The emperor set a precedent, making Yao Jiancheng the first official to lose his head.
The ministers were all trembling with fear.
No one expected the emperor to be so ruthless.
When Prime Minister Li met with the Fourth Prince, he was even more cautious.
In this matter, the fourth prince was the one who benefited the most.
The emperor felt that bestowing a marriage upon him would be beneath his dignity, so he granted him the fiefdom and princely title that he had been delaying in granting.
Seeing the Prime Minister looking like a frightened bird, the Fourth Prince scoffed, "Prime Minister, rest assured, no one here will find out."
"His Majesty abhors the formation of cliques and the pursuit of personal gain." Thinking of Yao Jian, Prime Minister Li felt lingering fear.
He did not believe that he could compare with Grand Tutor Yao in the Emperor's eyes.
The Emperor can kill even Grand Tutor Yao without hesitation. If it is revealed that he has colluded with the Fourth Prince, he will surely suffer a terrible death.
The fourth prince, seeing his trembling appearance, was very impatient. "When did the prime minister become so timid?"
After she finished speaking, she quietly looked at him.
Prime Minister Li took a deep breath. "I wonder what business Your Highness has with me?"
The fourth prince picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said with a half-smile, "I need the Prime Minister's help."
Prime Minister Li's heart skipped a beat. He knew the Fourth Prince's methods all too well. Help him? This favor might not be easy to do.
"I wonder what Your Highness needs me to do?" Prime Minister Li asked, bowing his head.
Lin Mupo stood up, walked to Prime Minister Li's side, and said in a low voice, "You proposed in court that Prince Yu go to the southwest."
Prime Minister Li's eyes widened. How could this be? He had served as an official for many years and had always maintained neutrality. It was only after being entangled with the Prince of Qi that he had no choice but to stand on his side.
But nobody knew.
He remained the same loyal minister who never participated in any of the princes' power struggles.
King Qi's move was clearly intended to force King Yu to leave Shangjing.
It would be understandable to submit a memorial requesting that Prince Yu go to the northwest.
After all, the Northwest was the brother-in-law of the Prince of Yu, and no one said anything when the family was together.
Go to the southwest, where the people from the Duke of Su's mansion are stationed.
What is the King of Qi trying to do?
"If the Prime Minister is unwilling..." King Qi looked at him with cold eyes.
Prime Minister Li hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I am willing, but..."
"Just what?" King Qi frowned slightly.
"But I need time to prepare." Cold sweat beaded on Prime Minister Li's forehead. He had to come up with a solution that would allow him to avoid offending either the Prince of Qi or the Prince of Yu, while still protecting himself.
"You don't need to make any excuses. Soon the battle report from the southwest will reach the palace. The southwest will request reinforcements, and Father will have to send someone."
Prime Minister Li looked at Prince Qi with suspicion, "How did Your Highness know about the battle report?"
The southwestern battlefield was more than a thousand miles away from the capital.
Even with the fastest horses, it would take some time for battle reports from there to reach the capital.
The imperial court has not yet received any reports of battles in the southwest.
Why was the King of Qi so certain that there was a war in the southwest?
"All you need to do is propose in court that Mu Heng leave the capital for the southwest. You don't need to worry about anything else," the Prince of Qi said impatiently.
Prime Minister Li dared not ask any further questions.
"Your Majesty, I will find a way." Prime Minister Li had no other choice.
He had guessed it too.
The King of Qi wanted to get the King of Yu away.
I wonder what he wants to do?
next day
Emperor Rongsheng flew into a rage.
War has broken out in the southwest.
They lost two cities in one fell swoop.
This is an utter disgrace.
The Sun family was so suppressed by the emperor that they could hardly breathe.
They weren't as dedicated in the southwest.
The emperor then sent his trusted confidants to the southwest.
The generals leading troops in the southwest today are from a collateral branch of the Sun family.
The Sun family is already torn apart.
Everyone wanted to gain control of the Southwest.
The enemy seized the opportunity. The generals of the southwestern army were busy seizing power and had no idea that the enemy had already deployed troops, catching Sun's army off guard.
Recognizing the critical situation, the generals of the Sun family's collateral branches decided to temporarily set aside their power struggles and unite against the external enemy. They urgently mobilized troops, formulated strategies, and prepared to meet the enemy's next attack.
At the same time, the Sun family also sent soldiers to deliver a message, requesting assistance from the imperial court.
However, because the Sun family had been suppressed by the emperor, other forces adopted a wait-and-see attitude and no one took the initiative to intervene in the southwest.
The Sun family is too ruthless; one wrong move and you could be accused of treason.
Nobody wants to do this job.
The ministers could tell.
The Sun family's power was waning, and the Emperor intended to send troops to their aid.
Everyone huddled up like quails, afraid that the emperor would call on them.
The Sun family faced a predicament of internal and external troubles, while the enemy country took advantage of the situation to intensify its offensive, making the war situation in the southwest increasingly severe.
Going to the southwest is not necessarily a good job.
Two cities in the southwest have already been lost. If we take over and lose them again, it will surely anger the emperor once more.
No one dared to take on this hot potato.
Emperor Rongsheng's face darkened.
They're all utterly useless.
"Prime Minister, who do you think is suitable to go?" Emperor Rongsheng asked, looking at Prime Minister Li, who was frequently wiping away sweat.
Prime Minister Li, whose name was called, hurriedly came into the emperor's view.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty did not..." Prime Minister Li stammered.
"Then how about letting Li Sheng go?" Emperor Rongsheng asked with a half-smile.
"Your Majesty, you mustn't!" Prime Minister Li immediately knelt down.
Although his son was named Sheng, it was the expectation the prime minister had for him when he was a child.
That expectation has long been dashed.
Besides eating, drinking, and having fun, Li Sheng has nothing else to offer that he's good at.
If we really send him to fight in the southwest, his entire army will be wiped out.
At that time, the ancestors of the Li family for eight generations will be dug up and their corpses whipped.
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