The guy was shocked. Why is it so difficult to get in? He is just an errand boy.

　　”You have no vision, right? Those who can get into the Hanlin Academy to do odd jobs must have connections. Their parents are servants of the officials in the nearby mansions, or they have passed down the job from generation to generation. The connections are all complicated.”

　　I don’t understand. Even if my parents were servants in the master’s house, wouldn’t it be better if I entered the Imperial Academy and worked as a handyman? It’s all hard work like serving tea and water.

　　“No matter the Hanlin Academy or other government offices, everyone looks down on the servants here. But just because they don’t look down on you in their hearts, maybe they can be of great use.” The shopkeeper has traveled all over the country for so many years and has seen a lot. He avoided the big shots, but ended up falling for an insignificant little nail.

　　Why? Everyone knows that being an official is life-threatening, so one has to flatter and fawn on others, and be cautious and behave oneself with one’s tail between legs. So naturally, one would avoid them if possible. And when it comes to lowly servants who are lower in status than oneself, even a glance at them is offensive. Isn’t it easy to deceive people under these positions?

　　While people were saying insignificant things in this corner of the capital, similar things were happening in the palace.

　　After Gu Zhao mentioned the fertilizer method, Emperor Kang Jing asked Fan Min to come to the palace to ask about it, and found the memorial that had been submitted before. Fan Min said nothing else, but just flattered randomly, saying that because of the emperor’s grace and the blessing from heaven, the people’s crops had a high harvest because of a method to fertilize the fields…

　　But it didn’t say how much higher it was or how much good it was.

　　Emperor Kang Jing wanted to check it carefully, so naturally a memorial was handed in soon. When he saw the production process of the “method of fertilizing the fields”, Emperor Kang Jing read it with a deeply frowned brow. Finally, he assigned the task. This method of fertilizing the fields would be of benefit to the people of the world, so naturally he had to be cautious.

　　The land and water nurture the people. We cannot make an exception for one place and then rashly implement the same rule for all.

　　Several sons expressed their loyalty and offered to do the job. Emperor Kang Jing looked around and finally said, “The second son will do this job.”

　　It is related to the livelihood of ordinary people all over the world. The second son is older and more steady in his work.

　　”Old Five, follow your second brother.”

　　That’s settled.

　　The Second Prince has been a Prince for more than ten years. If he can do this job well, it will be a great achievement, and he may become a Prince with title directly. The court and even the harem are all watching him.

　　The virtuous concubine also called her son back and told him repeatedly to just act like a younger brother and run errands but never to stand out.

　　The fifth prince immediately responded respectfully, “Don’t worry, mother. I know the old saying that the first citron to stick out rots first. I understand it.”

　　Therefore, since May and June until now, Prince Kang has hardly moved from the Ministry of Works, as if he lived there. The Fifth Prince is not so bad, running between the palace and the government office, and is quite relaxed, not particularly diligent. In this way, Prince Kang naturally appears to be particularly diligent, and is praised by everyone in the court.

　　It survives the dry fields and serves as fertilizer for the paddy fields.

　　Prince Kang went to the palace regularly to talk to his father about his progress. Emperor Kang Jing saw that his son had become much darker and his robes were loose and big. He was pleased and comforted, and told his son to take care of himself and not to overwork himself, as he still had a long life ahead of him. Prince Kang naturally said that his son was unfilial and still made his father worried.

　　When the title of father was uttered, Emperor Kang Jing’s eyes welled up with tears. After his second son left the palace, he would occasionally reward Prince Kang’s Mansion with a portion of fresh food.

　　As a result, the former dynasty and the harem were secretly turbulent.

　　Prince Kang became a popular and capable person among the princes, and the Second Prince’s faction gained the upper hand. Unfortunately, the good times were like the autumn heat in the capital. A few days ago, the sun was scorching, as if we had returned to the midsummer, but an autumn rain, a sudden and heavy rain, made the ground desolate.

　　This happened just two days ago. Oranges were delivered from the south. They looked smooth and plump. When the skin was peeled off, the flesh inside was juicy and sweet. Emperor Kang Jing ate them himself and thought they were delicious, so he said he would send a basket to the Ministry of Works for his second son.

　　Wang Zetian received the order and went to do it personally – he asked his apprentice to run errands, pick out some beautiful ones and deliver them personally, and not to be lazy.

　　”Of course. This kind of job is thanks to my master who still thinks of me.” The apprentice took the job, went to the Imperial Household Department in person, and carried a basket of yellow oranges out of the palace to the Ministry of Works.

　　Around lunchtime, Emperor Kang Jing thought of this and asked Wang Zetian if the oranges had been delivered and how the second son was eating.

　　Wang Zetian wanted to let his apprentice show his face, so he said that he had sent him off and he must be back now. He called his apprentice in to answer the question.

　　During this period, His Majesty loved to hear stories about loving fathers and filial sons, so the servants naturally had to flatter him and say nice things. They started by talking about how they carried the oranges to the Ministry of Works and met Prince Kang, and focused on how grateful Prince Kang was to His Majesty for his concern, and how he peeled another one right away.

