“Do you think Yang Yuansu is untrustworthy?” Long Xuan stopped in his tracks and asked Luo Wei.
“You only think he wants the kingdom of Northern Yan, but haven’t you considered his ambitions for our Great Zhou?” Luo Wei said, “I have interacted with him before. He’s ambitious, just like you, he thinks the whole world belongs to his Eastern Shang.”
“I know that,” Long Xuan said, “I’ve spoken to him face-to-face. At that time, I still thought he wouldn’t usurp the throne.”
“with Yang Yuansu discussing destroying Northern Yan with you, how do you know he won’t discuss destroying Great Zhou with Sima Qingsha?” Luo Wei said, “Long Xuan, in my opinion, with Northern Yan losing Tian Shui Yuan, it’s no longer a threat to Great Zhou. Instead, it’s Eastern Shang you should worry about.”
“Do you want me to destroy Eastern Shang first?”
“Before destroying Northern Yan, you’d better deal with Eastern Shang first. Otherwise, even if you destroy Northern Yan, you will still have to fight Eastern Shang for the world.”
“After destroying Northern Yan together with Eastern Shang, can’t we then confront Yang Yuansu?”
“Do you think that Princess Qingyuan’s presence in Eastern Shang after the peace means Yang Yuanshu is trustworthy?” Luo Wei asked Long Xuan, “You don’t actually believe that, do you?”
“People’s hearts are unpredictable,” Long Xuan said, “I have no way of knowing what Yang Yuansu is thinking.”
“Yang Yuansu is ambitious, but he has one good point: he’s loyal. He and his wife have been deeply in love all these years,” Luo Wei said, “Princess Qingyuan in Eastern Shang seems to be living a widow’s life. She can’t win Yang Yuansu’s heart. This princess is just a prop for you and Yang Yuansu to maintain appearances.”
“Isn’t that too unpleasant to say?”
“The truth is often harsh.”
“Luo Wei,” Long Xuan looked at Luo Wei, “Do you know you’re asking me to join forces with Sima Qingsha?”
“That’s right,” Luo Wei said, “That’s what I mean. Tian Shui Yuan is changing the course of its river. With all the lives lost there over the years, and the money spent, isn’t it all wasted if a war happen? Instead of joining forces with Yang Yuansu to fight Northern Yan, you’d better join forces with Sima Qingsha. After all, for Northern Yan, Sima Qingsha will wholeheartedly cooperate with you.”
Long Xuan crouched down in front of Luo Wei again. “I won’t work with Sima Qingsha anymore. For years, I’ve wanted to kill him! Luo Wei, are you really that generous?”
“If we fight Northern Yan, even if you lead the army, it must be my elder brother who is the commander,” Luo Wei said expressionlessly at this point. “I can’t watch my elder brother go into danger. You don’t need to intervene in the matter between Sima Qingsha and me.”
“I’m sorry,” Long Xuan said to Luo Wei at this moment.
Luo Wei was stunned.
“It’s my fault,” Long Xuan wanted to embrace Luo Wei, but in the end, he just placed his hand on Luo Wei’s shoulder. “Luo Wei, I didn’t know Sima Qingsha’s feelings for you back then.”
Luo Wei opened Long Xuan’s hand. “Are you regretful?” he asked Long Xuan. “For the sake of the kingdom, didn’t you have to do this? Otherwise, the control of the country of Great Zhou, even now, might have remained uncertain.”
“I…” Long Xuan wanted to say he regretted it, but seeing Luo Wei’s frosty expression, he knew that even if he said that he regretted it, Luo Wei wouldn’t believe him.
“You and Sima Qingsha are just using each other,” Luo Wei didn’t want to talk about the past with Long Xuan anymore. He turned his face to the window and said, “I didn’t ask you to become brothers with Sima Qingsha. You should discuss it with the ministers. I believe Eastern Shang is not trustworthy.”
“I can’t discuss this matter with the ministers,” Long Xuan said.
“There is no one in your civil and military circles who could discuss things with you?” Luo Wei turned around and saw that Long Xuan’s face looked a little sad.
