Pei Wenxuan hugged Li Rong and did not make any further movements. After a while, he slowly fell asleep.
Li Rong sensed that Pei Wenxuan had fallen asleep and breathed a sigh of relief. His entire body relaxed and he also closed his eyes and fell asleep.
When the lights in the Princess Royal's residence were turned off, the Shangguan Residence was brightly lit. Many people gathered in Shangguan Xu's room with a worried expression. Censorate Wen Ping paced back and forth in the room with an angry expression. He reprimanded the Ministry of War's Doctor Wang Xi: "I told you to find a weakness. You said that there was a problem with the battle in Huang Ping County, but that battle was caused by your embezzlement of soldiers' pay. Why didn't you say so earlier? Now that someone has found a weakness, this is great. Everyone will be finished together! "
"How can you blame me for this?" Wang Xi's face also had a bit of anger, but he did not dare to directly scold people. He could only beat around the bush: "The Qin Family originally had nothing to investigate. If they had to investigate, what could I do?"
In the fight for the Northwest Army, the original plan was to find a few dirty people from these poor families to deal with. This was to intimidate Xiao Su and make Xiao Su not rely on Consort Rou and the emperor to go against the aristocratic families. However, at the last minute, Shangguan Xu changed the plan to the Qin Family.
The Qin Family's hands and feet were clean. There was nothing to do. In order to curry favor with Shangguan Xu, the subordinates did not care about anything else. They simply tore up the military records in Huang Ping County that had been reported to the Ministry of War.
If it involved the frontlines, then it was a great crime to confiscate the family's property and exterminate the entire family. When such a case was brought out, everyone was a bit afraid at first. However, when they thought about how the emperor had been suppressing the aristocratic families, a group of people wanted to dampen Li Ming's spirit a bit. Thus, they decided to resolve this case.
But who would have thought?
At first, Wang Xi didn't dare to reveal the matter of the lack of military pay, so he only said that there were some suspicious points in the case. The people from the Ministry of Justice of the Censorate thought that they could cover the truth with their hands, so they thought of a way to fabricate evidence. In the end, they were forcefully dragged into the military pay case by Li Rong.
Shangguan Xu understood what Wang Xi was implying. He raised his head and looked at him coldly. "Why? Are you blaming me?"
"I don't dare."
Wang Xi held his breath and could only say, "It's just that back then, Imperial Censor Wen, Assistant Minister Cui and the others all agreed that no matter what case it was, they would be able to handle it properly. Now that something has happened, it's all this humble one's fault. This humble one …"
Wang Xi didn't continue, but Shangguan Xu already understood.
Cui Shuyun, who had been listening for a long time, sighed. He was the assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice, and also the main person in charge of this case. At this point, he also lost the strength to argue. He could only say, "There's no point in discussing right or wrong now, Prime Minister." Cui Shuyun turned his head and looked at Shangguan Xu. "The most important thing now is to stop Her Highness. Today's matter, if it wasn't for Her Highness investigating, would it have reached this point? If it was someone else, everyone would have already made a move. But Her Highness is the Crown Prince's elder sister, and Prime Minister's niece. Everyone is giving in to her out of respect for Prime Minister. Previously, Prime Minister cared about Her Highness' friendship. Now it's up to Her Highness to see if Her Highness cares about Prime Minister's friendship. "
Shangguan Xu heard Cui Shuyun's words and turned his head. His gaze fell on Cui Shuyun's face. In a cold voice, he said, "What do you mean?"
"Prime Minister." Cui Shuyun took a cup of tea from the side and said calmly, "Today, I made some inquiries about the military pay case. There are many people involved, such as my third uncle …"
"You want to protect him?"
Shangguan Xu understood the meaning of Cui Shuyun's words. His expression was calm. "He embezzled the military pay. You want to protect such a big matter? Cui Shuyun, I'm afraid you've lost your mind."
"You must be joking." Cui Shuyun laughed. "This official is just asking for mercy for my third uncle. After all, your uncle is the main person in charge of this matter."
Shangguan Xu wasn't surprised to hear this. His face was cold as he listened to Cui Shuyun calmly say, "My lord, it's up to you whether Her Highness can stop. If Her Highness can't stop … "
Cui Shuyun didn't finish his words. He smiled and bowed. "Shangguan Daren, it's late. You should have a good talk with Her Highness. We'll take our leave first."
