vstars Chapter 443 Suddenly entrusted with an important task
Chapter 443 Suddenly entrusted with an important task
Now that he had revealed his true identity, Jiang Xiaoqi naturally had to pay a visit to his boss.
The emperor was somewhat surprised to see the top scholar he had always admired. It was said that his beloved minister was both a scholar and a warrior, and it turned out to be true!
Haha, no wonder he's the top student I chose, he's truly extraordinary!
Having just survived several assassination attempts, the emperor inopportunely recalled the "Six Scholars Award," which he had missed out on.
He cursed the Minister of Rites in his mind once again.
The Minister of Rites, who wasn't even there, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, something he hadn't experienced in a long time.
"Mingfei, did you risk coming here because you knew in advance what the First Prince had done?"
Jiang Xiaoqi immediately became vigilant. What was the deeper meaning behind His Majesty's question?
Was he worried that he might not keep his mouth shut and would gossip about royal affairs after he left?
Or do they suspect that they and Minister Lin knew about the situation but failed to report it, thus putting His Majesty the Emperor in danger?
That's not right. Minister Lin should have already told the Emperor everything. The Emperor's personal visit today is clearly a setup to lure us in, isn't it?
Sigh~ The emperor's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea~
"Your Majesty, I only learned of my friend's disappearance yesterday, and then I immediately went to Minister Lin's residence."
Minister Lin and his wife were extremely anxious, like ants on a hot pan. Although they had some clues, they dared not rush to rescue the person.
Since the matter involved a prince, Lord Lin was in a dilemma. Just then, I came to visit, and Lord Lin explained the situation to me.
It was a desperate measure, since Minister Lin had no idea that I had some rudimentary skills.
I suggested that I disguise myself and enter the prince's residence. If we could secretly rescue the person, that would be best; if not, we would have to confront them head-on.
To my surprise, upon arriving today, I discovered that not only Lin Qi had disappeared, but also the sons of many noble families had mysteriously vanished.
Furthermore, we received an invitation from the Prince's residence at the same time yesterday. Therefore, Minister Lin and I changed our strategy and decided to unite everyone's efforts.
We'll have the Crown Prince release them, and we won't let anyone know about it. As long as they're safe, that's all that matters.
Who would have thought that His Majesty would come in person today, and that an actor would attempt an assassination? These events are truly overwhelming and unexpected.
Your Majesty, I can only act according to circumstances. While taking care of Lin Qi and the other hostages, I will also focus more attention on Your Majesty.
After all, these assassins couldn't possibly find the hostages' hiding place, while His Majesty was exposed to danger.
Jiang Xiaoqi pleaded her case, but she didn't know how much of it her boss believed. She didn't dare to lift her eyelids and just kept bowing.
"My dear minister, please rise. Minister Lin reported the matter of the First Prince's residence to the palace yesterday, but he forgot to mention that he asked for your help."
I am somewhat surprised to see you here today, my dear minister.
The head guard has already informed you that you have repeatedly blocked the assassins' hidden weapons and arrows, all of which were coated with deadly poison.
"My dear minister, you have rendered meritorious service in protecting the Emperor and deserve a reward!"
When the emperor says he will reward someone, but doesn't specify what the reward will be, don't even think about a vague, unrealistic reward.
At this point, the real question is how to completely dispel the emperor's suspicions. Would a top scholar who knows martial arts and how to disguise himself be valued or feared by the monarch?
This is a question that probably only the monarch himself knows the answer to; you can't get the answer from anyone else.
"Your Majesty, protecting the monarch's safety is the duty of every subject. Your well-being is the greatest reward for this humble servant!"
Saying a few nice, flattering words costs nothing and can make the listener feel good; in short, it creates emotional value.
Jiang Xiaoqi was truly fearless in this area, handling it with ease.
Pleasant words can make people lose their way for a moment. Even the most noble emperors are not immune to this. Otherwise, how could treacherous ministers be favored?
Even though Heshen embezzled so much money, Emperor Qianlong couldn't bring himself to issue an edict to behead him while he was alive.
Some say it was a money bag left by Emperor Qianlong for his son, but that's not entirely true. Perhaps it was just an excuse for him not to kill.
This person has to be here while I'm alive, otherwise who can make me happy like this person, think what I want, and worry about what I'm worried about?
To put it bluntly, even the greatest emperor is just an ordinary person, and ordinary people are bound to be ordinary.
Sure enough, Emperor Zhao Yong of the Great Zhou Dynasty was no exception; the corners of the emperor's mouth twitched up almost imperceptibly.
"Ah~ Merit should be rewarded and wrongdoing should be punished. Since I ascended the throne, I have always been clear about rewards and punishments. I will reward you..."
Jiang Xiaoqi was also a common person, and couldn't help but prick up his ears.
"I hereby reward you with the authority to personally oversee the assassination attempt by the actors and men in black at the First Prince's residence. I hope that Minister Jiang will find out the mastermind behind it as soon as possible."
Give the court, the officials, and me an explanation!
What the hell is this reward? Investigating cases is either the Ministry of Justice or the Court of Judicial Review. If a prince is involved, the Imperial Clan Court must also get involved. What's the point of him, a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, meddling in this?
Jiang Xiaoqi inwardly groaned, but outwardly he immediately knelt down respectfully to express his gratitude: "I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty's trust. Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will do my utmost to find out the truth as soon as possible."
The emperor nodded in satisfaction. He liked this kind of decisiveness. If someone made excuses, he would have other "rewards" waiting for them.
The emperor finally left the First Prince's residence in a grand procession with his guards and entourage. Jiang Xiaoqi then reluctantly got up and rubbed his sore knees.
This task, which came under the guise of a "reward," is a real hot potato. A slight misstep could offend various factions, and I'll have to be extra careful when I go out from now on.
After all, some people, unable to solve problems, will turn to the people who created them.
And now, to those behind the scenes, he is just the annoying guy who creates problems for them.
Just as he stepped out of the First Prince's residence, a servant-like man approached him and whispered, "Lord Jiang, Minister Lin requests your presence."
Jiang Xiaoqi followed the servant directly to the Lin residence, as he was also worried about his good brother Lin Qi's condition.
The medicine has been given, but will the Lin family administer it directly? If Lin Qi is awake, that's fine, but if he's unconscious, the Lin family will probably listen to the doctor.
Upon arriving at the Lin residence, Minister Lin and his wife greeted him anxiously, "Young Master Jiang, Lin Qi... he hasn't woken up yet."
"What did the doctor say?"
"Both the imperial physicians and the royal physicians have examined him and said it's a kind of drug from the martial arts world that they've never seen before. To make him wake up, they either have to wait for the effects of the drug to wear off slowly, or they have to use acupuncture to stimulate several major acupoints."
However, it's uncertain how long it will take for someone to wake up on their own, and stimulating several acupoints can also damage the body.
Qi'er is a martial arts prodigy, and my wife and I don't want to hold him back, which is why we hesitated, hoping he would wake up on his own after a while.
Minister Lin, who was usually unfazed even when Mount Tai collapsed, panicked at this moment, forgetting that Jiang Xiaoqi was just a teenager.
They actually pinned their hopes on Jiang Xiaoqi, wanting her to help them make a decision.
Jiang Xiaoqi sighed. It turned out he was just unconscious. Judging from the couple's expressions, he had thought his friend was long dead.