The playboy county magistrate

"Irrelevant?" Li Xuanzhi raised his eyes. "The princess supported a disgraced official, spread rumors, and tried to force me to submit to the Northern Desert by taking advantage of the chaos in my clan. Every single thing is true. The princess may deny it, but I, Li, know the truth about the affairs of the Great Yong court."

Princess Ning'an gazed at him silently for a long time before finally letting out a soft breath. The gentle pretense on her face faded considerably, revealing genuine admiration and intense resentment in her eyes.

"Li Xuanzhi, you are indeed more difficult to deal with than before."

Her tone was frank, yet carried a hint of seriousness, as if she had met her match.

"I used to think you were just patient and cunning, good at lying low. Now I realize you are truly invincible."

"Your Highness flatters me." Li Xuanzhi lowered his eyes slightly, unwilling to say another word.

Princess Ning'an shook her head slightly, "It's a real pity that someone as talented as you is trapped in the court and unable to freely display your abilities."

After much back and forth, she finally couldn't resist the urge to recruit them again.

"The court of Dayong is rife with factions and unpredictable people. Even if you gain a foothold today, you will still be vulnerable to being plotted against in the future. But the situation in the northern desert is different."

Her tone was sincere and incredibly alluring.

"Although the Northern Desert is not as wealthy as the Great Yong, it has the advantage of a relatively vast territory and a more pure and simple people. If you are willing to turn to the Northern Desert, I can inform my father and grant you a fiefdom and the title of king, with sole command of the military. You will truly be second only to the emperor, above all others. You will be free from the constraints of etiquette and factional infighting, and can fully realize your ambitions."

"In the past, I promised you the position of imperial son-in-law, but in the end, my vision was too limited. Today, I promise you a lifetime of grand ambitions and imperial achievements, is that acceptable?"

This was Princess Ning'an's so-called best strategy: setting aside love and fame, she offered power and position as the highest bargaining chip she could provide.

All the soldiers from the northern desert outside the pavilion were startled and turned their heads in unison.

For the sake of a minister of the Dayong Dynasty, the princess was willing to offer an astronomical sum, including the title of king. Such boldness and vision astonished everyone.

No wonder everyone says that Princess Ning'an is likely to become the first queen of the Northern Desert; such ambition is truly rare.

Faced with a promise that would have tempted countless court officials, Li Xuanzhi remained completely unmoved, without even a moment's hesitation.

He raised his eyes, his gaze clear and his tone firm, without the slightest wavering.

"I was born and raised in Dayong. I received a salary from Dayong and was nurtured by Dayong. My life is dedicated to the country and its people, solely for the peace and stability of Dayong and for the peaceful and prosperous lives of its people."

"The princess's grand ambition is to conquer the mountains and rivers of the northern deserts. My loyalty and devotion are for the homeland of my Great Yong. Our paths are different, so we cannot work together."

Princess Ning'an gazed at him intently, the admiration in her eyes turning into regret, which was then replaced by coldness.

"In that case, there's nothing more to discuss."

"Lord Li refuses to back down, rejects offers of service, and insists on confronting the Northern Desert to the bitter end?"

"We will handle matters strictly by the book; mutual benefit is negotiable, but there is no way to make concessions."

Princess Ning'an slowly clenched her fist, a cold smile curving her lips. "Very businesslike."

"Since Your Excellency refuses to grant the Northern Desert a way out, then any future border clashes, diplomatic stalemates, and stagnant trade will be entirely the responsibility of the Great Yong Dynasty."

Li Xuanzhi remained undaunted and met her gaze with composure.

"Our Great Yong is a powerful nation. If Princess Ning'an insists on gambling with the lives of her people and provoking a border standoff, our vast lands and rivers will not be intimidated!"

Princess Ning'an's gaze was cold, her eyes swirling with resentment and scheming.

