Chapter 512: A Chance to Go Down in HistoryChapter 850: Heavy Responsibility

When the two sat down to eat, Zhou Ping'an was always a reserved person. He didn't need Li Chen to say anything; he was perfectly natural and showed no nervousness or restraint whatsoever.

After Li Chen ate two bites of rice, he said, "Who do you think can take your place"

If this sentence were directed at someone, they would definitely kneel down and beg for forgiveness on the spot.

But Zhou Ping'an didn't even tremble his chopsticks. Instead, he thought carefully for a moment, then said: "Xíngbù Zuǒshìláng Bāochénglü."

Nodding, Li Chen said cheerfully, "Get ready to hand over your work, let him take over your position."

Zhou Ping'an remained unchanged, replying with a simple "Good."

Li Chen laughed and asked, "Aren't you curious why this palace made you resign"

Zhou Ping'an replied, "Either there is another appointment, or there is something I have done wrong that has displeased Your Highness. I ask myself if there is anything amiss, so it must be another appointment. If Your Highness wishes for me to know, you will naturally inform me. If Your Highness does not wish for me to know, then my inquiries are useless."

"Transparent."

Li Chen praised, saying, "This palace intends to appoint you as the Minister of Finance in Nanhe."

From the position of a court official at the Ministry of Justice to that of an imperial commissioner in a major province, his rank remained unchanged, but his actual power significantly increased.

After all, even as a minister of the Ministry of Justice, in charge of criminal affairs throughout the land, he was still just the head of a department in the capital. Where's the excitement of being a regional official

If this good fortune had fallen to Xu Changqing or Guan Zhiwei, they would probably have been too eager to express their gratitude, with smiles that could split their teeth apart.

Though Zhou was peaceful and calm, he replied: “Your servant obeys your command.”

Li Chen had grown accustomed to Zhou Ping'an's personality. He ate while saying, "The reason I sent you to Nanhe Province is primarily because of its unique geographical location. As for the current situation in the capital, you know it well. The emperor and the cabinet are on the verge of conflict, and a major upheaval is inevitable."

And the capital city's Jing Province, was surrounded by the three major provinces of Xishan, Nanshi, and Dongshan. Beyond those lay the borderlands, offering no escape route.

"Xishan province is now governed by Zhao He Shan, but due to the severe damage it sustained, it will take several years for it to recover and regain its strength, so it can't offer much help. The remaining options are Nanhe and Dongshan."

"East Mountain is Zhao Xuanji's hometown. The people there only know Zhao Xuanji and nothing else, like the Li Imperial Clan or the imperial court. So, we abandon this area."

Looking straight at Zhou Ping'an with burning eyes, Li Chen said: "Although the situation in Nanhe has improved a bit, it's not much better. It borders Dongshan Province, and no one knows what Zhao Xuanji has been doing there all these years. Sending you there is already the limit of this palace. Otherwise, there would be too much resistance at court, and this palace wouldn't be able to decide on its own."

"Therefore, this palace cannot help you. I can only ask the Jinyiwei to cooperate with you more. But even so, your journey to Nanhe Province will be fraught with danger. If you are not careful, you could be killed in office."

"Apart from the risk to your life, the Nanhe Province is tightly knit. As a magistrate, you're likely to face officials who pay lip service but disobey your orders, acting against your wishes behind your back. So this matter is difficult."

Zhou Ping'an listened carefully, then smiled at Li Chen and said: "If it were difficult, Your Highness wouldn't have sent me. This is my skill, I should be proud."

Li Chen burst into laughter and said, "That's exactly why I feel at ease letting you go."

Speaking, his smile vanished, and he said in a grave tone: "The most important thing is that you must control the discourse of Nanhe within the shortest possible time. This time frame is very short, extremely short."ad been brought to this point, even those who had questioned it found reason in the argument and nodded in agreement, saying no more.At this moment, laughter and playful banter between a man and a wom...