Chapter 74
"My father-in-law asked me to come and stay here."
Xu Xuan's voice was calm. After speaking, he glanced at Shen Yao, and seeing that her expression hadn't changed much, he breathed a slight sigh of relief and continued, "Whether it's the Xu family or the Shen family, it doesn't really matter where I live. What's important is my father-in-law—"
He didn't continue, which was obvious.
Shen Yao knew perfectly well what was going on.
"Sigh." She sighed heavily and smiled awkwardly at Xu Xuan, "I'm sorry, I know it must have been my father who forced you. That's just how he is; he always puts the family's interests first."
Hateful and resentful.
Shen Yao then said, "Ziwei, you don't need to worry. When I have some free time, I'll go talk to my father and tell him about the divorce..."
No, please don't.
When the topic of divorce came up, Xu Xuan's expression changed slightly, and she quickly refused.
He quickly approached Shen Yao and said earnestly, "The divorce was a private agreement between us, and it has no legal effect on the government. This matter is between you, me, and Deng Yan, and no fourth person should know about it, understand?"
He stared intently at the girl, with an innate air of oppression and authority.
Shen Yao frowned slightly and sighed, "Then when can I tell you?"
Xu Xuan fell silent instantly.
He stood there, stunned, unable to give an answer, or rather, unwilling to give an answer.
He simply said, "It's getting late, and I have to work tomorrow, so I should rest first."
The only option when there's no other way is to drag it out, one day at a time.
Avoiding her questioning gaze, Xu Xuan turned to look at a bamboo couch outside the screen and pointed at it, asking, "Can anyone sleep on this?"
Shen Yao glanced at it and hummed in agreement, "You can sleep, but with your height and weight, I don't know if you can withstand the pressure?"
She stepped over and reached out to press and try it.
Xu Xuan said, "Never mind, I'll try it myself."
He pulled Shen Yao aside and lay down on the bamboo couch. The couch was narrow and custom-made for a woman's body. As soon as Xu Xuan lay down, the couch creaked and collapsed, almost killing him.
Shen Yao covered her mouth and laughed.
"Your bed is really fragile... and you're still laughing?"
Xu Xuan looked distressed, groaned as he got up, kicking the bed to vent his anger and complaining incessantly.
Looks like he really hurt himself in the fall.
Suppressing her laughter, she waited until Xu Xuan finished venting her anger before stepping forward and saying, "Alright, alright, stop complaining. You can sleep in the inner bed tonight."
Xu Xuan looked at her in surprise.
The two went inside together, and a carved canopy bed came into view. Shen Yao said, "This bed is big and sturdy, so you can sleep here."
Xu Xuan was stunned and asked her, "Then where will you sleep?"
"I'll go to another room."
Rules are rigid, but people are flexible.
Master Shen only allowed Xu Xuan to stay in her room, but he didn't stop her from staying elsewhere.
Shen Yao folded the bedding and placed it aside, then brought out a brand new quilt for Xu Xuan to use. "I'll have someone add some more charcoal later. It's cold at night, so you should get some rest."
As he spoke, he picked up his bedding and went outside.
Xu Xuan followed behind, wanting to go with her to help, but Shen Yao refused, only telling him to close the windows and doors before going to sleep.
As the twelfth lunar month approached, the nights became noticeably cooler. Despite the presence of charcoal fire, Xu Xuan still felt cold. Perhaps due to the unfamiliar surroundings, he tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep soundly.
The next day, when the drum sounded at dawn, he got up, picked up a mirror, and saw that his eyes were indeed dark.
"This is really frustrating," he muttered to himself.
There was a knock on the door; it was Mr. Shen.
Xu Xuan quickly bowed and called out, "Father-in-law."
Master Shen said, "Get up. I was afraid you would miss your shift, so I came to wake you up."
"My father-in-law's concern is truly appreciated by his son-in-law."
"Oh, alright, alright, stop with the formalities this early in the morning. I don't expect your gratitude for what I'm doing, I just hope you'll treat Ayao better."
Xu Xuan looked embarrassed.
The two walked outside.
“I spoiled Ayao as she grew up, and she’s very willful.”
As Mr. Shen spoke, he stopped and patted his shoulder, saying, "You are her husband, so you should be more tolerant. Of course, tolerance is not indulgence. If she makes a mistake, you should criticize her accordingly."
Feeling he couldn't properly educate his children, he entrusted the responsibility to his son-in-law, hoping that his daughter would have someone to rely on after he passed away.
