jdhmnovel Chapter 345 (80 words added)
Chapter 345 (80 words added)
Just as Murong Xun was about to speak, he suddenly felt dizzy and lightheaded. A chill ran down his spine; he knew something was wrong. He saw a barely perceptible, cold smile on the Prime Minister's lips. It turned out he had secretly planted a sleeping potion in the palace. Murong Xun struggled to maintain his balance, but the drug's effects gradually took hold, and his legs buckled, nearly causing him to fall. The Empress was horrified. "Bold Prime Minister! How dare you poison me in my palace!" The Prime Minister, however, looked smug. "Your Majesty," he said, "this is for the sake of the country and its people. We cannot allow the Regent's wrong decision to ruin the empire." Just as the Prime Minister thought he had succeeded, a figure suddenly emerged from behind the screen behind the Empress—it was the Emperor. The Emperor glared angrily. "You, Prime Minister! How dare you poison the Regent in the Empress's palace and even try to bewitch me! Your heart deserves to be punished!" It turned out the Emperor had been secretly observing and had already seen through the Prime Minister's plot. The Prime Minister turned deathly pale and collapsed to the ground.
Seeing this, the Empress coughed lightly, "You two, please stop arguing." His Majesty waved his hand, "Guards, take this traitor to the prison and await his fate!" The guards immediately stepped forward and dragged the limp prime minister away. The prime minister was still crying out for justice, but under His Majesty's rage, his voice sounded so weak.
Murong Xun regained his senses and bowed to His Majesty, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your keen insight and clearing my name." His Majesty helped him up, saying, "The Regent has shared my burdens; how could I allow such a treacherous minister to succeed?" The Empress also smiled and said, "Fortunately, Your Majesty had the foresight; otherwise, who knows what trouble this prime minister would have caused."
Next, His Majesty, Murong Xun, and the Empress discussed the matter of military expenses. They ultimately decided to raise funds from wealthy merchants, while simultaneously optimizing military expenditures, without placing an excessive burden on the people. After this was finalized, Murong Xun reiterated his assurance to His Majesty that he would do his utmost to defend the borders. Once everything was settled, Murong Xun bowed and took his leave, departing the Empress's palace with unwavering resolve, ready to continue his work for the stability of the nation. "I believe this matter requires further consideration. Perhaps we should first send people to the prosperous regions to investigate the people's conditions before making a final decision."
Although Murong Xun and the Prime Minister were dissatisfied, they could only agree. The Prime Minister snorted coldly and left, and Murong Xun also rose to take his leave. After leaving the Empress's palace, Murong Xun knew that the Prime Minister must have powerful backers, and this court struggle had only just begun. However, the Prime Minister would probably not give up easily. "I will handle it myself," Murong Xun sneered, "I will handle it myself." After saying that, he rose to take his leave. Leaving the Empress's palace, Murong Xun knew that he would not only have to deal with the border war, but also carefully navigate the court struggle. A slight mistake could lead to utter ruin. "The soldiers on the border are fighting bravely, and the situation is gradually stabilizing." His Majesty frowned slightly and said, "That's good, but we still cannot let our guard down." Murong Xun understood that His Majesty was always wary of him. Just then, a commotion arose outside the palace. A minister rushed in and reported, "Your Majesty, a group of people outside the palace are petitioning to see the Regent." Both Murong Xun and the Emperor looked surprised, wondering what the people's petition was about.
Entering the room, Xue Ruanruan saw an elderly man curled up on the bed, his face pale. She quickly went forward and took his pulse. After a moment, her brow furrowed slightly, and she had a plan in mind. She gently untied the small, exquisite medicine box she carried with her, her movements elegant and practiced. As the lid slowly opened, a faint, fragrant herbal aroma wafted out. She carefully took out several freshly picked herbs, still glistening with morning dew. Some of these herbs had leaves as large as a hand, while others were as delicate as a hair, but all exuded a unique fragrance and a mysterious vitality. She gently placed the herbs into a pot and skillfully lit the fire. The flames leaped merrily, instantly illuminating the entire room and reflecting on her beautiful, focused face. The flickering firelight on her face added a captivating radiance to her already refined and elegant features. As time slowly passed, seconds relentlessly ticking by, the water in the pot gradually heated up, finally beginning to boil vigorously. The water inside churned and leaped, accompanied by bubbling sounds, like playful little sprites dancing joyfully. Standing beside it, she watched intently, her eyes fixed on the steaming pot before her. She dared not look away for a moment, afraid of missing even the slightest change.
