493: Chapter 493 Who is Guo Zai?

"The task the Princess Consort entrusted to you?"

Lin Xiao frowned and looked at Xiao Qingxuan in confusion.

Xiao Qingxuan couldn't help but smile. She had just learned from Lin Xiao that "Guo Zai" was not a person, but a status.

Lin Xiao told her that the imposter was a "mechanical person," just with very advanced technology, likely made by the Celestial Palace.

Therefore, Xiao Qingxuan felt embarrassed herself for having seriously treated "Guo Zai" as a real person.

"My Lord, it was about finding someone..."

Lin Xiao realized the situation and looked at the trembling Cao Wang with a playful gaze.

Cao Wang was incredibly nervous right now!

Xiao Qingxuan had told him that "Guo Zai" was the name Jiang Wanli had muttered before he died.

It had to be some important figure!

The Princess Consort trusted him, which is why she gave him such an important assignment.

But he had searched through the entire roster of the Qing King's Army and couldn't find anyone named Guo Zai.

Perhaps it was someone from the martial world, or someone's code name, but where was he supposed to start looking?

Cao Wang had no other choice but to find a way to let Lin Xiao agree to let him "atone for his crimes with merit."

I don't want the rewards anymore, and please don't look to me for the task of finding 'Guo Zai' anymore!

"That won't do!"

Lin Xiao said with a serious face, "Since this person was mentioned by Jiang Wanli before his death, they must be of vital importance!"

"Cao Wang, the Princess Consort strongly advocated for you to become the Vice Commander of the Northwest Army. If you can't even handle such a small task, could it be that the Princess Consort misjudged you?"

"Or rather... did you only join the Zhenbei Army for show, and don't actually take this Prince seriously in your heart?"

The more Cao Wang listened, the worse his expression became, and he suddenly dropped to his knees!

"My Lord! Princess Consort! This Old Cao has no such intention!"

"Then you're still playing petty tricks with this Prince? Do you think I can't see that you didn't look properly! It hasn't even been a day; did you really search seriously!?"

Lin Xiao's angry shout drained half of Cao Wang's courage, scaring him to his core.

"This general is guilty! I will definitely go back and use all my strength to search for and capture that Guo Zai!"

Cao Wang grit his teeth. It seemed that if Guo Zai wasn't found, the Prince and Princess Consort of Zhenbei would not be at peace!

Lin Xiao said solemnly, "This Prince also knows that the Western Border is vast, and finding one person is not easy."

"However, I believe that since it was the person Jiang Wanli muttered about before his death, they must not be some minor character."

"You can investigate the officials of all sizes in the four provinces of the Western Border to see who is secretly plotting something nefarious."

Upon hearing this, Cao Wang was shocked and said, "My Lord, this... if we do this, won't it become known to everyone?"

"It doesn't matter. Jiang Wanli said that name in public, so he didn't intend to hide it."

"As long as Guo Zai is not found, this Prince cannot eat or sleep in peace. You just go and investigate!"

As Lin Xiao spoke, he pulled out a mystic grade longsword captured from the battlefield.

He no longer bothered to exchange weapons of this level for prestige, as it was just a drop in the bucket.

"Take this sword. This Prince grants you special authority. If anyone openly resists the investigation, you may execute them first and report later!"

Lin Xiao patted his shoulder, "Treat this as a real mission!"

Cao Wang took the "Sword of the King's Way," his hands trembling!

"Yes! My Lord's concerns are matters greater than the heavens!"

Once the other generals had dispersed, Xiao Qingxuan finally couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Husband, what a clever move to 'go with the flow.' Now the officials of the entire Western Border will likely 'turn pale at the mention of Guo'."

Lin Xiao sighed, "There's no other way. The four provinces of the Western Border are far away after all, and we aren't familiar with them."

"To rectify the administration, we have to comb through it from top to bottom."

"Since Jiang Wanli gave us a 'Guo Zai' and so many people heard it, we might as well use it."

"To prove they aren't Jiang Wanli's accomplices, those people in the Western Border will have to cooperate even if they don't want to be investigated."

With his territory suddenly expanding by such a large amount, Lin Xiao felt a bit uncertain in his heart.

Fortunately, with Xiao Qingxuan offering strategies and handling various difficult problems, it wasn't a big issue.

Seven days later, news of victory arrived from the Yan Region.

As Zhao Yunting's army changed course and entered Khitan territory, the remaining main forces of the Khitan were caught in a pincer attack and collapsed.

