Emperor Yugan was present, and although everyone was extremely surprised and curious, they did not talk about it. After all, the imperial edict had already been issued, so how could they have any room to interfere?
What's more, the imperial edict was drafted by the Ministry of Rites and then announced. I believe that before this, Emperor Yu Gan must have discussed it with all the important ministers before issuing it!
Therefore, instead of randomly assessing whether Han Che and Han Shaomian are capable of serving as assistant ministers of the Ministry of War and editors of the Hanlin Academy, it would be better to observe the expressions of those important officials to see if one can glimpse some of their thoughts from their faces and actions, so as to avoid offending the wrong people and bringing trouble to the whole family!
In just half a cup of tea, everyone's thoughts had already turned several times over, but their expressions were exactly the same. Apart from the joy on their faces, there was no other expression!
However, apart from Emperor Yugan who was sitting on the dragon throne with a gentle smile on his face, Prince Chen, Prince Hai, Chu Feiyang and others were only concerned with tasting the tea in front of them. They were not at all flustered by the sudden imperial edict, which made the other ministers who tried to get information from them look away in disappointment!
"Thank you for your grace!" Han Che and Han Shaomian were naturally as shocked as everyone else. Han Che's originally peaceful expression became slightly serious, while Han Shaomian quickly glanced at Prince Duan who was not far away. Seeing Prince Duan nodded at him calmly, he thanked the Lord together with Han Che, and the two of them quickly retreated to the table!
Although the ministers were already full of speculation, the female members of the family were already very excited. Han Shaomian had won the favor of the female members since he entered the venue. Now, looking at the newly promoted Han Che, those ladies immediately put aside their previous prejudice and contempt, and quickly estimated in their hearts how far his career could go, and whether he could become an important official like Chu Feiyang!
In addition, Han Che himself had a tall and straight figure, handsome appearance, and an unyielding temperament, which made all the young ladies blush for a moment. The ladies began to compete with each other and were determined to bring this new noble into their family and make him their son-in-law!
Yun Qianmeng quickly glanced at Emperor Yugan and saw that he had a smile in his eyes and a very easy-going expression. He looked at Han Shaomian and Han Che with satisfaction. It seemed that he had already regarded these two people as disciples of the emperor. He was not only paving their future careers, but also cultivating new power for him that he could control!
She turned her gaze to Chu Feiyang, only to find that he was also looking at her. Seeing the inquiry in her eyes, Chu Feiyang smiled elegantly and gave an affirmative answer. The two of them smiled at each other, and everything was self-evident. However, Jiang Muchen, who had been watching Yun Qianmeng, suddenly frowned, and the aura around him instantly dropped coldly!
"I never thought that this Han Zhuangyuan has such ability that he was chosen by the emperor as a 'Shujishi'! That Mr. Han is also a young talent. He became the Minister of War as soon as he entered the court. He really should not be underestimated!" Qu Feiqing withdrew her eyes from the venue, slightly leaned closer to Yun Qianmeng, and spoke in a low voice!
However, Qu Feiqing's gaze was on Qu Changqing who was sitting at the table opposite her!
After all, Qu Changqing is the legitimate son of the Duke of Fuguo. He has been fighting on the battlefield since he was a child. He was appointed as the Minister of War only after he made military achievements!
But no one would have thought that Han Shaomian could easily obtain this position just by being a martial arts champion. It is really enviable!
What's more, although the Han Mansion and the Prince Duan Mansion are related by marriage, they are still inferior to the Fuguo Mansion. Emperor Yu Gan's decision may be suspected of breaking the balance of the four major families!
Qu Changqing received his sister's slightly concerned look, but just nodded at her lightly. He did not get angry because the up-and-coming star surpassed him at the starting point. His calm and peaceful expression immediately made Qu Feiqing feel her brother's growth and maturity in recent years, and she felt relieved!
At this time, Eunuch Yu called the remaining four people to the emperor, took out another imperial edict, and read out aloud the positions of Kong Fan and others. For them who had just made their mark through the imperial examination, although the official positions were insignificant in the eyes of these royal relatives, for children from poor families, it was like a leap over the dragon gate!
