Chapter 24 Chapter 24 He likes to be in the dark.
There is no sunlight at the foot of the mountain all year round, and the person in front of me is standing even further out, which seems to block the warmth of the sunlight outside.
The words just now were playful, threatening, and even had a condescending tone.
If Shangguan Xu had not been prepared for today's situation, he would probably have been scared by him.
Shangguan Xu stared at him, even though he was facing the light, even though his eyes were hidden in the shadows of his brows and long eyelashes, she stared at him intently, without a trace of fear.
She chuckled and said, "Negotiate terms? Didn't Lord Xu and I already discuss today's matter? What terms are we talking about?"
That day, on the mountain behind Jingming Temple, the two of them stood together at the corner of the mountain path, watching Su Ran stride up and look for their traces on the resting platform.
Shangguan Xu looked down and whispered, "If we want to weaken the Su family's power, we can't start with Su Xingzheng."
"Why?" the young man behind her asked in a cold voice, "Your Majesty is reluctant to part with the childhood friendship between you and Lord Su?"
Shangguan Xu frowned and turned to glare at him: "Master Xu, why do you always say such strange things?"
Xu Qing'an lowered his eyes, frowned slightly, and did not answer.
Shangguan Xu then looked down and continued, "You've said before that we shouldn't push people too far. Su Xingzheng's importance to Prime Minister Su is self-evident. If we attack him now, Prime Minister Su will surely retaliate. With our current strength, we might not be able to withstand it."
"Oh." Xu Qing'an sighed with a hint of regret. He then asked, "Then where does the Empress want to start?"
Shangguan Xu asked in return, "If I touch Su Xingzheng, where do you think Prime Minister Su will strike back?"
She turned around and looked up at Xu Qing'an.
Xu Qing'an pondered, "Your Majesty, are you trying to prevent any problems before they happen?"
Shangguan Xu raised his lips and smiled slightly.
——
Shangguan Xu had long anticipated that if she kept pressing on with the matter of the Censorate, Su Wang would definitely retaliate, so she could not combine the Censorate and Su Ran to do it. She had to force Su Wang to take the next step first, and then resolve it in time to prevent future troubles.
And "not being able to act as regent without the Queen Mother's decree" was Su Wang's next step, which was also his warning to Shangguan Xu to investigate the case of the Censorate.
Therefore, Shangguan Xu first ordered the entire court to go to Mount Li in order to move this turmoil away from the capital.
Xu Qing'an naturally knew this too.
Therefore, he had not paid attention to the affairs of the Censorate some time ago and had focused on making shadow puppets. One reason was to avoid being too conspicuous in front of Su, and the other was to find a reason to meet her legitimately after coming to Mount Li and when Shangguan Xu was not convenient to act as regent.
The little emperor loved shadow puppetry, and telling him stories was a good reason.
At the foot of the mountain wall, Xu Qing'an faced Shangguan Xu's question with a smile in his eyes.
Shangguan Xu raised his eyebrows slightly and said in a gentle and charming voice, "Could it be that Master Xu sees that the current situation is not going well and wants to take advantage of the situation to rob us?"
There was also a hint of mockery in her eyes, as if she was responding to what he had just said.
Xu Qing'an sighed softly and said half-seriously, "Your Majesty, why are you speaking so seriously? Your Majesty and I are now in the same boat. How can I be accused of taking advantage of someone's misfortune? I simply felt the climb was unbearably tedious, so I thought I'd give Your Majesty a little fun. But if I could earn a reward from you for this, that would be truly wonderful."
Shangguan Xu couldn't help but squinted at him, then turned a few inches and leaned towards him. "Your joke is really strange. You're thinking about asking for a reward right at the beginning."
Xu Qing'an nodded: "Your Majesty is right, business is more important."
He calmed down and answered her initial question, "According to the timing, the news from Youzhou will soon reach the capital. The Spring Examination has not yet begun, and students from all walks of life are gathered in the capital. Once the news spreads, with a little manipulation, it will inevitably arouse the anger of the students. That will be Your Majesty's opportunity."