Xu Xuan understood perfectly well; he even envied Shen Yao for having such a loving father.
"Father-in-law, rest assured, I will treat A-Yao with all my heart."
"really?"
Mr. Shen raised an eyebrow and smiled.
Xu Xuan met his gaze and solemnly promised, "Heaven can bear witness."
"Hahaha... Good, I knew I hadn't misjudged you, kid."
Master Shen affectionately took his son-in-law's wrist and walked towards the hall. After the two finished breakfast, they went to the yamen to report for duty.
*
Inside Cining Palace, Wei Luo had already gotten up. He needed to get ready quickly for the lecture at Wenhua Hall today.
In the early hours of a winter morning, the sky was pitch black and the cold wind was biting.
When Wei Luo brought Liu Heng to the Wenhua Hall, the eunuchs had already lit the charcoal fire, and the charcoal made a crisp crackling sound in the copper basin.
Since Grand Secretary Guo Zheng had not yet arrived, Wei Luo sat down by the basin to warm himself by the fire.
He asked Liu Heng to bring him the "Essentials of Governance in the Zhenguan Era" so he could read it first. As he was reading, a rich fragrance suddenly wafted over.
Wei Luo closed the book and looked around, sniffing the air. He asked Liu Heng, "Can you smell a fragrance?"
Liu Heng, standing beside him, had already smelled it and replied, "Your Highness, it smells like sweet potato."
"sweet potato?"
Wei Luo was suddenly startled.
Sweet potatoes were very popular among ordinary people, but they were not available in the imperial palace. The only time he ate them was when he was with Shen Yao.
Wei Luo asked, "Where did the sweet potatoes come from?"
"It must have been the eunuch in the next room who secretly baked it."
"Let's go take a look."
Wei Luo immediately became interested, put down his book and went outside. Following the scent, he found two eunuchs roasting sweet potatoes in a small compartment.
Wei Luo's arrival filled the two men with immense fear. They hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed, begging for mercy in their murmurs, "Your Highness, Your Highness, spare our lives! We will never dare to do it again."
The palace charcoal is rationed, and the charcoal for roasting sweet potatoes was clearly skimped on, which is why they were so frightened that their faces turned ashen.
Wei Luo sighed, raised his hand to gesture for the two to stand up and talk, and asked, "Where did the sweet potatoes come from?"
The two women looked at each other, heads bowed, not daring to answer. Liu Heng coughed and scolded, "How dare you, servant! Why don't you tell the truth when His Highness asks a question?"
A trembling voice rang out, "Your Highness, please allow me to inform you that the sweet potatoes were bought from outside the palace by someone I asked."
Wei Luo then hummed in response, his expression unreadable.
Liu Heng asked, "Your Highness, should these two be sent to the Inner Academy for punishment?"
Wei Luo shook his head and said, "Forget it, it's not a big deal. Let's just not do it again."
"Your Highness is kind and benevolent."
The two went outside.
As the sky grew brighter, the red sun broke through layers of clouds, awakening the majestic imperial capital from its slumber.
When Guo Zheng arrived at the inner hall, Wei Luo had already finished previewing the daily lecture content.
The emperor and his ministers exchanged greetings, and the morning's lectures began.
Before Wei Luo got involved in politics, his lectures were basically limited to textbooks, but now that he is involved in personnel matters, his lectures are no longer so pure.
During the break, Wei Luo asked Guo Zheng, "Sir, is there any progress on the officials of the Eastern Palace that you mentioned before?"
After the New Year, Wei Luo will turn twenty. A few months later, his mourning period will also end, at which point his marriage and assistance in government affairs will naturally follow.
However, regarding the matter of subordinate officials, countless memorials have been submitted, but they have all been kept in the archives and not issued.
It was clear that the emperor had no intention of giving the crown prince any power.
Guo Zheng was also very troubled.
He looked at Wei Luo and tentatively asked, "Does Your Highness have another method?"
"No."
Wei Luo smiled faintly, "However, I'd like to find a study companion."
"Study companion?"
Guo Zheng frowned, his gaze towards Wei Luo becoming questioning. "Your Highness, does this mean you have someone in mind?"
"What do you think of this twenty-year-old third-place scholar, sir?"
Wei Luo looked pleased, but Guo Zheng was secretly alarmed.
The twenty-year-old third-place scholar was none other than the famous Xu Xuan.
"But he's the son-in-law of the Shen family!"
Guo Zheng found it hard to believe.
In his view, Wei Luo's actions could be summed up in one word: inviting a wolf into the house.
