Chapter 2214: Delay

Because they did not like the Prefect of Hangzhou, they all urged the Emperor to recruit Shao Yunduan.

Everyone knew that Shao Yunduan had defeated the Prefect of Hangzhou. If they could recruit Shao Yunduan, it would be a significant blow to the arrogance of the Liu Family.

Shao Yunduan had a good reputation among the old ministers. Most of them were from the capital and were familiar with him. The Third Prince had no conflicts with the late Crown Prince, nor did he have any old grudges with Shao Yunduan.

Moreover, with the Crown Prince having passed away long ago, if Shao Yunduan could teach the annoying Prefect Liu a lesson, he would be considered a friend by everyone.

The Prefect of Hangzhou knew what everyone was thinking and sneered to himself.

He also raised both hands in agreement.

Why not?

He was now the Emperor’s favorite, and his daughter was well-liked by the Emperor. He had more connections than Shao Yunduan in the South.

He might not be able to do anything to Shao Yunduan right now, but as long as Shao Yunduan submitted to the Emperor, he would find a way to deal with him.

He hoped that Shao Yunduan would submit to the Emperor as soon as possible.

When the officials petitioned the Emperor to recruit Shao Yunduan, the Prefect of Hangzhou also expressed his approval. His words were earnest and sincere, and the Emperor was so pleased that he praised Shao Yunduan for his magnanimity.

Seeing their aggrieved expressions, Liao Mingzhong was overjoyed.

He understood that Shao Yunduan’s words carried weight and were not just idle threats. That’s why his expression changed, and he lost the confidence to continue persuading him.

Considering that the Emperor was very fond of the man named Fu and that Shao Yunduan was cautious about this, Liao Mingzhong had no grounds to blame him.

In today’s world, who could fault someone for thinking about their own safety first? It was a practical concern that no one could criticize.

It was impossible for Liao Mingzhong to tell Shao Yunduan the truth about how important Prefect Fu was to the Third Prince. So he tried to persuade him again. “Lord Shao, you are the Primus chosen by the late Emperor. The late Emperor trusted you greatly and saw you as a pillar of the country. Now that the country is in trouble, Lord Shao, please consider the people and don’t let him down!”

“The Emperor has always been filial and values you as well. Lord Shao, please think about it carefully.”

Shao Yunduan said, “Thank you for your kindness, Lord Liao. I will consider it. But this is a serious matter, and I don’t think I can give you a satisfactory answer right now.”

Liao Mingzhong quickly asked, “When will you give me an answer?”

Shao Yunduan looked at him and smiled. “I don’t know…”

Liao Mingzhong…

It was not that it was hard to say, but he did not want to say it at all!

Liao Mingzhong forced a smile. “Lord Shao, please make a decision as soon as possible. After all, the situation doesn’t wait for anyone.”

“Well, I’ll think about it.”

At this point, Liao Mingzhong understood that further discussion was futile.

He didn’t push the matter–after all, he couldn’t force the issue even if he wanted to.

He was also concerned that Prefect Fu might cause trouble by the Emperor’s side. Prefect Fu was trusted by the Emperor, so it would be better to have him around to monitor the situation. If he was not around, things could worsen.

After staying for a few days, Liao Mingzhong bade farewell and left.

The news that the Third Prince had sent someone to Huaixi province and then departed after a few days spread quickly. The Second Prince was secretly delighted and became even more convinced that Shao Yunduan was on his side.