Shen Quan knelt on the ground and picked up the memorials, nervously yet respectfully placing them beside the dragon table.
"Emperor, please have some tea."
Shen Quan summoned his courage and poured tea for Yan Xiu.
Yan Xiu pressed his lips together; despite the dark, handsome features, traces of anger could still be seen. He picked up the tea bowl, lifted the lid, and took a sip.
Shen Quan sighed inwardly.
Only Lady Li could evoke such anger from the Emperor and still remain unscathed.
Yan Xiu finished his tea and began flipping through the memorials, then paused.
Seeing Yan Xiu's hand stop, Shen Quan glanced at the contents of the memorial and turned pale instantly—how was it another report about rebels in Beihuang?
"Little Quanzi," Yan Xiu called out in a deep voice.
"At your service," Shen Quan lowered his head, not daring to look at the memorials on the dragon table.
"What do you think, sending Prince Xuan to Beihuang to suppress the chaos—right or wrong?"
Shen Quan forced a smile, "Naturally it's right, how could the Emperor be wrong?"
"But Yu'er..." Yan Xiu frowned, calming down, realizing that what Yu'er said wasn't without reason, only: "Has Prince Xuan set off?"
"Not yet," Shen Quan replied, "I received news that Prince Xuan took the Commander's Seal to the barracks to mobilize troops."
Yan Xiu pursed his lips.
The Commander's Seal could mobilize only fifty thousand troops, a seal he had bestowed upon Yan Zixuan.
And volunteering to lead the troops to Beihuang was Yan Xiu's suggestion. He said Beihuang was remote, and the journey would be perilous, with no determined date of return. The soldiers in the barracks all had families, so if anyone was willing to go to Beihuang, that would be best.
Yan Xiu paced with his hands behind his back in the Imperial Study.
"Where is General Li?"
"General Li is off duty today, he should be at the General Mansion," Shen Quan answered.
"Pass my decree, command General Li to swiftly go to the barracks and lead the fifty thousand elite troops selected by Prince Xuan to Beihuang to quell the unrest." Yan Xiu proclaimed loudly, "Ying Yi, protect them in secret, ensure General Li's safety."
"Yes," a voice replied from the shadows.
Shen Quan was startled, opened his mouth to speak, yet hesitated, as if afraid to utter a word.
"Have I forbidden you from speaking?" Yan Xiu asked coldly.
"No," Shen Quan forced a smile, "Emperor, if you want to change personnel, then change personnel, but why send General Li? That's..." General Li was Lady Li's elder brother, once Lady Li found out, wouldn't she still make a fuss?
Halfway through his sentence, Shen Quan dared not continue, but the expression on his face had already completed his unspoken words.
"Do you think I sent General Li due to what Lady Li said today?"
Otherwise?
Shen Quan dared not answer.
Yan Xiu glanced at Shen Quan, knowing what he thought, yet did not say it aloud, his voice slightly lowered, "I merely feel that compared to Prince Xuan, I am more willing to trust General Li."
"Emperor!" Shen Quan's legs gave way, and he fell to his knees.
"Shen Quan, your courage has grown smaller," Yan Xiu's tone was calm, revealing no emotion.
"Your servant deserves death," Shen Quan hurriedly climbed up from the ground, secretly wiping away sweat, truly, Emperor, your words are too frightening!
Yan Xiu ignored Shen Quan, seated beside the dragon table, continued to review the memorials.
Just then, Donglai rushed in, face aghast, and knelt, shouting: "Emperor, something happened!"
Shen Quan glanced at Yan Xiu's expressionless face, quickly ran to Donglai's side, slapped the crafty scholar's hat on Donglai's head, scolding angrily, "You insolent fool, speak properly!"
Donglai couldn't afford to argue, anxiously said, "Emperor, Lady Li climbed the palace walls and was captured by guards as an assassin!"