Chapter 121 These women, unfortunately, are all blind.
Upon hearing this, Lin Xuean couldn't help but shudder.
He could no longer sit still, hastily stood up, and hurriedly bowed to Li Yuanshu: "Your Highness, this humble subject is unwell and must take his leave!"
After saying that, without waiting for Li Yuanshu's response, he turned around and walked quickly outside.
Li Yuanshu watched his retreating figure, which was almost a complete ruckus, and couldn't help but chuckle. He then said to Cao Dongyang beside him, "Look at him, he's really easily frightened."
Cao Dongyang bowed and replied, "Your Highness is wise. Lin Xue'an is like a duckweed in the wind. If we add a little more fuel to the fire, I have no doubt that he will pledge allegiance to Your Highness."
Li Yuanshu nodded in satisfaction, then turned his gaze back to the guests in the banquet hall, a smile playing on his lips.
By winning over Lin Xuean, they can plant a hidden agent next to Li Yuanzhao, ensuring that the agent will eventually have a role to play.
She wasn't afraid of what Li Yuanzhao would do to her if he found out.
Anyway, Li Yuanzhao always thought of her as "playing house with children," so this was a good opportunity to show her his skills and see if she still dared to underestimate him.
Besides, Lin Xue'an, that coward, probably wouldn't dare to make a scene in front of Li Yuanzhao.
On the other side, although Lin Xuezhu was led to a seat by a maid, her mind was not on the delicious food in front of her.
His gaze frequently drifted towards the head of the table, his eyes filled with barely suppressed resentment.
He dressed up carefully and tried to please her, but the Third Princess wouldn't even give him a glance. Instead, she treated Lin Xue'an, that illegitimate son, differently. How could he be willing to accept this?
"Hmph, just like Li Yuanzhao, all he cares about is that face!" Lin Xuezhu cursed inwardly, her fingers gripping the wine glass tightly.
He was born into the direct line and had a noble status. How could he be inferior to Lin Xue'an, that "son of a lowly person"?
But these women are all blind!
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He suddenly tilted his head back and drank the strong liquor in his glass in one gulp.
The pungent liquor made him cough twice, but it did not quell his anger at all; instead, it burned even more fiercely.
Just then, a hand with distinct knuckles suddenly reached out, carrying a wine pot, and slowly refilled his wine cup.
Lin Xuezhu paused for a moment, then turned to look.
Suddenly, a man dressed in a blue robe sat down beside her. It was none other than Du Cong, the third-ranked scholar of this imperial examination, whom she had not seen for a long time.
Although the two served in the same court, they had only met a few times before and had never had a deep conversation, so they could not be considered acquainted.
Du Cong's sudden act of goodwill surprised him.
Du Cong put down the wine pot and asked gently, "Lord Lin seems to be in a bad mood?"
Lin Xuezhu's expression changed slightly, and she scoffed inwardly: A cripple like him dares to laugh at me?
He didn't respond, but instead asked sarcastically, "Brother Du, has your leg injury healed? Is it still easy for you to walk now?"
Du Cong, however, seemed oblivious to the barb in his words and calmly replied, "Thank you for your concern, Brother Lin. I'm fine now."
Lin Xuezhu was speechless for a moment, and had no choice but to down the glass of wine in front of her.
Seeing this, Du Cong reached out and refilled his cup, asking, "Brother Lin, you look so troubled. Are you still troubled by the recent criticisms in court?"
Lin Xuezhu glanced at him, immediately becoming wary, and didn't reply.
Du Cong, however, continued, “Minister Lin has always been a man of high moral character, upright and honest, and a pillar of the nation. Yet now he has been unjustly implicated, not only incurring the Emperor’s punishment but also suffering damage to his reputation. This is truly an undeserved disaster.”
Hearing his words, Lin Xuezhu seemed genuinely indignant on behalf of the Lin family, so she lowered her guard slightly and couldn't help but reply, "Ultimately, it's because our Lin family's discipline is lax that we've produced such a disgraceful individual, giving others an opportunity to take advantage..."
Du Cong shook his head. "You can't say that. On the surface, everyone says that Minister Lin is a bad father, but in my opinion, it's not that simple."
Lin Xuezhu suddenly looked up: "What do you mean?"
Du Cong didn't say it outright, but instead said seemingly unintentionally, "A few days ago I passed by the Cui residence and saw a bustling scene of carriages and horses in front of the gate. The carriages of officials from the court were lined up for half a street. It was truly a scene of great activity."
Lin Xuezhu tightened her grip on the wine glass and said in a muffled voice, "The Cui family is powerful, so naturally everyone fawns over them."
He recalled his father's several visits to curry favor, only to be turned away by Cui Shiliang with the excuse of being "too busy with official business." Recalling the cold reception he had just received from the Third Princess, a nameless anger surged up from the bottom of his heart.
Du Cong poured him another glass of wine at the opportune moment, lowering his voice even further.
"Prime Minister Cui is currently riding high, and even the Second Prince relies on the Cui family's influence when he goes to Hebei for disaster relief. The eldest son of Cui is accompanying the disaster relief this time, and when he returns successfully, he will probably rise even higher. In comparison, a poor family like mine is not even worth a second glance."
These words completely ignited Lin Xuezhu's pent-up resentment.
He already felt humiliated by his father being reprimanded and his younger brother stealing his limelight. Now, under the influence of alcohol and Du Cong's "heart-to-heart" provocation, he even joined in the complaints.
"The Cui family... relying on their power, have they ever truly cared about us who depend on them? They're nothing more than pawns summoned when needed and discarded when unwanted!"
Seeing this, Du Cong calmly handed over another cup of wine.
"Brother Lin, please calm down. Prime Minister Cui is very powerful, so it is only reasonable for the Lin family to back down for the time being. It's just... unfair to someone as talented as you, Brother Lin."
"Talent? What good is it!"
Lin Xuezhu tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass. The alcohol gradually clouded his mind, and he became increasingly reckless in his speech.
“My elder brother studied hard from a young age and passed the imperial examination to obtain an official position. But what about Cui Dalang? He only got a sinecure by relying on his father’s influence. In terms of real ability, he can’t even compare to one of my elder brother’s fingers! If he hadn’t been born into a good family, would he even be worthy of following the Second Prince to disaster relief and gain political credit?”
When he was so hoarse and his face was flushed, Du Cong finally spoke slowly, his tone carrying a hint of reminder.
"Brother Lin speaks the truth when drunk, but please keep your voice down, otherwise if these words are overheard by Prime Minister Cui's men, it may cause unnecessary trouble for the Lin family."
These words, however, provoked Lin Xuezhu's rebellious spirit. He suddenly stood up, his breath ruffled by alcohol, and his voice rose sharply.
"I'm afraid of the Cui family? Who do they think they are? They just dare to act like tyrants in the capital because they sent a daughter into the palace to become a concubine and gave birth to a prince! Cui Shiliang is cunning and treacherous, Cui Dalang is a complete fool, and there isn't a single clean person in the entire Cui family!"
He was so drunk that he was out of his mind and his voice was extremely loud.
The room fell silent instantly, and the surrounding guests turned to look at each other in bewilderment.
No one expected that the second young master of the Lin family would dare to curse the Cui family so vehemently at the third princess's banquet. Has he gone mad?
Even Cui Qilang, who was sitting quite far away, heard it.
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