Arrangement

The autumn night’s moonlight was shrouded by thick clouds.

Back at his residence, Li Juntang began to quietly ponder how to pass the hot potatoes—Zeus and Hera --- onto the Second Prince, Li Guanglong.

The reason he chose to direct the trouble toward Li Guanglong rather than Li Wenxing was because Li Guanglong held the most extensive power base. Coming from a military background, he had numerous powerful subordinates under his command, making him the ideal candidate to deal with the two gods of the Pantheon.

Ideally, he wanted both sides to suffer heavy losses so he could reap the benefits as a bystander.

“Someone come!”

After a long period of contemplation, Li Juntang suddenly stood and called out in a low voice, “Summon Minister Lin, Vice Minister Zhou, and Deputy General Chen. We meet in the study in half an hour.”

“At once!”

The guard at the door responded and quickly left.

An hour later, the summoned men arrived one after another.

These were his most trusted aides --- his think tank. They were not only capable but also good at strategy and advice.

“We pay respects to Your Highness!”

The three entered and greeted him with reverence.

“Sit down, all of you.”

Li Juntang gestured downward, signaling them to be seated, then said, “This matter is of great importance, so I’ll be straightforward. I summoned you here to discuss a critical issue…”

He did not hide anything, laying out the situation in meticulous detail --- his mother, Consort Spanner’s plan to redirect disaster, and his intention to make Li Guanglong the target.

After he finished, the room fell into a heavy silence.

“Your Highness, while this plan is indeed clever, it’s also quite risky. If anything goes wrong, it could backfire,” said Minister Lin, stroking his white beard, his expression solemn.

“No risk, no reward. While the two gods of the Pantheon are a threat, used correctly, they’re also a sharp blade!”

Li Juntang’s voice was steady, the candlelight casting distorted shadows across his face. “What I need to do now is borrow that blade and use it to shred the power Li Guanglong has so painstakingly built!”

Vice Minister Zhou’s face changed at those words. Under his official robe, his body trembled slightly. “Your Highness, Zeus and Hera are no ordinary figures. The Second Prince also has capable people around him. If they sense even a hint of your hand behind the scenes…”

“That’s why we must make everything airtight!”

Li Juntang continued, picking up the thread. “I will arrange a meeting between Zeus, Hera, and someone at Drunken Immortal Pavilion. Then we’ll deploy three waves of death soldiers to infiltrate the tavern.

The first wave will pose as martial world wanderers, purposefully talking about a ‘mysterious wounded figure hidden in the Prince’s mansion.’ They must speak with lowered voices during a drunken high, just loud enough for the next table to overhear.

The second wave will act as Li Guanglong’s people. During a staged drunken quarrel, they’ll accidentally let slip the name ‘Logan Rhys.’

The third wave will create chaos --- knocking over wine jars, bumping into guests --- escalating the scene, giving Zeus and Hera no time to think.

With enough hints layered together, the two gods, given their personalities, will definitely start questioning people. That’s where our death soldiers play their role --- to steer the blame toward Li Guanglong.”

Hearing this, Deputy General Chen’s eyes lit up. “Brilliant strategy, Your Highness! With so many coordinated cues, the fake will become indistinguishable from the real!”

“Your Highness, I have a concern,” Minister Lin raised his question. “Can mere words really convince them?”

Li Juntang smiled slightly, walked to the wall, and opened a hidden compartment, pulling out a jade token inscribed with the character “Guang” --- the same kind used as a waist tag by those in Li Guanglong’s residence.

Under the candlelight, the jade glowed with a gentle warmth, but it was like a poisoned dagger.

“This is a waist tag used by Li Guanglong’s trusted men. With this in hand, Li Guanglong won’t be able to talk his way out of it!”

As he spoke, Li Juntang tossed the tag to Deputy General Chen and instructed, “Tonight, you’ll personally lead the team. Have the death soldiers carry this token to prove their identity. Forge several confidential letters too --- mentioning Logan Rhys’s cooperation with Li Guanglong. Seal them with Li Guanglong’s exclusive fire lacquer. Everything must be seamless.”

“Understood!” Deputy General Chen immediately saluted.

“As for the two of you, prepare for cleanup operations.”

Li Juntang turned to the other two. “Remember, every detail must stand up to scrutiny. The more realistic the lie, the easier it is for others to believe it.”

“Yes!” Lin and Zhou both nodded.

At this point, they had no choice but to go all in with Li Juntang.

For now, the plan was feasible.

If they wielded the sharp blade of the Pantheon well, clearing the path and removing a powerful rival was very possible.

If they could significantly weaken Li Guanglong’s faction, the chances of Li Juntang ascending the throne would dramatically increase.

And if that happened, the three of them would become founding ministers, their power and status skyrocketing.

So even if the plan had flaws --- even if it carried risk --- they had to grit their teeth and gamble.

If it worked, they would soar.

If it failed, they still had ways out.

Whatever the outcome, the initiative was now in their hands. - Ton