Chapter 13 The Old Man's Petty Mind
Minister Pei is the youngest son of the current head of the family and is deeply favored.
His writing skills were not outstanding, nor was his talent remarkable.
It's unworthy of any great responsibility.
Even with the combined resources of his entire family, he only rose to the rank of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.
However, if it weren't for the unexpected death of his exceptionally talented elder brother, his family would not have allowed him to enter the imperial court as an official.
However, he was lucky; his eldest son showed exceptional talent at a young age.
He was raised and mentored by his father, the head of the Pei family.
But his proud son nearly lost his life on his first trip to the palace with him.
Qin Jinzhi actually demanded compensation from him!
Seeing Pei Shilang's increasingly unpleasant expression, Qin Jinzhi not only didn't restrain herself, but even pressed on, "Why isn't Pei Shilang saying anything?"
Minister Pei was so angry at the sight of the unconscious Pei Jinnian that he almost laughed. "May I ask what compensation the princess desires?"
Qin Jinzhi looked at Pei Jinnian and raised an eyebrow. "What kind of gift would be appropriate to apologize for the slander against the princess, Minister Pei?"
Minister Pei's eyes widened. After all this commotion, Qin Jinzhi was still after Pei Jinnian.
He looked at His Majesty and said, “Your Majesty, my son is already engaged to the daughter of Prime Minister Cui. If it weren’t for the absurd things the princess did three years ago, my son would have been married long ago. A few days ago, Prime Minister Cui found a famous doctor, and Miss Cui will soon recover and marry my son. How can a gentleman’s agreement be voided because of the princess’s preferences!”
Upon hearing this, Qin Jinzhi burst into laughter. She looked at Minister Pei with a hint of sarcasm and said, "Minister Pei, you don't think I'm asking Pei Jinnian to apologize, do you? The way your Pei family apologizes is truly unheard of."
She looked down at Minister Pei, "I am a princess personally appointed by His Majesty, a third-rank official. Normally, you would have to kowtow to me. I represent the royal family. So what if he is the eldest son of the Pei family? Can an ant absolve him of the grave crime of slandering a member of the royal family?"
Minister Pei could hardly believe his ears; she actually called her son an ant!
She wasn't crazy enough to want to marry her son, so why is she now belittling Pei Jinnian to the point of being worthless?
But he saw the two people behind Qin Jinzhi.
For a moment, my mind was unable to think.
Those two most distinguished people stood right behind her!
Although he didn't speak, he was her strongest support.
"I have overstepped my bounds and do not know what kind of compensation the princess desires."
Qin Jinzhi thought for a moment, "I heard that the Pei family has a hundred-year-old fire spirit mushroom, and I'd like to try it."
Vice Minister Pei's expression immediately changed.
That fire-repelling mushroom is more than a hundred years old.
It is a treasure that has been passed down for generations.
Fire Ganoderma grows on the edge of lava, making it difficult to survive and extremely difficult to harvest.
Not to mention a century-old year.
This fire-spirit mushroom, when used in medicine, can pull a person back from the brink of death, even if they are on their last breath.
It has remarkable effects in treating various difficult and complicated diseases.
Qin Jinzhi immediately asked for the Pei clan's most precious treasure.
However, the Empress and His Majesty did not think that Qin Jinzhi had made any excessive demands.
They didn't even say anything to stop them.
Qin Jinzhi looked at Pei Hong leisurely, "Minister Pei is reluctant to part with it?"
Minister Pei hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, the Fire Spirit Mushroom is the most precious treasure of my Pei clan. Only the head of the family has the right to decide on it. I cannot make the decision."
Qin Jinzhi nodded casually, "If you can't make the decision, then find someone who can. The Empress Dowager has been out of the palace for a long time, and I should accompany her back to the palace to rest. If the Empress Dowager and Minister Pei are exhausted, it won't be a matter of just one fire lingzhi mushroom."
Upon hearing her words, the Empress immediately held her head and said, "I feel a little dizzy. Jinzhi, quickly help your grandmother back to the palace to rest."
Qin Jinzhi walked to the Empress's side and helped her up. Suddenly, she turned around and said, "By the way, before Minister Pei brings the Fire Spirit Mushroom, Pei Jinnian should stay in the palace to recuperate."
Minister Pei glared angrily and said, "What does the princess mean by this!"
Qin Jinzhi smiled, "Detaining hostages, can't you see that, Vice Minister Pei?"
With a single glance from her, the Imperial Guards took Pei Jinnian away.
Minister Pei quickly said, "Your Majesty! This is unreasonable for the princess!"
The Empress suddenly said, "My heart aches so much!"
As he spoke, he collapsed to the ground.
