111 Temptation
◎Who will be choked to death in the end◎
After Rong Ruoyu left Fengyi Palace, she or Cui Rumei slept with him for several days in a row, and sometimes they both slept with him at the same time.
There were endless scandalous rumors about this in the palace, all of which said that Cui Rumei had regained Fu Hua's favor, and that a couple who had married halfway through their lives could not compare to the love of young people. Cui Rumei used a little trick to win Fu Hua's heart back.
Day after day, after ascending the throne, Fu Hua seemed to be becoming more and more ridiculous. Rong Qianyu knew it but could do nothing about it.
She had other, more important things to do: the interests of her motherland and the people of both countries, both of which she had to consider. Yan'er Shu'er was already old enough to go to school, and she was currently searching for a teacher, keeping her and Tan Lu very busy.
"The ones who have been sleeping with you lately are either Concubine Min or Concubine Ke. It seems His Majesty really has feelings for her."
Rong Qianyu held a piece of light-colored fabric in her hands. It was a dress for Yan'er. With her closest relatives away, the child needed extra care. As Tan Lu spoke, she didn't even look up, concentrating on weaving.
"Yeah, but it's okay. We have our own things to do, and the children's affairs leave me no time for anything else, let alone serving as your concubine."
Tan Lu looked up at the faintly withered peach blossoms outside the window. They seemed like herself, blooming and withering alone, a poignant gesture. "So, it's been a long time since I last saw Your Majesty."
Rong Qianyu still lowered her head and said, "If you need, I can arrange for you to sleep with me."
Except for Cui Rumei, she treated all the other concubines in the harem kindly. These women were all disliked by Fu Hua, or she favored them by chance and then became disgusted with them.
These women are trapped in the inner world of the palace, with no children, no favor, and no natal family to rely on. They are just kept in the harem to provide an extra set of bowls and chopsticks.
Fu Hua ignored these people, but Rong Qianyu was very concerned about them. They were all miserable people, and these women were even more pitiful than her.
It is even more despairing that her husband is not happy and she, as the queen, no longer cares about him and loves him.
"That's not necessary," Tan Lu was one of the few women who had no expectations of Fu Hua. "Like the Queen said, Shu'er has already kept me so busy I'm dizzy. How can I have time?"
Some are happy, some are sad, some have lost their affection for him, and some can only rely on Fu Hua to survive.
It was a rare opportunity for Cui Rumei to regain favor, so she used all her strength to seize this opportunity, and her words and actions were no longer as confident as before.
She was very cautious in her words, fearing that Fu Hua would get angry and not contact her for a long time.
She leaned on Fu Hua's shoulder and asked fearfully, "Your Majesty, do you no longer like me?"
Fu Hua kissed her shoulder and said vaguely, "How could that be?"
Cui Rumei suddenly sat up and asked seriously, "Why didn't you come to see me for so long? I was wrong, but I know I'm wrong and I promise I won't do it again."
"What's wrong with you?"
Fu Hua leaned back and looked at her indifferently, not with the same affectionate look as two years ago. Even Cui Rumei was a little dazed.
This was an expression she had never seen before. The man in front of her was already a ruthless and murderous emperor, no longer the husband who doted on her in the past.
"Your Majesty has never asked me this question before."
Fu Hua remained calm and said, "You never asked this question before."
Cui Rumei felt a little guilty, afraid she would say something wrong again. Fu Hua ignored her again, "Then Erlang won't be angry anymore, okay?"
Fu Hua laughed heartily and held the person in his arms, just like before, but it didn't feel the same as before. "I'm no longer angry. You and Concubine Min did a great job, and you deserve a reward for your good work."
Cui Rumei now spoke to him very carefully. She used to be so unrestrained, but now she realized how reckless she was. Fortunately, it was not too late.
As long as she could regain favor, her life, her children, and the status of her family would all improve. In this palace, no one lived just for themselves; they had children and families behind them.
"Erlang, how is my brother doing?" she couldn't help but ask.
Fu Hua's voice suddenly became serious, and he asked with a scrutinizing look, "What do you want to say?"
Cui Rumei lowered her head and didn't dare to look at him. "No, I dare not interfere in politics."
Fu Hua also truly loved her. Of all the women in the palace, the one he loved and valued the most was always Cui Rumei. Their love was deep, and even if there were some minor mistakes or conflicts, his heart was still with her.
Seeing her so cautious and suddenly so obedient to him was a bit unusual. Their relationship had deteriorated significantly in the past few months, but Fu Hua had never considered giving up on her. He'd already punished her enough recently, so there was no need to keep a straight face.
He lifted Cui Rumei's chin and looked into her eyes calmly. "If he does well in the imperial examination this time, I will appoint him as the Minister of Rites, okay?"
"I'll listen to Erlang!" She was finally happy and hugged Fu Hua tightly.
The first flowers of early spring had already faded, and as they bloomed and faded, it was time for the triennial imperial examinations. Although the Imperial Household Department was not responsible for these events, as the emperor's shadow, it more or less played a supervisory and urging role.
Xue Ji did not show up, and Qingyun was in charge of everything.
He has been with Xue Ji for ten years. He acts like a master, speaks to the point, and never offends anyone. He always looks kind and gentle.
One was to convey the emperor's order, and the other was to come specially to request Cui Zhicong.
