Chapter 50 The Jade Pendant on My Cousin's Waist
The Minister of Rites trembled and could barely speak.
Upon arriving at Caiyue Tower, his colleagues guessed his purpose and immediately shut him up.
They even moved him to the front so he could appreciate the game more directly.
"Minister Yao has worked hard his whole life, and he has never seen anything so interesting."
Minister Yao still remembered his mission, “Regent…Regent…Regent…” The Regent wants you to go back.
Wang Yuanwailang didn't give him a chance to finish speaking, "Look at Vice Minister Sun, a beggar who rose to the top in one step, becoming a fourth-rank vice minister in one go. What are we, who are dedicated to studying, supposed to do?"
An official immediately chimed in, "Since the competition at Caiyue Tower is more useful than the proper path, why should we spend ten years studying hard? Let's just participate in the competition directly. Who knows, we might become the next Minister. Minister Yao, don't you think so?"
Minister Yao was still stammering as he explained his purpose, “Your Highness…Your Highness…you all have to go back.”
Sun Qingzhao had anticipated this situation.
He is a nobody, and no one will listen to him.
No one may listen to what Prince Duan says, but fortunately he has brought troops with him.
First, drive away the people outside Caiyue Tower, then surround Caiyue Tower.
He also received guidance from Sun Qingzhao.
“Every single official who didn’t show up for duty today will be dismissed and questioned.”
Hearing that he had been dismissed and was to be questioned, which court official was not afraid? He hurriedly got up and ran to the government office.
However, Prince Rui blocked his way.
"Wow, Third Brother, you've got quite the big mouth."
Prince Duan knew that everything was caused by Prince Rui.
"With so many things to deal with at court, why are they running around making a fuss? Do they think they're getting too much pay?"
Prince Rui remained calm and composed, and said sarcastically, "Third Brother has it backwards. Everyone is so eager to improve that they had no choice but to come to Caiyue Tower to participate in the competition. After all, even a beggar can become a fourth-rank official, so if they work hard, they won't be too bad off."
"Fourth Prince, don't go too far!" Prince Duan could never win an argument with Prince Rui, and he always came out on the losing end of any fight.
With Prince Rui blocking his way, how could Prince Duan possibly take all the court officials with him?
This forces all court officials to choose sides.
If Prince Rui doesn't buy it, the ministers who support him naturally won't either.
The Grand Tutor's men naturally wouldn't buy it.
These two factions make up seven or eight tenths of the court officials. If we take away the old, weak, sick and disabled, the court will be empty tomorrow.
Prince Duan was furious, but couldn't come up with a solution for the time being.
Sun Qingzhao stepped forward at the opportune moment.
"Your Highness Prince Rui," he said respectfully, bowing with his hands clasped in greeting.
His expression was full of humility and respect.
"Your Majesty, I have a good idea."
Neither of Prince Rui's eyes could find a liking for him.
Both Grand Tutor Yao and the Right Chancellor were loyal to Prince Rui.
The former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel was recommended by the Right Chancellor, so he was naturally at the beck and call of Prince Rui.
But the regent was demoted because of Sun Qingzhao, and he lost an ally for no reason. How could he be happy?
"What can you do? I'm not like my second brother, so easily fooled."
Sun Qingzhao respectfully said, "Your Majesty, I know that all the court officials present do not respect me and despise my humble origins and unworthy title. Why don't we have a contest today? Whoever surpasses me in mathematics will immediately relinquish my position as a fourth-rank vice minister and withdraw from the court, never to return to the capital."
He believed that, apart from Han Xi, no one in the world could compare to him.
Prince Rui hesitated.
He does have many subordinates, but I'm afraid he can't find a single one with real talent and ability.
Moreover, it's mathematics.
The subjects that were abolished in the last imperial examination of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
Therefore, he hesitated and dared not agree.
Prince Duan deliberately provoked him: "What, Fourth Prince, you dare not?"
Prince Rui was indeed feeling guilty. Soon, an advisor came to his side and whispered, "Your Highness, I don't believe that so many of our court officials can't beat a beggar. In the previous competition at Caiyue Tower, the questions were simple, so of course he could win. Today, we'll give him some difficult questions, and I don't believe he can win."
Prince Rui immediately felt emboldened.
"Yes, even with so many of us, we still can't beat him."
“Sun Qingzhao,” Prince Rui straightened his back, “I’ll add one more condition: if you lose, you’ll have to crawl out of the capital.”
Sun Qingzhao agreed without hesitation, "Alright, as long as I lose, I will crawl out of the capital. However, I have a condition."
Prince Rui answered without hesitation: "You speak."
