The standard practice of Dayu was small court held every three days and grand court held every five days. It was unknown whether Hui Ling was lucky or unlucky, but the day after the birthday banquet of the Duchess Dinguo, it happened to be the grand court as per Dayu's standard practice.
As expected by His Majesty the Emperor upon learning the news, as soon as he sat on the Dragon Throne for the morning court, the entire court was in an uproar.
One by one, the ministers came forward with memorials, all addressing matters that pointed directly at the crown prince who, in front of everyone, had been unabashedly yawning yesterday — Hui Ling.
From the incidents that Hui Ling had caused the previous day to the minor incident of frightening children while walking with the "Grand General" some time ago, all of these were meticulously written into the memorials by the officials and brought up for serious discussion at the court assembly.
With some accusing and some defending, there was no need for His Majesty the Emperor to speak. The people below were already arguing vehemently on their own.
Suddenly hearing himself repeatedly mentioned, Hui Ling, feeling a little embarrassed, was still drowsy and hadn't yet fully realized what was happening. "Huh? Is there something you want to ask me about?"
With a calm and indifferent face, Hui Ling said, "Oh, I don’t have any opinion."
The ministers who were bickering just moments ago: "…"
His Majesty the Emperor, who had been expecting Hui Ling to make a statement: "…"
In the sudden silence that fell, His Majesty the Emperor's faint laugh resonated clearly throughout the entire court, even reaching the ministers standing at the rear of the assembly hall.
With the scene quieting down, the whole court became even more lively than before.
"Your Majesty, I have a matter to report."
"Your Majesty, I also have a matter to report."
"Your Majesty, I…"
One after another, the ministers came forward openly, and His Majesty the Emperor, who was sitting at the top, felt a rare headache. Showing no signs of discomfort, he looked at Hui Ling, wanting to know how his son, who never followed the rules, would pacify the excited ministers.
Hui Ling had used the same ability to cause chaos in his own father's house last night, now being used here in the court. This vividly delineated a unique and extraordinary spectacle of "debating with the scholars."
First, abruptly interrupting the opponent's rhythm with a "Who are you?" and then another "What concern do you have at court?" which disrupted their train of thought, and finally a calm and composed counterquestion of "I am the Crown Prince, is Dayu finished today?" Hui Ling was dismissing the other's argument and following his own logic every step of the way.
A number of ministers who were good at reasoning but not good at "quarrelling" were directly struck dumb by Hui Ling's consecutive questions, and, while subconsciously following the Crown Prince's reasoning, even fell into self-doubt, thinking, "Has the Crown Prince really done anything excessive? Is it too much to accuse him like this?"
Three questions directly dealt with many ministers who had not been stripped of their dignity by Hui Ling the previous day, and as for the other several ministers who were showing a "concern for the monarch," Hui Ling overlooked them. Overlooking those who hated him teeth-grindingly but dared not take rash action, disregarding the ministers who accused him of insignificant trivial matters and then wavered and found themselves without a stance, Hui Ling looked at a memorial that had detailed an entire accusation against him and addressed it directly to the Minister of Works and Consideration, Zheng Yangwen.
Hui Ling walked directly in front of Zheng Yangwen, circled him thoughtfully, and then squinted his eyes. "This, um, Mr. Deng…"
The Minister of Works and Consideration, Zheng Yangwen, had no expression as he reminded him, "Your Highness, my surname is Zheng."
"Oh, Mr. Zheng…" Hui Ling altered his address promptly, "You said that I am not worthy to be the crown prince, and I agree with this because even I think so." Shifting his tone, his voice gradually became colder. "But, what do you mean by ‘maliciously pressuring you, acting wantonly, and accepting bribes’?"
"Is there any malice in me?" Hui Ling spread his hands. "There isn't."
"Did I accept bribes?" Hui Ling tilted his head. "I didn't."
Even the previously cold-faced Hui Ling, now with arms crossed, directly questioned the Minister of Works and Consideration, Zheng Yangwen, with dissatisfaction, "Mr. Zheng, do you have evidence?"
"I don't acknowledge unfounded claims."
Physical evidence—the items that Hui Ling had obtained last night—were all in his own hands.
Witnesses—amidst Hui Ling's calm and emotionless gaze, were there any ministers present who had been taught how to conduct themselves the day before?
