"So, that leaves just one last question: who would be the most suitable person to give him a push? The Crown Prince and the King wouldn't find it convenient to speak up at this juncture, would they..."
Zhong Yanchong asked in a hushed, wicked tone.
"Why are you so anxious about such a matter? He's the Minister of Revenue! I doubt we even need to say a word. The Crown Prince and his old cronies must be itching to seize that position already!"
Han Mo said, and then reached out to buy Zhong Yanchong another cup of wine.
"I'm truly impressed. I'm utterly convinced!"
After downing the wine in his cup, Zhong Yanchong looked at Han Mo as if he were some sort of monstrous apparition.
This fellow was simply too terrifying, always thinking three steps ahead.
At this moment, he felt incredibly fortunate that he had maintained a good relationship with Han Mo when they were both at the Imperial Academy.
After leaving the academy and entering the officialdom, he had also aligned himself with Han Mo. Had he found himself on the opposite side, he would likely have been sold out by this fellow and then been made to count the money for him.
"Alright, alright, you're impressed. Then you'll be treating me to this meal today!"
Han Mo spoke while leisurely cutting a small piece of meat from the roasted leg of lamb and popping it into his mouth.
There wasn't much flavor from spices. Apart from a sprinkle of salt, all that remained was the fresh taste of the lamb. Han Mo considered himself well-traveled, having tasted cuisine from five-star hotels in his later years.
However, he had never encountered a chef who could prepare lamb so deliciously.
"Look at you, being so stingy. It's just a meal, after all. I'll treat you to this one!"
Being able to scheme against that old fox, Tang Ke, Zhong Yanchong's mood today was exceptionally good.
"Boy, have the waiter prepare another serving of the same dishes on the table and send it to the posthouse. Oh, and have him settle the bill!"
"I say, you're going too far!"
Zhong Yanchong's mouth twitched instantly. This was the most expensive eatery in Neihuang County.
A single banquet like this would cost at least twenty strings of cash.
"Hey, hey, hey, don't forget, your esteemed father is about to be promoted. Such a joyous occasion, and you're actually wincing at the thought of treating me to just one meal? Who exactly is going too far between us?"
Han Mo rolled his eyes and glared at Zhong Yanchong impatiently.
"Don't try to sweet-talk me. I always feel like you're scheming something else behind all this."
"Then you can guess all you want!"
While Zhong Yanchong was speaking, Han Mo directly grabbed the roasted leg of lamb from the table and began to devour it with gusto...
Seeing that this fellow was once again playing coy, Zhong Yanchong was left feeling helpless.
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"My Lord, the men we sent have all been annihilated..."
As Tang Ke was preparing to retire for the night, Li Yan entered quietly and said in a low voice.
"And what about Han Mo?"
Upon hearing this news, Tang Ke stood up abruptly.
He didn't care about the lives of these men; they were expendable to begin with.
"That brat has too many experts around him. Zhong Shidao even dispatched fifty elite cavalry for him..."
As he spoke, Li Yan couldn't help but express his helplessness.
Had it not been for these cavalry, even if those men couldn't win, they could at least have escaped.
But with their presence, those men had no choice but to be wiped out completely...
"Scoundrel!"
After expending so much effort and manpower, only for them to emerge unscathed while his own men were annihilated, how could Tang Ke accept such an outcome?
"Your subordinate is incompetent..."
Apart from this sentence, Li Yan truly didn't know what other excuses he could offer.
He was merely a minor county magistrate, yet when it came to taking action, Li Yan realized that this brat Han Mo was nothing less than a hedgehog!
If one tried to use official channels, not only did this brat come from a prestigious family himself, but his background was so formidable that they were unable to make a move.
In Bianliang City, there was Liang Shicheng and the Princess, and along the Hebei route, there were Zhong Yanchong, Zhong Shidao, and Xu Churen!
Any underhanded tactics were likely to lead to their own downfall before they could even be deployed.
To truly make this brat disappear, he finally discovered that this brat was surrounded by a multitude of experts, and Zhong Shidao had even sent him fifty elite cavalry under the guise of escorting prisoners...
With so many people protecting him, eliminating this brat would indeed be harder than ascending to heaven...
"Very well, this matter has nothing to do with you. You may go back and rest."
Tang Ke himself understood that this matter was not really Li Yan's fault.
It wasn't that his subordinates were incompetent; it was simply that the enemy was too formidable...
The situation was becoming increasingly complicated. So much time had already passed, and he couldn't be certain what kind of evidence Han Mo possessed.
"Yes..."
After responding, Li Yan withdrew from Tang Ke's room with a hint of shame.
After Li Yan's departure, Tang Ke sat alone by the window, quietly gazing at the deep night outside.
A gust of night wind blew, and he could still faintly hear the stirring sound of drums and bugles from outside the city.
With a sigh, Tang Ke once again unfolded a blank notebook and began writing a letter to the Crown Prince.
At this point, he had no other recourse. Only one path remained. To bring down Han Mo, he likely had no other option but to impeach him through official channels...
——————————————————————
"Sir, there's news!"
In Bianliang City, the coachman excitedly approached Yuan Xingchi, carrying a food box.
"Let me see what good news our Grand Commandant Liang has sent us today!"
Seeing his excitement, Yuan Xingchi's interest was piqued.
"Our plan was so meticulous this time. If Prime Minister Li can't handle even this situation, then I don't think he needs to be Prime Minister anymore!"
The coachman spoke while swiftly taking out the beautifully crafted dishes from the food box.
"Don't speak too confidently until things are settled."
Yuan Xingchi spoke while taking out a thin booklet from a hidden compartment in the food box and eagerly began to read it.
"What does it say?"
The coachman looked at Yuan Xingchi with excitement.
"It's pretty much as we predicted. Our Prime Minister Bai will likely submit his resignation first thing tomorrow morning..."
After reading the contents of the booklet, a faint flush appeared on Yuan Xingchi's face.
This was a Prime Minister of a nation!
Although he hadn't witnessed the spectacular scene in court firsthand, which was a slight regret, the sense of accomplishment from scheming against a Prime Minister from the shadows made his eyes gleam with excitement...