bookrebus Chapter 316 Vision
Chapter 316 Vision
The name Chu Ning'an, like a brilliant meteor streaking across the imperial court's sky, instantly captured everyone's attention. Who could have imagined that after passing the imperial examination, he would be granted the high rank of Third Rank by the Emperor?
You know, this is a height that countless people who have entered the officialdom dream of, and it is difficult to reach in their entire lives! But for Chu Ningan, it seems to be easily achieved.
"It's really true that comparison makes one feel thwarted!" Even Ru Yue, who is usually knowledgeable, couldn't help but sigh after learning about this.
Indeed, what others would have to go through untold hardships to achieve, Chu Ning'an achieved in just a day and a night.
Soon, people also saw the clues clearly - the reason why the emperor was so kind to Chu Ning'an was that he intended to train him to become a capable assistant to the prince.
Once this news was leaked, it immediately caused a huge uproar, sparking discussion throughout the government and the public. Officials who had already taken sides became even more anxious and began to re-evaluate the wisdom of their original choice.
Chu Ning'an, who was at the center of this storm, always maintained an extraordinary calmness and composure.
He entered the East Palace calmly and confidently. Facing the envious, jealous, or suspicious gazes of the crowd, he always responded with a faint smile, neither showing off nor deliberately avoiding them.
This attitude of being indifferent to praise or criticism makes people feel that he is even more unfathomable.
Three months passed in a flash.
That day, sunlight streamed through the window lattices onto the mountain of memorials piled high in the imperial study. The Crown Prince, dressed in finery, sat at his desk, carefully reviewing the reports from across the country. Beside him, Emperor Mingde quietly observed the Crown Prince's every move as he handled government affairs, a satisfied smile occasionally breaking across his face.
Emperor Mingde cast his eyes on the thick stack of memorials on the table, and from time to time he would ask the prince to analyze the pros and cons of some state affairs before making a decision.
As Chu Ning'an was the Prince's Secretary, he naturally accompanied him.
Occasionally, Emperor Mingde would ask him a few questions and listen to his opinions and suggestions. He couldn't help but feel secretly happy about his own decisions. "This child of the Wei family is indeed talented and knowledgeable. He will surely become a capable arm of the new emperor and help him achieve great things!"
"Father, please take a look at this memorial submitted by Jiangning County!" The prince suddenly exclaimed, his face full of astonishment, and with trembling hands he handed the memorial to Emperor Mingde.
Chu Ning'an was startled by the sudden shout, and an ominous premonition suddenly arose in his heart.
What could have caused the usually calm and composed Crown Prince to lose his composure like this? This must be something very serious!
Emperor Mingde's face was as gloomy as water. He quickly scanned the memorial in his hand with his sharp eyes, and handed it to Chu Ning'an who was standing beside him without hesitation.
He turned around and gave a solemn order to the eunuch beside him: "Immediately issue an order to invite Marquis Wu'an to the palace for an audience!"
Upon hearing the emperor's arrangement, Chu Ning'an's originally tense heart relaxed a little.
He thought to himself that if it was really a matter of great importance concerning the safety of the country, the emperor would definitely not just summon Marquis Wu'an to discuss countermeasures.
Thinking of this, he quickly reached out to take the memorial, gently opened it and read it carefully. He didn't know until he saw it. Even the usually calm and composed Chu Ning'an couldn't help but be shocked.
It turns out that strange things have been happening recently in Fengming County, under the jurisdiction of Jiangning Commandery. A strange glow has appeared in the sky for no apparent reason, a vibrant yet inexplicably eerie glow. Strange noises have also been heard from the mountains and forests, causing ringing in people's ears and even causing some to go deaf. Worse still, the water in the weighing well has inexplicably heated up, steaming like it's boiling...
Faced with these sudden strange phenomena, the people in the city were all terrified and spread rumors that this was a bad sign.
Panic spread rapidly among the people, plunging the entire Jiangning County into panic.
Marquis Wu'an rushed to the imperial study at lightning speed, extremely anxious all the way.
After hearing this, he was shocked and knew that this matter was of great importance and must not be taken lightly.