We can invite experienced and skilled farmers to come and teach planting and animal husbandry techniques in a simple and easy-to-understand way. This will not only improve the villagers' productivity but also ensure the healthy growth of crops and livestock. Furthermore, these professionals can provide valuable information on market demand and sales channels, helping villagers better seize business opportunities and increase their income. The two men became increasingly excited as they talked, their eyes sparkling with anticipation and hope for the future. They imagined a world without hunger, where everyone could enjoy abundant food—a beautiful vision that thrilled them. As the conversation deepened, they became more convinced that their efforts would bring about change, allowing more people to benefit from this delicious and nutritious food. They began discussing how to promote this food and how to ensure it reached everyone who needed it. "However, this requires everyone's joint efforts. We need to call on more people to participate and contribute to solving the food problem." "Xue Ruanruan said firmly. Her eyes revealed a determination and belief, as if telling everyone that as long as they worked together, they would definitely be able to overcome the difficulties. She knew that individual strength was limited, but if they could unite, they could form a powerful force. So, she began to travel around, publicizing the seriousness of the food problem and urging people to take action. Thanks to her efforts, more and more people joined in. Some donated money and goods, some volunteered their labor, and some used their professional knowledge to offer suggestions for solving the food problem. Looking at these enthusiastic people, Xue Ruanruan felt extremely gratified. She believed that as long as everyone persevered, they would definitely find a way to solve the food problem and make the world a better place. With everyone's joint efforts, the food problem was initially resolved."
Although Murong Xun wanted to protect her, the complex political situation at court made it difficult for him to be attentive at all times. The Prime Minister's faction secretly spread rumors, accusing Xue Ruanruan of spreading falsehoods and claiming that her supposed solution to the food problem was nothing more than a scheme to extort money. The people were in an uproar, and their trust in Xue Ruanruan began to waver. Some of her initial supporters also began to hesitate and back down. Xue Ruanruan was extremely anxious, knowing that if she didn't clarify the situation quickly, all her previous efforts would be in vain. Just when she was at her wit's end, Murong Xun learned of the situation and immediately went to the palace to report the truth to the Emperor, strongly advocating for Xue Ruanruan's safety. The Emperor weighed the pros and cons and ultimately ordered a thorough investigation. Murong Xun personally led his men in a covert investigation and quickly uncovered the spies planted among the people by the Prime Minister's faction. After the truth came to light, the people apologized to Xue Ruanruan and became even more supportive of her cause. Xue Ruanruan was not discouraged and continued to lead everyone in their efforts to solve the food problem. Murong Xun's prestige in the court rose even higher, making the Prime Minister's faction even more wary, and a new contest was quietly brewing. However, with his wedding approaching, he was burdened with numerous affairs and unable to be with his bride at all times. Just before Murong Xun's wedding, news of a theft suddenly arrived from the Prince's residence. The stolen item was an ancestral jade pendant that Murong Xun had prepared to give to his bride. This jade pendant held extraordinary significance, being a heirloom of the Prince's family. Upon learning this, Murong Xun's face instantly darkened. He immediately ordered the Prince's residence sealed off and began a thorough investigation.
Upon hearing this, the prime minister's faction was secretly pleased, seeing it as a good opportunity to strike at Murong Xun. They stirred up trouble in the court, demanding severe punishment for the thieves and implying that the incident might be due to mismanagement in Murong Xun's household.
Murong Xun understood that this was a conspiracy orchestrated by the Prime Minister, but he had to retrieve the jade pendant first. Just as the investigation reached a stalemate, Xue Ruanruan came to his aid. Using her intelligence and keen observation, she discovered some subtle clues. Following these clues, they found that the Prime Minister's faction had bribed a servant in the Prince's residence to steal the jade pendant.
Enraged, Murong Xun exposed the prime minister's conspiracy in court. Upon learning the truth, the emperor became even more displeased with the prime minister's faction. On his wedding day, Murong Xun successfully retrieved the jade pendant and held a grand wedding with his bride. However, he knew that the struggles in court would only intensify in the future. The missing item was a significant imperial gift. Upon learning of the loss, Murong Xun's heart tightened; mishandling the matter would surely arouse the emperor's suspicion. He quickly ordered the sealing of all exits of the palace, rigorously checking everyone entering and leaving, while simultaneously assigning trusted confidants to secretly investigate clues. The prime minister's faction seized the opportunity to create a ruckus in court, accusing Murong Xun of deliberately concealing the imperial gift and harboring rebellious intentions. The emperor, upon hearing this, was furious and ordered Murong Xun to retrieve the item within a specified time, or face severe punishment. Murong Xun was under immense pressure, investigating day and night, but to no avail. Upon learning of this, Xue Ruanruan once again offered her help. She meticulously examined the scene at the Prince's mansion, leaving no detail overlooked. Finally, she discovered the buried object behind a rockery in the garden. It turned out that the Prime Minister's faction had deliberately hidden the object there, attempting to frame Murong Xun. Murong Xun presented the object to the Emperor, revealing the truth. After uncovering the truth, the Emperor's dislike for the Prime Minister's faction deepened, and he gained a new appreciation for Murong Xun's abilities. This incident further solidified Murong Xun's position in the court, but he knew that the Prime Minister's faction would not give up, and the future remained full of challenges. All eyes turned to Xue Ruanruan, considering her the prime suspect. A new crisis was quietly descending upon her.