Chapter 259 Even if you don't fall, you'll still have to shed a layer of skin.
The next day, Jiang Yu was summoned to the imperial study by the emperor again. The emperor told her about the Prince Yong's visit to apologize, and then said, "Go ahead and do the reforms boldly, without any worries."
"Yes," Jiang Yu replied immediately.
The emperor and his minister discussed the recruitment of engineering talent for some time before Jiang Yu left the imperial study. Upon arriving at the government office, Lu Tianzong told her that several recommended engineering talents had arrived.
"Tell them to wait a moment, Prince Rui is here, let's go see them together."
Lu Tianzong went to do it after hearing this, and Jiang Yu returned to his study to wait for a while before Prince Rui arrived. Today, Prince Rui was dressed in a moon-white robe, and because of the cold weather, he wore a cloak over it. The white fox fur on the cloak was gathered around his neck, making his already exquisite face look like that of an immortal.
Jiang Yu was momentarily stunned when she saw Prince Rui like this. She told herself that no one dislikes beautiful things, and it was understandable that she was captivated by a handsome man.
But somehow, as soon as she opened her mouth, she said something she shouldn't have: "Your Highness's clothes today suit you very well."
She regretted her words as soon as they left her mouth, while Prince Rui's ears turned hot and red, and he didn't know how to respond to Jiang Yu. Just then, Jiang Yu said, "The person has arrived, let's go see him."
"Okay...okay." Prince Rui was somewhat dazed; for the first time, he felt incredibly stupid. He should have said something just now; that would have made him seem less awkward.
But what should he say? Should he compliment the Duke of Chu on his fine attire? That seemed a bit frivolous. Saying thank you for the compliment didn't seem quite right either. Even as he reached the room's door, Prince Rui couldn't figure out what to say.
"Please sit down, Your Highness." Jiang Yu's words brought him back to his senses, and he realized the mess in his mind just now, and his face became a little hot again.
Jiang Yu was unaware of the turbulent emotions that Prince Rui had experienced because of her words. She looked down at the recommended candidate's information, then turned to Prince Rui and said, "Your Highness, please ask the questions first."
Prince Rui steadied himself and said calmly, "You may come."
Jiang Yu did not refuse and asked questions one by one, exchanging a few words with Prince Rui in between. Prince Rui felt somewhat ashamed seeing her seriousness while his own mind was in a mess.
After asking the questions, Jiang Yu sent the others back. She then said to Prince Rui, "Your Highness, would you like to prepare a test for them to complete?"
Prince Rui thought for a moment and said, "Alright, I'll give you the exam paper tomorrow."
“Okay.” Jiang Yu smiled at him, but Prince Rui’s gaze met her smiling eyes and he immediately looked away.
After discovering this, Jiang Yu found Prince Rui quite interesting. Checking the time, she realized it was lunchtime and said, "I'd like to invite Your Highness to lunch."
Prince Rui's eyes lit up. "Good."
Jiang Yu asked Xia He to make a reservation at a restaurant near the government office, while she and Prince Rui returned to their study. The two sat at the tea table chatting, and Jiang Yu asked with some curiosity, "How did Your Highness come to enjoy research?"
Prince Rui's heart was beating quite fast at this moment; in fact, it had been beating very fast ever since he saw Jiang Yu. He clenched his fist slightly and said, "I began my formal education at the age of three, and my tutor was Grand Scholar Lan."
Once, during a break in one of my classes, I flipped through a book he always carried with him—"The Tales of Nature." I couldn't put it down, and seeing my interest, he gave it to me. I then began to study it carefully.
"How old were you then?" Jiang Yu asked.
“Five years old.” Prince Rui spoke of his favorite things, his eyes shining brightly. Then he continued, “What I was most curious about was the waterwheel. How could something so big and heavy keep turning?”
To find out, I even ran outside the city, only to accidentally fall into the river. I was severely reprimanded by the Empress Dowager and my elder brother. My brother also forbade me from doing anything like that again, but later he still had a small waterwheel made for me.
As he said this, Prince Rui's face softened with warmth. Jiang Yu thought to herself, "Putting everything else aside, the Emperor is truly good to Prince Rui."
"Did Your Highness secretly study it later?" Jiang Yu asked.
Prince Rui nodded, "My brother and the Empress Dowager saw that I really liked it, so they stopped trying to stop me. Later, my brother even gave me the Mo family's last testament. My brother treated me so well, but I was unable to help him."
"What Your Highness is doing now is very important, more important than a thousand troops," Jiang Yu said earnestly.
"Is that so?" Prince Rui asked.
"yes."
Prince Rui smiled, his smile as radiant and pure as a blooming orchid in a secluded valley. Jiang Yu was momentarily stunned.
At this moment, Xia He came in and said that the arrangements at the restaurant were complete. Jiang Yu then went to the restaurant with Prince Rui, and the two chatted while eating. Although Jiang Yu wasn't a researcher in her previous life, she had received many years of education and had a solid foundation in theoretical knowledge. During their conversation, she provided Prince Rui with considerable inspiration, and his gaze towards her became even more ardent.
After the meal, the two chatted for a long time, and when they parted, Prince Rui looked like he was still enjoying the conversation.
Back at the government office, Jiang Yu carefully reviewed the information of the engineering talents who had visited that day. He also pondered how to cultivate more engineering talent.
The next day, as soon as she arrived at the government office, Prince Rui's personal attendant delivered the examination paper, saying that Prince Rui had originally intended to deliver it personally, but had been summoned to the palace by the emperor. Jiang Yu, of course, did not mind this.
She looked at the exam paper set by Prince Rui and felt that some of the questions were too obscure, so she circled them with her pen, thinking she would discuss them with Prince Rui later.
At this moment, Lu Tianzong arrived. After sitting down, he looked at Jiang Yu's expression before saying, "Yesterday, the owner of Baoyuan Money Shop came to see me."
Jiang Yu hadn't expected the Ling family to find Lu Tianzong, so she said, "You're related to his family."
"No." Lu Tianzong quickly shook his head. "A distant relative of mine knows the eldest son of the Ling family."
Jiang Yu nodded. These connections in the capital were layered upon layered.
Lu Tianzong glanced at her face again, then said, "The head of the Ling family says he wishes to see you."
"I won't see you," Jiang Yu said without hesitation.
Lu Tianzong understood. He was just testing the waters with Jiang Yu today. Anyway, the Ling family had no connection to his family. If Jiang Yu agreed to meet the Ling family head, he, as the matchmaker, would also benefit. If Jiang Yu disagreed, he would simply give her his word.
However, judging from the current situation, the Ling family will suffer greatly even if they don't collapse this time.
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