Kong Fan was appointed as the editor of the Hanlin Academy this time. Compared with Han Che's sixth-rank Hanlin Academy compiler, the editor was a seventh-rank official position. But compared to Han Che who had just been in the limelight, Kong Fan now seemed to be much less popular!
Without so many eyes staring at him, Kong Fan felt very uncomfortable. He suppressed his anger, thanked the Lord for His grace, and returned to the table with the others!
"Brother Han, congratulations! We will be colleagues from now on! I hope Brother Han can be more tolerant!" Sitting down again, Kong Fan's eyes flashed with a smile, and he congratulated Han Che beside him in a relaxed tone, but his eyes were carefully observing Han Che's every move!
"Congratulations! I hope Brother Kong can give me more advice in the future!" Han Che lowered his eyes slightly, and when he raised them again, he was as cold as ever. Fortunately, everyone knew his temper and did not think too much!
"Today is New Year's Eve, but I am moved by the hard work of all the candidates in the past few months, so I issued an edict in advance, so this can also be regarded as a banquet! I hope that these candidates will not forget your original intention of serving the court when you become officials in the future, and can make achievements in their respective positions!" At this time, Emperor Yugan and the Empress Dowager raised their glasses and stood up at the same time!
Everyone looked at it and stood up respectfully, saying in unison, "Long live our emperor!"
After he finished speaking, everyone drank the wine in their cups, and only sat back in their chairs after Emperor Yugan took his seat!
At this time, Eunuch Yu had already arranged everything. After everyone was seated, he nodded to the eunuch waiting at the entrance of the Imperial Garden. Everyone only heard the music slowly rising, and a group of dancers came in one after another, dancing gracefully in the snow-covered Imperial Garden. The light dance clothes on their bodies fluttered slightly with their movements, with a cold and beautiful air that stunned everyone present!
As the music sounded, the atmosphere in the imperial garden became much more lively and relaxed. The ministers toasted each other and exchanged greetings. The new champion in civil and military affairs was surrounded by a crowd of people, some of whom were there to gather information, while others were there to win him over. It seemed like a simple palace banquet, but it was filled with countless calculations and schemes!
Yun Qianmeng did the opposite. Her gaze was not on Han Che and the others, but on Emperor Yugan and the others. She saw that although the empress dowager was smiling today, she had been silent since entering the imperial garden, and the empress was as gentle and virtuous as ever, and was carefully looking after the little princess beside her. As for Concubine Rong, who was sitting below the empress, her face was calm, and it was impossible to tell what she was feeling at the moment. Her red palace dress made her look as beautiful as a fairy. Compared with the noble phoenix on the empress's court dress, the peony embroidered with gold thread on Rong Rong's palace dress looked so beautiful, which complemented her beautiful appearance. No wonder some of the female relatives present were secretly talking about the eldest daughter of the Rong family!
Looking carefully at Rong Rong today, Yun Qianmeng's eyes suddenly darkened, and her gaze stayed on the hem of her skirt that was slightly wet by the snow water, and her heart suddenly tightened!
On the way from each palace to the Imperial Garden, in order to prevent the masters from falling, the palace servants had already laid out thick red carpets. Even though it was snowing at this time, the red carpets were always cleaned by the palace maids and eunuchs. Even the masters' shoes would not get wet, let alone their skirts!
Moreover, Emperor Yugan, the Empress, and the others were all dry, indicating they hadn't stepped on the snow during their journey! And today was a palace banquet for all the ministers, so who wouldn't care about their appearance?
Yun Qianmeng was staring at Concubine Rong in thought when she suddenly became aware of two murderous gazes shooting towards her. The hostility that came towards her made her heart tremble. She then turned her eyes away and looked at the opposite side, but she only found that everyone was chatting and having a harmonious scene. There was no longer the bloodthirsty gaze that made people feel cold!
"Meng'er, what's wrong with you?" Seeing Yun Qianmeng's face suddenly become serious, Qu Feiqing asked with some concern!
"It's okay!" Turning to look at Qu Feiqing, Yun Qianmeng replied with a smile, hiding his previous discovery and the doubts in his mind in his heart!
"Congratulations on the reunion of His Majesty's family!" At this time, among the male guests opposite, the King of the Sea turned his wheelchair slightly, raised his glass to the King of Chu and congratulated him with a smile!
