[Guagua, why are all the officials covering their mouths and laughing? What are they laughing at?]
[Host, I didn't notice either. Maybe the Crown Prince told them a joke?]
[Okay, even the Ice-Cold Face can tell jokes now? You might as well say the sun rose in the west!]
[Host, Guagua really doesn't know]
Shen Mingzhu thought for a moment, then decided not to make things difficult for the system any further. She took out some pastries from her sleeve and ate a few more.
Sigh... going to court is so tiring!
After eating and drinking her fill, Shen Mingzhu sighed to herself.
The minister nearby were extremely envious when he saw this.
Shen Mingzhu took out a piece of pastry and handed it to him, gesturing for him to have one as well.
A minister: Should he accept it or not?
After receiving the offering, can he eat pastries in the main hall?
The main hall returned to normal, and the ministers actively discussed various important matters of the court.
Looking at the minister beside her, Shen Mingzhu couldn't help but ask the system.
[Guagua, who is this minister next to me? I've never seen him before. What kind of look is he giving me?]
Shen Mingzhu was quite helpless.
It seems like the ministers around her change every day.
At this moment, all four princes looked back, then turned back to continue their discussion.
A certain minister: ...
[Host, the minister next to you is named Lin Yuhui. He filled the position previously held by Minister Xiao Zhengjie, the former Vice Minister of Works. He is the grandson of Prime Minister Lin, the nephew of Empress Lin, and the cousin of Crown Prince Yan Beichen. Now he is also your cousin!]
Shen Mingzhu: ...
[Guagua, look at him just now! He wouldn't even take a piece of pastry offered to him. Is this really my cousin? My uncle's cousin has already fought several battles against the Hu people in the north. He's beheaded at least eighty or a hundred Hu people!]
[Sigh...Guagua, how come the difference between people is so huge? Some people work hard fighting enemies and still haven't even become a fifth-rank general, while others haven't done anything and are already a fourth-rank vice minister!]
Lin Yuhui was caught in a dilemma: explaining was wrong, but not explaining was also wrong. His face turned as red as a monkey's bottom.
[Guagua, Lord Lin Yuhui's face is so red, what's wrong with him? Is he sick?]
[Host, he's alright! He's perfectly fine! As the only grandson of the Lin family, and the eldest grandson by the legitimate wife, he's been raised very well.]
Wow, Guagua, is Prime Minister Lin planning to groom his grandson as his successor? What about Prime Minister Lin's son? Lin Yuhui is a bit too young!
All the officials and civil and military officials: That's right.
Sigh...it's a long story.
[Guagua, stop keeping me in suspense and get to the point.]
All the officials: Speak quickly, we want to hear it.
Lin Xiang, who was at the very front with gray hair and originally had a straight back, had somehow bent over, revealing a hint of dejection.
[Host, Lin Yuheng, son of Prime Minister Lin, and also the Empress's older brother, recently became infatuated with Mei Niang, the most beautiful courtesan at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion. Since then, he has only known how to spend his days indulging in pleasure with her, neglecting everything else and simply enjoying himself immensely!]
[Is Prime Minister Lin indifferent?]
[How could he not care? He did! He hit him, scolded him, he used all sorts of butlers, but Lin Yuheng still did whatever he wanted, his motto being "If you don't kill me, I'll continue as before!"]
[So powerful? Prime Minister Lin isn't going to intervene?]
[His behavior was so outrageous that Prime Minister Lin wanted to beat him to death! But his wife stopped him! Prime Minister Lin and his wife were childhood sweethearts with a deep and abiding love. Naturally, she couldn't bear to kill their only son! She could only protect him with her life, and is currently ill in the manor! Lin Yuheng is currently staying in a secluded courtyard of the Lin manor with that courtesan, so they had no choice but to let their grandson take his place! Fortunately, this grandson, Lin Yuhui, is quite promising; he has already achieved academic success and entered officialdom. With Prime Minister Lin's help in keeping an eye on him, there shouldn't be any problems.]
[Oh my god! What's going on with the Crown Prince's maternal family? His uncle is such a hindrance!]
[Host, he's your uncle now too!]
Crown Prince Yan Beichen: Soon he'll be your uncle too!
After listening, Shen Mingzhu looked at Lin Yuhui beside her with sympathy.
She thought to herself: No wonder the person standing next to me at the back!
I bet some people don't like him!
He might have been ostracized.
[Guagua, what's going on with that Lord Lin Yuheng? Has he really let himself go in middle age?]
[Host, no! Lin Yuheng has been poisoned by a Gu!]
Poisoned?
Lin Xiang was greatly alarmed!
He had previously suspected that his son had been poisoned and bewitched, but when he invited doctors from the common people and imperial physicians from the palace, none of them could find any signs that Heng'er had been poisoned.
It turns out he was under a spell!
Who could be so vicious?
Being afflicted by a Gu is somewhat more difficult than being poisoned!
The Southern Frontier is skilled in using Gu poison. Could it be that spies from the Southern Frontier have infiltrated the capital of the Great Yan without their knowledge?
He moved back as far as he could, wanting to hear Shen Mingzhu's thoughts.
He knew that his son wouldn't just indulge in pleasure and disobey his parents!
Lin Yuhui was even more shocked.
It turns out his father was bewitched!
He said that his father, who used to love him, cherish his mother, and be filial to his grandparents, had suddenly disappeared.
I see.
He looked at Shen Mingzhu with burning eyes, hoping she would tell him more about her father.
At this moment, Emperor Jingyuan and Crown Prince Yan Beichen also frowned deeply, their hearts heavy.
[Guagua, a Gu worm? That's incredibly unlucky for the Imperial Brother-in-Law!]
[Sigh... Lin Yuheng didn't mean it either! He only acted so absurdly because he realized something was wrong with himself. He knew Prime Minister Lin's temper; as long as he wasn't beaten to death, he would definitely put the person under guard and imprisoned, so that he wouldn't do anything "wrong"! As for the pain of being bitten by the Gu worms every month, he silently endured it.]
Lin Xiang's eyes were red.
Silly child!
Why not tell him the truth?
The whole family worked together to find a solution!
He silently endure all of this, what does it matter if my parents and relatives misunderstand me!
[Guagua, why doesn't Lin Yuheng tell Prime Minister Lin the truth? Besides, his sister is the Empress. I believe that if he tells the truth about his health condition, Emperor Jingyuan will help him find a great doctor!]
[Host, you're oversimplifying things! When Lin Yuheng first experienced a Gu worm attack, he sought out renowned doctors everywhere, even secretly consulting with the imperial physician, but none could diagnose the problem! Initially, he thought it was due to overwork, so in the second month he focused on reducing his workload, going to bed early and waking up early, and exercising occasionally. Unexpectedly, when the time came, the pain was still unbearable, even worse than the first time!]
He consulted doctors and imperial physicians again, but they still couldn't find the problem! Having spent years in officialdom, he knew someone would definitely come after him! To be precise, this was a conspiracy against him, and he had to be on guard!
Wow, that's a really fast reaction!
[Host, think about it. The Crown Prince is unconscious, Empress Lin is worried about him, Consort Li is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor, and his health is deteriorating. In court, only the frail and elderly Prime Minister Lin is holding things together. If he were to have a problem at this time, what do you think the consequences would be?]
Crown Prince Yan Beichen remained silent!