dognovel Chapter 394 Handover
Chapter 394 Handover
A pawn that has been disciplined by the enemy will not be eager to betray you simply because its life is threatened.
Their excitement could only be due to Qi Yongji's orders.
They had no connection with Qi Yongji, and there was no need for them to have a conversation. Whether he was trying to sow discord or provoke them, they had no interest in knowing.
If he has some kind of conspiracy...
Just kill him cleanly and decisively; no matter what tricks he has up his sleeve, they won't work.
Before the two assassins could struggle, their heads were on the ground in the blink of an eye.
In the end, they found nothing when they searched him.
They ordered the corpses to be burned anywhere, and He Wuyu and Zheng Jiao led their men back to camp on horseback.
……
In the capital, Cen Wan kept pestering Zheng Xun because she was concerned about the situation in the Brown Kingdom.
Fortunately, everything went according to their plan.
After everything settled down, Zheng Xun took Cen Wan to help her ask for a reward.
The emperor was somewhat surprised when he heard their purpose: "If I remember correctly, Cen Wan has not met my requirements."
The original agreement was that if Cen Wan could use Qi Yongji's embezzlement to sow discord within the He Kingdom, thereby severely damaging Qi Yongji and causing him to abandon his plan to enter the palace of Dayong, then he would grant Cen Wan a request.
However, what they said back then was clearly just a pretext. Now the goal has been achieved: they have nothing to do with their bet.
"Father, do you think Cen Wan went to sow discord?"
Cen Wan: Saying it like that makes me sound like a petty person.
"nature."
"Did Qi Yongji and Diao De clash over this matter?"
"nature."
"That's it."
The emperor, furious, laughed: "So, it's done?"
"Nope."
"Knowing you failed, you still have the nerve to bring people here to ask for a reward? Where do you get the nerve?"
“Everyone knows it won’t work. You’re so perceptive, how could you not see through Cen Wan’s true intentions? Just tell me whether what she really wanted to do has succeeded or not.”
The emperor snorted: "Tell me honestly, what was your real purpose in having me and Tao Heng carry Minister Cen's sedan chair?"
His daughter has always been very opinionated; she must have a grand plan after all this time.
"Why does Father think of me like that? Am I that kind of person..."
"You are."
Zheng Xun shrugged, found a seat, and gestured for Cen Wan to speak.
Cen Wan also felt that it would be shameless to make demands when she hadn't met the requirements, but since His Highness needed it, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and speak up.
"Your Majesty, I wish to fully open the imperial examinations for women."
The emperor did not answer, but looked at Zheng Xun: "You made her say it?"
Zheng Xun felt that he had asked a pointless question, but he still patiently said, "It would be most appropriate for her to bring this up."
The emperor nodded: "Alright."
Zheng Xun immediately broke into a wide smile.
The emperor asked helplessly, "Are you happy now?"
"Of course I'm happy that the road ahead is getting wider and wider."
"That's good," the emperor gave her a deep look, "Then go and do it."
Having achieved his goal, Zheng Xun left happily with Cen Wan.
The emperor could still hear her voice fading into the distance: "Now that Father has agreed, the next step is to create momentum. As the first woman to participate in the imperial examination, your story, coupled with this deliberately orchestrated betting scheme, already has enough hype..."
The emperor smiled helplessly: "She does calculate everything perfectly."
Li Xiaojun poured him a cup of tea: "His Majesty's compassionate heart is something Your Highness will surely appreciate."
This matter could be initiated by Your Highness, but in that case, she would bear all the obstacles.
But if it's handed over to the emperor, then half the risk and infamy will fall on the emperor.
This bet is so absurd, it might just be His Highness giving the Emperor an opportunity to refuse.
Clearly, the emperor did not refuse.
The emperor chuckled: "There's no need for her to be grateful."
Yuanjia definitely needs more power.
He supports her now, but he still has many years to live, and people's thoughts change in an instant.
He doesn't mind that she's not his biological daughter now, but what about in the future?
What if he gets senile one day?
It would be better to let her grow up quickly and gain enough strength.
He firmly believed that she would lead Dayong to a brighter future.
That's enough.
"Xiaojun, once the war between Dayong and Heguo is over, I will lay down everything and go to find General He to drink tea, chat, and retire together."
Li Xiaojun's hands and feet felt numb at that moment.
Because of shock.
He was well aware of the emperor's lust for power, and the Crown Princess's power was growing stronger day by day. He was constantly worried that the emperor would become resentful.
He never expected to hear such words from him.
"His Majesty is still young."
The emperor didn't take offense at his evasive remarks, but simply muttered a rebuke: "Cunning."
Li Xiaojun didn't say anything, she just kept smiling.
……
On the other side, Zheng Xun explained the matter to Cen Wan in detail, and then said, "I'm going to the border. I'm entrusting this matter to you."
Cen Wan: ?
"So Your Highness didn't want me to go because you wanted to go yourself."
"I had a reason to go."
"Alright, alright, it's rare that you're willing to coax me, how could I possibly hold it against you?"
After chatting for a few more minutes, Zheng Xun regained his seriousness: "If you have any problems, remember to go to Father. With Father here, I am at ease, but... with so many people talking, if I leave, some petty people might cause trouble." Zheng Xun smiled and lowered his voice, "There aren't many people in the capital I can completely trust. You have to keep an eye on them for me and make sure no petty people speak ill of me to Father."
Cen Wan lowered her head, concealing the shock in her eyes.
His Highness meant that he wanted her to monitor the situation in the court.
Even though His Highness has already brought the court to such a subdued state, His Highness remains cautious and thorough.
Your Highness is indeed Your Highness; there is still much for her to learn.
She stopped thinking about going to the border and solemnly said, "Your Highness, rest assured, I will definitely guard the capital for you!"
Zheng Xun nodded in satisfaction, and then repeated the same words to Tao Heng, Liao Hongsheng, and the others.
She wasn't worried about making a mistake, and she never changed a single word she said.
After receiving everyone's promises and excitement, Zheng Xun returned home satisfied.
……
Zheng Xun spent two months handing over his responsibilities to others.
If it weren't for this handover, most of the ministers in the court wouldn't know how much work she had to do every day.
When the emperor received her schedule, his hands and feet went numb.
"So many? Eight oxen would be exhausted."
"You've been idle for too long. If you don't want your power to be divided, it's worth it to work a little harder."
"There's no need to go through all that trouble. Isn't my life a life too precious?"
"This is nothing. If the Brown Kingdom is conquered, there will be even more to do."
Emperor: Suddenly I feel that becoming emperor isn't something I absolutely have to do.
"You don't care about your life, but I do."
Zheng Xun nodded indifferently: "Anyway, I'm leaving it to you. I hope everything will be normal when I get back."
The emperor, enraged, laughed: "How many years have I been emperor? You've only been in power for a few days, and you're already trying to teach your father how to do things?"