Hu Tianyong and Xu Ming slowly stood up.
Xu Ming turned his head and glared at Hu Tianyong with a gloomy face: "Lord Hu, I only want to ask you one question: Do you really have that Ghost God Weapon Talisman?"
Hu Tianyong also turned his head, looking at Hu Tianyong with a cold gaze, silently confronting him.
"Lord Xu, this shouldn't be your concern! What I have or don't have is none of your business! But there is something I want to clarify. What exactly did you take from my residence for my birthday? Did you have someone place that golden toad from the Qin family in my ancestral hall? Otherwise, how would your daughter know so much about it?"
Upon hearing Hu Tianyong's words, Xu Ming's brows immediately furrowed, and his voice rose two decibels: "Lord Hu, are you now trying to turn the tables on us? Hmph, I know perfectly well how you harmed the Third Prince! Hmph, and as for your daughter, that abandoned concubine, who knows if your family deliberately arranged for her death to drag us down with them? Lord Hu, you used such methods skillfully back then. Using them on me now, isn't that a bit too disrespectful!"
Hu Tianyong's face turned pale with anger. He quickly glanced around, then walked to Xu Ming's side and whispered through gritted teeth, "Lord Xu, don't forget, you were also involved in the Qin family's affairs back then!"
"So what?" Xu Ming said without any less ruthlessness, "Don't forget, I was just a small general back then. Without the Prime Minister's planning and instructions, I probably wouldn't have been so impulsive as to execute the Empress's entire family! Hmph, Lord Hu, I'm not stupid. Even if I told others, they might not believe me!"
Hu Tianyong looked at Xu Ming, raised his eyebrows in surprise, and whispered, "What do you mean by that? Do you think you have some leverage over me from what happened back then?"
Xu Ming gave a cold smile, his gaze fixed on Hu Tianyong, and said with a hint of ferocity, "Lord Hu, some things are best left unsaid! Although I am not as meticulous as you are, I am not necessarily a fish on the chopping block. Some things are better left unsaid, no matter how many years have passed."
Hu Tianyong's expression changed drastically upon hearing Xu Ming's words.
Xu Ming, however, revealed a smug smile: "Lord Hu, there's no need for such surprise. I believe you also possess some things you intend to use to deliver a fatal blow to me at any time. Let's not be too clear about our mutual affairs. However, I would like to remind you, Lord Hu, that since thirteen years ago, the two of us, or rather our two families, have been in the same boat. No matter how hard we try, we can't escape. Therefore, such mutual scheming will only harm ourselves in the end. So, Lord Hu, you should be more cautious in your actions in the future!"
After saying that, Xu Ming gave Hu Tianyong a cold laugh and turned to walk towards the door.
Just as Hu Tianyong was glaring angrily at Xu Ming's back, Xu Ming suddenly turned around and said coldly to Hu Tianyong, "By the way, Lord Hu, it seems that the silver allocated to us by the Ministry of War recently is a bit insufficient. Lord Hu would like to keep an eye on it, after all, so many people need to eat. If we can't keep our jobs, I'm afraid Lord Hu's job will also fall to the ground."
After saying that, Xu Ming strode out arrogantly, leaving Hu Tianyong standing there dumbfounded, staring at Xu Ming's back with his fists clenched tightly together.
The two thought their conversation was private, but soon everything they said was heard by Lan Shanyang, who was listening to Lan Linxue from behind.
"That's what they said?"
Lan Shanyang asked the returning eunuch calmly.
"Your Majesty, that's exactly what they said! This servant hasn't missed a single word!"
Lan Shanyang nodded. Quan Jing immediately waved the little eunuch away.
Lan Linxue looked at Lan Shanyang and smiled coldly: "This is just dogs biting each other! I just wonder what decision Hu Tianyong will make this time. Will he still tolerate Xu Ming's arrogance and continue to tie the two of them together?"
Lan Qingtian frowned and paced back and forth a couple of times, saying doubtfully, "Is it possible? How arrogant has Xu Ming become? He's simply unreasonable! Even if it were a second-rank official in the imperial court, let alone Hu Tianyong who has been in power for so many years, they would still be unable to hold back!"
Lan Shanyang didn't react to Lan Qingtian's words. He simply looked down at the beaded string in his hand and said calmly, "This isn't a matter of whether to endure or not, but that Xu Ming shouldn't have told Hu Tianyong that he had evidence against him! Hu Tianyong is the kind of person who uses others when he can, but he'll ruthlessly strike when danger arises. What Hu Tianyong can't tolerate most is being controlled by others! Otherwise, he wouldn't have supported my ascension to the throne back then! Hmph, but he'll never have imagined that this would be his most fatal mistake!"
Lan Linxue chuckled wickedly, "He's been so accurate with his calculations all these years, it's time he made a mistake! This world can't be so unfair, letting others bear all the bad things while he reaps the benefits all by himself!"
Lan Shanyang smiled faintly: "Hehe, he can't escape this time! Because tomorrow I will have all the court officials come together to decide on the choice of the crown prince!"
"What?"
Lan Qingtian and Lan Linxue were both taken aback.
Lan Shanyang raised his head and glanced at the two of them indifferently: "What? Is this decision surprising? Without a crown prince, the court's foundation is unstable. Isn't having my subordinates recommend a crown prince a brilliant move to make this situation even more prosperous?"
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