After comforting Xu Sanbao and as the servants brought in several braziers, Han Mo finally lay down on the wooden plank bed again.
Looking at the familiar surroundings, Han Mo truly felt as if he had passed through a lifetime.
This body had lived in this room for over ten years, and he himself had been transmigrated for over a year.
Whenever he recalled how he had to endure the cold for a cartload of charcoal when he first arrived, Han Mo felt a strong sense of unreality.
Time truly flew by. In the blink of an eye, he had become an official of the imperial court…
As the sky gradually darkened, Han Mo watched the flickering charcoal fire in the brazier and finally dozed off.
“Master! Master!”
It wasn't until it was completely dark that Yuan Xingchi called out to Han Mo again, waking him.
“Is there any news from the imperial palace?”
Stretching his arms, Han Mo sat up abruptly.
“Although no imperial decree has been issued, Grand Tutor Liang has already sent word: Wang Fu has been dismissed from his post!”
“Just dismissed from his post?”
Hearing this, Han Mo couldn’t help but frown.
Emperor Huizong was truly kind to his subordinates!
“It’s likely due to considerations of his status! It’s been announced externally that he was incompetent and failed to live up to the imperial favor, and he’s been reassigned as the Prefect of Bozhou!”
“That’s more like it…”
Upon hearing the words “Prefect of Bozhou,” Han Mo couldn’t help but sneer.
As the first stop for most high-ranking civil officials who were demoted, the position of Prefect of Bozhou would likely become the first stop on Wang Fu’s tragic journey.
Given the gravity of his current offense, it was probable that before he even reached Bozhou, an imperial decree for further demotion would be issued.
“Should we…”
Yuan Xingchi made a throat-slitting gesture as he spoke.
He understood the principle of "cutting the grass without removing the roots, and the spring breeze will blow it back to life" better than anyone.
“No need. Let others handle such matters!”
After a moment’s hesitation, Han Mo decided to do a favor for someone else. Nie Shan had been waiting for this day for too long. Instead of Han Mo expending so much effort on such a thankless task, it would be better to let Nie Shan resolve it himself.
As long as Wang Fu was alive, someone like him would never be at peace.
Han Mo didn’t want to waste any more time on him and preferred him to be on his way sooner.
“Yes!”
Since Han Mo had said so, Yuan Xingchi naturally didn’t press further. He nodded and sat down by the brazier.
“Once he’s dealt with, the rest will be easier to handle!”
Han Mo said, finally relieved, after a long silence.
“But after dealing with him, the balance of the court will be broken again, and Cai Jing will have no one to check him…”
“Cai Jing isn’t the scary one. The scary one is that Tong Guan is coming back…”
Hearing Yuan Xingchi’s words, Han Mo added leisurely.
“Do you think Yu Shen has the ability to contend with Tong Guan?”
After a moment of silence, Yuan Xingchi suddenly looked up at Han Mo.
“I suspect our current Emperor will choose someone between Lord Nie and Vice Minister Fan to take over Wang Fu’s position!”
“But even so, it’s not enough! Should we have them both side with Prince Xin?”
Frowning, Yuan Xingchi sighed as he spoke.
“No, as long as His Majesty is still on the throne, they cannot align themselves with anyone. If necessary, they can even impeach Prince Xin!”
In just a moment, Han Mo directly rejected Yuan Xingchi’s suggestion.
Fan Zheng Guo and Nie Shan were his escape routes. Although Han Mo had introduced both of them to Prince Xin initially.
However, after Prince Xin and Han Mo’s relationship broke down, their connection with Prince Xin had been severed.
More than half a year had passed, and neither of them had written a single letter to Prince Xin.
“Master, there’s something I’ve wanted to ask, are you still going to support Prince Xin?”
Biting his lip, Yuan Xingchi lowered his voice and asked softly.
“Support is still necessary, after all, I’ve invested too heavily in him. Changing allegiances at this point would come at too great a cost! However, having witnessed Prince Xin’s character, I should indeed leave myself a way out!”
Giving Yuan Xingchi a deep look, Han Mo finally revealed his most hidden thoughts.
“I’m relieved to hear Master say that!”
After hearing Han Mo’s words, Yuan Xingchi finally breathed a long sigh of relief.
As a strategist, he had witnessed more of the darkness of human nature.
He wasn’t worried about Han Mo wavering in his support for Prince Xin. In fact, even if Han Mo had said he wanted to rebel, he wouldn't have been too worried.
Because with Han Mo’s intelligence and resourcefulness, even a rebellion would have been carried out flawlessly.
What he was most worried about was precisely Han Mo’s unwavering support for Prince Xin!
When the cunning rabbit is dead, the running dogs are cooked; when the high birds are gone, the good bows are put away.
Such occurrences were common in historical records!
If it were a military general, the merit of supporting the dragon could sustain them for generations. But for a civil official, the merit of supporting the dragon was not so easily enjoyed…
The greater the ability, the faster the death; this was all too normal.
Given the schemes, methods, magnanimity, and talent that Han Mo had displayed, if Prince Xin were to ascend the throne, his enthronement day would likely be the day Han Mo met his end!
“I know what you’re worried about. Don’t worry about it. I have no interest in fighting and dying for the Zhao family. Our lives are precious, and living well is more important than anything else! Not just me, but you all as well! I say it again, under any circumstances, preserving your lives is the top priority. In any situation, I will not allow you to risk your lives!”
“If something is exposed, there are ways to fix it. But if someone dies, then everything is truly lost! Concepts like ‘sacrificing for righteousness,’ or ‘dedicating oneself until death,’ are fine words for others to hear. If any of you truly act on them, then don't blame me for coming to your graves to curse you after you're dead!”
“Hahaha, Master, you are truly an interesting person!”
After listening to Han Mo’s words, Yuan Xingchi couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“I don’t have that many grand ambitions. If it weren’t for extreme circumstances, I’d even think that being a merchant would be better than being in officialdom.”
Stretching his arms, Han Mo once again put on his slightly thinning fox fur coat.
“Master, being able to follow a master like you is our fortune.”
Looking at Han Mo’s somewhat haggard face, Yuan Xingchi said sincerely.