The playboy county magistrate

To put it nicely, the great wizard's youngest son is simple-minded. To put it bluntly, he's an intellectually disabled fool.

The Second Prince of the Northern Desert sat casually at his desk, his fingertips stroking a piece of mutton-fat jade pendant, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

"My imperial sister has always been arrogant and conceited, and has been in charge of foreign affairs in the northern deserts for many years. Now she has been defeated by a young man from the Great Yong Dynasty, suffering heavy losses. And now she has to resort to underhanded tricks to smear and entangle him. She is truly getting worse as she gets older."

The struggle for royal power in the northern desert has always been brutal. Princess Ning'an is skilled in both literature and martial arts, holds great power in foreign affairs, and is deeply trusted by her father. She is the biggest obstacle to his ascension to the throne.

He didn't even take the eldest prince of the Northern Desert seriously, yet he had absolutely no way to deal with the sharp-tongued Princess Ning'an.

Now that the enemy's trusted confidant has suffered a crushing defeat at the border, and the strategies sent from afar are now under their control, it is the perfect opportunity for him to reap the benefits.

"Second Prince, Princess Ning'an's recent large-scale attack on Lord Li of Dayong has angered the border guards. If her subsequent plans fail again, Princess Ning'an's prestige in the royal court will plummet. Should we take this opportunity to secretly hinder the princess?"

The Second Prince of the Northern Desert raised his eyes, a shrewd calculation flashing in them, and slowly shook his head.

"What I want is not to ruin her plans, but to completely strip her of power and destroy her foundation. I used to think that if both of them could be weakened, it would be a double blessing for me."

"However, judging from the Batu incident, Li Xuanzhi is an extremely difficult person to deal with. Rather than confronting Li Xuanzhi directly, it would be better to take this opportunity to win him over and befriend him."

This would prove Ning An's decision to be flawed and absurd, at which point his father would surely dislike Ning An and instead appoint him to a more important position.

In his eyes, even though Li Xuanzhi was exceptionally intelligent, he was ultimately a civil official of the Great Yong Dynasty.

Officials in the Dayong Dynasty were very particular about appearances and followed rules.

She may seem aloof and unapproachable, but she's actually the easiest to handle.

Simply lower your stance and deliberately show goodwill, and you can coax the other party down their guard and make them work for you.

After establishing friendly relations, they can leverage the power of Dayong to completely suppress Ning'an. Once the royal power is consolidated, they can then turn around and break the alliance, killing two birds with one stone.

The Second Prince of the Northern Desert, confident in his flawless strategy, chuckled softly.

"I will prepare generous gifts and personally travel to Zhenxi Pass to pay my respects to this young border governor."

"Your Highness, please reconsider!" the subordinate hurriedly advised. "Princess Ning'an is currently plotting to kill Lord Li. If you take the initiative to befriend her at this time, it will easily be noticed by the princess, arousing her suspicion and causing trouble!"

"So what if they notice?" The arrogance in the eyes of the Second Prince of the Northern Desert grew even stronger.

"I am currently in the northern desert, closest to Zhenxi Pass, and therefore have a clearer understanding of the situation than Ning An, who is far away in the capital of Dayong. My initiative to seek peace is to quell the border unrest and is for the sake of the people of the northern desert."

"If Ning Anru insists on provoking conflict and depletes the nation's strength, it will be a disastrous act for the country. Comparing the two, Father, his ministers, and the people will have their own judgment."

He was convinced that his plan was flawless, allowing him to both win over Yongzheng and suppress Princess Ning'an, a powerful competitor, while simultaneously gaining a reputation for virtue and popular support. He had no idea he was falling into a trap.

The next morning, as dawn broke.

A report came from outside Zhenxi Pass that the Second Prince of the Northern Desert was requesting an audience with gifts. Under the pretext of seeking peace, he wished to pay a visit to Li Xuanzhi, the Minister in charge of border defense.

Li Xuanzhi, who was eating breakfast, paused slightly, a faint, cold glint flashing in his eyes, disappearing in an instant.

Pei Qingyuan was a little confused and sat down next to Li Xuanzhi to mutter to herself.

