Chapter 203 Showing off in front of Xiao Qidi and the officials

"Has Rongrui recovered?" Xiao Qidi said with a half-smile. "Wasn't he always sick and confined to his home? Now he looks quite energetic."

His words were barbed.

Previously, whether it was dealing with the Empress Dowager and Lao An, or vying for power with Situ Wei, the Xiao clan princes and nobles, led by Rong Rui Gong, all remained silent.

They all seemed to be completely detached from the situation.

It appears they've chosen to remain neutral, refusing to help anyone.

But Xiao Qidi knew very well that once he lost, or fought a battle with powerful ministers who held authority and suffered heavy losses, these people who already had the highest status would immediately replace him with someone from the royal family.

Rong Ruigong and other nobles of the Xiao clan did not need to perform meritorious deeds for the Great Xuan on a regular basis, but they could enjoy a noble status and many privileges and benefits.

Especially after uncovering the case of the Prefect of Longyuan, Xiao Qidi followed the clues and obtained a large amount of evidence from his aunt and uncles that the Xiao clan nobles were oppressing the people.

If these parasites are not completely eradicated, they will continue to wreak havoc on the entire Da Xuan.

Upon his return, Xiao Qidi immediately convened court to announce various new regulations and appointment and dismissal orders, which directly touched upon the deep-seated interests of the Xiao clan aristocratic group, all in order to make Rongrui Gong, who rarely showed his face, step forward on his own.

"Thanks to Your Majesty, I am much better." Duke Rongrui replied casually, without bowing, and said directly, "Your Majesty's conquest of Yu Kingdom and destruction of Sha Yue must have been too triumphant."

Xiao Qidi said calmly, "What do you mean by that?"

Duke Rongrui raised his head and said righteously, "Since the establishment of the Great Xuan Dynasty hundreds of years ago, there has never been any such thing as a province or governor. Your Majesty, in a moment of passion, has arbitrarily changed the system, and at the same time, disregarding the advice of your ministers, you want to replace the general of the eastern border with a general from an enemy country and a little-known general. All these actions are like child's play!"

Xiao Qidi remained expressionless. "Then what do you think is the right way to not treat this as child's play?"

Rongrui stroked his beard, pacing back and forth as he said, "At the very least, we should discuss this with the princes and nobles, then summon several of the most powerful ministers to discuss it in detail, and solicit the opinions of other court officials. We should gradually make a decision until everyone is satisfied before making an announcement. Your Majesty, although you have assumed personal rule, you are still too inexperienced in handling state affairs..."

As soon as he finished speaking, the dozen or so ministers nodded in agreement, all saying that Rongrui was right.

Most of the other ministers wore expressions that were hard to describe.

Everyone could see that Rong Ruigong was unwilling to let his own interests be harmed, and at the same time, he had his eye on the lucrative territory of the former Yu Kingdom. Some people sighed silently, while others dared not speak out in anger.

Rong Ruigong continued his boastful talk: "Since Situ Wei's death, no prime minister has been appointed in the court. I suppose that's why Your Majesty feels there are no important ministers to discuss matters with, and has forgotten to talk to us princes and nobles. I would like to suggest that Your Majesty should find someone to be prime minister before making any other decisions."

Xiao Qidi showed a hint of interest. "Oh? I wonder if Duke Rongrui has anyone in mind?"

Rong Ruigong pointed to the minister who had just opposed Xiao Qidi and said, "This Minister Wen is very suitable. I have high hopes for him."

"Thank you for your appreciation, Lord Rongrui! Thank you so much!" Lord Wen beamed with joy.

Many of the other ministers frowned repeatedly.

Although this official holds an important position in the court, his abilities are actually quite mediocre. He only manages to get ahead by currying favor with the royal family.

Any official present could easily point out that he was more suitable to be prime minister.

"Isn't this outrageous?!" Duan Wu, having reached his limit, shouted, "Just because you approve of him, does that mean he's suitable to be prime minister?"

Duke Rongrui rebuked in a stern voice, "I am discussing important matters of state with His Majesty! Who gave you the right to interrupt? Guards! Drag this brat out!"

As soon as the voice faded, the commander of the Imperial Guards outside the main hall led his men in.

Xiao Qidi was not surprised at all, because even the royal guards, from the commander down to the deputy general, were mostly related to the Xiao family nobles.

Compared to Rongrui Gong, who had both status and seniority, Xiao Qidi was still a young junior. As long as he did not endanger the emperor, the Imperial Guards would naturally be more inclined to obey Rongrui Gong's orders.

“Lord Rongrui,” Xiao Qidi’s eyes flashed with a cold light, “I’d like to remind you that this is General Duan Wu, a great hero who destroyed the Yu Kingdom. He is also qualified to discuss matters of the court. Aren’t you afraid that treating him like this will chill the hearts of the officials and make the people laugh at you?”

