Now looking at this cold mansion again, it has lost its liveliness over the years, and it seems that even the flowers and plants have lost their vitality, with signs of desolation already appearing in the garden.
Before Liang Zhirui and the others left, of course, they left so servants in the mansion. There was a gatekeeper, craftsn to tend the flowers and plants, a few maidservants to sweep, and a steward.
These servants are now here waiting, and having learned that the master
was to return to the mansion, they have long been eagerly anticipating it. Guarding a desolate mansion for years, day after day, even if carefully maintained, so parts of the mansion have beco difficult to sustain without residents.
Gu Chengyu returned after having a al at the Liang Mansion, pondering how to arrange for Guo Moruo and the others. He then decided to ask Ming Mo to go at night and inquire about Guo Moruo and the others’ plans. As for Ji Fuhu, he could wait a few more days before asking.
"Sir! We interfered with the examination list this ti, the Emperor must be displeased, right?" The adviser Qin knew about the alteration of the examination rankings, and the Emperor even dealt with Tong Zhouyi, not sure if the anger had reached Xia Qing.
As soon as this was ntioned, Xia Qing’s face darkened. During the morning session, the Emperor had indirectly criticized him, severely admonishing him. He had been sowhat hasty; that Gu Chengyu could not be moved yet.
However, the Emperor still spared him so face and did not scold him by na in front of the civil and military officials, but anyone could discern the implication from the words. Since becoming the Grand Secretary, Xia Qing had never been reprimanded by the Emperor, and he didn’t expect to trip over the examination list this ti.
He initially thought the Emperor would not rember Gu Chengyu, but unexpectedly, not only did the Emperor rember, he had a rather deep impression.
"It’s okay! It was just a few words of admonishnt. That Gu Chengyu was lucky enough to secure the top spot in the examination." ntioning Gu Chengyu reminded him of Min Feng.
He did have a favorable opinion of Min Feng, but Min Feng still had a youthful temperant, caring too much about temporary gains and losses.
He had also heard about what happened at Tianxiang Pavilion. Gu Chengyu indeed had talent, and Min Feng was bested by him, causing him to be sowhat gloomy these days.
How does the saying go? There is no first in literature, no second in martial arts. Even if Gu Chengyu was extrely talented, is there truly no one in the world with greater talent?
Of course, there are! They just haven’t encountered him yet. To get stuck on so romantic poems is to be bogged down in trivial details, and Xia Qing was sowhat displeased with Min Feng because of that.
"Sir! I think it would be better to deal with Gu Chengyu sooner. He is greatly talented, and judging from the two competitions with Min Feng, he is not short of scheming, and he might achieve great things at the court in the future."
Qin Mulaio had long heard of Min Feng and Gu Chengyu’s two competitions at Tianxiang Pavilion. The incident of pasting couplets at the Ten-mile Pavilion made the adviser realize that Gu Chengyu could not be underestimated. Many scholars frequented the Ten-mile Pavilion, and as the posters were affixed on restroom walls, it was not considered disgraceful, and it even made a na for him.
To have risen to the position of Grand Secretary, Xia Qing indeed harbored no lack of ambition. He certainly considered these matters, but judging from this event, Gu Chengyu was scheming, though he could not gauge how deep. Having never t this man, it was hard to speculate wildly.
Listening to Min Feng’s evaluations of Gu Chengyu and his descriptions of events, Gu Chengyu seed to unintentionally encounter each literary gathering, not intentionally attending, and his poems were made on the spot.
For such a talent, even Min Feng admired him quite a bit, which was expressed in his words, though he himself hadn’t realized it.
"I wouldn’t think of pulling him down from the examination top just because he posed a threat. However, with his wings growing fuller, dealing with him now would most certainly require considerable effort."
Still, Xia Qing was not worried in his heart. Holding power in court, even if Gu Chengyu becos an Advanced Scholar or even a top scorer, he would still start as a minor official, not worth a glance from Xia Qing.
At the very least, it would take three years of experience at the Hanlin Academy, and that is the minimum. Within these three years, Min Feng could be elevated as well.
"For you, dealing with Gu Chengyu only requires a slight suggestion, and naturally, soone in the court would trouble him, so there is no need to worry at present. Once he enters the court, he will experience your esteed reputation, which is not just hearsay. It’s just that Mr. Min’s temperant needs a bit of adjustnt; as a young man, he lacks patience."
Xia Qing had already planned to personally guide Min Feng. Previously, he only instructed Huang Junheng to pay special attention to Min Feng, but due to his busy schedule, he couldn’t monitor him closely.
Looking at Min Feng’s lack of composure now, Xia Qing felt he must personally guide him, after all, Min Feng was soone he intended to apprentice.
"Hmm! I’ll have him accompany these days to work, to help him adjust his temperant. You should educate him in your daily interactions and put in so effort."
"Yes, sir. It was said that before Tong Zhouyi saw the Emperor, the Second Prince visited the Imperial Study and ntioned Gu Chengyu to the Emperor. Should we investigate the scouts from the Second Prince Mansion? Perhaps Gu Chengyu has already pledged allegiance to the Second Prince."
Qin Mulaio couldn’t help but secretly admire, for the events at the Imperial Study were already known to sir, implying that sir’s scouts had already beco close attendants of the Emperor, else how would this information co?
"I’ve already ordered the scouts to pay attention; however, the Second Prince has not left the mansion recently and has had no contact with Gu Chengyu. But it is said that a certain adviser in the mansion often indulged in dissolute pursuits and suddenly died on the bed of a Dark Woman Chang; his death was rather peculiar."
Xia Qing harbored so suspicion over that adviser’s death; the timing was too coincidental. Though the adviser had always enjoyed such affairs, often taking strong aphrodisiacs, dying on a woman’s body was not out of the ordinary, yet dying at such a critical mont invited suspicion.
Xia Qing couldn’t help but think of that pale, handso face, wondering if it was his doing.
"The Second Prince ntioned Gu Chengyu without any contact; soone must have ntioned him in front of the prince. The dead adviser is the biggest suspect, though unfortunately, the people behind the scenes acted too swiftly and decisively."
Xia Qing nodded, agreeing with Qin Mulaio’s viewpoint. However, he had another candidate in mind, soone he was half-sure was responsible.
"By the way, sir, Consort Xian is now confined, ordered not to take a step out of Chenghua Palace, and the Third Prince Mansion remains under house arrest. What is the Emperor’s intention?"
Qin Mulaio found the Emperor’s attitude puzzling. Wan Xue Nian’s misconduct implicated the Third Prince, and so punishnt was normal, but house arrest seed excessive.
In court, the matter of lifting the house arrest on the Third Prince wasn’t ntioned, and even when the courtiers inquired, it was said the discussion would be postponed. Does the Third Prince still fail to gain the Emperor’s favor? He’s almost as unpopular as that sickly Fourth Prince.
Even the Eldest Prince was punished by the Emperor, confined to his mansion for a month, and all duties were suspended.
Now, the Second Prince was basking in the lilight, and the courtiers with shallow foresight already began currying favor with the Second Prince—this was the latest trend in the Capital.
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