The stolen magic is a bit magical

“Of course!” Lin Xiaosu said, “The solution is extremely simple; just reverse the process!”

"Reverse operation?" His Majesty murmured, whether he was unfamiliar with the modern term or pondering the method.

"The cause and effect are reversed, resulting in a situation where one side rises while the other falls. The person who was bound to the seal has become too powerful, which has led to Your Majesty's... lack of affinity with the imperial seal. Your Majesty might as well temporarily strip him of his power and see if the affinity with the imperial seal can be restored."

The Imperial Seal is Auspicious!

The four words seem inexplicable.

However, the tremor in His Majesty's heart was like a Category 10 tidal wave.

Others might not understand the four words Lin Xiaosu said at first, but he did!
It refers to the control of the imperial seal!

Since the Crown Prince took over the Eastern Palace, there has been a problem with the imperial seal. He is unable to control the imperial seal and exert its immense power.

This is an emperor's greatest fear.

If someone discovers that he cannot control the imperial seal, then the fate of the nation is in jeopardy.

It was for this reason that he rarely attended court, leaving the country to be overseen by the crown prince.

This was a last resort; compared to the vast wilderness, the Crown Prince's usurpation of power was actually a minor matter.

The Crown Prince's prestige in the court was so great that at least this vast land had a master surnamed Hong.

Without a crown prince, the entire dynasty might be doomed.

Now, looking at the matter from a different perspective, he suddenly felt a strong sense of irony.

If this whole thing was originally orchestrated by the Crown Prince.

The current trajectory perfectly aligns with the Crown Prince's wishes.

Given his current physical condition, he won't last more than a few years. Once he dies and the crown prince smoothly ascends the throne, this rebellion will be recorded in history in a way that deceives everyone.

No one would accuse the Crown Prince of treason; they would only praise him for accepting the mission in a time of crisis and turning the tide.

No one realized that this crisis was actually a man-made one!
"Sir, do you mean to temporarily strip him of his power?" His Majesty asked.

"Your Majesty, as the ruler of a nation, should act in accordance with the law. Even a temporary reduction in rank is something Your Majesty is reluctant to decide," Lin Xiaosu said. "This humble subject has a plan that may relieve Your Majesty's worries."

"Tell me your story!"

The form of address has changed in just four words.

Previously, being polite and calling someone "sir" was a formal, formulaic way of addressing them.

Now there's only one character: "卿"!
Lin Xiaosu bowed and said, "This humble subject wishes to request a position from Your Majesty!"

What is your position?

"Inspector!"

The Inspector General was an imperial envoy specifically tasked with investigating problems; he was usually a censor.

"Where do you wish to inspect?"

"Heart Pavilion!"

"Why?"

"Last night's prisoner exchange was ostensibly a matter of court law, but in reality, it was an attempt to frame a prince. It should not be let off easily. Your Majesty has every reason to investigate it thoroughly and see which dark hand is behind it."

His Majesty sat on the dragon throne, remaining motionless for a long time.

His body trembled almost imperceptibly in the darkness.

Lin Xiaosu never mentioned the word "Crown Prince" from beginning to end, but everyone understood the implication.

He was pointing his sword at the Crown Prince.

He himself requested to be appointed as the inspector and go to Xin Pavilion to investigate the prisoner exchange case in the Heavenly Prison last night. In fact, he had already set up a plan that the Crown Prince was behind the prisoner exchange case.

If it had been half an hour earlier, and someone had suggested a thorough investigation into the prisoner swap in the imperial prison, His Majesty would have rejected it immediately.

Because he knew all too well that the Crown Prince would ultimately be behind this prisoner exchange.

The Crown Prince's desire to eliminate dissidents in the court is an open secret.

If you know he's the crown prince, why bother investigating?

Finding out would only damage the royal family's reputation!
But now, his mindset has completely changed.

Because on this side of the scale, what is placed is no longer the empty royal prestige, but himself!
His life!

