Chapter 334 Sleepless Night
Feng'er sat on the main seat in Baohua Hall, frowning slightly and rubbing her temples in pain.
The Baohua Hall has been renovated according to the meeting style of Jinzhou Prefecture. There are only tables, chairs and benches, and everyone sits down during the meeting.
According to statistics, two-thirds of the people have already reported, and the remaining one-third, including Han Xiang and others headed by civil officials, were not present.
Most of the people who came looked reluctant, especially when they saw the transformed Baohua Palace. Feng'er clearly saw the ridicule and contempt on their faces.
Perhaps these people think that the people of Jinzhou Prefecture are still unable to get rid of their unruly habits.
Xu Zhenying had not arrived yet, and Feng'er was not in a position to make any arrangements in advance. She just patiently admonished them and told them not to cause any trouble at the last minute.
But Feng'er knew that this group of people would definitely not submit to her.
Perhaps only His Highness can calm them down.
Your Highness, when will you arrive in Bianjing City?
"Is Minister Xu hungry? Do you want me to ask the kitchen to prepare something to eat?" The speaker was Wang Qiu Shuang. Feng'er had already ordered her to stay and be her secretary.
Although Wang Qiu Shuang didn't know what a secretary meant, she could see that the high-ranking Minister Xu was planning to use her. She was naturally happy and worked even harder.
As for those rumors, she doesn't care.
It took her a day to figure it out.
Since she had surrendered to Jinzhou Prefecture long ago, she is a member of Jinzhou Prefecture. None of the women in Jinzhou Prefecture are simple.
If she was afraid of rumors and didn't dare to do things, how could she be a female official and become a figure like Miss Feng'er?
Look at Miss Feng'er. She and another Mr. Xu were hugging and kissing in public. So many eyes saw it, but even so, it did not affect Feng'er's handling of government affairs at all.
She seemed to be completely unaffected by the incident. The whole day was overwhelmed by inspections, meetings, materials, etc. She probably even forgot that she had intimate contact with a man in broad daylight.
After this incident, Wang Qiu Shuang finally understood that good things that only have face are good things, and only good things that have substance are truly good.
When Feng'er heard Wang Qiu Shuang's question, she looked up and saw a pair of timid and uneasy eyes. In a trance, she seemed to see herself on the first day as Xu Zhenying's secretary.
She smiled, "I'm not hungry yet, so I won't eat. Qiu Shuang, remember, a secretary is supposed to take care of the boss's food, drink, and toilet needs, but more importantly, they're supposed to help him complete all the work. You've just arrived, so you might not understand a lot of things yet. You have to watch and learn more, okay?"
Wang Qiushuang's expression eased slightly, "I'll make a note of that."
Feng'er was thinking this, but she saw Xu Huiming, General Bai, and several officials who were actively moving closer to Jinzhou Prefecture outside. Xu Huiming walked in front and led his people in, then found a place to sit down.
General Bai looked around. He was really not used to the bureaucratic etiquette of just nodding slightly as a greeting. People in Jinzhou Prefecture almost had no etiquette. General Bai initially thought that Xu Huiming and Feng'er were acquaintances, so there were no so many rules in their words and deeds.
However, there were already more than a hundred secret sentries from Jinzhou Prefecture in Bianjing City. Throughout the day, General Bai naturally had to deal with them. He found that no matter who they were or what the relationship was, even when superiors and subordinates met, they would only nod slightly or clasp their fists before saying hello.
As for kneeling and bowing, it is even more rare.
General Bai and these civil officials also figured out what was going on. The people from Jinzhou Prefecture seemed to be more casual.
Therefore, after they entered the room and saw Xu Huiming sitting down, they could only suppress their discomfort, nodded slightly to Feng'er, and then found a place to sit down.
Feng Er looked a little tired. After the battle this morning, her arms and entire back felt a tearing pain. She could barely lift her elbows and could only support herself on the table. "Since everyone is here, let's talk about what happened in the court just now."
Another characteristic of Jinzhou Prefecture’s officialdom is that it is very direct.
Most of them do not like small talk and rarely ask about the lives of their colleagues. They almost always talk about government affairs.
General Bai asked first, "Minister Xu, may I ask when His Highness will arrive in Bianjing?"
"One day at the fastest, two days at the slowest."
When the people in the room heard this, they immediately became nervous.
The young man in the green official uniform said, "It's a bit late."
Feng Er rubbed her temples and said, "Time is indeed tight and the task is heavy. I see only two-thirds of the people are here today, and at least half of them are clearly reluctant, probably fearing retribution later if they don't come. People are not united..."
General Bai stared at Feng'er as if he was about to speak, but Feng'er said, "General Bai, if you have something to say, please speak directly. We in Jinzhou Prefecture never punish people for their speech."
