novelhk Page 164
Page 164
"I only heard that the Crown Prince poisoned someone, and it was a colorless and odorless poison."
Emperor Qing nodded and hummed softly:
"Yes."
"You're also an expert in poisons, having studied under Fei Jie, the head of the Third Division of the Surveillance Bureau. Don't you have any opinions?"
Chen Qingfeng smiled calmly and replied:
"Your Majesty, what opinion could I possibly have regarding my meager skills in using poison?"
Emperor Qing did not rush to speak again, but stared straight at Chen Qingfeng.
What shocked him was...
Chen Qingfeng stood still, showing no sign of panic.
After a moment of silence, Emperor Qing asked again:
"Chen Qingfeng."
"You have had contact with both the Second Prince and the Crown Prince."
"Tell me, who do you think is more suitable to inherit the throne?"
Upon hearing Emperor Qing's question, Chen Qingfeng's brows furrowed, and he quickly bowed in response:
"Your Majesty, as your subject, I am even more unaware of such matters."
Emperor Qing smiled and said, "I was just asking casually. You can choose not to answer, or you can answer whatever you want, it doesn't matter!"
"Then I choose not to answer."
Chen Qingfeng responded without hesitation.
"Oh?"
Emperor Qing was slightly surprised, then looked at Chen Qingfeng meaningfully and said with a smile:
"Not answering?"
"So that means you already have the answer in your heart?"
Chen Qingfeng smiled faintly and replied:
"Whether the subject has the answer in his heart is not important; what is important is that everything still depends on Your Majesty's judgment."
Seeing that Chen Qingfeng knew nothing about anything, Emperor Qing's expression darkened slightly.
He paused for a moment, then suddenly remembered something and said:
"Chen Qingfeng."
"You seem to know nothing about the things I ask you."
"Then let me ask you another question: do you know the inscription on the stone tablet outside the Supervisory Council?"
This time, Chen Qingfeng didn't answer "I don't know" again, but nodded and said:
"This humble subject is naturally aware of it."
"After all, I have lived in the Overwatch Council since I was a child."
Emperor Qing smiled calmly and said:
"Then recite the contents of that inscription to me."
Chen Qingfeng remained calm and began to recite:
"I hope that the laws of Qing Kingdom will be established for the benefit of the people."
"Nourish not because of nobility, nor deprive because of poverty."
"There is no injustice that is not cleared, and no crime that is imposed."
"Obeying the law is like wielding a sword, dispelling evil spirits and delusion, without seeking divine intervention."
"I hope that the people of Qing Kingdom will have truth to follow."
"Know propriety and righteousness, and uphold benevolence."
"..."
Soon, Chen Qingfeng had memorized the entire inscription.
After listening, Emperor Qing smiled meaningfully and asked:
"Chen Qingfeng."
What is your opinion on the expectations expressed in that inscription?
Chen Qingfeng did not rush to give an answer, but pretended to be thoughtful.
He had originally thought that Emperor Qing would ask him if he knew who the "I" in the inscription referred to.
After a brief silence, Chen Qingfeng responded:
"Born equal, everyone is a dragon."
"It sounds wonderful, but it's hard to achieve."
Emperor Qing glanced at himself, his tone slightly hurried, and pressed on with the question:
Why is it so difficult to achieve?
Chen Qingfeng thought for a moment and replied:
"Looking at the world today, there is still a distinction between the noble and the lowly."
"Overly idealistic wishes will only be seen as heretical and unacceptable."
Emperor Qing gave a cold laugh and said:
"But that stone tablet just stands there outside the Overwatch Council!"
"Don't you want to know who said all those things on the stone tablet?"
Chen Qingfeng shook his head and said:
"Your Majesty, I do not wish to know."
Upon hearing Chen Qingfeng's answer, Emperor Qing's eyes narrowed sharply, and he asked in a deep voice:
"Do you not want to know, or do you already know?"
"I don't know, and I don't want to know."
Chen Qingfeng replied slowly, a sense of unease creeping into his mind:
"That old fox, Emperor Qing, is truly extremely suspicious!"
"You ask me so many questions."
"However, it seems that many things on his end are still uncertain..."
After that, neither Emperor Qing nor Chen Qingfeng spoke again, and the atmosphere in the imperial study suddenly became quiet.
After a long silence, Emperor Qing took a deep breath and changed the subject:
"Chen Qingfeng."
"I have summoned you to the palace today because I have some matters to entrust to you."
Chen Qingfeng responded calmly:
"Your Majesty, please speak!"
Emperor Qing didn't keep them in suspense and spoke directly:
"Soon, you will be sent as an envoy to Northern Qi on behalf of the Qing Kingdom."
"This trip is a great undertaking to promote national prestige and forge friendly relations with other nations."
"Be more composed and prudent in everything you do."
Chen Qingfeng bowed slightly and said:
"Your humble servant will obey Your Majesty's decree!"
Emperor Qing chuckled coldly and waved his hand at Chen Qingfeng, saying:
"Alright, that's all for you. You can leave now!"
Chen Qingfeng didn't hesitate and turned to walk out.
Little did they know, they had only taken a few steps when Emperor Qing's voice suddenly came from behind:
"By the way, on this mission to Northern Qi, let Fan Xian go with you to gain some experience!"
"Although he was a civil official, he also had the courage to kill an assassin in Niulan Street."
"It's not a good idea for such a talented person to just hang around in quiet government offices like the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and the Imperial Academy."
Upon hearing what Emperor Qing said, Chen Qingfeng paused, turned his back to the emperor, and said:
"It's good that Your Majesty has made a decision."
After saying this, Chen Qingfeng didn't linger any longer and walked straight out.
After Chen Qingfeng left, Emperor Qing's expression turned much gloomy.
"Eunuch Hong, do you think he really didn't know what he said earlier?"
Hong Sixiang stepped forward and bowed deeply to Emperor Qing:
"Return to Your Majesty."
"This old servant cannot tell."
"However, Lord Chen was remarkably calm and composed when facing His Majesty in court, a quality that is beyond the reach of ordinary people."
"It is likely that the sage will be able to fulfill his important mission of being sent to Northern Qi."
Emperor Qing narrowed his eyes and muttered something meaningful:
"Completely calm?"
……