On the peak of Nine Dragon Mountain, within the Palace City of Dayan.
At the heart of Heavenly Pond, a nine-storey tower stands peacefully, the sumr breeze carrying a coolness that stirs the silk curtains. A graceful woman clad in a dragon robe and imperial crown sits at the desk, her long black hair and deep eyes, with long and dense eyelashes, slightly trembling as she flips through the morials.
When Xu Yuan stepped into the imperial study, Li Qingyan was going about her usual business of handling governntal affairs. Her slender hand rested upon her forehead, her dark eyebrows knitted together, seemingly troubled by the contents of the reports.
Upon seeing the man enter, Li Qingyan raised her eyes to glance at him, her voice weary yet teasing:
"You’ve co; truly a rare guest."
Compared to other won who can reside long-term at the Pri Minister’s Mansion, her interactions with Xu Yuan were always brief and infrequent. Since that day when she sent him back to the mansion by dragon chariot, in over a month, they had t rely three tis.
Once during court, twice for secret etings, all for official matters.
The inheritance of power is always accompanied by turmoil. In this eventful autumn, both the Imperial Family and the Pri Minister’s Mansion have a plethora of sses waiting to be dealt with. Neither side has ti to delve into personal matters.
Not to ntion,
The resistance to the rger of the Imperial Chancellor’s powers is unimaginably vast.
Whether it be the Pri Minister’s Mansion or the Imperial Family, both are imnse syndicated interests. When it cos to the fusion issue, it touches on their own interests, causing those below to beco bold, deceiving superiors, disregarding orders, acting first and reporting later—none of these are things they dare not do—especially when obtaining certain people’s tacit consent afterward.
With thoughts turning, Xu Yuan approached, smiling as he asked:
"What is His Majesty busy with today?"
Li Qingyan folded the report in front of her, gave him a look, her posture lazily leaning back, hands placed on her abdon, exhaling a breath of fresh air:
"Busy with nothing more than dealing with the Northern Military Group."
What?
Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow in surprise, thinking this is Li Qingyan’s basic support since she ascended the throne, and inquired:
"Isn’t this a bit too quick? If you chill their hearts, many things will beco difficult to handle later."
Li Qingyan casually handed the report to Xu Yuan, her words a helpless mockery:
"If possible, I also wouldn’t want to, but so people always think that after my accession, everything would be easy. Having endured hardship for a lifeti in the Northern Lands, when entering the capital, they feel they should enjoy themselves. Yet, in just two months’ ti, hundreds of cases have erupted."
"Corruption, robbing won, brawling, murder, looting food and money... ha, I’ve issued several decrees for them to restrain their subordinates, but the old-tirs who have followed for a long ti not only disobey but think of petitioning to transfer so supplies from the Imperial Guards and other regional armies to them."
While browsing the report briefly, Xu Yuan couldn’t help but sigh inwardly and then asked:
"Growing arrogant from favoritism, what is Marquis Wucheng’s stance on this matter?"
Li Qingyan’s red lips slightly curled up, her tone sowhat playful:
"Are you talking about Uncle Mu? Officially, he responded with a promise for strict investigation, but in practice... hehe, you can’t expect him to stab himself, can you?"
"Is Marquis Wucheng seeking greater power?"
"Yes, the incidents committed by the Northern Army are easier to handle; the most crucial is their relation with other military towns. Uncle Mu seems to want the Northern Border Army to serve as my ’Imperial Guards.’"
"That’s a bit exaggerated," Xu Yuan reminded.
Li Qingyan smiled softly:
"Yes, but his desire for greater power is certain."
"Can’t it be given, even temporarily?"
Xu Yuan tried suggesting that Marquis Wucheng, being a veteran of three reigns and a major minister trusted with guardianship, holds significant influence within the Imperial Family internally. Li Qingyan needs him to solidify her own rule, which is a stage that new emperors will experience.
Li Qingyan pondered for a mont, shook her head helplessly:
"It’s already been given, among all the armies of the Imperial Family, the supply to the Northern Army Formation is already second to none, including the Imperial Guards, but Changtian, do you know what that has brought?"
"What?"
"They plundered the pay and rations intended for the No Return Army."
"The No Return Army... the elite troops left by Li Zhaoyuan?"
"Exactly, the Northern Military Group thinks I’ve expended too much for the united deploynt of the No Return Army, so they made the decision for ."
"....."
Sunlight cascaded into the imperial study, illuminating every speck of dust in the air with clarity, and the two fell into silence for a mont.
Li Qingyan’s serene smile was tinged with weariness.
Xu Yuan sensed the thorny situation.
The system of the Imperial Chancellor embodies the epito of centralized authority, but ever since Li Yaoxuan and Xu Yinhè have passed, this centralization has begun unraveling to varying degrees.
Authoritarian politics’ absolute obedience requires sufficient prestige and capability for continuation, and he and Li Qingyan are not yet equipped to achieve that.
They both need ti.
Leaned back on the Dragon Throne, Li Qingyan gazed up at the Dragon and Phoenix Tai Chi Diagram on the do, her long white neck tilted, eyes narrowed, as she softly asked:
"Changtian, why do you think.... Uncle Mu has beco like this?"
In Li Qingyan’s eyes, that Uncle Mu wasn’t such a person. His iron-blooded nature and loyalty always influenced her growth; he should not be a person of such greedy power and ambition.
Xu Yuan tapped his fingers on the case records, speaking leisurely:
"People change, and hearts change too. Perhaps it’s because of Mu Zhiyun’s death, who knows?"
Li Qingyan shot him a sideways glance:
"Are you referring to that avatar of Wen Xinyun?"
"Mu Zhiyun is not an avatar. From the perspective of spellcraft, before Wen Xinyun’s God-Hosting Technique is activated, it can be detached."
Xu Yuan joked lightly: "In our view, Mu Zhiyun’s death was a ans to wipe out Wen Xinyun, but in Marquis Wucheng’s eyes, it might have been another picture.
"Imagine yourself in his shoes. Holding such massive power for life, loyal for life, fighting for the Emperor outside for life, only to find out in the end that he couldn’t even protect his own daughter, nor did he have a voice, simply watching her die amidst the high-level power struggle... that’s quite despairing, isn’t it?"
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