Let’s start with Mr. Gu. One day, he will be looked at with new eyes and will put away his ridiculous superiority and arrogance.

Thinking of this, she spoke slowly, "Master Gu is truly an upright gentleman, always abiding by the rules and regulations. He is truly admirable. The phrase 'each content with his place' is truly well-speaking. I heard that Master Gu became famous at a young age, but because of Prime Minister Xue's suppression, he was never prominent in the court. Now it seems that Master Gu is content with his lot."

If everyone stayed in their place, Gu Zheng would continue to be buried in the Hanlin Academy and would not be able to make a breakthrough for at least twenty years.

It is such an overbearing rule that you only need to break the rules yourself and suppress others.

Even though Gu Zheng was a man of great cunning, his expression changed slightly, but he quickly said frankly, "Of course. Prime Minister Xue also wanted to hone me, and I am naturally grateful. Without Prime Minister Xue, I would not be where I am today."

He Qing found that compared to him, he still had a lot to learn.

The first rule is not to let other people’s words sway your own thoughts. Regardless of whether it is right or wrong, you must hold on at the moment, otherwise you will lose.

Secondly, he didn't understand the affairs of the court. Gu Zheng could even take on the entire court alone. There was no chance of winning an argument with him. If he wanted to suppress him, he had to find a topic that he was good at but he didn't understand.

A topic that Gu Zheng didn’t understand... He Qing’s mind instantly flashed with the five words he had used to express pity for Gu Zheng: the limitations of the times.

Just then, a gust of wind blew by, and a leaf fluttered between the two of them. Affected by the air currents created by the carriage, it swirled in the air. He Qing immediately pointed at the leaf and asked, "Master Gu, did you see that leaf?"

"Hmm?" The topic jumped too quickly and Gu Zheng could hardly keep up.

He Qing was very pleased with this reaction and asked with a smile, "Look at things suspended in the air. Whether they are as light as a leaf or a feather, or as heavy as a stone, they will eventually fall to the ground. Why is that?"

Gu Zheng: ???

This answer was obviously beyond Gu Zheng's expectations. For the first time, he seriously focused his gaze on He Qing.

While it was meant to save lives, this wasn't a case of "soft mercy." While the imperial plan might require sacrifice, it certainly wasn't in this situation. Those waiting to see the imperial court's response weren't just the people of Ruizhou, but those of countless prefectures and counties across Great Chu. If Tang Lichen were abandoned, the imperial court's credibility would be severely compromised in their eyes.

How can a court that cannot gain the trust of the people govern the country?

In fact, Gu Zheng had also planned to save Tang Lichen, so he was actually quite happy to know that He Qing had the same idea as him.

He looked at He Qing, who thought he was going to say something, but in the end, Gu Zheng just looked away calmly and nodded, "Okay, I'll help you with this."

It always saves effort to talk to smart people.

However, He Qing would not admit it voluntarily, giving people a chance to criticize her. She smiled and said, "How can this be considered helping me? Lord Gu is a pillar of the court. Isn't it his duty to save the country from danger and maintain the court's dignity?"

Gu Zheng laughed, "Master, you're really too quick to destroy the bridge after crossing it."

"Lord Gu already had this intention, so I am doing something unnecessary." He Qing said lightly without changing his expression.

Gu Zheng naturally wouldn't admit it. He just smiled and turned the topic back to Tang Lichen's matter, "Master, do you have any good ideas?"

"How can there be a foolproof plan for something like this?" He Qing asked. "Ruizhou may seem like a major commotion right now, but it's still all about the imperial court's response. We absolutely cannot back down from something like this. We should send troops to suppress it. Do we even have to reason with them?"

The more assertive the imperial court appears, the less likely the rioters will dare to act. Then, they can send someone to support them. Tang Lichen is no fool; given the opportunity, he will surely escape from the government office. Without the hostages, it will be easier to deal with the rioters.