Chapter 381 The least free person
There was silence in the Ganlu Hall. Even the chief monk Zhao Feng could not keep calm, his face was filled with shock and fear.
Ye Lao and Wang Xi, on the other hand, looked calm on their faces, but there were waves in their eyes, and they were obviously very touched.
"Are you rejecting me?"
Emperor Yongyuan's tone was full of disbelief.
Li Xuan nodded silently, and then wrote:
"I have no interest in becoming a national guardian beast."
"I believe Ankang is also not interested in Daxing's throne."
After hearing the implication of Li Xuan's words, Emperor Yongyuan suddenly felt relieved, and then asked: "Then what do you want?"
Li Xuan raised one of his hind legs, scratched the itchy behind his ears, and said in an extremely casual manner:
"We just want to live peacefully."
“It’s better to be able to do whatever you want and be free.”
After hearing this answer, Emperor Yongyuan asked in surprise: "If this is the case, shouldn't it be more appropriate to agree to the conditions I proposed?"
"Only with supreme power can you live the way you want to live."
"This is your only path to the 'freedom' you long for."
Li Xuan looked at Emperor Yongyuan strangely and couldn't help but smile contemptuously.
Emperor Yongyuan saw such an expression on a cat's face, and one can imagine his mood. Veins immediately popped out on his forehead.
If he hadn't asked Li Xuan for help now, Emperor Yongyuan would have been unable to bear it with his original temper.
At this time, Manager Shang stepped forward and shouted loudly:
"Axuan, how could you be so rude to His Majesty!"
"It seems that we usually indulge you too much."
"It makes you have no rules at all now!"
"Your Majesty, this old slave failed to teach me well, so please forgive me."
After saying that, Manager Shang knelt down on the ground.
Zhao Feng on the side also knelt down and knelt down, bowing his head to the ground, silently apologizing.
On weekdays, it was the two of them who contacted Li Xuan on behalf of Emperor Yongyuan.
Now, the atmosphere in the Manna Hall was tense, and the two of them had to come forward to apologize. It was also a reminder to both parties that they were not enemies of each other.
The timely appearance of Manager Shang and Zhao Feng created an obvious buffer between Li Xuan and Emperor Yongyuan.
To be honest, even before Li Xuan revealed his specialness, Manager Shang treated them well in Jingyang Palace.
Li Xuan always remembered the monthly salary and fifty taels of silver he sent back.
Li Xuan didn't deliberately mock Emperor Yongyuan before, it was just a subconscious reaction.
Immediately, he also gave his own explanation.
"Although I don't have much contact with you."
"But in my opinion, you are the least free person in the world."
"I even think that a young eunuch in the palace has more freedom than you."
Li Xuan looked at Emperor Yongyuan's eyes, but still said what he thought truthfully.
Emperor Yongyuan was slightly startled. Looking at Li Xuan's serious eyes, he knew that he was not teasing or mocking him, but just stated his thoughts straightforwardly.
But this made Emperor Yongyuan even more uncomfortable.
Because what even a cat can see, many people cannot understand.
Emperor Yongyuan suddenly felt a little unmotivated. He raised his hand and waved gently in the direction of Manager Shang and Zhao Feng, asking them to stand up and step aside.
"Axuan, you are right."
"But for such a cage-like throne, countless people are flocking to it and are willing to do anything for it."
Emperor Yongyuan sighed with emotion and casually touched Li Xuan's head.
It's furry and feels nice to the touch.
"Axuan, do you know?"
"There are actually only two kinds of emperors in this world."
“A kind of being locked in a cage of desire.”
"A kind of cage."
"The former will definitely be a tyrant, while the latter may be a virtuous king."
Emperor Yongyuan petted the cat and talked about the past.
"When I was nineteen years old, I ascended to the throne in a daze."
"I originally thought that I was blessed with the destiny of being an emperor, and I planned to do something drastic and drastic when I first came up, so as to give my ancestors a satisfactory answer."
"But in the end, like most other young emperors, I was just someone else's puppet."
It was the first time that Li Xuan heard about what happened when Emperor Yongyuan came to the throne, and he was quite interested.
The several eunuchs on the side looked worried in silence.
That period of time is the past that Emperor Yongyuan least wants to recall.
In fact, from the fact that there were only a few eunuchs in the Manlu Palace, it was not difficult for Li Xuan to guess that Emperor Yongyuan probably did not have many trustworthy people in the court.