Sun Qingzhao: "If I am fortunate enough to win, I request that Prince Rui kneel before Prince Duan and kowtow three times, while shouting that Prince Rui has lost."
"You—" Prince Rui was furious.
Sun Qingzhao was not afraid at all.
If it weren't for the fact that it was considered extremely disrespectful for a prince to kneel before a subject, he would have simply made Prince Rui kneel before him.
The Prince Rui's advisor advised, "Your Highness, we will not lose."
Prince Rui also felt that he wouldn't lose; at worst, he could cheat at the crucial moment.
I don't believe Sun Qingzhao could find out.
The two sides reached an agreement, and Prince Rui ordered all his court officials to come forward together.
Including Chu Yannuo.
Chu Yannuo had no desire to take the position; he was a true member of the Regent's faction.
Back then, his father saved the Regent, Prince Duan, and the infant Princess Chaoli, and also did the Emperor a great favor. As long as he did not rebel, the Chu family would enjoy eternal glory.
What need is there for Prince Rui to charge into battle?
Prince Rui cannot have too close a relationship with him, and it is even more impossible for him to associate with the Grand Tutor's faction.
Back then, the Grand Tutor's family killed my maternal grandfather's entire family, and he had a blood feud with the Grand Tutor and the Empress.
Logically speaking, the Chu family was a benefactor of the imperial family, and their status extended far beyond a single marquis.
It was because of the Empress's suppression that the Chu family had no chance to rise in status.
"Your Highness, this humble subject..."
Prince Rui didn't give him a chance to finish speaking.
If Chu Yanqing could get third place in the last competition, then Chu Yannuo, as her brother, would have no trouble defeating Sun Qingzhao.
"Prince Chu, how dare you disobey my orders!"
Chu Yannuo naturally wouldn't dare.
He dared not offend Prince Duan because Prince Duan was a gentleman.
Prince Rui is a villain; he can only be appeased.
"Your humble servant will participate."
Anyway, he doesn't understand math, so he's just there to make up the numbers.
Now all contestants take their places.
Sun Qingzhao objected, "The questions can't be set by Prince Rui, can they? If so, this humble subject might as well just get out of the capital."
Prince Rui wanted to strangle him. "You have someone in mind?"
Sun Qingzhao couldn't think of a suitable candidate for the moment, "Then let's have Li, the owner of Caiyuelou..."
"I'll come up with the questions!"
A clear and beautiful voice suddenly came from the second floor.
Sun Qingzhao paused before finishing his sentence, and couldn't help but look upstairs.
It turned out that Han Xi was speaking from upstairs.
Prince Rui just heard Li Pixiu report that Han Xi agreed to his suggestion to fabricate the story and also asked for 500,000 taels of silver.
He has already ordered people to transport it to Caiyue Tower.
Therefore, he was certain that Han Xi was one of his own.
"So he is the smartest person in the Great Zhou Dynasty," Prince Rui said, showing respect for intelligent people, especially his own. He clasped his hands in a gesture of respect from afar.
“Minister Sun, the question was posed by the most intelligent man in the Great Zhou Dynasty. What else do you have to say?”
Sun Qingzhao naturally had nothing to say.
However, he had something to say to Prince Duan.
Avoiding Prince Rui, he whispered, "Hanxi is in danger. Please send someone to protect her, Prince Duan."
Prince Duan quickly gave a signal to the guards behind him.
That's his sister-in-law.
None of the officials returned to the court, and his second brother wouldn't do anything to him.
But if his sister-in-law gets hurt, it's no wonder his second brother would get angry at him in front of him.
"Since there are no objections, then prepare yourselves for the questions." Prince Rui tossed his python robe and sat down in the chair at the head of the table.
Tang Xinuan descended from the second floor, fanning herself with a feather fan.
As soon as she opened her mouth, Chu Yannuo recognized her voice.
That's his cousin, someone he's known for over ten years. He'd recognize her even if she were ashes, let alone a woman dressed as a man.
However, they couldn't immediately pinpoint the source of the sound.
Until Rui Wang bowed to the upper floor.
He looked in the direction of the sound and saw a young man dressed in a light blue, round-necked, right-fastening, narrow-sleeved robe coming down from upstairs.
The chest is adorned with a lotus flower pattern edged in gold, the cuffs are decorated with cloud patterns, and the head is adorned with a matching hard-cornered turban. The belt is decorated with rubies and turquoise, and is also adorned with purses, sachets, jade pendants, and other items.
The jade pendant is the most eye-catching among them.
If he wasn't mistaken, it was clearly the piece that the Regent never parted with.
He came down from upstairs at that moment, his appearance refined and elegant, dressed with a feather fan and a silk turban, like a young nobleman who had stepped out of a painting.
