"Imperial Physician Han, you've read the prescription. What do you think?" Emperor Xuanzhao asked impatiently.
"Your Majesty, this humble subject believes the prescription provided by Lord Little Shen should be... effective, but trials are needed before we can be completely certain."
Imperial Physician Han spoke truthfully.
Deep down, Emperor Xuanzhao had great faith in the epidemic prescription Shen Yuxi had provided, but he could not show it in front of her.
His solemn voice rang through the hall.
"The Imperial Medical Academy must conduct trials as soon as possible to determine whether the prescription is viable."
"This humble subject obeys."
Emperor Xuanzhao's gaze settled on Shen Yuxi's face, his tone firm and leaving no room for doubt.
"My dear Junior Official Shen, if your prescription truly can resolve the epidemic, I shall grant you a promise. You may make any one request, provided it is within my power. An emperor does not speak in jest."
Shen Yuxi's face lit up with delight. "Thank you, Your Majesty-"
"Your Majesty, this is not reasonable."
There were always some fools who deliberately spoiled the mood at a crucial moment.
Shen Yuxi's lovely brows drew together slightly. Without even turning her head, she recognized the speaker by his voice alone.
[System, is something wrong with Grand Tutor Wei? Why does he keep making things difficult for me? I haven't done anything to provoke him.]
She could not understand it.
The system could not understand it either and said indignantly, [Grand Tutor Wei is even more feudal-minded than that old fellow Chancellor Xue. He's the very picture of an obstinate old fossil. From the very beginning, he couldn't stand a woman like you entering the court, Host.]
[That promise from the emperor gave you enormous latitude. Grand Tutor Wei's eyes are red with envy, so of course he objects.]
Chancellor Xue: "..."
Insult Grand Tutor Wei all you liked, but why drag him into it?
He had already turned over a new leaf, all right?
Now he supported Lord Little Shen attending court with both hands and both feet raised.
Shen Yuxi said disdainfully, [It's Grand Tutor Wei's own fault for being useless. If you draw the sovereign's salary, you should share the sovereign's burdens. Grand Tutor Wei can't ease His Majesty's worries, yet he still stands in the way of other people's advancement. What a nasty piece of work.]
"Shen Yuxi, you are utterly insolent!"
Grand Tutor Wei nearly dropped the court tablet in his hand.
The anger he had accumulated over many days erupted in an instant, and Grand Tutor Wei furiously pointed at Shen Yuxi's nose.
"I am a veteran minister who has served two reigns! How dare you insult and slander me like this!"
"Grand Tutor Wei! Stand down," Emperor Xuanzhao reprimanded him, his voice suddenly growing sterner.
A cold, fierce light flashed in Mo Xuanchen's dark eyes as his gaze landed on Grand Tutor Wei's face. Grand Tutor Wei felt as though needles were pricking his back.
Shen Yuxi's expression darkened a little.
"Grand Tutor Wei, this subordinate official has not spoken a single word from beginning to end. You are the one who keeps attacking me."
"Who exactly is being insolent here? Don't you have the slightest freaking clue, Grand Tutor Wei?"
Shen Yuxi raised her voice slightly for the last sentence, her tone full of displeasure.
Everyone: What did Lord Little Shen mean by "freaking clue"?
Hmm, it was probably an insult.
"It was clearly you who said..."
"Urgh..."
In an instant, Grand Tutor Wei felt as though the air in his chest was being drawn away. A numb, painful sensation rapidly spread through every limb and bone, leaving him in agony.
His eyes filled with terror. Clutching his throat with both hands, he opened his mouth but could not make a sound.
Thud-
The distinct pain in his limbs left him unable to support himself. His legs gave way, and he landed on the floor with a thud.
"Ah!"
The sudden mishap startled everyone.
Quick to react, Imperial Physician Han hurried over and crouched down, inserting a needle into one of Grand Tutor Wei's acupoints.
It did no good.
Imperial Physician Han took Grand Tutor Wei's hand to check his pulse, but despite his medical expertise, he truly could not figure out what was wrong with him.
