Chapter 601: with translation of chapter title

Gu Jiu Ling heard the news of Lin Jingyuan's death and could hardly believe her ears.

She hastily turned her face to look at Xiao Yin sitting beside her and said, "Prince, those scholar-officials won't again pin this matter on our Prince Rui's mansion, will they?"

Xiao Yin gave a cold snort and said lightly, "It doesn't matter; the more lice on me, the less they bite. I just want to see which lowly scoundrel pulled this petty trick."

Gu Jiu Ling furrowed her brows, looked at Xiao Yin and said slowly, "Prince, I always feel someone is deliberately targeting you; continuing like this isn't a solution."

Gu Jiu Ling took out the silk strip that the old matriarch Lin had given her earlier and handed it to Xiao Yin: "Could this be related?"

Gu Jiu Ling had already shown the silk strip to Xiao Yin; it bore a few disordered, scrawled characters.

"Watch out, Prince Rui!"

Gu Jiu Ling looked at Xiao Yin and said: "The next day I personally went to ask the old lady Lin, who said someone sneaked into the Lin residence at midnight and directly flung this thing into the bedroom where the old lady lived."

"This is clearly someone trying to stir up trouble between you, Prince, and the scholar-officials!"

"This time it's likely those people killed Lin Jingyuan; Prince, how should you respond?"

Xiao Yin said coldly: "The more wildly they jump, the more it shows they're panicking; let them keep jumping—maybe one day they'll break a leg and reveal their true colors."

"Then..." Xiao Yin's fingers tightened slightly, the porcelain cup in his hand shattered, and tea spilled across the table.

Gu Jiu Ling secretly sighed; Xiao Yin was still furious.

'"Prince!" the steward rushed in, panicked.'

'"Prince, the students from the Imperial Academy have come again, saying that Master Lin is dead and they demand you give them an explanation!"'

'"Indeed!" Gu Jiu Ling couldn't help but sneer.'

Earlier, in front of many people, she had exposed the ruse between Lin Jingyuan and Chen Zhuo, sending Lin Jingyuan away from the capital.

I had thought this matter was over, but I never expected it to turn out like this.

Xiao Yin couldn't help but laugh: "To pin baseless charges on me once or twice I could tolerate, but now they keep provoking me repeatedly—do they really think I'm easy to push around?"

'"Come here!"'

Ling Feng stepped forward: "Prince, what are your orders?"

Xiao Yin's face darkened: "Issue the order to the officials of the Five City Military Command."

'"Anyone causing trouble in front of officials' residences, slandering the imperial family—arrest them all and throw them in jail!"'

'"Remove all those scholars found to have improper conduct from the Imperial Academy, not leaving a single one, and after the Start of Winter on Chongming Street, re-select the academy students."'

'"They must have clean family backgrounds, upright character, and no sordid affairs."'

'"Anyone who this time colludes with the academy students and disrupts court order shall be investigated; those dismissed whose offenses are serious shall all be arrested and interrogated."'

'"Soon, you will tell all this to the Crown Prince; I believe that if the Crown Prince is sensible, he will surely make the right choice."'

This time Gu Jiu Ling helped Xiao Yin turn the tide against the wind and restore his reputation; Bai Xiaosheng obviously cannot hope to make a fuss about it.

Now Xiao Yin's words also serve as a warning to Bai Xiaosheng: if he wants to continue as the Regent Prince, he must obey; disobedient pieces are just useless pawns.

Ling Feng took Xiao Yin's nameplate and headed straight for the Crown Prince's residence, while also dispatching another group to the Five City Military Command.

For a moment, the capital Shang Jing was once again thrown into bloody turmoil, and this time Xiao Yin would not indulge those scholar-officials.

Those who were imprisoned were imprisoned, those who were arrested were arrested; the scholar-officials' shady deeds had already been largely exposed, and now adding Lin Jingyuan's plot to harm his own teacher, many matters piled together.

The students of the Imperial Academy in Shang Jing had their reputations utterly ruined; thus Xiao Yin this time expelled the academy students from the academy, even sending some of the ringleaders whose offenses were serious directly to prison.

As for this matter, the common folk of Shang Jing didn't react much; on the contrary, some felt those academy students had been spoiled by the court, and now that they've kicked against an iron plate, they deserve it—so it's only fitting that the academy side should stir up bloody turmoil, and the court undergoes another reshuffle.

The former scholar-officials were all driven out of the court, leaving only a few low-ranking officials who were promoted.

This time the court is mired in corruption, and truly capable people to get things done are few and far between.

Although generals conquered the realm, Xiao Yin, being of military origin, does have the intention to promote and rely on generals.

But while those generals can win the realm on horseback, governing the realm after dismounting is not their forte.

The scholar-officials have mostly been cleared out by Xiao Yin, yet we still need to retain a few capable of shouldering the court's heavy responsibilities.

Bai Xiaosheng and the others discussed for a whole day, yet still failed to reach a decision.

It was already late; Xiao Yin came in from outside wearing a frosty hue, and, familiar with the way, went to the warm pavilion.

Gu Jiu Ling had already prepared a steaming pot of sandpot noodles waiting for him.

Seeing the ingredients before him, Xiao Yin's appetite surged; he sat opposite Gu Jiu Ling and lifted his bowl.

After half a bowl of noodles went down, his somewhat stern and cold expression finally eased.

Gu Jiu Ling looked at Xiao Yin's somewhat gloomy face and knew these days he hadn't been very happy.

'"Prince, is it again about court affairs?"'

Xiao Yin drew a breath: 'There are plenty of generals, but not a single usable civil official; now Southern Qi still lacks a prime minister, one who can uphold the rise and fall of this realm.'

Gu Jiu Ling stared for a moment; regarding court personnel appointments, she generally does not like to meddle too much.

Now seeing Xiao Yin's displeased expression, she cautiously reminded him: 'The post of prime minister is of great importance; after all, one person beneath and ten thousand above—if you yourself were to become prime minister, I fear you would not win everyone's approval.'

'"Since ancient times there has been no general who also served as prime minister; moreover, with so many trivial matters, you, Prince, are already weary and vexed—if you also had to manage concrete affairs, you might be driven mad."'

'"This prime minister must be sought among the officials of the third to fourth ranks; that too is possible."'

Gu Jiu Ling said slowly: 'To be frank, Southern Qi previously really didn't have many who could uphold the post of prime minister—for example, my cheap father Gu Shijie is simply a worthless good-for-nothing.'

Xiao Yin had already laughed, reaching up to ruffle Gu Jiu Ling's hair bun: 'I've never seen a girl who scolds her own father this harshly.'

Gu Jiu Ling gave a wry smile: 'Gu Shijie also counts as her cheap father; the original host constantly longed for a father who would notice her, but in Gu Jiu Ling's eyes he is nothing at all—just a petty profiteer.'

Xiao Yin said slowly: 'Speaking of your father, there actually is a candidate for prime minister now.'

Gu Jiu Ling hastily lifted her head to look at Xiao Yin before her; in fact she had already guessed what it was.

Xiao Yin stared at her and said: 'Actually Gu Kang would be a very suitable choice, but I have never been able to fathom his hidden cards, so I indeed dare not rely heavily on him.'