Another World: The Failed Magician

Upon hearing Zhang Zheng's words, Zhao Quan's smiling face immediately darkened.

Zhao Quan stared at the slightly hunched old man in front of him with a gloomy expression, without saying a word.

After a while, Zhao Quan broke the silence first, saying, "Teacher! Are you just going to give up like this? Have you forgotten what you said before?"

Qi Huaiguang replied in an old and hoarse voice, "Your Highness, I am old and now I only wish to retire and return to my hometown. I humbly request Your Highness's permission."

Zhao Quan stopped talking and quietly looked at Zhang Zheng, trying to discern something from his aged face.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Quan's voice was no longer calm, but rather somewhat erratic as he said, "Have you forgotten your own dreams? You were the one who sent me to study in the Loca Federation, and you kept telling me that you wanted to build the Eastern Dragon Empire into a country like the Loca Federation. What? Now that you're sitting in this position, you've forgotten all your past dreams?"

Faced with Zhao Quan's words, Qi Huaiguang calmly replied, "Your Highness, those were words spoken in my youthful ignorance. If they have caused you any trouble, I apologize to Your Highness. I am now old and no longer capable of handling state affairs. I humbly request Your Highness to allow me to retire and return to my hometown."

Upon hearing Qi Huaiguang's reply, Zhao Quan sighed softly and said, "Alright. Since you're unwilling, teacher, then you can go back."

Hearing Zhao Quan's words, Qi Huaiguang showed no joy or frustration, and calmly replied, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness."

After Qi Huaiguang finished speaking, he thanked Zhao Quan in his heart and slowly withdrew from the main hall.

After the Left Chancellor left, the entire hall was empty except for Zhao Quan.

At that moment, an old man, leaning on a tree branch, walked out from the shadows behind the main hall.

Zhang Quan glanced at the old man with some emotion and said, "Right Chancellor, it seems your judgment was correct!"

The old man, leaning on a branch in his hand, walked to Zhang Quan's side. Looking at the handsome young man before him, Zhang Quan slumped dejectedly in his chair, like a child abandoned by the world.

Instead of comforting the boy, the old man coldly said, "That's reality. When he has nothing, of course he can say those high-sounding words, but when he has power and status, he will become cautious. Zhang Zheng, your most respected teacher is not the same as before. He is now a leading figure of the left wing, not the stinky schoolteacher he used to be."

Zhao Quan looked at the old man beside him and replied with equal indifference, "Didn't you also rise to the position of Right Chancellor?"

Upon hearing Zhao Quan's words, the old man stretched out his aged hand and pointed to himself: "Me? Just a complete loser. Everyone says that the Eastern Dragon Empire has a left and a right prime minister. Look at me now, who even knows who I am as the right prime minister? The moment I lost the factional struggle, I became a figurehead."

Zhao Quan looked at the old man's cold face and asked, "So you support my reforms in order to break the status quo and get back what you've lost?"

The old man nodded: "The political scene in the Eastern Dragon Empire is stagnant right now. Without reforms like yours that shake up their interests, I'll never be able to go back."

Zhao Quan coldly replied, "Aren't you afraid I'll kill you after I've succeeded? You know what I want. Do you think you'll still be alive after this is all over?"

Upon hearing this, the old man laughed heartily for a long time.

Zhao Quan stood aside, listening indifferently to the old man's laughter. After a while, the old man finally stopped laughing.

As the old man leaned on a tree branch, he walked towards the shadows of the main hall, saying, "Zhao Quan! You're too naive. You don't really think you can succeed, do you? Don't worry, you'll die before me."

After saying this, the old man disappeared into the shadows of the main hall.

After the two old men disappeared, a man dressed as a eunuch walked out from behind the dragon throne in the main hall.

Zhao Quan glanced at the visitor and greeted him softly, "Uncle Zhao."

The man known as Uncle Zhao approached and said, "Before your father went into seclusion, he entrusted you to me. If you are willing, the Eastern Dragon Empire will no longer have two prime ministers tonight."

Zhao Quan shook his head and said, "There's no need. Uncle Zhao, you can leave now. I want to be alone."

After hearing Zhao Quan's words, the eunuch-looking man left the hall, leaving Zhao Quan alone in the hall. The only sound in the empty hall was the boy's soft breathing.