The playboy county magistrate

Princess Ning'an from the northern desert pointed out Li Xuanzhi's predicament in the Dayong Dynasty in every sentence, each word subtly provoking him. Ostensibly a marriage proposal, she was actually publicly humiliating Li Xuanzhi and deliberately sowing discord between the emperor and Li Xuanzhi. This was intended to show all the officials in the Dayong court whether the emperor would casually abandon these trusted ministers who placed such high hopes on him for the sake of the imperial cause.

If the emperor were to abandon Li Xuanzhi, the other ministers would have another thorn in their side. Suspicion is like a seed; once it takes root and sprouts, the unity between ruler and subject will never be achieved again. For the northern deserts, this situation couldn't be better.

Moreover, her move was brilliant. It wasn't just about observing the emperor's reaction; it was also about forcing Li Xuanzhi to make a choice.

They must either agree to the marriage, abandon their loyalty to the Great Yong, and become vassals dependent on foreign powers.

They could either publicly refuse, humiliating the northern frontier and incurring the heinous crime of provoking diplomatic relations.

No matter which path he chooses, Li Xuanzhi's reputation will be ruined and his integrity broken today.

The emperor sat high on his dragon throne, his expression impassive, but unseen by others, his fists clenched silently. His knuckles turned white, and a chill ran through him.

How could he not understand?

This wasn't a marriage proposal at all; it was a carefully orchestrated scheme.

The old ministers' faction secretly fueled the flames, and Princess Ning'an of the northern desert, relying on her arrogance, launched an attack.

They colluded, offering hefty bribes and using personal relationships to influence state affairs, effectively putting Li Xuanzhi under intense scrutiny.

As a close friend of many years, the emperor knew that Li Xuanzhi had the country at heart, cared about the common people, and that his lifelong pursuit was never wealth and honor.

But at this moment, everyone in the room is watching, and diplomatic relations are of utmost importance. The slightest misstep could lead to utter ruin.

Among the civil officials, Grand Tutor Huo Linyuan stepped forward. He bowed respectfully, his tone earnest, yet every word carried a hidden barb.

"Your Majesty, the Northern Frontier is showing great sincerity. Offering substantial rewards to foster good relations is a commendable act. Minister Li is young and promising, and it is also an opportune moment that he has gained the princess's favor. I believe we should accept this offer to safeguard the relations between our two nations and enrich the national treasury."

A single, seemingly innocuous phrase, a mere stroke of luck. With just two casual words, a pillar of the state like Li Xuanzhi was transformed into a commodity to be traded and sold.

A group of former officials followed suit, stepping forward to second the motion.

"What the Grand Tutor says is absolutely right."

"Distance between nations is of paramount importance; we must not allow the selfish motives of one person to jeopardize the harmony between the two countries."

"Lord Li should be mindful of the bigger picture and consider the overall situation. Only by serving the country with his own life can he fulfill the duties of a subject."

Seemingly fair and prudent, but in reality, every word is veiled and malicious.

They forced Li Xuanzhi to sacrifice himself and bear the stigma.

They forced him to abandon the new policies and flee to the far north. In order to completely eradicate this thorn in the side that was shaking the old system of powerful clans, they didn't care what the future of the Great Yong Dynasty would be like.

Princess Ning'an stood in the hall, listening to the court's unanimous agreement, a smug smile playing on her lips.

The more proud and unyielding Li Xuanzhi was, the more upright and self-disciplined she became, and the more she wanted to forcibly take him away.

She kept him by her side, wearing down his integrity. She made this the only person who dared to refuse her, dared to despise her, bow down to her for life, and obey her unconditionally.

She turned to look at Li Xuanzhi, who remained silent, and spoke in a light tone.

"Lord Li, things have come to this point, are you still going to feign arrogance and insist on refusing?"

"If you stay in Dayong, you will always be a pawn, a subject who can be discarded at any time. If you come back to the northern desert with me, you will no longer be a male concubine, but a prince consort, and no one will dare to humiliate you."

"This is your chance, I'm only giving you one. Don't be ungrateful, or you'll end up with no way out and your family will suffer the consequences."

All eyes in the hall were focused on that figure in blue.

Some will observe, some will mock, some will wait for him to be disgraced, and some will secretly worry for him.

The hall was deathly silent, as if a thousand-pound burden weighed on his shoulders.

