xymnovel Chapter 93: The Pure Hatred Duo
Chapter 93: The Pure Hatred Duo
This analysis truly changed Li Ang's perception of the person in front of him once again.
Besides gaining a new understanding of his ability to unravel complex issues, Li Ang was even more astonished that he actually dared to say such things, which were clearly related to political struggle, in front of him, the emperor.
"Aren't you afraid I'll punish you for criticizing a minister as well..."
Li Ang shook his head, his tone carrying a complex and enigmatic meaning.
Upon hearing this, Niu Sengru bowed again and said, "Your Majesty, as I have said, a subject should be loyal. To be loyal to Your Majesty means to be honest with you. If Your Majesty asks, I will answer. As for whether it is an attack, I believe that under Your Majesty's wisdom, I will not be wronged."
"Go on."
Li Ang didn't react much to Niu Sengru's flattery; he simply waved his hand.
"Yes." Niu Sengru had been keeping an eye on Li Ang the whole time. Seeing this situation, his eyes flickered slightly, but he did not show any emotion. He continued to speak.
"Now that it has been confirmed that Li Deyu took the initiative to summon me back to the capital, and considering his actions, I feel that he is deliberately covering something up."
"On my way to court today, Du Cong unexpectedly mentioned to me that the Eastern Depot has two commanders and is responsible for investigation and espionage. Only then did I roughly understand what was going on, so I hurriedly came to see Your Majesty to present my case in person."
These words further piqued Li Ang's interest.
"So, what did you understand?"
But this time, Niu Sengru did not answer immediately, but instead started another topic.
"Your Majesty, since the reign of Emperor Dezong, successive emperors have favored eunuchs, entrusting them with military power in the Shence Army and the Privy Council. Although the Privy Council is nominally in charge of transmitting information, it actually participates in government affairs. Together, the two are known as the Four Nobles, and together with the Secretariat and Chancellery in the outer court, there is a situation of joint governance between the inner and outer courts."
"Therefore, successive prime ministers maintained both vigilance and interaction with the eunuchs, which ensured the stability of the court's administration..."
Upon hearing this, a glint flashed in Li Ang's eyes, and he roughly understood the meaning behind Niu Sengru's words.
"Are you trying to say that the rumors circulating in the outer court about your association with eunuchs were something you were forced to do?"
It should be noted that, compared to Li Deyu, Niu Sengru and others were the ones who truly had frequent dealings with eunuchs, a fact that was an open secret throughout the court and among the public.
Niu Sengru did not deny Li Ang's question, which seemed to be a rhetorical question, but instead cupped his hands in apology.
"Your Majesty, it would be an exaggeration to say that it was a last resort, but as the prime minister, it is indeed necessary to have some dealings with the palace eunuchs in order to ensure the smooth progress of government affairs. Apart from me, there is also Li Deyu, who has a good personal relationship with the former Privy Councilor and now Governor Yang Qinyi. I am naturally not exempt from this practice."
Li Ang didn't speak, but simply waved his hand, signaling him to continue.
Niu Sengru then said, "It is precisely because I have dealings with some eunuchs in the palace, and because when I was in court I advocated for joint governance by both the inner and outer courts to maintain stability, that Li Deyu has always viewed me as a petty person who curries favor with the powerful and flatters the eunuchs. He sees me this way, and naturally he will use this as a pretext to set a trap."
Li Ang's eyes twitched. He recalled Li Deyu's undisguised contempt for Niu Sengru and felt a mix of amusement and exasperation.
Could this couple be described as a pair of pure-hearted enemies? They really know each other quite well...
At this moment, Niu Sengru's slightly sarcastic voice rang out, saying, "Therefore, I dare to guess that Li Deyu probably thinks that after I return to the capital, I will be eager to seize the position of prime minister, and then use my previous connections to secretly contact the palace eunuchs."