Upon hearing this, Duke Rongrui waved his hand, signaling the Imperial Guards to stop, but did not order them to retreat.

Then he revealed a look of sudden realization, "Ah, so this is General Duan, my apologies for not recognizing him."

"Heh, no need for this show of force first and then putting on airs," Duan Wu sneered. "I say, Lord Rongrui, if you think so highly of your lackey, Lord Wen, why don't you just take him home? You could see him every day, wouldn't that be great?"

Rong Ruigong's old face trembled as he pointed at Duan Wu's nose and cursed, "You are simply rude! Utterly vulgar!"

Duan Wu retreated to the ranks of the officials, grinned, and said, "I'm sorry, I'm just a rough and uncouth person. My apologies."

“You…you…” Rong Ruigong’s face turned red with anger.

Seeing the old man get his comeuppance, Xiao Qidi's lips curled up slightly. "I know you are all worried about Da Xuan, but I have my own choice for the position of Prime Minister. There is no need for Duke Rongrui and General Duan to have any unpleasantness over this."

Duke Rongrui glared at Duan Wu, trying to calm himself, and asked, "Whom did His Majesty choose?"

Xiao Qidi's face darkened. "You hold no official position in the court. When I appoint ministers, do I need to ask your permission?"

"Your Majesty!" Rong Ruigong's tone hardened. "Da Xuan is the Great Xuan of our Xiao family. The appointment of officials is related to the stability of Da Xuan, and naturally it concerns me. Although it is not a matter of asking for instructions, I should be qualified to participate in the decision-making!"

Xiao Qidi sneered inwardly.

Hundreds of years ago, the entire Xiao clan worked together to establish the Xuan Kingdom.

That era truly saw the emergence of many talented individuals who made indelible contributions to the development and growth of Da Xuan.

However, as the Great Xuan Dynasty consolidated, and the Xiao clan's nobles and princes passed down their positions generation after generation, they began to reap the benefits without contributing anything.

That's fine, Da Xuan can afford to keep him, and he's willing to keep him.

But now, these nobles have become increasingly outrageous, no longer content with simply enjoying the fruits of others' labor. Their greed has grown ever larger, bringing nothing but harm to the Great Xuan.

If the world is unified in the future, these people will become the greatest scourge of the world.

Several generations of the Great Xuan Kings, going back from Xiao Qidi, had noticed this hidden danger, but due to kinship ties and the merits of their ancestors, they were always unable and inconvenient to take action against them.

But Xiao Qidi felt that the time was ripe for him.

He had no emotional attachment to these relatives, so he felt no psychological burden when he started fighting.

The so-called blood ties that Rong Ruigong and other members of the royal family used to coerce the Great Xuan King in the past have no effect on him.

Furthermore, the more arrogant and domineering Rongrui Gong becomes, the more he will alienate most of the court officials.

In this way, with enough evidence, and by taking timely action, even those ministers who adhere to old rules and revere the status of nobles will not become obstacles to his purge of his own faction.

Xiao Qidi didn't care whether he would be judged by his ministers or by later generations as a cold-blooded fratricide.

He simply didn't want to be interfered with by some stubborn court officials when he was about to take action.

After all, if this leads to the collapse of the court, it would be a consequence that the Great Xuan Dynasty could not bear.

"Does Your Majesty not think I am qualified?!" Seeing that Xiao Qidi remained silent, Duke Rongrui raised his voice and pressed him, his eyes becoming extremely sharp.

Seeing Rong Ruigong's aggressive manner and Xiao Qidi's seemingly predicament, many ministers in the hall felt very uncomfortable.

They had doubted whether this young king was capable of ruling the Great Xuan, but he dispelled their doubts with his actions. In just a few months, he annexed the kingdoms of Sha Yue and Yu. I ask you, which king in the world today could do that?

This clearly foreshadows the successful first step that the Great Xuan Dynasty has taken in unifying the world.

However, just when these ministers were completely convinced of Xiao Qidi's abilities and were thinking of working together to create a great unified era for him, Rong Ruigong suddenly stepped forward. His words and actions just now could be described as bullying Xiao Qidi in public by taking advantage of his status and seniority.

Unfortunately, these ministers who had already sided with Xiao Qidi dared not speak out, otherwise they would have been accused of the serious crime of offending the nobility and committing treason by the Xiao royal family.

Seeing that Rong Ruigong seemed to have absolute power in the main hall, Duan Wu was about to lose his temper again.

Just as he was about to rush forward and slap Rong Ruigong twice, a hand quietly reached out from the crowd behind him and grabbed his arm.

"Who is it?" Duan Wu turned around angrily.

When she saw that the person pulling her was Li Yao, she was stunned. "Huh? You're back in the capital too? I didn't see you just now?"

Li Yao lowered his voice, "I've only been in the main hall for a short while, and there are hundreds of officials of all ranks crammed inside. It's normal that you didn't see me. Just stay calm, everything is under the Emperor's control."

