The man who came was Eunuch Zhang.
His attitude was very humble, “Old slave has met Miss Song, Sir Song and Madam Song.”
“Eunuch, please excuse yourself.”
Song Si held the man in place, “I wonder if Eunuch Zhang is here for ……”
“The Crown Prince has declared Eunuch Song to be in the palace.”
Xiao Yao thought of something and was delighted, giving a wink to Qing’er on the side, who walked quickly to the house.
“Eunuch Zhang wait for a moment, I’ll go and change my clothes.”
“Please be my guest, Gongzi Song.”
Song Si quickly walked back to his room.
Qing’er brought over a bulging purse and stuffed it into Eunuch Zhang’s hand, who didn’t bother to put it directly into his sleeve belt.
Smiling, he said, “Please rest assured, Madam Song, it is a good thing that the Crown Prince has declared Mr. Song to be in the palace.”
……
The Imperial Study Room.
The Minister of Household stood apprehensively, stealing glances at the Crown Prince from time to time out of the corner of his eyes. Ever since he was announced into the palace a quarter of an hour ago, the Crown Prince had been going over his papers, as if he had forgotten about him as a person.
He wanted to speak several times but suppressed it, and a cold sweat broke out on his back.
The prince finally finished reading the scroll, closed it and put it aside, and raised his eyes to look over.
The Minister of the Treasury’s heart tightened, and cold sweat broke out on his back again.
“My palace remembers that the old minister is fifty and three years old, right?”
“Yes.”
“My palace also remembers that the old monk seems to be in poor health?”
The Minister of Household instantly understood the Crown Prince’s meaning and closed his eyes in despair; he had guessed that the Crown Prince would punish him when he took the throne, but he had not expected that the Crown Prince would simply ask him to resign from his post.
“Old Minister ……”
The Minister of Household was resigned.
He had managed the Household Department well during his time as Shang Shu, without any mistakes, and to be forced to resign just because he had offended Song Si was unfair to him.
“Hm?”
The prince’s voice was raised, unable to hear his joy or anger.
However, the Minister of the Household Department’s heart trembled and he knelt down, “My health is indeed not good, so I can no longer hold the post of Minister of the Household Department, so I would like to retire to my hometown, so I would like to ask the Crown Prince’s permission.”
“My palace will allow it, you have three days to complete the handover.”
“Yes.”
……
The Minister of Household left the imperial study as if he had lost his soul and stumbled towards the outside of the palace.
He did not get very far before he saw Eunuch Zhang leading Song Si to meet him.
He stopped in his tracks and stared viciously at Song Si. If it wasn’t for Song Si, why would he have to retire to his hometown at this age?
Eunuch Zhang also saw him and stopped to salute, and Song Si followed suit.
The Minister of Household Affairs flung his sleeves and walked past him.
Song Si froze slightly.
Eunuch Zhang, however, guessed what was going on and said with a smile, “Eunuch Song need not pay attention, after today, it is not certain who will salute whom.”
Song Si’s heart moved slightly.
Eunuch Zhang led him on and when he arrived outside the imperial study, he reported, “Your Highness, Song Si is here.”
“Come in!”
Eunuch Zhang pushed open the door and Song Si entered, kneeling down and bowing, “Your Highness the Crown Prince is a thousand years old.”
“Flatten yourself.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Song Si rose to his feet.
The crown prince remembered the first time he had seen him at the Qionglin banquet. At that time, Song Si was still slightly young, his youthful complacency had not yet receded, but his mind was very resolute, and he had refused his father’s offer of marriage in front of all the officials, and he knew then that Song Si would be a pillar of strength in the future.
Speaking of which, he should also call out to his cousin’s husband.
Thinking like this, the Crown Prince did shout, “Cousin’s husband.”
Song Si was startled, “Your Highness must not address a grass servant in this way.”
The crown prince raised his eyebrows, “What, is it wrong for my palace to shout?”
“How can I deserve to be addressed as such by Your Highness?”
“Are you married to my cousin?”
“Yes, but there is a difference between ruler and subject, how can the Prince address a grass servant in that way.”
“You also said that there is a difference between ruler and subject, my palace is not yet a ruler and you are not a subject, so isn’t that what you can shout?”
Song Si was speechless.
The prince let out a clear, crisp laugh.
Eunuch Zhang outside the door heard it really well and the corners of his mouth followed suit.
As far as he could remember, His Highness had rarely laughed so loudly.
Yes, how could a child who had been careful to hide his true heart for as long as he could remember ever have a moment of true happiness.
“Well, no more teasing you.”
The prince withdrew his laugh and turned to the subject, “What do you think of the position of Minister of Household?”
Song Si looked up incredulously, and his heart trembled as he met the crown prince’s gaze that did not mean to joke in the slightest.
“That’s right, it means what you think, this palace has already allowed the Minister of Household to retire to his hometown, now of the people in the Ministry of Household only you are the most suitable to sit in that position.”
Song Si knelt down, “Your Highness, I cannot sit in that position.”
Not expecting him to refuse, the prince froze.
“Not to mention that I am still too junior to be the Minister of the Household, in itself, I prefer to stay at the Hanlin Academy, where it is more suitable for me, and if Your Highness wishes to restore me to official status, I wish to return there.”
“Furthermore, according to my observation, the Minister of the Household is very capable, and it would be a great loss to the court if he were to retire to his hometown.”
“You do not count it against him that he once oppressed you?”
“I do. In the future, if there is an opportunity, I will definitely retaliate back, but that is a personal matter for me, and I cannot let the court lose a capable person because of it.”
The prince had some understanding of why his maternal grandfather had chosen Song Si as his granddaughter’s son-in-law in the first place; apart from the fact that he was full of talent, there was also the atmosphere that radiated from his bones, the kind of big picture that many people who had been officials all their lives did not have.
“You don’t regret it?”
“I will not regret it, if I am capable again, I will naturally rise up the ranks, if not, Your Highness will only cause loss to the court by putting me in that position.”
The prince looked at him for a long time, “Good, this palace will comply with you and allow you to return to the Hanlin Academy and become a Hanlin Academy Cultivator.”
“Thank you, Your Highness. ”
……
The Minister of Household returned home lost in thought and sat down in his chair.
The Shancellor’s wife busily poured tea and handed it to him, “Master, what has happened?”
As if he had not heard her words, the Minister of the Household looked vacantly ahead.
“My lord, don’t scare me, what has happened, tell me quickly!”
The Minister of the Household slowly turned his head and looked at her without focus, “It’s over, it’s all over!”
With a thud in her heart, Madam Shang Shu also slumped in her chair, the tealight in her hand falling to the floor with a snap and breaking into pieces.
The Minister of Household closed his eyes.
He was also from a humble family and had climbed to his current position step by step through his skills, but now there was nothing left.
The room was silent.
After an unknown period of time, the Minister of Household Affairs spoke in a breathless voice, “Have people pack up their things, sell everything they can within three days, and take away what they can’t.”
“My lord ……”
She regretted it, she should have stopped the master from dealing with Song Si and the Xu family in the first place.
“Go on.”
“Master ……”
The butler hurried in, “Someone from the palace!”
The Minister of Household stood up sharply, his voice shaking, “Who is it?”