Wang Xi and the others followed Cui Shuyun and bowed. The ministers greeted Shangguan Xu and then left.
After they left, Shangguan Xu suddenly flipped the table and said angrily, "Shameless!"
Shangguan Ya was waiting in the courtyard. When Cui Shuyun and the others came out, she carried a bowl of soup and went to Shangguan Xu's study.
"Father." Shangguan Ya stood at the door and said softly, "I've prepared snow pear soup for you. I'm coming in."
"Get out!"
Shangguan Xu shouted angrily, "You're so annoying! Why are you meddling in this again? "
Shangguan Ya didn't get angry when she heard Shangguan Xu's words. She only said, "Father, the fire is burning too hot. It needs pear soup to moisten it. Father, let me in."
Shangguan Xu was about to scold her, but before he opened his mouth, he realized something and paused. He thought for a moment and suddenly realized that Shangguan Ya might be hinting at something. He hurriedly said, "Come in."
Shangguan Ya came in with the pear soup. When she saw Shangguan Xu sitting behind the table, she waved her hand and the servant next to her left. Shangguan Ya went forward and placed the pear soup in front of Shangguan Xu. She pursed her lips and said with a smile, "Those people came to make trouble for Father again."
"It's late. If you have something to say, say it."
No one knew a daughter better than a father. Shangguan Xu knew what kind of monkey spirit he had raised. When Shangguan Ya brought the soup over, he knew that his daughter was harboring some intentions.
Shangguan Ya smiled and knelt in front of Shangguan Xu. She said gently, "I heard that the Qin Family's case has been overturned."
Shangguan Xu's expression didn't change. Shangguan Ya poured some tea and said calmly, "Although it's said that it's a case in Huangping County, it's related to the military pay case. I think that if something happens to the military pay, the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue won't be able to escape. The assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue is also my maternal uncle. Just thinking about it makes me nervous. If my maternal uncle is involved in this case, do you think we should intervene or not? If we intervene, embezzling the military pay will shake the foundation of the country. But if we don't intervene, I'm afraid that Grandmother won't let Father off and will turn the world upside down. "
"Just say it," Shangguan Xu understood that Shangguan Ya was here to persuade him, so he asked directly, "What do you want to do?"
"Father, what do you plan to do after this?"
Shangguan Ya asked directly. However, before Shangguan Xu could answer, she continued on behalf of Shangguan Xu, "Father, there are only two problems facing you now. First, whether to protect Cui Shuyun and the others who forged evidence to frame the Qin Family. Second, whether to investigate the embezzlement of the military pay case or not. But in the end, there's only one problem in this matter, and that is how to face the Princess. "Shangguan Ya raised her head and looked at Shangguan Xu." How should I face her? "
"The Princess has His Majesty's support. So, what I want to ask you today is how you're going to face His Majesty."
"Everyone knows that His Majesty wants to weaken the Shangguan Family. Father's tough attitude is just to make His Majesty fear him and not do anything drastic," Shangguan Ya said as she stirred the tea leaves into the teapot. Her voice was calm as she said, "But Father doesn't want to completely break off relations with His Majesty. No matter what, the Shangguan Family will stand on His Majesty's side. After all, His Majesty is a member of the Shangguan Family. He's your cousin, and his wife is your sister. If the Shangguan Family completely breaks off relations with His Majesty, the aristocratic families may gather the power of the officials and change the emperor. Will the new emperor still be from the Shangguan Family? "
"You're right." Shangguan Xu was a little tired. "But His Majesty doesn't think so. He's now focused on the Shangguan Clan's involvement in politics..."
"His Majesty's thinking is also right." Shangguan Ya said slowly, "For example, Father, if the Princess doesn't intervene in this matter, how will you deal with the military pay case?"
Shangguan Xu paused. Shangguan Ya said calmly, "This case involves many aristocratic families. Father can't really do anything to his supporters. Otherwise, they'll be disappointed. So, if you really investigate, you'll just demote them and exile them. You'll catch a few demons who don't have any backing and punish them. But will this have any effect? "
"The aristocratic families are complicated. They're like a spider's web. You can't do anything to them, and neither can His Majesty. But no one will do anything. "Shangguan Ya smiled bitterly." It's normal for the Yang Family to betray the country and bribe the Rong Family to avoid war. "
"So, it's normal for His Majesty to think that the Shangguan Clan's involvement in politics."
