amaotonovel Chapter 252 Rewarding Merit
Chapter 252 Rewarding Merit
Shen Li continued walking.
"Alright, two months." Old Zou backed down again; nothing was more important than his medical books and pharmacopoeias.
Shen Li calmed down a bit and then asked about Gu Chang'an's illness.
"This kid has a good constitution. As long as you don't do it too frequently, he will definitely be able to get rid of this disease after another year of recuperation."
"Thank you, senior. I've finished writing the calligraphy I promised you last time. You can bring it to the girls in the building next time." Shen Li hadn't forgotten the promise she made to the old man during the disaster relief.
Old Zou was very satisfied. Although there was a two-month gap, it wasn't a wasted wait.
With this calligraphy, his status in the building surpassed that of all his patrons.
Shen Li was in a better mood than ever before since leaving home. According to the schedule, Gu Chang'an would be back in the capital in ten days at most, and she would definitely prepare a big surprise for him then.
Because she was in a good mood, she slept very well, and was exceptionally energetic when she went to court the next morning. This was the day of bestowing titles and the grand court assembly, so even a minor official of the sixth rank had to attend.
She and Shen Zizai went out quietly in a carriage; before dawn, neither her mother nor Shen Yue had gotten up.
Looking at his daughter, who was dressed in court attire and adorned with a gold hairpin, Shen Zizai couldn't help but sigh, "I never imagined that my daughter and I would one day attend court together."
Although he loved his two daughters, he never thought that the next generation would rise to the position of a high-ranking official after seeing that they were daughters. Unexpectedly, his daughter became a sixth-rank official at the age of eighteen, which was earlier than most men.
“My daughter never imagined this before,” Shen Li said with a smile.
Shen Zizai took out an oil paper package from the sleeve of his vermilion court robe and handed it over: "I didn't have time to eat anything this morning, so have something to eat in the carriage so you won't get hungry."
"Thank you, Father." Shen Li accepted it with delight, her eyes crinkling with laughter.
Shen Zizai smiled indulgently. No matter how successful his daughter was, she was still just a child in his eyes.
Shen Li encountered Lin Wan'er at the palace gate, but they only exchanged a glance from afar and did not speak.
To outsiders, their actions still appear to be a subtle rivalry, a relationship that both of them tacitly maintain.
Although they are now moving forward side by side and seem to be invincible, this unspoken relationship can protect each other in the event of a crisis.
Moreover, cards that are not revealed always have a destructive power, and you never know when they might come in handy.
Xiao Qi exchanged a few words with Lin Wan'er, and when he saw the Shen family's carriage arrive, he came over and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Uncle."
"Young Master, there's no need for such formalities." Shen Zizai looked up at Xiao Qixun and was quite pleased to see his dashing appearance. "You've made a great contribution in suppressing the rebellion. The old man must be very pleased, right?"
“That’s right. Grandpa always praises the children for their success, but of course he praises my cousin the most.” Xiao Qi said, looking at Shen Li. If they weren’t in front of the palace gate, he would have reached out and patted Shen Li’s head.
"You sound jealous, cousin," Shen Li teased before asking, "It's been a long time since I visited. How is Grandpa's health?"
"He's in good health. Since returning from the northern frontier, Grandpa's spirit has completely changed. He eats well every day and can even practice his sword when he has nothing to do."
"In that case, we juniors are truly fortunate."
Xiao Qi nodded: "Yes, cousin, come visit us when you have some free time. Grandpa misses you."
"It is my fault for being unfilial. I will leave in the next two days." Shen Li was somewhat ashamed.
As they chatted, the Heavenly Palace Gate opened, and civil and military officials filed in in two lines. Xiao Qi stood a few people in front of Lin Wan'er, and Shen Li noticed that the two seemed to be talking about something again.
Emperor Cheng's mood was somewhat complicated. Zhou Zhen was still being held in the Ministry of Justice, and he was naturally annoyed by the many troubles in the court. However, he did not forget that today was the day to reward those who had contributed to the cause.
The flood has been successfully controlled, and those who have made contributions should naturally be rewarded.
Standing at the front of the court were the Crown Prince and Prince Yi. Prince Yi was standing tall and full of vigor, while the Crown Prince looked tired and hadn't had much rest.
He even glanced at Shen Li in the civil official queue. Shen Li met his gaze and saw a familiar look in his eyes.
It was the same look in his eyes when he ruthlessly attacked the Gu and Shen families in his previous life, only with some subtle changes. Back then, it was ruthless control, but now it was just anger, even a bit like a cornered dog trying to jump over a wall.
From the moment Shen Li produced the letter showing Zhou Zhen's collusion with the Red Lotus Sect, to her recommendation of a high-ranking official to handle the case, her intention to target the Crown Prince became crystal clear.
Even a fool in this palace could see that she did it on purpose.
Li Heng was at home, unable to understand what he had done to offend Shen Li, that she would suddenly treat him so cruelly, as if she wanted to kill him.
After today, he must find Shen Li and ask her clearly what this means.
Shen Li remained calm in the face of that gaze. She had been looking forward to this look for a long time, and she felt extremely relieved that she could finally tear off the mask.
She began to endure a year ago, when she lacked the opportunity and strength to bring down Li Heng, but now things are very different.
Li Heng, he won't be able to cling to life for much longer.
Lin Wan'er also saw the Crown Prince's expression and felt relieved. This kind of person should be dealt with ruthlessly. Only when he is dead will he stop causing trouble.
Li Rui was also present, though his position was relatively far back. He was not usually qualified to attend court assemblies, but since he was a major contributor to the disaster relief efforts, he was naturally invited to receive an award.
He shifted his gaze from Li Heng's face, stood still without making a sound, and appeared completely unconcerned, making him the prince who seemed the least scheming.
In such situations, all officials, both civil and military, kept their heads down cautiously, especially the civil officials who always felt a chill on their necks.
With Grand Secretary Zhou Zhen absent from the court, no one knew who would be affected by the investigation, and everyone was on edge.
Emperor Cheng spoke briefly about the disaster situation, then waved his hand to instruct the eunuch to deliver the imperial decree.
Li Rui, having already been granted the title of king but not having any real official position or power, was instead rewarded with land.
The second-ranking minister, Wu Yong, who accompanied the emperor, was the biggest beneficiary and was appointed as the chief minister by the court.
Although it was inevitable that the second-ranking minister would become the first minister, Zhou Zhen's faction obviously did not expect their leader to step down. Moreover, Wu Yong was not a member of the Crown Prince's faction and even somewhat biased towards the Prince of Yi.
In this way, how could Zhou Zhen's former subordinates possibly have a good outcome? The emperor's intention in appointing the Grand Secretary at this time was also very clear: he wanted to completely purge Zhou Zhen's faction.
Lin Wan'er's official position was already high enough, and she was too young to be promoted further, so she was also granted land.
The reward information for Shen Li was significantly longer. Shen Li was appointed as a fifth-rank Hanlin Academician, concurrently serving as an Imperial Censor, and was also granted a flying fish robe and ten acres of fertile land for his meritorious service in saving the emperor.
This series of remarks surprised all the ministers present. It was the only person in the dynasty to hold both the positions of Hanlin Academician and Censor at the same time. These were both prestigious and prestigious positions, which showed the significance of holding both concurrently.