Lin'an Never Night

Chapter 884 The Official's Illness (Bonus Chapter for Alliance Leader Yi Xiang)

Vice Minister Huang kept what he had seen today in mind.

When he arrived at the Qian residence, Qian Duanli was somewhat surprised to hear that Huang Xu had come to visit.

Although they both served in the Ministry of Revenue, their relationship should theoretically be closer than that of officials in other government departments.

But in reality, the two did not have a good relationship.

Huang Xu was a legitimate graduate of the imperial examinations, while Qian Duanli was an official through hereditary privilege and was eventually granted the title of Jinshi by the emperor.

Although Huang Shilang could not catch up with Qian Duanli in terms of financial management.

In recent years, the Ministry of Revenue has frequently launched military campaigns, often involving tens or hundreds of thousands of troops.
However, the imperial court's expenditures were not significantly affected, entirely due to Qian Duanli's economic means.

But Vice Minister Huang still didn't think much of him.

The feeling was as if he were the wife carried in through the main gate, while Vice Minister Qian was the concubine carried in through the side gate.

No matter how capable you are, I'll still outshine you.

With Huang Shilang holding this mindset, how could the relationship between the two possibly improve?

While trying to guess Huang Shilang's intentions, Qian Duanli personally went out to greet him.

After he invited Vice Minister Huang to sit down in the living room and had tea served, Vice Minister Huang smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "Master Qian, congratulations!"

Qian Duanli asked in surprise, "What's the joy?"

Minister Huang said with a smile, "Master Qian, to tell you the truth, I have come here on the orders of His Majesty to ask your daughter for a marriage proposal."

Minister Huang stroked his beard and said, "His Majesty has heard that Minister Qian loves his daughter Xingruo. She is virtuous, gentle, and learned. His Majesty admires her greatly and wishes to make her Empress to manage the inner palace. Isn't this a great joy?"

Qian Duanli was taken aback. "He wants to marry my daughter again?"

No, your brother married my daughter, and she's still imprisoned in Zongyang Palace.

Now, your younger brother wants to marry my daughter. Does my Qian family owe your Zhao family something?
My Qian family's empire was all taken away by your Zhao family, okay?

Qian Duanli stroked his beard, smiled faintly, and was about to refuse.

His daughter, Qingyuan, is still imprisoned in Zongyang Palace.

This is a young girl who is only fourteen years old. How long will this imprisonment last?

Whether or not to release them, and how to release them, all depend on a single word from Prince Yan, Yang Yuan. But Your Majesty, where are you?
Do you want me to send another daughter to be imprisoned?
"Hehe, Your Majesty thinks so highly of my daughter, I am naturally flattered. However..."

Qian Xiang sighed and smiled, "Little actress Ruo is already engaged."

Huang, knowing full well the answer, asked in surprise, "Already betrothed? This... how come I've never heard of it before?"

Qian Duanli stroked his beard and smiled, "When the deal is finalized, we will naturally invite Minister Huang to pay his respects. For now, it's just a verbal agreement between the two parties."

Vice Minister Huang said, "Since it was just a verbal agreement, now that the Emperor is going to formally appoint an Empress, Minister Qian, this is the way of the world."

Qian Duanli said solemnly, "People like us are people of the highest standing. Even though it's just a verbal agreement, how can we break our promises?"

Huang Xu chuckled inwardly, but sighed leisurely on the surface: "Well, I wonder whose son-in-law Mr. Qian has chosen. When I return, I'll have something to say to the officials."

Qian Duanli tossed his beard aside: "Hehe, it is indeed His Highness the Prince of Yan."

Xingruo and Qingyuan are only one year apart in age, so the two sisters naturally have a very good relationship.

Now that her sister is imprisoned, although Yang Shou treats her like a princess, which the thirty-five girls in the palace envy immensely, she is ultimately not free.

Therefore, Xingruo often went to visit and keep her sister company.

She went to visit her sister today and just got back.

Qian Qingyuan was "imprisoned" in Zongyang Palace, hoping that her younger sister would get married soon so that she could whisper sweet nothings in her brother-in-law's ear and find a way to get her out as soon as possible.

Therefore, he often talked about it in front of his younger sister.

In truth, Qian Xingruo also longed to live happily ever after with her lover.
The man she admired most was actually her fiancé.

What was once looked down upon as the Yan King's rude behavior now seems to be the unique charm of a scholar's independent and unconventional ways.

However, given the upbringing of the Qian family, she couldn't bring herself to urge them to get married.

My sister nagged me again today. I just got back to the manor, and as soon as my sedan chair stopped in front of the gate, I saw another sedan chair leave.

The official banner on that carriage clearly belonged to Vice Minister Huang of the Ministry of Revenue.

Xingruo entered the hall and saw her father sitting there deep in thought, the tea for the guests still untouched.

Xingruo stepped forward and called out "Father," then said, "Dad, did a guest arrive just now?"

"Well……"

Qian Duanli then recounted the matter to his daughter and asked with a smile, "This is the position of Empress, are you tempted, daughter?"

The Emperor? Even if offered the title of Empress, she wouldn't trade it.

For a girl her age, who has grown up in luxury and has never experienced hardship, neither wealth nor supreme power could possibly move her.

If she falls in love with someone, then she'll be completely devoted to them.

Xingruo immediately shook her head: "A good horse doesn't deserve two saddles. Since my daughter has been betrothed to the Prince of Yan, she will be his person in life and in death."

Qian Duanli chuckled. Even if his daughter really had the idea of ​​becoming empress, he would not allow it.

Looking at it now, it was clearly a trap.

