Demoness, where are you Fleeing to?
Chapter 689 - 568

Chapter 689: 568

In the following days, Li Xuan still spent his time giving lectures and attending banquets.

However, the subsequent political situation in the court, as Jiang Yunqi predicted, became increasingly stormy and unpredictable.

The memorials requesting the emperor to establish an heir, to consolidate the foundation of the state, were growing in number, with the Tongzheng Division receiving thirty to fifty each day.

They all stated that Crown Prince Yu Jianji, who has been in a coma to this day and showed no signs of waking up, was no longer suitable to be the state’s heir.

For the long-term stability of the country, the emperor should designate another Crown Prince.

At this point in time within the court, the party of the Empress Dowager and the True Emperor, together with those officials close to Prince Xiang, had already begun to openly clash.

Not only were they clearly divided among themselves, but they also attacked each other, and within a mere twenty days, dozens of officials were dismissed and relegated to local posts or criticized and transferred elsewhere.

——If it were only this, Li Xuan wouldn’t mind. He was happy just to watch the drama.

However, at this point, more and more of the original ’imperial party’ were becoming involved.

Take for example Wang Wen, the Minister of Personnel, who was originally one of the emperor’s most trusted people.

Now, however, he repeatedly states that Prince Xiang, as the legitimate eldest son, is virtuous and deserves to succeed the throne.

Li Xuan guessed that this man had no intention of betraying the emperor, but merely did not want the Zhengtong Emperor’s line to regain control of the throne.

If Wang Wen, as the Minister of Personnel, can do this, what about the other people in the court?

Half a year ago, when the Crown Prince fell into a coma, the court officials were also uneasy, but under the emperor’s strong reassurance, they barely managed to stabilize the situation.

The invasion by the Mongols also left them with no spare time to consider the matter of succession.

But with the Mongols, the biggest external enemy, seriously damaged, and the increasingly widespread rumors about the emperor’s ill health and inability to have any more children, the controversy over the future succession suddenly flared up.

Luckily Yu Hongchang was able to see the problem clearly. Although she was still unfamiliar with handling state affairs, she had to rely heavily on the cabinet and several department ministers.

But when it came to personnel and financial power, Yu Hongchang focused heavily. With a few actions, she not only balanced the political situation but also suppressed the increasingly fierce partisan conflict in court, preventing it from disrupting official affairs.

Li Xuan also secretly admired her, thinking to himself that she truly was the daughter of an emperor.

Ancient people believed that the two most important matters of state were rituals and military affairs - ’rituals’ are particularly important in this world because of the manifestation of ghosts and gods.

People believed that a monarch who could control these two aspects could be considered a wise ruler, capable of providing long-term stability.

However, Li Xuan had different views. He believed that for a monarch, the handling of personnel, financial, and military power were all indispensable. Otherwise, the country would have problems.

And Yu Hongchang, she obviously understood this well.

At this time, the Liudao Venerable, Zhu Mingyue, returned to the Capital City.

The Liudao Venerable never returned empty-handed from his trips.

This time he went to Jiayu Pass, where he killed the heavenly level big demon ’Yushahe’ from the Western Region and simultaneously killed two heavenly level existences from the Timur Empire. The results of his battles shocked the world, almost equal to the uproar caused by the White Lotus Rebellion in Beijing.

Yushahe was a notorious big demon in the Western Region. This demon has been monopolizing the Southern Silk Road in the desert area of the Western Region for seven hundred years. It was said that its cultivation was only a line away from the Great Heavenly Position.

Especially in the desert, Yushahe’s battle power was equivalent to that of the Great Heavenly Position.

Even among those at the Great Heavenly Position, the big demon Yushahe was outstanding. It could not only control sandstorms, taking unpredictable forms, but it also had countless sand and stone incarnations.

Yet, Zhu Mingyue managed to kill Yushahe while battling six enemies by himself. He also simultaneously killed two minor heavenly level existences from the Timur Empire and severely injured three others.

This battle not only silenced the increasingly reckless demons of the Western Region, who had been manipulated by the Timur Empire, but it also terrified the Timur Empire itself.

