Richest Man: Divine-Grade Reconstruct System Chapter 952 912: A Great Opportunity

One had to know, just moments ago, this group of officials had been showering Liu Xu with praise. Lin Yi, meanwhile, had remained seated, a faint smile playing on his lips, showing no inclination to speak.

Yet, the instant this particular official uttered his words, Lin Yi’s smile widened, and he immediately began to converse—how could this not incite envy in the hearts of others?

Simultaneously, those seasoned courtiers inwardly lamented their missed opportunity, their regret palpable.

Had they foreseen this official’s particular inclination, had they known he relished such flattery, they would undoubtedly have vied to speak first, without a moment’s hesitation.

And now, the spotlight had been unexpectedly seized by a mere Assistant Minister—how could this not enrage them?

However, within the grand hall at this moment, no matter how great their internal resentment, they dared not betray even the slightest hint of it.

After all, with the Emperor seated above, they were effectively silenced, denied any semblance of the right to speak.

Certainly, in their minds, they had already silently noted the name of this upstart Assistant Minister—his maneuver had effectively overshadowed and eclipsed everyone else’s presence.

In the sphere of officialdom, nothing holds greater significance than one's rank and established seniority.

At any given time, the longer your tenure and the more legitimate your qualifications, the greater your influence and authority.

Those of lower standing are strictly forbidden from attempting to grasp or usurp accolades that belong to others.

Should such an transgression ever occur, the individual basking in undeserved attention would inevitably face complete isolation.

It would not be long before they were either expelled from the Imperial Court by unified opposition, relegated to a remote provincial post, or simply compelled to ‘retire due to age.’

These were not unprecedented occurrences; such tactics had been employed before.

And now, this Assistant Minister had clearly affronted the collective assembly—did they not perceive the cold glint that flashed within the Right Chancellor’s eyes?

In hushed tones, everyone began to speculate about the likely reassignment for this junior Assistant Minister following this day’s events.

Or perhaps, they pondered, he would be pressured into an early ‘retirement,’ effectively ending his career and sending him home for good?

No one could confidently predict the outcome; despite the Assistant Minister appearing to be barely over thirty, this did not preclude them from orchestrating his premature ‘retirement.’

Once you encroached upon everyone’s vested interests, those in positions of power would certainly not permit you to depart unscathed and unhindered.

Of course, an alternative possibility existed—one that might explain the Assistant Minister's audacious actions.

This possibility was that he had genuinely captured Lin Yi’s attention, truly earned the favor of this recently established Emperor; if this were the case, and the Emperor were to bestow a direct promotion upon him, then no one would dare to easily target this individual.

Their only recourse would be to bide their time, awaiting his eventual fall from grace before making their move.

However, such an opportunity might require a considerable waiting period.

The very reason this Assistant Minister felt emboldened to speak as he did was precisely this calculated assessment; he was confident in his ability to sway Emperor You’s belief in him, to propel his official standing upward.

And the initial, crucial step in this strategy, naturally, was to eliminate his own escape routes, thereby convincing Emperor You of his unwavering loyalty and commitment to stand by his side.

With such a declaration, who could possibly refuse him?

Especially Lin Yi, the newly crowned Emperor, who could be said to have virtually no familiar faces or trusted allies within this Imperial Court, and no established faction of his own.

At such a critical juncture, any individual willing to step forward and firmly align themselves with the Emperor would undoubtedly be heavily relied upon and swiftly integrated into his inner circle.

Naturally, everyone recognized this dynamic, but the reason no one acted upon it was that the lowest rank present in this hall was precisely that of this Assistant Minister.

Those holding higher positions already possessed their own established factions, and thus had no intention of casually abandoning their existing allegiances to defect to the Emperor's side.

After all, their respective factions were already sufficiently powerful, possessing the strength to contend directly with the Emperor; they were confident that the Emperor would hesitate to take action against them. This was their ultimate safeguard, and also the primary reason none were willing to be the first to publicly declare their support for the Emperor.

They understood the necessity of solidarity, of uniting as one cohesive force to counter imperial authority.

Only through such unity could they maintain their autonomy and freedom; otherwise, if they were to genuinely align themselves with the Emperor, they would be subject to his absolute discretion and control.

Should the Emperor fall into a displeased mood, he could dismiss you on a whim, leaving you with no recourse for complaint or appeal.

However, if they stood united as a single bloc, the situation would be distinctly different; before the Emperor could move against any single individual, he would be forced to carefully weigh the potential gains and losses. If targeting one subordinate risked destabilizing the entire court, the Emperor would likely refrain from taking action.

And currently, the most substantial and influential faction was that which was led by the Right Chancellor.

Of course, there existed another significant faction: the former adherents of Prince Ning.

Although Prince Ning and Chen Shiren had already been decisively removed by Lin Yi, the personnel from both their former factions had not yet fully integrated or consolidated their positions.

Recalling the incident where Prince Ning was overthrown, Chen Shiren had previously convened them, treating each individual with distinct favor, which only served to widen the chasm of mistrust among them.

Consequently, neither faction was inclined to yield first. Furthermore, another factor was at play: the leaders of each faction harbored an unwillingness to serve under another.

Consider the current Left and Right Chancellors; who among them would readily accept a secondary position?

Naturally, these strategic considerations occupied their minds in mere moments. Now, upon hearing the words of the Assistant Minister, Lin Yi could not suppress a hearty laugh. Extending his hand, he gestured towards the man with a smile:

"Haha, splendid! What is your name and what is your station? You possess admirable courage. I am pleased with you."

The Assistant Minister, having spoken, felt an immense surge of joy within his heart, while the countenances of those nearby turned visibly grim.

The Assistant Minister promptly prostrated himself with a resounding thud and declared:

"Reporting to Your Majesty, your humble servant is Zhu Jun, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue."

Lin Yi acknowledged this with a slight smile and a nod. He then surveyed the assembly and, with a knowing smirk, proclaimed:

"Excellent, indeed. You demonstrate foresight and bravery. Now, allow me to inquire once more: among all present, does anyone else possess similar courage to his? If so, please step forward, and I shall bestow rewards upon you all collectively."

A stir.

Instantly, the entire hall erupted in an uproar. One by one, they exchanged disbelieving glances, utterly taken aback by the turn of events, and a current of unrest began to ripple through their hearts.

The various deputy heads of departments, in particular, found their minds racing with intensified deliberation.

Each of them perceived a monumental opportunity unfolding before them.

[To be continued…]