"The Marquis isn’t capable?"

Cui Ming exclaimed softly.

"Hush, keep it down," Hong Ye hastily covered Cui Ming’s lips and whispered, "This is just my speculation..."

Such a significant matter couldn’t be kept to herself for discomfort, so Hong Ye poured out all her inner perplexities to Cui Ming without reservation.

Cui Ming’s expression shifted from shock to embarrassment and finally settled into a semblance of calm.

"You’re worrying unnecessarily, the Marquis wouldn’t be like that. You forget, the young lady learned medicine from Doctor Li. If something were wrong, the young lady wouldn’t know?"

Hong Ye was almost persuaded.

...

"What? Dingbei Marquis got injured at the Northern Border?"

The Emperor was struck with astonishment and sat straight up, the memorial in his hand dropped with a thud onto the golden bricks, and Old Wang whispered by his side, "This is news from the Dean. It’s heard that Dingbei Marquis’s sister-in-law is critically ill; it’s only a matter of days. The Dean goes there every day to feel the pulse, but Dingbei Marquis stops him from checking."

The Emperor sighed, "Could it be true that the family line of Dingbei Marquis Mansion will be cut off?"

Old Wang took a slight step back, saying, "The Emperor forgets, Sixth Master Gu is also of the Gu Family bloodline."

The Emperor glanced sideways at Old Wang, hesitated to speak, and after a moment finally said, "Wasn’t Sixth Master Gu eagerly trying to be a scholar? After writing poems for so many years, he’s finally got some understanding, making them somewhat comprehensible. His... his children probably wouldn’t be suited for the battlefield either."

Old Wang’s mouth couldn’t help but twitch.

The Emperor had seen the poetry collection the Crown Prince brought back from Dingbei Marquis Mansion and even praised a few poems, especially those by Mr. Qin, with some lines recited repeatedly by the Emperor; he still remembered them.

"This servant thinks that Sixth Master Gu’s poems now are fluent and understandable, also not bad. Moreover, Sixth Master Gu’s illustrations are quite exquisite, it’s said that the scholars and ladies from other provinces all want to buy them for their collections."

"Oh?"

The Emperor raised his eyebrows and looked at Old Wang.

Old Wang straightened up, shook the horsetail whisk in his hand, and said, "It’s said that the new Marchioness of Dingbei Marquis cherished her brother-in-law, and she also tended to want to elevate her cousin. In her dowry shop, she had poetry collections engraved, originally intended as gifts, but unexpectedly, they sold well. The Emperor has seen them, they’re elegantly printed, the illustrations are beautiful too, deeply loved by young ladies, many scholars from other provinces also want to buy them for collections."

Saying so, he glanced at the Emperor’s expression and lowered his voice a bit.

"Isn’t there still contributions by the Minister of Rites and Lord Academic Administrator in that poetry collection?"

The Emperor understood, after a moment of savoring, he sighed and said, "The Marchioness of Dingbei Marquis has done beautifully, who would have thought that the rigid old Qin Jijiu could father such a daughter. It’s said she’s stunning, really a pity if she’s living as a widow?"

Old Wang sighed, "What... else can be done?"

Everyone has their fate.

He didn’t want to become a eunuch either.

The Emperor frowned, slowly asked, "Did the Director of Imperial Hospital... say whether it could be cured?"

Old Wang shook his head.

If the root was injured, how could it be cured?

It’s not like kidney deficiency that can be solved by drinking tiger penis wine or taking aphrodisiac pills.

Can what’s missing grow back?

That shouldn’t be sought from the Dean, that should be asked of a Daoist.

If Dingbei Marquis could grow back, he’d want to try growing it back himself.

The Emperor was silent for a long time, sighed deeply, and said wearily, "Why do I feel reluctant to act? According to Gu Jinghui’s merits, he should have been given the title of Duke, yet I’m afraid to confine it. Treating Dingbei Marquis Mansion kindly is ancestrally ordained. If not for the sake of the Crown Prince... alas... how many generations has Dingbei Marquis Mansion guarded over Da Xing City."