After a long while, Li Xuanzhi finally slowly raised his eyes.

He stepped forward, walked slowly, and bowed to the throne. Then he raised his eyes to face the arrogant and smug Princess Ning'an, his voice clear and steady.

"I'll say the same thing to you before, Princess. You've misjudged me, and you've also misjudged the heart of the ministers of Dayong."

The voice was neither too loud nor too soft, yet it was like a wisp of cold wind that dispelled all the restlessness in the hall.

Princess Ning'an's confident smile froze on her lips.

She had thought that under the pressure of the court officials, the lure of large sums of money, and the pressure of diplomatic relations, Li Xuanzhi would have no choice but to compromise.

Even if she refused the marriage proposal, she would tactfully back down and show weakness, thus saving face for herself, the princess from a foreign land, and for the delegation from the northern desert.

But his opening statement was uncompromising and unambiguous; it clearly showed his intention to stand firm in public.

The gazes of the former officials on the side of the hall suddenly sharpened, and they were secretly alarmed.

Huo Linyuan frowned slightly, his fingers subtly tightening their grip on the imperial tablet, vaguely sensing that the situation was slipping out of his control—

This young man, completely lacking in judgment, insisted on stubbornly clinging to his pride on the edge of a precipice.

Li Xuanzhi stood ramrod straight in the center of the hall. His gaze swept calmly over the arrogant Princess Ning'an, his words clear and distinct.

"I, Li, am fortunate to have entered the court and govern this region by His Majesty's grace. I guard the land of Dayong, and I eat the food of the people of Dayong. All I can repay is the grace of the Emperor of Dayong."

"The princess tempted me with ten thousand taels of gold and border tax benefits, treating me as a commodity to be traded or exchanged. Privately, this is an insult to my person; publicly, it is an insult to the Great Yong Dynasty!"

The expressions of the civil and military officials who had been observing quietly in the hall all changed.

Many neutral officials nodded secretly, silently agreeing in their hearts.

Princess Ning'an of the northern desert has gone far beyond seeking a marriage alliance; it is a blatant act of diplomatic humiliation. She treats the officials of the Dayong court as playthings, as commodities, buying and selling them at will.

Princess Ning'an, publicly refuted, her eyes blazing with anger, retorted sharply:

"Li Xuanzhi! I, the princess, have treated you with great sincerity and generous gifts, yet you not only fail to appreciate it but also turn around and accuse me of insulting the Great Yong?"

"Do you really see the generous gifts from the northern desert as an insult?"

She deliberately raised her voice, her tone sharp. She tried to use the strength of diplomatic relations to intimidate the other side, so as not to make Dayong resent the Northern Desert and instead cause resentment, thus ruining her father's plans.

In her view, setting aside her status as the most favored princess of the Northern Desert, taking the initiative to fall in love with Li Xuanzhi, and even offering a large sum of money to marry him was already an immense favor. If Li Xuanzhi were any smart man, he should have been grateful and thanked her profusely.

Wouldn't it be foolish for a spoiled brat who has to pay money to get an official position not to seize the opportunity he's given?

Before Princess Ning'an left the northern desert, she was instructed to find a way to kill Li Xuanzhi.

Only when Li Xuanzhi dies will the Great Yong Dynasty continue to rot from its roots, and only then will the people of the Northern Desert have any hope of improving their lives.

I've come here in person this time and seen a lot of things.

Li Xuanzhi was in a difficult situation in Dayong, and death was not the only option for him.

The courtiers of Dayong did not want a talent like Li Xuanzhi to implement new policies, but they desperately needed him in the northern desert!

If the northern desert had a wise and capable minister like Li Xuanzhi, the northern desert would have expanded its territory long ago. Why would it need to travel thousands of miles to come here, pay respects to the dog emperor of Dayong, and present him with treasures?

If Li Xuanzhi were willing to abandon the darkness and embrace the light, leaving this corrupt court where most people are ostracizing him, and come to the Northern Desert to make his mark, I believe everyone there would welcome him. He would not only be able to achieve great things, but he would also be worshipped as a god by countless people.

Most importantly, Li Xuanzhi's appearance did indeed match her aesthetic standards. Of all the men in the entire northern desert combined, not a single one was as pleasing to her eye as Li Xuanzhi.

She made Li Xuanzhi her son-in-law, which was also to save his life. How could he not appreciate it?