Chapter 429 He Became the Left Prime Minister’s Student
Xiao Bicheng took a deep breath, warned himself not to get angry, and quickly put on a gentle expression.
"Murong's courtesy name is Zizhang, right? I heard that Zizhang is quite famous among the people for his talent, and he was even the top scorer in the provincial examination. What I admire most is people like you who have real talent and knowledge."
This sentence is almost like saying, I have high hopes for you, you can start showing your loyalty.
Murong Yan bowed and said slowly, "Your Highness, I am overly flattered. I am very terrified. There are many students in the imperial examination who are both virtuous and talented. Compared with them, I am far behind."
This answer was obviously far from what Xiao Bichen wanted to hear.
He frowned slightly, and the eunuch Hai beside him immediately reminded Murong Yan in a low voice, "Mr. Murong, my prince cares about the world and is willing to recruit talents. If you are willing to be loyal to His Royal Highness, you will definitely be part of the glory and wealth in the future."
Murong Yan immediately said with a straight face: "That's wrong! I studied hard for ten years just to be able to serve my country, redress the grievances of the people, and seek happiness for the people. How can I be greedy for personal glory? Besides, the prince is the prince of Daye. If I am loyal to my country, am I not also loyal to the prince?"
These words stunned everyone present.
After a while, Xiao Bicheng clapped his hands and said, "Well, well said! Zizhang, you have a sincere patriotic heart, and I am very pleased! If everyone is like you, why worry about Daye's prosperity? I heard that you have a wide range of friends, Zizhang, and I think those who can become your friends should all be talented and responsible. Why don't you introduce them to me?"
Murong Yan paused, then spoke slowly: "Actually, Your Highness, why should you be so anxious?"
"Oh?" Xiao Bicheng narrowed his eyes slightly, "What do you mean?"
Murong Yan said slowly, "Your Highness, there are so many students taking the exam, their talents and knowledge must be mixed. When the time comes, a group of them will be eliminated, and those who remain will be talented, right? Now that the emperor has asked you to preside over the government, I think you will also preside over the palace examination, and you will select the top three. Won't all the talented people become your students?"
These words touched Xiao Bichen's heart directly. He was the crown prince, the heir apparent of a country, and the future emperor of Daye. It should be students like them who took the initiative to express their loyalty. How could he lower himself to do that?
At this moment, he regretted listening to Shen Shuyu. Some women's opinions really should not be taken seriously.
"What Zi Zhang said makes some sense."
Murong Yan just breathed a sigh of relief, "Then..."
"But Zi Zhang hasn't given me a direct answer yet. Are you willing to be loyal to me?" Xiao Bicheng raised his eyes slowly and looked over there steadily.
What a slippery old fox, he kept circling around and almost trapped him.
At first glance it seems as if Murong Yan has said everything, but upon closer listening, they are all high-sounding words.
Murong Yan was stunned.
Xiao Bicheng leaned forward, his eyes dangerous, "Is this question so difficult to answer? Zi Zhang is unwilling to be loyal to me, could it be that... he has another master?"
“clang——”
It is the sound of weapons being unsheathed.
The guards around him quickly surrounded and approached Murong Yan.
Xiao Bicheng looked at him coldly, "Zi Zhang, you must think carefully and answer carefully. Oh, by the way, I remember that you still have an elderly mother at home, right?"
Murong Yan raised his head suddenly, his eyes wide open, and said quickly, "Your Highness, my mother is just an ordinary woman, please show some mercy!"
But Xiao Bicheng just lowered his eyes coldly and looked at him indifferently, "How your mother is, doesn't it all depend on your own choice?"
In the box on the other side.
Xia Ju hurriedly gestured, "Prince, threatening to kill Murong, sir, mother!"
When Xie Zhuoning heard this, he immediately became anxious, "Xiao Bicheng, Xiao Bicheng, you are as despicable as ever!"
She had to hurry back home, call back Congming Jueding and the others, and let them go to rescue Murong Yan's mother.
Just as I was about to leave, I bumped into someone's arms the moment I opened the door.
She raised her head and saw the person's face clearly. She raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Xiao Jinxuan, why are you here?"
Shouldn't he be recuperating at home right now?
