Chapter 182 Imperial Audience
Huo Lin waved his hand impatiently: "Alright, go and prepare for the palace relocation. As for the promotion, I have my own plans."
Hearing Huo Lin's tone soften, Wang Degui felt as if he had been granted a pardon and scrambled out of the room.
They were afraid that if they hesitated even a moment longer, this gentleman would change his mind again.
The hall was finally quiet again, with only Huo Lin remaining.
He returned to his study, but he couldn't concentrate on reading the memorials and documents.
After thinking about it, I felt it was time to look through the Jiang family genealogy.
Family background...
He wanted to see what kind of family background could make Wang Degui's palms sweat and his feet go cold.
The eunuch who had been instructed to carry out the task returned with a scroll a moment later.
Before even reading the contents, Huo Lin's brows furrowed.
The Jiang family of Jiangnan has a genealogy so thin it's translucent!
Jiang's father, Jiang Wenyuan, was a Doctor of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and a professional bell ringer.
They didn't even have the right to stand in front of the palace in the imperial court; they could only wait at the palace gate.
Let alone meeting him, it would be difficult for Jiang Wenyuan to even see him.
The rest of the clan were even more unremarkable, a rare breed among the rare, and their influence had waned to the point of decline.
Tsk... No wonder Wang Degui looked so dejected.
But so what?
He liked Jiang Huan as a person, not her family background.
Besides, he is her biggest support, why would she need her family's backing?
Huo Lin casually tossed the family tree back onto the table, his eyes resolute.
There's always a way to overcome difficulties. Since her family background isn't good enough, we should find a way to help her family.
Let's start with her father...
Morning next day.
Civil and military officials stood in two rows on either side, heads bowed, creating a solemn and respectful atmosphere.
Huo Lingao sat on the dragon throne, his black dragon robe accentuating his tall and straight figure. His handsome face was slightly stern, exuding the unique majesty of an emperor.
His gaze slowly swept over the crowd below, listening to the reports from various officials, but his mind was somewhat wandering.
Jiang Wenyuan was standing so far away that his neck was about to ache from craning his neck, but he still couldn't see even half a figure.
Huo Lin strained his eyes to search among the group of low-ranking officials at the far end of the hall.
But there were too many people, and they were all wearing similar official robes with their heads down, so their faces were impossible to see.
He lost his patience, cleared his throat, and interrupted the Minister of Revenue who was giving a report.
Where is Jiang Wenyuan?
The voice wasn't loud, but it was like a thunderclap from a clear sky, instantly shattering the silence of the court.
The officials below all looked up, their faces showing varying degrees of astonishment and bewilderment.
At the very end of the line, almost touching the palace gate, a middle-aged official was bowing his head, trying to minimize his presence.
Jiang Wenyuan has been living a life that is both anxious and Zen-like lately.
He had naturally heard the news that his daughter was favored in the palace.
He was both surprised and delighted. He was surprised that his daughter had caught the emperor's eye, and delighted that his daughter finally had someone to rely on.
But what followed was all sorts of roundabout inquiries and probing.
Some colleagues subtly hinted at it, some superiors offered earnest advice, and even distant relatives came to try and establish a connection.
Jiang Wenyuan has been in officialdom for many years. Although his official position is not high, he is cautious and careful.
He knew all too well that being favored in the harem was a double-edged sword; a slight misstep could bring trouble to his daughter and even bring disaster to his family.
Therefore, he decided to play dumb.
No matter who asked, he looked completely bewildered.
In short, he acted like a coward who thought, "My daughter is my daughter, I am me, I know nothing, and I don't get involved in anything."
At this moment, he was trying to curl himself up into a ball, silently chanting "The court session is over, the court session is over quickly," praying that he could also slack off peacefully until the end of the day.
Sudden……
Where is Jiang Wenyuan?
The sound was like a thunderclap from the heavens, striking Jiang Wenyuan directly on the top of his head.
He shuddered violently and almost fell over on the spot.
Who? Who called him?
That voice sounds like it's coming from up above? Could it be... the Emperor?
Jiang Wenyuan stiffly raised his head, just in time to meet the gaze of the emperor on the dragon throne.
In an instant, Jiang Wenyuan felt a chill rush from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, his mind went blank, and his hands and feet were ice cold.
It really is the Emperor. Why would the Emperor suddenly call his name?
Has he done anything wrong recently? Could it be that his daughter got into trouble in the palace?
Jiang Wenyuan's legs went weak, and he practically tumbled and crawled out from the back of the line. In his panic, he almost tripped over his own official robe.
"Your humble servant, Jiang Wenyuan, pays respects to Your Majesty!"
He knelt down on the steps with a thud, his voice trembling uncontrollably.
All eyes in the hall instantly focused on the minor official who had suddenly rushed out and knelt down in a disheveled state.
Huo Lin looked at the figure below him, trembling like a leaf, not daring to even lift his head, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
Tsk, so timid, can't even kneel steadily.
Is this really her father, acting like such a coward?
Huo Lin was inwardly disgusted, but outwardly maintained the dignity of an emperor.
"Raise your head." His voice was flat, revealing neither joy nor anger.
Jiang Wenyuan trembled again, and raised his head shakily. His face was ashen, his eyes were unfocused, and he was screaming in despair inside.
The Emperor is watching him. What should he do? What should he say?
My dear daughter, I'm so sorry, I've let you down!
Huo Lin looked at his pathetic state and felt extremely disappointed in him.
But he suppressed the subtle displeasure in his heart and spoke softly.
"Is Minister Jiang working at the Court of Imperial Sacrifices?"
"Yes, yes! Your humble servant... Your humble servant is currently a Doctor of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices." Jiang Wenyuan's voice trembled so much that it was almost incoherent.
Why would the Emperor suddenly show concern for him and even ask about his official position?
Is it possible that the Jiang family is about to suffer such a terrible fate as having their entire family wiped out?
Hearing his trembling voice, Huo Lin couldn't help but feel a vein throbbing on his forehead.
Why are you trembling? He's not the King of Hell; he can't summon souls with just a few words.
With that kind of courage, if you were in charge of rites and music at the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, would you be so scared that you wet your pants if a single note was played a little too loudly?
But thinking of Jiang Huan, he patiently continued to ask, "How is the preparation for the sacrificial ceremony at the Imperial Ancestral Temple progressing recently?"
Jiang Wenyuan was taken aback, then quickly realized what was happening and hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, the sacrificial vessels have been inventoried, and the music... is also ready..."
As he spoke, he tried hard to recall the documents he had read a few days ago, afraid of answering a single wrong word.
Looking at him, who was trembling and about to faint at any moment, Huo Lin felt the frustration caused by his family background almost bursting out of his head.
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