"Clarification is of no use, Your Majesty should know that rumors are fiercer than tigers. Throughout history, rumors have spread widely, while rebuttals are ignored, why is that?
The minister believes that the most critical point is that rumors better align with the people's expectations. Only rumors that the people are willing to believe can spread far and wide.
Conversely, if the people are unwilling to believe a rumor, no matter how widely it is spread, it will have little effect.
The Kuangfu Society's slander succeeded simply because many in the populace disapproved of Your Majesty, a woman, claiming the throne, and are even more unwilling to believe that Your Majesty is the one who saved the king. Therefore, rebuttals and clarifications are likely to have little effect."
Xu Zhenguan mused: "Then what do you propose?"
"Fight poison with poison," Zhao Douan replied with a smile:
