In the south study room, Dai Quan came back to resume his life.

"Did Zhaoyang accept everything?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Your Highness the Princess has accepted them all. When the slave passed by, Your Highness the Princess was talking to the Queen Mother. She liked the things Your Majesty gave her very much and asked the slave to thank Your Majesty for your favor."

"Oh, the Queen Mother is here, what did she say?"

"The Queen Mother... By the way, the Queen Mother asked about the Marquis Zhenyuan."

Emperor Ning Kang said hurriedly: "Oh?"

"I didn't say anything specific. I just heard that the Queen Mother seems to be quite satisfied with your Majesty's generous seal to Marquis Zhenyuan."

Emperor Ning Kang was slightly surprised, and then he also laughed.

Speaking of which, Emperor Ningkang was hesitant about granting Jia Lian the title of Marquis.

After all, although Jia Lian has done a lot of credit this time, his actions are also in line with his wishes. After all, the promotion is a big deal. According to his original intention, it is enough to promote Jia Lian to the first rank. In this way, other people in the court can't say anything.

Words come.

However, after a confrontation with Jia Lian, he finally decided to break the rule and directly promote Jia Lian's title to marquis. He was only one step away, four levels, from catching up with his ancestor, the first-class Rongguo Duke.

Of course, he had his own considerations in this, such as completely subduing Jia Lian for his use, and another example, winning over the old noble forces headed by the Four Kings and Eight Dukes.

In fact, there are also some relationships with the Queen Mother involved.

Ever since he asked Princess Zhaoyang to marry him, although the Queen Mother had not done anything drastic on the surface, she really didn't have a good face every time she saw him.

Although Emperor Ningkang was the emperor, he didn't like to look at people's faces. But he still knew why the Queen Mother was acting like this. Not only did he know, but he also felt guilty.

Especially after the government and the public learned that the marriage with Wala was just a conspiracy of Prince Wala, Emperor Ningkang became increasingly aware that he was in the wrong, so naturally he could only silently endure the cold attitude of the Queen Mother.

Since we didn't want to continue like this, the only way to resolve the Queen Mother's dissatisfaction was to resolve it.

He knew that as long as Princess Zhaoyang returned to Beijing safely, most of the Queen Mother's anger would disappear. Thirdly, he also remembered his original promise to the Queen Mother, that when Jia Lian was older and had some qualifications and merits, he would give heavy rewards again.

In this way, as long as the Queen Mother knew that he was indeed using Jia Lian as promised, she would naturally accept his favor.

As for Soyang...

Originally, Emperor Ning Kang also thought about inviting her to the imperial court to talk and comfort his father-daughter relationship. However, he was also apologetic and it was inconvenient to meet, so he only asked Dai Quan to send many luxurious and valuable things from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, hoping that she would be forgiven.

Some, don't blame his old father too much.

Dai Quan looked at Emperor Ning Kang and could guess a third of Emperor Ning Kang's thoughts.

Suddenly remembering something, he deliberately smiled and said: "I heard that when Marquis Zhenyuan left, his face was full of joy, and he solemnly kowtowed to the south study room before leaving.

Come to think of it, Marquis Zhenyuan is so grateful for His Majesty's kindness."

Emperor Ning Kang changed his mind and couldn't help but smile on his face. Jia Lian's reaction after leaving the south study room had already been reported by the eunuch who had sent Jia Lian his royal uniform.

He was very satisfied with this.

Although the monarch rewards his ministers in order to make the ministers work harder for him.

But kindness comes from the top, and monarchs naturally don't want their ministers to be filled with desires. Only ministers who can be grateful and grateful are good ministers worth cultivating.

"However, because Your Majesty has rewarded Marquis Zhenyuan this time, I am afraid that the adults in the court will criticize Marquis Zhenyuan..." Dai Quan said.

Do you have any criticisms about Zhenyuan Hou?

I'm afraid it's not just for Marquis Zhenyuan.

Perhaps those people would also say that Emperor Ningkang favored and trusted Emperor Ningkang, which was unfair!

But he doesn't care.

All he cares about is whether he can get the rewards he deserves by doing so.

As for Jia Lian, he was criticized and even ostracized by the courtiers...

Jia Lian himself was an honorable minister and relied on his kindness. He did not need the approval of the civil servants.

He would not be happy if all the civil servants bowed to an honorable minister.

However, although Jia Lian has the hereditary title of Duke Rong as his foundation, he was promoted to marquis after only a few years in the court. I am afraid that not only the courtiers, but even the generals in the army will be jealous and grievances.

But this may be just what he wants.

Jia Lian is young, energetic, capable, and comes from a deep-rooted lineage of old ministers. He is the sharp sword he plans to use to break the dynasty's situation.

Since it is a sharp sword, of course it should only be used by him!