With neither physical nor testimonial evidence, on what basis was the Minister of Works and Consideration, Zheng Yangwen, accusing the Crown Prince?
Faced with Hui Ling, the Minister of Works and Consideration, Zheng Yangwen, suddenly felt backed into a corner. Just as he was starting to consider whether he should completely tear his face with the Crown Prince, His Majesty the Emperor at the top end emerged and smoothed things over. In addition to admonishing Hui Ling lightly, His Majesty the Emperor also scolded Hui Ling, advising him to speak properly next time and not to make such rude gestures, as it was unsightly.
Although the Emperor seemed to have given a "fifty lashes" to everyone without favor, was this really the case?
Bemused, the Minister of Works and Consideration, Zheng Yangwen, felt compelled by the Zheng family to rush into challenging Hui Ling today. However, who would have thought that the Crown Prince, who usually acts unpredictably and often raises doubts about his intelligence, would be so clever today? Not only did he gradually choose to knock off each opponent one-by-one, he even understood the principle of "capture the leader first."
The first probe was quickly thwarted by the Crown Prince, and Zheng Yangwen, feeling regretful for his hasty action, began to reconsider how to align himself with the Crown Prince. Despite his inner thoughts, he showed no sign of deviation as he bowed to the Emperor at the head of the court.
As the supervisor Zheng Yangwen directly apologized to the Emperor for his lack of rigor, saying, "Your Majesty, forgive me, it was my fault. I shouldn't have accused the Crown Prince without fully understanding the situation." Unable to find anyone to speak up for him, Zheng Yangwen could only write a confession, which turned out to be his first attempt at accusing the Crown Prince. Lacking experience and still harboring resentment towards Huo Ling, he inadvertently included personal emotions in the confession.
After apologizing to the Emperor, Zheng Yangwen then apologized to Huo Ling, saying, "Your Highness, it was my fault."
Zheng Yangwen's sincere attitude and serious expression made one wonder what had happened to the indignation he had shown when initially accusing the Crown Prince.
Seeing the court officials' ability to "speak the truth to people and lies to ghosts," Huo Ling decided not to pursue the matter further, imagining the harmonious and friendly scenes of interaction between the ministers, who would say one thing one day and be relentless the next.
The officials' attempt to accuse the Crown Prince failed, and Huo Ling, who was accused, received only a token punishment of a month of reflection.
Due to the charm of the Crown Prince's "debate with the scholars" and the timely concession of the supervisor Zheng Yangwen, the whole incident arising from Huo Ling's actions gradually settled down.
Next time, perhaps it would not be just a probe.
However, Huo Ling was not the least bit naive.
During the one-month reflection period for Huo Ling, he was actually quite busy.
With the Emperor's tacit approval, as the commander of the Imperial Guards, Ye Xiao directly used the power of the Imperial Guards - although he did not make this publicly known. With the occasional, appropriate support from Prince Huo Zi, as well as the full assistance of the Duke Dingguo's Mansion, the faction led by the Duke Dingguo's Mansion actually held its ground against the Zheng and Zhang families, despite the differences in opinion.
Whenever there were conflicts between the Zheng and Zhang families due to differing opinions, Huo Ling, who acted on his instincts, always found the perfect timing to strike, causing trouble for them.
During this back and forth, both sides suffered losses, but it was mainly the Zheng and Zhang families, who, out of frustration, attempted to take action against Huo Ling.
At the time, Queen Zhang, the mother of the Emperor, began to retreat to Cining Palace to devoutly pray and seclude herself from the outside world, including her family. Meanwhile, Queen Zheng, who had always been in the Tai Temple, finally came down the mountain, had a thorough discussion with the Emperor, then went to see her family members before returning to the Tai Temple.
All of this was revealed to Huo Ling by the Crown Prince's fiancee Liu Yue. How much interest and plotting were involved in all this, Liu Yue could only guess and felt troubled. The Empress, who used to fiercely oppose Ye and the others, even though she would not harm the younger generation, still remembered the Empress's care for her and even taught her how to manage her household and get along with Huo Ling.
Now, thinking about it, it seemed like a long time ago.
Things change, and it's a pity.
Huo Ling, who has always been carefree and simple-minded, did not ponder too much. He did not bother trying to figure out what the Empresses Zhang and Zheng were up to or if they were involved in plotting against him. As long as the result was in his favor, it was okay.
