klisemfg Chapter 322: An Unexpected Encounter by the Lake
Chapter 322: An Unexpected Encounter by the Lake
Chapter 322: An Unexpected Encounter by the Lake
"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! We must rise early!" The crowd knelt and bowed. The Emperor said with a serious expression, "My beloved ministers, rise."
After everyone rose, the atmosphere became inexplicably oppressive. Shen Bin stood in the center of the court, dressed in striking red, his attire clashing with the others. Pointing and whispering arose among the crowd. Shen Bin remained unperturbed, standing motionless and calm.
Upon seeing this scene, the emperor frowned slightly. The eunuch beside him noticed this and shouted, "Silence! No noise is allowed in the court!"
Upon hearing the emperor's words, everyone in the court immediately fell silent, standing solemnly. Shen Bin failed to notice that the person beside him was none other than Wu Tian, the patriarch of the Wu family. Wu Tian glared at Shen Bin with hatred, gritting his teeth, wishing he could tear Shen Bin to pieces.
"Your Majesty, who is this gentleman?" Wu Tian couldn't contain his curiosity and asked. A large group of people behind him seemed to want to ask as well, but seeing that the Minister of Rites had spoken, they all lowered their heads and remained silent, listening intently to what the emperor had to say.
The emperor seemed unwilling to speak, so he asked the eunuch Feng, who was standing beside him, to speak.
Eunuch Feng cleared his throat and said in a loud voice, "This is last year's top scholar in the imperial examination. He is here today to take up his post."
The officials in the court listened to what Eunuch Feng said, looking at each other in bewilderment. They all wanted to know what position Shen Bin held, but dared not ask rashly, fearing that they might offend the emperor.
"Your Majesty, I dare to ask what position Your Majesty will bestow upon him?" Wu Tian asked. He was furious the moment he saw Shen Bin beside him. He couldn't believe that Shen Bin, who had disobeyed the Emperor's orders and ignored His Majesty's favor a year ago, dared to show his face again. He himself had worked hard for decades to become the Minister of Rites, while Shen Bin, having disobeyed the Emperor's grace, could still stand by his side. He was determined to stop Shen Bin from climbing any higher.
"His Majesty has said that Scholar Shen will be appointed as the Minister of Personnel," said Eunuch Feng, raising his orchid finger as he spoke.
Upon hearing that Shen Bin was to be appointed Minister of Personnel, Wu Tian immediately knelt on the ground and pleaded, "Your Majesty, please reconsider!" Wu Tian had served in the court for decades, and although the Emperor did not particularly favor him, he was at least highly respected. The crowd, prostrate on the ground, said in unison, "Your Majesty, please reconsider!"
Shen Bin stood alone, coldly glancing at the people behind him, saying nothing. His hands, hidden in his sleeves, slowly clenched, and he felt an urge to scream. He finally understood how his father had felt being bullied by this group in the court, and he regretted not having sent his father away from this turbulent place sooner.
"Oh? Does Minister Shen have any objections?" The emperor sat upright on the dragon throne, squinting at Wu Tian with undisguised ferocity in his eyes, as if he wanted to grab Wu Tian and snap his neck.
"Your Majesty, I dare not." Wu Tian said, raising his head to look at the emperor. Seeing that the emperor remained silent, he continued, "Your Majesty, Shen Bin disobeyed the emperor's orders a year ago and did not understand the emperor's boundless grace. Now he has suddenly appeared in the court. This makes others think that he is a whim in the court and does not respect Your Majesty!" As Wu Tian spoke, he seemed to be in deep pain.
The emperor sat on the dragon throne, his eyes darting between Shen Bin and Wu Tian, remaining silent. His sharp gaze was like a series of traps; Shen Bin glanced at him and felt a chill run down his spine, thinking to himself, "Serving a ruler is truly like serving a tiger."
"What Minister Wu said is not without reason. I wonder how Minister Shen intends to refute Minister Wu's statement?" The Emperor said, glancing at Shen Bin. He thought to himself, since Shen Bin has encountered this old fox Wu Tian, if he is still as talented and eloquent as ever, it would be best if he could overpower Wu Tian.
Shen Bin felt a chill run down his spine and said in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, "Your Majesty, I think Minister Wu's approach is far too unrealistic. He passed the imperial examination just a year ago and was greatly honored. However, I am still young. If I were to take up this post, I fear it would cause trouble for the country and for Your Majesty."
The emperor smiled slightly and nodded. Seeing the emperor's reaction, Shen Bin knew his words had worked, and the weight on his heart finally lifted.
Seeing that the Emperor seemed to admire Shen Bin, Wu Tian couldn't contain himself and said, "Your Majesty..."
"Alright, let's discuss this another day." The emperor said impatiently, rubbing his temples as he saw Wu Tian about to say something.
"Court adjourned!" Eunuch Feng shouted. The crowd dispersed, and Shen Bin slowly walked out of the court. Once outside, the other officials all greeted Shen Bin with smiles.
"Lord Shen... oh, no, Minister Shen, congratulations! Please bear with me in the future."
"congratulations……"
Shen Bin could only offer a forced smile and gratitude, too lazy to say anything more. After what had just happened, Shen Bin realized the treacherous nature of people; if you climb too high, everyone wants to follow, only to be smashed to pieces.
After leaving the court, Shen Bin, unsure of where to go, wandered aimlessly until he came across a pavilion in the middle of a lake. He walked over to it. A gentle breeze rippled across the lake's surface, and water plants poked their heads out of the water, swaying in the wind. Occasionally, fish would leap out of the water, frolicking playfully.
Looking at this scene, Shen Bin felt very comfortable. He wished time could stand still at this moment, free from all the hustle and bustle. Although it was quiet, at least there was not much noise.
"Who dares to be so bold as to not even bow to the princess?" a maid-like woman shouted angrily at Shen Bin's retreating figure. The woman beside her put her index finger to her lips, signaling her maid to be quiet. The maid had no choice but to remain silent, but glared at Shen Bin.
"A gentle breeze stirs the willows, free of catkins, and there is no clamor or noise. How many times in life can one witness such a scene? I only wish to keep this moment forever." Looking at the scenery, Shen Bin was inspired to compose a poem.
The woman behind him seemed captivated by his retreating figure, her gaze fixed on him, never leaving him. Shen Bin turned his head, seemingly casually, and saw a woman with light makeup, dressed in silk, her hair styled in an elegant updo, a white jade hairpin highlighting her snow-white skin. Shen Bin was momentarily startled upon seeing her, but quickly concealed his surprise.