"Thank you very much, Poseidon!" Chu Nanshan was not a person who would drag his feet. He picked up the warm wine in front of him, and gently clinked glasses with Poseidon in the air, and then they drank the wine in each other's glasses!
"I heard that Princess Heshun will accompany the Crown Prince of Northern Qi to Northern Qi tomorrow. I really admire your move! I would like to offer a glass to your Highness!" Chu Nanshan raised his glass and spoke to the King of the Sea with a smile as the eunuch next to him had just filled it up. Then, without waiting for the King of the Sea to speak, he drank the wine in the glass first!
The Sea King smiled elegantly, then raised his head and drank the wine in his hand. He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping from Yun Qianmeng across from him, then to Chu Pei and Chu Qingyang who were sitting not far away. He then spoke, "Your Highness now has many children and grandchildren! Now that his granddaughter-in-law has come into the family, I'm afraid he'll have a great-grandson next year! It's clear that our Western Chu is still the most blessed. Your Highness is also the most fortunate! I think Young Master Chu is a handsome man, and I believe he will serve the court in the future and become a man as accomplished as Prime Minister Chu! By then, the Chu family will become a unique and prestigious family!"
Since the positions of the princes, dukes and first-rank ministers were closest to Emperor Yugan's dragon throne, Emperor Yugan could hear them clearly even if they were just communicating at a normal volume!
Haiquan's uniqueness probably refers to his supremacy over the four great families! The King of Chu now commands a large army, Chu Feiyang leads all officials, and Chu Pei is a major military and political minister. Three generations of his family have held powerful positions. If they continue to develop their family into the most aristocratic family in Western Chu, I'm afraid they will face calamity soon!
Hai Quan's words sounded like praise and admiration, but in fact, they were a death warrant. I'm afraid any king would not have the magnanimity to tolerate his courtiers who had so much power and influence!
Chu Nanshan listened to Hai Quan's words with a smile. There was no arrogance or timidity in his calm eyes. He faced the possible storm with his unique calmness. Even Prince Duan, Qi Jingyuan and others on the side became interested in this old man with white hair and beard, and could not help but look over here!
"Cough cough cough... What did Prince Hai say just now? Cough cough cough... I am old, blind and deaf, and I don't know how many days I can live. Now I can't hear good words or bad words! Please say it again, Prince Hai! Cough cough cough..." Suddenly, the King of Chu, who was in good health just now, started coughing violently, and his whole face turned red because of the discomfort!
Chu Feiyang, who was sitting beside him, immediately stood up nervously and came to the side of King Chu. He carefully stroked King Chu's back to calm him down, and said with concern, "Grandpa, why did you have to be so stubborn just now! Although the Sea King is of noble status and the wine he toasted cannot be refused, you can't be so stubborn and drink it all! You knew that your health has been deteriorating since the beginning of winter, but you still insisted on doing it for the sake of face. Do you think your grandson is a 'dead man'?"
Chu Feiyang took care of King Chu while speaking carefully. The two 'dead men' spoke very slowly and heavily at the end. A cold look flashed across the Sea King's body, like hail in a cold wind and rainstorm. Even if it would not kill him, it would not let him off easily!
"It was my negligence! Your Highness, drink some hot tea to calm down!" Seeing that Emperor Yugan had called Eunuch Yu over and was whispering something in his ear, Haiquan picked up the teacup in front of King Chu and spoke with concern!
At this time, Chu Nanshan was coughing and shaking his head, pushing the teacup in front of him away, but he was so uncomfortable that he couldn't say a word!
“Your Highness, you may not know that my grandfather is old and it’s easy for him to phlegm when drinking tea. Unlike your Highness, who is in his prime and really enviable!” In the blink of an eye, the sharpness in Chu Feiyang’s eyes disappeared, and then replaced with his usual gentleness. At this moment, he personally poured a glass of water and handed it to the King of Chu, asking him to drink it to breathe slowly!
