Chapter 167: If the Empress Dowager disagrees, I’ll hang you on the bed!
Lu Buwei’s fall was unexpected by everyone.
A Prime Minister who held power over the court, fell without warning.
This morning, he was still the respected Prime Minister.
But after the morning court, he became a prisoner shunned by all.
Lu Buwei’s prestige in the court was unquestionable.
Many officials were promoted by him.
These people not only held important positions but were also loyal to Lu Buwei.
But now, faced with solid evidence, they dared not plead for mercy at this crucial moment.
Emperor Qin and the Empress Dowager are now furious, and if you plead for mercy now, you’d undoubtedly be labeled as an accomplice.
Some people didn’t believe this and went ahead.
Then they were imprisoned!
Seeing this, others naturally didn’t dare to plead further.
The officials kneeling outside Empress Dowager Zhao Ji’s palace gradually dispersed.
They didn’t even get to enter the main gate of the palace.
For every one who knelt on the ground, Zhao Ji would order someone to arrest them.
“Hmph, quite a few people pleading for this old thing.”
Zhao Ji flicked her sleeves, snorted coldly, and turned away from the window.
She couldn’t help but lament the enormous power Lu Buwei wielded.
It would have been a huge problem for Qin if he had noticed something was amiss and acted preemptively instead of being suddenly taken down today.
Luckily, that didn’t happen.
She acted in advance, catching even Lu Buwei off guard with how suddenly things unfolded.
Zhao Ji turned around, her cold and proud gaze sweeping over the person sitting there.
Raising her dark eyebrows, she asked, “Are you also here to plead for Lu Buwei?”
“Yes, Your Majesty, why don’t you also have me arrested and chop off my head while you’re at it.”
Li Mo took a sip of the tea Zhao Ji personally made for him and said indifferently.
This woman, she’s crazy!
Why should I care about her?
No one understands better than her how Lu Buwei fell from power.
If it weren’t for Li Mo, Lu Buwei would still be the Prime Minister of Qin right now.
It’s not just about bringing him down; it would be difficult to shake his position in the court at all.
But that aside.
The Empress Dowager’s tea is really smooth.
Li Mo took another sip and smacked his lips.
He then used his tongue to lick the tea off his lips.
Watching his entire series of actions, Zhao Ji suddenly got goosebumps.
Disdainfully, she said, “Is it really that good? Don’t you have a bit of decorum as a national advisor?”
Talk less when eating, silent when sleeping.
Don’t smack your lips when eating, and don’t make sounds when drinking.
This is the most basic etiquette in the palace.
The sound of him slurping tea made Zhao Ji frown deeply.
Li Mo smacked his lips and said, “The Empress Dowager’s tea tastes great; I couldn’t help it.”
The tea leaves are still the same, and the water used to make the tea is still the same.
There’s no difference from before.
But it depends on who makes the tea.
Now, across the entire land, probably only I can enjoy tea personally made by the Empress Dowager of Qin.
Even Ying Zheng doesn’t have this blessing.
It’s more likely he would make tea for his mother.
Zhao Ji didn’t know what his words made her think of.
She pinched her hands placed over her abdomen, gave him a sidelong glance, and muttered under her breath.
“Sooner or later, I’ll chop off your head!”
Without needing to hear the sound, Li Mo could tell what she was muttering from her moving lips.
My neck is harder than your knife.
Chop me?
Not in this lifetime!
Zhao Ji stepped lightly and gracefully returned to sit by the bed.
After being massaged twice by Li Mo, her legs were completely healed.
After sitting down, she adjusted her phoenix robe, letting it drape over her legs, covering her plump, slender legs.
She lifted her fair chin, looking down at Li Mo with a proud expression.
“You’ve done well; what reward do you want?”
Lu Buwei’s fall can be attributed to the national advisor’s efforts.
He discovered Lao Ai and also saw through Lu Buwei’s plot.
“First, finalize my house.”
Li Mo pursed his lips and then added, “And reimburse my inn expenses for this period.”
Zhao Ji was stunned for a moment.
“Are you short of that little money?”
Allocating the house is a required procedure.
But claiming reimbursement for your inn stay, isn’t that a bit too stingy?
“One thing doesn’t interfere with another. It’s not about being short of money.”
If you had allocated my house sooner, would I have needed to stay at the inn?
Although I don’t lack that bit of money, my money doesn’t grow on trees.
Why should I pay for the inefficiency of Qin’s administration?
In reality, it’s not about Qin’s inefficiency.
It’s clear that Lu Buwei had suppressed the approval process.
Zhao Ji sneered, “Heh, you really are clear with me.”
After saying this, she sensed something was off.
She changed her approach and said, “Lu Buwei has been imprisoned. How about I grant his mansion to you?”
The Prime Minister’s Mansion is the most magnificent residence in Xianyang, second only to the royal palace.
“No.”
Li Mo shook his head, outright rejecting the offer.
Zhao Ji looked at him in surprise.
Li Mo explained indifferently, “Someone else has used it, so I find it distasteful.”
Lu Buwei has just been imprisoned, but the charges haven’t been finalized.
It will take a long time to confiscate his property once the charges are confirmed.
