The playboy county magistrate

In the midst of the chaos, a clear and calm voice suddenly rang out, steadily silencing the commotion and disorder throughout the hall.

"quiet."

Li Xuanzhi stepped forward and stood beneath the imperial steps. His purple robes were imposing, and his aura spread out powerfully, instantly freezing the chaos in the hall.

His expression was calm, without the slightest hint of panic or confusion. His eyes were resolute and determined, and his words were firm and resounding, echoing throughout the palace.

"His Majesty's sudden illness has shaken the court and the people. At this moment, everyone must fulfill their duties and remain calm. Anyone who stirs up trouble and disturbs the peace, thereby disrupting the order of the court, will be punished without exception!"

His sharp voice, carrying overwhelming authority, instantly silenced the entire audience.

The chaotic officials suddenly fell silent, no one daring to utter another word, their anxious hearts forcibly suppressed. The court and the public had long since tacitly agreed that Li Xuanzhi was the pillar of stability during the turmoil of the Great Yong Dynasty.

Upon hearing the devastating news that his father had fallen into a coma, the Crown Prince's fingertips trembled slightly, and his heart tightened.

That was a child's worry and fear for his loved ones, but in the next instant, he clenched his fists tightly, suppressing all the panic in his eyes, and straightened his young but upright posture. His expression was solemn, and he spoke calmly, his voice clear and powerful.

"My dear ministers, please calm down. It is common for the Emperor to faint occasionally due to weakness after recovering from his poisoning. The imperial physicians will do their best to treat him. The most important thing right now is to deal with the affairs of state. Do not lose your composure and cause trouble."

The young crown prince remained calm in the face of danger.

Upon seeing this, the officials felt their anxiety lessen considerably.

As long as the core leader remains, the political situation cannot be thrown into chaos.

The Crown Prince turned to the chief steward, speaking urgently, and immediately made arrangements for everything.

"Immediately issue an order: all imperial physicians of the Imperial Medical Academy must rush to the Imperial Study for a consultation and spare no effort to save Father Emperor! Seal off the Imperial Study, place it under strict guard, and forbid anyone from entering or disturbing it!"

"Yes, sir!"

The chief steward kowtowed repeatedly, hurriedly got up, and staggered away.

The emperor was incompetent, the country was without a ruler, and the court and the country were empty.

At this moment, the worst thing is for the group to be leaderless and for morale to be low.

Fortunately, His Highness the Crown Prince remained calm and knew to step forward at this crucial moment.

"My father is critically ill and unable to rule as regent for the time being. From this day forward, all matters of state, including memorials from both inside and outside the court, appointments and removals of officials, and new policies for the people's livelihood, shall be temporarily handled and decided by me, the Crown Prince, and the regent Li Xuanzhi."

With the crown prince overseeing the country, no official in the court dared to voice any dissent.

They all bowed deeply, their voices resounding throughout the palace, "Your subjects obey!"

The situation inside the Golden Palace was not yet stable, but the rumors had already subtly changed.

Although the powerful clans have been purged and the court appears to be clean and orderly, remnants of old officials who relied on these clans and harbor resentment still hold sway over the court and the country.

In the past, with the emperor in charge and Li Xuanzhi holding power to maintain control, they could only lie low and endure, daring not to make any rash moves.

With the emperor now in a coma and the crown prince young, this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity instantly rekindled the long-dormant ambitions of this group.

After a brief silence, an elderly official with half-white hair and beard slowly stepped forward from the end of the civil official ranks. Holding his court tablet, his face solemn, he broke the silence of the hall with his voice.

This man was a retired Minister of Rites who had long adhered to the old system and often clashed with the new policies.

He had always harbored resentment towards Li Xuanzhi's rise to power and his exceptional appointment as a cabinet regent.

Previously, there was no opportunity to exploit, so they could only endure in silence.

"Your subject has something to report."

His voice was loud and clear, drawing all eyes to him.

The Crown Prince sat upright before the steps, his small hand lightly resting on the armrest of the throne. His posture was ramrod straight, his expression calm and serene, and he spoke softly:

"Lord Li is temporarily assisting the Crown Prince in managing state affairs. Please speak freely."

The Minister of Rites raised his eyes, his gaze first sweeping over the young Crown Prince, a hint of barely perceptible disdain hidden in his eyes.

He then turned to face Li Xuanzhi directly, his tone carrying a dignified questioning tone.