The civil servants all stared at General Bai awkwardly, as if they had reached a consensus. General Bai, a straightforward man, stood up and bowed, saying, "Minister Xu, please don't blame me. I think those people might have some personal grievances against Minister Xu."
"You have something against me personally?" Feng Er raised an eyebrow, now showing interest. "Oh, what did you say about me?"
General Bai had said halfway when he felt a little embarrassed. He coughed softly, "Your youth is secondary. The main thing is that you... This Baohua Hall used to be where the late emperor held meetings. Although it's been renovated and the tables and chairs have been replaced, the place you're sitting in... that was once where His Majesty's throne was placed! If His Majesty knew, he would probably be furious!"
Feng'er was stunned and subconsciously looked down at her seat. She suddenly realized something and couldn't help laughing.
Several officials looked at each other.
Instead, Xu Huiming laughed, then stood up and walked over to Feng'er's main seat. The two of them understood each other, Feng'er stood up and gave her seat, and then Xu Huiming sat down.
Everyone stared at the two of them in amazement.
this……
General Bai's eyes widened. He had just reminded the two of them that although the dragon throne had been removed and only a long table and a chair remained, that place was the main seat. From now on, this would be where His Royal Highness Prince Zhao would work, so it was also a disguised dragon throne.
Seeing them stunned, Xu Huiming smiled and said, "We in Jinzhou Prefecture don't care about this. Whoever reports gets to sit on it. According to you, we've all sat on the Jinzhou Prefecture's dragon throne before."
"this--"
It was the other people's turn to be shocked.
The civil servants even wiped their sweat.
Feng Er smiled and said, "Any other opinions?"
"Nothing else." General Bai was shocked. "But Prime Minister Han and his men didn't come."
"Does he want to surrender or is he waiting for a good price?"
The civil servant in green uniform immediately said: "According to your humble servant..."
"There are no derogatory terms in Jinzhou Prefecture. Just address me directly. Don't use terms like humble official, lowly official, humble minister, or villain."
The man immediately followed suit. "From what I gather, Prime Minister Han is a shrewd man, and he and the other ministers usually stick together. They do have some loyalty to the Great Zhou Dynasty, but the Great Zhou Dynasty has been declining in recent years, so they naturally have their own plans."
"You mean he's waiting for a good price?"
"To be precise, the reason he didn't appear in the court was because he hoped that His Highness would personally visit him and invite him out of retirement."
Feng'er heard this and smiled at Xu Huiming.
The two people understood each other tacitly.
This trick of playing both sides might have worked for the previous dynasty, but it didn't work for Jinzhou Prefecture.
There were few scholars in the previous dynasty, and scholars like Han Xiang were even more precious.
However, there are a lot of people in Jinzhou Prefecture who can read and write.
Moreover, they do not need the orthodoxy of the previous dynasty. Han Xiang's attempt to sell himself at a higher price this time is likely to be in vain.
Feng Er nodded, "I see. I understand."
Another middle-aged man, slightly older than him, wearing a red official uniform, who appeared to be Mr. Xia, cautiously probed Feng'er's expression and said, "Minister Xu, the matter in Bianjing City has been settled. There are still so many concubines living in the harem. How does Your Highness plan to deal with them?"
"I don't know about that. I have to wait for His Highness's decision."
Several people were secretly arguing with each other. Feng Er smiled and said, "You want to ask how to deal with the former queen and the crown prince, right?"
After saying that, Feng Er frowned and complained again: "I'm really not used to your Bian Jing City's style of doing things. You speak half-heartedly and reveal half-heartedly. If you have any problems, why not just communicate directly?"
Several people blushed.
They really are not used to the direct and rough style of Jinzhou Prefecture.
General Bai said, "Minister Xu, while the late emperor lacked great talent, he was an extremely kind-hearted man, and Empress Yuanchun was also gentle and kind-hearted. Back then, the civil officials tried to prevent the retired emperor from ascending the throne, so he reluctantly pushed the late emperor to the throne. I believe the late emperor had no great ambitions. It was fate, a cruel twist of fate, that led him to lose his life for a throne he least wanted. When the late emperor was alive, he was very protective of us ministers, so we're thinking of pleading for the empress, asking Your Highness to spare the lives of these orphans and their widow."
Feng'er frowned slightly, and everyone thought she was dissatisfied. Some people even felt secretly annoyed. It was only the first day she surrendered to Jinzhou Prefecture, and she couldn't wait to beg for mercy from her old master. It seemed like she was asking for trouble no matter how she looked at it.
As expected, Feng Er shook her head and said, "I can't make the decision on this matter. I can only see what Your Highness thinks."
Everyone felt like they had lost their parents.
But Feng Er added, "But I can also reassure you all. Your Highness never kills innocent people and will never do anything that would destroy a bridge. Please rest assured."
