My brother entrusted his child to me, and I livestreamed raising the baby, making the Empress cry wi

Fujiwara no Shūjin was like a thorn, piercing into the power structure of the Western Regions and into his former position of being second only to the emperor.

The thorn isn't deeply embedded yet, it's even shallow, but it's definitely there, pricking him every now and then.

That damned Japanese man, why can't he just be a proper figurehead prime minister?

Occasionally, he would step forward to appease the surrendered troops in the South China Sea, and then obediently be withdrawn after everything had settled down.

He insists on meddling in politics! He insists on proving his so-called worth before the king! He insists on vying for power!

Da Shiman took a deep breath, suppressing the anger that surged to his throat back into his chest.

His expression remained calm and capable, with a composed and at ease look between his brows.

He even tilted his head slightly, adopting a posture of attentive listening and waiting for Fujiwara no Shojin's reply.

The two fists that were clenched so tightly that they hurt slowly loosened, and the nails had left several deep red marks on the palms, which stung painfully, but Da Shiman's expression remained unchanged.

It was a foregone conclusion that the king would use Fujiwara no Tsuruhito. He wouldn't be foolish enough to object, much less show his displeasure in public or act as if he had been wronged.

That's not called being honest, that's called being foolish.

Not only would it not stop anything, it would also make Ashina have a negative opinion of him—that he was petty, intolerant, and lacked vision as prime minister.

At least for now, the king won't trust him much.

Fujiwara no Shūjin was, after all, a surrendered official. No matter how capable or resourceful a surrendered official was, Ashina's trust in him could not be established overnight.

Trust is something that takes time to build up.

At this stage, Ashina would at most give him some face and ask for his opinion on some trivial matters, but when it came to truly important matters, Ashina still trusted Dashiman.

Therefore, he will be the only choice to lead the team on this trip to the grasslands to contact the tribes.

Once they reached the grasslands, he was in charge of all the operations, and all the credit would ultimately go to him, Dashiman.

He's determined to take the credit!

Thinking of this, Da Shiman's lips curled up slightly, like a blade flashing coldly in the sunlight, but it was quickly suppressed under a respectful and peaceful expression.

His gaze drifted subtly towards Fujiwara no Shujin, lightly, like a fallen leaf brushing across the surface of water, leaving no ripples.

To outsiders, it may have seemed like a casual glance while waiting for his colleagues to offer their opinions, but only he knew how much scheming was involved.

The king may have asked for opinions, but he had already made up his mind.

Based on his understanding of the king, he was never someone who would be easily swayed by the opinions of others.

He asked Fujiwara no Shūjin whether it was just to save face or to go through the motions, or whether he was really seeking consent.

Hopefully, Fujiwara no Tsurugi is oblivious to the situation, mistaking the king's inquiry for his opinion as a sign of genuine respect, and impulsively jumps out to compete with him for the position.

That's going to be quite a show.

The king hates people who are tactless and don't know when to advance or retreat the most.

At that time, even if the king doesn't explicitly express his dislike for him, he will certainly feel displeased.

Then, if I find the right opportunity to smear him, I might even have a chance to step on him!

Next, there are only two possibilities.

If Fujiwara no Shujin doesn't compete, the credit for leading the team to the grasslands will surely fall into his own hands; if Fujiwara no Shujin does compete, he will be digging his own grave, and I can easily bury him with a push.

He could attack or defend, and from any perspective, he was in a winning position.

The curtains at the corner of the palace were lifted by the wind, then fell back down. The tassels along the edges brushed against the floor tiles, making a soft rustling sound, like snakes slithering through withered grass.

Those swaying movements were just like the rhythm of Dashiman's heartbeat at that moment—

It wasn't fast, but each strike was steady and powerful, carrying an unwavering determination to win.

The morning sun had dried the stone steps outside the hall almost completely, leaving only a little rainwater in some depressions, forming shallow puddles that reflected the azure sky and the occasional shadow of a bird flying by.

The frankincense in the incense burner had burned to the bottom once again, leaving only a layer of grayish-white embers that still glowed with a faint red light.

The servants on the side were already eager to get started, their sleeves rolled up half an inch, holding fresh incense in their hands, just waiting to step forward and add more.

The last wisp of smoke emerged from the openwork pattern of the bronze lid, winding and twisting like a thin snake in mid-air before finally dissipating and merging into the dry, warm air of the hall.

However, Fujiwara no Shūjin's reaction was completely unexpected.

Fujiwara no Shūjin did not show any resentment or restraint, contrary to what Tashman had secretly hoped for.

He did not take advantage of the fact that the idea was his own and that he brought the two elders with him to try to get the job from Ashina.

He didn't even twitch his eyebrows; his expression remained consistently calm.

It was clear from Da Shi's expression that it wasn't feigned composure or suppressed restraint, but rather a calm and composed demeanor as if he had known all along that things would unfold this way.

In fact, Fujiwara no Shūjin had indeed foreseen this long ago.

Ashina would not allow people from the South China Sea to lead the team; that's obvious.

He was able to unify the Western Regions, which undoubtedly shows he was an extremely shrewd person. He would never have placed his bets on a few surrendered officials in such a major war that involved the entire Western Regions.

Fujiwara no Shūjin was very clear about his position.

He was a surrendered official, and although his current status was nominally that of "Prime Minister," on par with Ashina's confidant Dashiman, in the eyes of these people in the Western Regions, he and those elders from the South Sea were nothing more than outsiders.

However, he brought more soldiers and had the most influence among the kingdoms of the South China Sea, so Ashina gave him the title of prime minister and bestowed upon him the honor of being a prime minister.

At the court assembly, he stood first on the right, his salary was the same as that of Dashiman, and his residence was located in the best area.

But all of this is just superficial. He's far from having true trust yet.

Therefore, this job of leading the team was destined not to be his from the very beginning.

He wouldn't try to claim credit for leading the team.

Not only would he fail to win, but he would also easily cause trouble and lower Ashina's impression of him.

Since Fujiwara no Shujin took charge of Japan, he has transformed it from an ordinary major power into the leading power in the South China Sea, giving it a voice that surpasses that of other countries.

If he can't even understand this simple principle, then he's wasted half his life.

Therefore, when Ashina turned his gaze to him and gently asked, "What do you think, Prime Minister Shujin?", Fujiwara Shujin replied almost without hesitation.

He bowed slightly, his posture respectful but not humble, his gaze sweeping over Ashina's chin, without looking directly into those scrutinizing eyes.

"Your subject has no objection."

The sound was steady and clear, sinking firmly to the bottom.

"With the Prime Minister of Dashi Man Kingdom leading the team, they will surely be able to bring back good news of a successful cooperation to Shiyan."