It was said that the scouting cavalry of the Timur Empire retreated one hundred and fifty li that day, not daring to approach Jiayu Pass.

Although the Liudao Division was somewhat independent of the court, Zhu Mingyue had still taken action during the Mongol’s southern invasion. This gave the Timur Empire a serious pause for thought.

When Zhu Mingyue returned to the Capital City, he was not in good condition.

His body was covered in blood, with dozens of unhealed wounds all over.

However, the first thing Zhu Mingyue did upon returning to the Capital City was not to heal his wounds, but to convene the high-ranking officials in the Capital City, including the eighteen elders, dozens of Zhonglangjiang, all Neijianchashi, etc., to discuss the case of Wen Zhonglie that had taken place not long before.

The reason why the Saintess White Lotus was able to wreak havoc in the Capital City, and why Master Zhongliu was able to break the Tiandi Altar, was undoubtedly a great responsibility of the Liudao Division.

If it weren’t for the misjudgments of the deputy Left Venerable, who rashly sealed off the Chenghuang Temple and ordered the city’s people to burn the statues and divine tokens of Duchenghuang, the situation at the time would most certainly not have deteriorated to the point of almost overturning the Capital City, and the fate of the Jin Dynasty would not have come close to collapse.

It was because of the actions of the deputy Left Venerable that Wen Zhonglie’s divine power greatly declined, leaving him unable to resist Master Zhongliu.

Fortunately, in the end, it was Li Xuan, the Zhonglangjiang of their Liudao Division, who saved the day by suppressing and annihilating the Saintess White Lotus, which somewhat redeemed the face of their Liudao Division.

But this matter, the Liudao Division ultimately still had to give an explanation to the people, to the court.

So after that day, the deputy Left Venerable resigned out of guilt and confined himself to the Zhenyao Tower to await punishment. He temporarily entrusted all affairs of the Liudao Division to the deputy Right Venerable.

How to sentence the deputy Left Venerable for this incident, however, was a subject of serious disagreement within the Liudao Division. The elder council had several deliberations but were unable to resolve the matter, and it has been delayed until now.

Besides deciding to assign several Jianchashi from the Inner Court to thoroughly investigate the deputy Venerable and the ’Liudao Shenlei Mansion’, they haven’t made any other decisions.

However, with the return of Zhu Mingyue, this long-delayed matter eventually needs a conclusion.

※※※※

This day, Li Xuan postponed all his lectures and banquets to a few days later. Early the next morning, along with Luo Yan, Qianqian, and Dugu Biluo, he rushed toward the Liudao Division.

It’s worth mentioning that at this time, both Luo Yan and Qianqian appeared radiant and youthful.

This was the result of taking the ’Tianxin Zhuyuan Pill’, which made their skin appear even more tender and smooth.

Especially Luo Yan, who already had a youthful face. After taking the ’Tianxin Zhuyuan Pill’, she now looks like a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl.

The effect on Qianqian was slightly less impressive, mainly due to her figure, voluptuous chest, curvy hips, and her long legs, which made her look quite mature.

Describing her as a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl would require someone to believe it.

As Li Xuan watched the transformation of these two girls, he couldn’t help but feel relieved. He was thankful that he had kept a few Tianxin Zhuyuan Pills and hadn’t given them all out, otherwise, he would have certainly messed up this time.

As for Yu Hongchang and Xue Yunrou, it seems that he should still gift them the pills.

Currently, they had either already achieved or were bound to achieve a heavenly level in the future. They did not lack longevity, hence Li Xuan has not previously considered giving them the pills.

However, now it seems that the longevity effect of the ’Tianxin Zhuyuan Pill’ is actually secondary, the key is its ability to beautify.

Fortunately, if its purpose is solely for rejuvenation and youth preservation, using just one pill would suffice.

"Do you still want me and Qianqian to help you sort through the Weisuo Institute’s farmland yellow register from before the seventeenth year of Yongle?"

While they were on their way, Luo Yan was just about ready to explode at Li Xuan’s audacity: "Qianqian and I are Xiaowei and the Six Paths Bureau Colonel of Liudao Division, we are not your personal staff!

Moreover, do you even realize how long it’s been since your second mind has visited the Liudao division? Your Shenyi Department’s affairs are now entirely managed by Qianqian and me.

