Chapter 17: Actively Open for Business — “—I’ll Help You Get With General Xie, Okay…”
Su Xueyi was willing to take on the burden of rectifying the administration, so Ying Xi naturally granted permission happily.
Ying Xi thought, This serves perfectly to test him—has Su Xueyi truly changed?
If so, Su Xueyi could still be used.
If not, Ying Xi would have to think ahead about how to take his head without anyone knowing, before Su Xueyi could run away.
In the inner room, Ying Xi waved his hand through the screen and responded faintly, “Granted.”
In the outer room, Su Xueyi’s brow lifted, revealing an eager joy.
If he could regain Ying Xi’s trust, he could get a few inches closer when observing him.
Su Xueyi said, “This subject will definitely not fail the Imperial command.”
Su Xueyi backed out of the door.
There was no worry about Su Xueyi seeing anything he shouldn’t when passing the walled corridor again.
After all, Yu Jing was a clever spirit. Witnessing him cover Su Xueyi’s eyes, Yu Jing would inevitably ponder the deeper meaning.
Ying Xi trusted Yu Jing’s ability.
Sure enough, half a cup of tea later, Yu Jing invited the duty physician into the sleeping hall.
When the physician entered the inner chamber with his medicine chest, Yu Jing mentioned, seemingly inadvertently, that his apprentice had bought new lamps from the market. New lights would go up at night, so he had people take down the old lamps from the wall during the day.
Good Yu Jing.
So Su Xueyi wouldn’t discover his little secret.
Ying Xi curled his lips secretly.
Then he hissed in pain, his ankle trembling slightly.
The Imperial Physician had finished bowing and was taking off his gold-traced dragon boot by the bed. Ying Xi had zoned out and hadn’t noticed at all.
The physician was terrified. “This subject deserves ten thousand deaths.”
A layer of water moistened Ying Xi’s eyes. The pain stimulated his tear ducts. He inhaled lightly to force the tears back.
“It matters not. Continue.”
“Yes.” The physician lowered his head.
Ying Xi looked over and saw his ankle held in the physician’s palm. He was applying a medicinal oil with a pungent smell.
The medicine appeared dark red in the bottle but turned light red when spread. The more friction against the skin, the hotter it became.
Ying Xi only felt his ankle becoming both painful and hot.
Looking closely, his ankle was also dyed a thin layer of red. Contrasted with the skin color elsewhere, it reminded him of the phrase: clouds steaming and rosy clouds gathering.
He didn’t quite like his overly delicate body; it was like a waste.
Fortunately, no bones or tendons were broken this time. The physician finished the treatment, gave some instructions, and withdrew.
After the physician left, Ying Xi could only lie on the dragon bed. Following medical orders, he couldn’t move freely for several days. Ying Xi sulked alone.
But while venting his anger, he swiped at the tassels by the bed, scattering them.
A bead that held the tassels together rolled off. In an instant, it bounced far away with a pitter-patter sound. Ying Xi sat half up, his eyes following the bead, wanting to go down and pick it up.
As soon as his foot touched the ground, pain forced him back onto the dragon bed. A layer of sweat seeped onto his forehead.
Ying Xi gritted his teeth, watching the bead roll into the corner, and huffed.
The bead made a faint sound when it hit the wall.
It attracted Sweet Tub’s obedient promotion. It communicated, “Um… does the Host really not plan to have a romance?”
Ying Xi didn’t make a sound.
Sweet Tub continued to persuade, “If there was someone who liked you by your side, he would feel very sorry for you. Not only would he pick up the bead for you, but wherever you wanted to go, he would carry you there.”
Exquisite size difference, cold and noble beauty Emperor.
Sweet Tub believed that with the Host’s conditions, no matter who he dated, it would be a treat for it to binge-watch.
The emotional energy generated by romance was Sweet Tub’s main power source.
Although Ying Xi had been doing missions, Sweet Tub wasn’t satisfied. It hoped for a little more of this energy, just a little more.
“Will falling in love make My foot heal immediately?” Ying Xi asked.
“No, Your Majesty. For that, you need more calcium,” Sweet Tub said honestly.
Sweet Tub realized the Emperor didn’t know what calcium was.
Sweet Tub corrected itself, “Your Majesty, it means eating more meat.”
Ying Xi: “Then I’ll eat more. Serve the evening meal.”
“…”
Sweet Tub’s persuasion was declared a failure once again.
The next day, Su Xueyi arrived at his post on time.