Everyone's expressions eased slightly.
Feng Er said, "Everyone, you've been tired all day. Go back first. Once the time of His Highness's arrival is confirmed, I will summon all the officials to the West City Gate to welcome His Highness. General Bai, please also pay more attention to the security work. By the way, General Bai, did you know that General Bai Ci'en will also be returning with His Highness this time?"
General Bai was startled for a moment, then delighted, "Will this not delay the war in the north?"
"No. The Northern Territory is about to undergo military reforms. Your Highness may have other plans for General Bai."
Other arrangements?
Has Bai Ci'en caught His Highness's eye?
General Bai was quite proud.
Another civil servant bowed and said, "Minister Xu, there's one more thing. The Minister of Revenue, Lord Lian Dehai, came to me privately and expressed his hope to meet with Minister Xu in person."
"Lian Dehai?" Feng'er frowned and subconsciously looked at Xu Huiming. Xu Huiming immediately said, "Mr. Lian is my second aunt's father. Speaking of which, he is also related to our family."
Feng'er came back to her senses!
No wonder she always felt that this name was somewhat familiar. It turned out that this person was the "grandfather who was a high-ranking official in Bianjing City" that Xu Lezhi often mentioned proudly back then.
Feng'er smiled, this was really a trick of fate.
Seeing Feng'er was a little embarrassed, Xu Huiming said, "It's really hard to refuse an invitation from an elder."
Feng Er said, "Logically speaking, you are from the Third House and cannot represent the Second House. What identity do you have to visit them? Moreover, you don't know what the Second House thinks. Will they agree to your visit as the Second House? Legally speaking, your every move now represents not only the Third House, but also His Highness. Now is a sensitive time. I advise you not to agree just because you can't save face. After all, we still don't know what kind of personality this Lord Lian has——"
Without waiting for Xu Huiming's reply, Feng'er spoke to the official, "Tell Lord Lian first that the Lian family will be returning to Beijing soon, and I'll be sure to pass on the news when the time comes."
Xu Huiming was speechless, so Feng'er turned around and said, "Well, it's been a tiring day. If you all have nothing to do, go home and rest."
Several officials immediately bowed and left, but Xu Huiming did not leave.
After everyone had left, Feng'er rubbed her temples uncomfortably.
I'm so tired that I can't even lift my hands.
Feng'er vaguely felt that there were other figures under the light, and seemed to guess who would be so unscrupulous. She hummed twice in discomfort, then opened her eyes and saw Xu Huiming.
He took off his battle robe and changed into a green casual suit. He tied up his hair and put on a jade crown, revealing his angular face.
At this moment he was standing in front of the table, looking down from above and casting a shadow.
"Although I've handed over the city defense to General Bai, we still need our own people in key positions. Right now, the only people we can truly trust are the one hundred or so we brought from Jinzhou Prefecture. The others are just outwardly surrendering, but I'm afraid they're still plotting something."
Feng'er sighed again, and without caring whether Xu Huiming was listening or not, she continued to speak to herself, "Although the Great Zhou Dynasty is gone, and there are probably no loyal supporters of the Zhou Dynasty in Bianjing, we should always be prepared for the worst. His Highness will be arriving in Bianjing soon, and we must stand guard for the last time and hand Bianjing City over to His Highness smoothly."
"It's really ridiculous that Prime Minister Han and his gang are trying to wait for a good price. Our Jinzhou Prefecture is full of scholars, and the officials below are desperately trying to climb the ladder, fearing that they will miss out on opportunities. But he's so lucky that he's already vacated a position for himself."
"The north is now stable, but I wonder how the war in the west is going. Last time, Your Highness said that the road to Shu is difficult. Most of the cities there are easy to defend but difficult to attack. Even if the Zhou Dynasty falls, the King of Zhoushan can still lead his people to the mountains and forests and live a leisurely life as a local emperor. He is also a hidden danger."
"There are so many things to do. We haven't even sorted out the affairs of Bianjing City yet, and I'm already overwhelmed. I don't know how Your Highness has managed to survive all these years."
Feng'er talked to herself for a long time, but there was no response from the man, so she raised her eyes and squinted at the man under the light.
She then realized that Xu Huiming had been staring at her.
He opened his mouth and said, "Feng'er, let's get married."
There was silence in the air for several seconds.
Feng'er blinked, then frowned slightly. She wasn't as panicked as Xu Huiming had imagined, nor was she happy. Her expression was calm as she asked, "Why?"
"I behaved rudely in broad daylight, in public..." Xu Huiming's ears turned red, but she forced herself to remain calm. "Anyway, I will take responsibility."
Feng Er frowned even deeper this time. "So you want to marry me to save my reputation?"