Thinking too much was not a good thing, so Huo Ling lived freely and happily.
When Huo Ling finished his "reflection" period, he found that there were fewer people in the court than usual.
In the past, there would always be court officials standing half inside and half outside the palace, who no longer needed to worry about getting sick due to the temperature difference. Even though his position had not changed, he felt that the grand hall now seemed spacious with him in it.
The commotion caused by Huo Ling ended with his completion of the "reflection" period. The court returned to its usual tranquility, and many people felt relieved, including the Emperor at the head of the court, who felt much more relaxed.
No major disasters had occurred recently, and there were no conflicts to balance or decide upon, so even when he saw his foolish son after a month, he still looked particularly relaxed. The Emperor even found himself absent-mindedly thinking about whether he should nap or visit the royal garden after the court session.
With the Emperor's signal, the Grand Steward was about to follow suit as usual, saying, "If there is any matter to report, raise it; if not, withdrawal." But then, the Left Metropolitan Procurator, Liu Yuanjie, suddenly stepped forward with a serious expression, holding a confession.
"Your Majesty, I have something to report," he said.
Author's note: This chapter has been selected for a writing competition, so please don't hurl me with nutrients and landmines. 【Love you all (づ￣ 3￣)づ】
After hearing Liu Yuanjie's words, Gong Yi, the Minister of the Household, wanted to see the change in the expression of his archenemy Li Gongming. However, when he turned his head, he found himself face to face with Zheng Yangwen, who had just been defeated by Huo Ling. He quietly withdrew his gaze, even the thoughts that arose because of Liu Yuanjie, seemed to have faded quite a bit.
He would rather see how the Crown Prince handled this situation and then consider how to please the Crown Prince—must not fall behind that old man—this should be the question, to avoid falling into the same predicament as Zheng Yangwen.
Completely unaware of what his old friend Gong Yi was thinking, Zheng Yangwen looked at Liu Yuanjie, the Left Censor-in-Chief who had just appeared, and his spirits lifted after being defeated by Huo Ling.
When Zheng Yangwen regained his spirits, Huo Ling, who had been half-closing his eyes and yawning, suddenly became alert. He turned around to look at Liu Yuanjie, the Left Censor who was requesting the Crown Prince to accept a concubine, unsure of what expression to show.
What could be more satisfying than Left Censor Liu Yuanjie, who stood in opposition to Huo Ling as the Crown Prince's father-in-law, for those who only dared to make subtle moves behind the scenes?
More importantly, Liu Yuanjie might genuinely believe that he was considering and acting in the best interest of Huo Ling.
After all, his father-in-law, Left Censor Liu Yuanjie, never hesitated in matters of right and wrong, exhibiting the typical demeanor of a scholar-official. But in other respects, it was hard to say, offending the civil and military officials but still standing tall in the court because of one's skills... that was quite an ability. Oh no, it was simply an overwhelming imperial favor.
Below the calm surface of the water, a sudden surge arose because of Liu Yuanjie's memorial.
The Emperor sitting at the head of the court saw through the changes in everyone's expressions, noticed Huo Ling's sudden alertness and his difficult expression, and let out a light chuckle of relief.
Following the Empress Dowager's advice, he had casually given Liu Shi to Huo Ling, thinking to use the "uprightness" of the Left Censor to correct Huo Ling's temperament. Although it was not successful, and since Huo Ling became the Crown Prince, he had always received impeachment memorials from Liu Yuanjie. But compared to the headache of reading Liu Yuanjie's lengthy memorials, he would rather see Huo Ling's troubled expression.
The Emperor, who was prepared to watch from the sidelines, leaned against the dragon throne and looked towards Huo Ling with his head resting on one hand, in a relaxed manner. "Crown Prince, what's your opinion?"
Huo Ling: "..." The Crown Prince expressed his disinterest in participating.
Rubbing his temples, Huo Ling apologized to the Crown Princess, Liang Yue, in his mind, and when he looked at Liu Yuanjie, who was presenting his case and had regained his composure, his eyes were calm, and he was even able to maintain a smile. "Mr. Liu, I have a question. I wonder if I should ask?"
