Wealth and glory seek stability

Maimu sat in the main seat, with an unconcealable look of pride on his face.

Jian Xi sighed slightly in her heart. With his intelligence, choosing him as an ally might not be a wise move.

Ruan Zhiyin was wearing casual clothes, with mostly gray hair and a huge bloodstone inlaid on his crown. Men in the Xuanwu Dynasty liked to braid their hair, and Ruan Zhiyin also had two whips decorated with turquoise gems tied behind his head. His arrogant look was exactly the same as Ruan Chizheng's.

Ruan Zhiyin looked around and couldn't help but admire, "I heard that the banquet hall of the Lord of Ke City cost more than 100,000 taels of gold to build. I think this place is even better than the banquet hall of the royal court."

Mai Mu smiled happily and said, "Your Excellency, you are too kind. How can a poor and remote place compare to the majesty of God? I hope you don't mind it."

He raised his glass and said, "Please." He saluted Ruan Zhiyin and Jian Xi from a distance.

Jian Xi was already numb. The color of this wine looked like it had just been fished out of the lees. Wasn't it said that Kecheng's fine wine was famous all over the world? Was this it?

Mai Mu and Ruan Zhiyin on the opposite side had already raised their glasses, and Jian Xi couldn't help but raise her glass as well, but this time she couldn't help but cover her glass with her sleeves and poured the wine onto the ground.

"Singing and dancing." Maimu clapped his hands.

The dancer entered the room, and the musician behind her also entered the banquet room holding her instrument.

The red robe swayed with the dancer's body, drawing beautiful arcs. The maids were adding dishes and pouring wine. It seemed as if Maimu wanted to show off the wealth of Kecheng. He changed a table every other cup of tea.

However, the dishes were all greasy and fishy, ​​and Jian Xi lost her appetite after taking a few bites. Instead, she watched the older Ruan Zhiyin eat with gusto.

The dance is over.

Ruan Zhiyin raised her hand.

Maimu said, "All of you step back."

"Yes."

All the maids withdrew, and Ruan Zhiyin and Mai Mu looked at the servants behind Jian Xi.

Jian Xi knew that there was something to discuss, "You guys go down too, Mo Chuan stays."

"Yes."

In a short while, there were only four people left in the banquet hall. Ruan Zhiyin looked at Mo Chuan behind Jian Xi with dissatisfaction, and squeezed out a voice from his nose, "The Grand Minister of Agriculture is a little too timid. Are you afraid that we two old men will harm you?"

Jian Xi chuckled, "Why did Prime Minister Ruan say that?"

Ruan Zhiyin looked in Mo Chuan's direction with an expression that said, "You already know the answer, but you still ask."

Jian Xi suddenly realized and patted her head, "Look at me, I forgot to tell you, this is my new little pet, but he is clingy and can't leave me for a moment, please forgive me, both adults."

Mo Chuan's face turned red and he looked at Jian Xi awkwardly, seeming to be both happy and angry.

Mai Mu laughed, "Your Excellency is indeed a heroine."

It was common for noble women to keep male lovers. Ruan Zhiyin looked at the handsome man behind Jian Xi and did not ask any further questions.

"I heard that the Sixth Princess is now in the northern frontier?" Ruan Zhiyin got straight to the point.

Jian Xi's eyes were filled with indifference, but the corners of her mouth curled up slightly, "Everyone knows that the Sixth Princess rode the imperial carriage to Saibei."

There were several fires burning in the banquet hall, and the charcoal fires made crackling sounds from time to time, making the room extremely quiet.

Ruan Zhiyin snorted coldly, "Your Majesty is seriously ill, and the eldest princess is about to be appointed as the crown princess and ascend the throne. Does the Minister of Agriculture want to consider changing sides?"

Jian Xi looked at Mai Mu, whose face was full of submissiveness, and she knew that he had already joined the Ruan family.

He asked in return: "Does Prime Minister Ruan think so highly of me?"

