The prince is fierce: Who dares to steal my woman?

Upon hearing this, Wei Wuji was speechless. He had actually inquired with the soldiers guarding the city gate about the events of that day. Jing Chen had only had a disagreement with Xiao Jinyan; there had been no verbal altercation. As for the claim that Jing Chen had made advances towards Xiao Jinyan's concubine, that was utter nonsense. He had only secretly glanced at her a few times, and at most, had indulged in a fleeting fantasy…

To be precise, Jing Chen died unjustly. If Xiao Jinyan had nothing to hide, then he must be utterly depraved. Wei Wuji, relying on his intuition, deduced that Xiao Jinyan must have something to hide.

Then, Wei Wuji shouted in a voice as loud as a bell: "Your Majesty, you must not tolerate that traitor Xiao Jinyan, lest the court be ruined!"

However, Liu Kun simply said, "Dismiss the court."

After saying this, he stood up and left Qianyang Palace without a trace of regret, leaving the court officials looking at each other in bewilderment.

The melodious sound of the closing bell rang out, like a signal of liberation, and the officials dispersed, each with their own thoughts.

On his way home from court, someone called out to Xiao Jinyan, who was about to leave: "Commander Xiao, please wait!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinyan paused, slowly turned around, and his gaze fell on the newcomer—it was Cui Zhu. His face was full of doubt and confusion, as if he was still brooding over what had just happened in the court.

"Commander Xiao, I just impeached you in court, why did you speak up for me instead?"

Xiao Jinyan smiled slightly and said, "Imperial Censor Cui, if you say that I, Xiao Jinyan, am a person of noble character, repay evil with good, and am selfless, would you believe me?"

Upon hearing this, Cui Zhu answered without hesitation, his gaze unwavering, "I believe you!"

Xiao Jinyan was somewhat speechless, and said with a wry smile, "Imperial Censor Cui, please remember this saying—time will tell."

After saying that, Xiao Jinyan turned to leave, her steps firm and composed.

Cui Zhu stood there, watching Xiao Jinyan's retreating figure, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He repeatedly pondered Xiao Jinyan's words, a thoughtful glint gradually appearing in his eyes…

For Xiao Jinyan, many things can only be understood intuitively, not explained in words.

After court, Liu Kun walked heavily into the lush, verdant back garden of the palace. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling the ground and adding warmth to the tranquil space.

Liu Kun had hoped to find a moment of tranquility amidst the lush greenery, to temporarily forget the turmoil at court. However, no sooner had he settled into the pavilion than a series of hurried footsteps shattered this rare peace.

Wei Wuji followed closely behind with a solemn expression, as if he had something extremely urgent to present to the emperor at this moment.

Liu Kun gently rubbed his temples and said helplessly, "Duke of Qin, why are you here again? This harem should be a place where I can temporarily escape from worldly affairs and enjoy a moment of peace. Can't you give me some time to enjoy myself? I'm already annoyed by all the trivial matters in the court. Right now, I just want to play with women."

"Your Majesty, this is all..."

Before Wei Wuji could finish speaking, Liu Kun interrupted, "Alright, Duke of Qin, I know you're doing this for my own good. You're a loyal subject, aren't you?"

However, Wei Wuji's tone became even more urgent: "Your Majesty, Xiao Jinyan is a man with treacherous intentions; we must be wary of him!"

Liu Kun's face darkened instantly, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes, but more so with helplessness and exhaustion: "Duke of Qin, if you still want to talk about Xiao Jinyan, then forget it. My ears are practically calloused from your constant talking."

This is understandable, as Wei Wuji has been saying that Xiao Jinyan is a treacherous minister all this time, but he has never been able to produce any substantial evidence.

As for Wei Wuji, he was also helpless. He understood that no matter how much trouble Xiao Jinyan caused, as long as it didn't involve treason, Liu Kun wouldn't touch him.

Wei Wuji sighed softly, "In that case, let's discuss it another day. I shall take my leave now."

Before he could finish speaking, just as he was about to turn and leave, he suddenly heard a deep and powerful voice say, "Wait."

