Xiang Yuanqing already regarded Lin Jinghan as his disciple. In order to save people, he would not care about those things like "don't look at what is inappropriate". But the little girl's nominal husband was here, and if she minded, he would not apply the medicine to her personally.
However, he didn't have the qualifications, and neither did the King of Jingnan. Therefore, he didn't give him the medicine. "I've already given her the medicine. Her injuries can still hold up. Let's wait for her maid to come and then apply the medicine to her."
Knowing that Xiang Yuanqing had figured out that he and she were not truly married, Sikong Zhan did not insist. He took off his cloak and placed it on the ground, then gently placed the person in his arms on the cloak. "Please allow Pavilion Master Xiang to perform the acupuncture first."
He also ordered people to carry away the man in black on the ground: if anyone dared to touch his princess, he would find out who was behind it!
Soon, the carriage arrived and Xiang Yuanqing finished the acupuncture. Sikong Zhan went forward to hug Lin Jinghan. Xiang Yuanqing did not stop him. Now he had no right to stop him. After all, Lin Jinghan was nominally Sikong Zhan's princess.
Shishu was busy in the carriage for a long time. Finally, he applied medicine to Lin Jinghan, changed her clothes, and came out to report.
Sikong Zhan strode towards the carriage, but when he saw Xiang Yuanqing actually getting in, he became unhappy and said, "Master Xiang, I have already prepared a horse for you."
"My disciple is still injured and sick, so naturally I have to follow her and take good care of her." Xiang Yuanqing ignored Sikong Zhan's sullen face and got on the carriage by himself. He even urged Sikong Zhan to get off. "One carriage can hold three people, and one is lying down. Don't you think it's crowded? If you squeeze my disciple, I will hold you accountable!"
Thinking that Lin Jinghan really needed someone to take care of her, and Xiang Yuanqing's medical skills were excellent, it would be best to have him take care of her. However, being driven off his own territory was unpleasant after all. Sikong Zhan got off the carriage with a sullen face, mounted his horse, and slowly rode forward.
He would never let an outsider go to the Jingnan Army Base. The conditions there were poor and not suitable for Lin Jinghan to recuperate. So he simply drove the horse and took Lin Jinghan in the carriage to the Jingnan Palace.
In order not to shake the people in the carriage, they had to walk slowly. When they arrived at the city gate, it was already dawn.
The captain of the guards yawned. From a distance, he saw a carriage approaching the city gate. As it entered, he took a closer look, rubbed his eyes in disbelief, and stopped yawning. He quickly ordered the gates to be opened and sent someone to the palace to inform the emperor—Prince Jingnan had returned from outside the city on horseback! Aside from his pale complexion and blood-stained clothes, he didn't look like he was dying at all!
The news quickly reached the emperor's ears. The emperor, who was attending the morning court, suddenly stood up, and the court officials were so scared that their faces turned pale.
Realizing his behavior was inappropriate, the emperor simply picked up a memorial and threw it at the official who was reporting the flood in Hexi, angrily saying, "Useless! Every year you control the floods, and every year the dikes burst. What's the point of keeping you here?"
It turned out that he was angry about the dam collapse. The other court officials breathed a sigh of relief and silently lit a candle for the officials from the Water Conservancy Bureau.
"Dismiss the court! The Prime Minister stay!" The emperor dismissed the court angrily. The officials from the Water Conservancy Bureau were still kneeling there with sad faces, as if the sky had fallen. Seeing that all the officials had dismissed the court, the emperor only kept the Prime Minister to discuss matters, and turned to Prime Minister Lin Jingshan for help.
Minister Lin nodded at them, signaling them to rest assured, and quickly walked towards the imperial study...
In the imperial study, after the emperor and his ministers exchanged greetings, the chief eunuch beside the emperor told the prime minister what he had learned today about Prince Jingnan appearing at the city gate in one piece.
Without the emperor's instructions, Prime Minister Lin understood the emperor's thoughts. "Your Majesty is concerned about Prince Jingnan's health. I feel the same way. After I leave the palace, I will go to Prince Jingnan's mansion to see what my son-in-law is up to."
The emperor nodded in satisfaction and continued, "The Imperial Observatory has already selected an auspicious date. Seven days later, we will send cousin Wanrou into the palace. Although she is only a noble concubine, I have been friends with my cousin for over ten years. The ceremony for her entry into the palace should be conducted in the same manner as that for an imperial concubine."
Imperial Noble Consort, that's the Vice Empress! Even if it's just a ceremony, it's a great honor. The Emperor is clearly giving Prime Minister Lin enough benefits so that he will do his best to investigate Sikong Zhan's background.
Lin Xiang was not very happy about this - as long as it was not the queen, everything else was empty. Thinking of the request for help from the official from the Water Conservancy Bureau, he smiled with some sincerity.
"Your Majesty, I have a different opinion on the flood in Hexi."
"Oh? Tell me about it." The emperor was very surprised when the prime minister took the initiative to mention the flood.
Flood control has always been a difficult problem. Since the time of the previous emperor, the officials of the Water Conservancy Bureau have been replaced countless times. The replaced officials were either confiscated or beheaded. However, the dikes in Hexi still burst every year, making the court officials in the east terrified when talking about flood control. If an official was sent to the Water Conservancy Bureau, it would be like losing his parents.
"Your Majesty, do you still remember the dragon's reversal at Mount Bugui?" Prime Minister Lin risked the emperor's displeasure by bringing up the past. "Didn't the Imperial Observatory say that it was 'flattering ministers bullying the master' that led to the dragon's reversal?"
"What does the Prime Minister mean?" The emperor seemed to be thinking about something.
"I believe the annual dike collapse in Hexi is suspicious and suggests there may be some evildoer at work! Your Majesty, please send someone from the Imperial Observatory to Hexi for a thorough investigation!"
As long as the responsibility is put on the evildoers, the dam collapse will not be due to the Water Conservancy Bureau's failure to control the water, nor will it be due to someone embezzling water control funds.
The Prime Minister smiled, thinking of his cousin, who, in order to secure the position of Queen for his daughter, had sold official positions and titles, amassed a large amount of money, and bribed the officials of the court, but ultimately ended up in a dismal state. His actions were foolish and unacceptable.
Now, he only needs to open his mouth and then discuss it with the Director of the Imperial Observatory. The flood in Hexi will not implicate the officials of this term of the Water Conservancy Bureau. By then, the officials of the Water Conservancy Bureau, including their close relatives, will be grateful to him. When the emperor chooses a queen, is he still afraid that they will not recommend Wanrou?
Minister Lin walked out of the imperial study with great pride. The officials from the Water Conservancy Bureau who had been waiting at the palace gate had been waiting with their necks stretched out. When they finally saw Minister Lin coming out, they cast inquiring glances at him.
Minister Lin nodded and pointed outside, indicating that they should talk somewhere else.
Coming out of his own private teahouse, Prime Minister Lin smiled even more brightly, got on the carriage, and drove towards Prince Jingnan's Palace.
After a while, the officials from the Water Resources Bureau also came out smiling, looking relieved. Needless to say, they were extremely grateful to the Prime Minister for his help...
Prince Jingnan's Palace.
At Xiang Yuanqing's insistence, Lin Jinghan was placed in her Nuanfeng Courtyard, and Xiang Yuanqing naturally moved in as well. Sikong Zhan naturally wouldn't agree, but Xiang Yuanqing argued back that Nuanfeng Courtyard was suitable for recuperation, so Sikong Zhan had no choice but to nod in agreement.
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