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

The Emperor of Wei, sitting on the throne, lowered his head and stared at Pei Jiaoran. His brows were either furrowed or relaxed. In an instant, speculation, scrutiny, and covetousness were fully reflected on him. His eyes, slightly cloudy due to the erosion of moths and dust, were cold and cold. In the palace with carved beams and painted buildings, there was a moment of deep silence.

Meeting the slightly scrutinizing gaze of the Wei Emperor, he could see the excitement and coldness hidden in it. Pei Jiaoran raised his lips slightly. The shrewd king and the wise minister once again had a look that hit their inner desires. Like a mountain overlooking the abyss, like a ghost in the underworld staring at the Lord of the Nine Skies. The thoughts of both sides actually collided at this moment.

There is no need for any sharp words, nor for passionate expressions of emotion, all actions here are inferior. Only by using the most straightforward language can we get the best answer.

The Emperor of Wei suddenly stroked his beard and laughed, "Pei Qing is really bold and reckless. Do you know how many people will hate you if your words today are leaked out?"

"I am favored by Your Majesty, and it is my duty to share your worries. If the noble families hope that Your Majesty will neglect me because of this, I can only blame myself for not being as skilled as others." Pei Jiaoran said with a wry smile.

Seeing that she couldn't wait to make her position clear, the Emperor of Wei suddenly burst into laughter.

"Father?" The Crown Prince and King Wu called out at the same time.

However, the Emperor of Wei just waved his hand and smiled at Jia Gonglu who was not far away. "Zhongda, look at this little raccoon. He is really ruthless when he gets angry. Even you wouldn't dare to accuse the Five Surnames and Seven Families like this, right?"

Jia Gonglu bowed and smiled, and replied: "Prime Minister Pei is young and frivolous, so it is not surprising that he said such a thing. However, we are both ministers of Wei, so you and I should tolerate each other for the sake of the country. If the noble family agrees to lend the books to the court, it will be a great good deed for thousands of years. If it does not agree, there is no need to force it by force, so as not to hurt the relationship between the monarch and the minister."

The Emperor of Wei nodded thoughtfully. "Although the Crown Prince and the King of Wu have experience in handling government affairs, they are still young. I think we need to choose someone else to assist them."

Seeing that the Emperor of Wei was about to look at him, Pei Jiaoran pursed his lips. Suddenly he raised his hand to cover his heart and gasped for breath.

"What's this, Pei Qing?"

As soon as the Emperor of Wei finished speaking, he saw Pei Jiaoran fall backwards.

"Go and call the imperial physician to take a look." shouted the Emperor of Wei.

Listening to the hurried footsteps and anxious voices around him, Pei Jiaoran pursed his lips.

When she woke up again, it was already dusk. Turning her head and seeing Li Xiujing sitting beside the couch, Pei Jiaoran took a deep breath.

"Li Xiujing." Pei Jiaoran called.

Hearing this, Li Xiujing lowered his head and looked at her with concern, "Why did you suddenly faint in Lizheng Hall?" He took a soft pillow and stuffed it behind her, then helped her up, "The imperial physician said that you have Yang heat caused by excessive heat."

Pei Jiaoran chuckled and blinked, "With my body, it's not that easy to get sick."

"Are you pretending to be sick?" Li Xiujing frowned.

"The weather is too hot, and it's inevitable to feel dizzy." Pei Jiaoran raised his eyes and looked at Li Xiujing, "But if I don't pretend to be sick, the task of assisting the Crown Prince and King Wu in collecting the books will basically fall on me."

Seeing that Li Xiujing was still frowning, as if he was thinking about the deeper meaning of her words, Pei Jiaoran turned over and got off the bed, walking barefoot to the table.

He poured a cup of tea and took a sip. He said in a gentle voice, "The Shaoqing Cao from the Honglu Temple is responsible for collecting books and giving them to Tubo. He saw that a large number of books were lost, and he was moved, so he proposed to collect the books. Jia Gonglu also wanted to do so. I think these two must have reported the situation to Your Majesty in secret, and they are just waiting for the right time."

"So who did you bring in?"

Pei Jiaoran smiled, "The other prime ministers in the Political Affairs Hall, the court officials who participated in the discussion today, as well as the Crown Prince and the King of Wu. This matter is extremely risky. Only by sharing the risk among everyone can the loss of interests be minimized."

"If the imperial court goes to collect the books from the noble families, I'm afraid they won't hand them over easily." Li Xiujing's eyes flashed with thought, "Then they will find a place to vent their anger."

Listening to Li Xiujing's voice, Pei Jiaoran shook his head, "Erlang is wrong. The noble families represented by Cui Shao and Wang Guolao do not need to vent their dissatisfaction with this decree. Knowing how to fight back against the poor families headed by Jia Gonglu is a more important means."

"Sitting on the mountain and watching the tigers fight. Jiajia, what a good strategy." Li Xiujing clapped his hands and laughed.

His cold gaze fell on Li Xiujing. Pei Jiaoran smiled, "Your Majesty, can you let me rest at home?"

Li Xiujing nodded silently.

"It's hot in summer. It's almost time for the holiday. How about we go to Mount Li to escape the heat?" Pei Jiaoran said, "It would be nice to avoid the troubles in Chang'an for a while."

Li Xiujing understood the deep meaning behind Pei Jiaoran's words, but he was still a little confused.

Why do you suddenly go to Mount Li to escape the summer heat at this time?

After thinking for a while, Li Xiujing asked, "Is the wind going to blow in Chang'an City?"

At this moment, a gust of wind blew over a cluster of green bamboos planted outside the window, and the bamboo leaves trembled, making a rustling sound.

"It's just a small breeze, there's nothing to be afraid of. It's just that there are too many people in Chang'an City, so it's inconvenient to meet people." Pei Jiaoran said with a smile.

Since she had already decided to make some moves on the officials after the King of Wu opened his government, she naturally had to negotiate the conditions and requirements. As for who the other party planned to appoint as the King of Wu's officials, that was not within her consideration.

"There's nothing fun to do in Mount Li at this time of year. It's better to stay in Zhaoying County. I have some friendship with the county lieutenant there." Li Xiujing walked up to her and opened the lunch box. "If you want to meet guests in the garden, that's fine. We can also go for a stroll in Zhaoying County in the evening."

"Zhaoying County? I've been there a long time ago. Since we're all nearby, it's no problem to stay there." Pei Jiaoran turned his gaze to the food box, "Huaiye Lengtao?"

"It's so hot in summer, I think you don't have much appetite. Why don't you eat something appetizer?" She brought out the locust leaf cold noodles and said, "I made it myself, I don't know if it tastes good."

Spiciness and sourness can best stimulate people's sense of smell and appetite.

Just as Li Xiujing said, she couldn't help smacking her lips after taking a bite, and then she started to eat with great relish.

A bowl of Sophora japonica leaf cold noodles is delicious, with just the right amount of spicy and sour.

"How is it?" Li Xiujing looked at her with a smile.

"It's edible. But it's still a little less cooked than the locust leaf cold noodles made by the public kitchens in the Secretariat and other provinces." Pei Jiaoran smiled with a relaxed brow.

Handing over the tea, Li Xiujing said, "If it doesn't taste good, you won't eat it with relish."

Upon hearing the question, Pei Jiaoran narrowed his eyes and tapped Li Xiujing's lips with chopsticks.

"What do you want to eat, my dear? How about I make it for you while we are in Zhaoying to escape the summer heat?" Pei Jiaoran smiled, "I think you won't refuse me, right?"

Li Xiujing was asked three questions in a row, and he showed hesitation. After a while, he nodded under Pei Jiaoran's gaze.