Xu Shouli said, "I volunteered not to prevent you from going, but to let you stay in the central government."

He Yin didn't understand and asked, "What does this mean?"

Xu Shouli walked slowly forward and said, "My trip to Yanchuan City will take at least a month, and I'm afraid there will be no place for me in the Central Secretariat."

He Yin thought about it for a moment and understood, exclaiming in surprise, "The more it is like that, the more I should go!"

"No."

Xu Shouli shook his head and said, "You're more useful to me if you stay in the Central Secretariat."

He Yin said, "How could that be! In terms of ability and status, I am far inferior to the Marquis."

Xu Shouli said, "Judging by the days, the Empress is about to give birth."

He Yin's eyes widened; this was something he hadn't considered.

"Minister He, from the day the Central Secretariat was established, our Great Jing Dynasty has been in chaos. Integrity and selflessness are your sword, the dragon prince in the Empress's womb is your shield. You have more power than I to stand at the center of the storm."

Xu Shouli bowed deeply to He Yin and said, "I am the one who will benefit from this trip to Yanchuan City. I hope that Minister He will hold on."

"I understand." He Yin returned Xu Shouli's greeting and said, "Take care, Lord Marquis."

...

When Xu Shouli arrived in Yanchuan City, it was already early June. Chunqin and Yang Cai'e were already quite pregnant, and the Zhao family was immersed in anticipation and joy as they awaited the birth of their two new family members.

Xu Shouli did not go home; instead, he went directly to the 'Right Prime Minister's Residence' with the imperial edict.

After Xu Shouli entered the room, Zhao Cheng immediately sent someone to inform Xu An, and then the whole family received the imperial decree in the main hall.

After the imperial edict was read, Zhao Cheng did not take it, but stood up indifferently.

Zhao Huan glanced at Zhao Cheng, bowed deeply to Xu Shouli, and then reached out to receive the imperial edict.

Just as Zhao Huan's hand was about to touch the imperial edict, Xu Shouli lowered his hand, leaving Zhao Huan grasping at empty air.

Xu Shouli said, "The imperial decree was issued to the imperial son-in-law. Since he is unwilling to accept it, then let it be."

Zhao Huan asked, "How will you explain this to the Marquis upon your return?"

Xu Shouli smiled slightly and said, "It's rare for me to come back to Yanchuan. I also want to visit my hometown in Qingdong City. I have plenty of time, so I won't think about these troublesome things."

Zhao Huan understood and said, "Please take a seat and serve tea!"

Zhao Huan and Mu Zhaojun sat in the main seats, Zhao Cheng and Xu Shouli sat opposite each other, Zhao Yan, Zhao Yang and Zhao Zhan stood below Zhao Cheng, and Zhao Hu stood outside the door holding a knife.

After a cup of strong tea was placed in front of Xu Shouli, the tense atmosphere of the imperial decree gradually dissipated. Zhao Huan smiled kindly and said, "Boss, just say what you're thinking. Don't hold back."

Zhao Cheng said, "Giving the Immortal Wine to the imperial court is impossible. I won't do anything that would dig my own grave. As for penicillin, that's even more impossible. If I gave it to them, wouldn't that be tantamount to admitting that penicillin is my business? I don't think that once the imperial court has the formula for penicillin, the emperor will allow other people who know the formula to live."

Xu Shouli remained calm upon hearing Zhao Cheng's words.

Logically speaking, Zhao Cheng shouldn't have discussed such a private and core topic in front of Xu Shouli.

But Zhao Cheng spoke without any qualms, as if Xu Shouli didn't exist.

This can only prove one thing.

Both Zhao Cheng and Zhao Huan regarded Xu Shouli as one of their own.

Xu Shouli himself remained calm, indicating that he had already accepted the approval of Zhao Huan and his son.

Just then, Xu An rushed in.

"Father!" Xu An excitedly approached Xu Shouli, panting.

Xu Shouli glared at Xu An and said, "No manners!"

Xu An understood and immediately knelt down before Zhao Huan and Mu Zhaojun, saying, "Greetings, Uncle Zhao! Aunt Zhao!"

Mu Zhaojun smiled and said, "Get up. It's been so long since you've seen your father. There's no need to stand on ceremony."

Seeing this, Zhao Yan and Zhao Zhan exchanged a glance, both looking surprised.

The relationship between my family and the Xu family...

This feels unusual.

Xu Shouli patted Xu An's head, and Xu An then stood properly beside his father.

Zhao Huan said, "Boss, if you don't accept this imperial decree, the court will have a pretext to attack you."

Zhao Cheng said, "The Emperor, Prince Xin, and Wen Hu, which one of them doesn't want to eliminate our Zhao family? If not this pretext, then that pretext."

Zhao Huan stopped responding to Zhao Cheng and instead looked at Xu Shouli, asking, "My lord, what is the situation in the court?"

Xu Shouli, with his hands on his knees and sitting upright like a bell, said solemnly, "The emperor is lazy in governing, and the important affairs of the court are in the hands of Yuan Li, Wen Hu, Wei You, and Chen Changyun. In particular, after Chen Changyun became the Minister of Personnel, he has become unscrupulous in the appointment and removal of officials. And then there is Dongfang Jun, who has used the imperial examination to promote his own people on a large scale. The Xinwang Party has grown in size and its power has surpassed that of the Empress Dowager's Party in the early years of the reign."

“Your Excellency is mistaken,” Zhao Cheng interjected. “The Prince Xin’s faction has not yet infiltrated the military enough.”

Xu Shouli pondered for a moment and said, "That's true. But I've never believed that Wen Hu truly betrayed Wen Tai."

Zhao Cheng understood immediately and said, "Does Your Excellency mean that Wen Tai has secretly handed over his power in the Dajing military to Wen Hu?"

Xu Shouli nodded and said, "This is the only explanation for why there was no unrest in the military after Wen Tai was imprisoned."

Zhao Huan said, "I know my student. He won't fall down so easily."

Xu Shouli sighed, "I also hope that my judgment is wrong, otherwise, the country will cease to exist."

Zhao Cheng said, "Father, the problem now is that once the news from the Marquis's side reaches Changsui, the imperial court will take action against us."

Zhao Huan asked, "So how do you think the imperial court will act?"

Zhao Cheng said, "I don't know, but we need to be prepared."

Zhao Huan then asked, "How should we prepare?"

Zhao Cheng thought for a moment and said, "Use Yanchuan City as a base and have Li Dai reorganize the defenses and prepare the army for war."

Zhao Huan said, "The garrison and defense forces in Yanchuan City number less than ten thousand."

Zhao Zhan interjected, "Big brother has money, let's recruit soldiers and buy horses!"

Normally, Zhao Huan would have given Zhao Zhan a severe scolding, but this time, Zhao Huan remained calm and did not criticize Zhao Zhan for interrupting or making such reactionary remarks.

Zhao Huan calmly said, "If Yan Chuan City prepares for war, if we recruit soldiers, the court will consider us to be rebelling."

Seeing that his father didn't scold him, Zhao Zhan pressed his advantage and continued, "Does that mean the court won't take action against us if we don't rebel?"

“Whether we actually rebel or the court thinks we rebel is a different matter. You may think it’s the same thing, but in the eyes of ordinary people, it’s different.”

Zhao Huan patiently explained, "I, Zhao Huan, am utterly loyal to the Great Jing. Whether I am a general or a prime minister, as long as His Majesty issues an order, I will personally go to the battlefield without hesitation and save the empire from peril several times."

"In the eyes of the people, I am the pillar of the empire. How could I rebel?"