Hu Tianyong sat in the rocking chair in his study, quietly looking at himself in the mirror opposite him, without saying a word.
Feng Zhouyuan and Hu Feifan, who were standing next to him, dared not utter a sound.
The room was eerily quiet, with only the occasional hissing sound of the hourglass.
After a long silence, Hu Tianyong sighed and murmured, "Time is indeed a cruel mistress! How come I didn't feel anything before I had so many white hairs? It seems I'm really getting old, my eyes are failing, and my mind is getting dull. So dull that I don't even know what Xiu Yuan is thinking anymore!"
Upon hearing Hu Tianyong's words, Feng Zhouyuan felt even more uneasy.
He gave a nervous laugh before looking up at Hu Tianyong and saying, "Prime Minister, how are you old? You still bear the weight of the court on your shoulders and worry about the future of the princes. How can you say you're old? We younger generations still intend to learn more about how to conduct ourselves from you!"
Hu Tianyong gave a weary smile, then leaned back in his rocking chair, sighing deeply, "Zhou Yuan, your words are just to comfort me! The Emperor is in his prime, a time for great ambitions. The princes have all grown up; the court and the nation don't need an old man like me to meddle. As for the Hu family, well, they still need me. In the end, I can barely support this family; I'm truly powerless to do anything else!"
Feng Zhouyuan understood perfectly well that this was Hu Tianyong's lucky break, and that Lan Xiuyuan had secretly decided to change Qin Kou'er's name.
While others might feel aversion to power or sentimentality about time, Hu Tianyong would never feel that way.
How could someone who has weathered so many storms and held power for so long suddenly grow old? If he really is old, he will absolutely not admit it.
Because the allure of power becomes more and more persistent and harder to let go of as one gets older.
Feng Zhouyuan smiled somewhat obsequiously: "Prime Minister, what are you saying? Whether in the court or at home, you are the pillar of the state and have many responsibilities. As for our princes, they need you to steer the ship even more. There are still many things to consider in the future!"
Hearing Feng Zhouyuan's words, Hu Tianyong glanced at him and slowly asked, "Do you know or don't know your master's feelings for Qin Kou'er?"
Feng Zhouyuan quickly bowed and said, "Your Excellency, I know a little about the Fifth Prince's feelings for Miss Qin. But I never expected it to be to this extent. As you know, the Fifth Prince dislikes others prying into his thoughts. So how could he let his subordinates know such a private matter!"
Hu Tianyong listened, neither nodding nor shaking his head.
After thinking for a while, he slowly said, "Feifan, you went to Jiangnan with Xiuyuan. Qin Kou'er and your cousin were so close, didn't you notice anything?"
Hu Feifan was still deeply resentful about Kou'er being betrothed to Lan Linxue, so he stood on the ground, lost in thought, unable to accept it.
Upon hearing his grandfather's question, Hu Feifan sighed inwardly and said, "Miss Qin is the richest woman in Jiangnan, and her influence over Jiangnan is profound. Even people like Jiang Ming have to give her some leeway. I received a lot of help from Miss Qin in Yangzhou. When Fifth Master went there, he also had to come into contact with Miss Qin on some matters. As for whether their relationship has become that deep, I really don't know!"
Hearing Hu Feifan speak in a muffled voice, Hu Tianyong frowned slightly and glanced at him: "What? Are you also still hung up on Miss Qin?"
Lost in his own thoughts, Hu Feifan didn't even look up at Hu Tianyong's expression, and reflexively said, "No one in the world would dislike Miss Qin! She is every man's dream wife!"
Upon hearing Hu Feifan's words, Hu Tianyong's eyes suddenly turned cold and sharp.
"This girl is so wonderful, why did she cause unrest in the court? Your cousin vomited blood and fainted? Hmph, the so-called 'femme fatale' is nothing more than this!"
Hu Tianyong was already furious that Lan Xiuyuan had disobeyed his wishes and secretly changed the list of candidates for the imperial concubines. Now, seeing that his grandson was also distracted by this matter, he immediately resolved to not tolerate Qin Kou'er.
Hu Feifan was startled when he heard Hu Tianyong's voice become sharp. He immediately looked up.
Hu Tianyong slightly extended his hand, and Feng Zhouyuan quickly went over and put his arm on Hu Tianyong's hand to help him up.
Hu Tianyong stood up, helped Feng Zhouyuan to the desk, sat down, and said with a deep frown, "You children, all you know is romance, and now you're about to face disaster, yet you're completely oblivious! I think if our Hu family were counting on the two of you, we'd all be executed sooner or later, and our heads would roll!"
Upon hearing Hu Tianyong's words, Hu Feifan quickly walked to the desk, bowed his head, and knelt down obediently without saying a word.
Hu Tianyong snorted, but did not let his grandson stand up.
"Your aunt just died in the palace like that? Do you think that's possible? What is Xu Jinlan? She's just a shrew raised by a commoner. Do you think she could kill your aunt in the palace with her petty tricks? That's underestimating your aunt! After living in the deep palace for so many years, do you think she's so easily defeated?"
As he spoke, Hu Tianyong glared fiercely at Hu Feifan.
"Besides, although the Cold Palace is remote, it is still the Emperor's side. Without the Emperor's permission, who could easily go to the Cold Palace to teach someone a lesson? Xu Jinlan may be a simpleton, but she's not stupid. Our Hu family is still around, the Fifth Prince still holds the title of Prince, and Xu Ming is still under house arrest. How could she dare to force the Consort to her death with a single move? Haven't any of you thought about these things?"
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