The Eldest Daughter Is Beautiful and Saucy
Chapter 309: Influence
Chapter 309 Influence
Prime Minister Lu’s eyes swept over his two sons and fell on the two reluctant daughters-in-law. He suppressed the thought of scolding the two daughters-in-law and said solemnly: “Only in this way, when the imperial examination cheating case is confirmed, the results of this imperial examination will be invalidated, and the two children will have a chance to retake the exam. Otherwise… I am afraid that the emperor will never recruit the candidates who bribed this time. At that time, you will really kill the two children!”
When Lu Xiang thought of the stupid things his two daughters-in-law had done, his rage grew more and more intense.
“Let’s not talk about Yuanbao. Yuanqing is the future hope of our Lu family. Do you want your son to die in this matter?!” Prime Minister Lu’s voice could not stop rising. “Now that the candidate has beaten the drum to report, do you think those noble officials who bribed Wen Zhenkang will not be implicated? Offending people… and your son’s future, the future of the whole family, which is more important, you choose for yourself!”
“My son knows his mistake!” Lu Xiang’s eldest son bowed his head quickly.
“Don’t delay, you go to the Dali Temple immediately, and I will go to the palace!” Prime Minister Lu made the final decision.
When Lu Yuanpeng heard this, his heart started pounding. How could his parents be so bold that they even dared to bribe the examiner!
Thinking of the excitement of the candidates beating the drum in front of Wude Gate, Lu Yuanpeng went back to his courtyard, called the servant, and went out to watch the excitement.
Anyway, they have grandfather at home and he has already made arrangements, so nothing can go wrong!
Prime Minister Lu’s family acted very quickly. When Prime Minister Lu’s two sons went to the Dali Temple, they heard that the Dali Temple Minister Lu Jin had been summoned into the palace by the emperor, and was now outside the Wude Gate to appease the candidates who were beating the drum to submit their reports.
As soon as Prime Minister Lu entered the palace, he burst into tears in front of the emperor, and denounced his two sons for bribing Wen Zhenkang. His two sons had harmed the two grandsons he had carefully nurtured, and asked the emperor to punish his two sons as well.
After reading the policy papers of Lu Xiang’s two grandsons, the emperor felt that they did have some real talent.
When Prime Minister Lu told him that his two sons and daughters-in-law had received gifts from all the nobles and officials who were taking the imperial examinations in the capital, he was worried that if he didn’t give them gifts, Wen Zhenkang would create trouble for the two children, and his face became even uglier.
The emperor really didn’t expect that Wen Zhenkang would be so bold as to accept bribes so blatantly under his nose.
No wonder… He felt that the level of the tribute students this year was not as good as before.
“I have heard of this matter and am deeply saddened. I feel ashamed of my honor and respectfully ask Your Majesty to punish me! I have failed to educate my son properly… and I am willing to share the blame!”
The emperor suppressed his anger, opened his eyes and looked at Prime Minister Lu who was still wiping tears. He knew that Prime Minister Lu had always been cautious and careful. He was afraid that this time it was because his son and daughter-in-law were not up to the task and had implicated the two children. So he said, “The imperial court established the imperial examination to recruit talents for our Jin State. I have read the essays of Prime Minister Lu’s two grandsons… They are not bad! But when Prime Minister Lu returns… you must teach your two sons well.”
Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Lu heaved a sigh of relief and kowtowed to the emperor in fear and trepidation: “Although Your Majesty is magnanimous, as the saying goes, a son’s failure to teach is the fault of his father. I feel ashamed. Please dismiss me from my post as a warning to others! It will also serve as an example for the people in the court… Let them learn from me! From now on… The court will be clean and upright. I will consider this as the last thing I can do for Your Majesty to repay your care for so many years.”
After hearing what Lu Xiang said, the emperor’s anger towards Lu Xiang disappeared silently. The emperor sighed and softened his voice: “Gao Demao, help Lu Xiang up!”
“I am so ashamed of my life, Your Majesty, that I dare not stand up!” Prime Minister Lu’s voice was choked with emotion.
“Prime Minister Lu, you have been supporting me since I ascended the throne. I know this clearly! This is due to the cheating in the imperial examinations. Prime Minister Lu has come to the palace to report my two sons for the sake of justice. This can be regarded as a compensation for our mistakes! Go back!”
“Your Majesty, this old minister thanks you for your grace! Even if I die a thousand times, I cannot repay your kindness. From now on, I will teach my descendants well so that they can become useful to Your Majesty in the future and repay your grace!” Prime Minister Lu bowed his head to the ground in gratitude and cried out.
The emperor nodded with satisfaction and said, “Gao Demao, send Prime Minister Lu out.”
Gao Demao hurriedly and respectfully invited Prime Minister Lu to go out. Prime Minister Lu was grateful and fearful again, and then he slowly retreated from the hall.
Because Qin Lang was also a tribute student taking part in the palace examination, Bai Jinxiu could not sit still when she suddenly heard about such a big thing. She issued a strict order that no one in the Qin residence was allowed to discuss the matter, and then had someone harness a carriage to return to the Bai family.
Liu and Dong were also very nervous, fearing that this incident would implicate Qin Lang and Dong Changyuan.
Hearing that Bai Jinxiu had returned, Liu came out to greet her.
Bai Jinxiu held Liu’s hand and walked hand in hand towards the Chuihua Gate, saying, “The capital is in chaos right now. Just now, Qin Lang’s maternal grandfather’s cousin secretly came to ask for Qin Lang’s uncle, fearing that I had also given gifts. Now, any family with candidates participating in the Spring Examination either goes to the Wude Gate to seek justice, or is in a state of panic for fear that the gift-giving will be exposed! Before I came, I heard that Prime Minister Lu had already entered the palace to meet the emperor, and Prime Minister Lu’s eldest and third sons also went to the Dali Temple!”
Liu was just a woman in the backyard, and she was terrified when she heard it: “Then…will this affect my son-in-law?”
“We didn’t give any gifts, but if cheating in the imperial examination is discovered, the results of this spring exam will be invalidated! Qin Lang may have to take the exam again!” Bai Jinxiu said to Liu, “Mother, please go back to the courtyard first. I will go to discuss with my eldest sister. Let’s not worry!”
“Yes, yes, yes! You should go and discuss it with Abao. Abao always has more ideas!” Liu nodded.
When Bai Jinxiu held Cui Bi’s hand and walked into the yard, they saw Bai Qingyan practicing with a silver spear, repeating the boring and tedious movements of picking and stabbing.
“Eldest sister…”
“Second Miss!” Chuntao saluted with a smile.
Hearing Bai Jinxiu’s voice, Bai Qingyan, who was sweating all over, put away the silver spear with a cold glow, inserted it into the rack, took the wet towel handed to him by Chuntao and wiped his face and hands: “Are you back because of the cheating case in the imperial examination?”
Bai Jinxiu came in holding up her Yuehua skirt and nodded, “Now Dali Temple Minister Lu Jin has gone to Wude Gate to appease the candidates. Wen Zhenkang and his men were arrested by the imperial guards before they left the palace! As long as the bribery is proven, not only will the lives of the chief examiner and the deputy chief examiner be in jeopardy, but I’m afraid the candidates’ scores will all be invalidated!”
“So, you can’t panic now. Go back and ask Qin Lang to prepare well and be extremely alert. I’m afraid you will have to take the exam again!” Bai Qingyan said to Bai Jinxiu.
“Eldest sister? This matter…” Bai Jinxiu felt that her elder sister was too calm and unhurried. She thought this was the work of her elder sister. She asked in a low voice, “Does this matter have anything to do with our family?”