With Su Xueyi in charge, the Department of State Affairs restored its efficiency. Feng Yong felt as if he had been saved.
The official documents that were difficult to decide and sent to Ying Xi’s desk were reduced by at least half. There were no longer long queues at Weiyang Palace. It was said that the Department of State Affairs was busy everywhere, and Ying Xi was happy to be at leisure.
As for Su Xueyi’s other task.
Su Xueyi’s active application to thoroughly investigate official integrity was now unfolding like a raging fire.
The entry point selected by the Right Prime Minister was brilliant.
He knew that even if families were corrupt, they could balance their books. Even if one wanted to catch corruption, one couldn’t do it openly.
Su Xueyi mobilized a very special class of people in the court—the Censors (Yushi).
Censors had the privilege of reporting based on hearsay; they could file a case without prior evidence collection.
Censors had never feared power. If a Censor could die resisting power, it was a heroic act that would leave their name in history and be admired infinitely by future generations.
So Su Xueyi requested the Emperor to issue a decree adjusting the direction of the Censors’ assessment this year. The number of corrupt officials impeached would be used as the standard for grading, and promotions at the end of the year would be based on results.
As soon as the decree was issued, the Censors were like they had been injected with chicken blood.
Because the goal was clear, they no longer fussed over trivial matters. Each stationed themselves among the people to find intelligence, eyes staring wide like copper bells.
In just a few short days, there were already some achievements. They really caught a few large rats.
Today.
Among the memorials sent by the Department of State Affairs for Ying Xi’s decision, aside from reporting the progress of the anti-corruption campaign, only the following matter was difficult:
—Discussing the ownership of the army brought back by Xie Qianli.
This troop commanded by the Xie clan originally belonged to the Imperial Guards.
The late Emperor was indeed absurd, daring even to touch military funds for his enjoyment, but since Xie Ji was his brother-in-law, he didn’t deduct too much. Plus, Xie Ji himself was loyal, brave, and patriotic, paying for wars out of his own pocket. Grand Princess Huining had a unique vision, even subsidizing it with her own dowry for the stability of Great Qin.
Therefore, this Imperial Guard unit not only preserved its strength but was also deployed frequently to quell rebellions. After expansion, it finally became the most elite, battle-hardened Royal Army of Great Qin.
If Xie Ji were still alive and there were no rumors of harming meritorious officials, it would be natural for the court to take back this Imperial Guard unit.
However, Xie Ji was dead. Xie Qianli was in heavy mourning. If Ying Xi took back the Imperial Guards at this time, it would appear suspicious—like adjusting one’s hat under a plum tree.
But what if he didn’t take it back?
How could Ying Xi allow Xie Qianli to hold heavy troops and self-importance right at the foot of the Imperial City?
In his previous life, Ying Xi made up his mind to forcibly seize this force from Xie Qianli.
But thinking about it now, perhaps that became a thorn buried in the ruler-subject relationship between him and Xie Qianli.
The sensation of that Wandering Dragon Blade piercing through him still felt very real.
The difficult problem was thrown blatantly before Ying Xi’s eyes again.
How to limit Xie Qianli’s power without intensifying the conflict with him?
He thought a lot.
It was inconvenient to leave Weiyang Palace due to his injury today. He finished reviewing other memorials in the study, leaving only this problem, almost racking his brain to the breaking point.
Clack.
The vermilion brush was picked up and put down.
The brush shaft hit the brush rest. Ying Xi delayed giving a reply, finally looking out the window in annoyance.
If it was early spring a few days ago, the spring colors now had a certain scale.
Looking into the distance, he saw some palace chambers dotted with purples and reds near and far. It wasn’t just the early-blooming magnolias; many flowers in the palace must have bloomed.
Ying Xi had the thought of going for a spring outing. He just stood up, but his foot couldn’t move. Looking down again, the problem was still lying in front of him.
Ying Xi sighed and spread his hands on the desk.
“Your Majesty,” Yu Jing came over again to change a cup of fresh tea for the Emperor. Yu Jing timely removed the previous teacup, his gaze seemingly inadvertently glancing at the memorial Ying Xi hadn’t moved, reminding him, “There is a Lord from the Department of State Affairs outside, waiting to ask how the Xie family’s army should be settled?”
“The Xie family’s army?”
Yu Jing’s brow jumped. Suddenly realizing he had spoken wrongly, he hurriedly asked for punishment, “This slave deserves to die! This slave deserves to die!”
