"Reporting to Your Majesty, this subject has a memorial to present..." Two ministers from originally opposing factions stepped forward almost simultaneously.
The drowsy Xu Jiao immediately perked up. "Fight, fight! I have found you guys an eyesore for a long time! Boohoo, I miss my dear Crown Prince so much."
To her surprise, the Minister of Personnel took a half-step back. "Lord Hu, please present yours first."
Lord Hu hurriedly waved his hands. "Lord Li first, Lord Li first. The matter I have to report is not urgent."
Fang Zhiyi did not say anything. He had anticipated this outcome. For these officials, very few who managed to climb to this position and stand here were fools. Everyone understood that continuing to go tit-for-tat would benefit no one. This was especially true recently, given the Emperor's ruthless methods; nearly every investigated official was beheaded. Who could endure that?
"Huh? Why are these two deferring to each other? Could they have chickened out?"
Fang Zhiyi ignored Xu Jiao's inner voice and let out a light cough.
The Minister of Personnel cupped his hands toward Lord Hu. "Then I shall go first?"
"Please, please!"
It was ridiculously harmonious.
"Your Majesty, regarding the appointments and dismissals for the northern border army... this subject has sorted them out." He presented a memorial.
Fang Zhiyi took it from the eunuch, opened it, and took a look. The names of Xu Xiong and Xu Bao were prominently listed. Fang Zhiyi shook his head. This Xu Yuanzhi could have easily transferred his sons to the border army himself, yet he insisted on going through the official procedures. It seemed the Xu family truly valued daughters over sons.
At this moment, Xu Jiao also seemed to know about this matter.
"They must be transferring my second and third brothers to the border army. Boohoo, I really cannot bear to let them go... Why do you people not go yourselves? Every single one of you is a cowardly old turtle clinging to life!"
Fang Zhiyi continued to look at the list without saying a word, but the ministers who heard this inner voice darkened their faces.
They had now given up on infighting, and Xu Jiao's father was temporarily absent from the court. How dared she insult them in her heart?
That was right, even cursing them in her heart was unacceptable!
"Your Majesty, this subject believes that the conditions in the border army are harsh. Old General Xu's eldest son, Xu Hu, has already been stationed at the border for many years. The rest of his sons should be allowed to stay in the capital to accompany their family," someone stepped forward, bearing a treacherous look on his face.
"This subject seconds the motion!" Another person stepped forward.
This list had been shown to Xu Yuanzhi when it was drafted. The entire court knew that the Xu family established themselves through military merit. Old General Xu never formed cliques and factions, and he wanted his sons to establish themselves in the military as well. After all, this was the foundation of the Xu family. But now, since you, Xu Jiao, were unhappy with it, we would give you a helping hand!
Sure enough, Xu Jiao became happy.
"I did not expect that you old geezers could actually speak some human words. There are so many people here, so must my second and third brothers go? Those few military generals eat until their faces are shiny with grease every day, why not let them go?"
A few military officials felt somewhat innocent. From a factional standpoint, they were definitely biased toward the Xu family, but no one wanted to be arranged and criticized by a little girl like this, right?
"Your Majesty, this subject is willing to go and serve in the border army."
"This subject is also willing to go!"
Several more stepped forward in succession.
Military generals were straightforward. Having been called out by Xu Jiao's inner voice, they did not bother to hide it and stepped forward directly.
Fang Zhiyi looked at these men. Every one of them had made meritorious contributions. Initially, transferring them back was partly to consider their merits and let them enjoy some comfort, and partly to prevent them from growing too powerful at the borders. This Xu Jiao was really something, arranging things just by opening her mouth?
Fang Zhiyi deliberately frowned. "But the entire Xu family comes from a military background..." He first glanced at the empty seat below, which was previously Xu Yuanzhi's spot. Then, his gaze swept around and inadvertently met the eyes of the eager Xu Jiao before quickly looking away.
Seeing that so many people speaking up was useless, Xu Jiao's rebellious spirit flared up. She kept cursing Fang Zhiyi in her heart, calling him a black-hearted boss who only wanted to exploit the Xu family, and other similar remarks. Hearing this, several important ministers could not help but frown.
"Your Majesty! I... my eldest brother is already a general at the border! If my second and third brothers both leave, my mother will not be able to bear it!"
Plain and simple words without any twists and turns. Fang Zhiyi liked it very much.
He needed someone surnamed Xu to say this sentence themselves, and if it was Xu Jiao, that would be for the best.
As expected, the courtiers all looked elsewhere, and absolutely no one said anything.
"Since that is the case... Fine! I grant it! The Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War shall discuss and draft a new list!"
Xu Jiao cheered and jumped for joy in her heart, so loudly that it made everyone feel somewhat irritated.
Once she opened her mouth, she could not stop, because she thought of another matter. "Your Majesty, I have another matter to report!"
