The playboy county magistrate

Many more people arrived, each offering their sincere praise.

In the past, many people dared not openly befriend Li Xuanzhi due to factionalism, social norms, and public opinion.

But today, many people in the imperial court who had suffered from the lack of filial piety genuinely admired Li Xuanzhi.

Li Xuanzhi cupped his hands slightly and said, "You flatter me. I am merely stating the facts and only wish to have a clear conscience."

He showed no arrogance of victory, remaining humble and polite, which only earned him more respect from the officials.

After a few brief pleasantries, everyone dispersed.

……

The sun shines brightly overhead, and a gentle breeze blows.

The carriage traveled smoothly along the streets home, without any obstruction.

Half an hour later, the carriage came to a steady stop in front of the Li residence.

As soon as Li Xuanzhi got out of the car, he saw a slender and gentle figure standing at the entrance of the courtyard.

Pei Qingyuan had been waiting there for a long time, her gentle eyes smiling as she looked in the direction he was coming from.

Upon seeing that familiar, tall figure, Pei Qingyuan's eyes instantly filled with a smile, and she quickly stepped forward to greet him.

"My husband, you're back."

Li Xuanzhi quickened his pace, naturally taking her hand in his. His fingertips were warm as he softly said, "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

"I didn't keep you waiting long. I just came out for some fresh air since I had nothing else to do." Pei Qingyuan shook her head, her gaze lingering on his face as she softly asked, "Was everything alright in court today?"

Pei Qingyuan has been a perceptive and intelligent person since childhood, so she could guess that the rumors circulating in the city yesterday would surely be used as an opportunity for senior officials to make trouble at the morning court today.

Li Xuanzhi led her slowly into the courtyard, smiling as he truthfully said:

"Successfully, not only successfully, but also completely resolved a troublesome matter."

Pei Qingyuan's eyebrows twitched slightly as she curiously pressed for an answer.

"But did someone in court try to make things difficult for you by threatening to sever ties with your family?"

"As expected, nothing can be hidden from you." Li Xuanzhi chuckled softly and began to explain.

"Grand Tutor Wang, along with a group of senior officials, launched an attack, accusing me of betraying filial piety and righteousness and of being arrogant. They wanted to use this to suppress me and restore the so-called moral and ethical standards."

Pei Qingyuan frowned instantly, a hint of anger flashing in her eyes.

"They are far too stubborn and unreasonable! It was clearly the Earl and his son who committed the evil first; you were forced to protect yourself, so how did it become your fault?"

"These old officials cling to outdated customs, unable to distinguish right from wrong. They only know how to use filial piety to coerce others; it's utterly hypocritical!"

Seeing her indignant and distressed on his behalf, Li Xuanzhi felt a surge of warmth in his heart and gently ruffled her hair.

"Don't get angry yet, listen to the ending."

Pei Qingyuan looked up at him, her eyes filled with worry.

"And then what happened? Did Your Majesty listen to their words? Were you wronged?"

"When have I ever been wronged?" Li Xuanzhi smiled slightly, full of confidence.

"I refuted their arguments point by point in court, exposing their blind filial piety and their distorted logic that puts the cart before the horse."

"I told all the officials that the essence of etiquette is filial piety and mutual support, not one-sided oppression and restraint. National law is greater than family matters, and justice is more important than private kinship."

Pei Qingyuan's eyes lit up as she listened, and she nodded repeatedly.

"Well said! That's exactly the point!"

Li Xuanzhi continued gently, "His Majesty made a statement in court, protecting me with all his might, and bluntly said that without justice there is no filial piety. He decreed that from now on, the court will only consider merits and demerits, right and wrong, regardless of social status or kinship. Anyone who dares to use old customs to coerce loyal ministers will be severely punished."

As soon as she finished speaking, Pei Qingyuan breathed a sigh of relief, her brows and eyes instantly relaxed, and her smile became bright.

"Great! Now no one will dare to use these empty titles of etiquette to criticize or manipulate you!"

Li Xuanzhi reached out and pinched her nose, then spoke softly again.

"Prepare some gifts; we'll visit Grand Tutor Wang's house later to express our gratitude."

For a moment, Madam Pei was stunned, not understanding what her husband was thinking, why he would give a gift to someone who had tripped her up in public.

Li Xuanzhi smiled and rubbed her cheek again. "Although what Grand Tutor Wang said sounded like he was targeting me, if you think about it carefully, he did this to completely prevent anyone from using this matter to make trouble for me in the future."

"It may seem like they're dissatisfied with me, but in reality, they're helping me solidify my position and firmly establish myself in His Majesty's heart."

If it weren't for the traffic on the way back, Li Xuanzhi wouldn't have had time to carefully review the morning court session.

A veteran of three reigns, he was still invited back by His Majesty to remain in the court. Now, even the Crown Prince's tutor is chosen by him, which shows his high standing in the Emperor's heart.

How could someone whom the emperor trusted so much do something that went against him and embarrassed him in court?

Perhaps he felt he was getting old and needed a wise minister to assist the emperor, preferably one who would treat the rest of Grand Tutor Wang's family well.

And Li Xuanzhi was perhaps the one chosen by Grand Tutor Wang.

Young, capable, and assertive; he won't be swayed by his family. Most importantly, he enjoys the Emperor's trust and favor, and his wife comes from a scholarly family.

With all these advantages combined, Grand Tutor Wang was naturally inclined to give it a push.

But Grand Tutor Wang never sided with any faction, which is why he put on this play today.

Judging from the emperor's utterly incompetent acting, he must have received the news long ago. Perhaps today's events were the result of a discussion between the emperor and Grand Tutor Wang.

Firstly, it would be an opportunity to elevate Li Xuanzhi's status, since he was climbing up by stepping on Grand Tutor Wang, which was quite an unusual starting point.

Secondly, it can be used as an opportunity to indiscriminately strike, and who knows, some treacherous snakes might emerge to fish in troubled waters.

In this way, it is easy to find some villains who were previously well hidden but are now eager to make their move.

Thirdly, it allows for a clearer analysis of the court situation and a more thorough understanding of the factional backgrounds of the civil and military officials.

In this way, the emperor will have less to worry about, and the court will become more stable.

As long as the court is at peace, the harem will only become more stable.

With all state and family affairs settled, the emperor's days will only become more leisurely.

Li Xuanzhi briefly shared his guess with Pei Qingyuan, who immediately slapped her forehead.

"I understand. I'll go prepare the gifts myself. Panxia! Go get the list of preferences of the noble families in the court that we compiled earlier. We must choose gifts that will resonate with their hearts and interests!"

Sincerity and a proper attitude are essential for maintaining regular contact in the future.

When it comes to small matters like choosing gifts, Li Xuanzhi can still trust Pei Qingyuan.

Therefore, Li Xuanzhi did not go to the storeroom, but returned to his room to change out of his court robes, and sat at his desk to briefly handle the matters that needed to be dealt with that day.

There's no need for us to stay at the yamen today, mainly because there's nothing major to do right now.

More importantly, Princess Ning'an of the Northern Desert and her entourage, who had been staying in the capital, had reached the end of their stay, so the focus should now be on the Northern Desert delegation.