The influence of the Four Kings and Eight Dukes in the army was too great. He just wanted Jia Lian to be a role model, and did not hope to cultivate another leader among them.

Therefore, it is a good thing to appropriately let Jia Lian, the direct grandson of Rongguo Gong, have some discord with the generals in the army.

What's more, he has another worry.

Most of those ministers listened more to the words of the Supreme Emperor. Jia Lian was also from an old honour, and it was rumored that the Supreme Emperor and the second-generation Duke Rong were childhood playmates. He was also afraid that if one day the Supreme Emperor had a whim and summoned Jia Lian, what would happen to him?

If he shows kindness, he is afraid that the peaches he has worked so hard to cultivate may be picked by the Supreme Emperor.

Although he knew the possibility was low, it was not impossible.

And as long as the Supreme Emperor knew that Jia Lian was his favored minister and that his rank was not earned solely through merit, then the Supreme Emperor's pride would definitely no longer look down on such a flattering minister as Jia Lian.

Of course, Emperor Ning Kang did not reveal these considerations to Dai Quan. He just casually said that only people with no talent and virtue will be jealous, so don't pay attention to it.

…

Jia Lian went directly to the side door of Lin Mansion and entered the house familiar with the way.

As the residence of the seal officer of Lantai Temple, Lin Ruhai's official residence looks very elegant.

However, this time the entire Lin family seemed even more deserted than before. Along the way, not even a few servants were seen.

After asking the butler, the butler sighed: "Since the master became seriously ill, I ordered my slave to send away all the unnecessary servants in the house."

Jia Lian understood that when Lin Ruhai came to Beijing to become an official, he did not bring many servants of the Lin family with him.

Most of the handymen in the mansion were recruited later.

Now that Lin Ruhai has made up his mind to resign, he will naturally not keep these people around.

"How is my uncle's condition?

I learned from His Majesty that my uncle submitted his resignation to the court last winter?"

"Oh, I don't dare to hide the second master's illness. I'm afraid...

In the past few months, even the imperial doctors from the palace have been here several times, and they all said that the master's illness is an old one caused by overwork, and apart from taking good care of himself, it can be cured by non-medicinal stones."

Jia Lian heard this and didn't know what to say.

Everyone has his own persistence and choice. At the beginning, he did his best to get Lin Ruhai's favor to return home for rest.

Who would have thought that Emperor Ning Kang could not help but restart Lin Ruhai after only half a year because of the lack of available people around him.

Lin Ruhai, who was still recovering from his illness, saw that Jun was so kind, so he rushed to the capital with a few people.

This is Lin Ruhai's choice and he cannot interfere.

It's just a pain for Daiyu. If Lin Ruhai's illness cannot be improved this time, she will feel the pain of bereavement again.

"Um, I would like to ask, has the Second Master really been promoted to Marquis?"

Xu Shi saw that Jia Lian was as friendly as ever and did not put on airs just because he was a servant, so Lin Youquan dared to ask.

When Jia Lian heard this, he smiled slightly and raised his sleeves, "Second-class Marquis Zhenyuan, it's true. If Uncle Quan doesn't believe it, wait until next time I put on clothes and come and show Uncle Quan a look?"

"Hehehe, Mr. Hou is joking."

Lin Youquan was very moved. As Jia Lian, he was willing to lower his status and laugh with him, which made him feel flattered.

So he said with a smile: "Maybe I heard that the Marquis returned to Beijing today, and our master looks a lot better today, but I didn't expect that the Marquis would come to visit at this time.

Our master is currently waiting in the Nuan Pavilion. Please come in, Mr. Marquis."

…

Although he had expected it, Jia Lian felt inexplicably sad when he saw Lin Ruhai again because he was so thin and haggard.

It is a pity to think about a generation of flower lovers who came to the end of their lives when they realized their destiny at a young age.

Lin Ruhai himself didn't have any sad emotions. He leaned on the bed, looked at Jia Lian, and then said with a smile: "Yes, after going out for a trip, I have really experienced it, and I have become more like the old prince."

My style."

Jia Lian just smiled at this and was still concerned about Lin Ruhai's condition.

"You don't have to worry too much about me.

Throughout my life, I took the high school entrance examination and was selected as an editor in the Hanlin Academy. I have made my way step by step, and now I am a second-rank minister.

The nobleness of people and ministers has almost reached the end. Even if the ice melts and collapses now, there is nothing to regret.

only……"

Lin Ruhai seemed to have something to say, and Jia Lian did not push him. However, after waiting for a while, he did not hear anything more from Lin Ruhai. Instead, he asked: "I heard that your Majesty has promoted you to a noble title, and now you are a Marquis?"

Jia Lian nodded respectfully: "Thanks to His Majesty's grace, I have been granted the title of second-class marquis."
To be continued...