Chapter 542 Rewards (First Update)
As it turns out, Xiao Jingkong was still too green to fight against his wicked brother-in-law.
Xiao Heng was just teasing him. Since they'd already picked them, wouldn't it be a waste to throw them away?
Xiao Heng picked up the flower again and handed it to him, saying, "Here, just kidding, it's not poisonous."
Xiao Jingkong looked at the little flower with some doubt, but didn't reach out to take it.
My brother-in-law has lost all credibility; Xiao Jingkong no longer believes anything he says.
Xiao Heng then held the flowers for him to prevent the boy from ruining other flowers.
Xiao Jingkong kept observing his bad brother-in-law the whole way, glancing at his hand holding the flowers and then at his face.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Xiao Heng asked.
"I see if your forehead looks dark," Xiao Jingkong said truthfully.
Xiao Heng: "..."
It wasn't until the two entered Renshou Palace that Xiao Jingkong noticed his brother-in-law still showed no signs of poisoning, and only then did he take Huahua back.
Now that Xiao Heng is serving as an official in both the Hanlin Academy and the Ministry of Justice, he is being watched by many people. He can no longer enter and leave Renshou Palace as recklessly as before. It is only by using the excuse of sending Xiao Jingkong that he can avoid giving others a handle to use against him.
Although Xiao Jingkong said he didn't want to enter the palace, he actually had quite a lot of fun once he did.
"Hello, Sister Jade!"
"Hello, Sister Pearl!"
He greeted all the young palace maids at Renshou Palace and then went to find his great-aunt.
Empress Dowager Zhuang was not in good condition. Perhaps she was too heartbroken for Ning'an and her son. She looked rather haggard, especially after each of Huangfu Xian's departures, when she would be lost in thought for a long time.
Huangfu Xian just came by at noon today, ate something, and left.
Empress Dowager Zhuang sat by the window, gazing blankly at the scenery in the courtyard, when suddenly a round little head popped out from under the windowsill.
"Auntie!"
Empress Dowager Zhuang's eyelids twitched: "Why is it you again?"
Xiao Jingkong tiptoed and handed the flowers in from outside the window: "Beautiful flowers for my beautiful aunt!"
Empress Dowager Zhuang's lips twitched.
Even if you had just used a different word, you wouldn't have been so perfunctory.
Empress Dowager Zhuang calmly accepted the peony flower: "You've ruined Princess Xinyang's flowers again?"
Little Jingkong put his hands behind his back and said earnestly, "I took it from my brother-in-law!"
He wasn't lying; he just took it from his bad brother-in-law!
Although he was the one who actually picked it.
Empress Dowager Zhuang doesn't understand him?
Empress Dowager Zhuang snorted, looking at the delicate and beautiful peony, and said, "Why are you suddenly so kind as to send me flowers?"
Xiao Jingkong sighed, "Oh, no, it's just that my bad brother-in-law said this flower is poisonous, so I can't give it to Jiaojiao."
Empress Dowager Zhuang: "..."
After entering Renshou Palace, Xiao Heng did not rush to find his aunt, but instead met with Eunuch Qin first.
"The Empress Dowager's condition..." When Eunuch Qin heard Xiao Heng inquiring about the Empress Dowager, he didn't hide anything. "To be honest, it's not good. Princess Ning'an suffered so much at the border for so many years, and the way she looked after returning was heartbreaking... The most heartbreaking thing is for Young Master Xian'er... He suffered such a tragedy at such a young age... The more eccentric he is, the more distressed the Empress Dowager feels..."
After Huangfu Xian moved into the palace, he caused a lot of trouble. On his first day, he bullied Qin Chuyu, and not long after, he scared the two little princesses raised by Consort Zhuang to tears. As for not bowing or giving the Empress and concubines a good look, that was the least of his worries.
The key point is that as long as someone complains to His Majesty, he will deny it!
"How could such a good child have turned out like this?" In Eunuch Qin's eyes, Huangfu Zheng was truly guilty of a terrible crime. "The child's character... cough cough."
Realizing he had almost said something he shouldn't have, Eunuch Qin promptly stopped himself.
Xiao Heng pretended not to hear the last sentence and said, "Then I'll go see the Empress Dowager."
Xiao Heng arrived outside Empress Dowager Zhuang's study and patted Xiao Jingkong on the shoulder: "Go play, I'm going to talk to my aunt for a while."
"Oh, Auntie, I'm leaving!" Little Jingkong waved his little hand and turned to go out.
Xiao Heng stayed in the study to talk with Empress Dowager Zhuang, while Xiao Jingkong went to Kunning Palace to find Qin Chuyu.
Learning from their previous experience, the two did not head towards the Bixia Palace this time.
"Let's go feed the fish!" said Xiao Jingkong.
The palace has a Taiye Pond, where many koi carp are kept. Each one is plump and looks extremely cute.
Qin Chuyu's mood was not high.
"What's wrong? Are you unhappy?" Xiao Jingkong asked with concern.
As Qin Chuyu walked along the flower-lined path, he sighed, "My little dog is gone."
"Why is it gone?" Xiao Jingkong asked, puzzled.
Qin Chuyu said sadly, "My mother said that it was because it ran away last time that I ran into Huangfu Xian and was bullied by him. Now my mother won't let me keep it anymore."
Xiao Jingkong thought about Xiao Yi to Xiao Jiu in his house: "Actually, my chickens and birds can also cause trouble. Didn't Xiao Jiu almost peck you last time?"
