The civil and military officials all perked up their ears upon hearing that the new emperor intended to promote another Grand Chancellor, with some not even daring to breathe.
Only Lin Qingge, nestled in a corner, began picking at the dishes she had previously deemed good on the table.
Yan Tinghao, also seated to eat, placed a chicken leg from the Imperial Concubine Chicken on the table into Lin Qingge's bowl and whispered,
"Your Excellency, who do you think cousin will promote to Grand Chancellor as an exception?"
"It doesn't matter much to us who it is.
It won't be you, and it certainly won't be me."
After saying this, Lin Qingge took a bite of the chicken leg. Seemingly finding the taste good, she ate a few more bites.
Seeing this, Yan Tinghao quietly transferred the remaining chicken leg from the Imperial Concubine Chicken to his own esteemed elder's bowl, muttering softly,
"I know my own capabilities, but you are different, Your Excellency.
Not only are you quick-witted and learned, but you are also upright and incorruptible.
Most importantly, Your Excellency possesses a heart that embraces the world and pleads for the people!"
Lin Qingge's mouth twitched at the description of someone she felt had little to do with her. She then nodded against her will,
"Constable Yan, what you said is very good, but please don't say it again next time."
As if fearing hearing more excessively exaggerated four-character idioms from this simple-minded fellow, Lin Qingge patiently added,
"Constable Yan, His Majesty just mentioned the Right Grand Chancellor, not the Grand Chancellor. Do you know the difference?"
Yan Tinghao honestly shook his head.
"In the Great Xia Kingdom, the right is always considered superior.
Therefore, although the Left Grand Chancellor and the Right Grand Chancellor are both first-rank officials,
In reality, the Right Grand Chancellor holds more authority than the Left Grand Chancellor.
In other words, the Right Grand Chancellor is truly second only to the emperor and the head of all officials.
The previous Grand Chancellor Shangguan had much higher seniority and a higher generational ranking than Grand Chancellor Feng.
However, His Majesty has now bypassed the Left Grand Chancellor Feng Qingchen and is suddenly promoting a Right Grand Chancellor.
Most civil and military officials are adopting a wait-and-see attitude."
"Wait and see?"
Meeting those overly clear eyes, Lin Qingge couldn't help but sigh,
"Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has doted on Grand Chancellor Feng, no, he has only relied on Grand Chancellor Feng, even allowing him to oust Grand Chancellor Shangguan."
"But Your Excellency, Grand Chancellor Shangguan is clearly... you..."
"Silence!"
"Oh, oh."
"Where was I..."
"Your Excellency, you were just saying that His Majesty dotes on Grand Chancellor Feng alone."
"Yes. His Majesty's favor will inevitably arouse the jealousy and envy of other factions.
Moreover, as the saying goes, serving the emperor is like accompanying a tiger.
His Majesty suddenly bringing someone in to suppress Grand Chancellor Feng, besides curiosity, is more about schadenfreude for the civil and military officials."
"Your Excellency, I truly cannot understand.
Cousin grew up with Grand Chancellor Feng, closer than me, his cousin.
And given cousin's character, he would not, nor could he, embarrass Grand Chancellor Feng in front of all the civil and military officials.
So, was the Right Grand Chancellor jointly nominated and recommended by cousin and Grand Chancellor Feng?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Qingge, for once, raised her eyelids and glanced at him, "Tsk, not bad, you actually guessed it!"
Yan Tinghao, praised, felt his ears turn red, and he grinned,
"Your Excellency, I am merely too straightforward, not truly foolish."
"Heh heh."
"By the way, Your Excellency, have you guessed who cousin intends to promote as Right Grand Chancellor as an exception?"
"More or less."
Lin Qingge responded perfunctorily and continued to bury her head in eating.
At this moment, the new emperor on the stage spoke again,
"There is a good saying among the common people, 'Brothers fight tigers, sons and fathers fight battles.'
Therefore, regarding the selection of the Right Grand Chancellor, after much deliberation, I have decided to promote a prince to the position as an exception."
As soon as the new emperor finished speaking, the expressions on the faces of the civil and military officials changed from watching a play to shock.
After all, the imperial family is the most heartless.
And the new emperor had only recently ascended the throne, coupled with the covetous gaze of Prince Wu Cheng and the lingering influence of Grand Chancellor Shangguan's faction.
Yet now, the new emperor intended to promote his own brother?
Had his sanity been compromised?
Moreover, following the recent news of the eighth prince, Prince Xiang, being killed, the second prince, Prince Cheng, had also committed suicide out of fear of punishment for illegally operating a gold mine.
This left only the fourth prince, who was confined to the outskirts of the capital.
However, the new emperor and the fourth prince had been irreconcilably at odds over succession when the new emperor was still the Crown Prince.
Even if the new emperor's mind had been kicked by a donkey, it was impossible for him to go mad and appoint the fourth prince as the Right Grand Chancellor, right?
Unprecedentedly, the entire court of civil and military officials shared the same thought, making the chewing and smacking sounds from the corner particularly clear:
"Tsk, there are only a few princes in the royal family.
Prince Cheng and Prince Xiang are dead, and the fourth prince, ordered by the late emperor to be confined, hasn't even received a princely title yet.
By elimination, only one remains."
"Your Excellency, you mean... I, the King of Zhennan?"
"If I let you be the one, you'd have to be capable!
Do you have the strategy for governing a country?
Do you understand memorials?
Can you endure working late every day?
Not to mention anything else, you can't even remember the names of all the civil and military officials in court, and you still want to be Grand Chancellor? That's a dream!"
"But Your Excellency, besides me, there are no other princes."
"Alas, you are too eager to claim credit. They are merely dragon sightings, not their complete demise. You cannot simply declare them gone."
"Your Excellency, you mean... the Tenth Prince!?"
Feeling that someone was naturally destined to be his bane, the new emperor raised his hand and rubbed his aching temples.
He glanced at the two in the corner who had already started eating heartily before the official commencement of the feast, and then secretly eyed the Empress, who had ordered a maid to send another Imperial Concubine Chicken.
With a helpless sigh, the new emperor brought his hand to his lips and coughed lightly, drawing everyone's attention back to him. He then said in a deep voice,
"The Tenth Prince, Xia Chengye, possesses both moral cultivation and military prowess, with a pure and good nature.
He respects heaven, earth, and kin above, and loves the common people below. He has the appearance of a capable minister and the talent of a sage.
He worries about national affairs and strengthens the imperial court, worthy of the great responsibility.
Today, I intend to promote him exceptionally to the position of Right Grand Chancellor. What are your thoughts, my beloved officials?"
???
The officials, who had not expected to hear such a speech, were stunned for a moment. Then, they all knelt and shouted in unison, "His Majesty is wise!"
After all, even if they had all forgotten whether the Tenth Prince was tall or short, fat or thin, the emperor's question was never truly a question, but a concise notification.
Therefore, even though they knew the emperor's words were greatly exaggerated, no one dared to step forward and cause trouble at this moment.
Thus, the new emperor waved his hand and announced,
"Summon the new Right Grand Chancellor, the Tenth Prince Xia Chengye, to present himself!"
The next moment, a figure in a regal crimson-purple robe appeared in the sight of the civil and military officials.