"And now the arrangements in the capital have been completed. Your Majesty only needs to wait."
At the beginning of this year, a snowstorm hit Youzhou, destroying all houses and displacing people. The imperial court sent people to provide disaster relief overnight, but some counties in Youzhou still experienced food looting, and in the end, the local county magistrate even led the seizure of reserved military rations.
Now the main culprit and accomplices have been arrested, and all that is left is for the Ministry of Justice to review and sentence the death penalty.
The news Xu Qing'an mentioned was about this matter.
On the surface, it seems that the local county magistrate broke the law knowingly and committed banditry, but in the final analysis, he was also doing it to ensure that the local disaster victims had food to eat and would not starve to death.
So there is a lot to be done about this matter.
Not only Xu Qing'an was handling the affairs in the capital, Shangguan Xu also secretly arranged A Zheng to keep an eye on the situation. Indeed, everything was going according to plan.
But... she couldn't help but ask, "I wanted to ask you before. The Youzhou incident isn't a small matter, but it's not big enough to be known to everyone either. How did you get the news before the prison case was brought to the capital?"
That day, after Shangguan Xu decided not to attack Su Ran first, Xu Qing'an told her about the Youzhou incident. At first, she didn't completely believe it, but later she sent people to Youzhou to investigate and confirmed the matter.
As the Queen Mother, she couldn't even keep up to date with everything that was happening in the Jin Dynasty. How did he do it?
Xu Qing'an smiled easily and said, "Your Majesty, you forgot. I used to work at the Censorate. I don't know how many memorials they received from the local censors every day. I paid close attention to them and learned about this matter. However, the matter was already under control by the local government, so naturally no one at the Censorate was willing to make a fuss about it."
The censors of the Censorate accumulated merits by impeaching officials. However, for officials like this who had already been controlled, further impeachment would be useless without new evidence, and they would naturally not be able to leave the Censorate or appear in the court.
When Xu Qing'an saw Shangguan Xu didn't say anything, he knew that she believed his words.
He smiled slightly and said, "So it seems that I am still somewhat useful. Your Majesty is in a high position and it is difficult for her to have a clear understanding of the overall situation. I am playing a role in checking for omissions and filling gaps."
Shangguan Xu turned around and faced him: "Are you asking for a reward again?"
Xu Qing was quiet for a moment.
Shangguan Xu thought that she had exposed his words, making his cleverness useless, but she also felt that he was the most demanding person. Even if his intentions were exposed, he would only continue to pester her without restraint.
Sure enough, the next moment, she saw his dark gaze directed at her.
The light was dim beneath the cliff, and the jagged, uneven rocks around him took on a greater meaning. Shangguan Xu's brows furrowed suddenly, a faint sense of unease rising in his stomach.
Xu Qing'an's eyes remained fixed, a smile playing on his lips. "Your Majesty, this reminds me. They say rewards and punishments should be given after the work is done. However, I also feel that everything is difficult at the beginning. If I can come up with a good idea at the beginning, shouldn't I also be rewarded?"
The deep meaning in his eyes remained as he walked forward: "In this way, by encouraging each step, I can ensure that those under my command will be more diligent and conscientious."
Shangguan Xu was forced to retreat again and again by him.
"Um……"
"My queen, be careful!"
The mountain wall was not deep, and after just a few steps, his back was against the rock. Shangguan Xu subconsciously closed his eyes and hummed.
Fortunately, Xu Qing'an acted quickly, blocking her with his hands behind her and pressing them against the mountain wall to relieve some of the force for her.
Shangguan Xu was momentarily dazed by the young man's voice, but when he looked up again, he still saw him smiling with a mischievous look: "My Lady, be careful..."
Shangguan Xu's face darkened, and he reached out to push him: "Master Xu, what are you doing? Let go!"
But he remained motionless.
He put one hand behind his back and supported her ear with the other, as if he was holding her in his arms.
Shangguan Xu gritted his teeth and said, "Your Majesty and the palace maids are all outside."
Xu Qingan said leisurely: "Yes, I know."
"You know why you don't let go?"
