Chapter 587: The Conflict between the Two Factions in AnnanImperial Master Lin Che, who had been listening to the conversation quietly, stood up slowly. His eyes were like a deep abyss: "Your Majesty, I have a plan." There was no noise of wind and waves in his voice, only the clarity of the surrounding water. “Oh, tell me about it.” Zhu Yuanzhang was shocked and full of expectations for Master Lin Che. Lin Che smiled slightly, like a spring breeze melting snow. "Your Majesty, if there are such powerful people in Annan, they will definitely want to act recklessly. I think it is better to wait and see. Let Envoy Li go back and wait for an opportunity to stir up internal strife and disrupt the situation." "Using stillness to control movement, this is a brilliant plan." Zhu Yuanzhang slammed the table and stood up, showing his thunderous momentum, "I allow it." "Great plan, Imperial Master." Li Xun showed admiration, but his heart was still filled with worry. "However, I have been entrusted with a great responsibility by the state. If I am isolated after returning, it may not be conducive to action." "It doesn't matter." Lin Che's answer was as natural as spring rain. "I will arrange two of my best disciples to help you in secret." "Of these two talented disciples, one is good at subtle techniques and can see into people's hearts and distinguish between loyalty and treachery." "The other one is a martial arts expert, enough to scare the enemy away. They will go under a pseudonym, so you can rest assured."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded with satisfaction, and Li Xun felt deeply comforted. With the secret help of these two people, although his life in Annan was difficult, he felt more secure. "I will be careful." Li Xun responded cautiously. "After this trip, I will definitely clean up the chaos in the country." "Be careful in what you do." Zhu Yuanzhang put down his cup and spoke earnestly. “Your Majesty, please wait and see. I will make the decision myself.” Lin Che ended the conversation in a calm tone. Amidst the relocation and blessings, Li Xun, loaded with the blessings and countermeasures of the Ming Dynasty, once again set out on the road back to Annan. Standing on the vast land outside Yingtian City, he looked back in the direction of the capital, feeling deeply emotional. He recalled the conversation between Zhu Yuanzhang and the imperial teacher, and secretly prepared himself for the upcoming baptism. In a quiet study room in Daming, the air was filled with mist. Lin Che leaned against the window, his eyes piercing through the thick smoke, like an immortal overlooking the world. His thoughts, however, followed the Annan envoy Li Xun and drifted to the turbulent waves on the southern border. "Imperial Master, the internal turmoil in Annan is probably no trivial matter." Zhu Yuanzhang said in a serious tone. What he cared about was not only the stability of the border areas, but also the world layout of the Ming Dynasty. Lin Che responded: "Your Majesty, although Annan is a small country, the conflicts of interest within it are clearly divided, and the factional struggles are getting more and more intense." In front of them, a detailed map of the distribution of Annan factions unfolded, with two different spheres of influence demarcated with red and blue dots. “The two most prominent factions are Dongyuan and Xizhou. The former are inclined towards the Ming Dynasty and are happy to be protected by it, while the latter are unwilling to be controlled by others and are trying to develop northward and collude with the Northern Yuan Dynasty.” Lin Che narrowed his eyes slightly, and his analytical tone was without any emotion. "The Xizhou faction is trying to bring a wolf into the house." Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes showed a trace of disdain. "Your Majesty is right. If they borrow the power of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, it will definitely cause great trouble to the southern part of the Ming Empire." Lin Che said the most worrying result. “As for Li Xun’s trip…” When Zhu Yuanzhang mentioned his achievements, he spread out his long sleeves, as if there was a deep meaning behind it. "Li Xun is a smart man and loyal to his country. He will mediate between the two factions and try to find that delicate balance. In this way, Annan may be able to maintain peace for a while." Lin Che's words revealed his trust in Li Xun. “But if we make a mistake.” Zhu Yuanzhang frowned, like the mountains and rivers in the painting that move at the sound of the wind. “Wouldn’t it make the domestic situation in Annan even more complicated?” Lin Che smiled faintly, as if everything had already been arranged. "This is the test that Li Xun must face. I have secretly given him guidance and everything is arranged." As night fell, the discussions between Zhu Yuanzhang and the imperial teacher gradually subsided. The two smiled at each other, as if they had seen the outcome of the situation and the future of Annan. In Annan, Li Xun's actions were also carried out in secret. He carried Zhu Yuanzhang's secret letter and went deep into Annan to meet with the leaders of the two major factions. After a series of negotiations and representations, Li Xun finally made the two factions temporarily reach some form of compromise.

But superficial peace could not satisfy Li Xun. He knew that in order to stabilize the situation, the conflict of interests among factions must be fundamentally resolved. As the days passed, during the constant negotiations and dealings, Li Xun increasingly felt that he was facing not only a struggle for interests within Annan, but also a historical trend. The Xizhou faction was increasingly inclined to ally with the Northern Yuan Dynasty in the north. They believed that only by forming an alliance with the Northern Yuan Dynasty could they gain a place in the international community. The Dongyuan faction was loyal to the Ming Dynasty and firmly believed that they could enjoy the shade under the big tree of the Ming Dynasty. Li Xun knew that diplomatic means alone would never be able to maintain the precarious balance of Guoshou on the edge of this cliff, so he decided to seek help from the national teacher Lin Che. “Master, the current situation is like this. Do you have any good ideas?” One night, Li Xun sent a pigeon to Lin Che, telling him about the situation in Annan and his own embarrassment. In the study room in the capital, Lin Che received the message and smiled slightly. He dipped his hand in the inkstone and began to write back. His letter was detailed and clear, revealing the cleverness and wisdom of this Ming Dynasty imperial teacher. "Li Xun, you need to be a maintainer between the two factions and actively win over the forces of each faction. In particular, you need to communicate with the Northern Yuan Dynasty and collect intelligence in case of emergency. At the same time, you must also communicate well with the Ming Dynasty to ensure that the interests of both sides are not lost." After reading the letter from the Imperial Master, Li Xun's mind suddenly became clear. He understood that Lin Che meant that he should work harder on balance and strategy, and even let the Xizhou faction and the Beiyuan faction come into contact to a certain extent, just to gain more initiative. So in the following days, Li Xun began to act according to Lin Che's instructions, establishing secret contacts with the Northern Yuan Dynasty while relying on the power of the Ming Dynasty to stabilize the situation. In the Kingdom of Annan on a moonlit night, the soft moonlight shines on the doorways and eaves, making the entire country appear peaceful and serene. However, beneath this calm appearance, the wisdom of Li Xun and Lin Che is stirring up circles of unknown ripples. When everything was settled, the temporary rift between the two factions was repaired, and a fragile balance was maintained in Annan. Li Xun's diplomatic skills and Lin Che's behind-the-scenes support also became a brilliant achievement that was silently praised by the Ming Empire. The changing expressions on Zhu Yuanzhang's face reflected the responsibilities and troubles of the current emperor. "Call the imperial master into the hall." Zhu Yuanzhang ordered. In a moment, a young man in a white robe walked in slowly. Every step he took seemed steady and firm. It was Lin Che, the imperial teacher of the Ming Dynasty. (End of this chapter)