Chapter 853 A Dream of Youth 385
This made things much easier for Chen Wanniang and Xie Yun, since even with more servants, it's better to have someone of higher status to greet the guests.
Not to mention that those doctors are also skilled in medicine and can provide more thorough care.
For the Xie family, they gained more helpers, while for those students from outside the school, Xie Ning gave them an opportunity.
After all, given the current status of the Xie family and Xie Ning, most of those who can attend Xie Ning's coming-of-age banquet are high-ranking officials and nobles. The students are occasionally sent to provide free medical services, which allows them to come into contact with ordinary people, but they lack the opportunity to come into contact with the powerful and wealthy.
Yan Xi really wanted to attend Xie Ning's coming-of-age ceremony, but the Empress Dowager stopped her, saying it was against etiquette and that such excessive favor would be bad for both Xie Ning and Yan Xi herself.
Therefore, Yan Xi could only send someone to deliver a gift, and the Empress Dowager also sent a coming-of-age gift in accordance with her wishes.
Yan Xi couldn't come, but Princess Jia Yue came in full regalia, accompanied by many noble ladies from the imperial family. She also greatly admired Xie Ning, and thus brought people to support him.
Banquet tables were set up on both sides of the garden, for men and women. Since the coming-of-age ceremony had not yet begun, only some pastries and iced drinks were served before the meal. The arrangement was extremely beautiful.
The musician glanced at the clock and knew that the auspicious time had arrived. He then gently struck the clock to let the guests take their seats. However, to everyone's surprise, the guest of honor invited by Xie Wangzhi was none other than Prime Minister Xia.
It's worth noting that the two had previously argued in court, though Xia Xiang hadn't managed to out-argue Xie Ning that time.
Knowing that Xie Ning had proposed the new law, everyone assumed that Minister Xia and Minister Yu, who opposed the new law, were on the opposite side of Xie Ning. Now, not only have both ministers come, but it turns out that Minister Xia is the one who will preside over Xie Ning's coming-of-age ceremony.
That's really intriguing.
Putting aside the issue of their positions and stances, in terms of good fortune, Xia Xiang should not have any connection to this, right?
Everyone knows that Prime Minister Xia has no children of his own; his two children were adopted.
Some elders found it absurd, let alone Xia Xiang himself. This was the first time he had ever presided over a coming-of-age ceremony. Of course, he had never presided over a coming-of-age ceremony either, because others thought he was not fortunate enough and did not want him to be involved.
It would be good enough if we could invite him to his coming-of-age banquet.
So he also asked Xie Ning why she chose him, since there are many female elders older than Xie Ning, and given the Xie family's status, it's impossible that they couldn't invite them.
Furthermore, he didn't believe it was someone else from the Xie family who had chosen Xie Ning, since Xie Ning had risen to this position at such a young age, and was naturally a person with his own opinions.
Xie Ning looked at him seriously and solemnly at that time. "Lord Xia is honest, rigorous, low-key and indifferent to fame and fortune. He has been incorruptible throughout his life. I worked in the history museum and have seen the history books that Lord Xia proofread and revised. I have also felt this in my heart."
How could Lord Xia, who passed the imperial examination with top honors at the age of twenty, be an inflexible person? During Emperor Cheng's reign, Lord Xia's vigor was like the rising sun, especially when he served as an advisor; he not only cared about the country and the emperor, but also about the people...
Perhaps for Lord Xia, that period of his career as an advisor was filled with gloomy failures, but for Xie Ning, it was like a candle in the night, only the night wind was too strong... Things are different now, does Your Excellency really want to let the candle go out?
"Now the court is rife with factions, and the monarch is weak. Does Your Excellency truly think this is a good thing?"
Lord Xia is not stupid. He knows that Xie Ning wants him to stand on her side, so that a balance can be formed between the left and right prime ministers, and only in this way can the monarch gain power.
A single party dominating the court without any checks and balances is a scourge.
"The new law..."
Xie Ning shook his head. "Lord Shi's new law has both advantages and disadvantages. I plan to remove the disadvantages and incorporate its essence on this basis, and establish a new law according to the current situation of the Great Zhou."
But Lord Xia knows that I am young and cannot compare with your extensive knowledge. Moreover, I have read Lord Xia's previous article on the drawbacks of the new law and have gained some insights from it. Therefore, I would like to ask Lord Xia for help.
The Western Jin has been eliminated, but the Northern Jin still looms large. I only wish for the people of Great Zhou to recover their vitality as soon as possible, so that if war breaks out again, they will suffer less.
Xia Xiang remained silent for a long time. He did not immediately agree to Xie Ning's request, but gave Xie Ning a reply several days later.
He was also conflicted. It seemed that spending so many years in the history museum compiling books had dulled his spirit. It wasn't until he heard Xie Ning's words that he opened the window a crack and let a sliver of light in.
Reform requires courage.
As the music changed, everyone's attention turned to the back. Xie Ning, with her long, flowing black hair, slowly walked forward from behind. The trailing train of her gorgeous purple dress brushed against the petals on the ground, her movements both elegant and free-spirited.
Xie Ning turned around and bowed to the guests, then bowed to Prime Minister Xia before sitting down on the prayer mat.
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