Seeing that the grandfather and grandson rejected his kindness, Hai Quan also heard the hidden meaning in Chu Feiyang's words, but he put down the teacup in his hand with a faint smile, as if to cooperate with King Chu, and spoke with a slightly raised voice, "Chu Xiang is really filial! He cares about King Chu so much, it's really worth the King Chu's training of Chu Xiang! If anyone dares to bully the prince in the future, I believe that Chu Xiang will seek justice for the prince! It's a pity that I, Chen Xi, am so focused on eating, drinking and having fun, let alone caring about me, his father. As long as he doesn't cause trouble for me, I will be thankful!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the officials around them all laughed, but Chu Pei and Chu Qingyang, who were not far away, looked at the situation here with a serious expression, and then turned their eyes away!
"Your Highness, Your Highness, the Emperor has asked me to ask Imperial Physician Nie to diagnose Your Highness!" At this time, Eunuch Yu came over with Nie Huaiyuan. Seeing that Prince Chu was a little unstable, he spoke respectfully to Chu Feiyang!
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your consideration!" Chu Feiyang immediately stood up straight and looked at Emperor Yugan and thanked him loudly. However, Emperor Yugan just nodded with a smile on his face and said with concern, "Let the imperial physician diagnose the prince. Don't delay the treatment!"
Upon hearing this, Nie Huaiyuan was about to step forward to check Chu Nanshan's pulse, but was stopped in his tracks by a word from the Sea King. The Sea King looked at Nie Huaiyuan's court robes, the pattern on his chest, and slowly said, "The Prince of Chu is the treasure of Western Chu. Eunuch Yu, why don't you ask the head of the Imperial Hospital to come and check the Prince's pulse? This will only demonstrate the importance of the Prince of Chu and will not disappoint the Emperor's trust in you!"
Upon hearing this, a sneer flashed across Prince Chen's eyes, and he immediately spoke, "How can an eighth-rank imperial physician diagnose the prince's condition so casually? Eunuch Yu, do you look down on Prince Chu or are you incompetent? Do you need the emperor to punish you with a beating before you know what to do?"
Eunuch Yu was really wronged. The emperor was entertaining his ministers today, and the head of the Imperial Hospital was naturally on the guest list. But he was already drunk, so how could he take a pulse?
It just so happened that Doctor Nie was invited to today's palace banquet because of his meritorious service in Luocheng. Eunuch Yu invited him because he saw that he did not drink alcohol. But now he was wronged by King Chen of the Sea, which really made Eunuch Yu unhappy!
"It's okay. Since Doctor Nie was able to cure the plague in Luocheng, I am naturally confident in his medical skills!" How could Chu Feiyang not understand Hai Quan and Jiang Mucheng's thoughts? He immediately brought up the issue of the plague. Seeing that the two of them fell silent for a moment, he signaled Nie Huaiyuan with his eyes to come forward and take Chu Nanshan's pulse!
"Wait a minute! Prime Minister Chu is wrong. Doctor Nie had only diagnosed ordinary people before. How could he compare with the noble King of Chu? If there is even the slightest mistake, who will bear the responsibility?" At this time, Hai Chenxi spoke with a cold light in his eyes, and a faint smile of watching a show hung on the corners of his lips. Such two extreme expressions appeared on his face at the same time, but there was no contradiction at all, but rather harmony. The sinister smile immediately excited the daughters on the opposite side. They privately discussed all the handsome men they had seen today, and even locked on their targets to strike first!
"I don't agree with Prince Hai's point of view! The King of Chu is a citizen of Western Chu, and the people of Luocheng are also citizens of Western Chu. How can there be a distinction between high and low? Don't people of noble status suffer from birth, old age, sickness and death? Moreover, since the emperor has ordered Doctor Nie to be the imperial physician, it means that the emperor also believes in his medical skills! Naturally, I will not doubt Doctor Nie's medical ethics and skills, so why shouldn't I dare let him diagnose grandpa?" As he said that, Chu Feiyang put the King of Chu's hand on the table in front of him and asked Nie Huaiyuan to take his pulse!
After a while, Nie Huaiyuan put his hands away, bowed to Chu Feiyang and Chu Nanshan, and then turned to Emperor Yugan and said, "Your Majesty, the King of Chu is old, and coupled with the illness left over from years of war, his old illness will relapse as soon as winter comes. If these are not carefully treated, they may worsen!"
