411: The Imperial Advisor Offers Advice

Li Xuan suddenly snapped back to his senses.

Indeed, matters concerning the national fortune were profound and unpredictable; how could they be easily concluded based on mere speculation?

Moreover, no matter how uncontrollable Situ Jun was, in name, he was still the Prince Consort of Tianqi, the Princess's husband, and the father of the child still in her womb.

Without concrete evidence, acting rashly based on groundless suspicion would not only fail to convince the masses but could also trigger unpredictable turmoil.

Especially now... the Princess was still pregnant.

"What the State Preceptor says is correct."

Li Xuan nodded slowly, suppressing the surging suspicion and irritability in his heart, though the gloom in his eyes grew even deeper.

"I was too impatient. I must trouble the State Preceptor to continue the investigation in secret. You must find the source that is suppressing the power of the national fortune! No matter who is involved, or which sect or faction they belong to, as long as there is solid evidence, I... will show no mercy!"

He spoke those last few words with absolute certainty, carrying the decisiveness and ruthlessness of an Emperor.

Li Xuan turned his head and looked out the window.

Beyond the bamboo fence, he faced the northern sky.

At this moment, twilight was closing in, and the setting sun was like blood, dyeing the sky a crimson red that held an indescribable eeriness.

The external crisis brought by the Xuntian Iron Guards had finally been temporarily resolved.

But the hidden internal threat lurking in the shadows was like a time bomb, surfacing more clearly before his eyes and making him restless.

Situ Jun... this "Prince Consort" whom he had once tried to control as a pawn, but who had now grown into a towering tree and was increasingly slipping from his grasp—what exactly had he done in the Northern Frontier?

How vast was the power he had secretly accumulated?

Did he have any connection to the Tianqi Kingdom's waning national fortune?

"The Northern Frontier..."

Li Xuan whispered those words, his eyes shifting and dark with uncertainty.

In his heart, he had already made a secret decision.

Monitoring of the Northern Frontier had to be strengthened; not even the slightest movement could be overlooked!

At the same time, he also needed to speed up the search for extraordinary talents across the world and find those Heaven-Defying methods that could enhance the national fortune.

It seemed that Situ Jun was a much tougher nut to crack than he had imagined.

But so what?

Before the Dynasty's national fortune, any personal feelings, any bond between ruler and subject, or any familial ties could be sacrificed without hesitation!

A moment later, Li Xuan withdrew his gaze, put on a gentle expression once more, and looked at the Mysterious Clarity Master with an earnest tone:

"The State Preceptor's trip to the Southern Frontier was a great service. Not only did you help me quell the Imperial Dynasty's investigation, but you also uncovered key clues regarding the hidden concerns of our national fortune. You are truly a pillar of my Tianqi! I will certainly reward you handsomely and will not mistreat you!"

Hearing this, the Mysterious Clarity Master showed no joy. Instead, he looked heavy with hesitation, as if he wanted to say something but held back.

"Your Majesty's favor is more than this humble Taoist deserves. To me, rewards are but worldly possessions. Now that the Tianqi Dynasty's internal and external troubles have not been eliminated, I only seek to share Your Majesty's burdens, to protect these vast lands, and to ensure the common people live in peace."

Hearing this, the irritation in Li Xuan's heart, which had arisen because the Mysterious Clarity Master was slow to accept the reward, gradually melted away like snow meeting the warm sun.

He had originally thought the State Preceptor was feigning loftiness or had some ulterior motive, but hearing him now, every word seemed to come from the heart and every sentence was tied to the national fortune.

He couldn't help but heave a long sigh, his voice filled with exhaustion and melancholy:

"Those are truly heartfelt words, State Preceptor. If all the civil and military officials in the court could be like you, prioritizing the state, why would I need to work from dawn till dusk and be so worried?"

"Your Majesty overpraises me."

The Mysterious Clarity Master nodded slightly, his gaze falling upon the teacup in his hand.