Out of consideration for the Crown Princess, no matter how many times Liu Yuanjie impeached him, Huo Ling would still address him as "Father-in-law" directly in person, just like at this moment.
However, because they were still in court, Huo Ling's address to him changed to "Mr. Liu". Huo Ling's unchanged attitude made Liu Yuanjie not notice any anomaly, and he was immersed in his own fantasies, without realizing the Emperor's thoughts at the top.
Feeling that he hit the mark by representing the Crown Prince's interests, Liu Yuanjie, who rarely softened his expression, spoke with sincerity, "Your Highness, please."
"According to your words, the only purpose of the Crown Princess is to give birth to a legitimate son for me. If couldn't bear a child, she should die. Then," Huo Ling's expression suddenly turned cold, "As someone with three wives and plenty of beautiful concubines like you, do you have any sons?"
The emperor had given Liu Shi to Huo Ling without consulting his mother, the Empress Dowager, and even after Consort Zhang had beaten Consort De to the point where she didn't dare to appear in front of others for three months, this result hadn't changed. However, Huo Ling didn't just sit there, he directly used Ye Xiao's connections and his own network to thoroughly investigate the Liu family and learned many things.
That was the first time Huo Ling had come into contact with the filth under the shining surface of the capital, and also the first time he discovered that the intrigues in wealthy families were no less than the scheming and intrigue in the palace.
Liu Yuanjie had three wives in total, the first one was Chang, the birth mother of Liu Yue, the second one was her younger sister, Little Chang, who died in childbirth, and the third was Sun, the cousin of Zheng Yangwen.
This was known to most of the people, and what many people did not know was that Little Chang and Chang actually looked very similar. When Chang was resting due to poor health after giving birth to Liu Yue, her younger sister and her husband were already involved in secret activities, and Little Chang even deliberately disguised herself to look like her sister and met guests with Liu Yuanjie when her sister was absent.
As for Little Chang's death from childbirth, it was questionable whether Sun, who married Liu Yuanjie and had a premature daughter shortly after marrying, was involved. As for whether Liu Yue knew about the entanglements between the elders and how much she knew... that was something left to individual interpretation.
Whether it was retribution or something else, Liu Yuanjie, who had already reached the age of fifty, had not fathered a single son. Instead, the "blooming flowers" in the Liu family kept increasing, and two years ago, Sun, who had been eagerly anticipated, gave birth to the "ninth blooming flower," causing Huo Ling, who was supposed to win ten wen for the birth of a son in favor of the Crown Princess, to lose out.
Some people wanted to see Liu Yuanjie make Huo Ling suffer because of his identity as a father-in-law, but these people were destined to be disappointed. Huo Ling, who dared to confront even the Emperor, would not care who you were when he was serious. Not only would he not save face, he might even strip away your dignity and integrity.
Facing Liu Yuanjie, who thought he was considering the best for him, Huo Ling not only touched on the sensitive topic of him not having a son, but also immediately counter-questioned, "Mr. Liu, with no sons yourself, do you have the audacity to concern yourself with whether I have a son?"
Unable to articulate a response to Huo Ling, who struck where he was most vulnerable, Liu Yuanjie, who was always straightforward and solemn, could only struggle to maintain his mannerisms. His face changed between pale and flushed, completely unable to withstand Huo Ling's continuous and relentless questioning.
As Huo Ling's right fist clashed against his left palm, not only did he question mercilessly, but he also retorted, "So, are you audacious?" Without waiting for the speechless response from Liu Yuanjie, Huo Ling continued on his own, "Whether you are audacious or not, I wouldn't be audacious even if you were."
In other words, even he, who was always shameless, felt embarrassed, showing Liu Yuanjie's shamelessness.
Understanding the underlying meaning behind Huo Ling's words, the onlookers were left speechless. This manner of matter-of-fact counter-questioning and his self-reliant logic were beyond their capability.
Struggling to cope with the relentless questioning from Huo Ling, Liu Yuanjie was directly hit with another verbal blow, "Is that all? You still consider yourself a scholar-official? That's hilarious."
"Hahaha! How shameless can you get?" To ridicule Liu Yuanjie's behavior, Huo Ling deliberately laughed loudly three times, "My stomach is starting to ache from laughing."
Huo Ling's exaggerated performance seemed very forced, but it paradoxically gave off an inexplicable sense of irony, making Liu Yuanjie feel utterly embarrassed.
