Chapter 89 - 84: Wielding the Jade Dragon to Die for the Lord

Chapter 89: Chapter 84: Wielding the Jade Dragon to Die for the Lord

"Join the military? Are you trying to make me laugh? A genius of the Confucian Dao like him belongs in my Ministry of Personnel!"

"You old codger, Zeng Liangjiang possesses quite a talent for solving cases. Only in my Ministry of Justice can he fully display his vast learning."

"Heh, Minister Sun, your words are far too narrow-minded. It’s truly laughable. Since ancient times, which quick-witted scholar hasn’t excelled at solving cases? I believe the Ministry of Rites is the true place for Quan Fu to showcase his brilliance..."

"..."

As these voices rose and fell, the Fourth Prince, Wang Yuanhao, suddenly rolled his eyes in thought. His effeminate face shot a malicious glance at the little fatty Crown Prince. Then, he stood up with a solemn expression, shedding his usual lazy demeanor, and bowed deeply to Emperor Jianhong with a grave gaze.

"Imperial Father, Zeng Anmin possesses unyielding integrity and great literary talent. Having him serve merely as the Crown Prince’s Tutor is indeed a waste of his abilities. It would be far better to grant him an official post so that he can contribute to our Great Saint Dynasty as soon as possible. That is the proper course of action."

The moment he spoke, the officials fell silent.

"I agree with the Fourth Prince’s words."

After that, the ministers’ arguments grew incredibly intense. Some even started cursing outright, exposing each other’s dirty laundry. It looked exactly like haggling in a crowded vegetable market.

Hearing the commotion, the little fatty Crown Prince grew anxious. His clear eyes immediately filled with urgency. He first glared at the Fourth Prince, but Wang Yuanhao simply kept his smiling gaze on the officials, ignoring him entirely. The Crown Prince couldn’t help but look at the ministers as well. He wanted to open his mouth to retort, but he was afraid of offending someone.

For a moment, he could only stand there, burning with helpless anxiety. After all, he had been the Crown Prince for less than two years; compared to these veteran officials who had spent their lives in the royal court, he lacked the necessary seniority. Therefore... he could only stare pitifully at Zeng Anmin, looking like a crying infant waiting to be fed by its old father.

The intense arguing among the ministers darkened Emperor Jianhong’s expression. As an emperor, how could he not know what these subjects were plotting? Yet, he remained expressionless, not saying a single word.

Meanwhile, Zeng Anmin’s gaze was somewhat blank. He looked up at the officials, finding the situation utterly absurd.

"Am I... really in such high demand?" he wondered.

He blinked and met his old man’s eyes. Seeing Zeng Shilin’s narrowed gaze, realization instantly dawned on Zeng Anmin.

"Damn it, I almost got fooled by this bunch," he thought. "Do I really think I’m some hot commodity?"

Court disputes were all about fighting for influence. As court officials, winning over people’s hearts and building momentum for oneself was the standard practice. Did they truly value his talent? Yes, and no.

Having talent was certainly important. But if someone had talent while also being backed by a towering giant of a tree, then in the eyes of the officials, they were a true dragon among men.

And his old man—the newly promoted Minister of the Ministry of War, Grand Scholar of the Martial Hero Hall, and Cabinet Minister—was their real target!

As his father’s only son, no matter which department he entered, its leader would absolutely welcome him with open arms.

Evidently, whatever Zeng Anmin could figure out, Emperor Jianhong could naturally see as well. He swept a faint glance across the room, his majestic gaze piercing and sharp. Any official who met his eyes subconsciously lowered their head.

The passionately shouting crowd slowly quieted down, and the atmosphere in the Eastern Palace grew heavy.

"Hmph." Emperor Jianhong scoffed coldly, fully unleashing his imposing aura. "You are all vital ministers of the royal court. How can you bicker like shrewish women in a street market?"

Uh... Everyone kept their heads bowed, lost in their own thoughts. Seeing that the officials remained silent, Jianhong’s expression improved slightly. He then turned his attention to Zeng Anmin, his face displaying a rare hint of a smile as he asked, "How did you feel inside the array just now?"

Hearing Jianhong’s gentle voice, a peculiar feeling rose in Zeng Anmin’s heart. When he first met Emperor Jianhong, he and his father were burdened with heavy crimes, their lives hanging by a thread. That day, Jianhong hadn’t shown him a good face. But today, his performance as a "loyal and upright minister of the state" had been absolutely brilliant.

Steadying his voice, he bowed, neither haughty nor humble, and replied, "To answer Your Majesty, it felt... like having a nightmare."

After speaking, he pursed his lips, his voice sounding as if he were breathing a sigh of relief. "But it’s a good thing it was only a dream."

The image of a minister deeply concerned for his country and its people leaped vividly to life.

"Heh."

His answer felt rather earnest, prompting Emperor Jianhong and the ministers to chuckle softly.

"Inside the Illusion Array, when Prince Qing ordered you to compose a poem, why did you laugh out loud?"

Emperor Jianhong’s face seemed to carry an air of approachability, yet it was blended with a lofty sense of distance. Zeng Anmin’s expression turned serious. He slowly raised his incredibly handsome face, his eyes filled with immense pride. "To answer Your Majesty, although Anmin is of humble status, the Prince Qing in the Illusion Array was nothing but a rebel. Does he deserve to hear Anmin’s work?"

As he finished speaking, the afterglow of the setting sun happened to shine upon him. Bathed in the sunlight, the radiance exuding from the young man seemed to outshine heaven and earth.

Upon hearing those words, the countless officials behind Jianhong fell into a daze. Looking at the arrogant youth before them, they seemed to see their past selves—also wearing the sword of literary talent, eager to make a name for themselves in the world. In those days, they were no less brilliant than he.

The Crown Prince was trembling with excitement. Beneath his loose Coiling Dragon Robe, his fists were clenched tightly, and he looked at Zeng Anmin with unparalleled emotion. Only Zeng Shilin remained expressionless, his lips pressed tightly together, not saying a word.

Emperor Jianhong let out a light laugh, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes as he looked at Zeng Anmin. "Oh? Does that mean you already have an excellent piece in mind?"

"This..." Zeng Anmin froze for a moment. He hadn’t expected Emperor Jianhong’s train of thought to be such a wild card, striking from a completely unexpected angle.

Sure enough, following Emperor Jianhong’s words...