The playboy county magistrate

Everyone turned their anger towards the Chengen Earl's residence, and Li Xuanjing, who was sitting there, was so angry that his nose almost twisted out of shape.

These powerful and wealthy people are so shameless!

Since they were powerless to confront Li Xuanzhi, who had gone mad and was indiscriminately killing people in the court, they blamed it on the fault of the Chengen Earl's Mansion.

Do you really think that just because no one is targeting Li Xuanzhi, he can obediently live the life of a playboy in the capital?

Li Xuanjing wanted to retort, but the group seemed to be in cahoots, talking back and forth, almost pointing at Li Xuanjing's nose and cursing him.

"As long as the Chengen Marquis's Mansion does not target Li Xuanzhi and the women in his family, Li Xuanzhi will only indulge in pleasure. Such a person is not a major threat to us."

Discussions arose, and the previous fear and apprehension vanished, replaced by disdain.

Someone seized the opportunity to speak, their eyes revealing selfish motives and calculations.

"Now that there's no worry about Jinling, shouldn't we stop adhering to the rule of temporarily forming alliances to keep Li Xuanzhi in check? There are many vacancies in the court now, and military power, financial power, and official positions are all open to competition."

"We should take this opportunity to get rid of Li Xuanzhi, so that he won't suddenly become smart again and return to the court to do something detrimental to us."

"You really are stupid! So many assassins couldn't kill him, and you dare to mess with him?"

"Exactly! What if your assassination attempt makes him realize he's not safe, and he chooses to return to the capital to find a way to wipe us all out before indulging in a life of pleasure? You brainless idiot!"

"Instead of trying to harm Li Xuanzhi, we should keep a close eye on the father and son from the Chengen Marquis's mansion. Otherwise, those two idiots might do something stupid and offend Li Xuanzhi, which would only drag us down with them."

At this point, the powerful and wealthy couldn't contain their anger.

As they pondered, they suddenly realized that the root of the problem lay entirely with Li Xuanjing.

If Li Xuanjing hadn't been unable to tolerate his stepmother's remaining second son, how could so many things have happened?

The small Chengen Earl's Mansion has somehow gotten involved so many powerful and influential families who have become cannon fodder.

If it weren't for the fact that the Earl of Chengen is truly incapable of causing any trouble, and if it weren't for the court officials' desire to spend this period peacefully and avoid being noticed by the Emperor, the Earl of Chengen and his son Li Xuanjing would probably have been dead eight hundred times over by now.

Previously, all the nobles had banded together and endured hardship, united against external forces, all because they feared that Li Xuanzhi's brilliance was too great and that he would be purged later.

Now that it's confirmed Li Xuanzhi is indulging in pleasure and has no interest in power, the greatest threat has been eliminated. What remains is the division of interests within the court.

The court's strategic game, which had originally been united against Li Xuanzhi alone, suddenly cracked open with countless fissures.

The various factions reverted to their old ways, secretly vying for power and dividing up vacant positions. They distrusted each other, took turns plotting against one another, and gradually eroded each other's influence.

The undercurrents in the imperial court have completely shifted from "defending against external enemies" to "internal strife."

……

At the Jinling Post Station, the sun was rising higher.

After having breakfast with Li Xuanzhi, Fu Xiaoxiao, with her limp waist, rested for a while before getting up to tidy up the desk and manage the study.

Li Xuanzhi treated her with the same gentleness and doting affection as before.

It wasn't until the afternoon that Fu Xiaoxiao went out to buy new tea.

Almost as soon as Fu Xiaoxiao disappeared from the alleyway, all the gentle warmth on Li Xuanzhi's face vanished instantly. His warm gaze disappeared completely, and his aura suddenly turned cold and stern.

