After Tang Huan and the others left, Chunfeng Tower was deathly silent.
The songstresses sat trembling in the corner, not daring to breathe.
Everyone felt the heavy atmosphere that lingered in their hearts, an atmosphere that had been building up for a long time and was ready to be ignited by a single spark.
Chunfeng Tower has become a powder keg.
"Yuan Zhao, you go back first."
After a long while, Cui Renshi spoke, signaling Cui Yuanzhao to leave.
Cui Yuanzhao stood up and patted his buttocks. "I didn't want to stay here for a long time. If it weren't for waiting for Brother Tang, I wouldn't want to keep you old geezers company. With you here, these songstresses aren't as lively as they used to be."
After making a few complaints, Cui Yuanzhao left without looking back.
"Those who have nothing else to do should go home first."
When Cui Renshi spoke again, many people immediately stood up, took their leave from him, and then left the room.
In a short while, the people who were originally sitting full of people left in a scattered manner.
In the end, only a handful of people remained.
The ministers did not leave. They saw further than the other officials and knew that Prime Minister Cui's deliberate shunning of those around him meant he definitely had something to say.
Liu Danqing had lost face today. He had voluntarily given up his position as Minister for Tang Huan, but was ruthlessly rejected. At this moment, he sat there with his head drooping, like a wilted eggplant.
Minister of Rites Xiao Ming rested his hand on his forehead, waiting for Prime Minister Cui to speak.
In contrast, Reading was more irritable. Once everyone was alone, he spoke up directly: "Prime Minister Cui, Tang Huan has gone too far today. It would be a waste not to teach him a lesson. He dares to embarrass Prime Minister Cui time and time again when he comes and goes from the capital. If we give him more opportunities to grow, he might even climb over our heads in the future."
Among the group, Reading had long harbored a grudge against Tang Huan.
Reading had intended to embarrass Tang Huan at the last poetry gathering, but ended up pleasing her instead, a fact that has lingered in his mind ever since.
Finding an opportunity, he directly persuaded Cui Renshi to take action.
Cui Renshi considered things more deeply. He pondered for a moment and said, "How much do you think His Majesty values Tang Huan?"
"What good is it if we value him? He's just a scholar who can write a few pedantic clichés. Even if we secretly kill him, what can the Empress do?"
Would he really turn against several ministers for the sake of a mere county magistrate? Reading didn't believe it.
Minister of Works Liu Danqing reminded him, "He is no longer just a scholar, nor is he the insignificant county magistrate he used to be."
Seeing everyone looking at him, he continued, "Not to mention that he is already a teacher at the Imperial Academy and a member of the Hanlin Academy, his achievements in disaster relief in Kuizhou and the ongoing Southern District project alone are indelible. If we still only regard him as a scholar, we will only suffer a great loss in the end."
"Moreover, this county magistrate seems to have many ways to make money. The entire southern district project would probably cost several hundred thousand taels of silver, but he still did it without hesitation."
Xiao Ming also spoke up.
Reading opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but he couldn't refute the two of them.
Cui Renshi's expression was cold. "His business with Yuan Zhao, selling comic books and novels, is still booming in the capital. Recently, Yuan Zhao has begun to consider expanding his business beyond the capital. In addition, Tang Huan is also collaborating with Wan Fujie to promote Fenjiu liquor."
People have already seen the strange and unusual promotional methods on the streets, and many of them have even tasted Fenjiu and have given it a high rating.
According to Cui Renshi, Wan Fujie is doing everything in his power to distribute Fenjiu to other inns, restaurants, and even brothels in the capital.
Needless to say, Wanfuji's businesses are numerous, with Fenjiu being its flagship product.
Cui Renshi could foresee that Tang Huan would be able to make a lot of money from this business within a month.
His Majesty is short of money, and Tang Huan is of great use to her at this time.
After thinking silently for a long time, Cui Renshi made a difficult decision.
"After tonight, I don't want to see Tang Huan appear in the capital again."
Even Cui Renshi felt threatened by Tang Huan.
He wouldn't give the other party a chance to continue growing. Since he had failed to win them over twice, Cui Renshi would rather the other party die in the womb than work for the enemy.
Sometimes, strengthening oneself doesn't necessarily mean expanding one's own power; striking at the enemy is also an effective method.
"I'll have someone take care of it!"
Reading revealed an unexpected level of concern.
Of all the people, he was the one who most wanted this to happen, and he wished he could personally lead the operation.
The Minister of Works looked worried, showing no joy at the threat of being eliminated, but rather a deep sense of anxiety.
Xiao Ming's expression was equally complicated.
It's clear that the two seem to have different ideas.
But at this moment, Cui Renshi didn't want to think about it anymore; he was only worried that things might get complicated if he waited too long.
"Make it as clean as possible. Even if everyone knows that Tang Huan was eliminated by us, we cannot leave any clues."
As long as there are no clues, no one can come looking for trouble.
With no one to testify to the truth, even the Empress was helpless.
The Cui family has been wielding considerable influence in the court for many years, and this is not the first time they have used similar methods.
Reading grinned and said, "I understand. I'm already very familiar with this matter and it's not that complicated. Besides, Tang Huan only has him and that guard named Li Daikui in his residence. As for the two women, we can just ignore them."
Cui Renshi waved his hand, and Redding immediately obeyed and left the room.
He felt as if he were bathed in a spring breeze, and his mood was extremely cheerful. Even inside the room, the minister's loud laughter could be heard.
Cui Renshi sat there, turning his gaze to the window, looking at Tang Huan's residence not far away.
No one knows what he's thinking.
Perhaps at some point, Prime Minister Cui felt a pang of regret for Tang Huan's talent, but in the end, he made up his mind to make Tang Huan disappear.
What Cui Xiang's faction didn't know was that after leaving Chunfeng Tower, Tang Huan secretly traveled all the way to the capital, reported everything that happened that night, and never returned.
As night deepened, it became a dark and windy time.
Several black figures suddenly appeared on the empty and quiet street.
They approached the mansion ahead with practiced ease, their footsteps barely visible, and everyone had already slid down and entered the mansion.
"Since moving in here, Tang Huan has always slept in the main room. Everyone should work together to resolve this as quickly as possible. If we encounter any other people from the manor, we should kill them all as well."
The order only required the elimination of Tang Huan, but if others were to act recklessly, they wouldn't mind killing a few more.
After all, who hasn't had blood on their hands when they've done this kind of thing?
The group of seven or eight people knew the mansion well and kept pressing for the place where the group would rest the previous day.
Suddenly, the person at the front stopped abruptly and raised his hand sharply.
Everyone immediately stood still.
A figure could be vaguely seen under the dim eaves ahead.
"Li Daikui?" someone in the crowd asked doubtfully.
"No." The leader denied this possibility. "The height and build are different, but since they were caught, whoever it is, he won't live to see tomorrow."
Without waiting for orders, the crowd immediately surrounded and attacked.
Suddenly, swords flashed and shadows fell.
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