The playboy county magistrate

Li Xuanzhi was slightly taken aback, then chuckled. He leaned down to look him in the eye, his tone sincere and frank, without the slightest concealment.

"Your Highness, do you know that the greatest balance in the world is not the suspicion of a monarch, but the hearts of men and their original intentions?"

"I am of noble birth, but now I am free from clan ties and factionalism. My lifelong pursuit has never been power or wealth, but rather a stable country, clean governance, and the people living in peace and prosperity. My weakness has never been power, but the nation in this chaotic world awaiting restoration, and the people who desperately need stability."

"Your Majesty's trust in me is my true intention. I shoulder this heavy responsibility to live up to Your Majesty's loyalty. Sincerity between ruler and subject is far better than any checks and balances or endless suspicions."

The prince listened quietly, his eyes growing brighter and brighter.

"The student understands. Suspicion can only prevent problems temporarily, while unity of purpose ensures lasting stability. Father and Teacher are a rare and trustworthy ruler and minister throughout history."

"Intelligent." Li Xuanzhi's smile deepened, and he gently patted his shoulder.

"Remember this insight, and when you rule the world in the future, you will better understand the way of a ruler and the heart of a subject."

Pei Qingyuan stood to the side, watching the two of them face each other honestly and understand each other perfectly, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

This is perhaps the most precious way to get along in the world.

If the ruler dares to delegate power, the ministers dare to take responsibility.

The student sincerely sought knowledge, and the respected teacher generously shared all his knowledge.

Pei Qingyuan spoke softly from the side, offering a timely reminder.

"Your Highness, you have finished your studies for today. Please rest early, as you will need to get up early for morning reading tomorrow."

The Emperor's decree has been issued to the Pei residence. Tomorrow, Pei Qingyuan's elder brother, Pei Yuting, will come to the Li residence to tutor the Crown Prince.

Li Xuanzhi had also reminded Pei Qingyuan early on that she must remind Pei Yuting that after entering the mansion, he was only allowed to bring the people who had been by his side since childhood, in order to ensure the Crown Prince's personal safety.

The prince obediently replied, "Yes, Madam."

He was very sensible and did not disturb the two of them. He tidied up the books on the table on his own. Then he bowed to the two of them and turned to walk towards the bedroom with the eunuch.

In the study, only Li Xuanzhi and Pei Qingyuan remained.

The two people quickly tidied up, making sure to extinguish the candles completely to prevent anyone from catching fire in the dark. After confirming there were no further dangers, they quietly left.

A cool evening breeze stirred the hem of my clothes.

Pei Qingyuan took half a step forward and spoke softly, her tone carrying a hint of seriousness.

"Someone reported today that a private residence in the west of the capital, which has been sealed off, was the site of a secret meeting that lasted all night, with their target being the Crown Prince."

"Besides, before you came back, someone was gossiping in the Crown Prince's ear about what happened in court today. Didn't we already thoroughly investigate everyone around the Crown Prince? How come there are still people here?"

Li Xuanzhi's expression hardened slightly, the warmth in his eyes fading, replaced by a faint chill. His voice was low and deep. "Have Tang Zheng investigate again later to see where things went wrong. If the person who informed His Highness the Crown Prince was from the palace, then we won't need to get involved."

There are two choices: either tell the Emperor and Empress and let them resolve it, or leave this potential problem unresolved for the Crown Prince to practice on, like sharpening a knife.

Pei Qingyuan frowned slightly, her tone worried.

"I always felt that Consort Shu was not as simple as she seemed. Today, when I went to the palace to pick up the Crown Prince, I happened to run into her going to the Empress's palace. Every word she said seemed to be spoken without thinking, and her behavior was stupid. But I also felt that she was guarding against something, or rather, looking for something. No matter how I thought about it, her expression seemed to be a bit disdainful of me, yet also a bit ingratiating. It was really strange."

How could Li Xuanzhi not understand the meaning of these words? He quickly figured out many things that Pei Qingyuan couldn't figure out.

"It's very simple. Consort Shu also has two princes. The Crown Prince is staying with me, and she wants her children to stay with me as well."

"If I have to be eliminated, I will naturally choose to win me over. If I can win over a powerful and favored minister, and have her son taught by my side, and if I can seize the throne in the future, leaving me to govern the country, I will be much better than those ministers who do nothing but divide power and money."

"As for those desperate bastards, they have been lying in wait for a long time, hiding in the shadows and causing trouble everywhere. If you eliminate a group today, a group will emerge tomorrow, and you can never get rid of them all. Only by deliberately revealing a slight flaw and luring them to show themselves can you wipe them out in one fell swoop and completely eradicate future troubles."

The reason Li Xuanzhi allowed them to run wild before, instead of completely suppressing them, wasn't because he lacked ability, but because he knew very well what was going on in his mind.

Once the parasites are eliminated, the emperor's next target will be him.

While it is certainly terrible for someone to achieve great merit and threaten the emperor's position, it is even more important for the emperor to put in more effort to deal with corrupt officials who bring disaster to the country.

As long as this group of people keep causing trouble, Li Xuanzhi will remain safe and continue to be highly valued by the emperor.

But the situation is completely different now.

Pei Qingyuan instantly understood. "So... you deliberately arranged for Tang Zheng to strengthen internal security and set up traps today, while relaxing external defenses to lure them into making a move?"

"Hmm," Li Xuanzhi responded calmly. "His Majesty's health is failing, and the court cannot withstand continued turmoil."

Looking at his calm eyes and brows, Pei Qingyuan felt a slight stirring in her heart and said softly:

"I know your scheme, but I'm still worried about the Crown Prince's safety. He's too young, and being in this situation is far too dangerous for him."

Li Xuanzhi raised his hand and gently tidied her wind-blown hair, his tone gentle.

"Don't worry. I've laid a trap to catch the thief, but I won't harm the Crown Prince in the slightest. After all, his safety is a matter of life and death for our entire family."

"I suspect they'll say a few days is the best time to act. But tonight is the time for them to make their move."

Those people couldn't possibly be unaware that someone was eavesdropping on their plot, so they would naturally take precautions.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a dark shadow flashed across the top of the wall.

The next second, a very faint sound of tiles scraping against each other came from outside the courtyard. The delicate sound was hidden in the evening breeze and would be completely unnoticed by ordinary people.

Li Xuanzhi remained standing in place, his expression calm and unwavering, his eyes filled with a cold certainty, as he spoke softly.

"They're here."

Li Xuanzhi pulled Pei Qingyuan toward the most inconspicuous corner, opened the hidden door, and the two of them hid inside.

"The elite guards that these families have kept hidden for years are finally being sent out in full today."

Before Li Xuanzhi could finish speaking, three dark figures suddenly tumbled down from the shadows of the courtyard wall. Dressed in black and masked, with blades concealed in their sleeves, they exuded a chilling, murderous aura.

They bypassed the imperial guards on the outer perimeter and made precise infiltrations to Zhixueyuan.

In their eyes, the Li residence was now lax in its defenses, presenting a golden opportunity for assassination.

By taking away or killing the crown prince, the court could be easily overthrown, and the powerful minister Li Xuanzhi could be brought down.

"Get inside immediately! Retreat as soon as you've succeeded!"

The leader uttered a hoarse, cold shout, and with a leap, he was about to break through the window.

Just as his fingertips were about to touch the window paper, the tightly closed door was suddenly pushed open slowly from the inside.