Although the Zhenbei Army also suffered significant losses, what they gained was long-term peace and stability in the north.

Lin Xiao announced that day that a "Northeast Protectorate" would be established in Khitan.

And the first Protector-General of the Northeast was announced along with the Northern Daily, shocking the whole world...

...

"Suhe!?"

"The former Marshal Suhe of the Northern Barbarians? He's joined Lin Xiao!?"

In the Imperial Study of the Imperial Palace.

Not long ago, the hastily enthroned Crown Prince Li Chenghao was wearing his dragon robes, holding a newspaper.

"Minister Liu, is this news true?"

Li Chenghao looked up at Liu Zongfu, who was now the second-rank Minister of Rites.

Ever since Liu Zongfu led a group of officials from humble backgrounds to help him ascend the throne, Li Chenghao truly loved this "loyal subject."

He discovered that the old Emperor Hong was truly foolish to the extreme!

Liu Zongfu was both brave and resourceful, with talent and learning not at all inferior to Xie Tong. For so many years, he had only managed to be a Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices?

Ridiculous! It was lucky that he, the "wise and divine" new emperor, had ascended, otherwise wouldn't such talent have been wasted?

"This subject believes this matter should be true."

Liu Zongfu replied with a cold expression, "The Northern Daily concerns the reputation of the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion, so they generally do not provide false news."

"Furthermore, Suhe did not participate in this Khitan invasion, which shows he has long been at odds with Khitan King Yelü Dachuan."

"This subject believes there is a high probability that Suhe has long been one of the Prince of Zhenbei's men."

Li Chenghao slapped the newspaper in frustration, "That Lin Xiao... he really managed to pull out the last nail in the north, and that wench Li Xinglan, he even let her survive."

"As a result, the entire north has fallen into Lin Xiao's hands. In terms of territory size, the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion is already on par with me."

Li Chenghao rubbed his forehead with a headache, "It's all Li Siqing's fault. With only that much ability, he just had to rush to his death... losing all the face of my Li Gan Imperial Family!"

Liu Zongfu narrowed his eyes and said, "Your Majesty, the larger the territory, the more difficult it is to manage. The Western Border and the Barbarian lands are both bitter and cold. Once occupied, it won't be easy to sustain the people there."

"Your Majesty might as well wait and see. As long as you don't give the Prince of Zhenbei any leverage, problems will eventually arise in the north on their own."

Li Chenghao laughed loudly, "Minister Liu's words are exactly right. I thought so too, which is why I haven't bothered with him!"

Liu Zongfu felt disdain in his heart. Bother with him? Are you even worthy?

Li Chenghao naturally didn't know that his most trusted "loyal subject" was currently disparaging him.

"By the way, is that stubborn old man Yang Gengzhong still 'recovering from illness' in his mansion?"

Because he had ascended the throne in haste and had not observed the mourning period for Emperor Hong, Yang Gengzhong was very disgusted and had been feigning illness at home, refusing to attend court.

"Chancellor Yang is elderly; it will likely take some time for him to recover," Liu Zongfu said.

"Him? I think he's just an old man who refuses to die!"

With no one else in the study, Li Chenghao was also unscrupulous, saying, "Minister Liu, just wait. In a while, I will find an opportunity to strip him of his position as Prime Minister and let you become the Senior Grand Secretary of the Cabinet. You and I, sovereign and subject, will surely make Great Gan regain its former glory!"

Liu Zongfu sneered in his heart. Of the seven cabinet members, aside from Wang Qirui of the Ministry of Revenue who had been on the Crown Prince's side from the start, only he was still playing along with him.

Just based on you, you want to make my mentor Yang Gengzhong step down and yield his position? You're dreaming...

"Your Majesty, this subject... will certainly not fail your grace!" Liu Zongfu had a look of deep emotion on his face.

Li Chenghao was very happy and shouted to the outside with a big laugh, "Someone, prepare the carriage for the Peacock Palace!"

Hearing this, Liu Zongfu's brow furrowed slightly.

The Peacock Palace again...

Before Emperor Hong left, he had brought Consort De back from the Cold Palace to the Peacock Palace and stayed the night.

The people in the palace originally thought Consort De was going to be in favor again, but then Emperor Hong passed away!

And just when everyone thought Consort De was going to fall to the bottom again... Li Chenghao actually began to have interactions with Consort De?

Since Li Chenghao ascended the throne, he had become even more unscrupulous, ignoring his mother's dissuasion just to see Consort De.

It was as if that Peacock Palace had some kind of special magic!