Self-proclaimed as a scholar-official, Liu Yuanjie took a deep breath, and after striving to regain his composure, he attempted to regain control of the situation, "Your Highness, we are discussing national affairs, why are you bringing up the family matters of your subject?" The issue of the Crown Prince lacking an heir was related to the welfare of the state, and to some extent, the decision of whether the Crown Prince should take on a concubine was a matter that could be brought up and discussed in court.
With this statement, Liu Yuanjie found the confidence to make his initial earnest plea to the Emperor to select a beauty for the Crown Prince, pressing the case, speaking with gravity and sincerity due to his dual role as a father-in-law and a subject. "Your Highness, for the sake of Great Zhou, you should also take a concubine."
"...Oh." He still maintained his composure and engaged in a debate with him, indicating that his father-in-law still had some ability. Huo Ling thought this and maintained his smile, "I understand the reasoning, but..." He crossed his arms and tilted his head towards Liu Yuanjie, "what's the use of having as many beauties as possible if I decide not to have children?"
Huo Ling's words were not refined, but they were very reasonable. If Liu Yuanjie not only managed to persuade him to take a concubine but also let him sleep with the beauties as he pleased, then this Crown Prince would be completely in his control.
This rascally and celibate demeanor of the Crown Prince caught everyone off guard, and yet, it left them with a strange feeling of not being surprised, and even led some to come up with the odd thought that "this kind of Crown Prince might bring about wonderful new changes for Great Zhou."
Looking Liu Yuanjie in the eye, after being relentless, Huang Ling's once pale face suddenly flushed, and the taut string in his mind snapped with a crack, and suddenly everything went black in front of him.
With a thud, Liu Yuanjie fell to the ground on the marble floor, and his collapse shook many of the onlookers to their senses.
Looking at Left Censor Liu Yuanjie, who had been infuriated to the point of fainting and even fell face down on the ground, Gong Yi, who had initially underestimated Huo Ling's capability to become the Crown Prince, changed his attitude. He suppressed the notions he had conceived not too long before and silently began to consider whether to follow his rival, Li Gongming, and submit an impeachment to the Crown Prince.
—No, I can't stoop to the level of that fool Li Gongming, that would be too cheap.
As usual, Gong Yi became tangled in his thoughts and once again emerged with the futile idea of pleasing the Crown Prince, only to have his efforts rebuffed by the rival who was far away by the Yellow River.
Unlike Gong Yi, who was still pondering whether or not to submit an impeachment to the Crown Prince, Zheng Yangwen, on the other hand, was trembling with regret as he witnessed Liu Yuanjie being infuriated into a fainting spell.
I was confused for a moment, just a moment.
As Deputy Minister Liu Yuanjie fainted from anger, the atmosphere in the court once again became silent and quiet.
However, this time it was completely different from the beginning, as some just emerging undercurrents dissipated directly without even a ripple as soon as the wind brushed over the water's surface.
Without the need for the Steward to command, the sharp-witted eunuch had already taken the fainted Deputy Minister Liu Yuanjie away. As for what will happen to Minister Liu after he wakes up and whether he will be punished for his breach of etiquette, it would depend on the thoughts of the Emperor.
Accustomed to Huo Ling's lack of discipline and carelessness, the Emperor always appeared more tolerant when dealing with other ministers. Considering Huo Ling's usual demeanor towards him, Huo Jian was even prepared to issue a reprimand for Liu Yuanjie's breach of etiquette afterwards.
Seated high up, the Emperor observed the whole situation and clearly saw people's fluctuating thoughts, their uneasy jealousy, and thoughtful expressions. Huo Ling, however, was different. The Crown Prince, who had just fainted his father-in-law, remained calm and even bored, saying, "Aren't you leaving the morning court yet? I'm so tired of waiting."
Seeing this, the Emperor, for some reason, did not feel the least bit surprised.
Feeling tired, he massaged his temples, avoiding Huo Ling's location subconsciously. Then, the Emperor slowly stood up and looked at the people in the court, speaking slowly and gravely, "Does anyone have any other matters to report?" If someone had something to report about Huo Ling, that would be perfect, and it wouldn't matter if the court continued into the afternoon.
A complete silence, no one came forward.