"The Queen's reward hasn't been given yet."
"When did I say I would grant you a reward now?" Shangguan Xu asked back.
However, Xu Qing'an tilted his head slightly, looked at her, and said nothing.
Living in the mountains, how could they offer any reward? He cast a meaningful look at him without any reservation, and thinking of what he had said to him that day in the back mountain of Jingming Temple, Shangguan Xu could guess what he wanted.
She then continued, "His Majesty and the palace maids are still outside!"
Xu Qing'an said, "It is precisely because they are outside that the Empress's reward is even more precious."
It would be fine if he just did something beyond the rules, but he also had to hide the truth under the lamp. Shangguan Xu was really amused by his roguery: "I didn't expect that Lord Xu would like these things."
Xu Qing'an did not refute.
Although Shangguan Xu was angry, he knew that he could not lose in any way when confronting someone like Xu Qing'an.
She calmed down, a smile on her lips, and said calmly: "You said it was a joke, you are just negotiating with me."
"What do you mean by diligence and constant encouragement? Are you trying to say that if I don't reward you today, you'll become more lazy in your future endeavors?"
"Of course I don't..." Before he could finish his words, Xu Qing'an's face froze and he looked down in surprise.
It was because Shangguan Xu's arms moved from his shoulders to behind his neck and crossed their arms.
Before he could process her action, she exerted force again, pulling his neck down.
Her cheek was closer to him, and she exhaled as sweetly as orchid: "But Master Xu, it's not that I don't want to reward you, but the things I want to reward you with are not here with me."
Shangguan Xu rested his hands on his shoulders and smoothed the wrinkles on his clothes. "Now that I'm on the same page with Lord Xu, I won't be stingy. However, Lord Xu wants to ascend to great heights, so naturally, the rewards I give you can't be mundane. Of course, if you need gold, silver, or jewelry, that's fine too. I'll give them to you in the name of His Majesty after I return."
She looked up at him and said, "But for everything else, what Xu Qing wants, we have to fight for it together."
"As for what I can give you alone..." Shangguan Xu lowered his eyes for a moment, then raised them with a smile, stroking the hair behind his ear. "Xu Qing, don't worry. Since I said I won't let you down, I won't let you down anywhere."
The words she said were not clear, but her meaning was obvious: she had promised herself to him.
Xu Qing'an looked at her without blinking, his gaze lingering between her eyes, as if he wanted to find something from them.
But no.
Her eyes were gentle and affirmative from beginning to end.
His breathing became heavier and his eyes were bloodshot.
Shangguan Xu just thought that he was excited by her promise and didn't think anything else about it.
However, the somewhat inappropriate look on his face made her secretly laugh at the fact that most men in the world are really the same - no matter how well they pretend to be, or how cold and serious they look, at the core, they are just slaves controlled by power, sex and desire, and he is no exception.
But she naturally wouldn't say these words.
Because of the current situation, she didn't want to have a bad relationship with him. Not to mention how much he could help her, at least she couldn't push him out and push him to Su Wang's side.
So even though I have found an excuse to deny him what he wants, I still have to let him have a taste of dessert to keep him company.
Her hand moved from behind his ear to the side of his face.
"Lower your head." She suddenly said softly.
Xu Qing'an looked puzzled.
Shangguan Xu then said softly, "The mountain wall is too low, and it hit your hair bun, making your hair crown crooked. I'll help you adjust it."
Xu Qing'an didn't expect her to say this. He watched her take a few breaths, her Adam's apple rolled, and she lowered her head obediently.
Shangguan Xu's hand slowly moved up.
"Today is New Year's Day, Brother Jing, let me put the crown on you."
Inside the Lizheng Hall, the young emperor was already neatly dressed in a black and red robe and crown, looking elegant and dignified.
The girl in front of him was also wearing a Zhai Niao Yi dress, with lively eyes, and she also had the demeanor of a queen.
Today is the New Year's Day celebration. All nations have come to pay homage and all officials have come to congratulate. The emperor and empress must dress in their best attire to attend.
