Li Xi presented the intelligence he had gathered to the emperor.
Within two days, Wang Youzhi, the censor, was promoted in name only but demoted in reality, and was transferred to be the prefect of Lingcheng.
The Censor was a fourth-rank official, while the Prefect of Lingcheng was a fourth-rank official.
However, Lingcheng borders Yunli Kingdom and is located on the frontier, where the people are known for their fierce and unruly nature.
In addition, the border of Yunli Kingdom has been frequently harassed in recent years, making Lingcheng a hot potato that can only be defended by someone with courage and wisdom.
The Emperor ostensibly said this transfer was to give him some experience.
When Wang Youzhi received the transfer order, his expression remained unchanged, but a subtle, complex emotion flashed in his eyes.
The man surnamed Li who went fishing with Wang Youzhi that day contacted Liang Wang's men after returning home.
The censor's investigation found no problems; the account books were indeed handed to him by the mysterious person. It can only be said that he did indeed fulfill his duties as a censor.
The emperor never expected that his third prince would try to remove the crown prince from power time and time again, but if the crown prince acted with integrity, what was there to fear from others framing him?
However, this Prince Liang is ruthless and disregards brotherly affection. If he were to ascend the throne one day, he would likely exterminate all the other princes.
The emperor pondered to himself, his brow furrowed.
Seeing this, Li Xi acted as if she were invisible, standing there with her head down, seemingly lost in thought.
"Go back and get some rest. You'll be busy again as soon as you come back from your trip." The emperor waved his hand, signaling her to leave.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I shall take my leave."
The imperial court was rife with intrigue and power struggles, often accompanied by blood and tears. But he was even more unwilling to see fratricide and the disintegration of his family.
So the emperor summoned several trusted ministers and they talked in secret in the imperial study until late at night.
The following day, in the imperial court, the emperor used the pretext of training his princes.
The Prince of Liang was appointed Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies to receive envoys from various countries who were about to come to the capital to participate in the trade fair.
Ren Anwang was appointed as the Imperial Inspector, tasked with inspecting the emperor's territory on behalf of the emperor.
Prince Jing, Qi Xuan, had only recently returned to the palace, so he began to learn the ways of governing the country from His Majesty.
The emperor's arrangement is both a test of the princes' abilities and a subtle adjustment to the future political landscape.
Upon hearing this, the assembled officials in the imperial court were all secretly alarmed.
When King Liang heard that his fifth brother was learning the ways of governing the country from his father, he was furious and could only clench his fists in anger.
Am I not good enough? Why did I only get such a useless position?
Why is the fifth brother so highly regarded by our father?
King Liang was filled with resentment and doubt, but he maintained his usual composure on the surface.
He knew that in the imperial court, every move he made could become a target for others to attack, and that his current forbearance was for the sake of greater achievements in the future.
Prince An remained calm, showing little emotional reaction to his appointment.
Acting as an imperial inspector is nothing more than hard labor, but its advantage lies in freedom.
However, when he saw the King of Liang's indignant yet helpless expression, he couldn't help but secretly laugh at him.
Those who think themselves clever will eventually shoot themselves in the foot. The elder brother thought that the emperor couldn't see through his thoughts, so he made so many underhanded moves behind the scenes.
The officials below were also secretly pondering; it seemed His Majesty was going to abandon the Crown Prince and favor the Fifth Prince.
It seems premature to take sides. His Majesty is in his prime and has many underage princes. The future situation is still unclear, and it is too early to draw conclusions now.
In the imperial court, a turbulent situation was brewing, with various factions secretly vying for power, each cautiously concealing their strengths and unwilling to reveal their trump cards too early.
The official at the lower seat pondered to himself that he should not blindly follow the Fifth Prince, lest he become a pawn if the situation changed in the future.
The Crown Prince should not be neglected either, as he is still the rightful heir apparent with a solid foundation.
Last year's trade fair, jointly organized by the Emperor Emeritus and Chairman Wang of the Qiyang Chamber of Commerce, was an unprecedented success. It not only attracted numerous business tycoons and celebrities from home and abroad, but also promoted the circulation of goods and cultural exchanges between the north and south.
Therefore, this year's trade fair will attract more participants.
So the emperor got involved, and the King of Liang was put in charge of the preparation and security for the trade fair.
This task was difficult, so King Liang had been running around non-stop for days.
Since marrying the King of Liang, Du Ruoxi has been content to be a queen and is now pregnant. She has also become more gentle.
"Your Highness, please have a bowl of lotus seed soup. I have noticed that you have been working too hard lately, and your complexion looks a little haggard." Du Ruoxi steadily held a bowl of still steaming lotus seed soup in her hands.
King Liang looked up, took the lotus seed soup, and said softly, "Thank you for your consideration, Your Highness. I am indeed a little tired. Let the servants do these chores. Now that you are pregnant, you must be careful."
Upon hearing this, Du Ruoxi smiled gently: "Your Highness is too kind. As your wife, it is only natural for me to share your burdens. Besides, I am happy to prepare some food for Your Highness myself. Is Your Highness troubled by the trade fair?"
Although she didn't want to marry the Prince of Liang at first, their marriage was relatively harmonious.
Moreover, the Prince of Liang treated her with utmost care and affection. Gradually, the resistance and unease in her heart were replaced by warmth and happiness.
However, after she was three months pregnant, Consort Jing took Lin Wenying, the daughter of the chief tutor, as her concubine, citing her need to take care of her pregnancy and the inconvenience of serving Prince Liang.
Although the prince doted on her, Lin Wenying was a seductive woman, so she had to be careful.
King Liang sighed softly and put down the empty bowl in his hand. "This task is indeed difficult. I have neither military power nor capable people. If I do not handle this well, I am afraid that my father will be disgusted with me."
Upon hearing this, her heart tightened slightly, but she gently stroked the frown on Prince Liang's brow and whispered, "Your Highness, do not worry. My father should have some knowledge about this. Perhaps I can go back and ask him?"
These words pleased King Liang greatly. "Then thank you very much, Your Highness. My father-in-law is a senior official in the court, with extensive knowledge and experience. He will surely be able to guide me. You are feeling unwell, so I will accompany you back to the General's Mansion tomorrow."
Du Ruoxi's grandfather was the Zhenyuan General, and her father and brother were also generals with real power. They were a family of generals with great prestige.
The Empress entered the Eastern Palace and ascended to the position of Empress because of her illustrious family background.
At that time, it was a time of great power and prestige, but now there is almost no war. Therefore, even if one holds military power, it is not as effective as the civil officials who have a say in the court.
With Li Xi now free, Chairman Wang pulled her to help out at the Qiyang Chamber of Commerce.
"Xiaoxi, look how heartless you are. If I didn't contact you, you wouldn't even come to see me or help me out?" Chairman Wang said with a dissatisfied expression.
Li Xi was out of sorts lately, and she forced a smile, saying, "I'm sorry, I've been quite busy lately."
Wang Lianyi noticed Li Xi's flustered state and found it rather strange, but she didn't think much of it, assuming she was just genuinely overwhelmed with work.
"Hey, I was just saying, why are you taking it so seriously?"
Li Xi: "Then I will stay here today and listen to the chairman's instructions."
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