Chapter 1537: Unreplaceable

He Lingchuan rubbed his neck, unconcerned. His cultivation was profound; a little cold was nothing to him when he channeled his true energy. You Rongzhi, on the other hand, not being a martial artist, would shiver sitting there.

However, You Rongzhi seemed prepared. He pulled a bottle from his robe, poured out two pills, swallowed one himself, and then offered the other to He Lingchuan, asking, "This is a Fire-Warming Pellet, effective for warming the body. Would you like one?"

"No need, this bit of cold is nothing to me," He Lingchuan replied. It appeared King Yao often sent people here to freeze, and ministers like You Rongzhi had become experienced.

Instead, He Lingchuan retrieved a meditation cushion from his storage ring and handed it to You Rongzhi.

"Sit!"

Even after taking the Fire-Warming Pellet, the stone bench was still chilling. You Rongzhi didn't refuse, taking the cushion and placing it beneath him.

It was soft and warm. Not only was the cold beneath him gone, but the chill of Jade Spring Palace seemed to recede far away.

Knowing it was a good item, You Rongzhi immediately thanked He Lingchuan.

He Lingchuan had picked up this item from the Ghost King's underground palace. It protected the user from both heat and cold, making it a very useful small tool.

However, the fact that King Yao had sent them to Jade Spring Palace to endure the cold made He Lingchuan more certain of something:

If King Yao had been determined to hand him over, there would have been no need to punish them this way to vent his frustration.

You Rongzhi couldn't help but remark, "You, sigh, you shouldn't have directly confronted the divine officials."

He Lingchuan smiled sheepishly. "They were so infuriating, I couldn't hold back. Now that I've calmed down here in Jade Spring Palace, I realize I was too impulsive. I hope I haven't implicated you, Lord You."

(How could he involve King Yao if he hadn't confronted them? How could he have trampled on the Temple's authority without a direct confrontation?)

Few people deeply considered what the Celestials demanded of humanity, or what the Grand Profound Heaven demanded of Yao State. But He Lingchuan knew that these so-called "gods" didn't need humans to provide them with wealth, food, clothing, or transportation. What they wanted was human obedience and their own prestige.

If humanity, or rather, if Yao State couldn't even meet these minimal demands...

He Lingchuan also clearly understood that the reason he hadn't been immediately taken away by the divine attendants was because he had gone beyond normal bounds. The New City's eastern expansion was in full swing. After overcoming so many initial difficulties, and with funds flowing back in steadily, it was almost time for the harvest. King Yao absolutely could not allow anything to happen to He Xiao, who was the linchpin of the project. If he were taken away by the Temple, how long he would be imprisoned and whether he would return alive were highly uncertain.

Who could take over the New City's eastern expansion project? Who would dare to?

Over the past month, a consensus had been reached both within the project and throughout the Yao court: as long as He Xiao was involved, the capital's eastern expansion could indeed proceed quickly, smoothly, solidly, and effectively. King Yao had also privately asked You Rongzhi if someone could replace He Xiao. You Rongzhi was pragmatic, no longer indirect as before.

"No!"

Even if Yao State had many talented individuals, and even if other bright talents possessed He Xiao's drive and ability, they might not have his astuteness to ensure hundreds of officials worked diligently and hundreds of large and small teams collaborated efficiently. Talented people often lacked astuteness. Astute people often lacked drive. People with drive, while daring to take responsibility, might not always make the right decisions. Someone possessing all these qualities was irreplaceable.

Without He Lingchuan, the capital's eastern expansion project might not collapse immediately, but it would be very difficult to maintain the same level of practical efficiency as before. Plans were made, teams were working, vouchers were issued, materials ordered, and residential plots were on sale. Everyone had been pushed to this point. New City construction had to succeed; failure was not an option, there was no turning back!

Therefore, even though He Lingchuan's actions had offended the Temple, King Yao had no choice but to protect him. At this crucial juncture, removing He Xiao would be equivalent to cutting off the national treasury's income and severing Yao State's economic lifeline. Not only would King Yao forbid it, but all the officials of the Yao court would also object. Furthermore, He Xiao's actions didn't directly violate any actual laws and were reasonably justifiable, which gave King Yao some room to maneuver.

Although King Yao also knew that the divine didn't need to be reasonable.

Through the conflict between King Yao and Qingyang, He Lingchuan had clearly seen that King Yao was still the one who truly held the state's power. The old man had various flaws, but his understanding of power remained very clear; he knew he had to keep it firmly in his grasp. Therefore, whether it was Qingyang or the Temple, anyone wishing to directly challenge He Lingchuan would first have to pass King Yao's hurdle.

As long as King Yao disagreed, He Lingchuan was temporarily safe.

Temporarily.

You Rongzhi and He Lingchuan left the Imperial Study.

Inside the study, only Chief Steward Liang, Chief Attendant Xiao, the elderly palace attendant, King Yao, and Qiu Long remained.

With the door closed, King Yao could finally speak frankly.

"Chief Steward Liang," King Yao began, "He Xiao's actions were indeed disrespectful. I won't defend him, but the capital's eastern expansion is in full swing. If he were suddenly detained now, it would inevitably cause public unrest, and the expansion project would likely face significant difficulties."

Chief Steward Liang's expression remained calm, while a sneer curled at the corner of Chief Attendant Xiao's mouth. (What did the capital's eastern expansion and its difficulties have to do with the Temple? Before the eastern expansion, hadn't Yao State delayed building a temple for the goddess for over two years? Wasn't that difficult then?)

But before he could voice his thoughts, King Yao continued, "The immediate priority is to rebuild the Xilin Temple in the new city and spread the goddess's grace. If He Xiao were replaced and the project delayed as a result, even the completion of the new temple would be affected. It would be better to let him finish building the new temple first, and once Chief Attendant Xiao and the temple members have fully moved in, it will not be too late to deal with him."

"Oh?" Chief Steward Liang looked at him. "At that time, Your Majesty will be willing to hand him over?"

King Yao said gravely, "Those who offend divine majesty must be punished." The Celestials didn't listen to sophistry, and he didn't need to reason with their envoys. It was enough to explain the consequences: If this person were arrested, the new temple might not be completed. At that point, the entire contingent of Xilin Temple would have nowhere to settle, and it would still be the Temple's interests that suffered.

King Yao then continued, "Also, I've been thinking these past few days. Liang Xiaohao performed well in his post. Although he lacked experience, he ultimately didn't collude or conspire with the disgraced officials of the Directorate of Works, and he has sincerely repented. As for young people, since they can correct their mistakes, they should be given another chance—"

King Yao paused, and seeing Chief Steward Liang listening attentively, he continued, "I've spoken with him several times, and he has offered many suggestions for the New City's construction. How about this: Liang Xiaohao will be assigned to the capital's eastern expansion project for three months to observe and primarily assist with the construction of Xilin Temple."

Liang Xiaohao was originally a principal official in the Directorate of Works, but he was dismissed for obstructing the construction of Youhu Villa. Five other officials from the Directorate of Works were stripped of their positions and thoroughly investigated, with the most serious facing execution for capital offenses.