Chapter 82: Promoted to Third Rank

Chapter 82 Appointed to a Third-Rank Position

"Second Brother, tsk..."

"What's wrong?"

"This Qin Zhenning, he's a true talent, isn't he? An old acquaintance of your wife, I presume? Well, I must say he does cut a very distinguished figure..."

"Your Majesty, rest assured, he is indeed a man of great talent. I can vouch for that!"

Hearing the emperor's approval, Jiang Huailiang immediately thumped his chest, leaning closer to whisper his assurance.

"According to my wife, Qin Zhenning was my father-in-law’s most cherished disciple. He even achieved the rank of Tanhua in the imperial examinations. Had fate not dealt him such an unfortunate hand, he would undoubtedly be a prominent figure by now. It’s not that I seek to form factions, Your Majesty, but I genuinely believe this man possesses remarkable ability. Coming from an ancient, established family, he surely commands significant resources—otherwise, how could he have procured the snow lotus? Don’t you agree this reasoning holds true? With the court currently facing a shortage of capable individuals, having such a distinguished representative from a noble house pledge his loyalty would be immensely beneficial. Your Majesty, you would no longer feel like a mere country lord entering the capital. Wouldn't that be splendid?"

"Your reasoning is sound, and I know your concern is for the court. But the crucial point is..."

Some things were difficult for the emperor to articulate directly, lest he cause his sworn brother to lose face. Yet, remaining silent also carried the risk of his brother unknowingly stumbling into trouble, right?

"He's an old acquaintance of your wife! He looks distinguished! More refined than either of us!"

"Well, I can see that too."

Jiang Huailiang, wincing as if in pain, continued his counsel.

"But we cannot deliberately suppress him simply because he is more handsome than us, can we? After all, he is the one who offered the medicine, Your Majesty!"

Am I jealous that he is more handsome than I am?

I am merely worried for your sake!

Your wife already finds your appearance coarse, and now you place a handsome man right before her for comparison. Are you perhaps tired of living a comfortable life?

You heartless fool!

The emperor shot him an annoyed glare, swallowing a thousand unspoken criticisms, deeming it futile to enlighten such an idiot.

Turning his face, he donned a smile, stepping forward with warmth and a hint of gratitude to help Qin Zhenning, who was bowing respectfully, to his feet.

"Rise quickly, no need for such formality. I have long heard of the esteemed Qin family. I had always intended to invite you to serve in the court but hesitated to disturb your tranquil aspirations. Today, your meritorious act of offering the medicine is duly noted by me! If you are willing, would you consider joining the court as an official?"

He spoke with such lofty and dignified pronouncements that Qin Zhenning immediately prostrated himself in gratitude.

"Thank you for your boundless grace, Your Majesty. Your humble servant pledges to serve Great Yu with utmost devotion, striving until my last breath!"

With one party willing and the other eager, the bond between ruler and subject was instantly forged.

"Hahahaha, my dear subject, please rise quickly!"

Thus, within an hour, all the major and minor noble families in the capital received the latest news: Qin Sanlang, the long-absent prodigy of the Qin family, who had been in seclusion for over a decade, was now appointed to the third rank as Vice Minister of Personnel.

So, whether the emperor was truly broad-minded or not was debatable, but what mattered was his adherence to propriety. Whether it was to express gratitude for the medicine that saved the Crown Prince or to attract talent with lavish rewards, he certainly did not hesitate to bestow a high position.

Fortunately, the rather unseemly-looking medicine proved to be genuinely effective. Two days after taking the antidote, the Crown Prince finally regained consciousness. Although his health was likely beyond full recovery, his life was certainly saved. As his parents, the Emperor and Empress dared not ask for more.

However, the Zhao family, who had invested countless resources into the Empress and Crown Prince, were utterly distraught upon hearing that the Crown Prince would be bedridden for life. How could a sickly Crown Prince, constantly on the verge of death, possibly maintain his position in the East Palace? Could all their years of painstaking effort be handed over to someone else in vain?

Absolutely not!

At the Qianyuan Palace, Duke Chengen directly confronted the Imperial Noble Consort. He explicitly impeached the Qiao family for their unworthiness, accusing them of ruthlessly and audaciously plotting to murder the current Crown Prince, solely to secure the position for the Third Prince.

"Nonsense!"

Summoned for confrontation, the Imperial Noble Consort sat calmly to the emperor's right, her lips curling in a cold sneer at Duke Chengen.

"If I intended to harm him, why would I wait until he ascended to the position of Crown Prince? If your Zhao family possesses evidence, present it. But if you are merely slandering me with baseless accusations, then I shall not be so lenient!"

Duke Chengen raised his hand, bowed to the emperor, and addressed him.

"Reporting to Your Majesty and the Empress, your humble servant has evidence!"

The Empress remained silent, her eyes cast down, fixed on the patterns of the floor tiles, lost in thought.

"Present whatever evidence you possess. If it proves my involvement, I shall immediately bash my head against the wall in this Qianyuan Palace to atone to the Empress and her son! But if you are merely slandering me with false accusations, then from this day forward, I, Qiao Yunshu, shall never rest until your Zhao family is utterly destroyed!"

"Imperial Noble Consort, watch your words!"

Seeing his wife's temper flare up again, the emperor quickly intervened to soothe her.

"Let us discuss and listen to the matter calmly. I am not without reason; there is no need for you to make such a drastic vow to prove your innocence. What kind of talk is that?"

After calming the furious Imperial Noble Consort, he turned his head to the left, glancing at the silent Empress, and sighed inwardly.

"Duke Chengen, present your evidence."

"Yes!"

Duke Chengen retrieved a familiar white jade ruyi pendant from his sleeve and respectfully presented it before the imperial presence.

"Does Your Majesty still recall this item?"

How could he not recall it?

This item used to hang on the emperor's person until his good son, Li Laosi, stole it to curry favor with his father-in-law. How did it end up in Duke Chengen's hands?

"This is the jade pendant I bestowed upon the Duke of Ling. How did it come into your possession?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, this item was found on the culprit as evidence."

"What culprit?"

"The culprit who harmed the Crown Prince and the Sixth Prince!"

Duke Chengen began his reasoned account.

"This time, not only was the Crown Prince successfully harmed, but the Sixth Prince also fell victim. However, fortunately, the Sixth Prince is physically stronger and woke up in time."

"While everyone was focused on saving the Crown Prince, the Sixth Prince sent someone to find me. He mentioned that the palace maid who served tea that day had vanished without a trace, and after a search, her body was found in an abandoned well within the Cold Palace. Even more, this jade pendant, hidden inside a sachet, was discovered on her person!"

"You're spouting nonsense!"

Jiang Huailiang, who had been standing by, contemplating whether to support his in-law, could no longer remain composed. Good heavens, this bastard Duke Chengen was spinning such a tale that it seemed he was trying to drag his entire family into this mess!

"That jade pendant of mine is still safely enshrined at home! I burn three sticks of incense morning and night, grateful for the Emperor's boundless grace. Where the hell did you get this piece of crap jade, and how dare you try to pin this crime on me? If you can't provide a proper explanation today, I'll fight you to the death!"