My Wife is Unbeatable in the Whole World, Touch Me If You Dare!-Chapter 394 - 265: What’s the Rush...

"Calculations? Who's calculating against you? Could it really be Li Rui? Does he have the brains for it?"

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Facing King You's question, King Han replied leisurely, "Whether it's Li Rui or not, everyone outside is saying it is him. Li Xuanjing can't be touched, but can he really not be affected? If this king does nothing, won't I lose face?"

King You narrowed his eyes and said, "It seems that someone behind us wants to muddy the waters, but it's unclear which one of them it is..."

There were eight Prince Regents. Stirring up conflict between King Han and Li Xuanjing was beneficial for all the princes except King Han.

If it wasn't himself, there were still six others. King Chun was unlikely, Li Xuanjing was unlikely to plot against himself, but one never knows. King Rui didn't have the means, King Gong was even dumber than King Rui, the other princes...

While King You was pondering, he noticed King Han's gaze fixed on him.

After coming back to his senses, he said angrily, "Do you suspect this king?"

King Han waved his hand dismissively, "If you say it's not you, then it's not..."

King You looked at him and said, "Let me remind you once more, let this matter end here. Don't get too clever for your own good. He was the first to discover it, but he may not be the last..."

King Han nodded and replied, "I got it, I got it..."

Not long after, a figure cloaked in a cape quietly left from the back door of King Han's mansion.

Around the same time, Zhao He also returned home.

Today was his second happiest day since arriving in Chang'an, his mood only second to the day he became an Advanced Scholar.

Rather than pinning his hopes on the pitiful provincial camaraderie with the Capital Governor, it was better to proactively cling to a thicker thigh.

He had once greatly admired this provincial colleague, who managed to emerge from the remote Liang State and climb step by step to the position of Capital Governor. In his hometown of Shahe County, Lin Fuzhi was undoubtedly a legend.

Zhao He had grown up listening to Lin's feats.

He had even regarded him as a role model.

Back then, he never would have imagined that one day, he would push this role model, whom he admired, toward the grave.

A hint of ruthlessness flashed across Zhao He's face.

Lin Fuzhi, oh Lin Fuzhi, don't blame me for disregarding our provincial ties—this is all your own doing!

Zhao He walked into the courtyard, about to retire to his room, when his expression suddenly shifted, and he looked toward the darkness inside the yard with caution, asking, "Who's there?"

...

Early morning.

Ministry of Personnel.

Song Zhe had not been in the office long when he received a public letter from the Capital Prefecture.

The letter bore the seal of the Capital Governor, who hoped to transfer an official from the Ministry of Personnel.

It was common for departments facing shortages to send letters to the Ministry of Personnel, but requesting someone by name was not common and in principle, it was not allowed.

But principles are principles, and practice is practice.

In such cases, the people transferred were usually sons of famous families or relatives of nobles. They would be placed in positions close to their own people to accumulate merits and rise through the ranks faster.

The Capital Governor was the head of the Capital Prefecture and a towering figure in the court. The Ministry of Personnel would normally oblige such requests.

The one he wanted to transfer was Zhao He, the Archive Keeper of the Ministry of Personnel. Song Zhe had a slight recollection of the man, but it wasn't deep.

It was unclear what the relationship between the two was, but the Capital Governor wanted to appoint him as a Merit Cao.

A Six Cao generally consisted of the department head's absolute confidants, let alone a Merit Cao in charge of personnel affairs. Promoting from Archive Keeper to Merit Cao of the Capital Prefecture, from a Ninth Grade to a Secondary seventh-rank position, was an absolute promotion and significant favor.

This kind of matter was not within the authority of a minor official like him.

He passed the letter to the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. After reading it, the Left Assistant Minister said, "I remember now, this Zhao He is from the same state and county as Lord Lin and a fellow townsman. It was he who asked me to place Zhao He in the Ministry of Personnel. It seems that Lord Lin is intending to look after this townsman..."

Upon hearing this, Song Zhe was not surprised at all.

Daxia had over a hundred states and thousands of counties. The Imperial Examination, held every four years, only recruited a few dozen to a hundred Advanced Scholars, most of whom were concentrated in a few major examination states.

Being officials from the same state and county was very rare; generally, seniors who entered the court earlier would look after juniors who entered later.

Although there were some reasons for forming cliques among them, that sense of camaraderie from their homeland was also very important.

The Capital Governor's dignity is something the Ministry of Personnel cannot ignore. To promote a mere Zhanggu is a matter that doesn't even require the approval of the three provinces. The Ministry of Personnel can decide on its own for any official position below a Standard seventh-rank.

Archives.

Lingshi Feng strode in and said, "Lord Zhao, Lord Zhao, great news! It's time for you to treat us to a drink this time!"

After entering the government office, seeing only Zhanggu Fang alone, he paused in his steps and asked in confusion, "Huh, where's Zhanggu Zhao?"