His pulse indicated that everything was normal.
He shook his head at Emperor Xuanzhao, seated above.
Emperor Xuanzhao's gaze sharpened.
Shen Yuxi patted her chest in fright and spoke uncertainly to the system.
[System, did Grand Tutor Wei deliberately pick a fight with me so he could frame me afterward?]
[Possibly. That scheming old thing is putting on quite a convincing act.]
An act?
Everyone, who had been worried that Grand Tutor Wei might faint in the hall, immediately looked at him with greater suspicion upon hearing this.
[But looking at him, it doesn't seem like an act!] Shen Yuxi scrutinized Grand Tutor Wei.
The system said indifferently, [What does it matter whether he's acting? Grand Tutor Wei was the one who spoke rudely first. You're the innocent victim, Host. Even if you anger him to death today, that's simply his fate.]
[But...]
If she really angered Grand Tutor Wei to death, she would end up in the wrong even if she had been in the right.
[Host, do you remember our motto?]
Shen Yuxi clenched her fists. [Set aside personal decency and enjoy a life without scruples. Reject mental self-torment and go straight to going berserk when something happens. Rather than make yourself suffer, make things difficult for someone else.]
The civil and military officials: "..."
That sounded so reasonable.
Where was their little notebook?
Write it down, write it down.
They needed to learn more from Lord Little Shen.
[Exactly.]
[Host, you have to put yourself first. As long as you aren't being wronged, why bother about anyone else?]
[Grand Tutor Wei was making things difficult for you. You already showed him plenty of respect by not pounding him with a few punches.]
The system backed its host one hundred percent.
At the system's words, the remaining hesitation and conflict in Shen Yuxi's heart vanished in an instant.
Meanwhile, Grand Tutor Wei was so furious that his eyes rolled back and his whole body twitched. He actually fainted on the spot.
"Your Majesty, Grand Tutor Wei has fainted," Imperial Physician Han reported helplessly.
"Take him away and look after Grand Tutor Wei properly."
Two young eunuchs brought a stretcher and hurriedly carried Grand Tutor Wei out of the hall.
Morning court continued.
[I angered Grand Tutor Wei into fainting, and His Majesty actually didn't blame me?]
[Mm-hmm. You can tell the old emperor favors you, Host.]
[I can feel it. Otherwise, he wouldn't have overridden all those objections to grant me an official post.]
Shen Yuxi was puzzled. [But I really don't understand how His Majesty's mind works. He's grateful that I saved the Fourth Prince and wants to reward me. Wouldn't making me a commandery princess have been lovely?]
[Instead, he insisted on making an unambitious little woman like me an official at court. What can I possibly do?]
Emperor Xuanzhao: No, there are all sorts of things you can do.
[Host, I've noticed that you can be rather slow sometimes.]
Exasperated at her failure to catch on, the system made a startling declaration.
[You still don't get it? The old emperor has his eye on you. Of course he wouldn't make you a commandery princess or an imperial princess!]
Emperor Xuanzhao: I do not! You're talking nonsense.
The civil and military officials: Good heavens.
Minister Shen: His eyes widened.
Mo Xuanchen: His gaze shot toward his imperial father like knives.
Shen Yuxi gritted her teeth in anger, her hands itching to move inside her sleeves.
[System, I think you need a good, hard thrashing.]
[Host, a gentleman uses words, not fists!] the system shrieked.
A deadly smile appeared on Shen Yuxi's lips. [Unfortunately, your host is a little woman, not a gentleman.]
[Host, don't misunderstand what I mean!]
Terrified of being beaten, the system immediately explained, [I mean the old emperor intends to match you with the Fourth Prince.]
At that, Emperor Xuanzhao and the others let out great sighs of relief.
For once, Shen Yuxi fell silent.
As those words fell, Mo Xuanchen abruptly clenched his hand, and the heart buried in his chest pounded wildly.
For the first time, nervousness appeared on the face of the god of slaughter who killed without blinking on the battlefield.
Everyone held their breath and concentrated, listening closely so as not to miss a single word.