The next morning, the heavy snow stopped and the sky was clear blue. Fu Xiaoguan got up early.
The court was closed, so he didn't have to attend the court meeting, but today he had to go to the palace to meet his father-in-law, the emperor.
After he had breakfast and was about to go out, someone came.
He is Dong Kangping!
Fu Xiaoguan quickly welcomed Dong Kangping to Lichenxuan. As soon as Dong Kangping sat down, he gave him a shocking news:
"Qin Huizhi has been released without charge."
Fu Xiaoguan paused while brewing tea and raised his head. "When did this happen?"
"Just two days ago, at the last grand court meeting before Mu Xiu..."
Dong Kangping gave Fu Xiaoguan a meaningful look and said, "Also released are those officials who slandered you, including Huang Zhong."
This was a signal sent by Emperor Xuan. He was afraid that in the next critical year, many officials related to him would be replaced.
Fu Xiaoguan lowered his head to make tea, but his tone was much calmer than Dong Kangping had imagined. "So, Prime Minister Yan is about to abdicate."
"That's not necessarily true. After all, His Majesty hasn't reinstated Qin Huizhi yet."
"But the position of Vice Minister of State Affairs has been vacant for a long time... After my son-in-law took Li Cai away, who is now the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue?"
"Chang Huan, the third brother of Chang Yongle, the governor of Hangzhou in the eastern Jiangnan region, and the former director of the Hangzhou Weaving Bureau."
Not knowing him, Fu Xiaoguan did not take this Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue named Chang Huan seriously.
He didn't know that the young master Chang Huan who was shot by Su Su in Wofeng City was Chang Yongle's son and Chang Huan's nephew.
"How about this Chang Huan?"
"He's a very good person, and he's quite thoughtful. I know what you're worried about, and I'm here today to tell you that as long as you're safe and sound, neither the Dong Mansion nor the Yan Clan will have any problems.
But if something unexpected happens to you..." Dong Kangping picked up the teacup and blew on it, "then many accidents will happen!"
"Don't take any chances and assume anyone's good intentions, especially now!
You are no longer alone, and I believe you understand the gravity of the situation. I also want to tell you that His Majesty met with your fellow apprentices individually, and at the grand court meeting two days ago, He canonized the Daoist temple as the state religion, naming it Daoism and allowing it to establish altars and temples throughout the Yu Dynasty.
But the first leader was neither the Taoist temple master nor your senior brother Su Jue, but Su Yuanyuan, the fattest one."
Fu Xiaoguan frowned when he heard the news, but soon felt relieved.
He had mentioned the matter of making the Taoist temple the state religion of the Yu Dynasty to Emperor Xuan one day after he became a junior disciple of the Taoist temple, and now it was just a natural outcome.
As for the leader, the master whom he had never met disappeared without a trace, and the eldest senior brother Su Jue was in charge of the Six Gates, so only the second senior brother Gao Yuanyuan was here.
He didn't believe that someone as simple and honest as Gao Yuanyuan would have any other thoughts.
Dong Kangping took a sip of tea and said, "Being a ruler of a country, it is essential to check and balance your subjects. Don't underestimate Your Majesty, and don't overestimate human nature."
He stood up and said, "You go ahead. I'll go see my granddaughter."
Fu Xiaoguan nodded and brought Xu Xinyan to the front door. Jia Nanxing stood up from the rocking chair and said, "From now on, I will stay by your side until Bei Wangchuan arrives."
Fu Xiaoguan was stunned. "What is Bei Wangchuan doing here?"
"Of course, it is also to protect the safety of His Highness. This is His Majesty's intention."
Jia Nanxing did not say that there was another sentence in the secret decree given to him by His Majesty: If that old bastard Emperor Xuan really wants to turn against us, let Bei Wangchuan shoot him with an arrow!
…
…
The back garden of Dieyi Palace, Banyanxuan.
The heater in the room was burning brightly, and a stick of sandalwood was burning, which was very calming.
Emperor Xuan was wearing plain clothes and lying lazily on a couch, holding a book in his hands and reading it carefully.
Last night, the eldest princess went to the Ding'an Earl's Mansion and told him a shocking news - Fu Xiaoguan said he would give him a large territory!
Of course this is necessary, so Fu Xiaoguan naturally has to see it.
We must also meet happily, cordially, and in a lively manner!
When the eunuch led Fu Xiaoguan into the Banyan Pavilion, Emperor Xuan put down the book in his hand, sat up straight, a bright smile on his face, and waved his hand, "Sit down!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Emperor Xuan looked up at Jia Nanxing standing outside the door, and his heart sank slightly - this was a signal released by Fu Xiaoguan, he was on guard against me!
His face was still full of joy. "It's been a long and tiring journey. Thank you for your hard work!"
Fu Xiaoguan grinned and said, "This is what a son-in-law should do."
Emperor Xuan personally brewed a pot of tea and went straight to the point:
"You're going to fight the barbarians?"
"Exactly."
"How sure are you?"
"If Your Majesty can give an order to Peng Chengwu, the General of the Northern Frontier Army, we will have an 80% chance of success."
Emperor Xuan was silent for a moment, then raised his eyes and asked, "What if I don't give Peng Chengwu this order?"
Fu Xiaoguan spread his hands and said, "Then the Desolate Country belongs to the Wu Dynasty."
Emperor Xuan was shocked. "Wu Dynasty? Wu Dynasty is in the south. How can it rule the desolate country from afar?"
"...Your Majesty, it won't be too difficult for the Wu Dynasty to rule the Huang Kingdom. If we conquer the Yi Kingdom, won't that make it all one? To be honest, Your Majesty, I have already requested that the Emperor Wu send troops to conquer the Yi Kingdom. If Your Majesty truly does not wish to take the Huang Kingdom's territory, then I would be disrespectful to refuse."
Emperor Xuan frowned. If the Wu Dynasty conquered the Yi Kingdom and then the Huang Kingdom, then the Yu Dynasty would be surrounded on three sides...
He took a deep breath and asked, "Wu Chao, is he really that capable?"
Fu Xiaoguan bowed and said, "To be honest with Your Majesty, I think Wu Chao can really..."
He paused, sighed, and continued, "No matter what, the Yu Dynasty is my homeland where I was born and raised, so I want the Yu Dynasty to occupy the Huang Kingdom. Otherwise... while I'm alive, the two countries may live in peace, but if I die, I really can't care about the flood after my death."
Emperor Xuan was speechless for a moment.
He couldn't tell whether Fu Xiaoguan's words were a threat or full of sincerity.
Of course, he was unwilling to be surrounded on three sides by a powerful Wu Dynasty. He also doubted whether the Wu Dynasty had the ability to swallow up the two countries, but he did not dare to gamble!
Because the one who planned this was Fu Xiaoguan!
If this was a pit, he had to jump into it, but he couldn't figure out where the pit was even after thinking about it all night last night.
The territory of the barbarians is extremely large. If the Yu Dynasty obtains it, the area of the entire country will increase by nearly half!
This was a tempting piece of fat meat, and he had been planning to eat it. Now that he understood Fu Xiaoguan's intention, he wanted to eat it even more.
Besides, the barbarians are the biggest threat to the Yu Dynasty now. If they can be defeated in one fell swoop, the Yu Dynasty will usher in a good situation of long-term stability.
"How do you want me to thank you?"
"Heaven and earth can bear witness to my heart..."
Fu Xiaoguan suddenly looked out the window and said with a smile, "That patch of white is a little too thin. How about Your Majesty asking Her Majesty to plant a patch of wintersweet?"
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