Emperor Yugan listened to Nie Huaiyuan's report, a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes. Seeing that the head of the Imperial Hospital and others in the distance were already a little drunk, he nodded and said with concern, "Your Highness, please use the best medicine. If there is any shortage, go to the warehouse to collect it. Don't be careless!"
"Yes!" Seeing that Emperor Yugan did not ask any other questions, Nie Huaiyuan finally put down his heart and slowly returned to his seat!
However, what happened today has given people some clues. I am afraid that there will be no peace in the court from now on!
"Hey, is that Prime Minister Chu's brother? He is indeed an extraordinary man! Madam Chu is so lucky!" The female relatives had already heard the conversation between the men. In addition, they had met Mrs. Xie in the side hall just now. The wife of the Minister of Personnel spoke to Mrs. Xie with a smile!
Hearing others praising her son so much, Xie couldn't help but smile, but she said modestly, "Madam Han, you are too kind. My son has only been studying with his father, but he is not even half as good as his elder brother. We just hope he won't be too naughty!"
Hearing this, Yun Qianmeng looked in the direction of the two people, only to see Xie talking respectfully with Madam Han. She must have known the details of these ladies long ago. Facing Madam Han, whose daughter had already entered the palace and become a concubine, Xie responded even more cautiously!
"Your second mother is such a versatile person! She has integrated into this group of noble ladies so quickly, she is really amazing!" At this time, Qu Feiqing turned down the toasts from others and walked close to Yun Qianmeng, whispering in her ear!
"Cousin, it seems like you know her very well?" The thin relationship between father and son made Chu Feiyang seldom talk about his father, let alone talk about Xie. Now seeing Qu Feiqing talking about her, Yun Qianmeng raised an eyebrow and asked!
"I just found out about this yesterday when I heard my grandmother and mother talking about it! Your second mother is not from Kyoto. It is said that her family is a famous and prestigious family in Youzhou. They also control the key trade routes between Nanxun Kingdom and Xichu in Youzhou. They can be said to be the number one family in Youzhou! No wonder, only a family like this can raise such a powerful daughter! Without some tricks, how could she get along well with others when she first met!" Seeing that Yun Qianmeng didn't seem to understand at this time, Qu Feiqing explained in detail!
"What about now? What's the situation of the Xie family in Youzhou?" Xie had said last time that both Xie Wanwan and Xie Yuanyuan's parents had died, so they brought the two orphans to the Chu Mansion to be raised!
But if they are a prominent family, doesn't the Xie family have anyone else who can raise the child? Why do they have to give the child to Xie Shuyi who is already married?
"I don't know about that! But there is one thing I have to remind you, Meng'er, you have to be careful of her! After all, Prime Minister Chu and Chu Qingyang are not born of the same mother, and Xie is still so young. I'm afraid that the position of King Chu will cause some competition in the future!" Qu Feiqing told Yun Qianmeng what her mother and grandmother had told her, but found that Yun Qianmeng looked normal, and there was not a trace of anxiety between her brows. Qu Feiqing had to admire this girl. No matter how difficult the situation was, Yun Qianmeng could always keep a cool head, which made her envious!
Yun Qianmeng naturally knew that this must have been what her grandmother and aunt asked Qu Feiqing to tell her. Her heart warmed slightly, and she smiled and nodded!
But she was a little confused. From the contact in the past few days, she felt that Xie and others had not yet had the intention of usurping the position of King of Chu. But Xie's overly enthusiastic attitude was indeed puzzling!
"Prince, why don't you see Princess Ling'er today?" At this time, the Queen Mother spoke slowly!
"Please forgive me, Queen Mother. Ling'er has been feeling unwell recently, so I asked her to rest in the inn and she will not attend the palace banquet tonight!" Seeing the Queen Mother asking about Qi Ling'er, Qi Jingyuan answered fluently, but when his eyes turned away from the Queen Mother, they shot towards Yun Qianmeng with a sinister look. The hidden anger in his eyes was also clearly felt by Qu Feiqing, who was sitting next to Yun Qianmeng!
