This not only used loyalty to firmly block his path of refusal, but also planted a thorn in his heart.
Aren’t you powerful?
But do you dare refuse?
For the Pri Minister, this is an opportunity, a good thing. Therefore, if there is a refusal, it should be made by the Pri Minister.
So, in the end, aren’t you still looking at the Pri Minister’s expressions to do things?
The matter is not like this.
But, the thorn is indeed a thorn.
If it were an ordinary person, they would probably be panicking by now, not knowing what to do, only able to quickly go back to report to the Pri Minister, then figure out what to do.
But Li Xuan’s mind is very clear.
His pupils contracted slightly.
He imdiately realized in his heart that the marriage proposal from the Empress Dowager had flaws.
On the surface, this opportunity does make sense.
Having walked out of the Pri Minister’s residence and being the Sovereign’s son-in-law, he could indeed serve as a natural bridge between the two.
But...
This makes sense, but it’s not foolproof.
For the Pri Minister, the safest option is always to change the Sovereign and then find a way to step down gracefully.
Events like "settling scores after autumn" are unpredictable, but if you make one wrong step, it could an the whole family getting executed.
As for the thorn?
After understanding the "flaw in the marriage," the thorn is no longer a thorn.
The Pri Minister is no fool; if Li Xuan treats this as a thorn and timidly reports back, it would only lead to disappointnt from the Pri Minister. After all, the Pri Minister... never lacks dogs.
Therefore, Li Xuan seems to be controlled, but he actually isn’t.
Being controlled or not lies in whether one can see through the essence of things.
However, this isn’t Li Xuan’s opportunity either.
At least, rejecting at this mont is not a good timing, as it cannot maximize his benefits.
Many thoughts quickly intertwined in Li Xuan’s mind.
On the other side, seeing his hesitation, the Empress Dowager thought he was indecisive, so she lightly waved her hand and smiled: "Such a big matter should be inford to your parents. I am not in a rush.
Yunshang, take Li Xuan back first."
"Ah?"
Zhao Yunshang was stunned once again, truly unaware of the Empress Dowager’s intentions, yet she still led Li Xuan to rise and bid farewell.
After the two left, the Empress Dowager waved her hand and said: "Die’Er, you should go too."
The palace maid was stunned and said: "Where... should I go?"
The Empress Dowager replied indifferently: "Go back to where you ca from, don’t co back."
"Empress Dowager..."
The palace maid nad Die’Er knelt down and kowtowed three tis to the old lady, then quickly packed her things and left the palace to prepare to report today’s events to the Pri Minister’s residence.
Though the Pri Minister has not yet returned, counting the days... it’s almost ti.
The key is, the Empress Dowager dared to let her know these matters because she wasn’t worried about her revealing everything.
...
...
On the other side, Li Xuan, with Commandery Princess Chunyang, sat peacefully in the carriage leaving the palace.
The carriage was silent inside.
Li Xuan leaned against the wall, pondering.
He is a person afraid of trouble, but not a person afraid of using his brain.
He didn’t want to use his hands for sothing that could be solved with his brain.
Thoughts flashed through his mind.
’Did the Empress Dowager just let leave like this?’
’Is she not worried that after I return I’ll verify with the Pri Minister and then give a response?’
’This response is likely a rejection, which brings her more harm than good.’
’Then...’
Many scenarios and deductions flashed by.
Li Xuan smiled inwardly.
’Then, if everything just now was only for the spies to see?
Is it all just a façade?
The real essence, how could it be exchanged in front of the spies?’
’Thus, in the spies’ eyes, we have left the palace, and today’s events are settled.
But what if, at this mont, the Empress Dowager sends soone to summon back...’
’Interesting.’
Li Xuan closed his eyes and began to count silently.
"One."
"Two."
"Three."
...
...
When he reached three hundred and fifty-two, the carriage arrived at an isolated place outside the palace gates.
Just then, Li Xuan felt the fast approach of horse hoofs from behind.
Outside the palace gates, there ca a rider swiftly approaching.
The rider was dressed as the Flying Forest Army.
The Flying Forest Army is under the direct command of Great Yin’s Sovereign.
The carriage stopped.
The rider respectfully clasped his hands and said: "Vice Commander Wu Jialiang of the Flying Forest Army, under the Empress Dowager’s command, invites Young Master Li back to the palace."
The curtain lifted a little, revealing Li Xuan’s smiling face.
He simply replied: "Okay, please lead the way, Commander Wu."
...
...
The carriage didn’t enter the palace through the main gate but under the Vice Commander’s lead, switched carriage and quietly entered the palace.
This ti, the carriage was led to a deeper part of the palace.
In the depths, within the study, waiting for Li Xuan wasn’t the Empress Dowager, but the Sovereign.
The Sovereign sat upright, reading a book.
He was slightly overweight, with an unhealthy complexion, clearly exhausted by indulgence in wine and won.
His gaze had beco murky, but within that murkiness flickered a trace of restrained hatred.
Upon seeing Li Xuan, he glanced at Commandery Princess Chunyang and said: "Yunshang go out first and close the door."
Commandery Princess Chunyang shivered; she actually felt a foreboding sense of imminent turmoil when the carriage turned back, and seeing the Sovereign, she knew... perhaps a great disturbance was about to start.
She was far from the calm and dignity she had in Cyan Wood Province Governor’s residence, nor the charm while drinking with Li Xuan, and devoid of the mischievousness beside the Empress Dowager. With trembling voice, she replied: "Yes."
Commandery Princess Chunyang left the room.
The door closed.
The Sovereign looked at Li Xuan, not bothering with pleasantries, directly stood up and said: "What the Empress Dowager ntioned, on the surface it can pass. I summoned you here to tell you what you can gain after the marriage alliance."
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