He had just finished drawing her eyebrows when she took the crown and said she wanted to put it on him.
He smiled slightly, whispered "Okay", and buried his head slightly.
The position was just right, so she didn't have to stand on tiptoe, and her hands could more easily help him fix the crown.
Her movements were gentle, and he felt them keenly.
He couldn't help laughing.
"What are you laughing at?" she asked him after looking up.
He was filled with joy: "The Queen has crowned me."
She tilted her head cunningly: "The emperor bowed to me."
He raised his hand and caressed her cheek lovingly, his eyes lingering on her eyebrows: "Well, you can draw your eyebrows better if you lower your head."
Looking back at the past, Xu Qing'an buried his head deep under the mountain wall, his eyes were tightly closed, and his brows were tightly furrowed to control the sadness in his eyes.
No, there should be more resentment.
He told himself.
Feeling the touch on his head gradually cease, he suppressed his emotions and slowly raised his head.
"Don't look up so quickly. Take a step back and then slowly raise your head." Shangguan Xu placed his hand lightly on his forehead and reminded him quickly.
He took a step back.
Finally, the distance between the two people widened a little. Shangguan Xu's eyes were gloomy and he breathed a sigh of relief.
Xu Qing'an slowly raised his head, his hand lightly supporting the crown, and smiled again: "After the Majesty's adjustments, it seems to be more rounded."
Shangguan Xu smiled and said, "Master Xu, please be careful. Not only is the mountainside low, but there are also many trees growing in the mountains. Don't let your hair get caught again."
As she spoke, she saw his gaze rest on her brows. She thought he was lost in thought, and just as she was about to frown and remind him, he blinked and nodded, saying, "Your Majesty is right, but now that the hair crown is given to me by Your Majesty, I shall treasure it again and again."
"My Lady."
Qinghe's voice sounded outside.
They both looked outside at the same time and then looked at each other.
This time Xu Qing'an did not stop him, but turned sideways and raised his hand: "Your Majesty, please."
Thinking that the two of them had been talking for too long, Qinghe came to remind them.
However, as the two of them left, Qing He placed a roll of letter paper on Shangguan Xu's shoulder and whispered, "Your Majesty, there's news from the capital."
The voice was not loud, but everyone present could hear it clearly, and the two of them guessed what the news was.
However, Shangguan Xu still opened the letter and took a look.
"So fast." She sighed after reading it, "The story of Youzhou has begun to spread among the bookstores in the market."
"To seize the initiative, the sooner the better."
The voice behind him gradually rose. Shangguan Xu looked over in surprise, and a stick was handed to him.
"What?" she asked.
Xu Qing'an looked at the gap beside him that was filled with branches and asked, "Madam, would you like to put one in there?"
No wonder she saw him moving out of the corner of her eye while she was reading the letter, and heard rustling sounds. It turned out that he was looking for branches that could fit into the crevice in the mountain.
Shangguan Xu found it amusing and asked, "Master Xu, do you believe this?"
Xu Qingan said, "It is naturally a blessing to be able to share an item with the Empress."
He added two words: "Reward."
Shangguan Xu frowned, instantly understanding what he meant: "So this is the reward you want?"
Seeing her surprise, Xu Qing'an said with reason, "Your Majesty didn't ask me before."
Shangguan Xu sneered, reached out and took a branch from Xu Qing'an, walked towards the mountain wall, and randomly found a suitable place to prop the branch in the crevice of the rock.
Xu Qing'an followed her, glanced at the location where her branch was placed, and walked forward to place his own branch next to it.
As he turned around and hadn't even stood still, Shangguan Xu said, "As for the matters in the capital, since you have your plan, then follow your plan. However, the Spring Examination is approaching, and even if you need to use those scholars, you must ensure that no one harms them."
Xu Qing'an lowered his eyes: "That's natural."
Shangguan Xu took Qinghe up the mountain. Xu Qing'an stood there and watched, his eyes fixed as if covered by haze, and he sighed silently.
In the end, I couldn't let you attack Su Ran first. I wanted to make both of you suffer losses and force you to rely on me. I didn't expect that you could see the pros and cons so clearly.
