Chapter 78

Song Xing Tian and Song Xing Hai were both taken aback. Song Li's words were indeed a bit ahead of their time in the strictly hierarchical Holy Lion Empire. A Holy Emperor and a prince would naturally not have the mindset of public servants, but the more they pondered, the more they felt that Song Li's words hinted at a different realm of governance. The two brothers stared at Song Li with eyes full of contemplation.

"Father, Uncle Holy Emperor, what's wrong? Did I say something wrong? I'm young and inexperienced, and sometimes I speak without thinking. If I offended you, please don't take it to heart," Song Li realized that his words were a bit too forward for them to understand, so he tried to laugh it off.

"Your insight isn't shallow at all; even Uncle Holy Emperor was taken aback by you," Song Xing Tian looked at Song Li thoughtfully and continued, "Regardless of whether the rest of your words are right or wrong, there's one point that's spot on: as a member of the Song royal family, protecting the people is our duty! Sixth Brother, I haven't misjudged Song Li. He's just like us Song family members! If all the young men in our family could be as dedicated to the people and as self-disciplined as Song Li, our Holy Lion Empire would surely last for thousands of years!"

Song Xing Hai was also surprised by Song Li's words, realizing he didn't understand his son well enough. However, the expression on his son's face when he spoke made him feel very proud. Once, his son was a source of pain in his heart, but now, in the blink of an eye, he had become a source of pride.

Song Li rubbed his nose and smiled bitterly, "Uncle Holy Emperor, you're making me blush."

Song Xing Tian laughed heartily, "There's no need to be embarrassed; you deserve it! A young man who isn't greedy for wealth and remembers his duties and responsibilities is indeed rare. Song Li, since you don't want any rewards, how about Uncle Holy Emperor grants you a wish? I heard you and Pan Shijian's son are having a feud, right?"

The Holy Emperor was well aware of the conflicts between the children of the nobility. He had been young once too, and back then, he was a prominent figure in the capital, often pretending to be a pig to eat tigers and dealing with those second-generation rich kids who didn't know their place. He understood the ins and outs of such matters. Song Li and Pan Shaofeng had both made harsh threats, and the loser would have to walk along the wall whenever they saw the other.

This time, Pan Shijian was definitely going to be exiled, but the conflict between Pan Shaofeng and Song Li needed to be resolved. Song Li didn't really care about Pan Shaofeng; he wanted to deal with Pan Shijian. Now that Pan Shijian was in trouble, dealing with Pan Shaofeng would be a nice bonus. It would be like buying one and getting one free. The Holy Emperor knew that Pan Shaofeng couldn't match Song Li, and even without his support, Song Li could easily handle him. The reason he wanted to do this was to send a signal to the other nobles in the capital that he highly appreciated Song Li and would support him. Dealing with Pan Shaofeng on his own and dealing with him with the Holy Emperor's support were two very different things.

Song Li keenly sensed the Holy Emperor's intentions. Men love to save face, and if the Holy Emperor backed him, his reputation among the young nobles in the capital would reach an unprecedented height.

If you don't like it, why don't you try to slap someone's face with an imperial decree?

"Uncle Holy Emperor, that's right. Pan Shaofeng is too arrogant, driving recklessly in the city, completely disregarding human life. I can't stand it and want to teach him a lesson. Otherwise, he'll never learn, and someone will eventually be killed by him," Song Li seized the opportunity, and he certainly wouldn't refuse such a chance.

"Very good, Song Li. Rest assured, Uncle Holy Emperor supports you. Pan Shaofeng is a scoundrel and needs to be taught a lesson," Song Xing Tian stroked his beard and smiled, "His golden carriage can also be given to you as a reward."

"Uncle Holy Emperor, that's not right. That golden carriage is so ostentatious; everyone in the capital knows about it. If I drive it, people will surely gossip behind my back," Song Li, of course, wanted it. The golden carriage was like a Ferrari in the Holy Lion Empire, and driving it would certainly be impressive. Men love cars, but he had to feign reluctance to maintain his good image.

"What is Pan Shaofeng? Does he deserve a golden carriage?" Song Xing Tian sneered, "You are the Crown Prince of the Ming Kingdom, and you deserve it. Besides, this carriage is a gift from Uncle Holy Emperor. Who dares to say anything?"

Song Li was overjoyed inside but pretended to be calm, "Thank you, Uncle Holy Emperor. But you should issue an edict to explain, so people don't think the Ming Kingdom is seizing what doesn't belong to it, which would be bad for my father."

Song Xing Tian nodded and smiled, "You're thoughtful. No problem."