He ordered people to bring in several boxes of food. "You gentlemen, thank you for your hard work. His Majesty said that you have worked tirelessly to select talents for our Great Zhou. This is mung bean soup and steamed bread prepared for you."
The officials of the Ministry of Rites were very tactful and were eager to express their gratitude. "Your Majesty, this is truly a great honor. This is the duty of the ministers."
"Before this exam, all the papers need to be brought up for preview. Have they all been collected?" Qingyun asked.
As expected, Cui Zhicong came over to talk and obediently handed over the list, "Young Master, this is the list."
“But do they all have real talents and knowledge?”
"Yes, if you don't believe me, you can take a look."
Qingyun took the booklet and examined it carefully, looking left and right without opening it. He smiled and looked at Cui Zhicong, "The Queen's brother is the Crown Prince of Rong State. You are the well-deserved uncle of the Emperor of our Great Zhou. If you say so, how dare I look at it?"
Cui Zhicong was terrified by these words. They were comparing him to the Crown Prince of Rong. He kowtowed repeatedly, fearing he was overstepping the bounds. "Young Master, you are too kind to me."
Although his words were humble, he was still very happy in his heart. After turning his life around, he was very reluctant to mention his previous status. Now everyone respected him and his career was going smoothly. After passing the imperial examination, he might even become a third-rank minister of rites, a high-ranking official wearing a purple robe.
But if you think about it carefully, what he said is not wrong. The future monarch of a country cannot be considered the uncle of the king. His sister is the apple of His Majesty's eye, and he is her biological brother, so he should be the uncle of the king.
Seeing the smug look on his face, Qingyun knew that he had taken her words to heart, so she went along with it, making him burst into laughter. "Your Excellency has been entrusted with such an important task by His Majesty. If you do well, you will have a bright future. How could it be that I, a servant, am praising you so highly?"
"How dare I?" Cui Zhicong bent down and lowered his head very humbly.
Qingyun asked again, "Your Excellency, how do these examinees compare to the students at the Imperial College?"
Cui Zhicong answered cautiously, "The Imperial College and the Imperial Academy are the disciples of the emperor, while we are all from humble backgrounds. How can we compare?"
Even with his tail raised, he was still so cautious. Qingyun patted him and said, "It's just a joke, sir, please don't mind it."
After returning to the Imperial Household Department, Qingyun immediately reported the matter.
"Does the list match?" Xue Ji asked.
Qingyun nodded, "About the same."
Xue Ji looked at the list, feeling confident of victory. "It seems that the queen's guess was correct. They are indeed doing these things."
"Does the lord want to intervene?" Qingyun asked.
"There's no smoke without fire. I have no business dealing with cheating in the imperial examinations," Xue Ji said, relaxing in his rocking chair, eating a snack. "You can spread the news and exaggerate it."
"This Lord Cui is the same. Even if Lord wants to find fault with him, he still has to make mistakes. How did Lord and the Queen foresee this?"
"Once a wealthy and prominent family has gained power, how can they willingly let it go? If someone who has never had a full meal is given a feast of delicacies, will he eat without restraint? And who will choke to death in the end?"
This point really captures Cui Zhicong's characteristics. When Rong Qianyu first met him, she set up a trap and made an exception by allowing him to wear official uniform and walk openly in the palace to Fengyi Palace.
He asked her for a position that had little real power but was a test of willpower. Coupled with the various pressures from the family and his own unrealistic ambitions, it is not surprising that he embarked on this path of no return.
"Your Excellency is right, but what if he doesn't eat it?"
"Impossible," Xue Ji said. "It's human nature. He has no talent to begin with, but why did Her Majesty give him the position of Deputy Minister of Rites? This is what happens when you let a monkey watch over the Peach Garden."
"Isn't that raising a tiger to cause trouble?"
Xue Ji took another piece and put it into his mouth. "This is not a problem, it kills two birds with one stone."
Qingyun still didn't quite understand.
"It's the same with Cui Rumei. Your Majesty anticipated that she would harm the child, so she kept her indoors. If anything happened, everyone would know who did it. Fu Hua would have compromised to protect Cui Rumei. Your Majesty acted magnanimously at this time. Although she didn't make her a concubine, she promoted her brothers. This is a great favor to the entire Cui family."
Human nature is complex but not that complex. Power, beauty and wealth vary from person to person. Everyone has his or her own weaknesses and reverse scales. As long as they are found, everyone can be a tool that can be used.
"But will this matter implicate the Empress?" Qingyun asked again.
"Although the Empress holds real power, the final decision is made by His Majesty. The Empress suggested giving him an official position, but who knew this person would be so embarrassed? Ultimately, it's because Your Majesty didn't exercise due diligence in appointing people."
"I understand."
"The Empress has sought such a prestigious position for him, but he has no talent or character, nothing more than a fool. How can we choose a true talent? Therefore, he will definitely try to take advantage of opportunities and sabotage the situation to maximize his family's interests. Only selling official positions and titles is quick and risk-free."
He is the cousin of the favorite concubine, the young uncle of the emperor, the favorite of the emperor and empress, and the descendant of the prestigious Cui family of Boling. Who would dare to ask him anything?
Xue Ji put down the cake, closed the list, and slammed it on the table. "If you want him to die, you must make him crazy."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