When did these thoughts arise? Was everything I had before just a disguise?
——
The matter of Youzhou went as expected. Once it was implemented, scholars throughout Chang'an City were discussing the matter. Not only that, the scholars participating in the discussion were divided into two factions, debating whether the person involved should be innocent or given a light punishment. This further increased the momentum.
This matter involves people's livelihood. For the common people, food is closely related to them. For the scholars, it will also affect their future standards for being officials.
Within two days, scholars in the capital came forward to petition for this matter, and more and more people came forward, and the common people and scholars all came together in groups to appeal for justice for those involved.
As the saying goes, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. County officials serve the people, and the people live their lives. Instead of investigating why the disaster relief has not arrived for a long time, they convict the people and those who are trying to survive of serious crimes. Isn't this absurd?
The situation escalated, and eventually the Jinwu Guards stepped in to suppress it. Even Shangguan Xu was surprised when he learned about it.
Is this his plan too?
However, she couldn't care less. In fact, whether it was right or not, the deployment of the Jinwu Guards would only be more beneficial to her situation.
The General of the Jinwu Guard is Su Wang's cronies.
"Inspire people, then win them over." Shangguan Xu scoffed, "Now I can't get away from these sinister things either."
On the fifth day of the incident, the empress dowager, who had retreated to the harem for many days because of Chen Feng's incident, reappeared in the court.
The officials were naturally surprised and delighted to see her, but Shangguan Xu didn't wait for them to speak before he started talking about recent events in the capital.
She bluntly stated that it was absurd for the Jinwu Guard to send troops to suppress the scholars and civilians! The scholars and civilians in the capital were not the ones causing trouble for the country, nor were they the ones causing harm, so why did the Jinwu Guard send troops to suppress them?
What is even more infuriating is that this time, the Jinwu Guards secretly detained scholars and common people, and even threatened them with their qualifications for the Spring Examination and their family members. Who on earth dares to be so audacious!
She knew that this matter was inseparable from the General of the Jinwu Guard who remained in the capital.
So the General of the Jinwu Guard was summoned to the palace.
At the same time, the activities of the Jinwu Guard were suspended, and everything in Chang'an was temporarily taken over by the Yulin Guard who remained in the palace and were directly controlled by the emperor.
Shangguan Xu still did not order direct intervention in court affairs, but only used her status as the queen mother to speak up for the scholars and officials. Those officials in the court who shared the same sentiment naturally followed suit. Su Wang, who had always been regarded as a role model by many scholars in the world, was also framed because of this. He had to order to appease the relevant scholars and people and investigate the affairs of Youzhou in detail.
The Jinwu Guards temporarily withdrew, and the Yulin Guards were responsible for maintaining order in the capital. When the Empress Dowager's decree was delivered to Chang'an, the Yulin Guards conveyed the Empress Dowager's attitude to the scholars and common people:
"Within the bounds of the world, all scholars may express their opinions; all common people may wish for what they desire."
"The matter of Youzhou will be thoroughly investigated, according to the law and with due discretion."
Shangguan Xu also said to the officials, "When my father was alive, he often shared his political philosophy with me. Officials need to have a broader perspective and understand the interactions between the people and the country. However, because of this, I often felt that when I was in a high position, it was inevitable that I would lose my original intention."
"Thus, he said, those who hold the government should not only formulate policies and issue decrees, but also open up channels for communication and accept the opinions of scholars, carry out the wishes of the people with compassion, restrain themselves by laws and strengthen their hearts with reason. Only in this way can they live up to the trust of the people and the expectations of the country."
"The recent chaos caused by the Jinwu Guards in Chang'an City is not merely suffocating the court's voice and undermining public sentiment. Lord Yuhua once said that scholars are the pillars of the future court, and the people are the foundation of the present state. Have you all forgotten?"
The situation in Chang'an was quite serious, otherwise the Jinwu Guards would not have been dispatched first. During this period, it had already affected the daily order of the city. Fortunately, after the Yulin Guards were replaced, everything quickly improved.