　　Hearing this, Emperor Kang Jing was still happy, and said to Wang Zetian: “The second son’s temper has not changed. When he encounters something he likes to eat, he will come first.”

　　”Prince Kang Jun is thinking of the emperor’s fatherly love.” Wang Zetian smiled and patted his head while crouching. He had been serving the emperor since he was eight years old, and became his personal eunuch. After so many years, I dare say that he can see the emperor’s thoughts more clearly than those concubines in the harem. When to make a joke and amuse the emperor, and when to be a lapdog, Wang Zetian knows it clearly.

　　At this time, when the emperor was in a good mood, he could also join in the fun and say a few words. Not only would the emperor not blame him, he would even be happy.

　　Sure enough, Emperor Kang Jing laughed twice.

　　Seeing this, the disciple of Wang Zetian who had replied became bolder and muttered all kinds of auspicious words, but the smile on Emperor Kang Jingdi’s face gradually faded. When Wang Zetian heard that stupid guy say something like “Prince Kang is concerned about the country and the people”, he wanted to kick him.

　　What do you mean by worrying about the country and the people? How can you say that?

　　Wang Zetian frowned, wondering if this kid had shit in his mouth? He wouldn’t be so unruly and presumptuous on normal days, so why was he so rude today?

　　”It’s done.” Emperor Kang Jing’s smile faded, and he threw the handkerchief he had wiped his hands with on the table. “This eunuch was disrespectful in front of the palace. Was it you, Wang Zetian, who taught him to do this?”

　　Wang Zetian knelt on the ground and begged the emperor to punish him.

　　”Drag him out and beat him.” Emperor Kang Jing said in a cold voice.

　　Wang Zetian knew in his heart that something was wrong. This kid was going to die today. The emperor didn’t say how many times to beat him, which meant that he had to keep beating him until he died.

　　Without waiting for the eunuch to beg for mercy, the guards stepped forward, covered his mouth and dragged him away.

　　There were sounds of hitting and sobbing outside the hall. The hall was quiet. Wang Zetian was waiting on the side, his face as concerned as ever. The more he was at this moment, the more he couldn’t make a scene, otherwise he would lose his life. He could only think to himself, “Boy, you have hit the board. When you die, the master will burn some paper for you, which will be a complete separation between us as master and disciple.”

　　The whimpering sound became quieter and quieter, until it could no longer be heard in the hall.

　　Dead.

　　Wang Zetian thought to himself that someone outside the palace had reported it. Wang Zetian listened and carefully approached the emperor and said, “Your Majesty, the eighth prince is here and is waiting outside the palace.”

　　Emperor Kang Jing had a calm expression. He thought for a moment before he slowly said, “Let him in.”

　　After a while, the Eighth Prince came in, bowed and kowtowed. Emperor Kang Jing asked what was the matter. The Eighth Prince said politely, “It will be my father’s birthday soon. My father doesn’t like extravagance, but my brothers all want to show their filial piety, so I will take on this task and come here to say goodbye…”

　　It turned out that the younger sons wanted to hold a birthday party for him.

　　After listening to this, Emperor Kang Jing’s brows relaxed and he said with a cheerful smile: “Xu’er is thoughtful, and they are all good children.”

　　The Eighth Prince was called Li Xu. When Emperor Kang Jing called him that, Wang Zetian knew that the matter was over.

　　It seems that it’s time for someone else to take over the job that the Second Prince of the capital has been doing.

　　Wang Zetian’s disciple was lucky. The Eighth Prince had just seen the dying eunuch outside and begged his father not to get angry and take care of his health. Emperor Kang Jing waved his hand and stopped him, “It is not appropriate to see blood.”

　　But being alive was like being rotten mud, with half of the body shattered.

　　Wang Zetian had the body carried away. When he got off duty, he went to check and found that he had died.

　　”Didn’t you say to hold on for dear life?”

　　The young eunuch who was serving him said softly, “Grandpa Wang, I dare not be unkind, but the master died before he could even breathe.”

　　Wang Zetian frowned as he looked at the bloody blanket. He wanted to ask, this disciple has always been a slippery man, why did he speak so carelessly today? But he was the one who asked him to send the oranges, and he was the one who asked him to reply in front of the emperor. If this kid was bribed, then he couldn’t escape responsibility.

　　Forget it, forget it. The person is dead. This kid lost his life because of stupidity.

　　”Clean it up and ship it out early.”

　　The young eunuch turned pale with fear and replied respectfully, “Yes.”

　　Those who were well-informed knew roughly what had happened, while ordinary minor officials like Gu Zhao, who were not well-informed, only knew at the end of the month that the emperor had sent the eighth prince to the Hanlin Academy to revise a book.

　　As a result, the Hanlin Academy, which had been very quiet, suddenly became lively. Colleagues who usually worked from nine in the morning to four in the evening now rushed to the front. From Lord Shi to the servants who added tea, everyone had a happy look on their faces and worked more diligently and attentively.

　　After so long, Gu Zhao finally found a taste of the passionate and hardworking workplace.