The playboy county magistrate

Li Xuanzhi's gaze was sharp as he looked directly at Fan Wuwei.

"Lord Fan, if the new policies truly bring chaos to the region, and if I truly harbor treacherous intentions, why are some people going to such lengths, even privately amassing assassins, to prevent me from entering the capital?"

"If the evidence against me is truly conclusive, I can be prosecuted in court and punished according to the law. Why resort to ambushes and clandestine killings in the mountains?"

Fan Wuwei was filled with shock and anger, but he forced himself to remain calm and retorted sharply:

"Nonsense! What do the disturbances caused by bandits in the mountains have to do with court officials? Li Xuan knows you are making baseless accusations; this is utterly arrogant and presumptuous!"

"Bandits?" Li Xuanzhi sneered. "Mountain bandits carrying tokens? Knowing military encirclement and assassination techniques? And able to predict my route back to the capital with such precision to carry out an ambush?"

"How dare ordinary bandits openly intercept and kill an imperial official who was on official business to report for duty?"

All the officials and soldiers in the hall were now silent, each knowing the truth.

This sweeping impeachment was not a result of the new policies causing chaos. Rather, it was a power struggle within the court, a clash between centuries-old aristocratic families and their vested interests, desperately clinging to their privileges.

What the old guard feared was never Li Xuanzhi's power; what they feared was his clean accounts, upright conduct, and popularity. What they feared was that the new policies would shake the foundations of the powerful elite.

The emperor sat on the dragon throne, quietly looking down at the confrontation below.

He had seen enough of the hypocrisy of his ministers, enough of the power struggles and framing. He had seen enough of the ugly faces of the nobles who talked of the nation's welfare but were actually driven by their own selfish interests.

After a long silence, the emperor finally spoke softly.

"I have observed the records of Pingzhou. Taxes are clearly defined, public property has been returned to its rightful owner, and the people's livelihood is stable. The new policies have not disturbed the people and have contributed to the peace and stability of the country."

"I have reviewed the register of the people and found that the people live in peace and prosperity, and the artisans are all in their proper places. This is good governance, not bad governance."

"Upon reviewing the evidence of the crimes committed at Black Wind Pass, I found that the assassins were well-organized and their origins were traceable. They were not bandits from the mountains, but rather a group that deliberately ambushed and killed court officials to deceive Your Majesty."

Every single one of the three sentences was in support of the three pieces of evidence proposed by Li Xuanzhi.

Fan Wuwei trembled violently, his face turned deathly pale, and he staggered half a step, his last shred of hope completely shattered.

The emperor's sharp gaze swept over the group of former officials kneeling in agreement, and his imperial authority descended upon them.

"When court officials discuss matters, they should base their arguments on legal principles, rely on factual evidence, and uphold their own conscience. Recently, rumors have been circulating throughout the capital, with accusations made in court and attempts to assassinate officials midway. Each and every one of these acts is an attempt to deceive me into misjudging people, to deceive the injustice of the national law, and to deceive the people of the world into believing they are fools!"

"The powerful and influential officials, instead of focusing on eliminating corruption, ensuring the people's well-being, and assisting the government in building a prosperous nation, form cliques for personal gain, monopolize private interests, persecute virtuous ministers, and obstruct good governance. What kind of ministers are they? What kind of loyal and virtuous officials are they?"

The emperor was furious, and all the civil and military officials in the hall bowed their heads, creating a suffocatingly oppressive atmosphere.

The emperor's gaze returned to the tall, upright young man in the hall, his expression softening slightly, and he delivered his final imperial judgment before everyone present—

"Li Xuanzhi is innocent. The new policies of Pingzhou shall be immediately promulgated to all prefectures and counties throughout the land for imitation and implementation."

The faces of the former officials in the hall were ashen.

Li Xuanzhi bowed deeply, showing no arrogance whatsoever.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your wise decision."

The emperor hummed in agreement before continuing:

"All those who have obstructed the new policies and framed loyal officials shall be demoted three ranks. Those with titles shall be demoted two ranks. Cao Banban, read aloud the evidence previously uncovered by the Dragon Shadow Guard to everyone on the spot. So that they will not be dissatisfied and feel that I am wronging them."

"As for the ringleader, Fan Wuwei, drag him away and give him thirty strokes of the cane, demote him to a commoner, and then exile him and the entire Fan clan to Lingnan."

