After rebirth, I joined forces with my mortal enemy to seek revenge.

Hearing the word Qiongju, Pei Jiaoran paused in pouring tea. He then looked up at Li Sikong with a puzzled expression. It was as if he didn't know what he meant.

Seeing Pei Jiaoran's appearance, Li Sikong smiled and said, "Maybe I remembered it wrong."

Looking at the change in Li Sikong's eyes, Pei Jiaoran raised his eyebrows. Just as the servant had returned with the account book, she took it and put it on the table.

"Prince Pei, tell me." Li Sikong said in a gentle tone.

Staring at Li Sikong intently, Pei Jiaoran put his hand on the account book, but had no intention of reporting.

"As far as I know, Sikong has not received any ministry, nor is he holding any official position." Pei Jiaoran's eyes flickered, "Are you really here today to see how the implementation of the new order is going?"

Meeting her gaze, Li Sikong smiled. This Pei Jiaoran was indeed more vigilant than he imagined. When he mentioned how the new order was being implemented, he stared at the visitor like a ferocious beast with his sharp teeth and claws exposed.

"His Majesty's secret order. Governor Pei should have seen someone coming in a light carriage." Li Sikong still had a gentle smile on his face.

With the coldness in his eyes gone, Pei Jiaoran opened the account book. He consciously reported, "The rent capital of Tongzhou Gongxue now totals more than 20,000 yuan. Due to floods this autumn, the tax has been exempted by His Majesty."

Her voice was calm and neither rushed nor slow. Li Sikong listened to her report quietly until she took out Tongzhou's previous account books and records and compared them with the current ones. Li Sikong's face changed slightly.

Pei Jiaoran said that since the new order, the taxes paid by all counties and townships have been based on actual conditions, and they have paid half the tax amount than before. Under her kingly and domineering attitude, the Tongzhou Bureau was under her control, and she never slackened in the implementation of government decrees.

But the new order will have its drawbacks. She knew that the reason why Li Sikong came here was not just because of the secret order, but mostly because the new order touched the interests of some people.

It’s just that the original decree hurt the people deeply. Moreover, the resulting land annexation has become a long-standing evil that must be strictly controlled and eliminated.

"Many people in the imperial court are already dissatisfied with you." Li Sikong took a sip of tea and said leisurely.

"That should be the case. After all, I can't guarantee that everyone has the same idea as me. But...some things can't be rushed, and have to be dealt with slowly." Pei Jiaoran smiled, "Shang Yang's reform was successful because of Qin Xiaogong supported it. The move to Maoling Order dating back to the Han Dynasty was even more because Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty supported it. The implementation of both has accumulated enough strength."

Putting down the tea cup, Li Sikong looked at her, "Did Governor Pei really have no selfish motives for what he did?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the warmth in Pei Jiaoran's eyes dissipated, replaced by biting frost. She suddenly laughed and looked at Li Sikong rather narrowly.

She finally understood why Li Sikong was here.

"Is Li Sikong worried that I will harm Li Xiujing?" Pei Jiaoran said with relief.

"Children and grandchildren will have their own blessings, and I can no longer control him. Furthermore, he is lucky to be an ally with Governor Pei." Li Sikong poured the tea himself and pushed it to Pei Jiaoran, "What's more, I don't think he is harmonious. It is a bad thing for Governor Pei to form an alliance."

Under Li Sikong's gaze, Pei Jiaoran frowned again, as if thinking about the deeper meaning of his words.

After thinking for a while, Pei Jiaoran smiled, "Didn't Li Sikong ask me just now what my selfish motives are?" After a pause, she sipped her tea, "My selfish motives are to completely enter the center and take charge of the power of the court."

She did not hide the ambition in her eyes at all, and her desire for power was fully displayed in front of others.

Yes, whether she was in Guazhou before, or when she was in the DPRK, or even when she implemented the new order in Tongzhou, it was all the pedal she laid for herself to enter the center.

She needs sufficient political achievements and prestige to ensure that she can compete with the existing forces after entering the center.

Li Sikong looked at Pei Jiaoran and couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

The silly boy of his own was worried that she would be treated as an outcast by His Majesty, but he didn't know that people use retreat to advance and know what it means to think twice in official circles. Leaving behind his previous authority as a capital official and retreating to Tongzhou was actually for better self-protection.

She knew the consequences of the new order, but those people couldn't do much to her if she wasn't in the government. And now the imperial court is facing the Heshuo War, and it is very concerned about the new order she proposed, so it will not be demoted easily. In a short period of time, no new forces from Tongzhou will join, and the central government can take this opportunity as a starting point to gradually consolidate its authority.

And the most important thing is that even if Wuchang Li returns to the DPRK now, it will not cause too much trouble. As a new force, she has no family outside and no leader inside. He entered the emperor's chess game alone and gradually competed with the other two.

Thinking of this, Li Sikong couldn't help but sympathize with his stupid boy. It's not good to like anyone, but to fall in love with such a naturally powerful woman. It is really pitiful and cute that he will not be plotted against by others in the future.

If this matter really comes to pass, he would still very much welcome such a person into his family. At that time, he must take his wife to watch the young couple fight among themselves, and then the stupid boy will be defeated again and again.

However, this conversation also made him more interested in Pei Jiaoran. With Pei Jiaoran's qualifications, she would not be able to realize that the current situation is not beneficial to her. He wanted to see how she would respond so he could decide whether to play her card game.

"But now that you have become the target of public criticism, why are you talking about holding power? You may be demoted soon." Li Sikong said meaningfully.

After listening to his words, Pei Jiaoran opened his lips and said, "The new law is highly praised by Tongzhou, which shows the benefits of the new law. What's more, Your Majesty has already received real benefits. If you can protect the new order and benefit the people at the expense of me, you will not regret it even if you die nine times."

At this point, Li Sikong's eyes became more and more appreciative. Although politics is not devoid of step-by-step principles, she cleverly plans the overall situation with the emperor's heart in mind, knowing that the emperor hopes that Zuozang will be rich. Therefore, she is willing to do what a sinner does and strive for local profits for the court. Now that the new law has been implemented in Tongzhou, no matter what other people think, His Majesty will not touch her, but will use her.

But she herself found a new way to intimidate Tongzhou with her domineering ways and achieve the power she wanted.

"Although Governor Pei is willing to do whatever he wants, he is still willing to work for the benefit of the people."

Hearing this, Pei Jiaoran smiled.

It seemed that Li Sikong really planned to form an alliance with him.

The two looked at each other and smiled. Even if everyone has their own plans, it doesn't matter at this moment. Even if she has the power to protect her, she cannot fully cope with a group attack.

There are no words between the two, and there is no need for too many clichés. Many words seem sincere, but in fact they are not as good as actually doing them. These words may sound serious to others. But for them in a position of power, such words would only appear embarrassing.

Action is the best expression of everything, and it is also the origin of competition between masters.

Li Sikong said: "Chief Pei has managed Tongzhou well, and a certain society will ask for a reward for you. I also hope that Governor Pei will take good care of his body and not work too hard to calm his holy heart."

"Of course." Pei Jiaoran replied with a smile.