” The army belongs to the Emperor; how could it be the Xie family’s? This slave absolutely has no intention of sowing discord between Your Majesty and General Xie…”
“This slave knows his mistake; please punish me, Your Majesty!”
Yu Jing really stumbled this time. In the past, his speech was well-considered. Now, as he became familiar with the Emperor, there were times when he let his guard down. Internal officials interfering in politics was a grave crime; he was terrified.
But Ying Xi said calmly instead, “I don’t blame you. Don’t let it happen again. You may leave.”
Yu Jing withdrew, sweating cold sweat.
Ying Xi raised his eyelids. It was unavoidable; it was a matter that had to be handled.
His heart beat heavily just now. Even the internal officials loyal to him in the court unconsciously thought that this army belonged to the Xie family.
This showed how difficult it was for him to successfully reclaim this team—even whatever he did would be wrong!
Ying Xi picked up the teacup and took a sip. Clear and bitter.
“Your Majesty, you are on good terms with General Xie, right?”
Over there, Sweet Tub popped up again, sparing no effort in its promotion: “—I’ll help you get with General Xie, okay!!!”
Sweet Tub’s voice was shrill, carrying the excitement of volunteering.
It caused Ying Xi to lose his grip on the cup handle, choking solidly on a mouthful of tea.
He covered his mouth with his hand, coughing severely. “…Nonsense.”
“Don’t be like this,” Sweet Tub said. “Look at Xianxia dramas, then look at Danmei novels. As long as the feelings are deep, which male lead wouldn’t overturn the world for the other?”
But Ying Xi didn’t know Xianxia dramas, nor had he read Danmei novels. He didn’t understand.
The System explained excitedly, “If he falls in love with you, even if he possesses heavy troops, it’s to protect you~”
The word love brushed past the tip of Ying Xi’s heart, plucking the heartstrings minutely, so light it was imperceptible.
Ying Xi slowly put down the cup and questioned rationally, “Then if the Xiongnu Chanyu falls in love with Me and surrenders, I won’t have to conquer the Xiongnu, and I won’t have to die in this life.”
Sweet Tub was struck dumb.
Sweet Tub missed the point. “The Xiongnu isn’t in this Tub’s service area; the Chanyu won’t fall in love with you for the time being. But General Xie is possible.”
“So consider it. Develop the relationship well, and the difficult problem will be solved effortlessly.”
“Because love always gives people the determination to protect the other, the courage to put all one’s eggs in one basket. Try opening your heart!”
Sweet Tub was actively working.
But this theory, in Ying Xi’s view, was acting on emotion and truly absurd.
He gets together with Xie Qianli because he wants the army. A few days later, encounters another difficulty, and gets together with someone else?
Leaving aside whether they could get together, just relying on others to do things was enough to make Ying Xi thoroughly disgusted.
The Emperor looked down at his own palm. His fair white fingertips tightened, closing into a fist. Ying Xi was thoughtful.
—In this life, he similarly lacked absolute authority and a robust physique.
—His rule seemed respectable, yet he had to accommodate some people and make some concessions.
Since he had tried in the previous life, immediate incorporation and restructuring was wrong.
Since even Yu Jing could blurt out the inseparable relationship between Xie Qianli and this army.
The more apprehension he showed, the more adverse the effect.
And Xie Qianli committed regicide in the end anyway. The worst case was still death. Since he had to be bold when the time came, why should he hesitate?
This wasn’t his first time feigning harmony between ruler and subject!
Ying Xi suspended his wrist and lifted the vermilion brush, dipping in ink and writing with serpentine strokes.
On the bottom left of the memorial asking whether to urge the Duke of Ying to reincorporate the army into the Imperial Guards, he commented:
“The Xie clan is full of loyal martyrs, always harboring sincerity. Xie Qianli has newly lost his father; I cannot bear to make him leave his old subordinates in haste. Hoping that seeing his old subordinates will remind him of the scenes of father and son fighting together, postpone the incorporation into the Imperial Guards.”
Before long, Ying Xi would let this memorial circulate throughout the entire city.
He had another grace to bestow upon Xie Qianli.
He hadn’t lost his head.
If feelings were the medicine to solve problems for the System, for him, they were a knife.
This emotional card he played carried the Emperor’s mourning for the former Duke of Ying and trust in the current Duke of Ying. He must let the subjects of the world know that the Emperor’s grace toward the Xie clan was deep and heavy.
If Xie Qianli dared to rebel now, unless he didn’t want the face of the illustrious Xie family, he would be willing to be nailed to the pillar of shame for thousands of years by future generations!
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