Chapter 291: 291. Fighting Wits and Courage with Air

“There’s a mole, abort the deal!”

Seeing these words on the note, Di Ao jumped up from her chair.

Everyone else in the study was startled by Di Ao’s action, staring at her in shock.

Di Ao quickly crumpled the note in her hand, casting a cold gaze over everyone present.

Her plant beside Qiao Sen, Cao Zixuan, was a loyal subordinate brought from the army, absolutely trustworthy.

Therefore, Di Ao had no doubt about this piece of intelligence sent by Cao Zixuan.

She hadn’t expected that among these people in front of her, there would be a mole for Qiao Sen.

No wonder both attacks against Qiao Sen failed today; the news was leaked beforehand.

Well, Qiao Sen, I underestimated you!

Di Ao was extremely annoyed. She had planted a mole beside Qiao Sen, yet Qiao Sen had also planted a mole beside her, catching her off guard.

If not for Cao Zixuan’s warning, she would still be in the dark.

On the rooftop, Fang Zhou revealed a satisfied expression.

Di Ao was angry at being deceived by the mole, but little did she know, this note wasn’t sent by Cao Zixuan at all.

Di Ao fell into a logical trap, considering only Cao Zixuan’s betrayal without considering the communication channel with Cao Zixuan could have problems.

Fang Zhou’s reverse internal spy plan, formulated when just descending the mountain, was finally showing its effect now.

The ministers, each feeling bewildered under Di Ao’s gaze, couldn’t help but whisper, “Lord Di, what happened?”

Di Ao couldn’t help but sneer in her heart, oh, how well you’re pretending.

She surveyed everyone in the room coldly and sneered, “We have a traitor among us.”

“What?!”

Ministers exchanged glances, the atmosphere in the study room suddenly became tense as everyone looked at each other with suspicion.

Di Ao put her hands behind her back, slowly pacing as she walked up to each person.

“Don’t think you’re hiding well, I’ve already found your weakness. I’ll soon trace it back to you, so you’d better prepare a high-quality coffin for yourself in advance.”

As she walked, Di Ao said words that made everyone’s heart race, their fear of Di Ao grew even more.

“Maybe all of you have thoughts of betting on both sides; I understand, that’s fine.”

Di Ao looked at everyone, confidently said, “Soon, I will utterly crush Qiao Sen, showing you the great difference between her and me, making your investments in her worthless.”

The ministers rushed to express their loyalty, stating they held no ulterior motives and were wholeheartedly loyal to Lord Di.

Di Ao was utterly disgusted by their faces, snorting, “Get out; don’t be an eyesore in front of me.”

These people, feeling relieved, scurried away one by one and quickly left, not leaving a single person behind.

Di Ao stood alone in the study for a long time, suddenly kicking a chair to pieces.

Her face was ashen, her eyes flashing with rage.

According to the prudent approach, the mole matter should be kept a secret and investigated slowly in secret.

But Di Ao had no time to do so, and each of these people had motives and reasons to betray her; if investigated slowly, it would be laughable to find evidence of betrayal in everyone.

So she could only use this aggressive method to force the mole to show their hand, then resolve it swiftly and focus her efforts on dealing with Qiao Sen.

The thought of being forced into such a vulnerable position by Qiao Sen, whom she always looked down upon, filled Di Ao’s heart with flames of anger.

On the rooftop, Fang Zhou could barely contain his urge to applaud Di Ao.

It was truly spectacular.

Di Ao sparred against a false mole, engaging in an intellectual battle with thin air.

Exhibiting extraordinary ways to respond, scaring a group of staunch loyalists into quivering like small rabbits.

It’s no wonder Di Ao reacted so fiercely; this so-called Di Faction wasn’t united by local ties, school relationships, or political ideologies, but by naked interests.

Using interests as a pivot to maintain unity is both the most reliable and unreliable; they will be loyal for interests and betray for interests.

Di Ao knew this well, so she always filled her heart with suspicion towards these people, and Fang Zhou’s forged intelligence from Cao Zixuan merely ignited Di Ao’s suspicion.

Di Ao’s aggressive actions further exposed this suspicion publicly.

Once a trust crisis occurs within this core group of the Di Faction, the cracks will appear and uncontrollably widen, eventually collapsing.

…

As night fell, Di Ao habitually bathed alone in the bathhouse.

Fang Zhou also habitually came to surveil her.

He made two holes on the rooftop, one directly facing Di Ao, and another in a corner of the bathhouse to prevent a repeat of the last time.

Just as Fang Zhou was comparing the sizes of Di Ao’s and Qiao Sen’s chests, a low voice suddenly sounded from the corner.

“Your performance today was very disappointing to us; you underestimated your opponent too much.”

The sound startled both Fang Zhou on the rooftop and Di Ao in the bath.

Fang Zhou stealthily moved over the other hole and finally saw the person who appeared below.

She stood in the shadow of the corner, entirely black, seemingly merged with the shadow cast by the screen on the wall, completely indiscernible in appearance but could be judged by voice to be a woman.

Di Ao, upon hearing the voice, stiffened slightly, then continued washing herself, sneering, “Indeed, I do look down on Qiao Sen. She used to be just a worthless waste. Even if she has improved now, it doesn’t change her wasteful nature.”

Di Ao had to admit she indeed underestimated Qiao Sen a bit, no matter how useless she is, after all, she carries the blood of the Qiao Family.

Qiao Sen might have grown into a somewhat respectable opponent, but for Di Ao, it’s just a bit of trouble.

“If you are disappointed because of this, that means you’re blind as much as a sightless person.”

“Oh?”

The dark figure was not angered but asked back, “Why do you say that?”

Di Ao said indifferently, “Qiao Sen does hold a slight advantage, but that’s all it is. Both inside and outside the court, the officials are already fattened by me with money, unless Qiao Sen bribes them with interests as I do, she can’t command anyone.”

The court’s money, Di Ao spent without any concern; it wasn’t hers, after all.

The Chu Kingdom nominally belongs to the Qiao Family, making Qiao Sen naturally at odds with those bureaucratic parasites, a stalemate that can’t be solved.

The dark figure chuckled, “Do you plan to use those corrupt officials against Qiao Sen? When will that show results? Don’t forget, your time is running low.”

“Of course, I haven’t forgotten.”

Di Ao suddenly stood up from the bath bucket, “Do you know that the Crown Prince Regent needs to undergo a succession ceremony? I’ve received news that it will be held in three days, then I’ll become Qiao Sen’s opponent at the end of the ceremony.”

She proudly said, “In three days, I will make Qiao Sen lose face publicly and obediently roll back to the Crown Prince Mansion as her useless self.”

The shadow in the corner chuckled softly, “Then let’s wait and see.”