After the officials left, only the emperor and Gu Zhixing remained in the hall.

The palace doors were gently closed by the attendants, and the emperor rose from his high throne, walked down the steps with steady steps, and went to Gu Zhixing to personally adjust his crown.

The emperor's tone was full of helplessness and tenderness: "You child, you always choose the hardest jobs. If your mother were here, she would surely blame me, your uncle, for not caring about you."

Gu Zhixing lowered his head slightly and said respectfully, "Uncle, although I was naughty and unruly when I was young, I was still taught and I know that the affairs of the Dali Temple are related to the country and the people. Although this job is hard and tiring, it is a blessing for me to be able to share the burden of His Majesty and redress the grievances of the people."

The emperor sighed softly, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

He sized up his nephew, the once dissolute young master who only knew how to eat, drink, and have fun all day long, who had now become so composed, even speaking in such a veiled manner, unwilling to tell him the truth.

However, the emperor smiled slightly and patted Gu Zhixing on the shoulder: "Zhixing, your uncle has seen everything you've done. From the day you suddenly became determined to improve yourself, to now being ranked third in the imperial examination, and then volunteering to go to the Dali Temple, your uncle is both gratified and heartbroken. But there's one thing your uncle doesn't understand, why do you insist on going to the Dali Temple?"

Gu Zhixing raised his head, about to speak, but was interrupted by the emperor: "Don't say anything high-sounding to me. Whether those words are true or false, you and I both know the truth."

"The person standing in front of you now is not the emperor, but your own uncle, Zhixing. Just tell your uncle the truth, why do you want to go to Dali Temple?"

Gu Zhixing looked at the middle-aged man in front of him. His temples were slightly gray, his face was a little thin, and his eyes showed a sickly haggardness, but his eyes were still deep and bright, as if they could see into people's hearts.

He suffered from illness for many years and was somewhat thin, but even so, he still exuded an aura that was a mixture of majesty and compassion.

It was this uncle who doted on him since childhood, even more so than the crown prince. This excessive pampering allowed him to grow up carefree in his childhood, but it also inadvertently indulged his former spoiled and willful nature.

Otherwise, how could he have developed such a fearless personality?

Gu Zhixing sighed softly, his gaze unconsciously drifting to the area behind the emperor. It seemed that through the carved beams and painted rafters of the main hall, he could see Yanzhou in the distance, and the scene there became clearer in his mind.

His tone was calm and firm, as if he were recounting something completely ordinary: "Two months ago, I went to Yanzhou without permission."

“Yanzhou and Kyoto are very similar, and the officials in Yanzhou are just as respectful as the Crown Prince. They dare not say no to me whatever I do. However, I can truly feel the hardship of the people in Yanzhou and have seen the performance of those officials, which is truly disappointing.”

“Uncle, you must have read my article, right?” He paused slightly, waiting for the emperor’s response.

Seeing the emperor nod slightly, he continued, "As I said in my article, 'To clear away the silt, one must first clean up the officials.'"

"Even in a small place like Yanzhou, corrupt officials run rampant. They embezzle public funds and lie about disasters, resorting to any means necessary. If this is a sign of the bigger picture, how can other parts of Dayong remain unscathed? Corrupt officials and parasites must have already become rampant."

"Shen Huaixu went to Yanzhou. He was wholeheartedly concerned for the people, but he was powerless to change the situation. He was completely manipulated by those corrupt officials and had no way to fight back."

"Shen Jintang also went. She was exceptionally capable, using killing to stop killing, which terrified those corrupt officials. But such a approach is ultimately just a temporary measure. There are corrupt officials in the world that can never be completely eradicated. As long as the officialdom is corrupt, no matter how many good officials there are, they will eventually be assimilated and become corrupt officials."

"Some officials are not inherently bad, nor are they incompetent. It's just that they can't see the bright side of officialdom. They watch helplessly as corrupt officials rise to high positions, while virtuous ministers and generals are brutally murdered and their families wiped out. So, they can only drift along with the tide, eke out a living, and be manipulated by others, thus becoming corrupt officials themselves."

"Gu Zhixing! Are you accusing me of being muddleheaded and incompetent?"

The emperor's expression changed drastically in an instant, his voice rose sharply, and a flash of anger appeared in his eyes.

Gu Zhixing immediately knelt down, his hands clenched tightly, but his voice remained firm: "Your subject dares not, Your subject has absolutely no such intention. It is just that the atmosphere in the officialdom, from top to bottom, is indeed corrupt, and that is an indisputable fact."

The emperor's chest heaved with rage. He stared intently at Gu Zhixing, who was kneeling on the ground, feeling utterly helpless.

After a long silence, he slowly said, "Get up."

How could he not know that the officialdom was corrupt?

But can he kill all of them?

If they were really killed, how many capable people would be left in the court?

Killing them all would be like destroying our own Great Wall.

It's not that he doesn't want to rectify the situation, but who can come up with a solution that satisfies both sides?

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Gu Zhixing slowly rose from the ground, his gaze sharp as a sword, still calm and resolute.

The emperor took a few deep breaths, looked angrily at Gu Zhixing, and said with a hint of probing in his tone, "Since you've put it this way, you must be very confident."

Gu Zhixing nodded slightly, his tone resolute: "I am willing to shoulder this important responsibility."

"You?" A hint of doubt flashed in the emperor's eyes.

"It is indeed your subject." Gu Zhixing's eyes were serious, and his voice was firm and resolute. "In the court, how many people can say that their hands are clean? But if we use this to start a massacre, wouldn't the court become a no-man's land? This is by no means a wise move."

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