"The door is not the place to talk, go into the house first." Xiao Jinxuan pulled her into the house and closed the door.
Xie Zhuoning's face was filled with anxiety. "You came at the right time. Xiao Bicheng is going to take action against Murong Yan's mother."
Xiao Jinxuan comforted him, "Don't worry, I've already sent someone over."
"And Murong Yan, he is now in Xiao Bicheng's hands!"
"I have also let Mr. Shen go."
Xie Zhuoning was startled, "You asked Prime Minister Shen to come here?"
In Yunyi Pavilion.
The blade was getting closer and closer, and Xiao Bicheng's impatience was getting stronger and stronger. "Have you thought it through? My patience is limited."
Murong Yan opened his mouth with difficulty, "I..."
"Get out of the way, let me in! What? You still want to hit me? My old bones will fall apart if you touch them, come and hit me!"
The noise outside the door interrupted everything in the house, and Xiao Bicheng frowned instantly.
Upon seeing this, Eunuch Hai rushed out and shouted, "Who is making noise outside? Drag him out..."
Not long after he went out, he walked back in with a smile, along with the old man outside the door, "Minister Shen, why bother with them? Take care of your own health..."
Shen Lian ignored him and walked straight into the house. When he saw the scene inside, he frowned in dissatisfaction, "What is your Highness the Crown Prince doing? Are you trying to kill people? Wasn't it enough that you slandered Prince Xuan in public before? As the crown prince of a country, you have the whole world in your heart and take the people's lives as your responsibility. But now... you don't have the slightest tolerance or responsibility?"
There was an endless amount of regret in his tone.
Before Emperor Zhaowen became critically ill, he issued an edict to let Xiao Bicheng supervise the country, and let Shen Lian and Sima He assist him in government affairs, with the power to supervise and advise.
Xiao Bicheng was so angry that he gritted his teeth, thinking that sooner or later he would kill this old bastard who took advantage of his age to bully others!
But he smiled and explained, "Minister Shen, you are joking. It's all a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding."
As he said this, he quickly asked the guards to leave and personally helped Murong Yan up. "Zi Zhang, is this right?"
Before Murong Yan could answer, he heard Shen Lian snort coldly, "Prince, please don't try to intimidate my students. I hope that what happened today won't happen again."
"student?!"
Xiao Bicheng and Murong Yan were both stunned.
Shen Li'an glared at Murong Yan and said, "What are you still standing there for? Let's go!"
"Oh? Oh!" The dazed Murong Yan came back to his senses, quickly bowed to Xiao Bicheng, and followed.
Xiao Bicheng looked at the two people's backs and narrowed his eyes immediately, "When did Murong Yan take Shen Lian'an, that old man, as his teacher?"
Murong Yan, who was taken away, was also full of confusion about this issue.
He hasn't given away the gift that the young lady prepared for him yet.
After thinking about it, maybe the identity of this student was just something that Shen Xiang said to help him out.
Seeing that he was leaving the restaurant and would never see the prince and others again, he immediately bowed to Shen Lian solemnly, "Thank you, Prime Minister, for saving my life!"
Shen Lian waved his hands, "Don't thank me, thank Prince Xuan. When he heard that you met the crown prince, he hurried over here with me. My old bones are about to fall apart!"
It turned out to be His Royal Highness Prince Xuan...
Murong Yan suddenly realized what was going on, but he still said sincerely, "Although this is the case, the Prime Minister saved me and said that I was your student. Zi Zhang will also remember this favor."
Shen Lian said nonchalantly, "You don't need to remember it in your heart. Just come to the Prime Minister's residence someday to kowtow and pay your respects as a disciple. The prince is still a little wary of me now, so I should have no problem protecting you."
Murong Yan was so shocked by this that he couldn't believe it. "Kowtow, to show respect to your master? You are not..."
Shen Lian immediately blew his beard and glared, "What? Do you think what I said is false? I warn you, the words have been spoken, you are now my student, if you fail the spring examination this time, you will see how I will deal with you!"
It was like a bolt of lightning. Murong Yan was in a trance for a long time before he came to his senses and bowed again.
"Students, we will never bring disgrace to our teacher!"