After being reborn, the aloof prime minister was once again forced by a tyrant.

Xiao Jingyuan strode out of Tingxue Pavilion, his boots crunching over the fallen petals, the resulting gust of wind causing them to swirl. After walking only ten steps, his pace slowed.

He clutched the neatly folded plain paper inside his shirt, the edges of which were softened by his body heat. The two characters "Gui Lan" pressed against his heart, causing both pain and burning sensation.

The anger and jealousy that had been building up just now were completely extinguished the moment the palace doors slammed shut.

He just slammed the door in Tingxuexuan.

He actually slammed the door in Tingxuexuan.

Xie Qinglan had finally taken the initiative to invite him in for tea, and had finally given him a kind look because of Guilan Sword, but he slammed the door and left because of that bastard Shen Hanzhou who had a slip of the tongue.

He turned around, staring at the tightly closed wooden door in the twilight, wanting to go back, wanting to push it open and say sorry, wanting to tell that person he didn't mean it.

But his feet felt like they were made of lead, and as soon as he turned away, he slunk back home—where could he put his dignity as the supreme ruler?

Besides, Xie Qinglan is definitely angry right now. What if he goes back and gets kicked out? What if he doesn't even have the chance to secretly climb over the wall to see him anymore?

Xiao Jingyuan paced back and forth in the alleyway more than a dozen times before finally gritting his teeth, turning around and walking towards the palace.

His back was stiff and forlorn, like a big dog that had been kicked out of the house by its owner.

In Chang Le Palace, Pei Yuning smashed the celadon teacup in her hand to the ground, shards of porcelain flying everywhere, and scalding tea splashed all over Lan Zan's skirt.

"Has His Majesty gone to Tingxue Pavilion?" Her voice was so sharp it was almost distorted. She stood up abruptly, the gold hairpin at her temples swaying violently, her once gentle face now twisted with jealousy.

"I thought that after he barged into the Imperial Study with a sword drawn and pointed it at His Majesty's neck, His Majesty would at least be disgusted with him, if not kill him! But what happened? Not only did His Majesty not punish him, but he even suspended court for four days because of him! And now he has even personally gone to Tingxue Pavilion to see him!"

Lan Zan was so frightened that she knelt down with a thud, not daring to raise her head: "Your Majesty, please calm down. His Majesty may just be... just indulging in a passing fancy."

"Refreshing?" Pei Yuning sneered, bending down to grab Lan Zan's hair and forcing her to look up. "Refreshing enough to send all the treasures to Tingxue Pavilion like water? Refreshing enough to move the three best crabapple trees in the Imperial Garden there? Refreshing enough to summon Shen Hanzhou, who has guarded the northern border for many years, all the way back for him?"

She spoke faster and faster, the jealousy in her eyes burning ever brighter: "I am a princess sent for a political marriage, a woman of noble birth, having traveled thousands of miles from Nanyue to Beishuo to be married off. Even for the sake of diplomatic relations between our two countries, he should have given me the respect I deserved! But how did he treat me? Twice he stepped into Chang Le Palace, both times for Xie Qinglan! He sat before me, asking me what that person liked to eat, what he used, and what his daily pastimes were—I am his Consort Ning, yet he made me tell him by my own mouth what another man liked!"

Lan Zan was in so much pain that tears streamed down her face, but she dared not struggle. She could only say in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty is right... Xie Qinglan bewitched the master."

Pei Yuning released her grip, tidied her slightly disheveled hair, and a sinister glint flashed in her eyes.

"I will not let him get away with this."

"Go, bring here those people I asked you to contact before. Tell them to do as I say at the morning court tomorrow. Remember, don't go in person; send that lowly maid to deliver the message. After it's done, they will receive every penny of the promised benefits."

Lan Zan quickly replied "Yes," bowed, and withdrew. Only Pei Yuning remained in the hall. She walked to the window, looked in the direction of Tingxue Pavilion, and dug her fingertips into the wood grain of the window frame.

The next morning, at the Golden Palace.

The officials stood in silence on both sides. Xiao Jingyuan sat upright on the dragon throne, his black dragon robe highlighting his cold expression. His eyes were bloodshot from a sleepless night, and the atmosphere around him was terrifyingly oppressive.

