Chapter 836: The Envoy Who Came to File a Complaint

Many things, Chen Wuji finds it hard to directly explain to Huo Sanniang and Xue Hongdou.

When he stands at the other end of the long river of history and looks at what is happening now, these processes can undoubtedly be explained with the two words "inevitable," but he cannot explain how those two words came to be, to Huo Sanniang and Xue Hongdou.

After all that talk, he could only use the excuse "You listen to me, you won't be wrong" to brush them off.

Fortunately, Huo Sanniang and Xue Hongdou did not insist on their own views for long; they quickly agreed to Chen Wuji's request and did as he said.

Simply put, they were only worried that opening such a tavern at Jie Jia Zui would not make money but lose money.

After all, whoever opens a shop to do business wants to make money, not lose it.

But they trusted Chen Wuji's judgment.

Even without all that prior success, just the fact that Chen Wuji is the head of the family is enough.

……

Bianjing.

The young emperor recently changed his lifestyle; he no longer obsesses over making a splash in court, nor does he dwell on quickly regaining his imperial power, but instead he has plunged into studying music, color, dogs, and horses.

Nowadays he discusses affairs with the two senior ministers, but most of the time when they talk about important matters they are dozing off; after that, all he ever says is one thing—selecting concubines!

No matter how much other matters toss him around, he doesn't care, doesn't even want to listen; but he has one request—you figure out how to get me those selected girls.

Moreover, his standards for those selected girls are extremely high; he doesn't want commoners, only the daughters of officials!

Whoever refuses to send them, the emperor can throw a tantrum on the spot.

This has become the hottest topic in Jingcheng lately, to the point that many officials have started sending their children back to their ancestral homes, fearing that at any moment the emperor's strongmen might seize them.

As for the emperor's sudden reaction, the two senior ministers are quite pleased.

This is something they are very happy to see.

Moreover, they are the emperor's strongest supporters in this; Ruan Yuchang sent all three of his youngest daughters into the palace, while Yan Yan has many sons but few daughters, yet he also sent two of his daughters into the palace.

For people like them, sending a few daughters into the palace is a matter of bringing honor to the family; there is not the slightest difficulty, nor do they feel any hardship.

Take Ruan Yuchang—he sometimes can't even count how many children he has.

Heaven's Blessing Pavilion.

A eunuch hurried in, whispering something into the emperor's ear.

Half-dressed, the emperor reclined sideways on the couch, left hand holding a half-scroll of a book, right arm around a concubine; he raised an eyebrow, let out a soft "yeah," and pushed the concubine in his embrace.

The half-dressed concubine quickly tidied her clothes, rose, and left Heaven's Blessing Pavilion.

"An envoy from the Body Poison Sect?" the emperor asked doubtfully.

The eunuch bowed and nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty. The news just arrived from outside the palace; they had just met with Minister Ruan, and it is said that… Official Chen beat them."

"Which Official Chen?" the emperor asked.

"Official Chen Wuji!"

The emperor's mouth twitched, and he suddenly burst out laughing, "Official Chen Wuji beat the Body Poison? When did this happen? Why am I unaware of this?"

"Your Majesty, you know of it," the eunuch said softly.

The emperor stared blankly, "Should I know about it?"

"Your Majesty, according to news received about a month ago, Official Chen, on the pretext of suppressing remnants of the Qiang people, sent ten thousand troops to Body Poison and captured three of its cities."

Da Yu pinched his forehead, threw the book in his hand onto the table, and said, "Overdoing it—it feels like you've addled my brain; hearing you say that, I suddenly have a vague recollection."

"I need to change this; I can't keep doing this every day, my body can't take it. Doing this too much is just tedious, really boring."

The eunuch lowered his head a bit more.

This sort of happy trouble of the emperor's is something he will never in his life have a chance to truly empathize with.

Although he also has a lover, such matters outside and inside are completely different.

"Body Poison, after being beaten by Official Chen Wuji, has come to Jingcheng to do what?" Da Yu wondered, "Surely they aren't here to sue Official Chen Wuji, are they?"

As soon as he said that, he himself couldn't help but laugh.

The eunuch said softly, "Your Majesty, they really are here to file a complaint."

"Hah, have their brains been addled by a pig? At this point they suddenly act like they're a vassal state of my Great Yu? A bunch of shameless dogs!" Da Yu cursed, his face suddenly darkening.

"No, this matter might actually work out for them. Yan Yan has already mustered the troops; if news gets out that the Body Poison Sect has sent an envoy to file a complaint at this point, it wouldn't matter which came first or second."

As long as the court dispatches troops after the Body Poison envoy arrives, the world will think the court is upholding justice for Body Poison, and once that news spreads…

Da Yu's eyes suddenly turned menacing.

"How did Ruan Yuchang respond?" Da Yu asked in a low voice.

The eunuch's face fell bitterly, "Your Majesty, our people now find it hard to reach the core of the minister's residence; those old-timers are all gone…"

Da Yu fell silent for a moment, "Where is the Body Poison envoy now?"

"At the Four Directions Hall, I hear they next plan to visit Minister Yan," the eunuch said.

Da Yu's gaze darkened as he stared ahead, his right hand fingers unconsciously rubbing together, "Send people to keep watching; it's best to find out their purpose and what they discussed."

The eunuch acknowledged and prepared to go out.

"Wait a moment!" Da Yu hesitated, then called back the eunuch, waving his hand, "Act within your means; if it can't be done, just drop it. My forces are already few; there's no need to lose more manpower over this."

The eunuch lowered his head, his eye sockets suddenly a little moist, and gave a low, subdued reply.

He had barely left Heaven's Blessing Pavilion for less than a quarter hour when he hurried back.

"Your Majesty, Minister Yan has brought the Body Poison envoy to seek an audience outside the hall."

Da Yu was about to take a little nap to rest his body after fighting hard most of the day; hearing this, he sprang up, his face darkening to the point of almost dripping water, "This good-for-nothing who just sits in office!"

"Let them wait outside the hall a moment before summoning them!" the emperor shouted angrily.

"Yes!"

The obedient eunuch guarded the main hall's door for a full two quarters of an hour before ordering someone to bring Minister Yan and the others inside.

Just as they entered the hall, Yan Yan's gaze fixed hostilely on the emperor, "I don't know what affairs keep you busy, Your Majesty, but to have kept a foreign envoy waiting outside the hall for so long…"

Yu Qian's already gloomy gaze suddenly turned hostile; he slammed his palm down heavily on the table and bellowed, "Yan Xiang, are you questioning me?"

Your servant dare not!

You don't dare? I see you old thing dare a lot—there's nothing you wouldn't dare do!