117 Bet
◎That’s all I have to say. It’s up to you to decide how to choose.◎
In the Huangji Hall, Fu Huazheng and He Qiong were discussing the student unrest. He didn't care much about it. Today was the first time that this matter was brought to the table seriously.
Originally, he did not pay much attention to the students, thinking that they would not cause any trouble. Unexpectedly, it had escalated to such an extent in recent days. Although the ministers had made many suggestions, he had always ignored them.
It was the same today. They said they were discussing something and wanted to come up with a solution, but after talking for half an hour there was still no conclusion.
He sat on the high platform and asked the young eunuch beside him, "Where is the queen?"
"The Empress has left the palace and gone to the Imperial College." The young eunuch told the truth.
Fu Hua's eyelids drooped slightly, a faint smile playing on the corners of his mouth, as if expressing his expected disdain. "She actually went. She really thinks she's a deity."
After the incident with Qianyu last time, He Qiong had only admiration for her, completely gone from his previous disdain. This time, he privately expressed his deepest emotion, which in turn displeased Huang Yun.
This time, for the first time ever, he pleaded for Rong Qianyu, "Your Majesty's whole heart is for the Great Zhou."
Fu Hua was a little unhappy and muttered to herself, "A hen crowing at dawn. It's not a good thing for a woman to be too talented."
He Qiong: "What does your Majesty mean?"
Fu Hua would not allow anyone to shake his power; this was his most sensitive bottom line. Whether it was students making trouble or the queen and the eunuchs having an affair, he didn't care much about it.
The only thing he cared about was his throne, wealth and glory, and for this reason he would rather sacrifice his own sister to preserve his own interests.
But Rong Qianyu, like many ministers, really wanted to do something for the people of the world and did not want the foundation of the Great Zhou to be destroyed here. This was why her ideas conflicted with Fu Hua's.
He closed the memorial and then looked up at He Qiong, "The Queen will not have children. No matter which prince ascends the throne in the future, she will be the Queen Mother. I am really worried about leaving the Fu family's world to her."
His words were sharp. The princes were all young now, so no matter who became emperor, Rong Qianyu would be the undisputed empress dowager. That would be tantamount to handing over the country to a woman, something he hated most.
There were only Fu Hua and He Qiong in the hall. The atmosphere instantly reached freezing point and was extremely silent. Tan Lu suddenly came in from outside with a plate of snacks.
"Your Majesty, I have prepared some food for you and would like you to try it."
Fu Hua was startled by her sudden appearance. Feeling a little guilty, he stiffened and asked, "Why are you here?"
"Shu'er's handwriting has improved recently. I want to show it to my father."
It is indeed good to have a child. You can use the child to seek favor at any time without being criticized. Shu'er is an obedient and pretty child who can talk and laugh. Fu Hua has liked her very much in recent years.
Tan Lu's trip was not simply to let the child see his father. She understood Rong Qianyu very well and knew that she was doing something big. Since Fu Hua was hesitant, she could not let him influence the situation outside the palace.
Fu Hua said to He Qiong, "Let's talk about the Queen later. I'm going to go see the Princess."
Inside the Imperial College, Du Xian prostrated himself on the ground, his sincerity truly catching his classmates off guard. No one had expected that the previously eloquent and arrogant man would be so moved by these few words and willingly give in.
"I have promised you a position in the Imperial Academy. Anyone here who can guarantee this, I can arrange it. Anyone else?"
Many of the students behind Du Xian were still dissatisfied. "What's the difference between what you're doing and the Cui brothers and sisters who sold official positions and titles? You've manipulated the government!"
"What's the difference?" Rong Qianyu asked disdainfully. "I haven't taken any advantage from you in recommending you, nor have I done so for personal gain. I simply hope you'll serve the country and the people, and I won't judge your abilities based on your family background. If you were all selfless and upright, how could you ask such a question?"
This question stumped the students.
They manipulated the political situation in the palm of their hands. They all claimed to be the emperor's disciples and served as officials only for the people of the world, but they did not dare to guarantee that they would not follow in Cui Zhicong's footsteps.
It is known that few people are truly without desires. Rong Qianyu will only give them an opportunity to move forward, but they all think of the bad ending in the future and retreat one by one.
It seems that Du Xian is indeed a useful person. No one dares to bet with her whether she will be honest and upright in the next twenty or thirty years, or even in her entire career as an official.
But only Du Xian dared.
This would be self-defeating. Even those who claimed to be the orthodox disciples of the emperor could not escape the temptation of wine, sex, money and power. They thought they could not be involved in the same evil as Cui Zhicong, but they did not dare to guarantee their own purity.
Ultimately, the emperors implemented the imperial examination system, or the selection of filial and honest officials, simply to keep scholars in line. The most thoughtful and energetic of these people diligently studied the Confucian classics, memorized the Three Bonds and Five Constant Virtues, and learned to be loyal to the emperor and serve their country. As a result, no one dared to incite rebellion.
But simply suppressing human nature wouldn't work; she needed to draw on everyone's strengths and use them for her own benefit. This was what Rong Qianyu wanted. She didn't need to be loyal to the emperor, only to the country. If she could truly do something good for the people, she didn't care whether it was genuine or fake, or what the students thought of her as a hen crowing the dawn.
After saying this, Rong Qianyu was about to leave. Han Song followed behind her and kept reminding her, "The Queen Mother doesn't bear grudges, so why are you still making a fuss?"
The students blocked the door and were unwilling to let her go easily.