He was already upset about what happened last night, and now, looking at the sea of ​​officials below him, he had no patience left: "If you have something to say, speak up; if not, the court is dismissed."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Huai'an, the Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, stepped forward, holding his ceremonial tablet, and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I have a question to ask you."

Xiao Jingyuan raised his eyelids slightly and said calmly, "Speak."

"The Nanyue delegation returned home a month ago. According to protocol, envoys should return home with their delegations after completing their missions. Prime Minister Xie has been living alone in the palace for several months, and there are already rumors in foreign lands that our Northern Shu is detaining the Prime Minister of Nanyue. I dare to ask—on what grounds does Your Majesty keep Prime Minister Xie in the capital?"

Xiao Jingyuan glanced at him, his tone indifferent: "Xie Qinglan is my honored guest. Do I need to report to you that I'm keeping him in Beishuo?"

Wang Huai'an was momentarily speechless, then continued, "Your Majesty, Prime Minister Xie is the Grand Secretary of Nanyue, yet he resides in the Tingxue Pavilion within the inner palace. The inner palace is the residence of imperial concubines; men and women are separated, and there is a clear distinction between inside and outside. If Your Majesty wishes to keep him here for an extended period, why not arrange for him to stay elsewhere to avoid any potential misunderstandings?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Li Qian, the chief clerk of the Ministry of Rites, stepped forward to echo, "Censor Wang is absolutely right! Your Majesty, it is truly inappropriate for Prime Minister Xie, as a man outside the palace, to reside in the inner palace for so long. If this were to spread, it would likely invite criticism from the entire nation. I urge Your Majesty to reconsider!"

Xiao Jingyuan tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the dragon throne, making a soft "tap-tap" sound. He didn't speak, but just coldly looked at the two people who jumped out below, his eyes without a ripple.

Li Mo, a censor, glanced at Xiao Jingyuan on the dragon throne. Seeing that he showed no signs of anger, he stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have heard that a few days ago, Prime Minister Xie barged into the Imperial Study with a sword drawn, pointing it directly at Your Majesty's throat—this is a grave offense of disrespect. Not only did Your Majesty not punish him, but you also suspended court for four days. The entire court and the public are already discussing this extensively!"

Seeing that Xiao Jingyuan's expression remained unchanged, Zhang Chi, a scholar from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, grew bolder and stepped forward, saying, "I have also heard that His Majesty recently secretly summoned General Shen Hanzhou, the General Who Guards the North, back to the capital. General Shen met with Xie Qinglan at Tingxue Pavilion, and the next day he was sent to the western border to provide disaster relief. General Shen has guarded the northern border for many years, and his loyalty and bravery are commendable. Such treatment may discourage the soldiers!"

"We implore Your Majesty to severely punish Xie Qinglan in order to restore order to the court!"

"We humbly request Your Majesty to arrange for Prime Minister Xie to reside in another place, in accordance with proper etiquette!"

Several people echoed this sentiment one after another, and then knelt down in unison.

The other ministers exchanged glances, heads bowed, not daring to speak. Everyone could see that these people had taken bribes and were deliberately causing trouble. Xie Qinglan residing in the inner palace was indeed inappropriate, but His Majesty's intentions were crystal clear; who would dare to truly provoke him? Only these few reckless fools dared to gamble with their lives.

Xiao Jingyuan leaned back on the dragon throne, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. Only after hearing the last word did he slowly raise his eyes.

"Are you done talking?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it instantly silenced the entire golden hall. He sat up straight, his gaze sweeping over Wang Huai'an, Li Qian, Li Mo, and Zhang Chi one by one with sharp, piercing eyes.

Li Mo raised his head, his neck stiff, and said, "Your Majesty, we offer our loyal advice, and humbly request..."

"Where did you hear that Xie Qinglan pointed a sword at me?" Xiao Jingyuan interrupted him, his tone still calm.

Li Mo's heart tightened, and he forced a smile, saying, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty heard it from the palace servants. This matter has already spread like wildfire throughout the palace; everyone knows about it!"

"What the palace servants said?" Xiao Jingyuan sneered, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall. "Since when has it become the place for palace servants to gossip about my imperial study? Gao An."

"Your servant is here," Gao An replied, bowing.

