Daily Intelligence System: Don't Kill Me, Honey!

Clink, clink...

The iron chains clattered as Tuotuo took step by step forward. At a glance, he saw Prince Ruyang, resplendent in his attire and full of vigor, entering the palace.

Prince Ruyang also saw Tuotuo, now in a wretched state, looking pitiful. As their eyes met, a hint of awkwardness hung in the air between them. After some time, they finally came together.

Mr. Zhao frowned and said, "How are you doing your duty? Don’t you know that prisoners should exit through the West Prosperity Gate, while the East Splendor Gate is for nobles?"

Upon hearing Mr. Zhao’s rebuke, the guard immediately nodded and bowed humbly. Seeing the guard in such a manner, Mr. Zhao regarded him with cold eyes, with no sign of pleasantness.

Watching Mr. Zhao act this way, Tuotuo spoke, "Mr. Zhao."

"I was the one who requested him to exit through the East Splendor Gate."

Hearing these words, Mr. Zhao immediately smiled and said, "Oh, so it was arranged by Lord Tuotuo. No wonder there’s such audacity. However, Lord Tuotuo, you are about to head to Yunnan to share the country’s burdens. There’s no need for you to worry about the palace affairs anymore."

"You all will be punished when you return!"

Mr. Zhao harshly reprimanded the guards escorting Tuotuo.

The guards looked as if they were attending a funeral, their faces ashen. Good grief, they had incurred Mr. Zhao’s wrath and had to suffer the consequences.

The reason they wanted to use the East Splendor Gate was that these guards had a history with Tuotuo. When Tuotuo was the Prime Minister, he made efforts to draw these guards in. For instance, their usual pay was three taels of silver a month, but after Tuotuo became Prime Minister, he gave them an allowance, raising their salary to ten taels a month. That amount of Silver Coin was quite substantial already.

Grateful for Tuotuo’s benevolence, these guards wanted to give Tuotuo a final dignity, so they let him use the East Splendor Gate.

It just so happened they ran into Prince Ruyang. What rotten luck! They merely wanted to use their small power to repay a favor, never expecting to bump right into Mr. Zhao.

Mr. Zhao, to a large extent, represented the Emperor’s will. Now that Tuotuo had been abandoned by the Emperor, he could not be given favorable treatment. Whether to suppress or make better use in the future, this was the time for stern suppression, suppression with force.

Mr. Zhao represented the Emperor in suppressing Tuotuo. Only with proper suppression could one be used again and become an obedient dog.

The Emperor’s goal was not to cultivate a virtuous minister; he needed a loyal yet capable dog!

Previously, Tuotuo was the perfect fit for this theory, being a loyal and exceptionally capable dog—exactly what the Emperor needed.

Now, Tuotuo dared to bare his fangs at the Emperor, so the Emperor had to suppress him, making him aware of pain and fear. When the time was right, he could be used once again as a dog at the Emperor’s command.

Tuotuo naturally understood this.

Thus, he did not retort against Mr. Zhao’s reprimand. However, Chao Lu, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, was displeased. At this moment, he shouted at Mr. Zhao, "Mr. Zhao, although we have lost our power, there was once some camaraderie. By humiliating us like this, do you disregard our past relations?"

Hearing this, Mr. Zhao laughed coldly, "What camaraderie do I possibly have with you? It was all just for show back then. Now, you’re nothing. Taking on the airs of the Ministry of Personnel—a laughable sight indeed. You fools, are you blind? Get him to the West Prosperity Gate immediately!"

"As if the East Splendor Gate is for the likes of you!"

Mr. Zhao reprimanded them, and upon hearing this, the guards immediately responded, "Yes, yes, we acknowledge our mistake. We will head to the West Prosperity Gate."

With that said, the guards looked resentfully at Tuotuo and Chao Lu.

Now then, why are you putting on airs? Now look, we’ve been scolded because of this.

Tuotuo remained calm, but Chao Lu got angry. He didn’t expect that even a small guard would now dare to complain about them.

So many years in the Great Capital, spending so much money to fatten so many people, isn’t that for this moment?

And now, even a small guard dares give me attitude, disregarding my existence as a person.

Chao Lu opened his mouth to curse the two guards but was stopped by Tuotuo, since although Chao Lu had some eloquence, he lacked adaptability, especially in reading cues.

These guards, despite their goodwill, had invited reprimand. If you scold them in return now, it would surely displease them, and they might even hold a grudge against you—something absolutely unpermitted.

So Tuotuo directly interrupted Chao Lu.

"Chao Lu!"

A shout made Chao Lu pause, followed by Tuotuo saying, "Let’s go through the West Prosperity Gate!"

"Prime Minister, this..."

"Let’s go!"

Tuotuo commanded, and Chao Lu could only reluctantly follow. But just then, Prince Ruyang spoke, "Tuotuo!"

Tuotuo stopped and looked back at Prince Ruyang, both looking at each other as Prince Ruyang slowly approached.

Tuotuo then adjusted the chains in his hand and said, "Heh, Prince, in just one night, the world turned upside down. Your words became a prophecy. I really have become a prisoner now."

"I wonder, Prince, are you content?"

Tuotuo looked at Prince Ruyang.

Prince Ruyang looked at Tuotuo and said, "Evil deeds lead to inevitable doom—isn’t this what Lord Tuotuo sought?"