Lately, I'd caught a cold, run a fever, and hit a writing block. How utterly miserable.
Gulp~
As he stepped out of the Jingren Palace Imperial Study, Sun Shaozong subconsciously swallowed. His throat felt burning hot, as though his saliva had been mixed with a couple ounces of chili powder.
He had long anticipated that the Emperor's summons to the palace might be to inquire about the details of "Law Popularization in Rural Areas."
But Sun Shaozong truly had not expected such a grand assembly to greet him—below Chief Grand Secretary He Tiren, all three Grand Secretaries were present, as were three of the six ministers. Even his old acquaintance Xu Furen had attended as a commoner.
As those seven titans took turns grilling him, each question was sharper than the last.
He Tiren and Xu Furen in particular—one hid needles in silk, while the other struck directly at the heart of the matter. Everything they raised concerned points the memorial had failed to explain or had left incomplete. They questioned Sun Shaozong until he was drenched in sweat.
Fortunately, the method of "Law Popularization in Rural Areas" had been borrowed from a later age. Though the political systems differed greatly, enough principles carried over for him to muddle through.
Yet even in the end, the Emperor gave no clear indication of his stance. Sun Shaozong had no idea whether His Majesty had been satisfied with his defense today.
Still, the Emperor clearly attached great importance to the "Law Popularization in Rural Areas" proposal, or he would not have assembled such an imposing gathering.
Meanwhile, inside the Jingyang Palace Imperial Study.
After two lengthy debates, the ministers in the hall seemed somewhat dispirited.
Seeing this, Emperor Guangde ordered tea brought in and distributed among them. He himself held a