“An earthquake in the south in three days?”

“This is truly nonsense.”

“Absolutely ridiculous. Your Majesty, drag this person down and execute him!”

Every person in the court wore an expression of disbelief.

Even Marquis Pingjin, who had always trusted Ding Yiyuan, was now uncertain.

Because everyone knew that earthquakes frequently occurred in the northwestern mountainous regions and had never been heard of happening in the south.

It was difficult for people to even want to believe it.

“Since it’s three days, why not wait another three days?” Ding Yiyuan stroked his long beard. “Your Majesty may cast this commoner into the dungeon, and in three days the truth will be revealed.”

He extended both hands with an open and honest demeanor.

The Emperor’s eyes flickered.

He wasn’t certain how much ability the person before him possessed.

But this person had given a time limit.

Regardless of belief or disbelief, truth or falsehood, it would only take three days to get results.

The Emperor spoke in a calm voice: “We invited Master Ding to the palace as a guest. How could We imprison him in the dungeon? Come, escort Master Ding to Ziwei Palace.”

If this person could truly divine the nation’s fortune, then he was an invaluable talent who absolutely must not be offended.

If he was truly spouting nonsense, it wouldn’t be too late to deal with him after three days.

Ding Yiyuan was then led to Ziwei Palace.

National Preceptor Qi wanted to say something, but the Emperor waved his hand: “National Preceptor, divine what the weather will be in the south.”

National Preceptor Qi could only go attend to this matter.

Immediately after, the Emperor ordered the Ministry of Finance to urgently allocate grain and arranged for eight hundred Yulin Guards to rush to the south through the night at breakneck speed…

The celebration banquet for Grand General Zhuguo’s conquest of the Southern Yue Kingdom also began at the Yun residence.

Since Yun Silin’s disappearance, almost all civil officials from the Yun Family had been dismissed. The Yun Family’s status in the capital had plummeted dramatically, affecting them in all aspects.

However, Yun Silin had returned to court with meritorious service, receiving the title of Grand Marshal with two first-rank official positions, making him the foremost person in the Great Jin Dynasty.

Such imperial favor pushed the Yun Family to its pinnacle, even more prosperous than before.

One could imagine how many people would attend the celebration banquet.

When Yun Chu arrived, the courtyard was completely filled with people.

Although it had stopped snowing, the weather was still very cold. The courtyard wasn’t an indoor room, so even with charcoal fires burning, it couldn’t dispel much of the chill.

But the guests still stood in groups of three or five in the courtyard, conversing with each other. Because Yun Silin wasn’t present, those guests were talking with other members of the Yun Family.

Looking at the lively and prosperous scene before him, Yun Run felt fearful in retrospect.

Actually, after the Yun Family’s troubles, his father-in-law had hinted multiple times that he should abandon darkness for light, using the weaknesses of some of the Yun Family’s old subordinates to exchange for advancement.

He had indeed been tempted, but his mother reminded him daily, so that bit of temptation was naturally nipped in the bud.

He was extremely glad he hadn’t made the wrong choice. Otherwise, he would definitely be expelled from the Yun Family genealogy now.

Yun Chu stood in the courtyard for a while, but it was really too cold, so she quickly entered the warm pavilion.

Her mother sat in the warm pavilion, her face glowing as she conversed with a group of noblewomen. Yun Chu naturally sat down.

Those noblewomen immediately began praising Yun Chu.

All manner of flattery.

Yun Chu didn’t even have ears to listen anymore.

Until the servants at the front came to report that His Majesty had arrived, the group quickly left the warm pavilion to greet him.

The Emperor and Empress, along with various princes and others all came, once again proving the imperial family’s trust in and favor toward the Yun Family.

“There’s no need for such formality.” The Emperor waved his hand. “Don’t be constrained just because We have arrived. Today is the Grand General’s celebration banquet. You all accompanying the Grand General to eat and drink well is the greatest loyalty.”

The imperial family sat down at the highest position. That area had screens on three sides, and charcoal fires burned in front, back, left, right, and even under the tables, making it very warm.

Yun Chu was eating when a voice came from beside her ear: “Miss Yun, this princess is calling you.”