But Jiaojiao didn't forbid him from keeping it.
Jiaojiao is so nice.
Qin Chuyu is so pitiful.
He comforted Qin Chuyu, saying, "If you like puppies, you can come to my house next time, and I'll lend you Yan-ge's puppy to play with."
"I just want my dog," Qin Chuyu said sullenly.
"Huh? Listen!" Xiao Jingkong suddenly pulled him to a stop.
"Listen to what?" Qin Chuyu asked curiously.
“Your dog!” Xiao Jingkong said crisply.
Qin Chuyu looked around: "Where is it?"
"I heard that!" Xiao Jingkong pointed, "Over there!"
The two children ran in the direction Xiao Jingkong pointed, and behind a rockery, they indeed saw Qin Chuyu's dog, but the scene was not quite what they had imagined.
Huangfu Xian is here too!
Huangfu Xian sat alone in the cold wheelchair. There were no servants around him. As usual, a thick blanket covered his legs, and Qin Chuyu's dog lay on that blanket.
It was covered in blood, clearly indicating that it had either been thrown or abused.
Huangfu Xian grabbed its neck with one hand and forced something into its mouth with the other.
The puppy whimpered in distress, but Huangfu Xian showed no pity and forcibly pried open the puppy's mouth.
His expression was contorted with rage.
In that instant, he was no longer a disabled boy, but an extremely twisted demon.
Qin Chuyu had never seen such a terrifying person before. He was so frightened that he fell to the ground with a thud, forgetting even to scream.
Xiao Jingkong was also surprised. He opened his eyes wide and looked at the person and dog in the wheelchair.
Huangfu Xian noticed the commotion to his side. He slowly turned his head, revealing a pair of sinister eyes.
"ah--"
Qin Chuyu's hair stood on end, and he finally screamed in fright.
Such a young child couldn't withstand such a terrifying shock. Qin Chuyu trembled violently, practically tumbling and crawling forward, crying out, "Help! Help! Someone's killing a puppy!"
He ran away.
The small clearing is definitely not going to happen.
A hint of surprise flashed across Huangfu Xian's sinister eyes. He asked mockingly, "Aren't you going to run, little thing?"
Xiao Jingkong glanced at him, then at the dying puppy on his lap. Whether he hesitated for a moment or not, he finally turned and ran away!
"Oh."
Huangfu Xian let out a disdainful sneer.
As the court session approached, the emperor summoned the cabinet ministers and the Grand Councilors to his study to discuss the matter of rewarding meritorious officials on the frontier.
Tang Yueshan was already the Grand Marshal of the Army and his official rank had reached its limit, so the emperor planned to grant him a noble title.
As the heir of the Marquis of Ding'an, Gu Changqing was entrusted with the mission of reorganizing the Gu family army in a time of crisis and led them to fight the enemy in the north. He made great contributions and the emperor planned to promote him to the rank of General Dingbei, a third-rank official.
He was promoted from a sixth-rank military officer to a third-rank officer in one fell swoop, making him one of the fastest-rising military officers during the emperor's reign.
Gu Chengfeng performed outstandingly in the Battle of Yuegu City, and the emperor decided to appoint him as the Yueqi Commandant.
The emperor also bestowed titles and rewards upon other military generals.
The ministers had virtually no objections.
Up to this point, the Imperial Study was in perfect harmony. Then the Emperor began to bestow honors upon Gu Jiao and her son, Ning An.
Gu Jiao has not yet acknowledged her status as the daughter of the Marquis of Ding'an, so the emperor plans to bestow a title upon her directly in the name of the owner of Miaoshoutang.
The emperor bestowed upon her the title of "First Divine Physician" and conferred upon her the title of Princess, with the Hanlin Academy drafting the official title.
At this moment, Vice Minister Xu of the Cabinet spoke up: "Doctor Gu is just a female physician. Even if she has made meritorious contributions in treating the soldiers, she is probably not worthy of the title of Princess."
Xu Cifu was a man of Zhuang Taifu.
Grand Tutor Zhuang claimed to be ill and did not come today.
The emperor glanced at Xu Cifu with displeasure: "What's there to be ashamed of? Do you know how many people she saved?"
"I do not deny Doctor Gu's merits. I just feel that Your Majesty can give her some other rewards. Your Majesty has already bestowed upon her the plaque of First Divine Physician, which is already a very generous reward. If you were to grant her the title of Princess, it would be quite contrary to ancestral rules."
Vice Minister Xu cupped his hands in greeting and continued, "Moreover, compared to Doctor Gu, I believe another person deserves a greater reward."
The emperor said calmly, "Oh? Who are you referring to?"
Vice Minister Xu said solemnly, “Princess Ning’an. Princess Ning’an put righteousness above family ties, helping the Second Young Master Gu rescue the old Marquis, and also helping the Heir Apparent Gu destroy the stronghold of the remnants of the previous dynasty. If it weren’t for Princess Ning’an’s wisdom and bravery, the commander of the Gu family army would probably not have made it out of the snowy mountains. Princess Ning’an’s contributions are immense. I propose that Princess Ning’an be conferred the title of Protector of the Nation Princess!”
The eldest princess of Zhao Kingdom is not someone who can be appointed casually; she is a princess with real power, holding a position equivalent to that of a feudal lord!
(End of this chapter)
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