When everything was ready, guests began to arrive one after another. Most of them were officials from the cabinet faction and some neutral officials.
To Ning Tianlu's surprise, two bachelors came to the cabinet, namely Yu Luan, a bachelor of Wenyuan Pavilion, and Xiang Rui, a bachelor of Dong Pavilion. They were here to congratulate Cang Hongshen, the chief minister.
Ning Tianlu's.
From Ning Tianlu's point of view, although his promotion to the Imperial Master was a great joy, it was not enough for a high-ranking official like a cabinet scholar to visit him in person, and this was definitely an unexpected surprise.
"Ning Tianlu! As a teacher, I know you are a kid. If you become the emperor's teacher this time, you will be able to join the cabinet. Then you must work hard and strive to make achievements, so that your majesty and others will be willing to appoint you to the new university.
scholar!"
Yu Luan, a bachelor of Wenyuan Pavilion, smiled and congratulated.
"Tianlu! Don't look at what this old boy said so nicely. When you didn't make a breakthrough, how many times did this old boy secretly hate iron for not becoming steel?
It’s really fast to change your face now, faster than turning the pages of a book!”
Dongge University Bachelor Xiang Rui joked.
The Grand Scholar of Wenyuan Pavilion was furious and said: "Xiang Rui! What a fart, you kid. I have always believed in my disciple. How dare you slander me? You are simply not a son of a man!"
"You're the one farting?
I could hear you clearly at that time, how about I tell you what you said when you were cursing me a few times so that this guy Tianlu can also hear it?"
Xiang Rui chuckled.
"Xiang Rui! You are talking nonsense, I will fight with you!"
"..." The two great bachelors who had come to congratulate each other with great joy suddenly started to curse in public because of a quarrel, which shocked everyone present.
However, what shocked Mu Feng was that all the officials from the Hanlin Academy and the cabinet faction turned a blind eye, as if they were accustomed to this kind of scene.
The two bachelors calmed down after a period of bickering and vomiting sweet things. As if nothing happened, they gave their respective gifts to Ning Tianlu.
"Mu Feng! You are considered the most talented person in the Hanlin Academy, but you can't slack off. Break through the imperial division as soon as possible, and then come to the cabinet to hang out with us!"
Yu Luan, the great scholar of Wenyuan Pavilion, blinked at Mu Feng and said.
"That's right! The Hanlin Academy is boring, but it's fun to come to the cabinet!"
Xiang Rui rarely refuted Yu Luan.
"Master, Sir Xiang! Please take your seats quickly. There are guests behind you. Don't let others laugh at you!"
Ning Tianlu quickly invited the two of them to the main seat in the central courtyard.
As time went by, fewer and fewer officials came, and Mu Feng found that those who came were all officials from the cabinet faction.
However, none of the officials from the Six Ministries, the Metropolitan Procuratorate, the General Affairs Department, Dali Temple and other agencies were present.
This made the Hanlin Academy, which was decorated with lights and colorful decorations, seem a bit deserted.
"Master Ning! The time has come, do we still have to wait?"
Xia Changxue stood next to Ning Tianlu and asked in a low voice when she saw the latter's unhappy expression.
Ning Tianlu sighed softly and said: "I had already expected that the six ministries would not come, but officials from the Metropolitan Procuratorate, General Affairs Department, Dali Temple and other officials did not come either. It is really a bit too much!"
Mu Feng also found it strange that the six ministries and the cabinet had never dealt with each other, so it was understandable that he did not come to the Hanlin Academy for the banquet.
However, the Metropolitan Procuratorate, the General Affairs Department, the Dali Temple and other institutions had no major conflicts with the cabinet, so they all stopped coming. This gave Mu Feng a hint that something was wrong.
The expressions on the faces of Grand Bachelor Wenyuange and Grand Bachelor Dongge, who were sitting on the main seats, also became extremely solemn, as if they were thinking about something.
"No more waiting! Let the party begin!"
Ning Tianlu sighed.
