"Lord Shao, could you please explain to me how this scroll with both Chancellor Chen's signature and his handwriting ended up in your hands?"
He Xun's icy voice rang out. All eyes turned to Shao Tan, and the room fell into complete silence.
Shao Tan met the suspicious gazes of the crowd with a smile on his face, but a cold sweat instantly broke out on his back, as if he was wearing a robe just fished out of ice - cold water.
It was bone - chillingly cold and so heavy that it made him unable to move.
He opened his mouth to explain but found his throat extremely dry.
He didn't expect his lie to be exposed so soon, but he was also reluctant to let the river - dredging project case be taken away like this.
So, he collected his wits, the smile on his face became even gentler, and he calmly said:
"The reason there is my teacher's handwriting on my scroll is that when I was discussing with my teacher, I was brimming with ideas and couldn't stop my thoughts. So, my teacher took up the pen to record them for me."
After saying that, he reached out his hand to He Xun:
"General He, could you please return my belongings to me?"
He Xun raised his eyebrows and smiled:
"I almost forgot that you are Chancellor Chen's favorite student."
Saying so, he slapped the scroll into Shao Tan's hands:
"Lord Shao, you'd better not lose this scroll again. It would be a pity if such a brilliant plan were taken away by others."
After saying that, he gave Shao Tan a deep look, then turned to the other two and said with a smile:
"Since the owner has been found, let's go back and continue drinking."
Hearing this, Minister Cao and Deputy Minister Cui, who had been deep in thought just now, exchanged a smile and left with He Xun.
Only Deputy Minister Cui looked back at Shao Tan when he left and showed a meaningful smile.
Shao Tan felt a tightness in his heart, and his face instantly turned cold, but he quickly returned to normal and caught up with the others.
Su Nansheng looked at Shao Tan's back with a sneer on her face.
When she returned to the ladies' seats, from afar, she saw Chen Mingzhu craning her neck and looking outside.
When she saw Su Nansheng's figure, Chen Mingzhu's eyes lit up, and she quickly walked towards her.
"How is it? How is it?"
Su Nansheng nodded.
Chen Mingzhu was both happy and angry:
"I knew he was a bad guy, but I didn't expect him to be so shameless."
Thinking that her father had been greatly hit by this and couldn't eat properly, Chen Mingzhu wished she could kill Shao Tan with her own hands.
Su Nansheng comforted her:
"At least we got rid of this leech. Fortunately, you found out in time."
Hearing this, Chen Mingzhu rarely said nothing. She just blinked her eyes and stared directly at Su Nansheng.
"Why are you looking at me like this? I didn't invite you here just to act today. Come on, let's go and have dinner."
Su Nansheng pulled Chen Mingzhu back to the banquet, not wanting her to think about these things anymore.
A villain like that was not worth them losing their appetite.
...
As the sky gradually darkened, hexagonal palace lanterns were lit in the courtyard, scattered here and there, like stars shattered on the ground.
Concubine Li stood in a secluded corner with a cold expression, staring at Su Nansheng who was seeing off guests at the mansion gate.
The mansion was extremely lively today. There were light songs and graceful dances, and it was filled with high - ranking officials and noble ladies. There was no one of low status.
He Xun was just a low - ranking official now, and Su Nansheng was just a concubine. How could they invite so many distinguished guests? Those people were surely giving face to the Marquis.
He Jin could have done the same. With the status of the main wife, Su Hele would surely be able to invite more noble ladies. But she just kept causing trouble everywhere and offending people.
To socialize, one must have people willing to interact with.
Now, not to mention hosting banquets to entertain guests, there were not even any invitation cards for them to attend others' banquets.
Concubine Li's face became darker and darker. The anger seemed to be burning in her wide - open eyes, which were brightly and eerily shining.
The angrier she got, the harder she gritted her teeth. Due to the excessive force, the veins on her forehead bulged.
"Nanny Wang, go and tell Su Hele to kneel in the ancestral shrine tonight. She is not allowed to come out without my order!"
If her body hadn't been unwell, she would have taught Su Hele a lesson in person.
If she couldn't be happy, Su Hele shouldn't either!
...
When He Xun saw off the last guest and returned to the bedroom, he found Su Nansheng standing in front of the glazed fish tank, staring blankly at the koi inside.
He Xun walked behind her and was about to speak when he heard Su Nansheng say:
"Do you think Shao Tan will follow our plan?"
"He will."
He Xun put his arm around Su Nansheng's waist and led her to the beauty's couch.
"But what if he doesn't take the bait?" Su Nansheng still looked worried.
He Xun lowered his head and played with Su Nansheng's belt, saying casually:
"Not take the bait? Then how can he stop people from gossiping? Cui Liang quietly spread the news when he returned to the banquet. Shao Tan left before the banquet was over. He was probably writing a memorial."
The play they staged today was to expose Shao Tan's act of stealing others' hard - won achievements on the one hand.
On the other hand, it was to force him to bring the river - dredging project case into the open and make a small matter into a big one.
The reason He Xun invited Cui Liang from the Ministry of War was to let him see this and notice the strangeness.
The Ministry of War was already angry that Shao Tan had taken credit. Now that they had such a good opportunity, Cui Liang would surely not waste it and would definitely spread the news.
Since Shao Tan had already acted like a villain and claimed that the river - dredging project case was his work.
Even if it meant offending Chen Xuan, he would surely insist on it and make it an established fact to stop people from gossiping.
As for what was considered an established fact, it naturally had to be recognized by the supreme ruler of Daqing.
If even the Emperor said that the river - dredging project case was Shao Tan's work, who else would dare to say anything?
Hearing He Xun's words, Su Nansheng felt a little relieved:
"If there is any news tomorrow, you must tell me immediately."
Hearing this, He Xun looked up at her and said:
"You seem quite concerned about this matter."
Probably because he had drunk some wine, He Xun was feeling lazy, and his tone carried a hint of resentment that he didn't usually have.
Su Nansheng sighed secretly. Was he drunk? Otherwise, why was he being so sarcastic again?
"Bitao, go and make a bowl of sober - up soup."
He Xun: "..."
...
The next day, Shao Tan submitted a memorial and presented his "Seven Strategies for River Dredging", claiming it was the fruit of his painstaking efforts.
Then, He Xun also submitted a memorial, impeaching Deputy Minister Shao Tan of the Yellow - Gate for deceiving the superiors and concealing the truth from the subordinates, and ignoring the water disaster in Xichuan, which might eventually lead to a disaster.
In the court, Shao Tan argued forcefully, stating that as long as the river - dredging strategy was approved by the Emperor, he would immediately implement it.
And He Xun, as the Censor - in - Chief, impeached and slandered a high - ranking court official based on unfounded rumors, which was a dereliction of duty.
Just as he was speaking passionately, the Emperor ordered someone to hand out the "Ten Strategies for River Dredging" that Chen Xuan had submitted the previous day to the ministers for them to read.
Each of Chen Xuan's ten strategies was brilliant.
Five of Shao Tan's seven strategies were the same as Chen Xuan's, and the remaining two were of poor insight, looking like a dog's tail appended to a beautiful scroll.
A comparison between the two clearly showed the difference in their levels.