The emperor faked his death? Never mind, I will ascend the throne directly!

"You said your name is Feng Rusi?"

Cheng Ruxue saw that although he was drunk, what he said was extremely sober, which made her more interested.

"Exactly...exactly...Feng Rusi...as smooth as silk..."

Feng Rushi obviously started talking nonsense, and then he tried to pour more wine into his mouth.

Cheng Ruxue snatched the wine jar and said, "Drink less! Explain the situation clearly."

Without the wine, Feng Rusi suddenly felt like a deflated ball. He sighed, "I... I studied hard for ten years just to get a good score on the imperial examination... to bring honor to my family... but... but..."

Feng Rushi recounted the whole story in a disjointed manner.

It turned out that he was indeed a talented person and should have been ranked among the top in the provincial examination, but a local noble family kid manipulated things behind the scenes and took his place.

He appealed everywhere, but no one paid any attention to him. In the end, he ended up living on the streets and drowning his sorrows in alcohol.

After hearing this, Cheng Ruxue sneered in her heart. In this world, power still rules.

Even if the young emperor had tough tactics, he could not intimidate these old foxes who had been in officialdom for many years.

However, this person seems quite dissatisfied with the world and has a great conversation style. If she could use him...

"Since you are so talented, why don't you find another way out?"

Feng Rusi gave a bitter laugh. "Way out? The world is so big, where is my way out? The path to the imperial examination is blocked, what use am I...what use am I?"

Cheng Ruxue looked at Feng Rushi's decadent appearance, feeling a little disdain, but also a hint of pity.

"Will you follow me?"

Feng Rusi was stunned for a moment, looking at Cheng Ruxue with drunken eyes, "Follow you? Are you...are you a fairy?"

Cheng Ruxue was almost amused by this scholar. "I'm not a fairy. I'm the owner of Zuixianlou, Cheng Ruxue."

"Zuixianlou...I know...I know..."

Feng Rusi nodded, "The largest... brothel in the capital... I've never..."

"Have you been here before?" Cheng Ruxue asked.

"No...I don't go to places of entertainment..."

Feng Rushi lowered his head and spoke in an inaudible voice.

Cheng Ruxue couldn't help but smile. This scholar was quite honest.

"Follow me, you won't have to worry about food, clothing, shelter, and transportation anymore. Moreover, I can allow you to realize your ambitions."

Cheng Ruxue patiently and persuadingly, she understood this type of frustrated young people best and they would basically not refuse the conditions she offered.

Sure enough, Feng Rusi raised his head abruptly upon hearing this, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Really? You...you can really help me?"

Cheng Ruxue's lips curled up slightly, "I, Cheng Ruxue, never tell lies."

In this way, the down-and-out scholar Feng Rushi became the aide of Cheng Ruxue, the owner of Zuixian Tower.

In the capital, in the imperial study of the palace, Li Chengfeng was flipping through the memorials anxiously, but his mind was not on them at all.

Ever since Song Yuwei took over the position of Left Prime Minister temporarily, rumors in the streets have been buzzing like flies, and they can't be shaken off.

He was almost getting calluses from hearing nonsense like "A hen crowing at dawn brings disaster to the country and its people" and "If women interfere in politics, the country will fall apart."

"Your Majesty, I have heard some news."

Zhao Sheng appeared silently behind Li Chengfeng and said with a bow.

Li Chengfeng rubbed his brows and said, "Go ahead."

"Rumors are spreading like wildfire, and many officials are privately discussing that Lord Song is unworthy of his position and cannot handle the heavy responsibility..."

Zhao Sheng carefully observed Li Chengfeng's expression.

"I knew it would be like this."

Li Chengfeng sneered, "Go on."

"General He Sheng and Captain Tiezhu were the most furious. They..."

Zhao Sheng paused, as if weighing his words. "They say those who gossip are blind fools. If they hear such foul language again, I'll cut off their tongues and feed them to the dogs!"