Inside the room, sandalwood incense curled and swirled. Amidst the misty smoke, Li Xuan looked at the Mysterious Clarity Master's ethereal, sage-like appearance. Finally unable to suppress the trepidation in his heart, he hesitated for a moment and asked, his voice carrying a trace of imperceptible trembling:

"State Preceptor, is the Tianqi national fortune... stable now?"

Hearing this, the Mysterious Clarity Master lowered his eyes in thought, his fingers moving in calculation as his brow furrowed deeper and deeper.

The room was silent, save for the rustling of bamboo leaves in the wind outside and Li Xuan's increasingly rapid breathing.

After a long time, the Mysterious Clarity Master seemed to have made a decision. He gritted his teeth, looked up, and said in a deep voice:

"To answer Your Majesty, the national fortune is temporarily safe. Within three to five years, there will be no danger of collapse."

"Whew—"

Li Xuan's tense shoulders suddenly slumped. He let out a long breath, and the heavy stone hanging in his heart finally mostly fell away.

He was about to ask how to plan for the next three to five years to completely stabilize the national fortune when the Mysterious Clarity Master's tone shifted, his voice suddenly deepening:

"However, to secure this stability, Her Majesty the Empress must personally go to Northern Frontier City to negotiate with City Lord Situ."

"What?!"

Li Xuan was struck as if by lightning. He suddenly sat bolt upright in his chair, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief, his voice cracking:

"Why must the Empress go? For negotiations, we can just send officials from the Ministry of Rites or Princes of the Imperial Clan. How can we let a woman of the inner palace show her face in public and travel all the way to that desolate Northern Frontier?"

Situ Jun was a figure even the Heaven-Patrolling Iron Cavalry avoided.

Though young, he held a powerful army and had single-handedly repelled the Zhou Dynasty's invasion.

Now, he was even further removed from the Tianqi court, and the Northern Frontier had practically become his independent kingdom.

Sending the Empress to negotiate with such a dangerous person—wouldn't that be like throwing a sheep into a tiger's den?

The Mysterious Clarity Master acted as if he hadn't heard the anger. He unhurriedly picked up the teacup from the table, lifted the lid, used it to gently skim off the froth, took a shallow sip, and then slowly raised his eyes to meet Li Xuan's gaze with a calm, rippleless look:

"Your Majesty, this matter must be handled by the Empress. I have performed forty-nine divinations, and the omens show that only the Empress's personal presence can resolve the hidden variables and stabilize Tianqi's national fortune. Your Majesty need not ask more about other matters, and do not let the news leak out, otherwise, I fear trouble will arise, and it will be too late for regrets."

There was no explanation in his words, only cold instructions, which made Li Xuan even more suspicious.

The Mysterious Clarity Master was usually meticulous and would explain the reasons for everything, yet today he was so abnormal, making demands without providing the cause.

Thinking further of the "negotiation" target, Situ Jun—that rumored young, promising, and unfathomably powerful City Lord of the Northern Frontier—an absurd yet incredibly clear thought instantly flashed into Li Xuan's mind.

Could it be... could it be that Situ Jun has taken a liking to Empress Jiang Yan!

This so-called "negotiation" was nothing more than a trade using the country as a bargaining chip; it was to send his Empress to the Northern Frontier to become Situ Jun's wife!

As soon as this thought emerged, Li Xuan felt his blood freeze instantly. A chill rushed from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, and his heart sank as if falling into a bottomless ice cellar, even his breathing carrying a bone-piercing pain.

He stared intently at the Mysterious Clarity Master, his fingertips trembling slightly from the force he exerted. His face was extremely unsightly, and he squeezed out each word through clenched teeth:

"The State Preceptor just said that the power of Chaos eroding the national fortune had nothing to do with Situ Jun, denying he was the mastermind. Now you imply that Situ Jun can actually influence Tianqi's national fortune. Also... this proposal for the Empress to negotiate—is it your personal idea, or was it raised by Situ Jun?"