"Princess Ning'an is still engaged in a battle of wits with us, and the Second Prince of the Northern Desert has already come to offer his congratulations. This timing is so coincidental; I'm a little confused."

Li Xuanzhi put down his bowl, picked up a handkerchief from the side to wipe his mouth, and then spoke softly.

"None of the royal family members in the northern deserts are simple and kind. Princess Ning'an wants to ruin my reputation and disrupt my borders. This second prince, on the other hand, wants to use me to eliminate the enemy who is trying to seize power."

"It would be good to meet him." Li Xuanzhi stood up and straightened his robes, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Why not take advantage of someone offering themselves up as a lifeline?"

He was worried that Princess Ning'an's next plan would be to sow discord among civil and military officials, and he couldn't find a way to deal with it in a short time. The arrival of the Second Prince of Mobei was just the best piece to break the deadlock.

Since the other party wanted to use him as a stepping stone to seize power, he decided to go along with it and exploit their scheme to extract all their value.

The Second Prince of the Northern Desert was followed by dozens of attendants carrying a dazzling array of rare gifts. He was humble in demeanor, with a gentle smile, and his face showed none of the arrogance of the Northern Desert royal family.

Upon seeing the young and handsome Li Xuanzhi walking gracefully towards him, the Second Prince of the Northern Desert hurriedly stepped forward, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, and lowered his posture considerably.

"I have long admired Lord Li's exceptional wisdom and resourcefulness, and I truly respect him."

Li Xuanzhi sat upright in the main seat, neither humble nor arrogant, and raised his hand slightly.

"Your Highness is too kind, please have a seat."

The two took their seats as host and guest, and servants served tea.

The Second Prince of the Northern Desert spoke first, his words subtly belittling Princess Ning'an and elevating himself.

"To be honest, my lord, this border conflict was entirely caused by my younger sister, Princess Ning'an, who acted arbitrarily and provoked the incident on her own."

"She is strong-willed and ambitious, and she insists on sending troops to provoke conflict without regard for the livelihoods of people in both countries, which only increases casualties and is a disaster on the border."

"Not everyone in my Northern Kingdom is warlike. I have always longed for peaceful coexistence between our two nations and do not wish to see endless war and the displacement of our people. I have come here today to have a frank conversation with Lord Li, to resolve misunderstandings, and to quell the border unrest."

With these words, he shifted all the blame onto Princess Ning'an, while secretly extending an olive branch to Li Xuanzhi, implying that he was completely different from the domineering and war-loving princess, and that he was a person who could cooperate with her and shared her love of peace.

After speaking, the Second Prince of the Northern Desert secretly observed Li Xuanzhi's expression.

Seeing that the other party's expression was calm and showed no resistance, he was secretly pleased. He assumed that this young high-ranking official had been moved by his sincerity.

He pressed his advantage, pretending to be completely open and honest.

"Lord Li, my younger sister is narrow-minded and ruthless. After this defeat, she will surely hold a grudge and cause trouble in secret. She will inevitably use some despicable means to slander you and disrupt the border. I know that you are upright and honest and devoted to the country, and you would never want to be framed by such a villain."

"If Lord Li encounters any trouble at the border or in the court in the future, as long as it involves the northern desert, you may inform me."

"Although my current power is not as great as Ning An's, I can still maneuver in the royal court and clear away any obstacles that should not exist for Lord Li."

These words, seemingly a gesture of righteous help, actually reveal a hidden ambition.

He was clearly telling Li Xuanzhi—

I can keep Princess Ning'an in check; if you win me over, you can securely hold your position at the border. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement: you help me seize power, and I'll ensure the stability of your border.

Li Xuanzhi listened quietly, a gentle, faint smile always on his face.

Yet, his mind was perfectly clear, and he saw through the other person's little schemes completely.

He pretended to ponder, his brows furrowed slightly, and his tone was tinged with emotion.

"I never expected the Second Prince to be so righteous and concerned for the people; he is truly rare. I always thought the royal family of the Northern Desert were all warlike and eager to win. Only after meeting him today do I realize that there is another wise man among them."