Tang Zheng emerged from the shadows. "The secret letter has reached the capital, and the Xun Gui faction has completely relaxed its guard. They are already secretly dividing power and fighting amongst themselves, and have no time to pay attention to the situation in Jinling. In addition, last night, Su Wanwan and the other two sent messages one after another. Seventy percent of all the remaining spies and cronies in Jinling have been eliminated, and the remaining thirty percent are under surveillance. So far, no one has leaked the news."

Li Xuanzhi stood under the corridor, his posture upright.

"The fiercer the internal strife, the more advantageous it is for me. By the way, there are quite a few jewelry styles in Jinling City that are not available in the capital recently. Have Su Wanwan pick out a few boxes later, and you personally order them to be sent back to the capital for Madam."

Although Li Xuanzhi had beautiful women by his side, he did not completely forget his wives and concubines at home.

Li Xuanzhi knew very well that women were creatures who needed to be coaxed when necessary.

If left unattended for too long, she will inevitably become a bitter, resentful woman. And when a bitter, resentful woman goes crazy, who knows what foolish things she might do.

"By the way, keep Fu Xiaoxiao calm. Continue to allow her to get close and spy on things. Don't expose anything strange that happens. On the surface, remain polite and respectful to her, don't distance yourself from her, just treat her with the respect due to a second wife. She is my best cover right now, and also my best pawn to stir up trouble in the capital in the future."

……

Tea shops lined the riverbank, and flower girls carrying bamboo baskets strolled through the streets and alleys.

Fu Xiaoxiao, dressed in plain clothes, walked slowly along the riverside street, carrying a small jar of newly harvested pre-rain Longjing tea in her hand.

Her steps remained light and graceful, and her eyes still held that gentle and docile appearance.

While choosing tea at the tea shop, I chatted casually with the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper said that the atmosphere in Jinling City had changed drastically. The past chaos of street fights, gangs running rampant, and powerful figures' henchmen oppressing merchants had all disappeared.

Merchants from both the north and south could enter the city smoothly, and the docks were orderly. All industries were stable and prosperous, and the city was more orderly and well-organized than ever before.

Ordinary people in the city assumed that Li Xuanzhi, the imperial censor, was there, and the officials dared not act recklessly. They were all honest and upright officials who governed the city effectively.

But when Fu Xiaoxiao heard these words, a barely perceptible sense of panic stirred in her heart.

That's not right.

For decades, powerful and influential figures in the capital have held sway over Nanjing, their influence spreading far and wide.

Even if the imperial court sends people to clean up the mess, they can only regulate the officials on the surface; it is absolutely impossible to completely sweep away the chaos and restore order to the entire city in such a short time.

If Li Xuanzhi had truly been weary of political affairs, indulging in romance and pleasure, and had no interest in political maneuvering and practical matters, Jinling would never have been so thoroughly stable.

This slight doubt, like a needle piercing a frozen lake of the heart, was subtle yet piercing, instantly shattering her judgment of the past few days.

She walked slowly, meticulously reviewing every detail of their close companionship over the past few days, not daring to miss a single one.

He was gentle and kind, never discussing court affairs or getting involved in disputes. His daily life consisted only of poetry, tea, romance, and tender moments by his side.

However, during the time he stayed in Jinling as an imperial censor, the city was in perfect order, with no disturbances or remnants of any forces causing trouble.

"Did I misjudge him? Or was he just hiding his true colors?"

Fu Xiaoxiao's eyelashes trembled slightly, and the guard she had just let down tightened again, making her even more cautious and solemn than when she first entered Jinling.

She had previously thought she was a meticulous thinker, but now, upon careful reflection, she realized that from beginning to end, she was in the open while Li Xuanzhi was in the shadows.

All her tests were dissolved by his gentleness.

All her prying was tolerated by Li Xuanzhi.

Even the intelligence she sent out, Li Xuanzhi never stopped her. He even acted as if he hadn't noticed, letting her transmit it back to the capital.

This is hardly the mediocre young official who succumbs to gentleness; he is clearly a mastermind who uses her to deceive everyone!