Old Wang did not respond, lowered his head, pondered for a long time, before cautiously saying, "There will be no more wars in Da Xing from now on, there is no need for Dingbei Marquis, and Old Madam Gu wants her descendants to study and take the imperial examinations. Dingbei Marquis Mansion will have only an empty title to pass on in the future."

Moreover, it will be passed to the bloodline of Sixth Master Gu.

The name of Dingbei Marquis Mansion is in reality extinct, what is there to worry about anymore?

Hearing this, the Emperor was reassured, thought for a while, and said, "Go tell Xia Bianxiu to approve Gu Jinghui’s memorial and forward it to the Ministry of Personnel to discuss how to handle it. Since the descendants of Dingbei Marquis Mansion will all seek official rank in the future, we cannot afford to offend all of the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers."

Old Wang smiled and complimented, "The Emperor is indeed wise and benevolent, considering the long-term for his ministers. With a master like the Emperor, who wouldn’t wholeheartedly serve Da Xing and the Emperor to death?"

"You old thing, always saying what I like to hear."

The Emperor laughed heartily.

Old Wang said, "Then this servant will go to deliver the edict."

The Emperor was in high spirits, waved his hand and said, "Go on."

Old Wang shuffled to the Warm Pavilion in the west, instructed Xia Bianxiu to find and approve the memorial previously submitted by Gu Jinghui, and transfer it to the cabinet.

Xia Bianxiu was in the middle of writing, upon hearing, he set his brush behind his ear, and rummaged through the pile of memorials on his desk.

"All the memorials from Dingbei Marquis are withheld, do you know which one?"

Old Wang said, "The most recent one, mentioning matters of the Capital Inspection."

"Oh, oh,"

Xia Bianxiu found it, opened the memorial to read through, and laughed, "People say Dingbei Marquis only knows how to fight, but in my view, he must have some skills in the court too—this wording, this writing, you can’t craft this without spending years navigating the officialdom."

Old Wang snorted, "Probably just a blind cat catching a dead mouse. That youngster was raised under my watch; what kind of knowledge could he possibly have in his belly?"

Xia Bianxiu said no more.

Old Wang watched as Xia Bianxiu removed the brush from behind his ear, dipped it in ink, wrote down his notes, and placed the memorial in the stack pending processing, he finally said, "I’ve heard that Dingbei Marquis Mansion might be holding a funeral soon. Once the cabinet has deliberated and issued an edict, it might coincide with it. If uninformed people believe the Emperor is harsh to his ministers because of this, it would be your dereliction of duty."

Xia Bianxiu grinned, thought for a moment, and said, "Do we really have to wait for forty-nine days to pass?"

Old Wang glared, "Just convey the message. The old cabinet ministers know what to do, do you understand?" 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"Understood," Xia Bianxiu asked, "Is there anything else?"

"Nothing," Old Wang turned away sulkily, and as soon as he exited the Warm Pavilion, he snorted, "What a thing, probably will remain just a compiler all his life."

Inside the Warm Pavilion, Xia Bianxiu also spat, "Old eunuch."

Old Wang didn’t return to Yangxin Hall, made a few turns and instructed a little eunuch guarding the gate a few things, then returned to his own courtyard.

As soon as he entered, the little eunuch waiting inside hurried out to greet him, saying, "Godfather is back."

Old Wang nodded, and was helped to a rocking chair under a tree.

Soon after, a pot of tea, neither too hot nor too cold, was placed on the small table beside him.

"Godfather, have some tea first, and then I’ll bring you your meal."

Old Wang took the tea, sipped a little, and said, "Not bad, my throat was parched, been standing in Yangxin Hall all day without a sip."

Without something to chew on, it’s hard to hold one’s urine, drinking too much means having to relieve oneself.

Going in and out with the Emperor present is something he fears might annoy the Emperor.

The little eunuch was quick-witted and said, "Godfather has been working hard. Today, why do you seem to be in such a good mood, did you receive a reward from the Emperor?"