Reborn as a eunuch, the system tells me to seduce the empress?

Chapter 5 Your Majesty, this is a trap.

Upon hearing Empress Yu Qingli's words, Lin Mo didn't respond, but instead looked stunned.

He never expected that Prince Jingbei, Xiao Huaiyu, would collude with the barbarians to rebel.

But what he didn't expect was...

Yu Qingli said that this intelligence came from an undercover agent planted by the Ministry of War in the Northern Army.

Lin Mo instantly understood.

All of this was the work of those court officials.

The Great Liang Dynasty has been established for over 270 years, and a large group of rentiers has long since emerged in the imperial court.

This group of people are deeply entrenched and control the money, grain, salt, iron, tea, and horses of Daliang. They even try to take a share of the military rations at the border.

Currently, the power dynamics in the imperial court are roughly divided into three factions.

The Jiangnan official-gentry group, led by Grand Secretary Shen Wenyuan

Most of these people came from prominent families in Jiangnan, with thousands of acres of fertile land, numerous servants, and protégés and former officials throughout the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers.

While they verbally proclaimed "light taxes and levies, allowing the people to rest," they actually kept a tight grip on taxes and grain in Jiangnan, ensuring that not a single tael of silver was collected more than necessary.

When the late emperor was alive, he wanted to investigate the fields in Jiangnan several times, but Shen Wenyuan blocked him each time on the grounds that he "feared disturbing the local people".

Then there was the border smuggling ring led by Cui Shao, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War.

These people control key border passes and appear to be loyal ministers and generals guarding the frontier, but in reality, they are doing shady business with the nomadic tribes of the grasslands.

Ironware, salt, tea—sell whatever makes money.

The barbarians used these supplies to fatten their warhorses, and then turned around to plunder the borders of Daliang. The border troops then demanded military pay from the court under the pretext of "bandit suppression".

They profited from both ends.

Then there was the royal power represented by the emperor.

The eunuch forces, represented by Lin Mo, the governor of the Eastern Depot, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Imperial Treasury, were violent institutions and money-making machines directly under the emperor's command.

The three forces checked and balanced each other, which is why the dilapidated ship of Daliang barely managed to avoid capsizing.

But with the death of the late emperor and Yu Qingli's ascension to the throne, this balance was broken.

Although Yu Qingli was a prodigy at the Meridian Opening Realm with exceptional martial arts talent, she was a complete novice when it came to the intricacies of court politics.

Within three months, Shen Wenyuan, together with the censors of the Censorate, impeached Lin Mo for being domineering and cruel to loyal officials, forcing Yu Qingli to make Lin Mo resign from his position as the head of the Eastern Depot and return to his residence to reflect on his mistakes.

With Lin Mo gone, the inner court was leaderless.

Shen Wenyuan and Cui Shao, those two old foxes, naturally wanted to take this opportunity to completely crush the inner court.

This secret letter, accusing the Prince of Jingbei of colluding with the barbarians, was the knife they handed over.

Lin Mo held the secret letter, having already pieced together most of the details in his mind.

Prince Jingbei, Xiao Huaiyu, has been stationed in the northern border for more than 20 years. His 100,000 border troops are the most elite field army of the Great Liang.

This old prince is the late emperor's younger brother and Yu Qingli's uncle. In terms of seniority, experience, and strength, he is the pillar of the Great Liang Dynasty.

More importantly, Xiao Huaiyu and Cui Shao were at odds.

Cui Shao had always wanted to extend his smuggling business into the northern border.

However, Xiao Huaiyu was extremely strict in his military discipline, and the northern border defenses were watertight, making it impossible for Cui Shao's men to infiltrate. This led to a blood feud between the two sides.

Yu Qingli has just ascended the throne, and her foundation is not yet stable.

Shen Wenyuan and Cui Shao conspired to create this secret letter; their purpose was all too obvious: to use Yu Qingli to get rid of Xiao Huaiyu.

While we're at it, let's also get rid of Lin Mo, that seemingly very annoying eunuch.

Ten years!

Lin Mo held the position of Director of the Eastern Depot for ten years.