"Absurd! Serving as an official in the court, you do not even refer to yourself as your subject in front of His Majesty. What are your intentions!" Someone took the opportunity to reprimand her.
"I..." Xu Jiao paused, cursing and swearing in her heart.
Fang Zhiyi, however, raised his hand to stop them. "It is no matter. She may say whatever she wishes. Just consider it a grace granted to Old General Xu."
The courtiers, who had been preparing to attack her en masse, indignantly shut their mouths.
Your Majesty, you just do not know how she curses you, otherwise you would definitely jump higher than any of us!
"Your Majesty, last time the Crown Prince... the Crown Prince made a mistake during the disaster relief, but keeping him locked up all the time is not a solution either. Why not let him go inspect the borders? It would also display Your Majesty's heavenly prestige!"
"Insolent!" The Left Chancellor became anxious and angry. With your status, how dare you dictate matters here?
Fang Zhiyi only slightly changed his expression, his tone a bit peculiar. "How come I did not notice before that you care so much about the Crown Prince?"
"I, I do not." Xu Jiao's face turned red.
The courtiers all complained in their hearts: Your Majesty, you have no idea! Her mind is full of those filthy matters between men and women! Your Crown Prince has already been stripped naked in her thoughts!
"Very well, as you wish," Fang Zhiyi said. Xu Jiao immediately knelt to give thanks, and in her heart, she began to praise Fang Zhiyi again.
"Although he is sometimes muddled, he is still quite good to his son. I will temporarily certify you as a good emperor!"
In the past, the courtiers would have certainly just laughed this off. But now, the things they experienced were different. They only felt that this Xu Jiao of the Xu family was a two-faced, backstabbing person, and moreover, a demoness!
The Crown Prince, Fang Jingqi, was also bewildered. He had been reflecting on his mistakes perfectly well when he was suddenly dragged out by his royal father's men, stuffed into a carriage, and sent off. When he learned that it was Xu Jiao who had pleaded for him again, the emotion in his heart was beyond measure.
This time, he would definitely perform well! Then, upon his return, he would beg his royal father to grant him a marriage! As for the bride, it would be Xu Jiao!
However, another secret decree had set off one step ahead of him. When the Crown Prince arrived after traveling thousands of miles, he saw Xu Hu, who had specifically come to welcome him.
"My place is truly lively lately. My father just returned to the capital, and now His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived! Men, prepare the wine!"
Before the banquet, Xu Hu first spoke about the recent situation, and then said somewhat apologetically, "Originally, I had arranged for a deputy general under my command to be in charge of Your Highness's border inspection this time. But a sudden military situation arose, and he took his men out."
"Another subordinate has fallen ill... so I can only wrong Your Highness by having you follow me..."
lity and could only live as an ordinary mortal. He only wished to live a peaceful life. Yet he didn't know— The dog he adopted, because it ate his food, became a legendary demon king. The kitchen knife he casually forged became a peerless divine weapon, causing numerous experts to fight desperately for it. The young disciple he took in became an immortal lord that led an era, due to cultivating the techniques Ye Feng taught him. Even the skeletons he looked down on the most were ominous demon kings that suppressed countless worlds. Many years later, looking at the void shattered with a punch, Ye Feng murmured to himself: It turns out the peerless kings were myself all along...
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
with countless casualties. As a top-tier gamer, Liu Xuan volunteered to join the fight, intending to dominate with his skills, but instead he obtained the hidden class: [Pacifist]. Unable to attack. Unable to use active skills. Fortunately, with each level gained, he acquired a new passive skill. And so, armed with a body full of passives, Liu Xuan slaughtered his way through the battlefield of ten thousand races! [You attacked Liu Xuan] [You gained the debuffs: 'Poison', 'Fear', 'Burning', 'Bleeding', 'Freeze', 'Silence', etc.] [Your attack speed has been reduced by 99%] [Your armor and magic resistance have been reduced by 99%] Warriors of the Ten Thousand Races: How the hell am I supposed to fight this?!
or! A blessing for those who struggle with love, a guidebook for dating novices. Quickly match with your dream goddess! Complete walkthroughs earn rewards, and perfect walkthroughs unlock limited achievements!】 Shen Yi, an ordinary office worker, accidentally downloads a mini-game called Dating Simulator. The mini-game is simple: randomly search for dating targets, simulate dates, and receive rewards upon successful confession. Rewards include but are not limited to money, attributes, and skills. The higher the evaluation, the better the rewards, with perfect ratings unlocking mysterious achievements. Shen Yi plans to use this mysterious mini-game to continuously pursue targets and improve himself, making his life better and better. ...... However, after several successful walkthroughs, Shen Yi suddenly notices something strange - the targets he previously simulated dating seem to be searching for him in real life?