"What's wrong with him? What does Qi Ling'er's illness have to do with us? Why is she glaring at us?" Being glared at fiercely by that murderous gaze, it would be a lie to say she wasn't frightened! Qu Feiqing was heard whispering to Yun Qianmeng through the curtains. She felt that these people from Northern Qi were truly strange. Qi Ling'er had appeared at the palace banquet before, looking like a peacock with its tail spread out. This was her last chance, but she claimed to be ill and didn't come. It was truly puzzling!
Facing Qi Jingyuan's anger, Yun Qianmeng curled her lips and smiled faintly. Others didn't understand the reason, but she knew it clearly!
Qi Ling'er was so presumptuous in Prince Chu's Mansion that day. She tried to suppress herself several times and even wanted to force Chu Feiyang to marry her. How could Yun Qianmeng swallow this?
So, when she held Qi Ling'er, she smeared some colorless and odorless powder on her hands. As long as it touched the skin, her whole body would become itchy, painful, and covered with red spots. It would take at least a month to recover!
I originally asked Yingqiu to develop these medicinal powders for her to carry with her for self-defense, but I didn't expect Qi Ling'er to become the first experimental subject. However, judging from Qi Jingyuan's attitude, Yingqiu's medical skills are still good!
Suddenly, Yun Qianmeng's mood improved, and she watched the dance performance in front of her with a smile in her eyes!
"Nie Huaiyuan, come forward and listen to the order!" The singing and dancing paused, and Eunuch Yu's voice rang out again in the imperial garden!
Everyone was puzzled as to why an eighth-rank imperial physician could be summoned by Emperor Yugan!
Nie Huaiyuan's slightly lowered eyes flashed with a hint of helplessness and determination. He could only stand up from the table and quickly walked towards Emperor Yugan. When he stood in the center of the venue, he knelt on both knees. Without waiting for Yu Gong to read the imperial edict in his hand, he said in a loud voice, "Your Majesty, I resign my position as the imperial physician of the palace hospital!"
Everyone was shocked when these words came out. Even Eunuch Yu, who knew the contents of the imperial edict, was filled with surprise. He could not help but glance cautiously at the gloomy Emperor Yugan. Eunuch Yu whispered to Nie Huaiyuan, "Doctor Nie, what are you talking about? The emperor favors you very much. How can you let him down?"
"Your Majesty, I am just a commoner! This time I was able to go to Luocheng to work for the people, which has benefited me a lot. It also made me determined to stay among the people and do more good deeds for the people. Please grant me your blessing!" As he said that, Nie Huaiyuan kowtowed to Emperor Yugan. It seems that he has made up his mind, and no one can make him change his mind!
Yun Qianmeng also did not expect that Nie Huaiyuan would make such a decision. Today was the New Year's Eve palace banquet, and he actually resigned and left the palace in front of civil and military officials as well as people from Bei Qi. This not only required great courage, but also meant the death penalty!
If someone were to slander him at this time, Emperor Yugan would get angry and his life would be in danger. Thinking of this, even Yun Qianmeng couldn't help but break into a cold sweat for Nie Huaiyuan. Who would have thought that this medical idiot who was immersed in books on herbs all day long would be so bold!
At this moment, a hand grasped Yun Qianmeng's. The cold sweat on her palm made Yun Qianmeng frown slightly. Then she covered her other hand, wrapped the ice-cold hand in it, and whispered in a comforting voice, "It's okay!"
But when Yun Qianmeng looked at Qu Feiqing, she saw that her face was pale, and her originally rosy cheeks were as pale as if all the blood had been sucked out. Although she tried to remain calm, her tightly pursed lips revealed her mood at the moment!
Seeing Qu Feiqing's eyes glued to Nie Huaiyuan, Yun Qianmeng suddenly understood that the biggest reason why Nie Huaiyuan resigned was probably to make Qu Feiqing give up on him!
After all, there was no precedent in Western Chu for marrying an official's daughter to a commoner. Although Nie Huaiyuan was only an eighth-rank imperial physician at this time, he was also an official in the court. This move of cutting off the source of the problem really put an end to all his thoughts!
However, by doing this, he has cut off all his retreat routes. If he wants to serve as an official in the court again in the future, it will probably be impossible!
