Ultimately, the fight between the Censorate and the civil officials ended with the two officials having their salaries withheld for half a year.
Grand Tutor Xu also left a grudge among the crowd of onlookers. You can slander those women who killed the Xiongnu on the battlefield. And you call yourself a Grand Tutor?
He is unworthy of his position!
"Grand Tutor, remember this: we can ban books, we can burn all the picture books, but we absolutely cannot say anything bad about the women of the brothel in front of the people."
"What you taught me is that for an emperor, the people's hearts are the most important thing, even if it's just an act!"
"How could you say those things in public today?"
"They don't care whether they come from brothels or not, which is why they dare to open another brothel in the capital. The people of Great Yan don't care whether they are prostitutes or not, or whether they are virgins or prostitutes. The people of Great Yan only know one thing: they conquered the grasslands."
"Because of them, this year's tax revenue can be reduced by half. As long as the grassland is peaceful, tax revenue can be reduced by half!"
Imperial Censor Fan took Miss Fan home first, while Grand Tutor Xu stayed in the Imperial Study to listen to the Emperor's teachings.
The white-haired tutor bowed his head as he received instruction. What good did it do him to call him "sir" when he had always been a pawn in the hands of the emperor and empress dowager?
Those noble sons from humble backgrounds need a leader to stand against the powerful families and do the dirty work that the emperor wants to do but dares not.
"Your subject will heed your teachings."
"Sir, please take some ointment back from the Imperial Hospital in a little while. From now on, I will still need to rely on you."
"Your Majesty, I thank you on behalf of my granddaughter. I will do anything Your Majesty needs, even at the cost of my life."
Yuwen Xuanhong got what he wanted to hear. He was afraid that today's admonition would alienate Grand Tutor Xu from him. The man waved his hand, and Lu Kai led Grand Tutor Xu out of the Imperial Study.
“I think Miss Fan would be suitable to come to our Zhanchen Tower. It just so happens that my senior sister told me that the former tower master had a technique called White Bone Claw, which was extremely ruthless.”
Jiang Tianxin was walking down the street with Huo Xiaolong, Xiaohaijie, and Da Nier, holding a skewer of grilled sausage in her hand.
The three of them were released and sent home, and they are now chatting about what happened today.
Li Jian walked slowly behind the group, still pondering how to cause trouble for Grand Tutor Xu.
"This thing doesn't sound like a legitimate martial art. Is it some kind of evil technique?" Huo Xiaolong asked.
Jiang Tianxin nodded.
"Yes, isn't our Zhanchen Tower also a demonic sect?"
"That makes sense."
"Then when you see Miss Fan again, please ask her if she'd like to learn. I feel she's a martial arts prodigy."
"Don't you even mention that all evil practices are harmful to the body?"
"No way, that skill is just for scaring people. It looks sinister, but it's actually quite serious."
Phoenix Palace
"This servant still doesn't understand. The Prince of Zhenbei's booklet is a good thing, inspiring the hearts of the women of Great Yan. Why did Grand Tutor Xu and the Empress Dowager ban it?"
The woman in front of the dressing table remained silent, because she couldn't understand it either, but wasn't she the only one who could understand it?
It was one thing for the Emperor to dislike it, but the Empress Dowager, who was also a woman, also disliked it.
"Did the King of the Grasslands come to the harem today?"
The old woman, whose face was full of wrinkles, put away the beads in her hand and asked the head palace maid beside her.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I heard that he went to the Empress's place with the Prince of Zhenbei."
The old woman stood up and walked to the window of her bedroom, where a pot of red flowers was prominently displayed.
The flowers were fiery red, unlike anything that could be seen in this season.
"He failed, leaving me all alone."
His tone was lonely and desolate, and he seemed somewhat frantic as he looked at the flower stamens reaching for the moon.
“He can’t do it, but I can. As long as the grassland king listens to me, and as long as the newly appointed grassland king is willing to join forces with me, the promise we made will eventually be fulfilled.”
Her withered hand gently grasped the petal; though fragile, the Empress Dowager trembled with restraint.
These past two days, rumors have been circulating in the palace that it's haunted. They say there's a ghost that loves to slap people, and it specifically targets those high-ranking officials.
Yuwen Sinian was one of them. When the man walked into Consort Wen's palace with a slap mark on his face, the woman was shocked, and then she cried out in pain.
Although the man wanted to argue that it had nothing to do with ghosts or monsters, he couldn't bring himself to say what the slap had come from, so he let it go.
"Has the Eighth Prince not come to see you lately?"
Ping'er was doing her work while chatting with Huanlu beside her.
"No, they never contacted me again after they brought me back that day."
The beautiful woman from Jiangnan kept wiping the soldering iron, occasionally breathing on it to warm it up. She examined it as she worked, and she did it with such style. My mother is so lucky to have daughters like us.
"What's wrong? Has he finally discovered your true nature and then stopped liking you for who you are?"
"He must be bragging. A girl like me, who is attractive, speaks with energy, and has a great personality, is someone he couldn't find even if he searched with a lantern."
"Then why don't I contact you anymore?"
Huanlu put down the branding iron and looked up at the sky. Oh, she couldn't see the sky; this was a darkroom. She glanced at the dim light and began to speak.
"It must be because he hadn't fully recovered after I beat him up that day."
"Why did you hit him?" Ping'er asked, puzzled.
Seriously, how could a little maid who grew up by Liuxu's side turn into this?
"He wants to argue with me! So I'll slap him."
"What the hell?"
"Talking and arguing is the same as kissing. Isn't it called 'talking and arguing' when two roosters are pecking at each other in a cockfighting arena?"
The maids, who were cleaning the darkroom while listening to the gossip, were buzzing in their heads. They suddenly realized that Huanlu's current state couldn't be solely blamed on her.
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