Jian Xi saw clearly the contempt in Ruan Zhiyin's eyes. How could he give in so easily? There must be some conspiracy behind this that she didn't know about.

"You are not from a prominent family, but you have made some contributions in governing the Northern Frontier. After His Majesty's death, the Sixth Princess will have no say in the court, and your career as an official has come to an end. I have sent my two grandsons to the Northern Frontier to take over. As long as you cooperate obediently, I will naturally grant you a second-rank official position when you are transferred back to the imperial capital."

Jian Xi hesitated and asked, "Is that really the case?"

Mai Mu hurriedly said, "Sir, why don't you thank Prime Minister Ruan quickly." Then he winked at Jian Xi.

Jian Xi looked straight into Mai Mu's eyes, trying to see something in them, but there was only genuine concern in them.

I couldn't help but be stunned.

Didn't Ruan Zhiyin know that she wanted to join forces with Mai Mu to deal with the Ruan family? As soon as he opened his mouth, he asked her to give up Saibei and promised her an official position.

It doesn't look like a revenge at all.

Mai Mu looked anxious. "Grand Minister of Agriculture, this opportunity is hard to come by. With the eldest princess ascending the throne, the Ruan family is the undisputed number one family. A second-rank official position is just a matter of a word from Prime Minister Ruan. In a bitter and cold place like Saibei, even if it is well governed, it won't work if no one in the court speaks up."

Hearing this, Jian Xi became even more suspicious. Mai Mu was the lord of a city, and the Mai family had been guarding Kecheng for generations. Didn't he know that the emperor was far away? It would be more comfortable to be a local emperor than to be a second-rank official in the imperial capital who had to please others and had no real power.

Not to mention anything else, even Qi Si, her subordinate, had the job of being in charge of the sacrificial ceremonies in the northern frontier. There were many people who wanted to flatter him. Qi's father and mother also straightened their backs a lot, as if they wanted to settle down in the northern frontier for the rest of their lives.

Suddenly, blessings came to my mind.

Jian Xi revealed a hint of just the right amount of thought, and said in a tangled manner, "But the Sixth Princess saved my life after all. If I leave Saibei to fight for a future for myself, wouldn't I be letting the Sixth Princess down?"

Mai Mu said, "As the saying goes in the Central Plains, a good bird chooses a good tree to roost in. Li Cejun's family is just a low-ranking family, far behind the Ruan family. You have to think carefully."

Ruan Zhiyin was very satisfied with Mai Mu's support. She looked at Jian Xi and said impatiently, "I don't have that much free time to wait here with you. Your future is in your own hands. It depends on how you choose."

He added, "What happens between us and the Sixth Princess is not something you can interfere with. You still have a daughter, you don't want her to be homeless, right?"

Jian Xi's eyes were sharp, and her cold and beautiful face showed a hint of danger and seductiveness. "Prime Minister, are you threatening me?"

"No, I am just reminding you that although you were disrespectful to me in the court, I will forgive you now. As long as you cooperate, I will ensure that you will enjoy wealth and prosperity for the rest of your life."

Jian Xi always felt that Ruan Zhiyin wanted something. Although Saibei had recovered a lot now, the core finances and account books were in the hands of her confidants. She was sure that Ruan Zhiyin still didn't know the value of Saibei.

Apart from these, the only advantage of Saibei is its geographical location.

As the junction of the Three Kingdoms, it has a varied terrain and is adjacent to the Yi River, making it a well-deserved place of contention for military strategists.

"I always feel uneasy. I boasted that I could do great things in Saibei. But now it has been two years and there is no improvement. I would like to exchange Saibei, which is useless, for promotion. However..."

"Just what?" Ruan Zhiyin frowned, feeling that Jian Xi was troublesome, and felt even more annoyed.

If it weren't for the fact that Saibei was of some use to him, and the spies reported that the powerful officials in Saibei were all Jian Xi's confidants, and without Jian Xi's cooperation, it would take a lot of effort for the Ruan family to take over, he wouldn't have the energy to deal with Jian Xi here.