CHAPTER 844: CHAPTER 508: THE EMPRESS LOSES HER TEMPER

This time, Yuann Li was truly stunned, his expression becoming serious, and he leaned forward slightly: "You dare to use him?"

Zhao Douan laughed confidently: "Why wouldn’t I dare?"

Yuann Li stared at him for a while, then suddenly seemed deflated, sitting in his chair with a complicated gaze: "Heroes emerge from the young."

This was the second time he had offered this evaluation.

The two occasions were completely different.

Of course, he understood Zhao Douan’s implication: valuing talent might be true, but even if Zhao Douan dared to use him, there was no need to come to him for permission.

The reason for coming was clear:

The traitor is Ning Xianzong, he is your man, Yuann Li. Now I’m taking this person, then Ning Xianzong’s associated guilt will be borne by me, Zhao Douan.

This was undoubtedly a voluntary effort to share the blame, distributing the guilt that Yuann Li would bear.

"Why?" asked Yuann Li, his eyes complex, joking: "Surely it’s not just because of ’the gift of first recognition’."

"I’m not so ’grateful for favors,’" Zhao Douan rose cheerfully and started to walk away: "Just easing the burden for Your Majesty."

Yuann Li appeared thoughtful.

...

After leaving the flower hall, Zhao Douan only took a few steps before suddenly stopping, turning around to look at Mo Chou who was quietly standing not far away from the flower hall door in the corridor.

With a look, the two walked together a bit further away.

"Did you enjoy eavesdropping?" Zhao Douan teased.

With his current cultivation, he naturally sensed Mo Chou was outside the door.

The "female chancellor" had a stern expression, showing no embarrassment of being caught eavesdropping, simply glaring at him fiercely: "What do you mean by what you said to Yuann Li?"

Zhao Douan pursed his lips, rubbed his brow, and gently sighed: "I really don’t know how you ended up with the title ’female chancellor,’ can’t you see this? I ask you, in the court, is party balance important?"

Mo Chou furrowed her brow, suppressing the urge to turn and walk away, with a cold face: "Of course, it’s important."

"But there’s always something more important than this," Zhao Douan said seriously, staring at her: "Currently, with Your Majesty reigning, even if the Pure Stream Party temporarily has greater influence, they can’t overthrow everything. But if we were to balance by suppressing Yuann Li, the Pure Stream Party Leader, we’d essentially push the families behind the Pure Stream Party officials towards the Eight Princes. This is unacceptable. Now that the Li Party has collapsed, it means there are many vacancies in the court. One part can be used to promote new officials and cultivate the Imperial Faction, while another part should be fed to the Pure Stream Party Members to bind them to the court’s chariot."

Mo Chou suddenly realized: "So, with Ning Xianzong’s betrayal as a charge, if Your Majesty doesn’t severely punish Yuann Li, it won’t satisfy the public, but if he is severely punished, it’ll cause the Pure Stream Party to lose heart, damaging the bigger picture. Therefore, someone must provide Your Majesty a way out, a pretext. Your proposal to request Ning Xianzong is to be the person who provides this way out. With your current military achievements, once you ask for him, both emotionally and logically, Your Majesty should agree. And if Ning Xianzong is pardoned and even given a chance to atone, then not even the traitorous Commander was severely punished, so the recommending Yuann Li has no reason for severe punishment either... Thus, it maintains Your Majesty’s authority, stabilizes the Pure Stream Party, and gives Yuann Li a favor... and all you lose is the reward for this military achievement... which you are not lacking."

Zhao Douan nodded with a smile: "That’s right, seems you’re not entirely foolish; in the future, stay by Your Majesty’s side and use your brain more."

Seeing his self-important, condescending attitude, Mo Chou’s admiration quickly evaporated.

The ice block retorted coldly: "Instead of lecturing me, why not rush to see if Your Majesty is upset. Let me remind you, Xiao Donger has already been sent out of the palace."

Zhao Douan’s expression changed slightly, casting a deep glance at the bridesmaid, and hurriedly headed toward the Imperial Study Room.

However, as soon as he entered the courtyard where the Empress was, a familiar older female official stopped him: "Mr. Zhao, halt. Your Majesty has just ordered that she’s a bit tired and not to be disturbed by anyone."

Zhao Douan opened his mouth, pointing at his own face: "I need to go in, it’s me."

He tried to emphasize his special status.

The older female official smiled: "Your Majesty specifically said, especially not Mr. Zhao."

"..." Zhao Douan’s heart tightened, sensing something wrong, and blamed Xiao Donger, instinctively feeling that the meeting of those two women caused Zhenbao to misinterpret and become angry.

After contemplating for a moment, he suddenly raised his hand and pointed in a certain direction: "Look, Cai Xukun!"

"Huh?" The female officials hesitated, instinctively turning their heads, only to feel a fleeting silhouette breaking through the blockade, and Zhao Douan easily bypassed the palace attendants, appearing at the tightly shut door of the Imperial Study Room, clearing his throat, raising his hand to knock: "Your Majesty, it’s me... ah!!"

A enormous, vast, invisible wave of energy suddenly attacked, Zhao Douan’s expression changed wildly, powerless to resist, as he was violently launched like a cannonball, flying over the high wall and landing outside Yangxin Hall.

"Leave."

The Empress’s cold voice echoed in his ears.

Zhao Douan took a few steps to land, neutralizing the force, feeling his blood churn, the spontaneous Gang Qi slowly dissipating from his body.

With a bitter face, he shouted: "Your Majesty, I have important matters to discuss... whoa!"

Just as he pronounced the word "discuss," his hair stood on end, quickly pulling back in a blur, and the next moment, where he had just been standing, with a ’ding,’ the Taia Sword pierced the ground vigorously, sinking halfway, with the hilt trembling!

"Attempted murder of one’s husband..." Zhao Douan gasped, furious in his heart, powerless to restore his dominance: "But I can also wield the Taia Sword..."

"Sword, come..." He reached to grab, then abruptly pulled back, turned and ran.

Behind him, the Taia Sword pulled itself out, as if by an invisible hand, slashing toward him: "Leave!"

...

Typographical errors will be corrected later.