"A country cannot be without a ruler for a single day. With His Majesty still unconscious, the people of the court and the country are filled with anxiety, and there will surely be unrest in the surrounding counties. Now that the Crown Prince is young and has assumed personal rule, it is inappropriate for you, as an outsider, to hold the reins of government and make all decisions. This is contrary to the rites and the ancestral rules."

Many conservative senior officials in the hall glanced sideways, their eyes subtly shifting, hinting at their agreement.

They had endured for many years, and what they were most unwilling to accept was that someone who did not belong to their faction would rise above the officials and reform the old system.

Now that they have finally seized the opportunity, they want to use ancestral rules to suppress Li Xuanzhi and regain control of the court.

"According to ancestral rules, the imperial family has always assisted in governing the country, and noble relatives have helped His Highness the Crown Prince oversee the state. There has never been a case where an outsider has held sole control of the court."

The Minister of Rites pressed on relentlessly, his tone becoming increasingly forceful.

"Your actions today may seem like efforts to stabilize the nation, but in reality, they represent an overreach of authority and abuse of power, which could invite public criticism and earn you the stigma of being a powerful and dictatorial minister!"

Every word was venomous, immediately accusing the powerful minister of abusing his power and defying ancestral rules.

The atmosphere in the hall instantly became tense again, and the once peaceful court was suddenly thrown into a new round of confrontation.

Many neutral officials lowered their heads and remained silent, not daring to get involved in this game, their eyes filled with worry.

Li Xuanzhi remained unmoved by the challenge. He showed neither anger nor panic, but rather a cool gaze as he quietly observed the old minister who had raised the issue.

He remained calm and composed, his voice clear and steady, each word well-founded, as he refuted the claims in court.

"Ancestral systems and rituals should be followed, but so should the times. In times of chaos, clinging to old systems will not bring peace to the country. In times of crisis, adhering to rigid rules will not stabilize the nation."

"In the past, Your Majesty personally granted me the power to assist in governing, publicly entrusting the young heir apparent and the country to you. You issued a clear decree to the court and the people, granting me permission to govern in times of crisis and to check and balance the court. Today, Your Majesty is critically ill. It is not that I wish to seize power, but that the country is in peril and the overall situation requires it."

He raised his eyes and surveyed the entire hall of civil and military officials, his aura open and dignified, without a trace of timidity or cowardice.

"If we rigidly adhere to ancestral rules and cling to old regulations, there will be no one in charge, no one making decisions. We will simply wait for the court to fall apart, for chaos to erupt in all directions, and for the new policies to collapse. At that time, the nation will be overthrown, and the people will be displaced. What use will the rites and ancestral rules you speak of then be?"

These words immediately rendered the other party speechless.

The Minister of Rites' face stiffened slightly, but he still maintained his composure and bowed before continuing his argument.

"Even though His Majesty has entrusted us with this task, it is ultimately a temporary measure! With the Crown Prince on the throne, it is in accordance with propriety and law for a prince from the imperial clan to assist in governing! Your Excellency's prolonged wielding of power may arouse suspicion from the court and the public, and chill the hearts of the imperial clan!"

"imperial clan?"

The crown prince, who had been sitting silently, suddenly spoke.

The clear, childlike voice, though not loud, carried the undeniable authority of a crown prince, instantly silencing any rebuttal.

The Crown Prince leaned forward slightly, his gaze clear and sharp, looking directly at the Minister of Rites.

"The princes of the imperial clan have been stationed in their fiefdoms for many years. They are not allowed to enter the capital without an imperial edict, nor are they allowed to interfere in politics without a decree. This is an ironclad rule established by Emperor Taizu. Now that the country is in peril, the princes are far away in their fiefdoms, unable to exert their influence. How can they possibly govern from afar?"

"My dear minister, you keep talking about ancestral rules and etiquette, yet you intend to violate the old regulations of the founding emperor by summoning members of the imperial clan to interfere in politics. Are you truly acting in the best interests of the court, or are you using this opportunity to stir up trouble and disrupt the overall situation?"

The Minister of Rites was startled and looked up at the young Crown Prince in disbelief.

He had assumed that the young crown prince would simply sit silently and be manipulated by the court officials.

He was well-versed in the rules of the court and the laws of the ancestors, and with just a few words, he exposed his selfish motives.

For a moment, he was caught in a dilemma, standing frozen in the hall, utterly humiliated.

The crown prince did not stop there; his expression grew even more solemn as he continued to speak in a deep voice.