Dian Chen led Zhao Cheng into the imperial study. Zhao Cheng rushed up to Yuan Xiu and shouted, "Your Majesty, quickly send troops to the Left Prime Minister's residence to arrest him!"

Lu Lu and Wei You stood silently on either side of the dragon table.

Dian Chen stood behind Zhao Cheng, looking wary, as if afraid that Zhao Cheng would go berserk.

Yuan Xiu laughed and said, "What's going on, Prince Consort? Have you had too much to drink?"

"Stop with the platitudes!"

Zhao Cheng glanced at Lü Lu, then turned to Dian Chen and said, "Is there anything His Majesty doesn't know about what happened in Changsui City?"

"Your Highness, look at your temper! Anyone who didn't know better would think you were going to take your anger out on me!"

Yuan Xiu jumped down from the dragon table, walked to Zhao Cheng's side, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "The weather is dry, cool down."

Lü Lu quickly grabbed a cloak and draped it over Yuan Xiu's shoulders.

Zhao Cheng angrily said, "The Left Prime Minister's Mansion is going too far! Right under the Emperor's nose, they've brought out all sorts of monsters and demons with their elite troops. They're trying to kill me!"

Yuan Xiu walked to the door, looked at the light rain that had gradually stopped outside, and said, "Let me tell you a principle. It's like the children of two ministers fighting. Since they've fought, there will be a winner and a loser. It's possible that one person's arm is broken and the other's head is smashed, resulting in mutual injury. But would the two ministers really get involved in a fight just because their children are being ignorant?"

Zhao Cheng turned and walked quickly toward Yuan Xiu, but Dian Chen warily stopped him.

Yuan Xiu raised his hand and said, "It's alright."

Zhao Cheng shoved Dian Chen aside and whispered in Yuan Xiu's ear, "I'm going to die tonight. What will you do then? Your Majesty, you've only taken my profit share once..."

Yuan Xiu was taken aback for a moment, then leaned closer to Zhao Cheng and said, "I had Eunuch Lü save you."

Zhao Cheng said, "I was thinking of personally escorting your dividends here for Your Majesty in the future, but Changsui City is so dangerous, how dare I come? That old scoundrel Wen Tai is trying to cut off Your Majesty's source of income."

Yuan Xiu said, "Stop with the nonsense, what exactly do you want?"

Zhao Cheng said, "The Left Prime Minister's Office went too far in this matter and must be investigated. My guard is still unconscious. I will not let His Majesty suffer any loss. After returning to Yanchuan, I will have someone send another batch of silver. The amount... will be the same as the one Wei You brought back this time, divided over two months."

Yuan Xiu coughed lightly and said, "Four months' worth."

"Isn't it a bit too dark?"

You said I'm dark-skinned?

"make a deal."

From the perspective of Lü Lu and the other two, Zhao Cheng and Yuan Xiu were whispering to each other, their mouths almost touching, and they both looked puzzled.

What are you doing?

Yuan Xiu turned around, strode towards the dragon table, and said with his back to Zhao Cheng, "Prince Consort, I will not interfere in this matter. You two, one a Left Prime Minister's residence and the other a Right Prime Minister's residence, two prestigious residences, do not think of offering advice to the country and governing it carefully, but instead spend your days scheming against each other and fighting amongst yourselves!"

"You are utterly disappointing!!"

"How could I possibly clean up your messes? What a joke!!"

Zhao Cheng said, "Zhao Hu is like Zhao Yan, he's my brother. He's still lying in bed unconscious!"

Yuan Xiu asked in confusion, "Who is Zhao Hu?"

Zhao Cheng said, "It is my bodyguard Zhao Wu."

Yuan Xiu said, "According to the information I have received, although you have suffered many casualties, the situation at the Left Prime Minister's residence is even worse. How can you expect me to side with your own people and ignore what is right just because of your own selfish reasons?"

"His Majesty!"

Zhao Cheng suddenly knelt down and shouted, "Do you think I came here in the middle of the night just to speak up for Zhao Hu? Your Majesty, I want to tell you that the Left Prime Minister's Mansion has gone too far!"