Li Mo still hopes to move those women over after this matter is settled. Do you expect them to stay at an inn?
Zhao Ji stared at him intently, “But that mansion is second only to the royal palace in terms of luxury.”
The royal palace emphasizes grandeur.
Lu Buwei’s wealth has turned the Prime Minister’s Mansion into an extraordinarily luxurious residence.
“No matter how beautiful it is, someone else has used it.”
“I prefer new things; I don’t like sharing.”
Zhao Ji furrowed her elegant brows, showing a hint of confusion on her pretty face.
“Sharing what?”
Li Mo shrugged, “Nothing, just forget it. I don’t want it.”
If you don’t understand, then so be it.
Explaining to you might get me beheaded.
Zhao Ji glared at him in displeasure, troubled, “Where am I supposed to find you a new mansion?”
It needs to be luxurious and unused.
You’re quite picky!
Li Mo replied nonchalantly, “That’s your problem, are you asking me?”
“I’ll give you three days. If it’s not settled by then, I’ll move in with you.”
Zhao Ji instantly grew furious, stood up abruptly, and slapped the bed board.
“Are you ordering me around?”
Li Mo ignored her.
He stroked his chin, thinking.
Something seems off.
You’re angry for the wrong reason!
Is it because I’m giving you orders and not because I’ll move in with you?
Zhao Ji’s eyes blazed with anger, seemingly unaware of this issue.
She kept taking deep breaths in her rage, causing her majestic chest hidden under the phoenix robes to rise and fall.
An impressive sight, mesmerizing.
Li Mo thought for a moment and said, “You can understand it that way.”
Zhao Ji could no longer contain herself.
Am I the Empress Dowager or you?
Seeing her about to explode, Li Mo added, “Or you can dance for me right now.”
Zhao Ji’s nearly fiery gaze suddenly shifted.
Then her eyes began to dodge. “Wh… what dance?”
“How did Lu Buwei fall from power? Where did the evidence come from?”
“Empress Dowager, you must know that, right?”
Lao Ai was not the key, just a corroborative factor at most.
The key was the secret letter Lu Buwei wrote to his informant.
As Li Mo said, he handed over the evidence himself.
So in that gamble, Li Mo won.
Zhao Ji twisted her jade-like hands, her pretty face full of hesitation.
Li Mo could sense it clearly.
Afraid now, huh?
If you didn’t want to lose, you shouldn’t have bet with me in the first place!
A true gambler honors their bet. I don’t believe you as an Empress Dowager will default.
“What do I know?”
“Don’t know, yes, don’t know.”
Zhao Ji lowered her noble head.
Her wandering gaze fell on her hands.
Her ten slender jade-like fingers entwined, biting her lips one by one.
Her face flushed red after saying these two sentences.
Clearly, she felt guilty.
Li Mo was dumbfounded.
You’re actually reneging on your bet?
Even Yan Lingji, with her mischievous nature, doesn’t pull this trick on me.
You’re an Empress Dowager, after all. Aren’t you keen on maintaining your reputation?
“This is not fair. You said ‘a word is a man’s bond,’ right?”
Li Mo raised his eyebrows, asking with a shocked expression.
Zhao Ji lifted her chin.
Her fair neck was as graceful as a swan’s.
The skin on her neck was so white and delicate, it made people want to go up and lick it.
“Am I a man? I’m the Empress Dowager; the Emperor of Qin is a man.”
“If you insist, ask him to dance for you.”
She spoke in such a matter-of-fact manner, directly selling out her beloved son.
Li Mo’s mouth twitched.
What a loving mother and filial son!
You’re the one betting with me, not him. Why should I make him jump?
Suddenly, Li Mo let out a light chuckle.
“What are you laughing at?”
Zhao Ji thought he was mocking her.
Li Mo’s smile gradually faded.
After pondering for a moment, he slowly said, “Does the Empress Dowager not want to jump, or…”
“Doesn’t know how to jump?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Zhao Ji’s expression changed.
The blush on her cheeks from earlier suddenly turned pale.
Her eyes instantly narrowed as she stared intently at Li Mo.
Li Mo also grew quiet, lifting a teacup and taking a sip.
An aura of nonchalance that suggested he had seen through everything.
It seemed that whether Zhao Ji danced or not no longer mattered.
“Give me a few days,”
Zhao Ji’s curvaceous hips perked up a bit as she slowly sat back down on the edge of the bed.
Adopting a more conciliatory tone, she began to negotiate with Li Mo.
Li Mo chuckled lightly and nodded, not pushing further.
However, Zhao Ji explained, “I haven’t danced for many years, I just need some time to prepare.”
Li Mo didn’t care about the reason.
Because he already knew the answer he wanted.
Casually, he said, “Whatever you say.”
Zhao Ji frowned slightly, feeling a sudden twinge of unease.
She emphasized, “A few days is enough. I just need to familiarize myself with the dance steps again.”
Li Mo’s expression didn’t change, and he nodded calmly.
“Yes, of course.”
“I’m in no rush.”
“The Empress Dowager can take as long as she needs.”
He spoke with such ease, as if he truly wasn’t in a hurry.