"The master often says that one should not be bound by convention when employing people. Although Master Xu is a member of the Shen family, he is exceptionally talented, has beautiful handwriting, and happens to be the same age as me. Such a person is hard to come by, so I naturally want to bring him under my command."
It was a very bold idea. Guo Zheng was pleased with Wei Luo's magnanimity, but also worried about Xu Xuan's political attitude.
He couldn't help but lower his eyes and furrow his brows, then stood up and paced around the room, considering the feasibility of the proposal.
There was no response for a long time, so Wei Luo also stood up and went to Guo Zheng, saying, "I know your worries, sir, but since I was able to bring him in, I have the ability to prevent him from escaping. Moreover—"
"I also have Mr. Sir to advise me."
The last sentence also served as a reassuring reminder to Guo Zheng.
Since Wei Luo had said so, Guo Zheng had no reason to dissuade him and could only nod in agreement.
"Your Highness's will shall prevail."
“Very well, then please write the memorial as soon as possible, and I will present it to His Majesty shortly.”
He was just a study companion, and also the son-in-law of the Shen family.
Later, when the emperor received Guo Zheng's memorial, he thought he had misread it. He was puzzled and asked the eunuch in charge of writing, "The crown prince doesn't want an official, but instead wants a study companion, and it's Xu Xuan no less. Has he taken the wrong medicine?"
The eunuch holding the pen dared not respond carelessly, and only bowed and replied: "Your Majesty, the Minister Xu passed the imperial examination at the young age of twenty and became a third-ranked scholar. It is no exaggeration to say that he is a literary star descended from heaven. Your Highness's love and appreciation for talent is truly a sign of your discerning eye."
"Is that so?" The emperor snorted and looked at him, throwing the memorial on the table and rubbing his head. "I'm really getting old. I can't see through the thoughts of young people anymore."
The eunuch holding the pens hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty is in the prime of life, a man who will live ten thousand years, how can he be old?"
The emperor chuckled a few times, shook his head, and said, "Long live the emperor! What a fine 'Long live the emperor!' Of all the emperors throughout history, who has truly lived to be ten thousand years old?"
"Long live the Emperor!" is nothing but empty words.
Ultimately, the emperor approved Guo Zheng's memorial and sent it back along with yesterday's list of redundant members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
As for the list of criminals among the sons of nobles, the emperor kept it separately.
If it remains in the middle, then it is a veto.
When the news reached the Eastern Palace, Wei Luo was having a meal. Upon hearing it, he only smiled slightly and did not react much. On the other hand, Liu Heng looked worried and distressed, as if he had suffered a great injustice.
Wei Luo asked him, "What, who owes you money?"
"Your Highness, please don't joke with me."
Liu Heng complained, "This servant only feels sorry for Your Highness. His Majesty wanted to cut redundant staff, and Your Highness worked tirelessly, but unexpectedly, at the last moment, His Majesty turned his back on you..."
Speaking ill of the emperor behind his back was wrong, so Wei Luo immediately frowned and said unhappily, "Liu Heng, do you have a death wish?"
He stood up and spoke sternly to his longtime companion of decades, “Remember, His Majesty is ordained by Heaven. You must keep your grievances to yourself. Otherwise, I cannot protect you if something goes wrong.”
Liu Heng was taken aback, then quickly knelt down and kowtowed deeply, saying, "Your Highness is right. I was momentarily confused and uttered such disrespectful words. Please punish me, Your Highness."
“I know you are speaking out for the people, or rather, for the common people.”
Liu Heng's body trembled, cold sweat pouring down his back. "Your Highness?"
Wei Luo glanced at him and continued, "Those dozen or so noble sons all have ancestors who were meritorious officials. You know the saying 'the law does not apply to high-ranking officials.' Even if they commit serious crimes, whether His Majesty takes pity on them or the law determines their punishment, these people will not be in danger of losing their lives. At most, they will donate some money, be fined a few years of military service, and will return once the storm has passed."
The strategy of "striking the mountain to scare the tiger" has been adopted; now that the goal of reducing redundant staff has been achieved, the "tiger" no longer needs to be imprisoned.
In mid-December of the 29th year of Yongzhen, more than a dozen young noblemen imprisoned in the Military Affairs Bureau were able to see the light of day again.
The emperor issued an edict, out of consideration for past favors, ordering each person to make amends for their crimes and pay a huge fine, thus hastily closing the case.
In addition, the emperor also treated the Deng banquet matter leniently, only fining him three months' salary.
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