"The situation in the court is very different now than before. His Majesty is determined to suppress the eunuchs' monopoly of power, and there is also the commander of the Eastern Depot, who is in charge of investigation and espionage. If I make any move, I will be confirmed to be colluding with the eunuchs. At that time, let alone being given important positions again, I will probably have no hope of returning to the capital in this lifetime."
At this point, a smug smile couldn't help but appear in Niu Sengru's eyes as he spoke.
"Unfortunately, Li Deyu is too arrogant and underestimates me too much."
"The reason I had dealings with the palace eunuchs in the past was because I held the position of prime minister. For the sake of the court, I had to blend in with the crowd and ensure the smooth operation of government affairs."
"Now I am merely a local military governor, guarding a region for the court. I have long since severed ties with many court officials. If I were to request an official position, I would ask Your Majesty, not the court officials."
"Li Deyu was too arrogant, which is precisely where he was blinded by his own narrow-mindedness."
As he spoke, Niu Sengru's expression suddenly turned serious, and he cupped his hands in greeting.
"Your Majesty, I wish to impeach Li Deyu!"
Li Ang was taken aback, blinked, and asked, "What are you going to impeach him for?"
Niu Sengru said, "Your Majesty, if what I just speculated is true, then Li Deyu's recommendation of me to return to the capital was not for the sake of the country, but rather to use Your Majesty to eliminate dissidents."
"He holds the position of prime minister, yet he lacks tolerance for others, is two-faced, and appears to be selfless while pursuing personal gain. This is his first crime. As a subject, he also schemes against the monarch, which is extremely disrespectful. This is his second crime. Therefore, I must impeach him."
Looking at Niu Sengru, who had a serious and earnest expression, Li Ang didn't know what to say for a moment.
So, how did this topic end up here?
After sorting through his thoughts, which had almost been led astray by Niu Sengru, Li Ang shook his head.
"These are all speculations; they can't be taken seriously."
No matter how eloquently the other party speaks, in the end, it is nothing more than their own conjecture. To use this to impeach a prime minister is a bit too much and frivolous.
However, what Li Ang found even more ridiculous was yet to come.
Upon hearing this, Niu Sengru nodded very seriously and said.
"Your Majesty is right, then I will not appeal."
...Are you just playing around?
Li Ang couldn't catch his breath and almost choked on the other person's words.
Especially Niu Sengru at this moment, who was saying such nonsensical things, yet his face was so serious.
This contrast made Li Ang feel for the first time that the world seemed a bit too amateurish.
After taking a moment to compose himself, Li Ang managed to calm down and re-examine Niu Sengru in front of him before asking a question.
"So, are you saying all this to make me dislike Li Deyu, or to make me give you an important position?"
Upon hearing this, Niu Sengru pondered seriously for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I wish to return to the Secretariat and Chancellery."
…………
Silence, silence was the Emperor's silence at this moment.
Seeing the other person say such shameless things with a straight face again, Li Ang was speechless once more.
He truly hadn't expected that Niu Sengru would be so open and honest, so daring to speak his mind...
Niu Sengru seemed to have seen through Li Ang's thoughts, so he repeated the sentence he had been emphasizing from the beginning.
"Your Majesty, as I have said, a subject should be honest and open with his sovereign."
Okay, you win...
At this point, Li Ang didn't even know how to make a sarcastic remark.
Niu Sengru, however, adopted a more serious expression and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty is wise. Now that I have entered officialdom, it is impossible for me not to have the desire to serve. The position of prime minister allows one to assist in the management of the yin and yang and support the emperor, as well as to lead all officials and pacify the common people. It is the dream of all officials, and I am no exception."
"But my desire to become prime minister is not solely for my own benefit. As I just mentioned, Li Deyu is too radical. Many of his political views are not wrong, but they are generally very risky. Moreover, he is willing to use any means to achieve his goals."
"Given his personality, there are few who can restrain him in the court, and I happen to be one of them. But if no one is there to restrain him, I worry that his radical actions will inevitably drag Your Majesty into the same situation as Li Xun's plot to kill Qiu Shiliang..."