The atmosphere during the meeting between Song Li and his father and the Holy Emperor was very harmonious. As Gao the eunuch put it, "The Holy Emperor laughed throughout the meeting, and His Majesty was very pleased." After this phrase spread, Song Xing Hai further solidified his position as the Holy Emperor's favorite, and his son Song Li gained fame for being summoned by the Holy Emperor, causing envy and jealousy among the young nobles in the capital.

Not long after the conversation, the Loyal Prince hurried to the palace to pay his respects. The Holy Emperor had a knack for predicting events, and the Loyal Prince had come to negotiate.

Pan Shijian had found the Loyal Prince and reported the entire situation, which made the Loyal Prince so angry that he slammed the table and smashed a teacup, then scolded Pan Shijian for half an hour. The Loyal Prince wasn't concerned about the harm Pan Shaofeng's actions would cause to the people; he was worried that the Holy Emperor was watching them closely, and they had chosen to lie low. Pan Shaofeng's actions had disrupted the Loyal Prince's plans and given the Holy Emperor a breakthrough. As the saying goes, if a child is not taught, it is the father's fault. Pan Shaofeng's behavior was a result of Pan Shijian's indulgence and leniency, so the Loyal Prince scolded him harshly.

The previous conflict had already cost them two powerful allies, the Chief Cabinet Minister and the Duke of Kang. Now, they faced the loss of the Capital Governor's position. A small hole can sink a large ship, and the Loyal Prince sensed that his ironclad power base was beginning to crack, and the crack was getting bigger.

The Loyal Prince was well aware of Pan Shijian's actions in the capital. Since they had left a handle in Song Xing Hai's hands, the Inspectorate's thorough investigation would surely expose Pan Shijian completely. The Holy Emperor had been strict in dealing with corruption since his ascension, and this time, he would not let Pan Shijian off the hook.

However, after so much time had passed, the Holy Emperor had not taken any action. In the Loyal Prince's view, this was not in line with the Holy Emperor's decisive style. After some thought, he understood the Holy Emperor's intentions. He wasn't in a hurry to deal with Pan Shijian; he was sending a signal, waiting for the Loyal Prince to come and seek reconciliation.

Putting aside Pan Shijian's economic issues, he was still a capable official. In the Loyal Prince's eyes, officials were of two types: those who could get things done and those who just went through the motions. Pan Shijian was undoubtedly the former. The Holy Emperor must have seen this and predicted that the Loyal Prince would be reluctant to abandon Pan Shijian. Now, the Loyal Prince had two choices: one was to abandon Pan Shijian and fight for the Capital Governor's position in the court. This choice was risky and could result in losing both the person and the position. The other choice was to give up the Capital Governor's position and save Pan Shijian. As long as the Loyal Prince didn't fall, even if Pan Shijian was exiled to the border or demoted, there would be a chance for him to be reappointed in the future. Pan Shijian was a direct subordinate of the Loyal Prince, and he couldn't stand by and watch him go to prison or be executed.

The Loyal Prince pragmatically chose the second option: to save Pan Shijian and give up the Capital Governor's position.

The Holy Emperor received the Loyal Prince in the Xingqing Hall. The two most powerful figures in the Holy Lion Empire had a long conversation, and no one knew what they discussed. However, the news the Loyal Prince brought back left Pan Shijian speechless.

Pan Shijian was stripped of his position as Capital Governor, demoted from a second-rank official to a fourth-rank official, and was to take up the position of Governor of Qiongzhou Prefecture in three days. The Capital Governor's position was taken by Xiang Ying, the former Grand Secretary of the Hanlin Academy, who had been the Holy Emperor's study companion when he was still the Crown Prince and was one of his most trusted confidants. Xiang Ying's promotion from Grand Secretary to the powerful Capital Governor was a significant step in his career. The highest administrative position in the capital finally fell into the Holy Emperor's hands, a position he had long desired. All of this was thanks to Song Xing Hai and his son.

On the surface, the Governor of Qiongzhou Prefecture was still a high-ranking official, and Pan Shijian's exile wasn't too harsh. In reality, Qiongzhou Prefecture was the poorest and most chaotic region in the Holy Lion Empire, bordering the Kingdom of Lambis. Due to frequent small-scale military conflicts between the two countries, the region was almost constantly in a state of war. The previous governor had been killed by a Lambis army's crossbow, which led to the position being vacant.

Cold sweat broke out on Pan Shijian's back as he sighed at the Holy Emperor's deep intentions. This was like sending him into a den of wolves.

However, compared to being imprisoned or executed, this was a much better outcome. Pan Shijian wasn't surprised. What truly left him speechless was another message the Loyal Prince brought back.