Zhanggu Fang was reading a book and, upon hearing the question, looked up and said, "I don't know, Lord Zhao didn't come to the office this morning. Maybe he took a leave."

Lingshi Feng found a chair to sit down and with a hint of regret said, "Then it's really too bad. Such great news, and he's actually missed hearing it firsthand."

Zhanggu Fang curiously asked, "What great news?"

Lingshi Feng, envious, responded, "You don't know yet? Lord Zhao is going to be promoted. He will soon be appointed as a Merit Cao of the Capital Prefecture, jumping up two levels!"

Zhanggu Fang was stunned for a moment and asked, "Really?"

Lingshi Feng said, "I just got the news from the Minister. How could it be false? The Capital Governor personally sent an official letter to the Ministry of Personnel. By the afternoon at the latest, the appointment should be issued. To think Lord Zhao and the Capital Governor are fellow townsmen, yet he never mentioned such an important matter to us..."

It was then Zhanggu Fang realized that when Zhao He said he knew important people, it turned out to be true.

Lingshi Feng asked, "Having backers is really great, isn't it? Jealous?"

Zhanggu Fang smiled. Indeed, he was a bit envious, but he was also very satisfied with his current situation. A higher official position came with more danger. He wasn't as ambitious as Zhanggu Zhao. Being able to perform his duties safely and securely was enough...

Standing up, Lingshi Feng said, "Once we finish work at midday, I'll go to Zhanggu Zhao's home to find him. Clinging to such a big tree, his future is bound to soar. I must hold on tightly to his coattails in advance..."

Meanwhile, at the Capital Prefecture...

An official with graying hair stepped out of the Capital Governor's government office.

There was still a year before he was due to retire, but since the higher-up wanted him to leave earlier, he couldn't insist on staying.

Many people had been eyeing the position of Merit Cao of the Capital Prefecture, but unexpectedly, the higher-up entrusted it to an outsider—many efforts had been in vain.

Inside the government office, the Capital Governor slowly stood up.

Yesterday, Zhao He had approached him once again regarding the promotion, and although he refused at the time, he reconsidered afterward. Letting a young man waste five years in the Archives was indeed too long.

In the twenty years after himself, Shahe County had produced only one Advanced Scholar.

Someone else could take over at the Ministry of Personnel. It would be better to transfer him to his side, fulfilling his dream of promotion.

Being promoted two levels in one go, he ought to be satisfied.

The Capital Governor imagined Zhao He's mood upon learning this surprise and a knowing smile appeared on his face.

Just then, a figure entered the government office and said, "Lord Lin, the Prince has requested your presence."

Although it was the hours of government operation, in the Capital Prefecture government office, he was the highest authority. Wherever he went, no one dared to question him.

The Capital Governor rode in a palanquin to the King Han Mansion. As he entered the great hall, he saw the King Han looking upset.

He rarely saw King Han with such an expression and asked, "Your Highness, what's wrong?"

King Han glared at him and said coldly, "What's wrong? You dare to ask me what's wrong? All because you failed to judge people clearly! How many times have I told you to deal with that Zhanggu from the Ministry of Personnel? You wouldn't listen, and you almost caused a great disaster, do you realize that?"

Moments later, after hearing the whole story from King Han, the Capital Governor trembled in disbelief, "What? He went to King You?"

King Han waved his sleeve and said, "It's fortunate it was King You he approached. If he had gone to Li Xuanjing, you and I could very well be in the Heavenly Prison of the Spiegel Bureau by now!"

After a long silence, the Capital Governor then asked, "How did Your Highness deal with it?"

King Han said through clenched teeth, "No need for me to handle it. King You already had people take care of it last night. That's the end of whistleblowers. By now, he must have taken his damned secret to meet the King of Hell!"

The Capital Governor did not speak again, instead falling into a prolonged silence.

King Han originally wanted to scold him further, but seeing him standing there, dumbfounded and silent, he eventually swallowed those words of rebuke. Instead, he patted him on the shoulder and said, "Fuzhi, I'm not blaming you. It's just that this matter concerns our very lives and fortunes, so we must be extremely careful. We cannot afford a single mistake. From now on, follow my lead, and let's not have any more weak-hearted mercy..."

Long after leaving King Han Mansion, the Capital Governor looked up at the sky and sighed, "You tell me, why the hurry..."

During lunch, only his wife Yiren and Phoenix were present. Li Nuo did not see Anning.

It was not until after dinner that she returned home, looking tired.

After having a bath, Li Nuo had her lie down on the bed as he gently massaged the acupoints on her head and asked, "Was the Ministry of Justice busy today?"

Li Anning enjoyed the massage from Li Nuo and said, "A murder case happened in Chang'an last night. The victim was a court official. The Ministry of Justice has been conducting visits and investigations for the whole day..."