Chapter 425
Chapter 425 Obeying the Imperial Decree to Woo a Beauty
The handsome man scheme? Xu Wei and Li Tai looked Lin San up and down. A man indeed, but to say he was handsome seemed to be lacking something. The two men exchanged a glance and forcibly suppressed their laughter. Xu Wei cautiously said, "If we must employ a handsome man's plot, it's not impossible. But can we find someone else? That way, our chances would be greater!"
Lin Wanrong listened and flew into a rage, glaring at him, "Mr. Xu, what do you mean by that? Speak with your conscience! Is there anyone in this world more handsome than me? Let me tell you, you won't find a second handsome man like me, skilled in both literary and martial arts, in the whole world."
Xu Wei shook his head with a smile, his face full of apologies, "Little brother, you've misunderstood my meaning. I'm only worried about you taking such a risk. If anything goes wrong, that would be very bad indeed. A top talent like you is what our great country needs most. How could we let you risk this personally? I suggest finding someone else. I'm really thinking of you, thinking of the state. Please, don't misunderstand."
"There's no way around the danger. Who told me I was born with a laborious fate? Wooing the most dangerous beauties, doing the safest things; I've long been used to it. As Buddha said, 'If I don't go to hell, who will?' For the people of Great Hua, for the state, I'm willing to take this great risk! Your Majesty—" Lin Wanrong turned, looking sincerely at the Emperor, his words earnest, "I volunteer! Please allow me to kill the enemy for the nation!"
The old Emperor sneered, fully understanding his intentions, "Minister Lin, your patriotic heart is greatly appreciated! But is Seo Jang Geum, a frail woman, aware of Goryeo's important affairs? Even if she knows, how can I let someone like you, the pillar of Great Hua, risk this? In my view, Minister Xu's suggestion makes sense. Let's send someone else—"
"Send someone else? Your Majesty, you must be joking! Is there anyone in this world more suitable than me?" Lin Wanrong said, smiling, his eyes full of confidence. "Furthermore, I'm certain that Seo Jang Geum definitely knows the details. Mr. Xu just said that the Goryeo might be betraying our Great Hua, reaching some agreement with the Dongyin people. This possibility is not zero, but in my view, it's minimal. Think about it: the Dongyin forces are all deployed, determined to take Goryeo. What price would Goryeo have to pay for the Dongyin to give up? If they really negotiate, I'm sure that the terms set by the Dongyin would be ten or a hundred times more stringent than Great Hua's, making it even more unacceptable for Goryeo. Your Majesty, Mr. Xu, General, isn't that the case?"
Everyone thought he was proposing the handsome man's plot because he was lustful, trying to take advantage of Seo Jang Geum. Little did they know that he had already formed an opinion. His words were indeed insightful, hitting the nail on the head. The Dongyin were not good people; they would not give up unless they obtained satisfactory bargaining chips with their entire national power deployed at sea, and the army besieging the city.
Xu Wei and Li Tai nodded slightly, and the Emperor pondered for a while before slowly saying, "Continue speaking, go on."