She raised her head and looked toward a position slightly to her upper right. It was Princess Qinghua calling her.

She tugged at the corners of her lips.

After this princess spent the New Year in the capital, wasn’t she supposed to have returned to the Prince Consort’s residence in Pingliang Prefecture? Why hadn’t she left yet?

“What instructions does the princess have?”

Princess Qinghua switched places with someone and sat beside Yun Chu, lowering her voice: “Since you’re familiar with that Divine Physician Wu, why not request medicine on this princess’s behalf?”

Yun Chu inquired: “Does the princess have some hidden ailment?”

“I just want to preserve my appearance.” Princess Qinghua said. “What, are you going to refuse this princess’s order?”

“Putting on princess airs in front of the Yun Family, Second Sister really is the first person to do so.” Chu Yi’s voice came coldly from the side. “These words, does Second Sister dare say them in front of General Yun?”

Princess Qinghua ranked second among all the princesses, so Chu Yi always called her Second Sister.

Her expression couldn’t help but stiffen: “I was just asking Miss Yun to help with a small favor.”

“When asking people for help, one should have the appropriate attitude.” Chu Yi drank a cup of wine and looked at Yun Chu. “Miss Yun, my Second Sister doesn’t understand propriety. I’ll apologize on her behalf with this cup of wine.”

Princess Qinghua was so angry her fists clenched tight.

She was already thirty years old, yet she was being told she didn’t understand propriety by her own younger brother in front of a twenty-year-old woman.

What humiliation this was.

She could see clearly now—Yi’er had probably long had thoughts about Yun Chu, and those two children just happened to facilitate this matter.

Otherwise, how could Yi’er make her, his own sister, lose face in front of an outsider?

Fortunately their eight characters were incompatible so the marriage couldn’t happen.

Otherwise she would be driven to death by her own younger brother in the future.

Princess Qinghua swept her sleeves and left her seat.

Yun Chu looked at Chu Yi helplessly and gently shook her head.

This man standing up for her was indeed well-intentioned, but Princess Qinghua would definitely put this on her account.

It wasn’t that she feared Princess Qinghua, mainly she didn’t want to invite unnecessary trouble.

Fortunately, Princess Qinghua didn’t permanently reside in the capital, so the two wouldn’t have many occasions to interact.

When the banquet was halfway through, Yun Zhenjiang ran out and composed a poem to celebrate his grandfather, Grand General Zhuguo.

Immediately after, the Eighth Prince came forward, took out a flute and played an inspiring military march.

Chu Hongyu, not willing to be outdone, clasped his little hands behind his back, took little short steps, held it in for a long time, then finally ran to fetch a painting his younger sister had made and presented it.

“Reward them, reward them all!” The Emperor laughed heartily. “One set of writing materials for each—how about that?”

Chu Hongyu grimaced, wanting to object, but after glancing at his father, he silently swallowed back his thought of requesting a different reward.

Yun Zhenjiang very politely thanked him and accepted the reward.

The Eighth Prince suddenly lifted his robes and knelt down: “Father Emperor, your son boldly asks, could I exchange for a different reward?”

Chu Hongyu puffed out both cheeks. He also wanted to exchange—he had had his eye on Imperial Grandfather’s thumb ring for a long time. That little green gemstone, if pried out and made into a pendant for Mother, how beautiful it would look.

The Emperor was somewhat surprised by the Eighth Prince’s action.

Because in his impression, the Eighth Prince had very little presence, lacked the bearing befitting a prince, and the purity in his eyes was no different from a little white rabbit.

He felt the Eighth Prince was very timid.

But yet, in such a setting, he proposed exchanging for a different reward.

This kind of thing could generally only be done by the unworldly little Hongyu.

The Emperor spoke: “What reward do you want?”

The Eighth Prince lowered his head and said: “Your son wishes to request that Father Emperor grant him a princely title early.”

As soon as these words came out, everyone present was shocked.

As an imperial prince or grandson, receiving a princely title was inevitable sooner or later. To request a princely title at only nine years old—wasn’t that too hasty? The Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Princes ahead of him hadn’t even been granted titles yet.