We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

When Gao Yuanwai heard Li Che's question, his heart suddenly tightened, but he pretended to be calm:

"Why do you say that, sir?"

Li Che glanced at the courtyard wall and the iron-clad wooden door, and said in a calm tone:

"Take your house, for example. It's built on high ground, with thick walls, strong gates and heavy bolts, and even battlements. This layout isn't an ordinary wealthy mansion, but more like a miniature military fortress."

"And what happened at the village entrance just now? Although those farmers were holding farm tools, they moved swiftly upon hearing the news, forming a siege. It's obvious that they've been trained in this field, and it's definitely not something that ordinary farmers can do."

"Mr. Gao, you don't look like an ordinary country gentleman."

When Mr. Gao heard this, his pupils shrank slightly and a layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.

He looked at Li Che deeply, only to see that his gaze was as calm as water, yet seemed to be able to see through all his disguises.

Gao Yuanwai's throat rolled over, his voice dry: "You... who are you?"

Li Che just smiled slightly and did not answer.

But in Mr. Gao's eyes, that smile was more frightening than any real threat.

Mr. Gao knew that he had really met an unfathomable big shot today, and if he continued to hide the truth, he would probably suffer a catastrophic disaster.

He couldn't help but sigh, his expression becoming somewhat dejected, and he said, "Your Excellency has a keen eye, and I... dare not hide anything."

"To be honest, in today's world, the area around Chang'an has long been unstable."

"Oh? Tell me in detail." Li Che became interested and motioned him to continue.

"Your Excellency, you may not know this." Mr. Gao organized his words, a look of nostalgia on his face. "Back when Chang'an was still under the Qin Palace, although His Highness the Qin Prince... well... was well-known, the security in the surrounding area was still quite acceptable."

"The Prince's army still held a deterrent force, and the other forces in the city did not dare to act rashly. At that time, Chang'an City could not be said to be open at night, but at least the people's lives and property were safe."

"But ever since His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin was...disarmed and controlled by the previous emperor, Chang'an has lost its pillar and has fallen into complete civil strife."

"The imperial court has repeatedly sent new prefects, but they've been unable to control the situation. The royal family, aristocratic families, and existing official factions in the city are fighting each other, all hoping to get a bigger piece of the pie in this chaos."

"As a result, Chang'an's public security became increasingly chaotic, ordinary people became panic-stricken, and bandits and gangs proliferated."

Although Mr. Gao did not say anything definite, Li Che was naturally clear that the so-called bandits and gangs definitely did not pop out of stones.

Since ancient times, keeping bandits to protect themselves has been a tool used by the upper class. If a mere bandit could run rampant in Chang'an, there must be someone with power behind them.

Li Che looked slightly surprised and raised an eyebrow, asking, "So, it seems that the King of Qin, known for his tyranny, is actually more effective in governing Chang'an?"

"This is different from what I heard."

Mr. Gao quickly shook his head. "Your Excellency, I understand that while His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin may be somewhat... uh... arbitrary in his actions within the palace, he has never been overly harsh in his taxes and labor service towards us, the people outside the city."

"Under the rule of the royal palace, Chang'an still has laws and regulations. No one dares to bully the people. Compared to the lawless chaos of today, it is indeed much better."

Li Che nodded thoughtfully, motioning him to continue.

Seeing that Li Che was listening attentively, Gao Yuanwai continued to complain: "Since the death of the previous emperor, the two emperors of the north and south have coexisted. The Fengtian Army and the imperial capital army have each gathered in the east to confront each other. Chang'an has become a child without anyone to take care of it."

"Before, the city's aristocratic families and some officials stood on the same front, jointly fighting against those unruly royal relatives who wielded their own private armies."

"But after the late emperor passed away, even the royal family was divided."

He lowered his voice and said, "Some members of the royal family believe that the one in the imperial capital is the legitimate heir, while others feel that Prince Feng carries more of the legacy of the previous emperor."

"As for those aristocratic families, they almost unanimously support the Imperial Capital... Alas, they used to compete secretly, but recently the conflict has escalated, and there are even occasional assassinations of the other family heads and important figures in the streets!"

"Everyone in Chang'an City is in danger now!"

Li Che frowned slightly. This situation was even more chaotic than he had expected.

He had already thought about the fact that the noble families supported the imperial capital, and it would be a bit foolish to implicate the royal family as well.

Given their status, it is obvious that as long as they do not take sides, they can continue to enjoy peace no matter who comes to power.

But soon, Li Che's brow relaxed.

Originally, I had no intention of keeping these clan members. I thought that relying on their bloodline would allow them to enjoy wealth and prosperity forever. Where in the world could such a good thing happen?

I am not Zhu Yuanzhang, and I will not use the country's people's money to support my family. Just because I have the surname Li does not mean I am superior to others.

Li Che suddenly smiled and asked, "So, Mr. Gao, who do you support as emperor?"

Mr. Gao was so frightened that he trembled all over and almost jumped up.

He waved his hands repeatedly, his face pale. "Oh my! Your Excellency, please don't joke around. How can a commoner like us dare to comment on such a major military and national issue?"

"I...I only hope to protect this little bit of property and survive in this chaotic world!"

Mr. Gao still hasn't figured out Li Che's background and position, so how could he dare to express his opinion on such a life-threatening issue?

But from what he said, it seemed that he had no respect for the two emperors, so he should not be a member of the royal family.

Li Che nodded slightly without comment and simply changed the question.

"So, who's protecting your village right now?" He glanced at the scenery outside the courtyard. "In such a chaotic situation, your village is still able to maintain peace. I don't believe that there's no one looking after it."

Mr. Gao knew that he could not get around this hurdle.

Li Che's words seemed to be asking about the village, but in fact he was asking about the backers behind Mr. Gao.

He gritted his teeth and steeled his resolve, hoping that his reputation as a strong backer would give the other party some pause.

"To be honest, sir, when I was young, I served under the Second Master of the Du Family. I joined the army to fight against the Hu people and was lucky enough to serve as a personal soldier under the Second Master."

"Later, I was shot in the back by a barbarian. I became ill and could no longer wield a sword or a gun."

"Second Master is kind and, mindful of my hard work, has given me some money so I can return home and buy some land and live out my days in peace."

"Therefore...therefore, I still have some ties of friendship with the Du family."

A glimmer of understanding flashed in Li Che's eyes: "Du family? But the Du family of the current Left Prime Minister Du Fuchen?"

Gao Yuanwai felt relieved when he saw that the other party knew the name of the Left Prime Minister and did not immediately show hostility.

So he nodded quickly: "Your Excellency is right, it is the Zuo Xiang's family."

Li Che pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "In that case, do you have a way to contact the person in charge of the Du family in the city?"