After failing the imperial examination, he began to wield immense power after entering the palace!

This is the moment Li Fan has been waiting for.

He took a deep breath, slammed his forehead heavily against the gold brick, and spoke in a loud voice:

"Yes, Your Majesty, this servant will certainly not fail your grace!"

At the same time, he realized that although the Chu emperor was in poor health and looked sickly.

But once he opened his mouth, he suspended Cao Mo from his post and escorted Liu Zhengsheng back to the capital in just a few words.

This person still firmly controls the imperial court.

It would be too much pressure to cuckold someone like that.

Emperor Chu rubbed his aching head, turned away from the dragon throne with a gloomy face, and strode towards the rear hall.

"Whoosh!"

Empress Yang also stood up.

As she passed Consort Xie's desk, she paused, a meaningful smile playing on her lips.

"My sister has some impressive skills; she can turn the world upside down with a flick of her wrist."

Consort Xie sat upright, not even lifting her eyelids, and said calmly:

"No one is as capable as my sister. She raised such a parasite in the military. My sister's methods are truly superior."

Empress Yang remained composed, said nothing more, and gracefully walked away.

Cao Mo got up from the ground with a livid face, looking at Li Fan with eyes that seemed to want to devour him alive.

But he didn't dare to make a scene in the hall. He just snorted and turned away.

The other ministers from the powerful families of Guanzhong also rose, their faces grim, and filed out.

The vast Taiji Hall quickly became empty.

Consort Xie then stood up and slowly walked to Li Fan.

"You did a great job."

Li Fan lowered his head and said, "It's all thanks to Your Majesty's excellent guidance."

Consort Xie's lips curled slightly, but she didn't accept the flattery.

"Next, I want you to do even better."

"Do you know what to do?"

Li Fan raised his head, his gaze open and honest.

"This servant wants to investigate the Cao family first. Cao Mo has been an official for many years; it's impossible for him to be completely clean."

"As long as we investigate his assets and his correspondence, we will definitely find evidence."

A hint of approval flashed in Consort Xie's eyes.

She had only asked casually, but she hadn't expected that he already had his own idea.

"Go."

Then, she looked at Zhang Xuan.

"I am a person who clearly distinguishes between gratitude and resentment."

"Whoever is good to me, I will repay them tenfold."

"Whoever treats me badly, I will repay them a hundredfold."

"Rest assured, I will not let any loyal and virtuous person lose heart."

Zhang Xuan trembled, his eyes reddened, and he kowtowed heavily.

"This humble general is willing to go through fire and water for Your Majesty, even unto death!"

Consort Xie stopped looking at him and turned to walk out of the palace.

Leng Shuangqiu followed.

As she was leaving, she glanced back at Li Fan with a complicated expression.

This young man's performance in court today was a hundred times better than I had expected.

Perhaps, he really could become the empress's male favorite...

Consort Xie walked under the corridor, the sunlight shining on her fair face, as if it were coated with a layer of gold powder.

"Do you think he looks like a knife?"

Leng Shuangqiu was taken aback, and said carefully, "It's not sharp enough yet."

Consort Xie smiled, a very light and faint smile, yet it revealed a hint of determination.

"No rush, a good knife needs to be sharpened slowly."

"Only when the grinding is sharp can the meat be cut."

……

at the same time.

Li Fan turned his head and looked at Zhang Miaozhen who was following behind him.

Her black outfit accentuated her curvaceous figure, her waist was so slender it could be grasped with a single hand, and her chest was surprisingly full.

"Miss Zhang, our investigation requires manpower. You are highly skilled in martial arts; would you mind accompanying us?"

Zhang Miaozhen's phoenix eyes flashed, and she clasped her hands in a fist salute without hesitation:

"Eunuch Gao has done my father a great favor, so it is only my duty to investigate this case."

"If you, my lord, have any request, I, Miaozhen, will gladly die for you."

Li Fan said no more and strode out of the hall.

In the square in front of the Taiji Hall, hundreds of Imperial Guards stood in formation.

These Imperial Guards were all martial artists of the seventh rank or above, their imposing presence making them stand like an iron wall.

Li Fan took a deep breath and raised the token in his hand.

It was a gilded token, with the character "敕" (imperial decree) engraved on the front and the four large characters "如朕亲临" (as if the emperor were personally present) engraved on the back, gleaming in the sunlight.

"By order of His Majesty, you will accompany me out of the palace on official business!"

Hundreds of Imperial Guards stood together and shouted in unison:

"yes!"

Looking at the hundreds of armored soldiers, Li Fan felt a surge of indescribable emotions.

Three days ago, he was lying in that dark and damp prison, beaten black and blue by a prison warden, lying on a straw bed like a dog.

Now, hundreds of elite armored soldiers stood before him, obeying his commands.

Is this what it's like to command troops?

So fucking cool!

As Li Fan stepped down the stairs, he saw Cao Mo, whose face was gloomy, and said with a smile:

"I have met Prefect Cao."

Cao Mo's temples throbbed.

That damned little eunuch, he was all respectful outside the palace just now, and now he's tearing me apart in the court.

Now they're putting on that smiling face again; they're clearly treating him like a fool and making fun of him!

"You wicked eunuch who's gained power, you think you're all that great now? You're nothing but a woman's pawn!"

"When you're no longer useful as a pawn, that will be your death!"

"Then you won't even know how you died!"

Li Fan listened to these words, but his face still wore that forced smile, showing no sign of annoyance.

"Thank you for your guidance, Magistrate Cao. I will remember your words."

Seeing that he not only wasn't angry, but instead appeared to be humbly accepting instruction, Cao Mo became even more annoyed.

"You eunuch, you have no sense of propriety whatsoever! You think you can get away with everything by helping Consort Xie frame Minister Liu?"

"How can we know what will happen to the 100,000 troops without Minister Liu stationed in Liaodong?"

"The war situation in Liaodong is extremely precarious, yet you're here fighting for power and profit!"

He became increasingly agitated as he spoke, spittle flying from his mouth:

"You selfish and self-serving wretch, you have no regard for your country or its people!"

"Do you think I'm speaking up for Minister Liu because we're related by marriage? That's not the case at all!"

"I did this for the country, for..."

"Prefect Cao".

Li Fan interrupted Cao Mo calmly.

He raised his head and looked at the furious old man in purple robes, his eyes as calm as a stagnant pool.

"I am acting on His Majesty's orders to search your residence for evidence. Please lead the way."

Cao Mo's expression froze instantly.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but when he met Li Fan's frighteningly calm eyes, he didn't utter another word.

Li Fan stopped looking at him, turned around and strode towards the palace gate.

Behind him, hundreds of Imperial Guard soldiers followed in unison.

As Zhang Miaozhen passed by Cao Mo, she gave him a cold glance, her phoenix eyes filled with disgust.

This eunuch Gao may be ruthless in his methods, but at least he keeps his word.

This so-called prefect, who spouted righteousness and morality, secretly sent assassins to wipe out her entire family.

Who is truly someone who has no sense of national identity or patriotism?

"Pooh!"