Liu Kun looked directly at Wei Wuji and asked, "Duke of Qin, what are your thoughts on Xiao Jinyan's suggestion that the first step in dealing with the remnants of the Crown Prince's faction should be to recruit them?"

Wei Wuji pondered for a moment and said, “On this point, my view coincides with Xiao Jin’s. The Crown Prince’s cronies are like maggots clinging to bones, spreading throughout the court and the countryside. Even if Your Majesty possesses overwhelming power, it would be difficult to eradicate them all. Even if you were to force it, I fear that most of the court would be paralyzed, the foundation of the nation would be shaken, and the consequences would be unimaginable. Moreover, not all of them necessarily harbor rebellious intentions. For those innocent people who are loyal and righteous but have been caught in the vortex, Your Majesty should recruit them with a broad mind. Only in this way can Your Majesty’s wisdom be demonstrated and the court be stabilized.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Kun frowned slightly, seemingly weighing the weight of Wei Wuji's words.

"So, Xiao Jinyan's actions were actually motivated by a sense of public duty?"

Wei Wuji nodded slightly: "Regarding this matter, I believe Xiao Jinyan is right. However, I still feel that Xiao Jinyan is treacherous and cunning, and harbors disloyal intentions..."

Liu Kun abruptly waved his sleeve, interrupting Wei Wuji's words, and said impatiently, "Duke of Qin, no need to say more. I want to play with women. Today, I must try the carriage sex that Xiao Jinyan mentioned. It should be quite a unique experience. I am very itchy and want to find a luxurious carriage to place in the back garden so I can experience it for myself."

Upon hearing this, Wei Wuji's lips curled into a bitter smile, knowing full well that further persuasion would be futile. He slowly bowed and said helplessly, "Then this humble subject shall take his leave first. Your Majesty, please take care."

After saying that, he turned and left, his steps heavy.

However, just as Wei Wuji's figure disappeared, a series of hurried footsteps broke the silence. Yu Jin, with a beaming smile, stepped lightly into the back garden, seemingly completely unaware of the subtle atmosphere lingering in the air.

"Your humble servant Yu Jin greets Your Majesty."

As Yu Jin bowed, he secretly sized up Liu Kun with his shrewd eyes.

Liu Kun frowned slightly, his tone revealing a hint of impatience: "Duke of Chu, how can you be so out of touch with reality? I am already exhausted today. If you have come for trivial matters of state, please discuss them another day at court."

Yu Jin seemed not to hear him, his face still bearing that obsequious smile, as if he didn't care about Liu Kun's indifference at all: "Your Majesty, I have come here to recommend a peerless talent to Your Majesty. This person is exceptionally talented and wise, truly a pillar of the nation. I dare to ask Your Majesty to meet him in person."

Liu Kun's tone was languid and impatient as he said, "Duke of Chu, let's discuss the matter of recommending talents another day. At this moment, I feel physically and mentally exhausted, and somewhat listless. I want to find some comfort in the gentle embrace of women to ease the heaviness and loneliness beneath this dragon robe."

As Liu Kun spoke, he cursed inwardly, thinking to himself, "All you do all day long is make money. What kind of talent can you recommend? They're just your protégés, cronies, and cronies, the dirty hands who sell official positions, embezzle and take bribes, and prey on the local people. Don't let this interfere with my womanizing!"

In truth, Liu Kun knew perfectly well what kind of person Yu Jin was; he was a parasite on the country, a massive corrupt official. Nevertheless, Liu Kun still heavily relied on Yu Jin.

Firstly, Liu Kun's primary concern was the stability of his throne; he feared a rebellion and was always on high alert in this regard. As for corruption, he always turned a blind eye, figuring it was the common people who would suffer, and someone else would bear the blame.

Secondly, the money Yu Jin embezzled didn't just go into his own pocket; a significant portion was also given as tribute to Liu Kun. In short, Yu Jin was Liu Kun's money bag, supporting Liu Kun's extravagant lifestyle.

Liu Kun was fond of playing with women, and after he finished, he would naturally keep them in the palace. With so many women, it would be a huge expense, and without Yu Jin's money, he simply couldn't manage it.