Rong Qianyu glanced around and said, "I have said all I can. The choice is yours. You are free to prevent me from leaving this room, as long as you can afford tomorrow's punishment. I am a Rong countryman, and the world does not belong to one person. Water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it. Do you want to be like a mayfly trying to shake a tree and die in a day, or spread your wings and soar into the sky? It is up to you all to decide."
"I will escort the Empress out!" Han Song stood behind her, protecting her. He did not forget to scold the students, "The Empress' words are from the heart. I will persuade them and will not cause any more trouble!"
After leaving the house, Rong Qianyu reminded Han Song, "Please keep an eye on that guy named Du Xian for me. He's a good guy."
Han Song bent his waist and nodded frequently, looking rather flattering. "He is lucky that the Majesty is willing to employ him. The students are young and stubborn. They will definitely understand the Majesty's sincere words!"
However, before she had taken a few steps, a masked man suddenly rushed out, wearing Imperial College uniform, breaking through the crowd and rushing towards Rong Qianyu. "You are the one who recommended this traitor, this source of trouble, and you dared to set foot in the Imperial College!"
This person was among the students, and at some point, he picked up a long stick and swung it at Rong Qianyu. Fortunately, there were many people, and several Jinyiwei were quick to subdue the person, but the stick, which was not light, still hit Rong Qianyu.
With a muffled sound, Rong Qianyu covered her stomach and staggered to the ground, scaring Han Song half to death.
"My Queen, My Queen!"
He was at a loss, not knowing whether to help or not. He bent over, gesturing with his hands in the air, not daring to put them down, "Call the doctor, call the doctor quickly! Madam!"
Rong Qianyu was lying alone in the side room. Xue Ji came over after hearing the news. The students had lost their previous momentum and were now cowering and looking at him with their tails between their legs.
Xue Ji did not delve into it. "This was also an accident. The person has been subdued. The queen is not in good health. It has nothing to do with you."
Han Song was still in shock at this moment, nodding his head repeatedly in thanks. If no one was around, he would probably kneel down and kowtow to Xue Ji several times. "I am relieved that Master Xue said everything is fine. If anything happened to the queen, I will never be able to redeem myself."
"Is the Queen really okay?" Du Xian asked.
Xue Ji was quite polite to Han Song, but he had no patience for the students. He had rushed over from the Imperial College, but was still exhausted by this group of ignorant students. "Just stay calm and study hard, and the Queen won't have to make such a trip!"
Du Xian: "Cui Zhicong's matter..."
"Your Majesty will make the final decision on Cui Zhicong. Your Majesty is already aware of the situation and will not make a wrong judgment!"
"Your Highness has come here for your future. You can be fearless when you are young, but you must also be methodical. Otherwise, you will only harm others and yourself."
Han Song pushed the student away and said, "Let the queen have a good rest first. We are leaving now and disbanding!"
The farce finally ended in a hurry with the queen being attacked. Seeing everyone leave, Xue Ji closed the door of the wing room, picked up the teapot and drank several sips of water.
He was so anxious when he heard the news that Rong Qianyu was in trouble at the Imperial College that he left Fang Xinqiao behind and rushed over alone.
"Everyone has left, get up, don't really fall asleep."
Rong Qianyu lay on the bed, one eye closed, the other squinting to see what was happening outside, "Gone?"
Xue Ji pinched Rong Qianyu's butt across the quilt, as if he was angry, but also seemed to be flirting. "Your Majesty is really using both soft and hard tactics. I was scared to death when I heard the news."
Rong Qianyu sat up from the bed and hugged him, "Isn't this a temporary solution? Otherwise, what if they really put me there with that kind of attitude?"
They hadn't seen each other for a long time. Rong Qianyu hugged him tightly. It seemed that this self-torture was deliberately intended to attract Xue Ji. Seeing his anxious look, she felt a little excited in her heart.
Xue Ji let go of her hand and looked at the person in front of him calmly. He hadn't seen her for a long time and she had become thinner.
"Didn't you find a few Jinyiwei to protect you secretly? Are you still afraid of this?"
Rong Qianyu explained, "This is different from the rebels. You need to be methodical when dealing with students. You didn't see how I confronted them just now."
In front of Xue Ji, she always had endless tricks. If she had used these tricks to win his favor, he would have had both a son and a daughter long ago. Whether she acted like a spoiled child or acted arrogantly, Xue Ji could never do anything with her. He would just go along with her and spoil her.
Xue Ji held her face and kissed her lightly, "Lord Han told me, you are really amazing."
Rong Qianyu asked, "How about you? Is Imperial College okay?"
Xue Ji held her in his arms, straightening his neck and saying proudly, "You haven't seen me debate with so many scholars."
"Has Cui Zhicong got it under control?"
"In my house, after the palace examination, it will be sent to the palace."
Rong Qianyu's eyes twinkled, and her intense love surged like the sea. "You've worked hard too."
A beam of sunlight shone on Rong Qianyu's face, turning her pupils into a beautiful amber color. In her eyes, Xue Ji was full of light.
He lowered his eyes and chuckled, avoiding Rong Qianyu's burning gaze as if out of shyness. "Isn't this what should be done? How can it be said to be hard?"
"Although this incident is over, the world is still not at peace. The Qianbei regime is changing and is eyeing us covetously. I don't know when we can finally settle down."
Xue Ji raised his eyes again and looked back at Rong Qianyu with the same firm and affectionate eyes, "Everything will be fine if you take it slowly."
Suddenly, Rong Pan knocked on the door hurriedly, "Madam, express delivery from 800 miles away, there is an urgent letter from Rongguo!"
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