She had patiently and bided her time in Dayong, observing the situation for so long. She had finally waited until Li Xuanzhi, who prioritized the people's livelihood, held power. She intended to use the people's well-being as leverage to pressure him, then use power and influence to win him over, employing both soft and hard tactics.

In the end, coercion was useless, and bribery was ineffective.

Now, Li Xuanzhi has become an impenetrable rock, and no matter what methods she uses, they are useless.

"Excellent! Excellent! What a loyal minister of the Great Yong Dynasty! What a fair and proper handling of official business!"

Princess Ning'an slowly loosened her clenched fingers and chuckled softly. The laugh was cold, devoid of any warmth.

"Is Lord Li truly heartless, standing by and watching tens of thousands of herders suffer from cold and hunger?"

Li Xuanzhi spoke calmly, yet each word was forceful and clearly articulated.

"Princess, there is no need to use the livelihood of the people as a shield. Our Great Yong is benevolent and virtuous, and never stingy in providing disaster relief and assistance. The imperial court has already allocated grain and fodder to the disaster-stricken border areas. If the nomads in the northern deserts really cannot survive, they only need to come to our Great Yong and settle down, becoming our citizens for generations to come, to receive aid and medical treatment."

"Our Great Yong is naturally saving our suffering people. We will not tolerate anyone taking advantage of the disaster to hoard strategic resources, secretly strengthen their military, or seize the opportunity to spy on our borders. Princess, you know perfectly well that what you seek today is never to save the lives of your northern nomads, but to pave the way for the northern cavalry to one day trample our Great Yong's land!"

His words were blunt and sharp, leaving no room for sentimentality, and exposed all of Princess Ning'an's selfish schemes in public.

Princess Ning'an's face suddenly darkened, and a fierce look appeared between her brows.

"Does Lord Li intend to deliberately portray the Northern Desert and the Great Yong Dynasty as adversaries by distorting our intentions in this way?"

"Whether we are on opposing sides or not is never up to me." Li Xuanzhi raised his eyes, his gaze cold and sharp, looking directly at the other person.

"It is the northern deserts that have repeatedly harbored malicious intentions, attempting to stir up trouble. First, they used political intrigue to scheme against the court officials, then they used the people's livelihood to coerce diplomatic relations. Our Great Yong has yielded step by step, while the princess has pressed on relentlessly, and now they want to turn the tables on us?"

"I, Li, am making this clear today: the three privileges of private markets, ironware, and taxes will absolutely not be granted."

Princess Ning'an stared at his calm and resolute eyes for a long time. "It seems that Lord Li is truly determined to fight to the death with Mobei."

"It's not about fighting to the death, but rather what a subject of Dayong should do," Li Xuanzhi said calmly. "If the princess is sincerely willing to negotiate peace and engage in equal trade, Dayong will open its doors wide. If she insists on taking advantage of the situation and harbors malicious intentions, then let's not discuss these diplomatic relations."

Continuing this stalemate will only waste time.

Princess Ning'an slowly rose, still exuding dignity, but her tone was cold and hard.

"Very well. Since Lord Li's attitude is resolute, then today's negotiations shall end here. I will relay Lord Li's attitude back to the Northern Desert Royal Court without missing a single word."

"But my lord, please remember this: what you have severed today is not merely the trade route to the northern deserts, but the temporary peace between our two nations. If chaos erupts on the border in the future, and countless people are displaced, the world will hold you accountable in Dayong, and in you, Li Xuanzhi."

Li Xuanzhi accepted it calmly, without the slightest panic.

"Li is upright and honest, and he did everything for the Great Yong Dynasty. He has a clear conscience and will let the world judge him."

Princess Ning'an gave him a deep look and said nothing more.

"see a visitor out!"

After saying she wanted him to leave, Princess Ning'an turned and stormed off before Li Xuanzhi could even depart.

Tang Zheng spoke slowly as Li Xuanzhi stepped out of the royal post station and into the carriage.

"My lord, Princess Ning'an will probably not let this go so easily."

"She will naturally not give up and will definitely find another way to break through."