Otherwise, something as important as today would have to be witnessed by a few trusted ministers instead of all the eunuchs.
Moreover, even these few in front of me are not all among the great eunuchs.
Li Xuan estimated that Emperor Yongyuan was not as majestic as he seemed.
"In the past twenty years, I have paid a lot of sacrifices to get to where I am today."
"Axuan, do you understand what I mean?"
"I've paid so much, and I'm never going to let it all be for nothing."
Li Xuan could hear that there was no doubt about Emperor Yongyuan's determination.
Whether it was for his own desire for power or for the Daxing Dynasty that lasted for nearly a thousand years, Emperor Yongyuan would risk everything to complete his long-standing plan.
Li Xuan looked at Emperor Yongyuan, silently wagging his tail and asked:
"So, is Concubine Xiao also part of your price?"
Emperor Yongyuan's hand that was caressing Li Xuan suddenly paused and silently took it back.
When Manager Shang and Zhao Feng saw Li Xuan's question, they both frowned and said to themselves, "Oh no."
But unlike what they expected, Emperor Yongyuan simply nodded and said nothing else.
But Li Xuan saw the sadness flashing through his eyes, which could not be concealed, and he also got his answer.
"I'm different from you."
Li Xuan wrote categorically.
Emperor Yongyuan watched silently.
"Wellness is a price I can't pay."
"Even Yu'er is like this."
"I'm just a cat."
"So my world is very, very small."
"You have to help me protect my 'world'."
"This is my condition."
When he saw the conditions proposed by Li Xuan, Emperor Yongyuan had a strange feeling that he was expecting it but was unwilling to accept it.
The cat in front of him made him, the emperor, so humble.
Humble as dust.
"When you can't help me, I will protect my world in my own way!"
When everyone in the Manlu Palace saw this sentence written by Li Xuan, they were all moved.
In particular, Manager Shang and Zhao Feng remembered their evaluation of Li Xuan when they first met him, and they had mixed feelings at this time.
The little black cat in front of them was so affectionate and sincere from beginning to end.
Who would have thought that the coldest place in the world would harbor the hottest emotions.
"Is that all?"
"You don't want anything else?"
"The sacred beast that protects the country, the position of empress, other than that, we can talk about it. You can go and discuss it with Ankang, how about it?"
Emperor Yongyuan asked unwillingly.
"Can you do the rest if I ask you?"
"For example, please get rid of all the threats to health in this palace."
"For example, it is His Majesty's queen."
There was a faint smile on Li Xuan's lips.
Once the seeds of distrust are planted, they are difficult to eradicate.
Ever since Li Xuan realized that he was practicing Yin and Yang Qi under the guidance of Emperor Yongyuan, he began to doubt all the information he received from Emperor Yongyuan.
Even if he leaves the palace to escape this time and temporarily lives in Xingqing Palace, this will be the case.
Did Queen Wu really start to feel threatened by Princess Ankang?
This is a fact that Li Xuan cannot confirm.
Even more, is Empress Wu really hostile to their Jingyang Palace?
With Queen Wu's strength, if she can deal with the previously weak Jingyang Palace, maybe she won't even have to get her hands dirty at all, right?
Or is it that someone in the palace deliberately spread such rumors?
Trust is something that takes time and effort to build, but all it takes to destroy it is a little lie.
Emperor Yongyuan also noticed the change in Li Xuan's attitude, but there was nothing he could do about it.
He did guide Li Xuan's behavior out of selfish motives.
Emperor Yongyuan thought this was not a big deal, but he didn't expect Li Xuan's reaction to be so big.
"Is this the difference between cats and people?"
"As long as people have interests, they can be driven no matter what."
"This cat is obviously more willful."
Emperor Yongyuan thought that he was coaxing a kitten to join him, and he laughed unrealistically when he thought about it.
But this is the reality. From the moment Li Xuan mastered the Yin and Yang Qi, Emperor Yongyuan had no other choice.
"I really can't solve the Queen's problem."
Emperor Yongyuan shrugged and said bluntly.
"That's alright." Li Xuan glanced at Emperor Yongyuan with disdain, and then continued: "You just need to do your best to protect our safety, and I will cooperate with you when the time comes."
"Also, if you lie to me again in the future, it doesn't matter what the truth is, as long as I feel cheated."
