jdhmnovel Chapter 212 This King Cherishes Talent
Chapter 212 This King Cherishes Talent
Yun Shang remained calm and composed, saying:
"Your Majesty, I believe that Lord Song's concerns are not without merit."
I am well aware of my limited experience and lack of experience in officialdom. I bear a heavy responsibility in the Hanlin Academy, and I am filled with trepidation.
However, I am also grateful for Your Majesty's appreciation and am willing to serve Your Majesty faithfully in any position.
If I am fortunate enough to enter the Hanlin Academy, I will certainly tread carefully and study diligently, so as not to fail Your Majesty's high expectations; if I am not able to enter for the time being, I will still accumulate experience and hone myself elsewhere, and when the time is right, I will then seek to share Your Majesty's burdens.”
Upon hearing this answer, Prince Chen breathed a huge sigh of relief.
He was genuinely afraid that Yun Shang would choose one of them.
Father Emperor wasn't letting Yun Shang choose for himself; he was clearly testing him on purpose.
If Yun Shang chooses to enter the Hanlin Academy, it proves that his temperament is not as composed as he appears. Given his background, entering the Hanlin Academy at this time is not a good thing.
Even if Yun Shang chooses to enter the Hanlin Academy and becomes the loyal minister that Emperor Wenjing wanted, Emperor Wenjing might not necessarily give him an important position.
If Yunshang chooses to join the Ministry of Rites, the problem will become even bigger.
It was Imperial Censor Song's suggestion to send him to the Ministry of Rites. If Yun Shang had agreed directly, he would have been suspected of having long been plotting for the position, which would have aroused Emperor Wenjing's suspicion and caused him to lose the emperor's favor. In the future, he would probably have faced even greater difficulties in the court.
Prince Chen knew his father was a man of deep thoughts, but this was the first time he had felt it so clearly.
The Emperor has been neglecting state affairs for so long that they have almost forgotten that the Emperor's mind is unpredictable.
Yun Shang's clever response not only expressed his respect and gratitude for his father's decree, but also demonstrated his humility and self-awareness, while also showing his determination to be loyal no matter what position he held.
In this way, even if the Emperor wanted to make things difficult, he would find it hard to find fault with it.
Yun Shang's answer was impeccable, demonstrating humility and caution while expressing absolute obedience to the emperor's arrangements. At the same time, he did not explicitly state his own position, making it difficult for any party to find fault with him.
Prince Chen felt somewhat relieved.
He raised his eyes and glanced in the direction of Emperor Wenjing.
There was indeed a hint of satisfaction in Emperor Wenjing's expression.
"Yun Shang, I am very pleased that you have such awareness." Emperor Wenjing finally spoke, his voice steady and dignified. "In that case, proceed according to the regulations of the Ministry of Personnel. I hope that no matter what position you hold, you will make achievements and live up to my expectations."
"Your student obeys the decree and will serve you with utmost loyalty and devotion." Yun Shang prostrated himself on the ground, his posture respectful and submissive.
According to regulations, the specific official position assigned to a student who passed the special examination was to be discussed by the Ministry of Personnel and then submitted to the Emperor for review before being finalized.
Seeing that Emperor Wenjing did not directly appoint Yunshang, Prince Chen breathed a sigh of relief.
Yun Shang is already eye-catching enough; if he were to stand out any more, he would probably attract even more trouble.
Emperor Wenjing did not linger at the Deer Cry Terrace.
Once Emperor Wenjing left, the officials all relaxed.
The students all took this opportunity to cultivate relationships with important officials in the court, hoping to curry favor with them at the official conferment banquet.
Only Yun Shang sat calmly at the table, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding commotion.
King Qi picked up his wine cup, strolled over to Yun Shang's table, and sat down crookedly in the empty seat next to him, laughing, "It's been a long time since Father has paid such attention to a student. Yun Shang, you have a bright future ahead of you."
Yun Shang raised his eyes, his expression neither humble nor arrogant, showing no intention of flattering the King of Qi.
