Xiao Hanzheng and Shi Qingluo didn’t stay in the palace for long. They left after talking to the Emperor.
After waiting for them to leave.
Liang Hengchen said while grinding ink: “Father, do you think what Shi Qingluo knew was left by the so-called old immortal master?”
He was half-believing and half-doubting about the so-called old immortal master.
Even if the Old Taoist Priest was so powerful, would he give everything to Shi Qingluo, a female disciple?
According to the information he found, the female disciple was not even a Taoist child.
The main point was that she gave people a feeling of being extraordinary at first glance, so to say, the kind of woman with ravines in her heart.
The Emperor played with the memorial in his hand: “I checked, that Old Taoist was indeed somewhat famous when he was alive, but it was all about alchemy and other aspects.”
“So how did he get these prescriptions? Why didn’t he take them out when he was alive?”
“Shi Qingluo said before that the things in her mind were all sudden ideas, or she would suddenly remember them, and many of them were from the old immortal master in her dreams.”
“I am also half-believing and half-doubting, but whether I believe it or not, whether it is true or not, is not important.”
He looked at the Eldest Prince and said: “The important thing is whether she can be used by me.”
He had thought about digging out what Shi Qingluo knew before.
But because she said that every time she suddenly had an idea, she would remember the prescription, or think that she should do it this way, so he gave up the idea.
He was afraid that it would backfire and make her never think of good things again.
As for whether it was taught by the old immortal, dreamed, or she knew it herself, it didn’t matter to him, as long as it was beneficial to the country and the people.
Liang Hengchen seemed to be thinking about something.
After a moment, he nodded and smiled: “I understand.”
As long as Shi Qingluo was useful and good for the imperial power and the country, that’s enough.
Pushing people to the edge was not necessarily a good thing.
He no longer bothered whether these things were passed down by the old immortal or Shi Qingluo knew them by herself.
The Emperor smiled: “It’s not a bad thing to pretend to be stupid occasionally, you should learn it well.”
He was satisfied with the Eldest Prince, so he always brought him around to educate him.
Moreover, he had experienced the fact that he, a legitimate son, was almost forced to death by his illegitimate brother and missed the throne.
He wanted to maintain the orthodoxy even more. Unless the Eldest Prince was a hopeless case, the throne should not be given to those illegitimate sons in the future.
Therefore, he was very disgusted with Xiao Yuanshi’s behavior.
This was similar to his father’s doing, favoring his concubine and killing his wife.
Even worse, for a woman, he could even give up and plot against his legitimate son and daughter, which was simply outrageous.
He suddenly asked: “What do you think about me transferring Xiao Yuanshi back to the Northern Frontier after a while?”
The Eldest Prince was stunned. He didn’t answer immediately but thought about it.
After a while, he thought about it and asked back: “Father, do you want to use Xiao Yuanshi to fish?”
The Emperor’s eyes were filled with a satisfied smile: “Yes.”
“I doubt that Xiao Yuanshi will hand over the treasure map so willingly. He will probably keep a copy of it.”
“And my good half-brother may not be unaware that Xiao Yuanshi has the treasure map.”
“So why not let Xiao Yuanshi go to the northern border to bait the fish and see if they can work together to find the treasure.”
Liang Hengchen was stunned: “Father, do you mean that Xiao Yuanshi might surrender to Prince Jin because of the treasure map?”
The Emperor shook his head: “Not only the treasure map, but also because his future is almost gone because of what happened recently.”
He didn’t like to use such a minister. He was so cold and ruthless, even to his children. Who knows if he will stab him, the Emperor, one day.
And he found out that his half-brother had tried to win over Xiao Yuanshi privately.
Xiao Yuanshi had secretly contacted the people of Prince Jin, but nothing had been achieved for the time being.
This also meant that Xiao Yuanshi had left a way out.
The Emperor sneered. Since Xiao Yuanshi was likely to have second thoughts, he would help him.
“Of course, if he finally chooses not to betray me, I will give him a good result for his contributions over the years.”
He was different from his father. He would not kill all the ministers who had made contributions because of fear or dislike.
If Xiao Yuanshi returned to the Northern Frontier, even if he was involved with Prince Jin, he would tolerate it as long as he did not betray him.
If the treasure was found and Xiao Yuanshi took the initiative to report it, he would not erase the other party’s contribution.
Even if he would not use him very much, he would not mind giving him a title to show his favor.
But if Xiao Yuanshi dared to betray him, the consequences would be very serious.
Liang Hengchen heard the hidden meaning of his father’s words.
This was the last chance that his father would give to Xiao Yuanshi.
Whether he can have a good ending and seize the opportunity depends on himself.
He was not very optimistic about this.
After all, he knew that Xiao Yuanshi was a person who valued power very much. Now he was deprived of his position in the Ministry of War and would return to the Northern Frontier to serve. Will he not feel resentful in his heart?
And if he was so loyal, would he copy the treasure map and keep it in his hands?
Why do this? To find it himself, or take it to Prince Jin to surrender?
Of course, this was just his father’s guess, so he had to verify it.
“But father, if Xiao Yuanshi surrenders to Prince Jin, what if Prince Jin rebels?”
Wouldn’t this be a big threat?
The Emperor showed a cold look on his face: “What we want is for him to rebel.”
He would allow Prince Jin and Xiao Yuanshi, and it depends on how they choose.
Prince Jin was a thorn in his heart, and it would be uncomfortable if he didn’t pull him out.
Rather than leaving it alone and causing endless troubles, it would be better for him to take the initiative.
Liang Hengchen was startled, but soon guessed his father’s thoughts.
He said from the bottom of his heart: Father is wise!
This was the mindset of an Emperor. It seems that he still has a lot to learn from his father. It turns out that the old ginger was still the best.
*
On the other hand, after Xiao Hanzheng and his wife went back, everyone was paying attention to the developments in the palace.
The same day, the Emperor sent several teams to several places, and there was no other movement. The audience couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed.
While Xiao Yuanshi breathed a sigh of relief, he was still worried.
It was like a knife hanging over his head.
In the next few days, he still took sick leave and didn’t go to court.
When no one mentioned the previous things in the court, Xiao Yuanshi went to court.
What he didn’t expect was that the censors who had just attended court attacked again, wishing to beat him to a pulp.
So the Emperor, with an embarrassed look on his face, dismissed him from the position in the Ministry of War that he had fought so hard for, and asked him to reflect at home for three months.
After reflecting and waiting for the end of the imperial examination, he would allow him to return to the Northern Frontier to take up his post.
Xiao Yuanshi felt like he was struck by lightning.
He had worked so hard for so many years and was finally transferred from the Northern Frontier to the capital after his meritorious service.
Now he was going there again?
And the Emperor’s meaning was very clear, what reflecting for three months and waiting for the end of the imperial examination before going to the Northern Frontier?
It was intentional, did he want him to see with his own eyes the results of the imperial examination of his son who had given up?
He suspected that it was very likely that this was a request made by Xiao Hanzheng and Shi Qingluo to the Emperor.
Why did the Emperor make up his mind to demote him back to the Northern Frontier?
He thought that it was most likely that his son and bad daughter-in-law had done a “good deed” that made him so angry.
Not only did Xiao Yuanshi think so, but most of the people in the court had the same idea.
At the same time, they were also shocked by Shi Qingluo’s influence on the Emperor.
What prescription did she offer this time that made the Emperor demote Xiao Yuanshi?
When Shi Qingluo heard the speculations of the ministers in the court, she rolled her eyes. Is it okay for her to take the blame this time?
She reflected on whether she had let her master take too much blame before, and now it was her turn to take the blame……
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