Li Xuan didn't say any more, just smiled.
"Just pray that you can find a second being who can practice Yin and Yang Qi."
Emperor Yongyuan sighed. With Li Xuan's current attitude, I'm afraid that when that time comes, he will be able to do anything.
Emperor Yongyuan also gradually figured out Li Xuan's temper, and immediately followed him and said:
"As long as you are willing to cooperate, then we are in the same boat, so naturally there is no need to play tricks."
"We were just trying to establish a basis for cooperation."
After speaking, Emperor Yongyuan pressed his temples, and then quickly asked: "Do you have any other conditions or questions?"
"No, I just assume that we can cooperate happily from today on."
Although Li Xuan was reluctant, he also knew that he had no choice.
Emperor Yongyuan still talks to him nicely now, not for the sake of Yin Yang Zhenqi.
If I were to be more arrogant, I'm afraid it would be inappropriate.
Li Xuan stopped as soon as he was satisfied and asked the most important question.
"Who are your enemies?"
Emperor Yongyuan released his hand on his temples and joked:
"It's hard for you to endure it until now."
Emperor Yongyuan pondered for a while and then said:
"I have many enemies, and they are all very strong."
Li Xuan had expected it, but he couldn't help but roll his eyes.
How can a serious emperor beg a cat for so long?
Moreover, Emperor Yongyuan also said before that he became a puppet emperor after he ascended the throne, and he paid a lot of price to get where he is today.
But even after paying so much price, I'm afraid some things are still difficult to change.
"Stronger than you, right?"
Li Xuan asked angrily.
Emperor Yongyuan touched his nose and calmly spit out four words:
"Evenly matched."
Li Xuan understood the language art of emperors and knew that Emperor Yongyuan put a lot of water into these four words.
Li Xuan thought carefully and then asked:
"Queen Wu and you are not of the same mind, are we?"
"It may be, it may not be."
Emperor Yongyuan replied habitually.
But then he realized that in front of him was a kitten that lacked common sense, so he changed to more straightforward language.
"Axuan, there is only one kind of relationship in this court, and that is mutual use."
"When our interests are aligned, we are friends."
"When there is a conflict of interest, they are enemies."
"According to your words, the queen and I are indeed not of the same mind at this time."
"But if we give in to each other, there is also the possibility of cooperation."
Emperor Yongyuan gave Li Xuan political lessons.
"Axuan, you just need to know."
"I have in my hands what the queen needs, and the queen has in her hands what I need."
"How to get what each other needs, includes the art of politics."
In other words, in Emperor Yongyuan's view, Queen Wu was a possible ally and also a potential enemy.
"Why does the Queen feel threatened by Ankang?"
Li Xuan continued to ask.
Emperor Yongyuan smiled and said: "The Queen will not regard Ankang as a threat. In her eyes, all other princes and daughters cannot pose a threat to the second child."
"And I have to admit that this is indeed true."
Li Xuan was stunned for a moment after hearing this, but then he realized what they were avoiding in Xingqing Palace these days.
But at this moment, Emperor Yongyuan continued:
"Although the queen doesn't care, there are others in the harem who care and hope that Ankang will become a threat to the queen."
Li Xuan understood what Emperor Yongyuan meant, but he was also puzzled at the same time.
Since the second prince is so good and allows Empress Wu to be so confident, are the others all fools?
Is this a fight for a ball?
If the three brothers and the eldest prince were so interested in each other, wouldn't they all be monkey tricks?
Although Princess Ankang has won several competitions in the Royal Garden, if Emperor Yongyuan and Empress Wu think that others cannot pose a threat to the second prince, what do others think?
"Could it be that you don't like Ankang? That's not right, right?"
How many of these noble people in the palace are fools?
Li Xuan felt that there must be some details that he didn't know yet.
He immediately asked Emperor Yongyuan his doubts.
"Since the Second Prince is so sure of victory, what are the others fighting for? What's the point of the competition in the Imperial Garden?"
"Why do they need to target Ankang like this?"
Emperor Yongyuan looked at Li Xuan's question with a look of astonishment.
The faces of the other eunuchs were also full of weirdness.
Li Xuan immediately looked around and found that everyone's expressions were wrong.
"what happened?"
"Did I say something wrong?"
Emperor Yongyuan suddenly laughed, and then asked inexplicably:
"Who told you that the second child is a prince?"