The Deputy Governor Zheng Yangwen lost face, the Deputy Minister's prestige was undermined, and the Crown Prince's ruthless behavior could make anyone fear. Since they didn't have any deep grudges with the Crown Prince, who would dare to come forward?
"Is there really nothing else?" the Emperor asked again, feeling a bit unhappy that no one dared to come forward. He had never expected that not a single person among the civil and military officials would speak up. Even the Crown Prince couldn't be confronted. It was truly... Suppressing a sudden surge of pride, Huo Jian stood up directly and said, "In that case, I will retire."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Emperor left, and on the side, the Steward quickly snapped his whip, indicating the end of the court session.
After hearing the words "retire," Huo Ling suddenly became alert. He watched as the Emperor's figure disappeared from his sight and then, standing in place, he couldn't help but stretch lazily, humming like a lazy cat. Before causing a "fight" with him so early in the morning, why didn't they investigate the situation first? He was someone who could even make a dog run away with its tail between its legs.
Ignoring the ambiguous gazes of many officials as they looked at him before leaving, Huo Ling stretched his neck lazily and, taking advantage of the fact that sleep had not completely left him, he turned around and prepared to go back to the Eastern Palace for a nap.
However, to his surprise, as soon as he turned around, he bumped into the Minister of the Household Office, Gong Yi, who had been watching him from the side for some time.
Although it seemed like Huo Ling had bumped into Gong Yi, it was actually Huo Ling who staggered back several steps.
Before Gong Yi could speak, Huo Ling exclaimed, "Oh! Where did you come from? Why didn't you say something beforehand? Are you afraid that I will conquer Great Zhou and you want to deal with me first?"
Gong Yi, who had originally wanted to help Huo Ling but was slow to react, suddenly paused at the question. Was this how the Crown Prince always spoke?
He withdrew his outstretched hand slowly, looking at Huo Ling, someone who was unreasonably bold. Not willing to answer the Crown Prince's question lightly, knowing he would bear the consequences, he remained silent for a moment. Ignoring the inexplicable questioning from Huo Ling, Gong Yi went on to ask the Crown Prince with an appearance of concern, "Your Highness, are you alright?"
This expression of concern was for Huo Ling's physical well-being as well as his mental state, but unfortunately, Huo Ling did not pick up on the double meaning. He simply did not sense any malice from the other party.
Concealing his vigilance, Huo Ling adjusted his slightly askew jade crown and asked, "By the way, who are you?" The little old man in front of him seemed familiar, a kind of familiarity that came from having been scolded by him before, but unfortunately, he couldn't remember.
Huo Ling's usual routine at the morning court was like this—doze off during the session, wake up immediately upon retiring, look without really looking at things, and later report to the Emperor either "I think this lord makes a lot of sense" or "There's no reason, I just think it's not right." When the Emperor, irritated by Huo Ling's response, said forcefully, "It's not always what you think, it's what I think that matters," Huo Ling would simply lazily lower his eyelids and respond with an "Oh."
It was a bit too much to expect Huo Ling, who was in such a state, to recognize Gong Yi, the Minister of the Household Office who usually stood three to five steps away from him, and especially to recognize him immediately upon seeing him. This was quite a burden.
Huo Ling didn't see any problem in not recognizing Gong Yi, and he stood boldly under the other's silent gaze, "What? Must I know you?"
Gong Yi fell into silence again. This was a very good question. Gong Yi was not someone the Crown Prince had to know.
Thinking this, the years of practicing self-control allowed Gong Yi to control his emotions. He then politely introduced himself to Huo Ling, but he was somewhat disrupted by Huo Ling's question, so Gong Yi directly explained his intentions, "Your Highness, I am concerned about the situation of Lord Li Gongming on the other side of the Yellow River. However, for certain reasons, I cannot ask Lord Li Gongming directly to avoid any misunderstandings. Therefore, I wanted to ask Your Highness about it. Do you understand?"
Huo Ling blinked and lightly said, "Oh."
Only then did he understand why he had not noticed any malice from Gong Yi. Surprisingly, Gong Yi had not come to make trouble for him. This left Huo Ling somewhat disappointed, but he still had a question to ask, "Who is Li Gongming?" It sounded familiar, but the name "Li" was quite common, and Li Gongming's name didn't seem to be memorable to him.
