The Prime Minister's Darling novel Chapter 774

Chapter 774: 360 Undermining (Second Edition)

The next day, everyone in the house got up early before dawn.

Gu Jiao used to be the earliest riser, but when she walked out of her room that day, she found the Yao Family, the old sacrificial wine, Fong Mama, and Yu Yaya gathered in the hall.

Not only that, but Steward Qin had also come.

What was happening?

"Good morning." Gu Jiao greeted.

Everyone looked at the "birthmark" on her face and sighed together.

Gu Jiao: What’s with the look of disappointment? Has my status at home become so low? Don’t you even want to see me anymore?

Everyone exchanged a knowing look and after Gu Jiao had a bowl of nourishing soup, another bowl appeared in front of Xiao Liulang at breakfast.

Steward Qin emphasized, "It’s venison soup, very good for men!"

Xiao Liulang: "..."

Xiao Liulang had a lump in his throat that he just couldn’t swallow.

Last night, when she laid flat, he really thought she was prepared to tease him all the way, he hesitated for a moment out of conscience, and then he heard her little snoring sound from below.

He was dumbfounded on the spot!

He was the one being teased, he was the one being worked up without being able to eat, and in the end, he was the one being misunderstood... Where could he go to explain himself?

Xiao Liulang drank the venison soup with a dark face.

Steward Qin went back to the palace to report, grinning from ear to ear.

After a day and night’s journey, the officials from the Ministry of Revenue and the Hanlin Academy finally reached the capital this morning. The Minister of Revenue did not dare to delay and reported to the emperor with his nearly broken legs.

He did not slander Xiao Liulang, nor did he intentionally diminish Xiao Liulang’s merits, firstly because there was a Hanlin official recording the trip, secondly because the marquis of Xuanping was standing in Jinluan Hall.

That’s right, this person who never attends the court early and only knows how to sleep in, actually attended the court early today.

The Minister of Revenue didn’t have a bad impression of Xiao Liulang, but he had received instructions from Grand Tutor Zhuang to attribute the merits mainly to Prince An. As for Xiao Liulang, he was neither praised nor blamed, and hence was not mentioned.

But...Thinking about his near leg-breaking experience, the Minister of Revenue had no doubt that if he spoke ill of Xiao Liulang, the Marquis of Xuanping would remove his legs in front of the emperor.

The Minister of Revenue reported truthfully.

Both Xiao Liulang and Prince An performed exceptionally well, both of them had made contributions. Although the Minister of Revenue tried to give Prince An more opportunities to contribute, Xiao Liulang really did a lot down in the countryside.

The emperor was pleased to hear that both were pillars of Zhan Country. Among the top three scholars, the top scholar and the second-ranked scholar were already showing their talents in the six departments, leaving only the third-ranked scholar still unknown to the public.

However, there was no rush for this. After all, both Xiao Liulang and Prince An had strong backers, they were not afraid of being suppressed after emerging. Ning Zhiyuan’s background was a bit weaker, so he needed to accumulate some experience in the Hanlin Academy.

The emperor awarded Xiao Liulang and Prince An a pair of ink treasures each, and ordered Eunuch Wei to deliver them to the Hanlin Academy later.

After the court was dismissed, the emperor returned to the Huaqing Palace.

"Your Majesty." An apprentice nun came over with a food box, bowed to him, and said, "The Empress Dowager personally made some pastries and asked me to bring them to His Majesty. Also, she asked me to ask His Majesty if he is well, it has been a few days since she last saw Your Majesty, and she misses you very much."

The emperor was slightly taken aback.

Indeed.

He had not visited the Empress Dowager for a few days.

That would have been impossible in the past.

As long as the Empress Dowager was in the palace, he would go to see her every day.

Was he still angry about the Empress Dowager keeping her relationship with Gu Chao a secret?

Even though the Empress Dowager had chosen him in the end, did he still have a knot in his heart?

"Your Majesty, if there is nothing else, I shall take my leave." The apprentice nun handed the cakes to Eunuch Wei and left.

The emperor looked at the food box in Eunuch Wei’s hand.

Eunuch Wei understood, opened the box lid, and said, "Your Majesty, it’s date paste cakes."

This was his favorite pastry. Empress Dowager Jing had even learned how to make it from the imperial kitchen for him.

He thought of the days when Empress Dowager Zhuang was banished to the Cold Palace, and he, Empress Dowager Jing, and Ning An were ostracized. There were not even any hot dishes for his birthday, so Empress Dowager Jing picked dates from the tree and made a date paste cake.

It didn’t taste particularly good, but it was the best taste he remembered from that time.

The emperor took a bite of the date paste cakes.

It was also made with crunchy dates. The images from his memory flooded into his mind, and he sighed deeply, "Tell the Empress Dowager in the nunnery that I will have dinner with her tonight."

"...Yes." Eunuch Wei responded.

The second master had recently hired another doctor. To be precise, he had poached a doctor from Huichun Hall who was previously kicked out. Everyone was waiting to laugh at him, but he made a name for himself in the Capital with Miaoshou Hall.

Miaoshou Hall’s business was getting bigger and bigger, and there were countless doctors secretly hoping to join him. After careful selection, he settled on a doctor with the surname Miao.

His medical skills were excellent, but most importantly, he was a man of integrity.

It took a while for the second master to persuade Doctor Miao.