Chapter 560: City Mansion

The horse carriage was fragrant, filled with the vitality of spring.

Liu Zheng had finally confirmed Xie Chan's feelings, and he was immediately filled with ambition.

Xie Chan...

The Female Emperor...

Once this thought emerged in his heart, it was difficult to suppress. As far as his personal character went, he actually had little interest in being an emperor... One had to know that those emperors in actual history were not as free as they were portrayed on television. They even had to have people specifically record when they slept with any empress or concubine. Furthermore, there were all sorts of historians and censors nagging in their ears every single day.

Liu Zheng was a person who loved freedom.

But...

Since he had transmigrated back once, he was also a person who wanted to plot for the world and establish unparalleled merits!

Especially at this historical juncture, with the European powers beginning to rise and the land of Huaxia about to enter the flames of war. As a Huaxia person, since he knew the direction of history, how could he watch the vast Huaxia suffer such bullying again?

Since it could be changed, why not change it?

If one cannot be a good prime minister, then be a good physician.

That saying was not bad.

However, as far as the current Longyan Dynasty was concerned, the possibility of him becoming a good prime minister was almost zero.

Since he could not realize his ambitions so smoothly...

Then...

Why not slowly expand his own territory, or even take the entire Longyan?

Smash!

Continue to throw money!

When Liu Zheng stepped out of the horse carriage, he continued to carry out his wealth-flaunting operation to the end. As for the Empress's public announcement, he naturally gave no response at all.

"What are you saying?"

"What are you saying?"

Dong Shuyu stood up with a gloomy face and shouted angrily: "That bitch, is she still dreaming of turning the tables? Hmm? Adopting a stepdaughter? Hahahaha, what a good stepdaughter! That bitch, her reaction is still quite fast..."

A group of people on the side were also hurling all sorts of insults.

Saying that this dignified Empress had no shame left.

Her own son's body was not yet cold, and she was already starting to arrange to adopt Xie Chan as a stepdaughter. This survival instinct was strong enough... Dong Shuyu gave a cold laugh: "And how did that Governor Liu respond?"

Someone said: "Empress, that Governor Liu did not refuse..."

Upon hearing this, Dong Shuyu's beautiful face instantly twisted.

Did not refuse...

Yes...

This guy with immense ambition would naturally not refuse!

The invincible Liangzhou Army, plus the title of Longyang Princess held by Xie Chan, and the backing of the Empress! This was clearly a proper new favorite in the struggle for the throne! I fear that at this moment, even she and the Eleventh Prince Xie Ming could not compare to Xie Chan's level of popularity!

No!

This absolutely cannot go on!

"What does Lord Zhu say?"

Dong Shuyu asked again.

Logically speaking, this matter had already begun to boil over in Jinghua and even the entire Longyan Dynasty; Zhu Zhen must have had his own thoughts on the matter.

A eunuch said: "Empress, Lord Zhu's meaning is... this time Governor Liu entered the capital with his sharp edge fully exposed, and the Third Prince also suffered as a result... We can temporarily choose to avoid his sharp edge and stabilize the situation first."

Dong Shuyu roared immediately: "Stabilize? How to stabilize?"

"Nonsense, he Zhu Zhen can naturally stabilize; if there is no Xie Ling, there is Xie Ming, if there is no Xie Ming, there is still Xie Zheng, and there is still Xie Heng!"

"But do we still have a chance?"

"Hmm?"

Dong Shuyu was so angry she was jumping with rage: "Avoid his sharp edge, how to avoid it? No, this time we absolutely cannot give this Governor Liu even the slightest chance!"

Others offered all sorts of advice, telling her to think thrice.

But it was clear that Dong Shuyu had made up her mind. This really could not be blamed on others; for a wealthy family like the Dong Family to suddenly gain power in the inner palace, this nouveau riche mentality was simply overflowing. To put it bluntly, her perspective was insufficient, and perspective was not something one could possess overnight.

If it were someone else, at this time, they would definitely unite with Governor Liu to first make the Crown Prince's position unstable.

But Dong Shuyu only thought that the Crown Prince was powerful and Governor Liu was weak and isolated, making him a soft persimmon.

Hmm.

Everyone felt that the others were soft persimmons.

Squeeze this soft persimmon to death, eat him, and one would become a hard persimmon oneself.

She still had not figured out her own status...

And naturally, she had not figured out the true intention behind Zhu Zhen wanting to support her and her son.

Shangshu Mansion.

In that dim study of Zhu Zhen's, the wrinkled Zhu Zhen was lowering his head, looking at the scrolls in his hands.

These scrolls were surprisingly the three newly published works by Governor Liu from Liangzhou!

"Heart Learning..."

"A bit interesting, a bit interesting..."

Zhu Zhen chuckled.

Behind him stood a young man dressed in black, who then said: "Teacher, the whole of Longyang is rumored to say that this Heart Learning is a doctrine to save the world; I see it as nothing special."

Zhu Zhen laughed heartily: "This is the gap between you and that Prefect Liu. It is not on the same level, not on the same level at all."

The young man was somewhat unconvinced: "Teacher..."

Zhu Zhen casually set the book in his hand aside, then asked indifferently: "The Empress's move has quite the meaning of breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats... Heh, needless to say, it must be the Crown Prince's handiwork. How is Dong Guifei reacting? Chen Yi, what do you think?"

The young man named Chen Yi said: "This person Dong Shuyu is unfit for any major task; I hear she is already flying into a rage and intends to take action against Prefect Liu's mother's properties..."

"Is that so?"

Zhu Zhen chuckled, appearing not the least bit surprised.

"Keep an eye on it, and keep this matter within a certain range, understand?"

Zhu Zhen said indifferently.

Chen Yi's expression immediately turned serious: "Teacher, the student still believes that using Dong Guifei as bait to approach Prefect Liu is truly seeking far for what lies near... That Prefect Liu is merely a..."

"Shut up!"

Zhu Zhen shouted coldly: "Chen Yi, oh Chen Yi, remember! Our Scholar-Official Group, from ancient times to the present, has never had any unswerving loyalty! None!"

He tapped his fingers on the tabletop and continued: "Only those without a stance can truly stand firm in this stormy Jinghua!"

"Do you understand?"

He looked coldly at Chen Yi: "Remember, in this coming storm, the harder the railing, the easier it is to break! If you do not wish to break, then make yourself more resilient, more flexible, and more at ease!"

"Because we scholar-officials have far too many people behind us..."

"We can be defeated, but we cannot be extinguished!"

"What is a stance?"

He gave a cold laugh: "Whatever lets us grow and survive, that is our stance!"

"Not the Emperor..."

"Nor those inevitable adversaries can influence us!"

Zhu Zhen sighed: "Dong Shuyu will be a decent scapegoat; if she can let us get closer to Prefect Liu, then all of this will be worth it... Go and make the arrangements!"

"Yes!"

Chen Yi quietly departed.

Zhu Zhen stood up shakily, leaning on his cane; within those deep wrinkles lay all the shrewdness and wisdom passed down through the Scholar-Official Group for these thousands of years.

Heart Learning...

Prefect Liu...

He finally felt it.

The Longyan Dynasty seemed to be on the verge of a changing sky.