"They...did more than just target Zhao Hu."

"They poisoned Mujing Bay, indiscriminately killing innocent people. Half of the people in Mujing Bay were poisoned to death!"

"These people are all subjects of our Great Jing, subjects of Your Majesty!!"

Yuan Xiu was taken aback, looked at Dian Chen, and asked, "Is this really true?"

Dian Chen nodded and said, "That is indeed the case. There is a master of poison in the Left Prime Minister's residence."

Zhao Cheng quickly chimed in, "If it were merely a struggle between the two prime ministerial residences, that would be one thing. But the Left Prime Minister's residence disregards the lives and safety of the people, which means it disregards the overall situation of the court. To put it bluntly, it shows a complete disregard for His Majesty's reputation!"

"So many people have died in Mujing Bay, this matter cannot be concealed at all. How will the people of Changsui City view His Majesty then?"

"Outrageous!!!" Yuan Xiu slammed his fist on the dragon table and roared, "Lü Lu! Dian Chen! Why didn't you stop them when they were releasing the poison?"

Dian Chen was so frightened that he immediately knelt down.

Lu Lu said, "Your Majesty, the person who released the poison is named Tulip. The Liu family's lightness skill, the Tang family's hidden weapons, the Yu family's poison... these are all famous in the martial arts world. Tulip's poisoning techniques are extremely profound, and there was simply no time to stop him."

Yuan Xiu questioned, "Even you couldn't stop it?"

Lu Lu said seriously, "If we hadn't taken precautions beforehand, this old servant really wouldn't have been able to help."

"Then what's the point of keeping someone like that around?!"

Yuan Xiu frowned and said angrily, "What if she comes to the palace one day and poisons me? What will I do then?"

Zhao Cheng interjected, "Your Majesty is right, this man is a terrorist, he cannot be allowed to live!"

Yuan Xiu asked, "Besides her, who else has harmed the common people?"

Zhao Cheng immediately said, "There was also one who used hidden weapons, who also killed many civilians!"

Yuan Xiu asked, "And who is this?"

Lu Lu said, "Chen Jiudao is a master of hidden weapons from the Tang family, and like Tulip, he is one of the Five Fiends of the Left Prime Minister's Mansion."

"These two must be eliminated!" Yuan Xiu declared decisively.

Zhao Cheng bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Yuan Xiu glanced at Zhao Cheng and said, "I'm not helping you; I'm giving the people of Mujing Bay an explanation!"

Zhao Cheng continued to sing praises: "Your Majesty is wise!"

Yuan Xiu walked to Zhao Cheng's side and said softly, "Not a penny less of the four months' share."

Zhao Cheng's cheek muscles twitched.

"Lü Lu, you all stay here. You may all leave!"

After speaking, Yuan Xiu walked to the dragon throne and sat down.

After Zhao Cheng, Wei You, and Dian Chen left, Yuan Xiu looked at Lü Lu and asked, "What has Xu Qingshan been up to lately?"

Lu Lu pondered for a moment and said, "Living in seclusion in the palace, I spend my days reading and writing."

"Never left the palace?"

"No."

"He is obedient."

Yuan Xiu raised his legs and placed them on the dragon table, and sneered, "But I know he's just putting on an act."

Yuan Xiu sighed and said, "Among the military candidates I selected, Xu Qingshan, Dian Chen, and the Zhou siblings are the ones I value most. But apart from Dian Chen, the other three are not truly capable of serving me."

Lu Lu said, "Zhou Nuo is already Zhao Cheng's woman, so let's not talk about her. But Xu Qingshan and Zhou Chuan still have a chance."

“Zhou Chuan needs time. Once he returns from the Western Regions, the situation will be different. As for Xu Qingshan…” Yuan Xiu narrowed his eyes slightly and said, “He should be distanced from the Left Prime Minister’s residence, just like he was dealt with Zhou Chuan.”

Lu Lu suddenly understood and asked suspiciously, "Your Majesty suddenly asked about Xu Qingshan, could it be that you want to..."

Yuan Xiu smiled slightly and said, "The one who understands me is Eunuch Lü."