After hearing Wang Cheng out, the emperor fell into thought, yet still did not lower his brush.
"What is Heng'er doing now?"
Emperor Jing of Zhou suddenly asked a seemingly unrelated question.
Wang Cheng had only just settled into his place beside him when the question made the mirror of his exquisitely perceptive mind tremble.
The Crown Prince was still young and had not begun his formal public studies; the Son of Heaven ordinarily never asked about the Eastern Palace's daily affairs.
But whenever he did ask, it was never an ordinary question!
Thus, this question was certainly not about daily life, but about affairs of state.
The man the Son of Heaven was considering was Wei Nisheng; the position he was weighing was the one in the Ministry of Personnel.
And so...
The emperor's question ostensibly concerned the Crown Prince's lessons.
In truth, he was asking how much benefit or harm Wei Zi's return to the Ministry of Personnel would bring the Heir Apparent!!
Wang Cheng bowed and stepped forward, a smile in his eyes and a lightness in his voice.
"Your Imperial Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince did not attend the Confucian Tutor's classics lecture today."
"Hmm?" Emperor Jing of Zhou's brows stirred slightly, and he thought to himself:
Heng'er has been steady and quiet since childhood, and has never missed a lesson. Why should today be different?
The doubt had barely arisen, and he was about to ask, "What happened?"
But Wang Cheng smoothly picked up the thread and continued:
"As it happens, it was all because of that lyric Director Wei wrote."
"That lyric?"
"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty! Ever since His Highness received it that day, he has been unable to put it down.
"This morning, he asked when Director Wei's wedding would