Chapter 14: Zhao Xuanji's Counterattack

cooked another slice of mutton for himself. He wanted some goose intestines and tripe, but these delicacies were incredibly expensive in the future. Now, they were just considered lowly offal, not ev...Chapter 14: Zhao Xuanji's Counterattack

"Grand Chancellor, the prince is just a young colt. Too reckless! As Grand Chancellor, you must not allow the prince to run rampant like this."

Minister of Dali Temple, Sun Beri, was filled with righteous indignation.

On the side, Teng Huayi, Minister of Punishment, also said: "What Mr. Sun said is right. In the imperial court, the chief minister is still the most important. If this young prince continues to act so recklessly, how can he be considered decent In the future, if the emperor recovers and sees that the capital city is in chaos with public resentment, he will probably get angry again. Chief Minister, now we must take some measures against the prince."

Zhao Xuanji slightly closed his eyes, and he calmly said to Wang Tenghuan, the Grand Scholar of Jianjidian who was sipping tea beside him, "Wang brother, what's your take on this"

Wang Tenghuan gently placed his teacup down and said, "The prince is young and has just taken on the responsibility of governing the country. He only knows how to use power to kill, but he doesn't know that behind power lies responsibility. As important ministers of the court, we should assist the prince and let him understand that governing the country is not something that can be solved by simply killing."

Moreover, if we remain silent any longer, another Xu Changqing might appear.

Hearing this, Zhao Xuanji's face darkened.

He said slowly, “In that case, tomorrow, let us go to the East Palace together and meet with the Crown Prince. We will inform him of the situation and persuade him to temporarily relinquish his regency duties. Perhaps he should first learn how to manage state affairs properly before considering other matters.”

Inside the study, a few figures who belonged to Zhao Xuanji's core circle looked at each other and smiled. Then, they all bowed to Zhao Xuanji in unison:

"I await your orders, Chancellor."

Zhao Xuanji nodded expressionlessly and said in a calm voice, "Since there is still important business to attend to tomorrow, everyone should go back and rest first."

When others saw that Zhao Xuanji had issued an order to see them off, they all stood up and bid farewell.

After everyone had left, Zhao Xuanji sat in his chair and pondered for a moment. Then he got up and went to the desk, writing a note. He gently patted his palm.

Outside the door, a stoic guard silently approached Zhao Xuanji without uttering a word.

"Deliver this to the palace at once, and give it to Zhao Rui." Zhao Xuanji took out another bottle of medicine from the drawer and handed it to the guard along with the note, saying lightly.

The guardsman received the two items, didn't even glance at them as he stuffed them into his bosom. After bowing, he quietly disappeared.

Coming to the courtyard, Zhao Xuanji looked up at the night sky and murmured, "Prince, I hope you don't force this old man to take this last step."

......

Li Cheng had just returned to the East Palace when he received the latest news from Sanbao.

"More than half of the first-rank officials in the imperial court gathered at Zhao Xuanji's mansion, discussing for two hours before leaving."

Li Chen asked with a calm expression, "Can you find out what they were talking about"

Sān Bǎo bowed and said, "The Jin Yi Wei's spies only know that they will be uniting at the East Palace to meet with the Crown Prince tomorrow. The specific reason and details are unknown for now."

Li Chen walked to a candle flame, using scissors to trim the wick. The fire flickered and brightened under his touch. Looking at the flickering candlelight, Li Chen asked casually.

"San Bao whispered, "I dare not speak rashly, but it is certainly no good news."

“The chief minister, his power within the court was practically absolute. While my father was ill for several years, it was he who managed the government almost single-handedly. Many edicts and strategies came from him. Compared to us, father and son, he was more like the helmsman of this empire.”

At this time, the ministers of the first rank surrounding him discussed with the chief minister for two hours, there was only one reason.

Li Chen put down the scissors and said coldly: "What I have done these past few days has made them anxious. They are no longer accustomed to having imperial power pressing down on their heads. They want everything to return to normal, and the best way is for me to submit, or...for me to disappear."

Samba's pupils contracted, and he immediately said: "I and the Dongchang are willing to die for the Crown Prince."

"This Palace knows this comes from the heart, because This Palace is finished, and so are you and your Dongchang."

Li Chen chuckled lightly and said, "Let's go to Fengxi Palace."

Inside the Fengxi Palace, when Li Chen arrived at this time, Zhao Qinglan had already prepared to rest.

Through the curtain, Li Chen bowed and said, “Your son respectfully requests an audience with the Empress.”