“What can they say to me?” Long Xuan said to Luo Wei, “Xie Yu’s words are pretty good, but he doesn’t seem to be loyal to me no matter how I look at it.”
“Xie Yu is devoted to the country. What more do you want from him? He’s not a sycophant. Do you want him to flatter you?” Luo Wei got a little impatient at Long Xuan’s continued suspicion of Xie Yu. “Rather than suspecting your ministers here, why don’t you think more about Yang Yuansu’s intentions! Don’t let yourself and my elder brother fall for Yang Yuansu’s deception!”
“Do you really not trust me so much?” After hearing Luo Wei’s words, Long Xuan suddenly asked Luo Wei.
“What?”
“Do you not believe that I can be a good Emperor and unite the world?”
“Unite the world?” Luo Wei retorted irritably, “Is Great Zhou in a state of peace and prosperity now? Before talking about uniting the world, shouldn’t you first get the country of Great Zhou under control?”
“I have you by my side,” Long Xuan whispered to Luo Wei.
Luo Wei leaned back against the chair as if he had truly been shocked by Long Xuan. “What did you say? What do you mean by having me by your side? When the late Emperor was alive, I had no interest in this country. How many times do you want me to repeat that?”
“In any case, except you, no one would remind me to beware of Yang Yuansu,” Long Xuan’s hand caressed Luo Wei’s cheek, “I also have no one to discuss these matters with.”
“I said it for the sake of my eldest brother and second brother, they are the ones who are going to fight to the death,” Luo Wei said coldly, “Don’t overthink it.”
“Regardless of who you’re doing it for, I have benefited from it in the end,” Long Xuan still spoke softly to Luo Wei, “Luo Wei, does farming make you happy, or planning the country together with me?”
Luo Wei frowned. He was certainly happy with Wei Lan. Let alone farming, he would even be willing to a beggar to be with Wei Lan. However, thinking that Wei Lan would go to Yunguan in three days, whether to fight Northern Yan or turning to Eastern Shang, Wei Lan would be going to the battlefield. At this moment, Luo Wei’s thoughts turned many times, and finally he said, “Talking about this now is meaningless.”
Hearing Luo Wei say this, Long Xuan also felt that he had asked a stupid question. “I’ll consider what you said,” he said to Luo Wei, “I’ll arrange matters concerning Southern Zhao according to your instructions.”
“You should contact Prince Qizhe first to see what kind of person he is,” Luo Wei added.
“Alright, I’ll listen to you,” Long Xuan agreed with Luo Wei.
This kind of Long Xuan made Luo Wei truly uncomfortable. He simply lowered his gaze and didn’t look at Long Xuan anymore.
“Your Majesty, Your Highness,” came the voice of a eunuch from outside the door.
“Come in,” Long Xuan said.
A young eunuch came in holding a bowl of medicine.
“More medicine?” Long Xuan asked as soon as he saw the bowl of medicine in the young eunuch’s hand.
Luo Wei took the bowl of medicine from the young eunuch, tilted his head back, and swallowed the medicine in one gulp.
“How much medicine do you have to drink in a day?” Long Xuan asked Luo Wei.
Now he somewhat understood why Luo Wei felt like he was eating poison every time he ate. Drinking bitter medicine like this every day would kill your appetite no matter how good it was before.
“You go back to Changming Hall to handle your affairs,” Luo Wei handed the bowl back to the young eunuch, “I haven’t counted. Anyway, the medicine in the palace won’t poison me.”
“Your Highness,” the young eunuch, frightened by Luo Wei’s words, hurriedly said, “This medicine was brewed in Yi Jin Garden by this slave alone.”
“You may leave,” Luo Wei smiled comfortingly at the young eunuch, “I didn’t blame you. Don’t be afraid.”
The young eunuch turned to Long Xuan again.
“You may go,” Long Xuan said.
“You should go too,” Luo Wei watched as the young eunuch fled for his life and said to Long Xuan, “I think you have a lot to do.”
“I’ll come back later in the evening to have dinner with you,” Long Xuan said, regardless of whether Luo Wei agreed or not, and then he left.
Boundless Dao 
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