His imperial power!

What is there to consider?
He had to try to remove the crown prince no matter what, to see if the "imperial seal and harmony" he spoke of could be restored.

The phrase "imperial seal and harmony" also added weight to Lin Xiaosu's position.

If Lin Xiaosu didn't truly know about the cause and effect error, how could he possibly know that he couldn't control the imperial seal?

The fact that he could not control the imperial seal was a secret known only to him throughout the world.

He dared not tell anyone, not even to anyone.

Lin Xiaosu knew that this meant that what he said was most likely true.

Since that's the case, then authorize him to find evidence of the Crown Prince's crimes and legally and legitimately depose him temporarily...

Why do I say "temporarily"?

Because the final result depends on the outcome.

If the crown prince is removed and control of the imperial seal is restored, then this removal will be permanent.

If the Crown Prince is captured and his "condition" does not improve, it will not be too late to kill the entire Li family of Xihe!

As for the Crown Prince, it's just a title; it's not like he was deposed and can't be reinstated...

This is what you call being able to attack or defend!

In an instant, countless thoughts raced through His Majesty's mind.

He slowly raised his head: "Where is the Imperial Attendant?"

The sound wave was about to hit the closed door.

Huo Gang, who was standing next to His Majesty, suddenly stretched out his right hand!
Without a sound, he forcefully pulled open the heavy bronze door from a distance of a hundred meters.

The sound waves traveled outwards.

“Here!” A white-haired official rushed over and knelt down.

"By imperial decree!" His Majesty said, "Li Chengnian of Xihe is hereby appointed as a fifth-rank inspector, authorized to patrol the capital on behalf of the Emperor. All levels of government and all forces must cooperate with him. Anyone who disobeys this order will be considered to be defying the court."

"As you command!" The attendant received the order.

Outside the door, two servants in yellow robes walked in side by side.

On the left is a man holding a golden plate with an official seal and an official order on it. On the right is a man holding a wooden plate with official robes, boots, and hat on it.

Lin Xiaosu's heart skipped a beat as she looked at all this. Entering the Desolate Ancient Realm, the first stage goal had been successfully achieved.

He obtained an official position.

Although it's just a nominal fifth-rank title, it's definitely not a low starting point.

In feudal society, even the top scholar in the imperial examination would likely only reach the fifth rank at the beginning of his career.

He's getting the treatment of a top student.

More importantly, his career has only just begun, and there is reason to believe that his official position will soon rise rapidly.

The Seventh Prince beside him had a complex expression on his face.

Tonight, he witnessed the greatest miracle in the history of officialdom: a man from the Jianghu (江湖, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) rising from a commoner to a fifth-rank official.

What's even more bizarre is that he asked for this official position himself!

The most bizarre thing is that no one thought he was shameless in his pursuit of officialdom; in fact, everyone felt that his loyalty to his father was as bright as the sun and the moon.

Because he was taking a huge risk by taking this official position, but whatever he gained would go to his father, the emperor!

These are the people he brought!
From this moment on, he, the seventh prince, seemed to have become bound to this legendary inspector.

If the operation goes smoothly, he will reap an exceptionally rich reward; if it fails to achieve its intended goals, he, as a prince, might end up like his elder brother and be exiled to a distant place.

His Majesty's voice softened further: "Minister Li!"

The form of address has changed again.

At first it was "Sir", then "Your Excellency", and now it is "My Beloved Minister".

"Aiqing" is a term used to address trusted ministers.

"Chen is here!"

When will the investigation of Xin Pavilion yield results?

"Your Majesty!" Lin Xiaosu said, "This matter is of utmost importance and cannot be delayed any longer. Your Majesty will take action now, and by the time the sun sets today, Your Majesty will surely see the result!"

An hour!
At the latest, the sun will set!
The people in the hall were all greatly shocked.

This demonstrates the decisiveness of the newly appointed inspector.