"Cousin..." Chu Yannuo couldn't contain her excitement and instinctively rushed to see him.
Suddenly, he noticed the jade pendant on her waist.
I don't know what the relationship is between my cousin and the Regent.
He knew that the Regent and Prince Rui were irreconcilable enemies.
Now that she's disguised as a man and appears here, he doesn't know if it's a blessing or a curse. He'd better wait a while before recognizing her.
Chu Yannuo admired himself. His cousin left without a word, and he had been searching for her for almost two months. He was still thinking of her so much, how could she not feel it at all!
Li Pixiu quickly prepared the table, laid out the paper, and even dipped the brush in ink. As soon as Han Xi arrived, he handed the brush to her with both hands.
"Young Master Han, please."
Tang Xinuan didn't stand on ceremony. She took the brush, adjusted the tip, and then looked at Prince Rui, asking, "Should the questions be more difficult or easier?"
Prince Rui was worried that his incompetent students wouldn't be able to solve problems that were too difficult.
He first gave Han Xi a wink, then said, "It should be of moderate difficulty."
His look was a signal for Hanxi to keep things simple and follow his instructions.
Unfortunately, Tang Xinuan was not good at reading between the lines and did not understand Prince Rui's thoughts.
Since the difficulty level was moderate, she chose one of the disaster relief plans from the Ministry of Revenue.
With a flourish of his pen, elegant and flowing ink appeared on the white paper, and in a short while, a problem that the Ministry of Revenue usually dealt with was solved.
"This is the first question."
She put down her brush and let Li Pixiu hang it on the easel.
Prince Rui craned his neck to look at it, but didn't understand.
But he had already suggested that Han Xi give him simple questions, and he figured these courtiers would understand.
It concerns money and grain; at least the Ministry of Revenue understands this.
Half of the Ministry of Revenue were the Grand Tutor's men, and the other half were his men. Such a simple question was a piece of cake for him.
This kind of question was only at the beginner level for Sun Qingzhao. He quickly wrote out the process and answer with a stroke of his brush.
Then he looked at Prince Rui and said, "Your humble servant... has finished answering."
Looking at the officials and civil servants, apart from Sun Qingzhao, they all had their brows furrowed, and most of them had not even put pen to paper.
Chu Yannuo is capable of doing things, but his mind is entirely on his cousin.
Why would my cousin come out and set questions? She's an idiot, what kind of questions could she possibly set?
I really wanted to go up and take him away.
When he saw the questions his cousin had set, his feelings became increasingly complicated and unbearable.
This is a disaster relief issue for 100,000 refugees in the Northern Region. How could she know about it?
Could it be that she came on the Regent's orders and memorized the Ministry of Revenue's questions on the spot...?
"Cough cough..."
Seeing that Sun Qingzhao had handed in his paper while the other court officials had not yet begun writing, Prince Rui grew anxious and coughed several times.
This brought Chu Yannuo back to reality.
Although he didn't handle the Ministry of Revenue's disaster relief plan properly at first, with the guidance of an expert invited by the Regent, and after careful consideration, he is now able to deal with it with ease.
He picked up his pen and wrote down the answer in a few strokes.
Prince Rui finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally, someone answered the question.
Otherwise, you'll embarrass yourself on the very first question.
Apart from Chu Yannuo, only five courtiers on Prince Rui's side answered the first question correctly.
The scene was extremely horrific.
Prince Rui was so angry he wanted to curse.
Prince Duan couldn't help but mock, "This guy is a talent. He can take on a hundred men at the crucial moment. What's the use of having a lot of men? They're all just rotten fish and shrimp. There's a saying, right? One man can hold the pass against ten thousand."
"He looks down on Vice Minister Sun; he can't even handle a simple matter of finances and grain, yet he dares to fawn over the court. It's laughable!"
Prince Rui was so angry that his face turned purple.
What a bunch of useless people! All the favors we received from him have gone to waste!
"The second question is simpler."
He refused to believe that these useless people couldn't make it.
If he really can't make it, he'll just abandon it altogether.
Tang Xinuan turned around and beckoned to Zisu, whispering, "Go and keep an eye on things. Not a single penny of the 500,000 taels of silver can be missing. Order people to transport it away immediately. Oh, and divide it into three batches and put it in three different places, the kind of places that even Prince Rui can't leave."
Zisu immediately ordered someone to handle it.
A stranger from the Prince's mansion led dozens of strong, burly men.
As soon as he received the silver, he immediately found a place to deposit it.
Even if it were the Heavenly King himself, let alone Prince Rui, he wouldn't leave.
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Author's Note: Chu Yannuo: I found my cousin!!!
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