Beside him, Zhang Zhao, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, gently put down his teacup, a complex look flashing in his eyes, and slowly said, "Lord Lin is truly blessed. Lin Muhan's current situation can be described as a carp leaping over the dragon gate, rising to the top in one step."
However, the path to the inner palace is not so easy. Although His Majesty is interested, countless eyes, both within and outside the court, are eyeing that position; I fear there will be much turmoil in the future.
Upon hearing this, Wang Chen, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, shook his head slightly, a playful smile on his face: "Lord Zhang, you are mistaken. Lin Muhan must have extraordinary qualities to win His Majesty's favor."
Moreover, the situation in the court is currently delicate, and there is only one powerful imperial concubine in the harem, our Prince Yi. Although our various families sent some male servants to the palace three months after His Majesty gave birth to his daughter, I have heard that none of these male servants have yet consummated their marriage with His Majesty!
His Majesty's move may be a two-birds-with-one-stone strategy, both to appease the people and to use this opportunity to balance the various factions. Lin Muhan may become the key pawn.
"Hmph, a pawn?" Zhao Rui, the Vice Minister of Revenue, snorted disdainfully, his sharp gaze sweeping around. "I don't think so. Although I haven't had much contact with Lin Muhan, judging from his past actions, he is definitely not someone to be underestimated."
If he can gain a foothold in this harem, it will naturally be the icing on the cake for you, Lord Lin; even if he cannot, with his talent, he will surely find a way to bring glory to his family in the court.
Upon hearing this, Lin Qin's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile. He knew perfectly well that his colleagues' words contained envy, jealousy, and uncertainty and speculation about the future.
He coughed lightly and said modestly, "Your Excellencies are too kind. Mu Han is young and inexperienced. No matter what the future holds, I only hope that he will not forget his original aspirations, work diligently, and live up to His Majesty's high expectations. As for matters of the harem, they are not for us ministers to discuss. It is better to focus on the national economy and people's livelihood."
Outside the private room, in the lobby on the first floor, the people drinking tea were also discussing the matter of Lin Muhan becoming His Majesty's consort.
At this moment, Old Man Li, the tea server who had been silent all along, couldn't help but interject. Although he was just a commoner, he knew a little about court affairs: "Ah, you are right, we common folk don't understand these important court matters. But Young Master Lin is always polite and gentle when he comes to our teahouse. He's a good boy. I hope he has a bright future and brings some benefits to us common people."
"Exactly! Who cares if it's a mule or a horse, we'll find out once we take it out for a spin!"
"You're really vulgar! How could you say that!"
"So, what do you mean?"
"It should be said that, whether a cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice, it's a good cat!"
The others burst into laughter. The words may be crude, but the principle is sound. Who cares who the imperial consort is? That position is too far removed from their lives. If he's doing something conscientious, then he's a good person in the eyes of the people.
The Imperial Study.
The flickering candlelight illuminated the mountain of memorials piled on the desk, as well as Zhao Zhi's slightly tired yet still resolute face.
Her brows were furrowed, and she held a vermilion pen tightly in her hand, occasionally making annotations on the memorial, as if she wanted to condense all her worries and decisions onto the thin paper.
Lin Muhan tiptoed into the study, his gaze falling gently on Zhao Zhi.
He noticed the barely perceptible dark circles under Zhao Zhi's eyes and felt a pang of heartache.
During this time, she was so busy with national affairs that she could hardly sleep at night and was extremely busy every day. She still had to find time to see her baby daughter. Lin Muhan saw this and felt heartbroken.
He approached slowly, careful not to disturb her concentration, but she suddenly yawned and swayed slightly, clearly overcome with drowsiness.
Lin Muhan's heart stirred, and he gently put down the tray in his hand, which contained ginseng tea that he had specially prepared for Zhao Zhi, intending to refresh her mind.
He silently circled behind Zhao Zhi, gently placing his hands on her shoulders with just the right amount of pressure—neither too forceful nor too gentle.
Zhao Zhi was startled at first, but when she felt that familiar and warm aura, her tense nerves involuntarily relaxed, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up, revealing a rare gentleness.
Lin Muhan's technique was skillful, her fingertips conveying silent care and comfort, as if dispelling all her weariness. Zhao Zhi closed her eyes, enjoying this rare moment of tranquility and warmth, a warm current welling up in her heart.
In her dazed state, she murmured, "Hanshan."
Lin Muhan's kneading motion paused briefly, but quickly returned to normal.
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