Chapter 83

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Liu Ling spoke, stepping up to the hall and pointing to the two boxes placed there. "A small token of my appreciation, I hope you won't find it too meager."

Liang Xiao looked at the two boxes and knew they were of considerable value. Although he was tight-fisted, he felt embarrassed to accept such a generous gift from Liu Ling again. He hurriedly tried to decline, but before he could speak, Liu Ling smiled.

"Liang Xiao, I originally hoped you would join the Huainan Prince's household, but you refused and insisted on serving the imperial court. The Huainan Prince's household cannot compete with the Son of Heaven for talent, so I had to give up. However, the Huainan Prince's household cannot lose to the Pingyang Marquis's household. Since the Pingyang Marquis recommended you for office, I can only give you some worldly goods. With your talent, you will surely rise to prominence sooner or later. I don't want the whole world to remember only the Pingyang Marquis's household and forget that the Huainan Prince's household was the first to recognize your potential."

Liang Xiao was at a loss for words. This Pingyang Marquis is not just any Pingyang Marquis; he is the Son of Heaven. No matter how powerful the Huainan Prince's household is, can it really compete with the Son of Heaven? But since Liu Ling said this, he found it hard to refuse, lest he offend the Huainan Prince's household.

"I will never forget the favor you have shown me, my lady. As for this gift..."

Before Liang Xiao could finish his polite words, Liu Ling grabbed his hand and stared into his eyes. "A gentleman's word..."

Liang Xiao, confused, looked at Liu Ling blankly. "My lady, you..."

"You just said that you will never forget the favor I have shown you." Liu Ling's face turned slightly red, but she did not let go of his hand, staring at Liang Xiao. "If you ever forget, don't blame me for knocking out all your teeth."

Liang Xiao suddenly understood and quickly said, "My lady, rest assured. A gentleman's word is a promise that even four horses cannot retract. I, Liang Xiao, will never forget the favor you have shown me."

"That puts my mind at ease. A loss may turn out to be a gain. I couldn't bring you into the Huainan Prince's household, but I have gained a close friend, so it's not a failure."

"You are truly well-informed, my lady." A light laugh came from outside the door. "I just arranged a place for Liang Xiao to stay, and you have already taken the lead. Are you not convinced of your loss and must compete for superiority?"

As the voice spoke, Liu Che, accompanied by Li Danghu, walked in with a smile.

Liang Xiao's head immediately grew heavy. Liu Ling is a princess, and Liu Che is the Son of Heaven. Since Liu Ling is traveling in Chang'an, it is impossible for them not to know each other. Seeing the Pingyang Marquis in person, Liu Ling would surely recognize him as the Son of Heaven. If this is revealed, how will this play out?

Liu Ling stood up, glanced at Liang Xiao, and a sly smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. She bowed to Liu Che, "My lord, you are not slow in coming. However, I have taken the lead."

"Even if you take the lead, he won't go to Huainan. I advise you not to waste your efforts, my lady." Liu Che glanced at Liu Ling with a smug look. "Do you know about Liang Xiao's discussion with Dongfang Shuo this afternoon? I admire him greatly, so I came to discuss it with him. If you are interested, you might as well listen in?"

"Is that so?" Liu Ling raised her head defiantly. "I have the same idea."

Seeing this, Liang Xiao suddenly understood. Liu Ling must have known that the Pingyang Marquis was the Son of Heaven. That's why, when she learned that he was determined to serve the imperial court and the Son of Heaven, she did not insist. She deliberately mentioned the Pingyang Marquis to hint at it and perhaps to test him, to see if his refusal to join the Huainan Prince's household was a pretext or genuine.

If he had accepted the "Pingyang Marquis," he would have disrespected the Huainan Prince's household, and Liu Ling would not only have refused to give him a gift but might have even stabbed him in the back.

It turns out everyone is a great actor, and they all thought the other didn't know. He had prior knowledge, but Liu Ling was improvising without a script.

Liang Xiao wiped a cold sweat from his forehead and instructed Li Rongqing to boil water to serve the guests. He had just moved in and had no wine, so he could only use water as a substitute.

Liu Che and Liu Ling took their seats. One was a "marquis," and the other was a princess, equally matched. However, Liu Ling clearly did not dare to sit on equal terms with Liu Che and sat in the guest position. Although Liang Xiao was the host, he had no choice but to sit humbly. Even a "Pingyang Marquis" was an incredibly noble presence to him, a commoner.

After a few casual words, Liu Che got straight to the point, directly addressing the topic Liang Xiao and Dongfang Shuo had discussed in the afternoon. He openly expressed his support for Liang Xiao, believing that one should look forward and not be bound by ancient traditions.

Liu Ling immediately countered, insisting on following the path of the sages, restoring the governance of the Three Dynasties, and continuing the Daoist governance of Huang-Lao.

The two of them engaged in a heated debate, leaving Liang Xiao, the instigator, on the sidelines.

Liang Xiao listened for a while and understood his position. This was a fight between the kings, and he was just a spectator.

Liu Che had just ascended the throne, young and ambitious, eager to achieve great things. He certainly did not want to follow old traditions or the Daoist governance of Huang-Lao. His forward-looking stance resonated with Liu Che, who immediately found common ground with him. Facing the Grand Empress Dowager Dou, Liu Che might not dare to speak up, but facing Liu Ling, he had no such reservations and could vent all his frustrations on her.

Liu Ling, on the other hand, felt a deep sense of crisis. Her father, Prince Liu An of Huainan, had just completed a monumental work, the "Huainanzi," which claimed to be the culmination of Daoist thought. Its primary goal was to promote the Daoist governance of Huang-Lao and ensure that the ambitious new emperor adhered to the principle of non-action. Only in this way could the Kingdom of Huainan maintain its status as a principality.

Although the fall of the Kingdom of Huainan was ultimately due to Prince Liu An's treachery, it is a fact that after Liu Che took personal control of the government, he implemented the Decree of Kindness, further weakening the power of the feudal states and strengthening central authority. From the beginning of his reign, he showed signs of wanting to make a difference, and Liu An likely sensed this and seized every opportunity to resist.

This was not just a dispute between two schools of thought but also a struggle between two political forces, and he was merely a catalyst.

Liang Xiao secretly rejoiced. It was fortunate that he did not accept the Huainan Prince's household's invitation; otherwise, he would be in an impossible position to defend himself.

Of course, he had no chance to speak now. Liu Che and Liu Ling were arguing heatedly, and he could only be a spectator.

Suddenly, Liu Che paused and asked, "Liang Xiao, what do you think?"

Liang Xiao pondered for a moment and bowed. "My lord, my lady, I am just a commoner, taught by my mother to read and write. I do not understand the principles you are discussing. However, from my personal perspective, whoever allows thousands of people like me to change our fate through our own efforts is right. Whoever leaves no way out for people like me is wrong. Whether it is active governance or non-action, isn't it all for the welfare of the entire world?"

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