But since he couldn't figure it out, he had another way to handle the situation. He replied slyly,
"Your Majesty, this old minister doesn't know what the Empress Dowager is thinking either. Whatever her purpose, I doubt we'll be able to guess it.
"But you are, after all, the Empress Dowager's son. Since she has bestowed a reward, it stands to reason that Your Majesty should bestow one as well. That is what a son ought to do."
After hearing Yan Shu's words, the emperor asked uncertainly, "A reward? What should I give her? Even if I do bestow one, how could it compare with the Empress Dowager's?"
Yan Shu saw the emperor's hesitation, but he seemed to have had a plan all along. He replied calmly,
"Your Majesty, I believe there are many ways you could reward him. You could arrange a marriage, grant him an official post, or confer a title!
"Of course, Your Majesty could also entrust Wang Yue with important duties. Any of these would let him understand Your Majesty's intentions."
The emperor considered Yan Shu's suggestions. They all seemed like good ideas.
But how could he confer a title on someone without any achievements? That suggestion was no use at all.
There was a reasonable case for giving Wang Yue an official post. After all, the Empress Dowager had already rewarded him, and Wang Yue was the undisputed champion of this year's imperial examinations, with the title of Jinshi. Giving him an official position seemed like a good idea.
But the emperor didn't understand why Yan Shu had suggested arranging a marriage, so he asked uncertainly,
"Teacher, a marriage? I don't have any unmarried sisters. How do you expect me to arrange one?"
Seeing that the emperor hadn't understood, Yan Shu said solemnly, "This old