Chapter 22 Reward

After the court session, He Yanchen had just returned to the imperial study when Ji Ming came to announce, "Your Majesty, Prime Minister Wei requests an audience."

The man sat in front of the imperial desk, without even raising his eyelids, and said calmly: "Let him in."

Wei Chengdong was still wearing his official uniform. After entering, he stood in the hall and saluted politely: "Your Majesty, your humble servant pays respects to you."

"What's the matter, Prime Minister?"

Wei Chengdong listened to the man's calm voice and couldn't help but look up, but he couldn't see his expression clearly.

"Your Majesty promoted Liu Yan, the Minister of Works, today. I do not think he is a capable person."

He Yanchen didn't say anything. He leaned back in his chair, playing with the ring in his hand lazily.

Wei Chengdong received no response, but could only bite the bullet and continue: "Liu Yan was transferred to Beijing from Qingzhou Prefecture two years ago. The previous prefect of Qingzhou Prefecture was demoted for participating in a dike corruption case, and Liu Yan was also implicated in this matter. I think he is truly unfit for important positions."

In addition, Liu Yan was a member of Yuan Zhang's faction, and Yuan Zhang and the Xian King had always had an unpredictable relationship.

Yuan Zhang is a man with complicated thoughts. He is willing to accept anyone who comes to him to win people's hearts. He has all kinds of people under his command. The party disputes were instigated by these people.

Wouldn't those who promote them bring chaos to the court?

"I understand what the Prime Minister said."

He Yanchen spoke indifferently, as if he didn't take the matter to heart at all.

"His Majesty!"

Wei Chengdong wanted to say something, but He Yanchen suddenly raised his eyes and looked at him, his eyes filled with an incomprehensible darkness: "The Prime Minister has overstepped his bounds."

Wei Chengdong's whole body stiffened and he swallowed all the words he hadn't said.

He closed his eyes, unable to tell whether he was disappointed or something else: "I have spoken too much, and I know my fault."

"If there is nothing else, Prime Minister, please leave."

Wei Chengdong's back as he left looked a little more hunched than when he came. He Yanchen watched his figure disappear outside the imperial study and leaned back dejectedly.

He touched his chest. The pain from the fifteenth day seemed to still remain, making him even more violent.

*

Wei Chengdong left the palace and saw his second son Wei Hemian waiting for him at the palace gate.

"Father, has His Majesty rescinded his order?"

Wei Chengdong shook his head.

Wei Hemian was impatient and immediately said, "It's obvious that Liu Yan has evil intentions. Why did Your Majesty promote him?"

"There are constant factional disputes in the court right now. If someone like this rises up, won't it make things even more chaotic?"

Wei Chengdong didn't say anything. He got on the carriage and felt very powerless.

He Yanchen was very motivated when he was young. At that time, the empress dowager did not hold a high position and he was not taken seriously, so he worked hard in his studies just to make the late emperor pay attention to him.

Later, he lived up to everyone's expectations. At the age of 18, he was able to lead troops to fight and eliminate the biggest threat to Zhao State.

The Wei family sided with him early on and provided great assistance in the fight for the throne.

Wei Chengdong originally thought that everything was heading in the right direction, but He Yanchen began to neglect state affairs within just one year of ascending the throne and promoted Yuan Zhang, a man with ulterior motives. The current chaotic situation in the court is most likely due to Yuan Zhang.

Yuan Zhang also had contacts with the virtuous king, and he didn't believe that He Yanchen knew nothing.

But he really didn't understand why His Majesty would do this now.

Wei Hemian was still indignant: "I heard that His Majesty has been doting on Yu Ronghua recently. A woman like that from a brothel is clearly a source of trouble. His Majesty has most likely been bewitched by her."

"Be careful with your words." Wei Chengdong scolded, "How can you discuss the concubines?"

Wei Hemian was still furious: "But that's clearly a demon concubine!"

"If Your Majesty can maintain his composure, what can a demon concubine do to him?"

The carriage fell into silence.

Yes, the current situation would not have been like this if Your Majesty had not been so indulgent.

*

When Yueli arrived at the imperial study, the atmosphere seemed a little solemn.

When Ji Ming saw her coming, his eyes lit up.

Although His Majesty seemed to be in a bad mood, Yu Ronghua was able to coax him every time he came, so that the servants would be scolded less.

Ji Ming happily invited her in. Yue Li gave him a puzzled look: "Isn't the eunuch going to pass on the message?"

"His Majesty said that when Yu Ronghua arrives, she should go straight in."

Yueli always felt that he had bad intentions.

She entered the hall and saw the man sitting by the window teasing the little parrot.

Yueli curled her lips, and it turned out that she was not reviewing the memorials properly.

"His Majesty..."

He Yanchen knew she was coming and extended his hand to her. Yue Li walked up obediently, held his hand, and sat beside him.

"Didn't Your Majesty ask me to serve you with writing materials?"

She looked up at the little red and green parrot, whose belly was so round from eating so much that it could hardly jump.

He Yanchen looked at her after hearing this and asked, "Did I say that?"

"Of course I have said that. Your Majesty is an emperor. Would you go back on your word?"

He Yanchen picked up the memorial placed aside and threw it to him: "I don't want to read it, read it to me."

Yueli picked it up and opened it. There were some irrelevant things written inside. She read it word by word, and saw out of the corner of her eye that the man was leaning lazily on the soft pillow.

The woman's voice was soft and gentle. After Yue Li finished reading one copy, she looked at him eagerly, "Your Majesty, do you want to approve it?"

He Yanchen pointed at the table and said, "Help me write this."

"How can this be done?" Reading the memorial was already a bit excessive. If her handwriting was left on the memorial and it got out, he would be called a tyrant.

Yueli quickly took his arm and said coquettishly: "Your Majesty, please get up and write it yourself~"

"Wouldn't it be embarrassing for Your Majesty if I wrote that? And it would be seen by so many people. I don't want to lose face."

He Yanchen couldn't stand her pestering anymore. The woman's soft and sticky voice made him feel numb all over. He picked up a pen and wrote the word "accurate" on it.

Yueli happily put the approved memorial aside and took another one to read to him.

"Your Majesty, could you please write a few more words?" she asked softly. "Your Majesty's handwriting is so beautiful. Please write a few more for me to see."

She knelt on the couch and held his hand tightly.

He Yanchen had no choice but to disobey her. She pouted and was about to cry, so he could only stand up and write his comments on the memorial.

Seeing that the pile of memorials on the desk were about to be reviewed, he realized that it was a mistake to allow her to come before the emperor.

After throwing the last notebook aside, he just put down his pen when he felt the woman hugging him from behind.

The soft and boneless little hand lifted the hem of his waist and reached in, touching his naked waist and abdomen.

He Yanchen frowned and grabbed her wrist, saying in a bad tone, "Are you making trouble again?"

Yue Li straightened up and rested her chin on his shoulder: "Your Majesty, you have worked hard reviewing the memorials. I would like to reward you."

He Yanchen was already holding back his anger. He suddenly pulled the woman in front of him, pressed her back against the desk, and kissed her fiercely.

Sunlight shone into the hall through the window. Yueli's clothes were half-removed, and her slender white legs were hanging in the man's arms.

Her voice was filled with tears: "I have already rewarded Your Majesty in this way. Your Majesty will have to finish reviewing the other memorials later..."

He Yanchen bent down to kiss her, but Yueli turned her head away: "You haven't agreed yet."

If you don’t agree, I won’t kiss you.

The man's eyes darkened, and the hand that was pinching her chin suddenly tightened. He gritted his teeth and said:

"knew!"