Xingruo finally had an excuse to urge them to get married.

"Father, my marriage is currently only a verbal agreement between you and the Prince of Yan. This matter needs to be handled as soon as possible, otherwise, I'm afraid the Emperor will be dissatisfied with you and think that you are deliberately fobbing him off."

Qian Duanli nodded: "What my daughter says is true. August 25th is an auspicious day for marriage. Father will send someone to discuss the engagement ceremony with my son-in-law."

Upon hearing this, Xingruo was overjoyed, but outwardly she feigned generosity, nodding quietly and politely: "If it's urgent, there's really no rush..."

When Vice Minister Huang returned to the palace and saw the young Emperor Zhao Dun, he shook his head.

"Your Majesty, we're too late! We're too late!"

Zhao Dun asked in surprise, "Are you late? Did something happen to Miss Qian?"

Vice Minister Huang said with a wry smile, "Your Majesty, the Qian family's daughter is already betrothed."

Zhao Dun was taken aback and said, "Already betrothed? Is the daughter of the Prime Minister in such a hurry to get married?"

Xingruo's older sister was selected as a concubine last year, while Xingruo was not selected because she was not old enough.

So, all things considered, she's just thirteen this year.

In ordinary families, some people get married as soon as they reach the marriageable age stipulated by the imperial court, but wealthy families usually marry later.

It's common for girls to get married at sixteen or seventeen, but it's rare for them to get married at fifteen.

That's why Zhao Dun was surprised.

Vice Minister Huang said, "Yes, it is said that the Prince of Yan took a liking to her at first sight, so he asked the Qian family for her hand in marriage, and that's how the two families arranged the marriage."

Zhao Dun shuddered and said in a trembling voice, "You said...you said that the Qian family girl has been betrothed to someone?"

"Yang Yuan, the Prince of Yan".

Zhao Dun gritted his teeth: "When did they formally establish the engagement ceremony?"

Vice Minister Huang shook his head: "Master Qian said that the two sides have only reached a verbal agreement and have not yet formally entered into a written engagement."

Zhao Dun slowly sat back down and said blankly, "I understand!"

Zhao Dun had never seen Xingruo's appearance, so naturally he couldn't remember her as fondly as he did Li Fengniang.

However, the issue is no longer about who the Qian family girl belongs to, but rather about Yang Yuan repeatedly humiliating him.

He feared Yang Yuan's power and knew that his elder brother's ascension to the throne was Yang Yuan's doing.

But understanding is one thing, he is the emperor!

Once he gets to this position, his ego will inevitably swell.

Even if he were still just Prince Gong, he would probably be furious, let alone the emperor!

Huang Shilang kept his head down, his eyes darting around, still pondering how to tell Zhao Dun his suspicion that Yang Yuan was colluding with Li Renxiao. Zhao Dun had already stood up abruptly.

"I understand, I understand. You may leave..."

Zhao Dun staggered out, and just as he stepped out from behind the imperial desk, the world spun around him, and he collapsed headfirst.

Huang Xu was taken aback and quickly grabbed Zhao Dun to prevent him from hitting his head on the ground.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Imperial Physician! Quickly summon the Imperial Physician!"

Huang Xu hadn't expected the young emperor to be so temperamental; his screams were comparable to those of the palace eunuchs.

The Hall of Diligent Governance was immediately thrown into chaos. Before long, doctors from the Imperial Medical Academy arrived with their medicine chests on their backs.

After a brief examination of the young emperor, the imperial physicians breathed a sigh of relief.

"The Emperor was simply overcome with anger and fainted; he is not seriously injured."

As he spoke, he pressed Zhao Dun's philtrum. Without even using any medicine, Zhao Dun let out a long breath and slowly woke up.

Minister Huang was both surprised and delighted, and hurriedly approached him: "Your Majesty, are you alright?"

Zhao Dun stared blankly at Huang Xu: "Who are you?"

Huang Shilang was taken aback: "I am Huang Xu, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue."

"Oh, then who am I?"

Huang Xu's expression changed immediately, and he said, "Your Majesty, please don't joke with me. Although the border war is urgent, it cannot shake the foundation of our Great Song Dynasty. We should deal with it slowly."

After saying that, Vice Minister Huang said, "His Majesty has woken up. The imperial physicians and all the others may leave. I have important matters to discuss with His Majesty."

After dismissing the imperial physicians, eunuchs, and palace maids from the main hall, Huang Xu helped Zhao Dun up and said urgently, "Your Majesty, don't you recognize me?"

“I recognize you, I recognize you. You are Huang Xu, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.”

Zhao Dun nodded slowly, then suddenly paused, looked up at the void, and asked in surprise, "Where is that singing coming from?"

Huang Xu looked bewildered. Where was the singing? Why didn't I hear it?

At this moment, Zhao Dun suddenly showed surprise and delight. Looking into the void, he grabbed Huang Xu's arm, pointed to the sky, and exclaimed with joy, "Huang Qing, look, look! Li Fengniang is a fairy maiden. She has descended to earth for me. Look, she is flying towards me."

Zhao Dun shook off Huang Xu, opened his arms wide, and joyfully greeted the air: "Feng Niang, my beauty..."

Seeing the official's appearance, Huang Xu plopped down on the ground.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Imperial Physician! Quickly summon the Imperial Physician!"

A scream, like that of a eunuch, rang out again in the Hall of Diligent Governance.

Historically, Zhao Dun also suffered from mental illness.

However, that illness was triggered by being frightened and angered by the scheming Empress Li Fengniang.

And this time...

Yes, it's still related to Li Fengniang.

(End of this chapter)