Yunniang went over and took her mother-in-law's hand: "Luo Sheng has left. From now on, Yunniang and Fan Zha will definitely treat you as their own mother. Don't worry."
Fan Zha also said, "Fan Zha lost his mother at a young age, so he will definitely treat you as his biological mother. Yun Niang and I have already discussed that the first boy will be named Luo, and this restaurant will be called Luo Family Restaurant. This can also be considered as leaving a legacy for the Luo family."
Grandma Yunniang cried with joy, covering her mouth and muttering, "Old man, old man, did you hear that? Our Luo family has a successor."
Zhao Huan felt somewhat bored. He had originally intended to seduce Yunniang. He hadn't expected this to happen. Now, the lovers were finally together. He simply said, "Yunniang, prepare a table of food tonight and send it to the government office. I'm leaving first."
Yunniang and Fan Zha bowed down with joy: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!"
"Fan Zha, you're too clever. You're so cunning, I'm worried about you being the advisor of Fengxian County."
Fan Zha was shocked. The emperor was about to resign. So he knelt down and said, "I will go to the government office and resign my position as a legal advisor."
Zhao Huan stopped him and said, "I think you are incompetent as a legal advisor. You should just be the magistrate of Fengxian County."
Everyone was shocked again when these words were spoken. Zhao Huan was being too capricious, appointing anyone he saw fit to be a county magistrate. Fan Zha was neither a Jinshi nor a Juren. While he had some reputation, he was just a failed scholar. Zhao Huan had promoted these people one after another, even claiming it was based on merit.
The Privy Council was no longer willing to do this, but this wasn't the Song Dynasty. Privy Council officials didn't dare openly oppose Zhao Huan. The court didn't recognize the county magistrates appointed by the emperor. The Privy Council kept no records of their appointments and dismissals, but salaries continued to be paid, and the Privy Council didn't dare appoint any more county magistrates.
In this way, these officials promoted by Zhao Huan through informal channels were treated as county magistrates by the imperial court, and their salaries were paid as usual. However, the official records were not recognized, which was also a silent resistance of the officials to the emperor.
But it didn't matter. The emperor's edict of appointment was all that mattered. What the hell was the Privy Council? Who gave a damn? It was just a file of appointments and dismissals. It made no difference whether it existed or not. This was merely a protest by the Privy Council officials against this bastard emperor, in order to maintain the political system of the Song Dynasty.
Fan Zha was terrified: "Your Majesty, I'm afraid I can't handle this important task." That's true. Anyone would be terrified if they were to promote a worthless legal advisor to the position of county magistrate.
"If I say you can do it, then you can do it. If you can't, you're embarrassing me. If you do, I'll take your head. So, Fan Zha, you have to be a good official. Be as clean as water and as honest as a mirror, and serve the country and the people. Okay, I won't say any more nonsense, you take care of yourself. If I hear the people of Fengxian County cursing behind your back, I won't forgive you!"
Fan Zha then agreed: "I will use all my life's knowledge to benefit the people of Fengxian County."
Zhao Huan ignored him and turned to ask Linghu Yunlong, "Yunlong, when will Wu Ge and the others arrive?"
Wu Linghu Yunlong bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the day after tomorrow at the latest."
Zhao Huan nodded. "Well, I have to hurry back to the capital. Yunniang, Fan Zha, I'll make the decision right now. You two will get married tomorrow, and I'll come personally to drink in your wedding wine."
Fan Zha and Yun Niang were surprised and delighted. Yun Niang blushed and dared not look up, while everyone else smiled.
Nangong Lian'er whispered beside him, "Your Majesty, we haven't checked the date yet, so we have to pick an auspicious day."
"The day I chose is an auspicious one. What's going on? Could it be that God wants to make things difficult for me?"
The next day was not considered an auspicious day, but because it was a marriage granted by the emperor, it became a lucky day in Fengxian County. Many couples chose this day to get married. The locals called it a "dragon-granted marriage," meaning it was a marriage granted by the true dragon emperor.
Yunniang's mother-in-law went from being fiercely opposed at first to now being anxiously concerned: "Hurry up, hurry up, get things done! Yunniang and Master Fan are getting married tomorrow, and the Luo family restaurant is hosting a grand banquet!"
When Zhao Huan returned to Fengxian County, Cao Dongsheng was practically in tears. Zhao Huan feigned oblivion, saying, "Well, Cao Dongsheng, you're right. The sweet and sour carp at Luo's Restaurant is indeed delicious." He added, "It's incredibly delicious, isn't it, Lian'er?"
Nangong Lian'er smiled and said, "Your Majesty, please stop teasing him. Cao Dongsheng, Your Majesty knows that today is your father's birthday. Everything will be prepared for you at the government office tonight."
Cao Dongsheng was overjoyed when he heard this: "Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Your Majesty!"
"Okay, okay, I was just wanting to tease this old bastard, but you said it's boring, really boring!" Zhao Huan returned to the back room with his hands behind his back.
Nangong Lian'er smiled slightly and then walked in gracefully. Then he heard Nangong Lian'er struggling in the house: "Your Majesty, what are you doing in broad daylight?"
"What are you doing? I'm doing what I need to do." Then there was the sound of a door closing. After a while, Zhao Huan poked his head out from the crack of the door: "Linghu Yunlong! Pass the order, don't bother me even if your butt is on fire. I want to sleep, call me at night! Anyone who dares to make noise will be punished with twenty, no! Thirty lashes of the cane!"
The people outside were extremely embarrassed, and the guards all lowered their heads and retreated several dozen steps away. Linghu Yunlong looked at Cao Dongsheng and said, "Let's go. His Majesty has already prepared everything for you. He ordered a table of dishes from the Luo Family Restaurant tonight, and they will be delivered shortly. His Majesty said that this evening is specially for your birthday celebration."
Cao Dongsheng was so moved he almost cried. He was just a useless eunuch. Zhao Huan hadn't even paid much attention to his father's birthday, yet he hadn't expected him to pay so much attention to his own. In previous years, he'd just rewarded him with two dishes at dinner, or even had him eat with him. But celebrating his birthday specifically for him was something even the princes and ministers wouldn't have.
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