"Imperial Doctor Nie is truly admirable. He regards his position as dirt, which is truly admirable! However, the emperor's grace is not something that everyone can possess. Doctor Nie has failed the emperor's grace. Isn't he a little too ungrateful?" At this time, Lord Shen, the Minister of Rites who drafted the imperial edict, spoke up!
Since the imperial edict was issued by him, he naturally knew its contents!
According to the memorial submitted by Prime Minister Chu, Nie Huaiyuan developed a prescription to stop the spread of the plague, so the emperor used him this time. However, he did not expect that this person was a wandering wanderer, and his mind was not at all on the court. He really let down the emperor's intention to promote him to the sixth-rank imperial physician!
"Lord Shen, you don't know that Imperial Physician Nie was also ordered to rush to Luocheng this time in a time of crisis! He has been taking care of the people and developing prescriptions in Luocheng day and night, and almost exhausted himself. How could he live up to the emperor's grace by working so hard?" Chu Feiyang spoke lightly, avoiding the important point and not talking about Nie Huaiyuan's resignation. He only talked about the fact that Nie Huaiyuan developed the prescription, and emphasized that he was wholeheartedly serving Emperor Yugan and the people!
Sure enough, after listening to Chu Feiyang's words, Emperor Yugan's originally gloomy expression improved a little, but his eyes full of gloom still shot towards Nie Huaiyuan with anger!
After all, today's emperor's face was lost because of a Nie Huaiyuan. Compared with the achievements made by Nie Huaiyuan, this is like the ocean and the rice grain, which can swallow the rice grain in an instant!
"You really don't want to serve the court?" Everyone held their breath because of Emperor Yugan's question at this moment, but at the same time, there was a gloating look in their eyes. They felt that Nie Huaiyuan was really a fool. He didn't seize the opportunity to rise to prominence, but took the initiative to resign. He angered Emperor Yugan like this, and this time he was likely to die!
"Your Majesty, please help me!" Although Nie Huaiyuan was just a small official, his backbone was admirable. Facing Emperor Yugan's questioning, he still insisted on his decision!
"Aren't you afraid that I will kill you?" Sure enough, Emperor Yugan had murderous intentions towards him at this time!
"Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has been a rare wise ruler since ancient times. If His Majesty kills me because of this matter, it will not cause any damage to the court, but it will be like a drop of ink on His Majesty's reputation for diligence and love for the people!" Nie Huaiyuan is not stupid. Naturally, he knows that if he doesn't say something at this moment, he is afraid that Emperor Yugan will really issue an order to kill him!
"Hahaha..." Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, everyone heard Emperor Yugan burst into laughter!
"Pah!" Amidst the laughter, Qu Feiqing accidentally knocked over the wine glass on the table, and the warm wine inside spilled all over her skirt. Fortunately, the sound was so subtle that it didn't attract too many people's attention!
Yun Qianmeng saw her losing her composure, and fearing that others would notice her abnormality, she immediately reached out and held Qu Feiqing's other hand to help her calm down!
Unexpectedly, Qu Feiqing's loss of composure still fell into Han Che's eyes. He saw that pair of cold and slightly chilly eyes turned slightly to Nie Huaiyuan. Han Che's brows rarely frowned, and the cold light in his eyes was like the surface of a lake in winter, emitting pieces of white light, which made people feel chilled!
"Prime Minister Chu, he was the person you recommended to me. What do you think about this matter?" Emperor Yugan gradually put away his smile and spoke with a stern face!
Chu Feiyang stood up upon hearing this and replied with a faint smile, "Your Majesty, when I recommended Nie Huaiyuan, it was also because of his superb medical skills and his dedication to serving the people that I made this choice! And the facts have proved that Nie Huaiyuan really cares about the patients in Luocheng and does everything himself. This also enabled him to develop the prescription in the shortest time and save the people of Luocheng! Now that he has resigned, although he can no longer serve Your Majesty in the court, he can also benefit the people among the people. Why don't Your Majesty let him go back for the sake of the people of Western Chu?"