While he was in no hurry, Zhao Ji became anxious.
Li Mo’s attitude made her feel a bit uneasy.
Li Mo didn’t dwell on the matter any longer.
Switching topics, he brought up the main issue.
“Although Lu Buwei has been imprisoned, the officials he promoted still hold important positions in the court.”
“What are the Empress Dowager’s plans regarding this matter?”
As long as Lu Buwei’s charges remained unsettled, those men wouldn’t behave themseLues.
His influence would still persist.
Zhao Ji seemed a bit distracted and replied absentmindedly, “I’ll investigate each one. Anyone connected to Lu Buwei will be removed.”
Li Mo remained silent for a long time after hearing this.
This made Zhao Ji a bit uncomfortable.
She thought there might be something wrong with her approach.
“Did I say something wrong?”
Li Mo shook his head and said, “No, your approach is fine.”
Of course, it wouldn’t involve executing all of those people.
Lu Buwei didn’t lead a rebellion, so they weren’t directly implicated.
However, they couldn’t be kept in key positions either.
Most would be demoted or transferred from their original posts.
“Then why aren’t you speaking?”
Zhao Ji looked at him, seemingly unaccustomed to his silence.
She had grown used to his confrontations, and now that he stopped, she felt a bit uncomfortable.
“I was just thinking that perhaps the Empress Dowager should take a break.”
Li Mo finally spoke, but said something Zhao Ji didn’t quite understand.
She glanced at the sunlight streaming in through the window.
“It’s still early, why should I rest?”
Li Mo replied nonchalantly, “I didn’t mean for you to rest, but to take a break.”
Zhao Ji looked at him, her eyes full of scrutiny.
“What exactly do you mean?”
Li Mo stopped beating around the bush and said directly, “Perhaps you could delegate these matters to Emperor Qin. There’s no need for you to handle everything personally.”
Zhao Ji’s frown relaxed for a moment before tightening again.
She rejected the suggestion, saying, “The emperor is still young and inexperienced.”
“He hasn’t dealt with such matters before, and this is a complicated issue.”
“So it’s better for me, his mother, to handle it. It’s for his own good.”
After dealing with Lu Buwei’s cronies, naturally, her own trusted aides would be appointed.
Zhao Ji understood this principle well enough.
And she caught the implication in Li Mo’s words.
“But that doesn’t mean Emperor Qin is incapable of handling it, does it?”
Li Mo showed no sign of backing down either.
After trying it out, naturally one finds that using one’s own people is most convenient.
Only allowing Ying Zheng to promote his subordinates can further consolidate his position.
Zhao Ji is obviously trying to cling to power.
If the court is filled with her people, even after Ying Zheng assumes power, she can still influence the state of affairs.
This is driven by her desire for control.
“Besides, the Emperor of Qin will eventually take over governance. Is it possible that once he does, the Empress Dowager will continue to interfere in everything?”
“You claim everything you do is for his benefit.”
“But look at what you’ve done; which of these acts truly benefit him?”
“Do you not trust the Emperor of Qin to handle this matter, or are you simply unwilling to relinquish power to him?”
“Holding onto power like this, does the Empress Dowager want to become the next Lu Buwei?”
Li Mo’s sharp words were on the verge of calling Zhao Ji a hypocritical old crone.
“How dare you!”
Zhao Ji stood up, her face full of fury.
“I am the Emperor of Qin’s mother and the matriarch of the Qin state. How can I be compared to someone as treacherous as Lu Buwei?”
She glared at Li Mo and said coldly, “National Advisor, have I been too lenient with you, making you forget your station?”
Li Mo also stood firm, not giving an inch.
“It is precisely because I am aware of my position that I speak thus.”
“As the National Advisor, I have the duty to advise and spur on the ruler.”
“And this responsibility is not just towards the Emperor of Qin.”
“I can make suggestions on any state matters where I see unreasonableness.”
Zhao Ji was infuriated.
Pointing a manicured finger at him, she gasped, “You… you dare to seek to ride on my head, planning to rebel?”
Li Mo sneered.
“I have no interest in rebellion.”
“I only find the Empress Dowager’s overreach in power intolerable.”
With Ying Zheng’s capability, he could govern Qin better.
He possesses the assertiveness Zhao Ji lacks.
This is the essential quality of a ruler.
However, with Zhao Ji clutching at power, Ying Zheng’s myriad talents cannot shine.
To let the dragon soar, the immense mountain weighing it down must be toppled.
Qin has two such mountains.
One is the already half-fallen Lu Buwei.
The other is this Empress Dowager.
Zhao Ji replied strongly, “What if I disagree?”
Li Mo clasped his hands behind his back, his face calm.
Zhao Ji waited for his answer.
She intended to use this to test if Li Mo really knew something.
If he did, he might use it to threaten her.
“If the Empress Dowager disagrees.”
Zhao Ji stared at him, squeezing her fingers tightly.
Li Mo raised an eyebrow, pointing to the hanging canopy over her phoenix bed.
“If the Empress Dowager disagrees, I will hang you up there.”
“Hang you until you agree.”
Zhao Ji: (⊙o⊙)!!
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