The Yulin Guards followed the Empress Dowager's orders to appease the masses. During this period, Shangguan Xu became famous not only among the people but also in the court.
Although Shangguan Xu was recently questioned about his lack of imperial edict to become regent due to Chen Feng's last words, now that the shock of the incident has passed, many people have begun to think carefully about this matter.
The late emperor did not leave a will, but he died unexpectedly at such a young age, so how could he have left such a will? Moreover...it seems that in every dynasty, there has been a situation where a young emperor ruled while the empress dowager ruled from behind the curtain.
There are only two points that Chen Feng questioned in the letter: one is that there is no imperial edict, and the other is that there is no morality.
The lack of an imperial edict stemmed from the previous emperor's sudden death, needless to say. As for the lack of virtue, considering recent events in the capital, everyone truly dared not agree with it.
Shangguan Xu's regentship was actually quite long, and during this period she was always known as a virtuous queen, doing everything without any mistakes. As for nepotism, her brother Shangguan Li retired from the Ministry of Justice and took up an idle position in the Secretariat after Emperor Youdi changed the reign title. It can be seen that the Shangguan siblings had no intention of taking advantage of the emperor's youth to allow relatives of the emperor to rule the country.
The last and most important point is that the words Shangguan Xu conveyed to all officials and people reminded them of one thing - she is the daughter of Shangguan Shi, and has also been taught by Yuhua Gong. When Su Yu and Shangguan Shi were in the court, their virtues were spread all over the place. The people all praised their benevolence, and the scholars all praised their virtues. Even Su Wang now cannot compare to the situation at that time.
The Empress Dowager's role as regent was not just in the court, but also in teaching the emperor. Since Shangguan Xu had been taught by both of them, how could allowing her to continue in the court not be a continuation of their legacy? It would also allow her to teach the young emperor by example.
After some operations, Shangguan Xu returned to the court to rule behind the scenes, and this time compared to before, she also had the respect of all the people and officials.
——
The matter of the General of the Jinwu Guard was handled quickly. Ultimately, it was just a matter of inappropriate decision-making. General Xue Hong was punished according to the rules. However, things changed when the Ministry of Justice investigated the Youzhou case.
At first, everyone thought that the Jinwu Guard was dispatched because Xue Hong was worried about the order in Chang'an. However, after a closer look, they found that it was Xue Hong's son Xue Yongxing who was responsible for delivering disaster relief grain to the county where the Youzhou County Magistrate who robbed the grain was located.
On the way of escorting grain, Xue Yongxing ignored the advice and went out to play, which delayed the delivery of grain. As a result, the military grain was robbed in the disaster area. However, the robbery of military grain was too bad, so Xue Yongxing's incident was overshadowed.
Now that the truth has been revealed, people put these things together and realized that Xue Hong was so eager to send troops to suppress the scholars and common people just to prevent his son's affairs from being exposed.
After nightfall, the palace gates were locked.
After Shangguan Xufang finished bathing, her black hair was like a waterfall, and there was still a faint moisture around her body. She sat in front of the dressing table and applied hand cream.
Qinghe, who had been told to go back and rest, turned back with a panicked look on his face.
She leaned over to Shangguan Xu's ear and said, "Your Majesty..."
After hearing this, Shangguan Xu paused while applying hand cream and asked, "Really?"
Qinghe nodded.
Shangguan Xu sneered, "He's really brave."
——
Shangguan Xu, who was about to go to bed, put on his outer clothes again and left the bedroom accompanied by Qinghe.
It was late at night, and apart from the occasional patrolling Yulin Guards, there was no one else to be seen in the palace.
Shangguan Xu and Qinghe turned into a side hall.
Qinghe stayed outside the corridor, Shangguan Xu pushed open the door of the palace and walked in alone.
There were no lights on in the hall, and it was pitch black in the middle, with only the dim moonlight coming in from the seats by the window.
The windows were wide open, and Xu Qing sat on the seat, looking out at the bright moon and thin clouds.
Shangguan Xu came in and saw him at the first sight.
As she walked over, she said, "Xu Qing is in such a good mood that he's already here admiring the moon."
