Gu Zhong stood up, knelt tremblingly, and kowtowed to Emperor Wen, saying, "Your Majesty! This old minister was negligent in selecting and supervising people, and it has nothing to do with the Prime Minister. This old minister implores Your Majesty to allow this old minister to retire and return home!"
Emperor Wen was delighted. "My dear Gu, please stand up. I will allow you to retire and return home. I will grant you a thousand acres of fertile land. Kang Peiyi, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, please be appointed Minister of Revenue! My dear Kang, please do not let me down!"
Left Vice Minister Kang Peiyi knelt on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace! I will manage the Ministry of Revenue well!"
Emperor Wen nodded in satisfaction and said, "Li Zehai and Li Zeyuan, doctors of the Ministry of Revenue, will serve as left and right assistant ministers of the Ministry of Revenue."
He looked at Li Mingfu and asked, "Prime Minister, are you satisfied with my arrangements?"
Li Mingfu suppressed his anger and bowed, saying, "I thank your Majesty!"
The early spring raindrops fell on the ground, and Li Mingfu's wife Gu Manqing cried to her father.
Gu Zhong consoled him, saying, "Your father has reached the age of retirement, so don't be sad. As long as you can help your son-in-law and the Crown Prince, even if you lose this position, it's no big deal."
Gu Manqing stopped crying and said, "Father, the Zehai brothers are still working in the Ministry of Revenue. The Third Prince's people are the ministers. How can my son have a chance to succeed?"
Li Mingfu's face turned ugly: "The Third Prince wouldn't dare to lay a hand on my son! It's just that the Emperor is suppressing the Crown Prince now, so we have to keep a low profile in the future."
Li Mingfu saw his father-in-law Gu Zhong off and returned to his study. He thought back to the morning court session, and the more he thought about it, the more furious he became. Who had set him up? The Emperor? The Second Prince? Or the Third Prince?
It’s such a headache to lose these 1,000 taels of gold!
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