"These two guys, their words are rough but their logic is sound."

He seemed to be able to see He Sheng's rough face flushed red, spitting everywhere, and Tie Zhu's big eyes like copper bells wide open, as if he wanted to eat people alive.

"He Sheng also said that Lady Song is as capable as any man and is a hundred times better than those pedantic scholars who only know how to flatter. He will fight anyone who dares to question Lady Song's ability!"

Li Chengfeng smiled and shook his head, "These two are indeed loyal to Yu Wei."

"They also said..."

Zhao Sheng hesitated for a moment, "They also said that if Your Majesty was wronged, they would lead their troops into the mansions of those ministers and kill them all..."

"All what?"

Li Chengfeng asked with interest.

"Hang them all upside down on the city gate towers, and let the world see their true faces!"

Upon hearing this, Li Chengfeng burst into laughter. He Sheng and Tiezhu are really two funny guys.

He waved his hand and said, "I understand. You can go down."

Zhao Shengru hurriedly left the imperial study as if he had been pardoned.

Li Chengfeng stood up and walked to the window, looking at the towering palace walls in the distance, with a thousand thoughts in his mind.

Song Yuwei's temporary replacement of the Left Prime Minister will inevitably cause turmoil in the court and the country.

But he didn't expect that these rumors would spread so quickly and so widely.

These days, rumors about Song Yuwei have been buzzing in his ears like mosquitoes, making him unable to sleep or eat.

He decided to go to Song Yuwei's place to relax and see what she thought about these rumors.

Li Chengfeng arrived at the Prime Minister's residence, only to find her leisurely sipping tea with a composed look, as if the turmoil in the outside world had nothing to do with her.

"Yuwei, you..."

Li Chengfeng hesitated to speak, he didn't know how to start.

Song Yuwei put down her teacup and chuckled, "Your Majesty, are you here just because of those rumors?"

Li Chengfeng secretly sighed at Song Yuwei's sharp mind: "I am worried about you. These words have spread like wildfire, and I am afraid you can't bear it."

"Your Majesty is worrying too much."

Song Yuwei's tone was filled with confidence. "I had anticipated this day. These rumors are nothing but the incompetent barking of some clowns."

"Women interfering in government has been frowned upon by the world since ancient times. Since I have chosen this path, I have long been prepared to endure everything."

When saying this, Song Yuwei was extremely firm. She had already prepared herself mentally when she accepted the imperial edict to take the position.

"But……"

Li Chengfeng wanted to say something but was interrupted by Song Yuwei.

"Your Majesty, you don't have to worry about me. I know what I'm doing."

Song Yuwei walked up to Li Chengfeng, offered him a cup of tea, and chuckled, "Your Majesty, just sit back and wait and see what happens."

Li Chengfeng looked at Song Yuwei's confident eyes, and the annoyance in his heart dissipated a lot.

He suddenly realized that he had always underestimated Song Yuwei's ability to endure.

"Yuwei, you are right. I shouldn't be so indecisive."

"I will find a way to silence everyone and will never let anyone hurt you."

"I will never allow such baseless slander to shake the foundation of Daqian."

"What does Your Majesty intend to do?"

Song Yuwei asked.

Li Chengfeng pondered for a moment, then suddenly came up with an idea: "I remember that Xijing holds a poetry gathering every year, attracting countless scholars and writers. Why don't we hold one in the capital? Firstly, we can recruit talents, and secondly, we can divert everyone's attention."

Song Yuwei's eyes lit up as she praised, "Your Majesty, this is a brilliant plan! Those pedantic scholars love to pretend to be cultured. If we let them showcase their talents at a poetry gathering, they'll quickly forget all those boring gossips."

"Not only that."

Li Chengfeng added, "I can also take this opportunity to select some officials with real talent and knowledge to enrich the court."

"I believe that Your Majesty will be able to find a good person to govern the country."