Xu Qing'an turned around, slowly stood up, and gave a half-formal salute: "I was just bored, so I watched the cold moon and sparse stars, and cooked some longevity cakes.[1]"
Shangguan Xu was speechless, thinking that just because he made her wait a little longer, she said such sad words.
She said with pity, "Xu Qing is truly sentimental." Then she added gravely, "But he's also truly bold. Even after losing his keys, he's still admiring the moon in the palace."
Xu Qing'an quickly explained, "Your Majesty has misunderstood me. I didn't stay in the palace secretly. I was discussing a play with Your Majesty today and lost track of time, which is why I missed my departure time. Since tomorrow is a day off and I won't be attending the morning court, Your Majesty allowed me to stay so that I can continue the play I left behind tomorrow morning."
"Did His Majesty really ask you to stay?" Shangguan Xu asked bluntly, "You're lying even to a child."
There was a rare precedent of foreign officials staying overnight in the inner palace. The emperor was young and knew nothing, so this decision must have been made at the instigation of others.
Xu Qing'an smiled and said, "Since the words came from His Majesty, it's natural that His Majesty asked me to stay."
Knowing that he was a scoundrel, Shangguan Xu stopped arguing with him about the matter and went straight to sit down at the seat next to him.
Looking up at the moonlight outside, Shangguan Xu said, "What do you want to talk to me about?"
Xu Qing'an leaned closer, lowered his voice, and said mysteriously, "There are no lights in the palace, and the Empress came in the middle of the night without a lantern. This is naturally something shameful."
There were many people in the palace, and although it was already night and most people were asleep, the two of them still tacitly concealed their whereabouts, which seemed a bit shameful.
"Is it about Xue Hong?" Shangguan Xu made clear what Xu Qing'an meant.
Seeing Shangguan Xu's lack of understanding of romance and his lack of reaction to his teasing, Xu Qing'an lost interest, raised his eyebrows, and sighed, "Yes."
Shangguan Xu said seriously, "Come to think of it, I was just about to ask you, did you know from the beginning that the Youzhou incident was related to Xue Hong's son?"
Xu Qing'an nodded slightly.
Shangguan Xu: "Then why didn't you tell me before?"
Xu Qing'an said calmly, "The Empress and I discussed previously about how to deal with the Su family's counterattack. Xue Hong's matter was not part of our plan."
"I did have some plans for Xue Hong before, but I wasn't sure he would act as I expected, so I never told Her Majesty about it."
Shangguan Xu's expression remained unchanged: "So now that it's done, you've decided to tell me?"
Xu Qing'an hummed, "Things have come to this point, and Xue Hong has been definitely dragged into this by his son. Naturally, I should come and ask for your advice, Your Majesty."
He raised his eyes slightly and asked tentatively, "I wonder what your Majesty's plans are for the Xue family father and son?"
Shangguan Xu pondered for a moment.
Xue Hong is an old man in the imperial guards, and he has served in the Jinwu Guard for ten years. The Jinwu Guard is in charge of the capital's guards and has the largest number of troops in the capital. Such a team should be loyal to the emperor, but Xue Hong happens to be Su Wang's man.
Then it is a threat!
Shangguan Xu suppressed his inner thoughts and spoke calmly, but with a hint of probing in his words: "What can we do? The Youzhou incident was at best a dereliction of duty on Xue Yongxing's part. Even if Xue Hong played a role in arranging things, considering his many years of service in the Imperial Guard, he won't be punished too harshly."
"Master Xu, you don't know yet, right? General Xue is a good friend of our Prime Minister Su."
The implication is that if someone attacks Xue Hong, Su Wang will definitely come out to protect him.
Xu Qing'an raised an eyebrow and said, "I've heard a little bit about that." But he said, "But what if the relationship between those two isn't as close as outsiders think?"
"What do you mean?" Shangguan Xu looked over. "Could it be that Xu Qing wants to say that Prime Minister Su might also take action against Xue Hong?"
Xu Qing'an stared at her.