Gong Yi: ... At this moment, it seemed like he could hear the roaring of the Yellow River.
Being asked about Li Gongming, who was stuck on the banks of the Yellow River due to his management of the water conservation project, brought a tinge of bitterness to Gong Yi. He persevered in controlling the laughter that arose from Huo Ling's question. Gong Yi patiently explained to Huo Ling who Li Gongming was, and once the "forgetful person" that was the Crown Prince finally remembered him, and also realized when they had interacted with each other, it made Gong Yi feel even more awkward.
"Oh, so you are the Minister of the Household Office, Gong Yi. Are you talking about Li Gongming who doesn’t respect his elders? Very nice. When I left, he made a bold vow to me, saying that if he couldn't manage the Yellow River water, he wouldn't come back.” Huo Ling patted Gong Yi’s shoulder, feeling a bit sentimental, "I remember you two had a conflict over your children's marriage, and then you've been at odds ever since. I didn't expect you to still care about him."
When he went to Salt Lake County for disaster relief, diligent Ye Xiao not only collected relevant information about the county, but also reported on the situation of each of the relief team members to him. Although Huo Ling often forgot what he heard at the time, the dispute between Li Gongming and Gong Yi had enough twists and turns to be remembered by him.
Li Gongming and Gong Yi were classmates and close friends. However, Gong Yi’s younger sister, two years older than her, took a liking to Li Gongming's youngest son, who happened to have feelings for Gong Yi's daughter. This tangled the two into a conflict. In the end, Li Gongming’s youngest son married no one, and currently served as the magistrate of Yinping County in the northwest, with nobody close by him to advise him. As for Gong Yi's younger sister, she had married far away to the southwest, while Gong Yi's daughter was still waiting for someone to come back. As a result, Li Gongming and Gong Yi had a falling out, and after years of keeping silent resentment towards each other, the belief that "he always thinks he's right" became a subconscious reaction for them both.
Quickly being reminded of this, recalling the moments of having a drink with Li Gongming, Gong Yi's mind wandered. To the extent that he could not hear Huo Ling's words clearly, he subconsciously nodded.
After nodding, Gong Yi suddenly realized what he had just agreed to and became extremely uneasy. “Your Highness, what did you just say? Can you say it again?”
"Of course," Huo Ling replied, understanding the other's hearing difficulty because they were both elderly. He repeated his words with a smile, "I meant, Great Minister, because you care about Lord Li, why don't you go help him?"
Gong Yi: ... He just agreed, didn't he?
Feeling pleased with his own words and actions, Huo Ling then acted as if he didn't notice, and continued to convey his thoughts to Gong Yi, "Don't worry, Great Minister. I will talk to Father about it. You will definitely be able to join forces with Lord Li. Father will surely be pleased with your efforts for Great Zhou."
Gong Yi: ... Did he just agree?
Engrossed in orchestrating the reunion of old friends, and being a caring prince who cherished his subordinates, Huo Ling seemed completely oblivious to the expression on Gong Yi's face at that moment, almost like his expression was blank.
"Don't worry, I will make arrangements as soon as possible."
Without giving Gong Yi a chance to respond, Huo Ling expressed, self-assuredly, "Great Minister, rest assured, I will speak to Father. You will definitely be able to fight alongside Lord Li, and Father will surely be pleased with your efforts for Great Zhou."
Gong Yi: ... Did he really agree?
Feeling fantastic about his proposal, Huo Ling couldn't help but think of himself as a brilliant and understanding genius—look, Great Minister was moved to the point of speechlessness. Feeling moved by his own actions, Huo Ling smiled contentedly, and once again patted Gong Yi's shoulder, as if placing his hope for "the Yellow River becoming a true mother river" on Gong Yi, "There's a saying, ‘When two people work together, their combined power can break gold.’ I believe in you and Lord Li. You can definitely do it!"
Gong Yi: ... Wait, Your Highness, is there something not quite right?
Having said what he needed to say and done what he needed to do, Huo Ling left contentedly, leaving Gong Yi, the Minister of the Household Office, standing there, lost in thought—
How exactly did things develop to this point?
The author has something to say: (Text continues)
①: In the "Book of Changes, Commentary on the Decision Part I", it is stated: "When two people are of the same mind, their advantages are like cutting through metal; the words of those with the same heart are fragrant like orchids."