Xu Huiming seemed to realize that he had said something wrong, and hesitated to speak. He thought for a long time but didn't know how to save the situation.
"If that's the case, there's no need to worry. I, Feng'er, was born a slave and have risen to the position of Minister. I don't care about rumors anymore. Besides, there are so many things going on right now, and the rumors will soon dissipate."
Xu Huiming's jawline tightened, and there was a hint of panic in her eyes. "But... you and I are just... after all. You don't care, but if your future husband's family does care, how will you cope?"
Feng Er stared into his eyes, then smiled softly, "How can we discuss personal matters when our great cause is not yet accomplished?"
Xu Huiming retorted, "The great cause has not yet been accomplished? The Great Zhou Dynasty has completely collapsed, and we have already taken control of Bianjing City. Doesn't this count as the great cause being accomplished? Feng'er, we have fulfilled our original dream, and you should also think about yourself."
Feng'er actually thought about it seriously for a moment, then met his somewhat anxious eyes and said seriously, "Master Xu, to be honest, I have no plans to get married in this lifetime."
Xu Huiming was stunned on the spot, the color draining from his face. "Why would you have such an idea?"
"If you are poor, you should take care of yourself; if you are rich, you should help the world. My dear, I have already married the cause I want to fight for—"
Xu Huiming's chest heaved, speechless. He initially thought Feng'er was joking, but she remained serious. "Getting married is troublesome. For you men, marriage is a wonderful thing, bringing in children, adding icing on the cake, and providing many benefits. You benefit the world while holding a beautiful woman in your arms. Life is so satisfying. But for me, what can I get from marriage?"
Xu Huiming was stunned, his brows furrowed.
"I already hold a high position. My husband won't be of any help in terms of power. Everything I have here is due to the grace of His Highness and my own hard work. As for my daily needs, I have servants and a housekeeper to look after me. With my salary, I won't lack for food or clothing, and I'll even live a comfortable life. But once I marry, I'll have to marry into another family. Serving my mother-in-law, managing the household, and socializing are all essential tasks. Not to mention the childbirth that comes with marriage. Childbirth will delay me for at least six months, not to mention the disruption to government affairs, and it also carries the risk of difficult labor, death, and postpartum weakness. Master Xu, you've managed such a large asset before. Please calculate this account. How are my inputs and outputs?"
Xu Huiming was speechless!
"If I get married, it would be like taking on another load of work, and in my eyes, all of it is worthless. My career is already so busy that I don't want to waste any more energy on it."
Xu Huiming looked embarrassed, but she tried to make amends, "It's not necessarily unsolvable. As you said, you've already reached the position of Minister. Which family would dare ask you to deal with all the trivial matters in the backyard? Furthermore, with the trend of splitting up families in Jinzhou Prefecture, women no longer need to visit their parents every morning and evening like they used to. As for social interactions, the housekeeper will take care of that too. You just need to do your job as Minister well."
Feng Er shook her head firmly, "That's not necessary. I don't want to cause myself any more trouble."
She raised her eyes, a hint of coldness in them, "Especially with you."
Xu Huiming felt a dull pain in his heart and looked at Feng'er in disbelief. "Especially with me... What do you mean?"
Feng'er smiled softly, "Master Xu, you've always been smart, how could you not see through this? Now that Her Highness has ascended to the supreme throne and her achievements are complete, she is destined to become the greatest emperor of all time. And you are a member of the Xu family, so you can be considered a royal relative. I have no intention... nor do I intend... to get involved in the Xu family."
"If I marry you, I might just end up being someone's wife. But Master Xu, I've climbed out of the mire, and I want much more than that." Feng'er's eyes lit up. "Young men should have lofty ambitions, striving for success across the vast sky."
Xu Huiming stood there in a daze for a long time. The night wind blew in, and he heard the rustling of leaves outside.
His heart seemed to be empty in an instant.
It turns out that there is more than one Xu Zhenying in this world.
Sometimes he really envied Xu Zhenying. Behind her, there was always a group of like-minded partners who were willing to go through fire and water for her.
After an unknown amount of time, he smiled faintly, "I am neither happy nor worried, and I live my life to the fullest. You have such lofty ambitions, which is truly rare. It's my narrow-mindedness that makes me think too little. I'll just treat tonight's events as a joke—"
Feng Er nodded, "Of course, I also hope that Master Xu can find a good wife, live in harmony with her, and have many children and grandchildren."
Xu Huiming turned and left. The moment he opened the door, the night wind outside seemed to be even stronger.
The wind blew into the house, the lights flickered, and the oil lamp in front of Feng'er's desk went out.
Just like the light that went out in her eyes.
Well, you can't have your cake and eat it too. Some people and some things are destined to be incompatible.
And tonight is destined to be a sleepless night.
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