"Investigate this thoroughly for me." Xiao Jingyuan's voice was as cold as ice. "Who is spreading rumors and causing confusion in the palace? Find out and have them beaten to death."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Li Mo's face turned deathly pale instantly, and beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead, streaming down his cheeks.

"You just said you heard it from a palace maid. Which palace maid? What's her name? Which palace does she serve in?" Xiao Jingyuan pressed on, his eyes sharp as knives. "Tell me, and I'll bring her here for questioning immediately. If you can't answer..."

He paused, then his tone suddenly turned stern, like a thunderclap in the hall: "So it was you who spread rumors and sowed discord between the emperor and his ministers!"

Li Mo trembled with fear, then knelt on the ground with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly, his forehead hitting the gold bricks with a thud: "Your Majesty, spare my life! I...I can't remember! I only heard it secondhand, I deserve to die!"

Xiao Jingyuan sneered, turning his gaze to Zhang Chi: "And you, Zhang Chi, you said Shen Hanzhou was exiled to the Western Frontier because of Xie Qinglan? Then let me ask you, in the Western Frontier, a snowstorm caused tens of thousands of livestock to freeze to death, and seventeen tribes ran out of food. Shouldn't we send people to provide disaster relief? Shen Hanzhou, as the General Who Guards the North, is familiar with border affairs. What's wrong with sending him?"

"What? Do I need your approval, a mere scholar of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, to dispatch generals?"

Zhang Chi trembled and knelt down with a thud: "Your Majesty, I dare not! I was only... only worried about the morale of the army!"

"Whether the morale of the army is stable or not is none of your concern," Xiao Jingyuan said coldly. "You should worry more about your own affairs. Last month, during the ancestral temple ceremony, you actually put the jade gui and bian dou in the wrong order, almost causing the ceremony to be disrupted. I haven't settled that score with you yet."

Zhang Chi's face instantly drained of color, and he lay on the ground trembling, unable to utter a single word.

"And you too! Is this against propriety? Is this improper in name?" He slowly stood up and walked down the jade steps, his black dragon robe trailing on the ground with a rustling sound.

He walked up to Wang Huai'an, looking down at him with eyes as cold as knives: "My palace is mine to command. I can make whoever I want live there, wherever I want him to live. Imperial Censor Wang, are you dissatisfied with my arrangements?"

Wang Huai'an was so frightened that his legs went weak and he knelt down, his voice trembling uncontrollably: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger! I...I only did this for the sake of the royal family's reputation..."

"The dignity of the royal family isn't built on these empty formalities," Xiao Jingyuan interrupted him, his voice as cold as ice. "You lot, drawing salaries from the court, instead of sharing the burdens of the country and speaking up for the people, you're here stirring up trouble and sowing discord!"

"I see you care neither about etiquette nor about meritorious officials," Xiao Jingyuan's voice resounded throughout the Golden Palace, carrying an undeniable imperial pressure, "you've been bribed and are here as pawns!"

He waved his hand and said in a deep voice, "Ling Feng!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

A dark figure leaped down from the palace beam in an instant, kneeling on one knee, his dark-colored outfit gleaming coldly in the morning light.

"Investigate," Xiao Jingyuan said coldly. "Find out who these people have been in contact with recently, and how much silver they've received. Once you've found out, immediately confiscate their property, strip them of all official positions, exile them three thousand li away, and never let them serve again!"

"yes!"

Wang Huai'an and the others were terrified, crying out "Your Majesty, spare our lives!" but were held down by the Imperial Guards who rushed in and dragged out.

The cries gradually faded into the distance, and the Golden Palace fell silent once more.

Xiao Jingyuan swept his gaze across the assembled officials, his eyes as cold as knives: "Does anyone else have any objections?"

The entire court was silent, as if trembling with fear; no one dared to respond.

"Xie Qinglan is my honored guest, and his stay at Tingxue Pavilion is by my decree." Xiao Jingyuan's voice wasn't loud, but every word clearly reached everyone's ears. "From now on, anyone who dares to gossip, spread rumors, or cause trouble will suffer the consequences!"

"Court adjourned!"

Having said that, he turned and left, the hem of his dragon robe sweeping across the steps, creating a sharp gust of wind. He left behind a court of officials, exchanging bewildered glances, cold sweat dripping down their backs.