Dark Sand: My Players Are All Actors
Chapter 443 - 254: Chu Ge’s New Experiment (8000 words)_2

Chapter 443: Chapter 254: Chu Ge’s New Experiment (8000 words)_2

Because he could not predict the future and did not know if he could rise again, he only saw himself living a life like an ordinary neighbor, slipping by unnoticed.

Those powers would ultimately vanish like a fleeting cloud, thoroughly receding from him.

Perhaps during this period, any remaining thoughts Qin Huizhi once had about serving the country after reading the classics of the sages completely evaporated.

He instantly sank into the mires of power, beginning to understand that power was everything, and so-called political ideals, national sentiments, and resisting Jin to restore the country... were all nonsense.

He eventually transformed from an Imperial Censor — someone who was good at guessing the emperor’s wishes, catering to the emperor, and perhaps occasionally displaying some scholarly pride — into a traitor bureaucrat who, for his own power, deceived superiors and subordinates alike and sought glory by betraying his country.

...

In the blink of an eye, three years had passed.

Three years later, Li Hao, as portrayed by Chu Ge, rose again.

Emperor Gaozong of Qi indeed swallowed the decision of "never to employ him again," and once again appointed Li Hao as a minister.

This turn of events followed exactly as with the historical Qin Huizhi.

This resurgence had nothing to do with the efforts of either Chu Ge or Qin Huizhi but was solely due to the political changes in Jin Country.

Emperor Taizong of Jin had died.

Upon his death, the Jin immediately fell into division, with military nobles battling fiercely against each other.

Those factions that lost political struggles typically didn’t end well, unlike with Qi Dynasty; their entire families were wiped clean.

During this time, the Jin were naturally unable to invade the south. Wanyan Sheng, a proponent of peace, naturally gained the upper hand.

And the only one to connect with Wanyan Chang was none other than Qin Huizhi.

Li Hao, as portrayed by Chu Ge, also rose to become a minister once more by riding this east wind and helped Wanyan Sheng facilitate a simple peace treaty.

Of course, this treaty had some humiliating terms for the Qi Dynasty, but considering that the Qi Dynasty had been subjugated by the Jin for years, that was the best they could manage at the time.

But unexpectedly, this treaty didn’t bring about a lengthy peace.

Just a year later, Jin soldiers marched southward again.

This was because of the results of the internal political struggles within Jin Country.

The peace-advocating Wanyan Chang was ultimately killed in these struggles, and Wanyan Sheng, who advocated for war, did not adhere to the so-called treaty and immediately led his troops south, aiming to annihilate the Qi Dynasty once and for all.

General Han Fuyue, who continually focused on training his troops, finally saw his chance to engage the Jin in a decisive battle.

In the coming years, General Han Fuyue, having mastered military strategies, would show Wanyan Sheng what a true famed general is.

At this time, the situation was absolutely something the historical Qin Huizhi did not wish to see.

Because he had signed a treaty with Wanyan Sheng, if the Jin truly adhered to it, he could have relied on this accomplishment to cling to his position as a minister.

But now, the Jin were attacking again.

This made the treaty he had signed seem like a joke, completely meaningless, and it also drastically diminished his standing in the court and in the emperor’s heart.

For Qin Huizhi, who aside from having some connections with the Jin had no real abilities, what could he do at this moment?

Support General Han Fuyue’s northern expedition?

Then after the expedition, if General Han Fuyue were to transition from military to government, how could Qin Huizhi’s position as a minister remain secure?

By then, Qin Huizhi had completely immersed himself in the quest for power, having resolved to seize power by any means necessary. His ambition wasn’t just limited to monopolizing authority; he even considered usurping the throne one day.

If General Han Fuyue could transition into government, it meant not only would Qin Huizhi lose his ability to act uncontrollably, but even his current position as a minister might not be secure.

Moreover, should General Han Fuyue succeed in the northern expedition, it would erase all of Qin Huizhi’s political capital.

Qin Huizhi’s standing in the imperial court depended solely on his ability to curry favor with the Jin.

As long as the Jin continued to dominate, Qin Huizhi would wield significant influence in court.

But if the Jin were defeated and no longer dared to invade, what would Qin Huizhi amount to?

He would not only lack any real power but might even be punished by the belligerent faction and the angry public.

Thus, the historical Qin Huizhi preemptively executed General Han Fuyue, betraying not only the soldiers and citizens of Qi but also the entire nation’s historical and cultural heritage.

After causing the death of General Han Fuyue, Qin Huizhi secured a treaty clause from the Jin stating "do not use the innocent as the prime minister," and with the support of the Jin, he ruled as the sole prime minister for seventeen years, holding sway over the imperial court until his death.

...

Chu Ge couldn’t help but sigh, "No wonder this role is the least difficult; it turns out this is why..."

At this moment, if Li Hao, as portrayed by Chu Ge, completely abandoned his integrity and dignity, it indeed would be the easiest way to clear the game.

After all, in this instance, with General Han Fuyue present, all he needed to do was to leech off General Han Fuyue, stealing the fruits of victory to meet the game’s objectives.

But how could Chu Ge ever stoop to do such a thing?

Even in a game, even in a completely fictional world, Chu Ge disdained such actions.