"You're going to do business in the capital again, and I haven't heard a thing about it."
Tang Huan scratched his head and said with a forced smile, "It was the Wan family who took the initiative to come to us. I don't like the wine in the capital, so I simply decided to cooperate with them to do business with Fenjiu."
"Fenjiu?"
"This is the name of this wine. In my hometown, there is a Fen River..." Tang Huan finished speaking, then realized he had let something slip.
"Isn't your hometown in the capital? How come I've never heard of such a river before?"
Tang Huan smiled and explained, "I misremembered. This is a river I saw in a dream. I often dream of a bizarre and fantastical world, completely different from Daqing..."
Wu Lanxi ignored Tang Huan's lame excuse, "You might as well say you got drunk at Chunfeng Tower."
"Although I am not a good drinker, I do not think I will spoil Your Majesty's enjoyment."
"I hope so."
After saying that, Wu Lanxi pushed the bowl forward, and Lin Wan'er immediately continued to pour wine.
Tang Huan then realized that Wu Lanxi had unknowingly finished a bowl of wine.
He glanced down at his half-empty bottle of wine, then silently picked it up and drank it all, asking Lin Wan'er to refill it for him.
After drinking, the atmosphere became less serious, so Tang Huan took the initiative to ask, "What brings Your Majesty to see me today?"
"Xie Wu returned to Beijing this afternoon."
Wu Lanxi did not answer Tang Huan's question, but instead brought up another unrelated matter.
Tang Huan knew that the Empress had casually mentioned something unimportant, and began to ponder what she meant.
Xie Wu returned to the capital for disaster relief work, and he would certainly be rewarded for his contributions, at the very least being reinstated to his original position.
The Empress had previously promised to give the credit to Tang Huan, and considering that the Empress had asked Tang Huan what official position he wanted, he understood.
"Wang Tianze believes that your talent is enough to be ennobled and appointed as prime minister. He has been praising you highly during this period and has often boasted about your abilities to his friends in private."
"It is my honor to have the favor of Lord Wang."
"So what are your thoughts? Are you willing to leave your Seven Locust Tree County and enter the palace?"
Tang Huan was about to speak when Wu Lanxi interrupted him, saying, "Don't use Qihuai County as an excuse. I will not take away everything you have in Qihuai County. Even if you become an official in the court, I will still leave everything to you."
This directly shut down Tang Huan's excuse.
"What does Your Majesty wish me to do?"
Since we can't avoid it, we might as well make it a clean break.
Since it's a reward, promotion and wealth are inevitable.
I don't need to get rich right now, but I don't know what official position the Empress wants me to hold.
Tang Huan didn't expect to become prime minister directly based on disaster relief and a few novels. If anyone wanted him to do that, whether it was Wang Tianze or the Empress, Tang Huan would refuse at all costs and hide in Qihuai County.
He's not stupid; he knows very well what happens when someone is unworthy of their position.
"Xie Wu will attend the morning court session tomorrow, and I will announce this matter then. Since you have also participated in the disaster relief, you may attend the court session together."
Tang Huan sighed and said, "Yes."
"You seem reluctant?"
Tang Huan chuckled awkwardly, "It's not that I'm unwilling, it's just that I get a little nervous just thinking about it."
Wu Lanxi continued to speak to herself, "I will then allow you to enter the Hanlin Academy."
The Hanlin Academy in Daqing recruited a group of talents who were proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and was responsible for the Empress's entertainment banquets on a daily basis.
However, Wu Lanxi's reign was short-lived, and she devoted most of her energy to political affairs. Therefore, most of the people in the Hanlin Academy did not accompany the empress in any particular way.
Only a few Grand Secretaries were responsible for drafting imperial edicts or secret decrees; these were the Empress's most trusted individuals.
Because the Empress had very few entertainment activities, the people from the Hanlin Academy were also responsible for accompanying the royal family members in their studies. In Tang Huan's understanding, they were like tutors after school.
"But I am also in charge of the Imperial Academy. Won't I be overwhelmed?" Tang Huan instinctively refused.
The official positions in the Hanlin Academy were not considered high, and their power was not great.
Tang Huan just felt that this position was a bit too close to the Empress.
If it were any other ambitious person, they would have already knelt down and thanked the Empress for her grace. But Tang Huan was different; he only thought about enjoying his old age in his small territory of Qihuai County.
"With Lord Tang's abilities, holding two positions should not be difficult. Now you are known as the Poet Immortal, and you have done several noteworthy things at the Imperial Academy, plus your contributions to disaster relief. No one will object to you being admitted to the Hanlin Academy."
Wu Lanxi continued, "On the contrary, this reward might be a bit too little. Do you have any other ideas?"
“Disaster relief is for the benefit of the people. I have no intention of using this to gain personal benefits. Since Your Majesty trusts me, I will certainly live up to Your Majesty’s expectations.”
Since the Empress had come to explain things to him in advance, Tang Huan knew he couldn't refuse.
It would be impolite to refuse again.
What's the difference between turning the table when your boss serves you food and refusing a toast when your boss offers you a drink?
"Then it's settled."
Wu Lanxi picked up her bowl and continued drinking silently.
Although she was a woman, Wu Lanxi seemed to have a high alcohol tolerance. She had already finished three bowls of wine in a short time, and only a slight blush appeared on her face.
However, the empress rarely spoke, and Tang Huan didn't know whether she was drunk or not.
"Drunk, I knew not that the sky reflected in the water..."
Wu Lanxi murmured Tang Huan's poem and looked up at the distant starry sky.
Tang Huan moved closer to Wu Lanxi and said with a smile, "Your Majesty might as well look down."
Upon hearing this, Wu Lanxi lowered her head. In her slightly tipsy state, she saw a vast expanse of starry sky emerging from the deep lake.
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