Bai Yuanshan truly lived up to his reputation as the prime minister who had stood firm in the court for decades; his move struck right at the heart of the matter.
I really didn't misjudge him!
It just so happens that Emperor Xingchang is very wary of Feng Beichuan and Li Chang'an. One controls the court and the other holds a large army. Moreover, the two seem to have formed a united front, which is undoubtedly a major threat to him.
Bai Yuanshan's move could directly dismantle half of the opponent's forces. Once Li Chang'an left the capital for the western border, he would have a reason to take back military power.
Once the army can be used for one's own purposes, all problems will be solved. As for Feng Beichuan, he will be nothing more than an ant in the end.
"Very well, since that's the case, then I will appoint my son as the Imperial Censor of the Western Frontier, and he shall depart immediately to support the disaster relief efforts."
"No!"
Before Li Chang'an could kneel down to receive the decree, Feng Beichuan stepped in front of her.
"Regent, what do you mean by this?"
A hint of displeasure flashed across Emperor Xingchang's face, and his tone became somewhat unpleasant.
I said, this is unacceptable!
Feng Beichuan repeated himself, word by word, his fist clenched tightly in his sleeve, leaving only white knuckles.
"Why not tell me? If the Regent can come up with a better solution, then I have nothing to say!"
Bai Yuanshan immediately stepped forward, adopting an aggressive stance.
Two sharp gazes immediately shot over, and Feng Beichuan stared straight at Baiyun Mountain with an icy expression, saying, "Send anyone, but not her."
Looking at the man's resolute face, Li Chang'an suddenly felt a surge of inexplicable and complex emotions.
I am never fighting alone.
"Why not? The Regent mustn't let his own selfish desires jeopardize matters of state!"
Bai Yuanshan continued to press forward relentlessly, and accurately grasped the opponent's weakness.
He knew very well that Feng Beichuan's refusal to let Li Chang'an go to Bianxi was more out of personal feelings, and it was precisely because of this that he could seize this loophole and leave the other party with no way out.
Everyone understood the hidden meaning in Bai Yuanshan's words. Logically speaking, Feng Beichuan and Li Chang'an should have avoided each other at this moment.
Forming cliques for personal gain is a serious crime!
However, Feng Beichuan appeared quite composed. He stepped forward and bowed slightly to Xinchang, saying, "Whether out of personal motives or for the sake of the overall situation, I believe that Your Highness should not be sent to the west."
"Then tell me your thoughts!"
Emperor Xingchang was already getting impatient. If Feng Beichuan hadn't suddenly stepped in, the matter would have been settled long ago.
These are two big problems!
“The western border is far away. If we go there, we will not be able to return for at least a year or two. Now, the neighboring countries are making moves and other small border tribes are also eyeing our Shengnan. If any of them launch an attack, I ask you, who here has the ability to go to the battlefield?”
Feng Beichuan was not to be outdone, and his words were well-reasoned and supported by evidence, firmly grasping everyone's weaknesses.
"Since this idea was proposed by Your Excellency the Prime Minister, then you must be prepared to lead troops into battle for His Highness. I never imagined that Your Excellency, at the age of sixty, could still have such ambition. You are truly still as sharp as ever. I admire you very much..."
These words left Bai Yuanshan speechless. Although he was furious at Feng Beichuan's sarcastic remarks, he didn't know how to refute them.
This put even Emperor Xingchang in a difficult position.
He had originally thought that following Bai Yuanshan's method would eliminate a major threat, but after listening to Feng Beichuan's analysis, he realized that it was indeed inappropriate.
Looking around, apart from Li Chang'an, there is indeed no one else in the entire Sheng Nan Kingdom who can fight as bravely as her.
Moreover, the current situation is indeed tense. If Li Chang'an is sent to the western border and others take advantage of the chaos, wouldn't that be a loss?
"Hmph, I refuse to believe it. Does such a large country only need one woman to fight a war? Does our Sheng Nan Kingdom lack capable men who can fight?"
Bai Yuanshan was very dissatisfied, so he stepped forward and questioned Feng Beichuan in return.
"Since the Prime Minister thinks so, why don't you go and look for it now? If you really find it, then everyone will be happy."
Feng Beichuan raised his chin and gave Bai Yunshan two disdainful eye rolls.
The atmosphere in the court suddenly became tense because of the argument between the two.
Emperor Xingchang, naturally, couldn't let these two fight to the death here, so he had to step in to smooth things over. He coughed twice and said, "Since that's the case, let's not consider sending Chang'an to the west for now. However, the disaster relief work does need a person in charge. Does anyone have a candidate to recommend?"
Seeing that the emperor had made a concession, Feng Beichuan's expression softened slightly. He was too lazy to pay attention to the old man anymore, so he turned to Emperor Xingchang and said, "Actually, it would be enough to just send Magistrate Fang to be in charge of this matter. In addition, other counties near the border can send people to provide support, so that we don't have to spend too much time traveling."
In the end, Emperor Xingchang adopted Feng Beichuan's suggestion, and the matter was finally put to rest.
After the court session, Li Chang'an was originally planning to return to the General's Mansion to deal with the account books that Qin Xiashi had sent over the night before, but he was stopped by the head eunuch before he even left the main hall.
"Your Highness, please wait a moment. Please go to the Imperial Study."
Although the head eunuch bowed respectfully to Li Chang'an, he stood firmly in front of her.
Li Chang'an was surprised, but he knew that this must be the emperor's intention, so he went to the imperial study with the chief eunuch.
Emperor Xingchang was already waiting inside, her face gloomy and deep in thought.
The door to the Imperial Study was suddenly opened. Emperor Xinchang quickly composed himself and skillfully put on a kind and gentle expression as he looked at the woman who walked in and said with a smile, "Chang'an, you've arrived. Please sit down. The tea on the table is freshly brewed. Would you like to try some?"
Although Emperor Xingchang was currently behaving like a loving father, Li Chang'an knew in his heart that his summons was definitely not just for a simple tea party, so he got straight to the point and said, "Father, please speak freely."
A dark and ambiguous look flashed in Emperor Xingchang's eyes, and his expression froze for a moment, but he then smiled and said, "There's no need to be so serious since it's just the two of us, father and daughter. I called you here for no important matter, just to ask about my daughter's recent situation. Have you settled in well since you came to the capital?"
Although Emperor Xingchang tried his best to appear relaxed and natural, Li Chang'an remained vigilant. She pursed her lips and then honestly replied, "Everything is fine, and I'm not used to anything. Thank you for your concern, Father."
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