.
So when Shu Sunbao sent a message inviting him to come to his house to talk, he thought about it again and again, but in the end he chose his side with his own feet.
This shows that although he did not express it explicitly, he already had the idea of parting ways with Ji in his heart.
"what do you want to say in the end?"
Meng Sunjie's expression was cold, and he obviously had no good impression of Li Ran.
Li Ran seemed indifferent to this and only said:
"The Ji family has monopolized the power of the Lu State for many years. Although the Meng family has gained many benefits from following the Ji family in these years, after all, they are just followers of the Ji family, but it is also difficult for Dr. Meng Sun. In the past, the Ji family was the only one in the Lu State. Meng Dr. Sun had no choice, which is understandable."
"However, the situation today is completely different. If the doctor is willing, I would like to guarantee that the Meng family and the Shusun family will unite to check and balance the Ji family. When the three emperors stand in power, the Lu Kingdom will no longer have the right to speak in the court. They will only listen to the words of the Ji family, and the Meng family can also make profits from it, so why not?"
"how?"
Li Ran didn't hesitate and said what was in his heart.
However, after Meng Sunjie heard this, he just sneered and said with great disdain:
"Hmph, it's just a trick. Do you think I will get your way? Is such a trick a bit too childish? Our Meng family and Ji family have already become one and the same, and they are indistinguishable. They will both be prosperous and suffer."
"Oh? Really? What happens after that?"
A mysterious smile appeared on Li Ran's face again.
Meng Sunjie was stunned and frowned.
"After this incident, the Ji family hates the Shusun family to the core. Once Jisunsu can return to the Lu country, he will definitely wait for an opportunity to take revenge."
"If the Shusun family dies, how will the Meng family deal with themselves? Doctor, please think carefully. If the Ji family can deal with the Shusun family today, is it necessary to keep you, the Meng family, to share the Lu Kingdom with him? ? The lips are dead and the teeth are cold, the doctor doesn't even understand this, right?"
After Li Ran finished speaking, Meng Sunjie was speechless for a moment, and everything was silent.