The emperor rushed forward, "Quickly summon the imperial physician!"
He then picked up the Empress and quickly carried her to her palace.
Seeing His Majesty leave, Vice Minister Pei anxiously called out, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"
Qin Jinzhi, however, said calmly, "Minister Pei should go home quickly, but he should be swift. The palace is not like the Pei family. If anything happens to Pei Jinnian in the palace, I, the princess, will be unable to help him."
After the Emperor and Empress left, Consort Shen also left with her entourage, her face grim.
Minister Pei was very anxious to leave the palace.
If Pei Jinnian gets into trouble, his entire lineage is finished!
Back in the Empress's palace, His Majesty placed her on the bed and said coldly, "Kneel down!"
Qin Jinzhi knelt obediently beside the Empress's bed.
The emperor said to the palace maids and eunuchs in the room, "You all go out."
Once the door was closed, the emperor finally spoke up in exasperation, "Alright, stop pretending."
Whenever Qin Jinzhi causes trouble, the Empress pretends to have chest pain, and she hasn't come up with a different excuse in all these years.
The Empress showed no embarrassment at being exposed. Instead, she said with overwhelming force, "Why make my precious grandson kneel as punishment? Go show off your power to that vixen, don't come to my Jiaofang Palace!"
The emperor was speechless with frustration. "This scoundrel is all your fault for spoiling him. He caused such a scene today just to get a Fire Spirit Mushroom?"
Qin Jinzhi chuckled, "Grandfather is quite clever."
The emperor was furious when he saw her admit it so quickly. "You've seen all sorts of good things since you were a child, and you've caused such chaos in the palace over a single fire lingzhi mushroom. If you want something, why don't you just go to my private treasury and take it!"
Qin Jinzhi shrugged. "Grandfather, you really don't have this. The Pei family has a deep foundation. For them to treat this as a treasure, it must be extremely precious."
The emperor was even angrier after hearing this, and turned to look at the empress, "Where is your Qilin staff! I'm going to give her a good beating."
The Qilin staff, commonly known as the feather duster, was a popular tool for disciplining unruly children, and it was also used by royalty.
The Empress glared at him. "Who told you to run out of your private treasury? So what if you want Jinzhi!"
The emperor was speechless. This grandfather and grandson were like a bandit leader leading his little bandits!
Qin Jinzhi was not afraid and sat directly on the footstool next to the Empress's bed.
"But it's not for me to eat. I'm asking for it for my grandmother. I met a divine doctor before who said that a secret medicine made from a hundred-year-old fire spirit mushroom and purple ginseng can cure my grandmother's old ailment. If I ask the Pei family directly, they'll never give it to me."
The Empress followed His Majesty in his campaigns across the land, which left her with many chronic illnesses.
Once it starts, the pain is unbearable.
The imperial physicians could only alleviate the symptoms, not cure the disease.
The emperor was often worried about this and sought out renowned doctors.
So as soon as she returned to the capital, she began to plot how to get the Fire Spirit Mushroom from the Pei family.
Unexpectedly, Pei Jinnian bumped right into him.
It came without any effort.
The emperor's expression immediately softened considerably. "You scoundrel, you do have a conscience. You could have just said so, and I would have had the Pei family present it to us."
Qin Jinzhi said matter-of-factly, "If you go up there and ask for someone's life-extending treasure, wouldn't that make you a robber?"
The emperor was speechless, as if she were no longer a robber, but someone else's son was being held captive in the palace.
Just now, the emperor practically fled in panic. If he hadn't run so fast, he wouldn't know what expression to make when facing Minister Pei!
The Empress had a smug look on her face. "Look, this is my precious grandson, my sweet little darling."
However, the emperor quickly showed a jealous expression, "Why do you only think about your grandmother and not your grandfather? Why don't you think about your grandfather's health?"
Qin Jinzhi had an indescribable expression on her face. "Hey, why are you so petty, old man? That fire spirit mushroom is so big, and Grandmother can't eat it all. We'll use the rest to nourish your body."
The emperor couldn't resist slapping Qin Jinzhi on the head. "I really don't know where you got your personality from!"
The Empress immediately objected, pulling Qin Jinzhi into her arms protectively. "Of course she'll take after me! Otherwise, she'd look like you, you old geezer!"
The emperor was so angry he rolled his eyes, but the family of three was unusually harmonious.
After the three generations of the family talked for a while, the Empress really needed to rest, so the Emperor banished Qin Jinzhi, the troublemaker, from the palace.
As soon as I stepped outside, Feiyan was already waiting at the door.
Seeing Qin Jinzhi come out, she stepped forward and whispered, "Princess, Sister Liuying says she wants to see you alone!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com