I have never seen someone like you, a Zhonglangjiang of the respectable Liudao Division, neglecting his duties to such an extent. How can you have the nerve to ask this of us?"

Back when Li Xuan had just created his second mind, it was diligently going to the Liudao Division to oversee duties every day.

However, recently with Yu Jie leading the rapid progress in the investigations of the Weisuo Institute’s cultivated land, his second mind had to shift its attention to that.

Upon hearing this, Li Xuan just smiled slightly: "I couldn’t help it, haven’t you noticed how Venerable Zhu and the Deputy Venerable both turn a blind eye?"

Those people were eager to divert the attention of the scholars and citizens of Beijing away from the Liudao Division.

Moreover, Li Xuan is also a member of the Liudao Division. They are happy to see him expanding his influence within the Confucian circle.

Following that, Li Xuan put his hands together, sincerely begging: "I initially wanted to handle the matter of the farmland myself. However, I couldn’t refuse the hospitality of the xue she (scholar’s social group), and I honestly don’t have time on my hands. Hence, I can only ask the two of you for help."

Seeing his sincere manner, Luo Yan inevitably softened. She touched her own face, thinking about the three ’Tianxin Zhuyuan Pills’ given by Li Xuan.

But just as she was about to agree, Qianqian, who was standing next to her, beat her to it: "I can do it. It’s been quite peaceful in the capital recently so I should be able to find the time."

Luo Yan glared at Qianqian, thinking in her heart that the young girl was too easily tricked.

Upon hearing the words, Li Xuan cheered, "Qianqian cares about me the most."

Luo Yan sighed quietly and then also hummed, "I’ll try and find the time."

Li Xuan was overjoyed. Qianqian is like a god when it comes to paperwork, but she lacks decisiveness and can’t handle complex issues. That’s where Luo Yan was needed the most. The combination of the two was just perfect.

Li Xuan knew that Luo Yan was still a bit resentful. So along the way, he made a point of being careful, telling jokes, and trying to be charming. In no time, he had charmed both Luo Yan and Qianqian enough to make them smile and laugh.

Dugu Biluo, on the other hand, found it a bit hard to bear watching Li Xuan’s shameless act: "I’ve got a joke for you. A few days ago, Prince Xiang held a birthday banquet for his princess, right? My mother was invited as well."

The gazes of both Luo Yan and Qianqian turned towards Dugu Biluo as they were not sure why she brought up the birthday banquet of Princess Xiang?

Li Xuan’s face turned pale, "Dugu Biluo! Shut up! No one thinks you’re mute unless you speak."

This piqued Luo Yan’s interest, "Ignore him, what’s the joke? Let’s hear it."

As expected, Dugu Biluo ignored Li Xuan’s threatening gaze. She thought to herself, as a person who wants to die, why should she care about Li Xuan’s threats?

"My mother has recently been taking a pill that not only rejuvenates but also prolongs her life by a decade. So, at the banquet, she bragged to everyone about how filial her son-in-law is. It ended up backfiring on her."

With a teasing look in her eyes, Dugu Biluo looked at Li Xuan, "In the evening, Lady Hang arrived to wish the princess happy birthday, and her face also looked twenty years younger. She also told everyone that this was all thanks to Marquis Guanjun. She had never seen such a filial child and claimed that she would definitely approve of him as the son-in-law."

Luo Yan and Qianqian looked at Li Xuan with alien eyes.

They could imagine how awkward the scene must have been, and the mixed feelings in their hearts.

"Do you think it’s over?" Dugu Biluo covered her mouth with her sleeve and snickered, "Later in the banquet, my mother ran into her younger sister, Mrs. Zhang, Xue’s mother. And her face too was as young as a girl, and she praised Li Xuan relentlessly. You don’t know how entertaining my mother’s expression was at that moment!"

Luo Yan and Qianqian’s expressions became even more complicated. Luo Yan was even regretting that she agreed too quickly earlier on.

Li Xuan’s expression, however, remained calm. He thought to himself that it was nothing wrong to share good things! He felt he had done nothing wrong.

Yet at the same time, there was a chill running down his spine.