"Li Xuanzhi, you shall come with me."

Upon hearing this, the officials were greatly alarmed.

With the emperor's support so strong today, Li Xuanzhi is already enjoying immense favor from the emperor.

The fact that the emperor now keeps him alone in the palace for a private conversation is undoubtedly a signal that he is increasingly valuing and deliberately cultivating him.

In the future, who would dare to underestimate this wise minister?

The Chengen Earl's family truly has a knack for educating children. When I get back, I must have my wife befriend the Chengen Earl's wife.

In the past, people looked down on the second wife of the Marquis of Chengen because she was a lowly concubine's daughter and considered her petty.

But look now!

The纨绔 (spoiled brat) whom everyone despised has transformed into a brilliant and favored minister!

I wish my own child was such a spoiled brat!

I used to envy the eldest son of the Marquis of Chengen for his early fame and promising future. Who would have thought that this second son would be just as successful, perhaps even surpassing him?

It is still very necessary to get closer to the mother of the future powerful minister trusted by His Majesty. When I get back, I will definitely teach my short-sighted wife a lesson!

Meanwhile, in the pavilion of the Imperial Garden.

The emperor looked at him and suddenly chuckled softly. His voice lost its courtly coldness and gained a long-lost familiarity and gentleness.

"Every official in the court fears me, dreads me, and tries to guess my thoughts. Only you, Li Xuanzhi, dare to do things right under my nose that no one else dares to do."

Li Xuanzhi was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then lowered his eyes and smiled lightly, responding readily.

"Your Majesty, I dare not deceive you, but... I have always known Your Majesty's true intentions."

This statement, "from the heart," is not a subject's speculation and flattery of the emperor, but rather an unspoken understanding between old acquaintances.

The emperor's eyes warmed even more as he smiled and said, "So you really do remember."

He gestured to the brocade benches inside the pavilion, speaking casually.

"Sit down, no need for formalities. At this moment, there is no court, no ruler and his subjects, only old times to reminisce."

Everyone knows that the纨绔 (wán kù, a spoiled and dissolute young man) Li Xuanzhi suddenly rose to prominence and received great favor from the emperor. Everyone just thought that he had gotten lucky, that the纨绔 had been stimulated in his new place and suddenly realized his mistakes, and that he happened to meet a wise ruler.

But no one knew that the two had been connected for years before they even wore the dragon robe or the official robes.

Li Xuanzhi sat down as instructed, his demeanor relaxed yet measured.

The emperor spoke slowly, his voice gentle and tinged with reminiscence.

"Do you still remember the night market outside Zuixianlou restaurant in the suburbs of Beijing seven years ago?"

At that time, the emperor was still the Crown Prince, who had not yet taken power.

Tired of the constraints of the imperial palace, he often shed his princely robes and donned plain clothes. He would travel incognito to the streets, observe the everyday life of ordinary people, and learn about their lives.

At that time, Li Xuanzhi was a notorious playboy in the capital, a young man with no great ambitions.

Born into a wealthy family, he was arrogant and unrestrained. He spent his days wandering the streets, living a carefree and unconventional life.

That year, the night market on the outskirts of Beijing was bustling and crowded with people.

Young Li Xuanzhi was playing and frolicking with a group of noble scions when he happened to encounter the Crown Prince, who was traveling incognito and concealing his identity.

At that time, local thugs bullied ordinary people and surrounded the prince, who was dressed in plain clothes.

They mocked his simple clothes, his lack of power and influence, and arbitrarily provoked and shoved him.

The crown prince was a man of restraint and forbearance, and did not want his incognito journey to cause trouble, so he originally planned to quietly retreat and avoid the situation.

Unexpectedly, Li Xuanzhi, who was watching the commotion from the sidelines, couldn't bear to see people being humiliated and bullied in public. Without asking about their identities or the reasons, he was overcome with passion and stepped forward to protect them.

The young prodigal son, skilled in both martial arts and combat, single-handedly fought off a group of thugs with his carefree arrogance, protecting the Crown Prince, who was dressed in plain clothes.

After finishing the fight, he didn't offer any thanks, but simply patted the prince on the shoulder and smiled nonchalantly.

"When you're out in the world, you must stand up for yourself and not let anyone bully you."