Over the past decade.

Because Lin Mo is holding a butcher's knife, anyone who dares to embezzle or accept bribes will be immediately subjected to severe torture, and their entire family will be arrested and beheaded.

If Yu Qingli believes this secret letter, sends people to investigate, or even takes action against Xiao Huaiyu, then the 100,000 border troops in the northern border will surely mutini.

With court officials threatening to seize the throne and border troops rebelling, it's hard to say whether Yu Qingli can hold onto her throne securely.

If Yu Qingli doesn't believe it, that's even better.

Shen Wenyuan could argue that the Empress was protecting the imperial family and condoning evil, and then use this opportunity to incite public opinion and force Yu Qingli to relinquish more power.

This is a fucking dead end.

No matter which way Yu Qingli goes, she will lose.

Lin Mo raised his head and looked at the young empress before him.

In the candlelight, Yu Qingli's brows and eyes betrayed a hint of unconcealed weariness.

He had only been on the throne for a few months, but his chin had become noticeably sharper, and there were faint dark circles under his eyes.

This proud young woman, who had reached the Meridian Opening Realm, was thoroughly tormented by those old foxes in the imperial court.

Lin Mo suddenly felt like laughing.

Back when Yu Qingli was still a princess, she looked at him with utter disdain.

Every time we bumped into each other in the palace, he always had a look that said, "You eunuch dog, don't come near me." Now, things have gotten really bad, and we still have to find this "eunuch dog" again.

"Your Majesty," Lin Mo said calmly, closing the secret letter, "who presented this letter?"

Yu Qingli frowned slightly: "Zhou Wenbing, the Director of the Department of Military Affairs, Ministry of War."

Lin Mo almost burst out laughing.

The Department of Military Affairs was in charge of military intelligence.

Zhou Wenbing was Cui Shao's trusted confidant, a fact known to everyone in the court.

When Zhou Wenbing presented this secret letter, that old bastard Cui Shao didn't even bother to cover it up anymore.

"Your Majesty, do you believe it?" Lin Mo asked.

Yu Qingli remained silent for a moment, then shook her head.

"I don't believe my uncle would rebel either. But this secret letter is stamped with the bluebird's mark, so it was indeed presented by a spy planted in the northern border by the Ministry of War. Moreover, all three groups of secret envoys I sent to the northern border have lost contact."

As she said this, a hint of uncertainty crept into her voice: "Lin Mo, I know what you're thinking. I also know what Shen Wenyuan and Cui Shao are plotting."

But what if, what if the Imperial Uncle really has ulterior motives?

Lin Mo understood.

Yu Qingli didn't distrust Xiao Huaiyu; she simply didn't dare to gamble.

She had just ascended the throne, and hadn't even warmed it yet.

If Xiao Huaiyu really rebels, and 100,000 border troops march south, the capital's limited forces simply cannot stop them.

Whether Shen Wenyuan and Cui Shao will open the city gates to welcome the "royal army" at that time is really hard to say.

Therefore, Yu Qingli must find out the truth.

But the people she could use were either Shen Wenyuan's or Cui Shao's.

The only one who didn't belong to either of these two factions was the Eastern Depot Commander she had personally dismissed.

"Does Your Majesty wish to send me to the northern border?" Lin Mo asked.

"Yes." Yu Qingli stared into his eyes. "I know you don't get along with Shen Wenyuan and Cui Shao. I also know you still have the resources left by the Eastern Depot. Only you can handle this matter."

Lin Mo did not answer immediately.

He quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind.

Going to the North meant he had to leave the capital.

Once he leaves, Shen Wenyuan and Cui Shao will inevitably take the opportunity to attack his influence in the capital.

By the time he returns from the North, his base might have already been wiped out.

But if he doesn't go, and Yu Qingli, this big tree, falls, Lin Mo won't be able to escape either.

Shen Wenyuan and Cui Shao hated him to the core.

Once Yu Qingli is sidelined, the first person these two old men will deal with is Lin Mo.

Therefore, he and Empress Yu Qingli are in the same boat; neither of them can escape.