Imperial Cultivation

As they ate the meat slices, they chatted about the major event.

The demotion of Prince Hao to a commoner was actually a significant matter, one that ordinary people wouldn't pay much attention to.

This event would plunge the entire Great Meng court into turmoil.

Xiao Ruoling lightly furrowed her brow: "In this situation, can negotiations still proceed?"

"They probably aren't in the mood to deal with us, right?" Shen Hanyue said.

Xu Yingying said, "This has nothing to do with our negotiations, does it? Those responsible for the negotiations are still those people. No matter how chaotic the court becomes, they can't delay official business, right?"

Xiao Ruoling gently shook her head: "This kind of thing is extremely sensitive. Once the court is in turmoil, the officials will be anxious and have no heart for official matters. Today, someone might still be a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, and tomorrow they could be demoted and sent out of the capital."

Shen Hanyue tilted her head and said, "Then what do we do? Wouldn't this trip be for nothing?"

Xiao Ruoling said, "Let's just wait and see. The situation will become very complicated."

She looked at Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "We can only observe the situation. This might not be a bad opportunity for us."

As for what to do, it depends on the progress of the matter, whether to fuel the flames or take a gamble.

The current turmoil in Great Meng is actually in the interest of Great Jing.

The more turbulent and unstable Great Meng is, the more stable Great Jing will be.

When Great Jing's strength undergoes a qualitative change and is no longer afraid of Great Meng, then negotiations will be a different story.

As the four were eating, there was another "笃笃" knock on the door.

Chu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow.

Zou Fang went forward to open the door, and standing outside was the gentle and refined Grandmaster Su Qiuyan.

Chu Zhiyuan raised his voice and said, "Mr. Su, please come in quickly."

Su Qiuyan smiled and said, "I won't go in for now. I have a few words to say to the heir."

"Now?"

"Preferably now."

"... Alright, let's go then." Chu Zhiyuan pondered for a moment and slowly nodded.

He turned around and said, "Ruoling, I'll be back soon."

"Be careful," Xiao Ruoling said softly.

She saw the look in Chu Zhiyuan's eyes, indicating that she didn't need to inquire further.

Immediately, Chu Zhiyuan's voice came to her ears, telling her that it was Li Hongzhao who was secretly looking for him.

"Okay, I'm leaving."

Chu Zhiyuan waved his hand and stepped out of the courtyard.

Zou Fang followed closely behind, and also closed the courtyard door.

Shen Hanyue tilted her head and looked at the courtyard door, puzzled: "Who is it?"

She felt that Su Qiuyan was acting furtively and mysteriously.

Xiao Ruoling said softly, "Li Hongzhao."

Shen Hanyue and Xu Yingying immediately widened their eyes and said in surprise: "It's her?"

Xiao Ruoling nodded gently.

Shen Hanyue said, "Everyone says that Li Hongzhao and the heir have a close relationship. Is it true?"

She then nodded: "It seems to be true."

Xu Yingying said, "Isn't their relationship very bad? Aren't they mortal enemies?"

Xiao Ruoling chuckled and said, "Their relationship is very complicated. It's hard to say whether it's good or bad. They fight fiercely, but they are also very familiar. Saying they have a close relationship is also correct."

"As soon as the heir arrived, she couldn't wait to meet him secretly. It must be close," Shen Hanyue pursed her red lips.

Xu Yingying said with a smile, "Could it be that they have a secret love affair?"

Xiao Ruoling smiled and said, "You guys..." She thinks too lowly of the Ninth Prince. There is no romantic love in her eyes.

What she pursues is controlling the world, the Great Way of Heaven and Earth, the ultimate state of cultivation.

She would only consider romantic love to be inferior and useless.

Shen Hanyue curled her red lips: "No matter how much you look down on matters of the heart, people always have flesh and blood, emotions and desires."

She didn't think so.

She felt that no matter how powerful a woman was, she was still a woman in the end, and she would still be infatuated when she met a powerful man.

Just like Xiao Ruoling, who in her eyes was like a true fairy.

In the end, she still fell in love with Chu Zhiyuan.

No matter how powerful Li Hongzhao is, she is still a woman in the end, and her heart will still be taken away by a man.

Xiao Ruoling said, "It's different."

Her gaze turned to the direction Chu Zhiyuan left.

Chu Zhiyuan and Su Qiuyan walked side by side, as if they were riding the wind under their feet.

Zou Fang followed closely behind.

Chu Zhiyuan didn't say much. He left the post station and arrived at the foot of a mountain.

The setting sun was about to fall.

The evening glow filled the sky.

The woods at the foot of the mountain were shrouded in a thin twilight, quiet and desolate.

Outside the woods, a woman in red stood by a small river with her hands behind her back.

The river water was gurgling, hitting the rocks and making crisp sounds, and the clear waves were sparkling.

The red-clothed woman was slender and graceful, looking down at the swimming fish in the river.

Her charming and beautiful face was cold.

The sparkling waves reflected in her narrow phoenix eyes, as if thousands of jewels were piled together and shimmering.

She suddenly looked up at the opposite side.

Chu Zhiyuan was slowly skimming over the treetops, like a cloud falling in front of her.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled: "Your Highness, long time no see. How have you been?"

Li Hongzhao's beautiful face suddenly bloomed with a smile, like thousands of pear trees blooming.

The whole world seemed to brighten by three points in an instant.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "It seems that Your Highness is doing well. The throne is still very nourishing."

"You can try it," Li Hongzhao opened her red lips and chuckled: "See if this throne is nourishing."

Although the two hadn't seen each other for a while, as soon as they met, with just a few words, they found the feeling of familiarity.

"The throne doesn't seem easy to sit on," Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile: "Have you ever regretted it?"

"To be honest, a little bit," Li Hongzhao nodded lightly.

Chu Zhiyuan waved his hand.

Zou Fang took a few steps back.

Su Qiuyan had long disappeared. Only the two of them were at the foot of the mountain next to the woods.

Chu Zhiyuan said: "Is it because there are too many opponents, making the throne difficult to sit firmly?"

"Yes," Li Hongzhao said: "Father Emperor passed the throne too hastily. I was unprepared."

"Even if you were prepared, the result would be the same, right?" Chu Zhiyuan said: "The current opponents will still oppose you, and they won't change their stance because you are strong, right?"

"... That's true," Li Hongzhao sighed lightly.

Chu Zhiyuan said: "Some can be easily dealt with, and some can't be dealt with, right? You will find that even if you become the Emperor, you can't be free and unrestrained, and you can't kill at will. Instead, you are more restricted, just like becoming a Grandmaster, isn't it?"

"That's right," Li Hongzhao nodded slowly.

Being restricted, that's the feeling.

Some opponents are because of interests, factional disputes, that's fine.

But there are also some opponents who are wholeheartedly for the public good, and feel that a woman being the Emperor is a reversal of heaven and earth, which has too much impact, not only affecting the court, but also affecting the entire people.

It completely negates some traditional concepts, forming difficult to eliminate troubles.

And these people often act justly, have a clear reputation, and have a huge impact.

For the former, they can be divided, win over, suppress, or even directly expel from the court.

But for the latter, there is no way to use these crude methods.

But once she is soft-hearted, it will become a very serious constraint, making her feel restricted, and even the imperial decree will lose its authority.

She can be ruthless, but once she really takes ruthless action, the impact will be extremely bad, and the troubles will be endless.

Either choose the troubles in front of you, or solve the troubles in front of you and leave the troubles behind.

She has been thinking about how to choose.

Li Hongzhao said, "If it were you, what would you do?"