The emperor and his minister remained silent for a long time.

"Does Wei Shih-hsun want to control the Ministry of Works?"

"Yes, we will gradually win over the other ministries starting with the Ministry of Works."

"..."

"If Ling Xun can live up to the Emperor's expectations in this negotiation in Zhongzhou, he can be used." Gu Shaoyu looked at the Emperor. "The reconstruction of Zhongzhou is a difficult project. Zhang Xiangsheng is upright yet cunning. He is very suitable for dealing with those people in the south. He can be used."

They took away the Grand Canal, a top-tier project, from the hands of the Duke of Chengen, cutting off his bottomless pit of wealth that was draining the national treasury.

Execute a number of corrupt officials and the lackeys of the Duke of Cheng'en to replenish the national treasury and eliminate traitors.

This blocked Wei Shixun's path to entering the imperial court and rapid promotion.

Ling Xun, a protégé of the emperor and a prince from a humble family, was trained to become the Minister of Works.

Zhang Xiangsheng, a protégé of the emperor, was trained to become the prefect of Zhongzhou Prefecture.

......

This is another scheme that kills multiple birds with one stone.

"Jingchen, I want to win this time." Emperor Hui suddenly grabbed Gu Shaoyu's hand. "Jingchen, take back the Grand Canal project. You don't need to worry about it anymore."

Gu Shaoyu smiled and said, "I am a subject, and I will certainly do my duty. But I am only a subject. My wife will not participate in the Grand Canal project, nor will my wife's family."

As for the Pingyang Marquis's mansion, Gu Boyu was an old rogue, Gu Zhongyu was a reckless brute, and Gu Chengyan was just a fool with great ambitions but little talent.

Emperor Hui breathed a sigh of relief. He wanted to win, he wanted to bring down the Duke of Cheng'en, he wanted to bring down the Wei family. He thought about it so much that his temples turned gray and he was so anxious.

But it is his responsibility.

He couldn't risk his most beloved minister, nor did he want to create another Duke Cheng'en.

While Gu Shaoyu was scheming against Duke Cheng'en in the imperial court, his wife was enjoying a rare moment of leisure, watching everyone have a snowball fight in the courtyard!

Yuanyuan and the others were having a snowball fight when Xu Li ran back in a flash.

"Madam..." Before he could finish his sentence, Mo Yan threw a snowball at his forehead with a "smack".

Xu Li took off his coat, grabbed a handful of snowballs, and chased after Mo Yan, stuffing them directly into his neck.

The inkstone, cool to the touch, seemed to creak and groan with laughter.

Yuanyuan stopped what she was doing and said in surprise, "Oh my, Xu Li, you've lost so much weight?"

Xu Li spun around triumphantly several times. He took off his coat because he had lost weight, just to show off his "slimness"!

Xie Zhaozhao was also very happy. Xu Li had been taking those pills for several months, and because of the cold weather, she hadn't noticed that he had lost much weight.

"How many pounds have you lost?" Xie Zhaozhao asked.

"I don't know exactly how much, but the waistbands of my old pants are more than twice as big."

Mo Yan cried out that he wanted to be weighed, and Xu Li didn't object.

So Mo Yan and Guan Yan found a steelyard and a basket, and called Bei Chen out. Mo Yan and Bei Chen used the steelyard to lift Xu Li up, and Guan Yan slid the weight on the steelyard to read the value.

"Including the basket, it weighs 114 jin (52.5 catties)," Guan Yan shouted. "You've lost weight, Xu Li! You've lost so much weight!"

As they were loudly weighing themselves, Gu Shaoyu and Nan Xing returned from court and saw the jubilant atmosphere in the courtyard. Gu Shaoyu's serious face, which had been conscientious all day in court, relaxed.

When Guan Yan saw him return, he respectfully greeted him, "Grand Secretary."

"What are you guys playing?" Gu Shaoyu raised an eyebrow when he saw Xu Li sitting in the basket and said, "Xu Li seems to have lost a lot of weight."

Bei Chen and Mo Yan put down the basket, and Xu Li jumped out. They weighed the basket again and found it weighed eight jin. Xu Li's net weight was one hundred and six jin.

Xu Li was really exasperated: "Ahhh, Your Excellency, Madam, I've lost weight! I've lost weight! I only weigh 106 jin now, I've lost 100 jin!"

Xu Li is five feet tall and used to weigh over 200 pounds, indeed like a big ball. He lost 100 pounds in one go. Fortunately, it was morbid edema, otherwise, after losing so much weight in half a year, his skin would have been drooping.

Mo Yan and Guan Yan both touched his skin; it was still quite firm.

"Xu Li, you're really something! A hundred pounds of meat, piled up in such a huge heap on the ground!"

"My wife bought me medicine, and I'm running like crazy!" Xu Li felt he was very lucky to have met Xie Zhaozhao.

At this point, he remembered the important matter he wanted to convey: "Madam, Second Master Yin and Second Master Li have returned and will be bringing some New Year's goods to the house later tonight."

Xu Li said they would arrive at Shenshi (3-5 PM), and Xie Zhaozhao's lips curled slightly.

Gu Shaoyu left court at 1-3 PM, and they came to visit his residence at 3-5 PM, so even if anyone wanted to gossip, they couldn't.

He said to Mo Yan and the others, "You guys, tidy up the tea room again and prepare the best tea."

At Shenshi (3-5 PM), Yin Jin'an and Li Yunmu arrived at Qingpu Courtyard together.

Zhang Qing was beaten by Yin Jin'an's iron whip last time, and he hasn't fully recovered yet. Those deep, bone-revealing scars won't heal anytime soon.

He leaned on his cane and saw Yin Jin'an and Li Yunmu at the door. He was so frightened that he stammered, "What do you want now?"

Yin Jin'an was displeased upon hearing this. What did he mean by "again"? Could he not come to the Marquis's residence anymore?

He said impatiently, "Go tell Grand Secretary Gu that I've come to visit him and bring him some New Year's gifts."

"You're delivering New Year's gifts to Grand Secretary Gu?"

"What? I'm not sending it to Grand Secretary Gu, but I'm sending it to you, you old geezer?"

Zhang Qing dared not say anything and quickly sent someone to report to Qingpu Courtyard.

Xie Zhaozhao, along with Yuan Yuanman, Mo Yan, Xu Li, and a few others, greeted them at the main entrance.

She wore a thick fox fur cloak with a white fur trim around the edges, which made her look exquisitely beautiful, with a complexion as pink and delicate as a baby's.

Yin Jin'an watched Xie Zhaozhao walk towards her step by step. Her posture was upright, dignified and solemn, which made people feel respect and submission.

His usual carefree attitude vanished, and he became much more serious.

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