Immediately, the servants who had been prepared in the central courtyard got busy and brought the prepared dishes to the table one after another.
Embarrassingly, there were nearly a hundred wine tables in the central courtyard, but two-thirds of them were empty.
"Master Ji Yinghao, Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Master Yan Beiyan, Censor of the Zuodu Procuratorate, Master Xie Chengxie, Minister of Dali Temple, are here!"
Suddenly, at the gate of Hanlin Academy, the high-pitched and frightened voice of the doorman was heard, which caused a sensation among everyone present.
The Minister of Punishment, the Censor of Zuodu, and the Minister of Dali Temple are all the leaders of the Three Law Departments. They are all high-ranking officials with high authority and high status.
No one present expected that these three important figures would actually come. Could it be that they also came to congratulate Ning Tianlu?
Ning Tianlu, on the other hand, looked puzzled. These three were all important people, and he was not qualified to send invitations to them. Therefore, when the three of them arrived, he was also confused.
After a while, three figures led a team into the central courtyard of the Hanlin Academy with great momentum.
The first three people were all wearing the official uniforms of second-rank officials. Among them, the dark-skinned middle-aged man was Ji Yinghao, the Minister of Punishment.
On the left and right of Ji Yinghao were naturally Yanbei, the censor of Zuodu, and Xie Cheng, the minister of Dali Temple.
Yan Bei, the censor of Zuodu, is a middle-aged man with a mustache and squinted eyes; while Xie Cheng, the minister of Dali Temple, is an old man in his sixties with gray hair on his temples.
"Three adults! What are you doing?"
Ning Tianlu glanced at the three people, and then at the team wearing helmets and armors behind them. He had a bad feeling in his heart, and quickly stepped forward to ask.
Ji Yinghao glanced at Ning Tianlu and asked, "Are you Ning Tianlu, a Hanlin scholar?"
"It's the official!"
Ning Tianlu cupped his hands and said.
"Ning Tianlu! You are very courageous. Someone has exposed you for being greedy for countless people's money. Do you think you are guilty?"
Ji Yinghao shouted sharply.
Ning Tianlu was stunned. He came back to his senses and said loudly: "Sir! I don't understand what you mean?
Have I ever been corrupt?
Even if it’s corruption, you have to provide evidence, you can’t just say it!”
"How dare you quibble! Someone, get it for me!"
Ji Yinghao shouted coldly.
Immediately, the team behind him surrounded Ning Tianlu. Two of them came over with handcuffs and shackles, and were about to restrain Ning Tianlu's limbs. However, they were attacked by strong mental power, and he covered his head with his hands in pain.
, fell to the ground and screamed.
"Ning Tianlu! You are so brave. Do you want to disobey me?"
Ji Yinghao was furious and grabbed his right hand from the void. The terrifying imperial power poured out, causing Ning Tianlu's face to change greatly, and he was crushed to the ground.
"Ji Yinghao! I think you are so brave. This is the Hanlin Academy. You broke in without any reason and arrested people without authorization. Aren't you afraid that our cabinet will report this matter to the Palace of the Five Emperors?"
Yu Luan shouted loudly, and the terrifying mental power poured out like a vast ocean, breaking all Ji Yinghao's imperial power. Xiang Rui, not to be outdone, followed closely behind.
"Two great bachelors! I advise you not to take action, otherwise you will be punished by the nine tribes!"
Zuodu Yushi Yanbei also burst out with terrifying imperial power and Yu Luan, contended with Rui's spiritual realm, and shouted with great vigor.
"Yan Bei! What do you mean?"
Xiang Rui frowned and asked.
Xie Cheng, the minister of Dali Temple, took out an imperial decree and said: "This is the imperial decree issued by the Palace of the Five Emperors. We are arresting people under the decree. Do you still dare to disobey?"
Seeing the bright yellow imperial edict, Yu Luan and Xiang Rui's expressions changed completely, and they couldn't help but restrain their mental strength.
The entire Hanlin Academy fell silent, and then they all knelt on the ground...