In the dim moonlight, her eyes were not genuine, but he could feel her excitement from her words.
By "take action," she meant to kill. But when had she ever shown such an expression when she spoke of matters of life and death? No awe, no compassion, only anticipation.
Was it the Shangsi Night four years ago?
Xu Qing'an lowered his eyes and said, "Yes. The Queen has been fighting with Prime Minister Su over the years, both openly and covertly, so he has to keep pretending in front of the Queen."
"Xue Hong's relationship with him is one of them."
Xu Qing'an recounted the story of the two men, "If I understand correctly, the relationship between them began to fray shortly after Your Majesty ascended the throne. One of them is a warrior, the other a scholar. They appear to complement each other, but in reality, they are both clinging to their respective platters and unwilling to trade their interests."
"Prime Minister Su's power is deep-rooted and he has cultivated a lot of new forces over the years, including the Imperial Guards."
"Why doesn't he use Xue Hong's people, but cultivates his own? It's because he doesn't dare to put too much trust in Xue Hong. After all, the importance of military power is something that all politicians since ancient times have known. Xue Hong is no exception."
"So he began to amass an army and become arrogant, while also trying to place his trusted aides in other important positions within the court. This is how the conflict between the two began."
"Even this time, Xue Yongxing's escort of disaster relief grain was the result of a secret fight between the two of them."
Xu Qing'an said, "Escorting disaster relief funds isn't a difficult task, but being able to visit the disaster area and gain credit for disaster relief has always been an important way to accumulate merit during peacetime."
"Xue Hong used the snowstorm in Youzhou to pave the way for his son, even going so far as to directly argue with Prime Minister Su. However, Xue Yongxing was a hopeless case, insisting on having some fun while delivering food, ultimately delaying the team's progress."
He asked, "So, Your Majesty, do you think Prime Minister Su will take this opportunity to attack Xue Hong?"
Shangguan Xu pondered for a moment and said, "You're absolutely right. The two of them are fighting because they both have ambitions, but ultimately it's just an internal struggle. If there were a third party putting pressure on them, they would definitely join forces. And the rift between them hasn't reached an irreparable point, so what you called an attack was just a warning."
"After this warning, Xue Hong will be weak. Between me and Prime Minister Su, he will definitely choose Prime Minister Su. Then he will become a member of the Su family. This is not a good outcome."
"Unless..." Shangguan Xu paused, then looked up at Xu Qing'an with a fierce look in his eyes, "I can hit the target with one strike, and use this incident to give Prime Minister Su a reason to eliminate Xue Hong."
Xu Qing'an raised an eyebrow: "Your Majesty, do you have any ideas?"
Ever since she learned that the Xue father and son were involved in the Youzhou incident, Shangguan Xu had plans for Xue Hong. However, when Xu Qing'an asked her about it, she didn't say anything concrete. "They have been working together for so many years, so there must be some shameful secrets. If Xue Hong were to reveal these secrets, then Su Xiangduan would not let it go on and would definitely take action. However..."
She stopped what she was about to say, stood up, and slowly walked to the window to look at the bright moon. She suddenly asked, "I heard that Xue Hong suffered from the Soul-Separation Syndrome due to his injuries and alcoholism. How is he doing in prison these days?"
Xu Qing'an knew what she meant, so he curled his lips and walked behind her: "I've been eating and drinking well, but I do have some occasional convulsive reactions and clamor for wine."
He raised his head and looked towards the side opposite her: "But don't worry, Your Majesty. Since Your Majesty has issued an order to kill Xue Hong, I will definitely help Your Majesty."
The voice was cold and gentle, and Shangguan Xu looked over.
As the night deepened, the dew became heavier, and a layer of clouds gathered in the night sky, obscuring the moonlight a little.
The light and shadow were dim, and only the outline of the young man's face could be seen.
Shangguan Xu was suddenly startled.
It was late at night and the two of them were alone. Xu Qing'an felt gradually comfortable in his heart. A smile appeared on the corner of his lips and he was about to turn sideways.
"Don't move!" Shangguan Xu suddenly shouted, "Turn back."
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