"Please calm down, Lord Rongrui," Xiao Qidi said slowly. "Since you think it's appropriate to appoint Lord Wen as prime minister, why don't you tell us how to manage the lands of Yu Kingdom and Shayue Kingdom?"

“That’s more like it,” Rong Ruigong said, stroking his beard and glancing sideways. “Your Majesty, please give me a seat. I’m old and shouldn’t stand for too long.”

Xiao Qidi immediately ordered someone to offer him a seat.

The chairs were placed on one side at the front of the main hall.

Rong Ruigong pointed to the eunuch serving Xiao Qidi and said, "Come here and move my seat."

The eunuch was stunned, and many ministers also looked horrified.

Rong Ruigong looked around, a contemptuous smile on his face; he had deliberately offended him like this.

Today, I must show off my power and intimidate Xiao Qidi. Don't think that just because you're a king you're so great. I must remind him that all the kings of the Great Xuan Dynasty have treated the Xiao royal family with utmost respect, and he can be no exception.

This country belongs to the Xiao family.

Even if we unify the world in the future, we'll still have to be surnamed Xiao!

Ultimately, a monarch is nothing more than a tool for the royal family to manage the country; one cannot be unaware of one's own position.

Young people, having just assumed power and already achieved some success, are bound to become arrogant and complacent. Otherwise, they wouldn't have taken it upon themselves to issue those orders as soon as they returned to the capital.

As the highest-ranking member of the royal family, I should give him a warning at this crucial moment; otherwise, once this kid becomes more independent, he won't be so easy to control.

"Go ahead," Xiao Qidi waved to the eunuch beside him.

The eunuch sighed inwardly, lowered his head, and walked down the steps. "Where would Lord Rongrui like to sit?"

Duke Rongrui stood with his hands behind his back. "Sit where I am standing. I need to have a good talk with Your Majesty, so naturally we need to face each other directly."

Helpless, the eunuch moved the chair, which had been placed to the side, behind him.

Rong Rui Gong then sat down, raised his hand and beckoned, and the Commander of the Imperial Guards immediately stood on his left and right sides with several Imperial Guards.

This blatant disregard for Xiao Qidi only impressed the dozen or so ministers who fawned over the royal family; the rest of the ministers grew increasingly angry.

It should be noted that even the Marquis of Le'an, Lao'an, who was deeply favored by the Empress Dowager and wielded immense power, and the former Prime Minister Situ Wei, who was second only to the Empress Dowager, had never done anything so outrageous.

The eunuch's face darkened, and he turned to return to the throne.

"Wait, did I say you could leave?" Rong Ruigong placed his hands on the armrests, tilted his head slightly, and said slowly, "I've been standing for too long, and my legs are uncomfortable. I need a place to rest my legs."

The serving eunuch suppressed his anger and said, "This servant will go and fetch a stool right away."

Rong Ruigong arrogantly said, "The stool is too hard; it will hurt my legs."

The serving eunuch understood his meaning and had no choice but to kneel down in front of him.

"Hmm, not bad. You little eunuch are quite sensible. Our Xiao royal family likes sensible juniors." Duke Rongrui squinted his eyes and lifted his legs, placing them heavily on the eunuch's back.

"This is outrageous... Duke Rongrui, you... you've gone too far!" Finally, one of the ministers couldn't hold back any longer and blurted out.

Duke Rongrui suddenly opened his eyes. "Insolence! Drag the person who just spoke here!"

Two imperial guards rushed into the crowd of officials, dragged out a minister, and kicked him in front of Duke Rongrui.

"You say I went too far?" Rong Rui stared straight at him. "Where did I go too far?"

The oppressive aura emanating from the highest-ranking member of the royal family sent chills down the minister's spine.

He stammered, "This...this is the imperial court, we cannot...be so disrespectful to His Majesty, otherwise we will break the rules."

Duke Rongrui glanced disdainfully at Xiao Qidi, who was expressionless, and then laughed, "These rules are set for you who are subjects. Am I a subject?"

The minister trembled slightly. "You...you're not."

"Then who am I?" Rong Ruigong asked deliberately.

The minister gritted his teeth and said, "You are... the esteemed Duke Rongrui of the Xiao family."

Rongrui was not entirely satisfied with the answer and asked again, "Anything else?"

The minister stammered, unsure of what to say.

Rong Rui raised his voice and said:

"Let me tell you, I am your king's cousin. Not to mention him, even his father had to call me brother when he was alive. I am the noblest of all the nobles in the Great Xuan Dynasty—the head of the Xiao royal family."

“Xiao Qidi is your king, that’s true, and you should treat him with the respect due to a subject. But to me, he is my junior, and I, on behalf of the entire royal family, have entrusted him with the power of the king.”

"In other words, he was working for the royal family. If a junior who was supposed to be doing the job didn't do it well, shouldn't I, as an elder, teach him a lesson on behalf of the Xiao royal family?"