"Thank you for your kind offer, Your Highness."
King Qi knew he wasn't so easily won over, so he wasn't annoyed. He smiled and lowered his voice, "I know you're Li Yuanhe's man, but Yun Shang..."
"This person needs to be pragmatic. You're a smart man too. Do you really think you can get what you want by following that sickly Li Yuanhe?"
Yun Shang paused slightly, then gently put down his wine cup, looked directly into King Qi's eyes, and calmly said:
"Your Highness misunderstands. I am only loyal to His Majesty and have no partisan affiliation. I am grateful to Lord Li for recognizing my talent, but I am not following him as Your Highness claims."
King Qi raised an eyebrow, a half-smile playing on his lips: "Oh? Are you trying to play dumb in front of me?"
"The students dare not."
"I think you're quite bold."
Yun Shang remained calm. "Your Highness misunderstands. I only wish to serve the court and the emperor, and to do things for the people. If Your Highness has any requests for me, I will certainly not refuse."
"I'm not stupid," King Qi sneered. "Your words might be somewhat useful for fooling others."
He glanced at Prince Chen, who was walking towards them, and his smile became even more wicked. "Fine. Although you have rejected me time and time again, I am a man who values talent and cannot bear to see you bury your talents with Li Yuanhe..."
As he spoke, Prince Chen had already approached.
King Qi stood up, leaned closer to Yun Shang, and said with a smile, "If you change your mind, you can come to King Qi's residence anytime. You will always be welcome."
After saying that, he patted Yun Shang on the shoulder with a smile, his eyes crinkling with laughter, as if they were having a very pleasant conversation.
When Prince Chen walked over, his expression was not good.
Seeing this, Yun Shang's eyes flickered slightly. "Your Highness, what Prince Qi was just now was..."
Before he could finish speaking, Prince Chen spoke in a low and gentle voice, "No need to explain, I understand."
“He’s doing this on purpose to sow discord. I’m not that stupid to fall for his little tricks.”
Yun Shang nodded slightly. "It's good that Your Highness hasn't misunderstood."
Before the two had exchanged more than a few words, an official from the Ministry of Rites stepped forward.
He is Wang Ling, the current Vice Minister of Rites.
The Ministry of Rites of the Great Zhao Dynasty had one Minister and two Vice Ministers.
Previously, there was only one Minister and one Vice Minister.
But not long ago, the Minister of Rites went home to observe the mourning period, leaving the Ministry of Rites short of two officials. All the affairs of the Ministry of Rites fell on the shoulders of Vice Minister Wang Ling.
Given his qualifications, with the Minister of Rites in mourning, he should have been the one to succeed him.
But now that Yun Shang has made such a splash at the official conferment banquet and received the Emperor's personal commendation, he's unsure whether the position of Minister will still fall into his lap.
Wang Ling bowed to Prince Chen before his gaze fell upon Yun Shang, a hint of inquiry in his eyes.
After a long pause, he smiled and said, "Young Master Yun has certainly made a name for himself at this official banquet. If nothing unexpected happens, you should return to my Ministry of Rites. I admire a talented and ambitious man like you, and I look forward to your arrival at my Ministry of Rites."
Wang Ling's words clearly indicated that he regarded Yun Shang as a subordinate. Although his words were polite, both Yun Shang and Prince Chen could sense the underlying hostility in his speech.
Yun Shang pretended not to notice anything and said calmly, "Lord Wang is too kind. I am still inexperienced. If I can enter the Ministry of Rites, I will rely on your guidance in many matters in the future."
Wang Ling smiled and nodded, appearing very easy to talk to: "Young Master Yun is exceptionally intelligent, and the Emperor values you highly, so you will surely be able to handle the duties of the Ministry of Rites well. However, the affairs of the Ministry of Rites are complicated and have many rules, so you should be prepared."
"Thank you for your advice, Lord Wang. I will certainly be careful with my words and actions."