"That's right," Zhao Douan nodded, organized his thoughts, and said seriously, "This time, my rescue of the rebel army was quite unexpected..."
Immediately, he recounted in the most serious and proper tone possible how he pursued Prince Heng, how the other side kidnapped Xiao Donger, attempted to slander, threaten, and malign him... and he went over the plan he had come up with:
"Although Prince Heng has been captured now, Qingzhou Rode, as his old nest, must still harbor remnants. The court's military forces are currently focused on more important battlefields. The East Lake Xiao family, being local tyrants, assisting the court to control Qingzhou Rode, is the most 'cost-effective' plan. Not only that, but it would also have an effect akin to buying a horse's bones with a lot of gold. At the very least, the other Imperial Merchant families within the Nine Roads and Eighteen Prefectures will also be more inclined towards Your Majesty because of this."
