Chapter 150: How Did You Anger His Majesty?

Yan Ning looked toward a person who was somewhat drunk.

His friend patted his face, telling him to hurry up and sober up a bit.

"Old Xu, did you hear what they were saying?"

Old Xu said drunkenly, "Who cares what they say? Imperial Examination, Imperial Examination, it's on their lips every day, yet I've never seen anyone pass."

Old Xu's friend pinched him hard, "They said those who are good at Mathematics can also enter the court as officials. You are so good at Mathematics, hurry up and prepare for this year's Provincial Examination."

Old Xu's drunkenness faded by more than half, and his eyes lit up.

The teahouse was almost empty; presumably, everyone had gone back to let their children and family prepare properly.

Yan Ning watched this scene and clicked her tongue in wonder.

"Father, in the future, the hundred officials can be dismissed at will; there are so many Mathematics talents, they can fill the spots at any time."

Yan Ze gently flicked Yan Ning's forehead with his finger.

However, in his heart, he felt that it was true; with a reserve of talent, there would be people to fill the spots after officials were dismissed.

On the other side, Zhenwei Pavilion.

Lin Yu was currently bruised and swollen.

He brought a few people with him and arrived at Zhenwei Pavilion in a rage, only to find that the people were already gone.

Xiao Shi said tremblingly, "This guest, you all..."

Xiao Shi's collar was immediately grabbed by someone, "Speak, where did they go?"

Xiao Shi did not dare to reveal their whereabouts and said with a stiff neck, "I don't know, I really don't know."

Lin Yu gave a cold snort, "You don't know, huh? Shall I chop off your fingers, will you speak then?"

Xiao Shi said hurriedly, "I know, they went to the teahouse, but I don't know if they are still there."

Lin Yu threw Xiao Shi to the ground and went to the teahouse in a rage.

Lin Yu saw Yan Ning on the first floor and waved his hand at his group, "Let's go up."

Before Lin Yu could speak, a youth behind him was full of shock, "Yo, Your Majesty, greetings to Your Majesty and His Highness."

Yan Ze glanced at the bruised and swollen Lin Yu and asked, "What are you all here to do?"

Another youth hurriedly said, "We, we just came over to listen to the storytelling."

Lin Yu was completely stunned.

He had actually offended the current Emperor!

Something in his brain went "Boom" and exploded.

He, he, he had offended His Majesty!

And he had previously announced his family background, saying his father was the Governor-General of Jizhou.

It's over, everything is over.

Yan Ze had long since left with Yan Ning and Ji Lan, leaving only the few youths and Lin Yu.

One of them asked, "Lin Yu, you didn't offend His Majesty, did you?"

Lin Yu seemed to have lost all his strength and collapsed directly onto the ground.

"It's over."

The others were furious, "You've dragged us all down with you!"

"Lin Yu, didn't you say that person was just an ordinary person?"

Lin Yu held his head, "They were dressed like that, who knew if they were ordinary people? Besides, I'm not usually in the Capital, I, I..."

"Saying all this is useless. His Majesty has seen us; he should know whose families we belong to."

"It's over. I heard His Majesty loves to dismiss officials; this time, I'm afraid we'll have to kneel in the Ancestral Hall again."

Choosing friends poorly indeed!

One of them said, "I heard His Majesty is benevolent. Look at Lin Yu's bruised and swollen appearance; he, he, he... must have committed a very serious mistake, otherwise His Majesty would not have dealt such a heavy hand."

He could barely speak clearly.

The group asked Lin Yu, "How did you anger His Majesty?"

Lin Yu stammered, "I, I probably said I wanted to take that young girl as a secondary wife."

"What young girl? That is the Crown Princess!"

The few youths who had originally planned to hang out together all went back to their respective homes.

Even though it was the New Year, they held their books and read, being incredibly obedient.

Yan Ze did not take these few youths to heart.

Yan Ning said while walking, "Those few youths were in a group with Lin Yu."

Yan Ze said, "I know those few; their intentions are simple. They probably thought Lin Yu was beaten by us and came over to help him settle the score."

Yan Ning pursed her lips, "Fine, I'll let them off this time."

On the seventh day of the first lunar month, winter had not yet passed, so the morning court session was still held in the afternoon.

Yan Ze's first order of business was to announce, "Lin Shen, the Governor-General of Jizhou, his official position is to be dismissed today."

The Minister of Personnel was somewhat confused and stepped forward, "Your Majesty, why must he be dismissed?"

Yan Ze gave a cold snort, his expression very ugly.

Yan Ning then said, "My parents and I were eating when this person came up and said he wanted to take me as a secondary wife, and relying on the fact that his father is the Governor-General of Jizhou, he prepared to get handsy. Not killing him is already a mercy."

In the Dadian, the ministers' pupils shook in shock.

This really was offending someone to the extreme.

Yan Ze continued, "If I discover anyone else's child bullying the common people, I will never let them off."

At the end, he added, "I will send people to investigate from time to time."

The Minister of Personnel said, "We subjects will properly restrain our children."

Yan Ze was satisfied.

The ministers, however, felt a chill down their backs.

No wonder His Majesty insisted on holding the Imperial Examination for two consecutive years; he was waiting for new people to come and fill the vacancies.

Even people like the Minister of Personnel began to feel a sense of anxiety.

Although what His Majesty demanded were only the most basic things.

Yet, facing the constant threat of dismissal, they still minded it somewhat.

To say Yan Ze was benevolent, he dismissed officials at the drop of a hat; to say he was cruel, he never harmed anyone, only dismissed them.

The ministers all felt they had to keep their tails tucked and behave themselves.

Seeing that the atmosphere in the court was somewhat stiff, Yan Ning took the initiative to walk over to a few elderly ministers after the morning court session ended.

Yan Ze said with a smile, "Rest assured, everyone, I will definitely urge my father to exercise restraint and will absolutely not let you be dismissed so easily."

The Minister of Personnel looked at Yan Ning, deep in thought, "Are you truly offering counsel, or are you fanning the flames?"

Yan Ning was not annoyed, "I am certainly offering counsel."

Her expression turned serious, "However, although my father loves to dismiss officials, as long as it is not a matter of principle, he will not pursue it further; at most, he will deduct some money."

The few old fellows thought this was true; as long as they restrained their own children and did not commit crimes themselves, their official positions would remain stable.

Yan Ning asked with a smile, "Everyone, would you like to go with me to the newly built Medical Academy? I reckon it will be completed before long."

The few ministers were also somewhat curious, so they followed Yan Ning.

Especially the Minister of Revenue, as he had to know where this money was being spent.

Arriving at the south side, this place was originally a large expanse of empty land that Yan Ning had marked out to be the Medical Academy.

They pointed at the dormitory building, "Is this for the students to live in?"

Yan Ning nodded.

The Minister of Revenue and the others had never seen this kind of architecture before and only felt it was quite ingenious.

Looking again at the two large classrooms facing south, they were still missing their doors and windows.

Yan Ning asked, "How is it?"

The Minister of Revenue praised, "Exquisite."

Yan Ning pondered for a moment, "It looks like it is almost built; I will go to the prefectures to find people to come over."

The Minister of Revenue hurriedly said, "Your Highness, I have a daughter; I wonder if..."

Yan Ning did not even think about it and said, "That is not possible; I want to find people in the prefectures who are willing to learn and bring them here."

The Minister of Revenue was not annoyed either and said with a smile, "Why go to all that trouble? If my daughter learns medicine well, she can also stay at the Medical Academy to help."