With just one word, he transformed all the unfavorable situations into favorable ones, which made Emperor Yugan laugh and shake his head again. At this time, the Queen Mother also leaned closer to Emperor Yugan and whispered a few words in his ear. The anger on Emperor Yugan's face finally dissipated. Then he glanced at Eunuch Yu, signaled him to put away the imperial edict, and spoke personally, "Since the Prime Minister of Chu has spoken for you, I also know that keeping you in the Imperial Hospital will not allow you to concentrate on your duties! The Ministry of Rites has drafted an edict to dismiss Nie Huaiyuan from his position as imperial physician and forbid him from serving as an official in the court for life! Moreover, you have offended me today, but considering your contributions to Western Chu, the death penalty can be spared, but the living punishment cannot be escaped. Come, drag him away and give him thirty lashes!"
When Qu Feiqing heard that Emperor Yugan was going to severely punish Nie Huaiyuan, she immediately struggled to stand up, but was held down by Yun Qianmeng. At the same time, Yun Qianmeng reminded her in her ears, "Don't move, otherwise, not only will you lose him, but you will also be suspected by everyone!"
Until this moment, Yun Qianmeng felt somewhat relieved. Even if Emperor Yugan really wanted to kill Nie Huaiyuan, she was afraid that Old Lady Gu and Qu Lingao would also step in. After all, to them, Nie Huaiyuan was also Qu Lingao's savior. Didn't the Queen Mother's actions just now illustrate this point?
"Your Majesty, today is New Year's Eve. It is better to wait until after the New Year to carry out the caning to avoid bad luck!" At this time, the Queen Mother spoke lightly!
"Your Majesty, your Majesty is right!" After hearing the Queen Mother's suggestion, Emperor Yugan waved his hand and had Nie Huaiyuan taken away. Upon seeing this, Eunuch Yu immediately signaled for music to be played to prevent the atmosphere in the Imperial Garden from becoming so deserted!
At this time, the young eunuchs took advantage of every opportunity to walk past the dancers, built a bonfire in the middle of the imperial garden, and put a rack on it. Then everyone saw the imperial chefs carrying a suckling pig that had just been slaughtered come in, and they skillfully placed the suckling pig on the bonfire and slowly turned it. Soon, bursts of fragrance wafted through the imperial garden, which stimulated people's appetite. Everyone seemed to have forgotten what happened to Nie Huaiyuan just now, and began to toast and make friends again. The largest number of people came from Chu Feiyang and King Chen's side. The ministers took turns to come forward to toast, leaving them no time to rest!
The female members of the family also stood up to chat. Looking around, the only people who remained seated were Concubine Rong and Hai Tian and her daughter!
However, compared to Concubine Rong's calmness, Princess Hai held Hai Tian's hand the whole time, and the two of them communicated with each other. It must be that Hai Tian was about to leave Xichu, and as her mother, Princess Hai was naturally reluctant to let her go!
"Brother Han, let's go and toast King Chen!" Although he was only a seventh-rank editor, being able to enter the Hanlin Academy gave Kong Fan a glimmer of hope. As long as he could survive the three-year probation period, he would have the opportunity to become the internal minister. The most important thing at this time was to attach himself to a powerful family so that he could surpass Han Che as soon as possible!
"I'm not good at drinking, so Brother Kong should go by yourself!" But Han Che rejected Kong Fan's suggestion and just sat at the table drinking the tea in front of him. Even the exquisite royal meal in front of him did not attract his attention!
Kong Fan glanced at him suspiciously, feeling that Han Che was unpredictable today. However, he also knew that he had no intention of currying favor with King Chen, which was why he had just pretended to be generous and invited him! Seeing that he refused, Kong Fan stopped talking and walked towards the gathering place of the powerful and influential people in front of him with the wine glass in his hand!
"Meng'er, I want to go to the side hall to rest for a while!" Qu Feiqing lost interest in the Imperial Garden because the person she loved was missing. With some wine spilled on her skirt, she got up and left the table!
"I'll accompany you!" Thinking about what happened to her last time in the palace, Yun Qianmeng was still worried about letting Qu Feiqing stay alone in the side hall, so she stood up as well, and the two of them walked hand in hand across the archway and into the side hall!
However, Qu Feiqing's departure made Han Che feel a little disappointed, but his eyes were still so calm that no one could detect anything unusual!
"Brother Han, would you like to go with me to toast the Minister of Justice? Mr. Qu was once the Minister of War, and I have some questions.
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