Behind the beaded curtain, Zhao Qinglan's cold voice came, "It is late now, Your Highness shouldn't meet this Palace. If you have something to say, just say it and then leave."

"The Empress wants me to speak here" Li Chen said with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

Inside the door curtain, Zhao Qinglan fell silent for a while before reluctantly ordering, "All of you, withdraw."

Once everyone else in the palace had left, Zhao Qinglan finally said coldly, "Now that you're alone, what do you have to say"

As soon as the bystander left, Li Chen's eyes sharpened, and his spine straightened. He seemed to instantly become the master of the situation, striding forward and pushing open the curtain.

Zhao Qinglan, who was sitting on the soft couch, saw this and angrily said: "Presumptuous! You dared to enter without my permission. Even if you are the Crown Prince, I can still punish you!"

"Alright."

Li Chen sat down on the soft cushion by himself, picked up the teacup from Zhao Qinglan's side and drank it, saying: "Have I been too unrestrained The Empress shouldn't say these words that are purely psychological comfort."

Zhao Qinglan saw that Li Chen was actually using her own water cup, and she was immediately embarrassed.

She stood up, looking at Li Chen coldly, and said: “Don’t think that this palace is so easy to bully.”

Zhao Qinglan's status was noble, and her bearing as a mother of the nation was extraordinary. At this moment, when she was filled with anger, there was indeed a chilling aura about her.

But this set of tactics was obviously not very effective against Li Chen.

He certainly has a way to make Zhao Qinglan shed all her defenses.

"Just a moment ago, I received news that, including Dali Temple Minister Sun Bolǐ and Ministry of Punishment Shangshu Teng Huaiyi, over half of the court's real power officials held a secret meeting at the Prime Minister's residence for two hours. No one knows what they discussed, but this palace knows they will come to the East Palace to cause trouble tomorrow."

Li Chen looked at Zhao Qinglan, whose eyes were wide with shock and disbelief after hearing his words. He let out a soft chuckle, pressing one hand on the soft armrest and the other on the backrest. He leaned closer to Zhao Qinglan, gazing into her crystal-clear eyes, and said, "I'm thinking, should we take advantage of this great opportunity while they gather together Tomorrow, I could hide a hundred axe-wielding men in the East Palace. When your father and his people arrive, we can just hack them to death"

When Li Chen said these words, a smile played on his face.

Those eyes were like an icy abyss, bottomless and cold. Within them flowed a surging tide of murderous intent, seemingly amassed to its limit, poised to erupt in the next instant.

If anyone else had said such outrageous things, Zhao Qinglan would have thought they were crazy.

That was the chief minister who had held power in the court for over a decade, and more than half of the actual high-ranking officials. These people represented the top layer of the power pyramid of the Qin Empire today. If something happened to them, the entire Qin Empire would be in chaos.

But considering Li Chen's actions recently, Zhao Qinglan felt that Li Chen was truly capable of doing such a thing.

To know, Li Chen achieved a terrifying feat; the number of high-ranking court officials he killed equaled the number of days he held the regency.

Such a bloodthirsty lunatic is capable of anything.

"No!"

Zhao Qinglan exclaimed, "If you truly do this, the capital city will instantly fall into chaos. Frightened officials will be afraid of everything. Once the capital is in disarray, the already tense imperial situation, strained by the widespread famine, will be further aggravated. This will only push the empire closer to ruin. Those who have their eyes on the empire and are waiting for an opportunity will seize it."

"My prince, you must not be rash!"

Li Chen stared at Zhao Qinglan, his eyes flickering.

He raised his hand and gently rubbed Zhao Qinglan's face, which was as smooth and translucent as a newly peeled egg. "I know," he said, "but they don't want me to live, so I'll fight them."

Otherwise, I can't just let them slaughter me, right

Zhao Qinglan bit her lip. Every inch of skin that Li Chen's palm passed over sent a jolt of both tingling and numbness through her. She forced herself not to pay attention to the feeling, but her increasingly rapid breathing betrayed her.

Suppressing the strange and unfamiliar agitation in her heart, Zhao Qinglan's brain tried hard to calm down. In order to prevent Li Chen's hand from continuing to stimulate her, she reached out and grasped Li Chen's hand, looking up at him directly, and said: "Your Highness, this matter may not be impossible to achieve both."ed years. According to the imperial court's regulations, anyone who lives past sixty does not have to bow when seeing an official. Those who live past seventy do not have to kneel when attending court...