This also reflects his decisive and efficient approach to action.

He entered the palace late at night, dressed in plain clothes.

In less than half an hour, he was removed from his official rank of fifth grade.

They acted immediately, targeting the heart chamber.

They claimed there might be results within an hour.

The greatest event of this generation in the Great Wilderness Kingdom thus occurred.

It begins late at night and will likely end late at night, without any hesitation or lingering.

In fact, everyone is well aware that this matter really cannot be delayed.

An imperial edict appointing an official can't be kept secret.

Everyone will know as soon as the court session begins tomorrow.

Once Lin Xiaosu's intentions are exposed, the court, which is infiltrated like a sieve, will relay the news to the Heart Pavilion in the blink of an eye. The Heart Pavilion has a plethora of strategists and a wealth of methods; what problem can't they solve? Even if they can't eliminate the evidence, wouldn't dealing with the person who raised the issue be a piece of cake?

So, we'll catch them off guard!
When they awoke from their dream, it was already dawn!

"Excellent! I like Minister Li's style of doing things!" His Majesty stood up: "Huo Gang!"

"Your subject is here!" Huo Gang spun around and stood before His Majesty, bowing deeply.

"You will personally lead the Imperial Guards and follow Lord Li's orders!"

"By imperial decree!"

Fifteen minutes later...

Ten magical flying boats soared into the sky!

Each flying boat carries three hundred fully armed Imperial Guard soldiers!
On the central giant ship, Huo Gang, the commander of the restricted area, held a large flag, with two young men beside him.

The one dressed in pale yellow royal robes is the seventh prince, Prince Dingbei, Hong Yun.

The one dressed in the blue fifth-rank court robe is Lin Xiaosu.

Wearing brand-new court robes, brand-new official boots, and a brand-new image, Lin Xiaosu's face showed no air of smugness or pride as a newly appointed official, but rather a gentle, calm demeanor.

This calm yet confident expression impressed both Hong Yun and Huo Gang.

This person is truly extraordinary.

He speaks eloquently before His Majesty, plans the overall situation meticulously, and remains unmoved by the acquisition of his official position. Such a person has only now revealed his true talent.

Three thousand imperial guards soared into the sky, sweeping across the heavens. Some people in the city sat up in surprise, watching the imperial guards leave the city.

However, most people are still dreaming at this moment.

On the western hill, Tunyun Temple lies quietly asleep.

Halfway up the mountain, the Heart Pavilion slumbers quietly.

Besides a few caves, there were also faint lights shining through...

Suddenly, clouds began to swirl and drift across the sky.

The night was torn apart.

With a soft boom, ten flying chariots descended from the void, sealing off the area around the Heart Pavilion.

Huo Gang raised the banner in his hand, and the golden light of the imperial road covered the Heart Pavilion.

With a whoosh, seven figures soared into the sky above the Heart Pavilion; they were seven of the eight top elders of the Heart Pavilion.

Almost simultaneously, all the pavilions in the Heart Pavilion were illuminated, and the caves beneath them were also lit up.

In an instant, this place became clear and bright.

Huo Gang shouted, "By His Majesty's decree, the Heart Pavilion is to be inspected! Everyone in the Heart Pavilion, come out and accept the inspection! No one is allowed to make any unusual moves, or you will be executed without mercy!"

As soon as the sound fell, golden waves rolled in the air.

Like a raging torrent from the heavens, it crashed down, and the seven top elders who had just taken flight were directly pressed back down to the plaza by this overwhelming pressure.

Everyone's expression changed simultaneously.

All seven of them were experts at the Enlightenment level, but Huo Gang suppressed them all with just one shout.

This is his Demon God Realm!
This demonstrates the strength of the Grand Commander serving His Majesty.

He wasn't just comparable to a Dao-wielding master; even Dao-wielding giants wouldn't dare to act recklessly before him! (End of Chapter)