Chapter 127: Deliberate Provocation

"Brother Han, did you foresee all along that Chen Tianwei was only feigning his defection to the Office of the Governor of the Capital?"

Young Master Zhu asked, lagging behind in his realization. He had thought he had misjudged the situation earlier, never suspecting that they had both almost been deceived.

"No. From the very moment we first clashed, I had already determined that he intended to eliminate that man."

What? Young Master Zhu stared at them in disbelief. They had only just arrived in Luojing and had not even found a place to settle down yet. Had he already calculated so much? It seemed too exaggerated.

"It wasn't like that. I was simply guiding him, step by step, into the trap I had laid," Han Qing said slowly.

Meanwhile, the supposedly framed Elder Lin of the Governor's Office seemed to have run into significant trouble. Originally, Lord Gao had only gone to investigate whether Lin had any dealings with Lord Lu over the past few months, but he ended up uncovering incidents of land seizure and the oppression of the common people. The Emperor was furious. He directly dismissed Lin from his post and exiled him to a remote region. That Hanlin Academy position, which Lord Lu had hoped to use to kill two birds with one stone, had ultimately fallen into Han Qing’s hands.

Soon, the official transfer orders arrived. Han Qing now held a post, though initially, it was merely a sinecure with little real power. Instead, it was the scions of various noble families in Luojing who frequently visited his courtyard. However, no one expected His Highness Prince Huai to pay a visit as well. For a dignified prince to come in person, there had to be an ulterior motive. Upon hearing this, Han Qing immediately grew cautious. He did not wish to be embroiled in such disputes, but in Luojing, he had to prioritize his own preservation.

"Your Highness Prince Huai, I was unaware of your arrival. Please forgive me for not welcoming you properly."

"Do not stand on ceremony. I have merely heard that you are quick-witted; do you have any solutions for the current decay in governance?"

Ah? Was the Prince here seeking his counsel? Han Qing was clearly taken aback. He was not a retainer of Prince Huai and had no obligation to assist him. Instead, he prepared to hedge and offer a few perfunctory remarks.

"Your Highness, those are merely exaggerations by outsiders; they are not to be taken seriously," Han Qing hurriedly explained.

The man before him, however, remained skeptical. He did not know that his own subordinate, Lord Lu, had fallen into this young man's trap.

"I have not yet spoken; how do you know you lack the method?"

Han Qing remained silent.

"The position at the Governor’s Office is vacant. My Imperial Father wishes for us to recommend suitable candidates, and I believe you possess the talent for it."

Was this not a deliberate attempt to push him into a high-ranking position, the better to help Prince Huai manage other officials? Han Qing shook his head.

"I am grateful for Your Highness's kindness, but I only possess a superficial understanding and am unworthy of such a great responsibility!"

After being refused repeatedly, Prince Huai deemed the man lacking in decorum and grew instantly angry. He flicked his sleeves and departed.

"Brother Han, wasn't that too blunt? Prince Huai is not a man to be easily offended. Besides, if you could sit in such a position, wouldn't your future career be smooth sailing?" Young Master Zhu was baffled, feeling the refusal was far-fetched.

"It was not blunt, merely the truth," Han Qing replied, not feeling he had done anything wrong. He had never held these people in high regard; even if he were a prince, so what?

"But you must be more careful in your actions henceforth. If he intentionally looks for trouble, we will have no recourse," Young Master Zhu said with hesitation. In truth, he was terrified inside, never expecting Han Qing to be so unyielding, showing no fear even before a prince.

Recent shifts in the court had been minimal because the right-hand men of several factions had been thoroughly cleared out. People were still wondering who had done it.

"Do you really not intend to visit the other ministers? To this day, no one has spoken up for you, leaving you with these minor, idle posts," Young Master Zhu said, feeling a sense of frustration, as if Han Qing were too calm, apparently worried about nothing.

"Is it not better to be idle for now? I have no desire to be busy all day. Although I am now a tribute scholar, I can choose to continue climbing, and there is still the Palace Examination..." he said nonchalantly.

"Fine." Yet, Young Master Zhu took the matter to heart.

The Prayer Festival had arrived—a time to pray for the well-being of the common people and the stability of the nation. Every year, court officials and the Emperor alike held this festival in high regard. Some officials used this opportunity to offer gifts to the Emperor to curry favor. However, this was no ordinary occasion; if one were to accidentally anger the Emperor, their life would likely be forfeit. One had to be extremely careful. If there was any impropriety, one had to avoid it immediately.

Court officials and the scholars who had passed the examinations this year were all invited. The palace was bustling yet oppressive. After entering the banquet, Han Qing found a secluded spot and sat down. He tried his best to avoid drawing attention; after all, he did not want to associate with these officials. Moreover, he had not even held an official post for long, and to start fawning over certain officials now would be to forget his original intentions.

Yet, his every move fell into the eyes of others. Prince Huai had been watching him and even deliberately mentioned him to the Emperor. His pretext was that Han Qing’s brilliance should not be buried and that he should compose a poem at the banquet to pray for the people.

Was this not a deliberate attempt to embarrass him? Young Master Zhu’s face turned pale instantly. Other officials looked at each other, not daring to speak, only praying that such bad luck would not fall upon them.

"If you truly possess such talent, there is no need to hide it. Why not present a poem as a prayer for the people?" Prince Huai said carelessly.

This was a matter of life and death. Han Qing stood up calmly and expressed sincerely that he was not as rumored, but that he would do his utmost to compose a poem. The officials in the court held various expressions; some were merely watching the show. After all, they had heard other ministers mention this man, and if he now proved to have only a reputation without real talent, it would only bring shame upon certain people.

"Are you truly certain? This is a capital offense. If His Majesty is not satisfied, I fear the Han lineage will have no descendants left," someone whispered.

Han Qing nodded and walked slowly into the center of the hall.

"Ten thousand acres of waves, forgotten in Su; on the snowy, clear river, a thousand carts of wheat. I only wish to fill the bellies of the people; what care have I for my own sorrows?"

"Green sleeves lean against the wind, weaving through willow catkins; crimson lips, flushed with wine, like bright cherry pearls. Before the wine cup, I blow on my hands and pluck at my frosted whiskers."