Qin Hui laughed and said, "Prince Xu, please don't flatter me. His Majesty's surname is naturally Zhao, and I, Qin Hui, am His Majesty's most loyal subject."

Xu Wang spat out a sentence through gritted teeth: "Then you still dare to touch my son? You need to understand, I am His Majesty's own brother, and Zhao Xu is His Majesty's own nephew!"

This Prince Xu, Zhao Di, is different from the Yue and Wei kingdoms, which were enfeoffed in the southern part of Jiaozhou. One of those kingdoms was descended from Emperor Taizu Zhao Kuangyin, and the other was descended from Prince Wei Zhao Tingmei.

However, Prince Xu, Zhao Di, or rather the princes of the South China Sea, were all the biological sons of the retired Emperor Zhao Ji and the half-brothers of Zhao Huan.

His blood relation to the current emperor couldn't be closer.

The saying that "princes are subject to the same laws as commoners" is true, but it's not up to Qin Hui to judge.

Even the Council of State Affairs dared not make a decision lightly unless instructed by the emperor.

In this respect, Zhao Di was confident.

This is also why Qin Hui never dared to really stir up trouble in the South China Sea.

Could Qin Hui stir up trouble here?

Of course you can!

But he dared not!

If you don't do this right, you could be impeached, demoted, or dismissed from office.

But things are different now!

More than a hundred eyes from the Fifth Army Corps and the First Army of the Great Song Navy saw it.

Zhao Xu, along with soldiers from the Xu Kingdom, blocked the path of this imperial envoy and threatened to put him on trial.

That's why you, Zhao Xu, are so stupid.

If you don't use your brain, don't get involved in politics, or you'll easily be crushed.

You've come to receive the emperor's special envoy and are even going to put him on trial. What are you trying to do?

Do you know that there is only one person in the world qualified to judge the emperor's special envoy?

That was the emperor!

You're trying to become emperor!

Faced with Zhao Di's questioning, Qin Hui simply smiled and said, "Prince Xu, your son is plotting to usurp the throne."

King Xu was slightly taken aback and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? My position will be his in the future!"

"No, no, no, Prince Xu, I mean he wants to seize the Song Dynasty and usurp His Majesty's throne!"

Zhao Di nearly coughed up blood. Qin Hui's ability to lie through his teeth was truly legendary!

Even if Zhao Xu had a thousand times the courage, he wouldn't dare to think that way.

"You! You! You! Qin Hui! Don't spout nonsense!"

"King Xu, not a single word I uttered is false." Qin Hui feigned innocence. "Look, the Third Prince is with his men, these are soldiers of the Xu Kingdom. What is he trying to do? He intercepted me, the Emperor's special envoy, he threatened me, and vowed to put me on trial!"

"Although I am not talented, my loyalty to Your Majesty is as clear as the sun and moon. May I ask, is he here to interrogate me on behalf of Your Majesty?"

Prince Zhao Di of Xu opened his eyes wide and roared, "Qin Hui, you're talking nonsense!"

"Nonsense?" Qin Hui's eyes suddenly changed, becoming intriguing. "Prince Xu, more than a hundred people here saw it. Go ask around the streets; the common people there also saw it. You're so eager to exonerate Zhao Xu now, could it be... that he was instigated by you!"

Qin Hui's words struck Zhao Di like a thunderbolt, leaving him speechless and cold sweat pouring down his face.

It wasn't for any other reason than that he and his son had been drinking last night. Zhao Di said to Zhao Xu: "That Qin Hui is arrogant and domineering, and he doesn't take me seriously. You must avenge your father."

It's said that men who drink alcohol will make mistakes.

Zhao Xu made a boast on the spot, and the next day when he woke up, he immediately led his men to fulfill the boast he had made in front of Laozi.

As a result, he was escorted here by Qin Hui.

On this sweltering day, Zhao Di was shivering all over.

"Qin Hui, stop making false accusations!"

Zhao Xu was so frightened that he was almost delirious. He knelt on the ground and wailed, "Your Majesty, Father! Last night you ordered me to lead men to teach Prime Minister Qin a lesson! You must save me..."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Di's face immediately turned a deep purplish-red.

He wished he could kick his son to death.

What a rip-off!

"Prime Minister Qin, don't listen to this kid's nonsense. I absolutely support His Majesty and have always shown you, Prime Minister Qin, the utmost respect. I would never dare to overstep my bounds!"

Qin Hui, however, turned his head to look at Zhao Xu with great interest, seemingly not having heard what Zhao Di said at all.

He smiled and said, "Third Prince, let's have a good talk. Tell me the truth, and I will definitely plead for you before His Majesty. You know that His Majesty dislikes people who deceive him the most, but he can definitely forgive people who admit their mistakes and correct them."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Zhao Xu seemed to have grasped at the last straw, so he embellished the story and recounted everything he had said after drinking the night before.

What was said was said, and what wasn't said was also said.

After hearing this, Zhao Di was so angry he was practically fuming: "You unfilial son, you're talking nonsense!"

"Prince Xu, according to the laws of the Song Dynasty, this constitutes treason!"

"Prime Minister Qin, do not believe his words. My loyalty to His Majesty is as clear as day and night. As you know, Prime Minister Qin, I have been wholeheartedly serving the Song Dynasty for the past two years."

That's right, you're wholeheartedly serving the Song Dynasty, but you're not wholeheartedly serving me!

“Prince Xu, I dare not make a decision on your rebellion alone, and I can only ask you to do so for now.”

Qin Hui regained his serious demeanor, but inwardly he was overjoyed.

Zhao Di always acts arrogantly because he is the emperor's younger brother and refuses to cooperate with him.

Now we finally have the chance to get rid of you and replace you with someone obedient and compliant.

Every hair on Qin Hui's face exuded an aura of righteous indignation: "Guards, detain Prince Xu for now. I will now send a memorial to the capital to await the Emperor's decision."

"yes!"

"Qin Hui, how dare you!"

Qin Hui, with an air of stern indifference, said, "Prince Xu, please forgive me. I did this for the Song Dynasty, for His Majesty!"

King Xu's personal guards tried to resist, but the first ten were immediately killed, and the rest dared not move.

King Xu was taken away amidst shouts and curses. The palace maids, eunuchs, and concubines were all too frightened to utter a sound.

Zhao Xu chuckled and said, "Prime Minister Qin, what about me?"

Qin Hui said in a gentle tone, "You'll have to bear with it for a while. Don't worry, it's only temporary."

"Thank you, Prime Minister Qin."

Qin Hui smiled and turned to leave.

In the Song Dynasty, Tang Ke also liked to wear a smile. He made it a habit to make people feel close to him.

But Qin Hui did it to lower people's guard.

People change.

Power can change people.

Even Qin Hui himself didn't realize that after years of navigating the power struggles of the Song Dynasty, his heart had already quietly changed.

He savored the taste of power.

Even though he still wants to make a name for himself, he will definitely not act on mere passion like he did in his youth.

He temporarily imprisoned Zhao Di and Zhao Xu, and then quickly wrote a letter to Zhao Huan.

Two-thirds of this letter is true, while one-third has been embellished to barely reflect the facts.

He holds military and administrative power in the South China Sea.

This identity is extremely sensitive, and countless eyes in the court are watching him.

He dared not make the slightest mistake, or he would be doomed.

Or perhaps, deep down, Qin Hui always held the emperor in awe.

So his letter was basically the truth.