He bowed respectfully and said in a serious tone, "Your Majesty, this matter must not be taken lightly! Once it gets out and reaches those with ulterior motives, I'm afraid they will make a big fuss about it and stir up trouble. The consequences will be unimaginable!"
Chu Ning'an and the prince, who were standing aside, looked at each other quickly when they heard this, and immediately understood each other.
The prince stepped forward, saluted solemnly, and said earnestly, "Father, what Marquis Wu'an said is quite reasonable. I believe that the truth should be ascertained as soon as possible to calm the people's panic.
I beg your Majesty to allow me to personally lead the troops to investigate this matter, so that I can give the people an explanation and reassure them."
Before the Crown Prince could finish his words, Marquis Wu'an quickly waved his hand to stop him. With an anxious look on his face, he urgently reported, "Your Majesty, this absolutely cannot happen! Your Highness is the Crown Prince, the heir apparent, and bears the heavy responsibility for the nation's future. The stability of the country is at stake. If anything goes wrong during this operation, it could cause a stir within the court and shake the very foundations of the nation! Your Majesty, please reconsider!"
The atmosphere in the entire imperial study was extremely tense and everyone was silent.
The matter has not yet been sorted out, but the prince is eager to go and investigate the situation himself, which really makes Wu'an Hou worried, fearing that any accidents will occur.
So he stepped forward and expressed his willingness to personally lead his men to investigate the matter, and promised to handle it properly to appease the people.
At this moment, Emperor Mingde, who had been silent the entire time, slowly raised his head. His gaze first fell on his son, then moved to his good friend, Marquis Wu'an, and finally settled on Chu Ning'an. He asked casually, "Ning'an, what are your thoughts on this matter?"
Chu Ning'an stepped forward steadily, bowed respectfully, and said, "Your Majesty, this matter is still unclear. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is of noble status, and his safety is directly related to the stability and peace of the court. It is not appropriate for me to take the risk of getting involved in this matter personally.
Marquis Wu'an's every move is under close scrutiny, and he must not act rashly at this moment. I humbly request Your Majesty to grant me permission to travel to Jiangning to investigate the truth of this matter. As for the subsequent course of action, it is entirely up to Your Majesty to make further arrangements."
Emperor Mingde's mind was naturally as clear as a mirror, and he knew Chu Ning'an's thoughts clearly.
Chu Ning'an, on the one hand, wanted to do his best to protect the prince, but on the other hand, he didn't want to see Marquis Wu'an in danger.
He volunteered to lead the charge. If there was danger ahead, he would take it on without hesitation. If the situation was not serious, he would send the crown prince or Marquis Wu'an to Jiangning to appease the local people.
Thinking of this, Emperor Mingde's gaze towards Chu Ning'an softened, and he thought to himself: "Although this boy is young, he is extremely steady and prudent in his work. When the Crown Prince inherits the throne in the future, it will be a blessing for the country and the people to have such a loyal, resourceful and capable minister by his side." "This way, I can rest a little easier."
The atmosphere in the imperial study was solemn and dignified.
The prince stood respectfully in the hall, head bowed, listening to Emperor Mingde's order.
"Prince, please listen to my order. I order you to take people on a secret trip to Jiangning County to investigate this matter. During this trip, all matters can be handled at your discretion and must be handled appropriately." Emperor Mingde's voice was loud and majestic, and there was no room for doubt.
He didn't seem to intend to give the others present any chance to report, and immediately issued an order: "Chu Ning'an, I order you to accompany the Crown Prince, protect his safety, and fully assist him in finding out the truth of this matter. There must be no mistakes!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the Crown Prince and Marquis Wu'an, with the exception of Chu Ning'an, were all stunned, their faces filled with surprise. Clearly, this sudden decision had caught them off guard. They were about to step forward to offer their advice, but before they could even open their mouths, Emperor Mingde raised his hand and interrupted them.
"Okay, you two should go down quickly and prepare. Remember not to publicize your departure from the capital this time, so as not to alert the enemy." Emperor Mingde glanced sharply at the prince and Chu Ning'an, and warned in a serious tone.
"Your humble servant obeys your order!" The Crown Prince and Chu Ning'an did not dare to neglect and bowed quickly, then turned around and left the imperial study.