The Apprenticeship Banquet was in full swing when the reigning Chief Minister arrived uninvited.
Their brief exchange hid needles in silk, and every guest in purple-and-scarlet robes understood it perfectly.
But what concerned Wei Nisheng was not those words. It was Shen Duan's eyes.
The first time had been when he entered; the second, when he offered a toast.
Both times, he had looked in the same direction: the corner where Wei Mingde sat.
Wei Nisheng lowered his eyes, lifted his teacup, and took a sip.
He knew Wei Mingde.
Timid, cautious, and lacking any boldness.
He had spent eight years plodding along in the Ministry of Works under the shade of his grandfather's legacy, without even daring to contend for a bureau directorship.
Given his nature and the ties between the Wei and Feng families, he would not have dared approach the reigning Chief Minister even if someone lent him ten times the courage.
Besides, Wei Mingde had only secured his transfer to the Imperial Parks Bureau through Feng Yan's connections.
Yet why had Shen Duan looked at him?
Suddenly, Wei Nisheng's gaze lingered on Cui Shi, and his expression shifted slightly.
* Cui Shi.*
Cui Shi was not timid and afraid of trouble like Wei Mingde.
This woman dared to dream, to act, and to gamble.
Putting himself in her shoes, if he were Cui Shi...
If she wanted to gamble, now was the best possible moment.
This woman wants the Wei Family to change its allegiance.
In the corner, Wei Mingde's family of three sat at the lowest-ranking seats, the dishes before them almost untouched.
The fish on the table was still whole, and no one had touched the chicken. Only the wine had dwindled, with Wei Mingde having drunk more than half the pot.
His