"But all the aristocratic families are like this." Shangguan Xu looked a little angry. "Why does he keep an eye on the Shangguan Clan?"
"Then who's the representative of the aristocratic families?" Shangguan Ya asked calmly. Shangguan Xu was stunned. Shangguan Ya lowered his eyes and poured tea. He said slowly, "Father, the Shangguan Family's current situation is that the Emperor is afraid of them, and the aristocratic families hate them. The Shangguan Family has long been a target. They seem to be powerful, but they're already in danger. This time, father, do you feel that the situation is already out of your control? In order to please you, your subordinates lied about the Qin Clan's case. Now that it's exposed, you're forced to be involved with them. Are you in control of them, or are they in control of you? "
Shangguan Xu listened calmly. He took Shangguan Ya's tea and took a sip. He was silent for a long time, as if he was thinking about Shangguan Ya's words.
Shangguan Ya waited for a long time. Shangguan Xu slowly put down his teacup and finally said, "In your opinion, what should we do now?"
"In my opinion, this isn't the first time something like this has happened. Father, you're already tired. Why don't you take this opportunity to completely reorganize the Shangguan Family?"
"Reorganize?" Shangguan Xu frowned. Shangguan Ya took a step back, knelt in front of Shangguan Xu, and bowed respectfully. "Father."
"If father trusts me, I'm willing to be your envoy and ask for peace on your behalf."
"Then?"
"Then, we'll use the Princess's name to reorganize the Shangguan Family. If there are any criminals involved in embezzling military funds, we'll deal with them first."
"In this way, we'll definitely suffer heavy losses." Shangguan Xu said uneasily. "If the other aristocratic families retaliate, or if His Majesty wants to make trouble for us …"
"Isn't there a Princess?"
Shangguan Ya said calmly. Shangguan Xu was stunned. Shangguan Ya laughed. "Father, if the Shangguan Family wants to survive, an aristocratic family can't go beyond the imperial power."
"What do you mean? If you think we only need to submit to the imperial power, why don't we directly surrender to His Majesty? "
"Because if we directly obey His Majesty, His Majesty will endlessly weaken the aristocratic families' power to satisfy his desires. Only by relying on the Princess can we maintain balance. "
Shangguan Ya analyzed. "The Princess needs the aristocratic families' power to support her position, so she'll protect us. In exchange, we have to listen to the Princess's arrangements. Otherwise, the Princess won't dare to hold a sword without a scabbard. With the Princess, we have a buffer against His Majesty. Now that we've broken our own wings, we're surrendering to His Majesty and the Princess. "
"The Princess will only accept a clean Shangguan Family. Father, only in a clean Shangguan Family can you have absolute power."
Otherwise, he would have countless weaknesses that others could use against him and control him constantly.
"Then," Shangguan Xu hesitated. "How can I say this?"
If he said that he wanted to investigate the Shangguan Family, he was afraid that the elders of the Shangguan Family would expel him from the position of Master.
Seeing Shangguan Xu hesitate, Shangguan Ya laughed. "Don't you still have me?"
Shangguan Xu was stunned. Shangguan Ya looked at Shangguan Xu and said, "Father, you can give me full authority to investigate the internal affairs of the Shangguan Family. From today onwards, I'm the scabbard of the Shangguan Family. "
"As long as you don't mind my identity as a woman," Shangguan Ya sighed. "You can secretly give me some power."
Shangguan Xu was silent. Shangguan Ya looked at him out of the corner of her eyes. After a long time, Shangguan Xu finally said, "Okay."
As he spoke, he looked at the sky and said directly, "You can leave now and go to the Princess's Mansion to convey my message."
"In the future, the Shangguan Family will be the Shangguan Family of the Princess. As for this case, I hope that the Princess will think more about it."
This was an exchange.
Shangguan Ya smiled and stood up to bow. When she turned around, Shangguan Xu suddenly said, "I've always known that you went to the casino."
Shangguan Ya froze and couldn't maintain her smile for a moment.
Shangguan Xu continued, "I hope that you can tell Her Highness one thing. In fact, I could have fought against her to the end. If I killed her, the Inspection Department would be finished. Then, I could have suppressed His Majesty and allied with the aristocratic families in the future. Whether His Majesty dethrones the Crown Prince or not, I could have let him ascend the throne."
"Now, I'm only compromising for one thing." Shangguan Xu sighed, and there was a hint of helplessness in his tone. "You young people are my family."
"I hope that Your Highness will always remember."
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