Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

In his death throes, Qin Ji asked, "Is this Jiang Xu from the Jiang clan of Qingyuan?"

Minister of Personnel: "Indeed."

Qin Ji gripped the armrest of the dragon throne. "What is the relationship between this person and Jiang Jibai, the Grand Tutor candidate previously recommended by your Ministry of Personnel?"

The Minister of Personnel was momentarily at a loss for words.

The Jiang family of Qingyuan is a prestigious family that has existed for hundreds of years. With a large and prosperous population, there are countless branches and sub-branches, making it difficult to understand the relationships between them.

Many ministers turned their gaze to Shen Jiangliu, who was at the end of the court.

After all, Jiang Daru only has this one disciple who has publicly entered officialdom.

Shen Jiangliu was more aware of Jiang Daru's kinship than these people were.

Shen Jiangliu felt the gazes coming from all directions and stepped forward, saying, "Your Majesty, they are uncle and nephew."

Hearing such a close kinship made Qin Ji's heart skip a beat. He quickly asked, "Uncle and nephew?"

Shen Jiangliu denied this, saying, "We are not blood relatives, but we are close relatives, cousins. My teacher had a good relationship with Prefect Jiang and they often corresponded. My teacher was even invited by Prefect Jiang to give lectures at Yangzhou Prefectural School. My teacher never forgot to prepare a gift for Prefect Jiang during festivals."

When Qin Ji heard him say this, his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, suddenly died.

He soon realized that something was amiss.

Gifts are usually given by elders and received by younger people, who then return the gift.

How come this sounds like the other way around, as if Jiang Jibai is preparing a holiday gift for Jiang Xu?

Qin Ji asked him to confirm, "Did Jiang Jibai prepare gifts for Jiang Xu?"

Shen Jiangliu knew what the Emperor was confused about, and explained, "The teacher's father was the younger brother of Prefect Jiang's grandfather, and the relationship of cousin means that the teacher is Prefect Jiang's uncle."

Qin Ji: "..."

The drug addict may not be old, but he's a very senior figure.

She's not even thirty yet, but she has a 39-year-old nephew.

Qin Ji made another desperate attempt, looking at the Minister of Personnel, "Of the three candidates for Vice Minister of Personnel, in your opinion, which one is the most suitable?"

The Minister of Personnel smiled knowingly: "Your Majesty, in my opinion, Jiang Xu, the Prefect of Yangzhou, is the most suitable candidate."

His voice was calm and steady, clearly indicating that he had given it much thought. "Jiang Xu rose from a Hanlin scholar to a local official, from a county magistrate to a prefect, taking each step steadily and firmly, building a solid foundation. Since taking office in Yangzhou, he has been deeply loved by the people and has a good reputation. He is exceptionally talented and experienced."

Furthermore, the Jiang family of Qingyuan has always been known for its upright character, so their promotion of him to this position suggests that they would not be engaging in nepotism.

They are the perfect candidate.

His Majesty just inquired of Lord Shen about the kinship between Jiang Xu and the great scholar Jiang, presumably because he is more interested in Prefect Jiang?

Qin Ji: "..."

No, I didn't. Let Jiang Xu continue to serve as the prefect of Yangzhou.

Don't try to expose my secret identity!

However, the Minister of Personnel even abandoned Ding Huan, a subordinate he had personally cultivated, and recommended Jiang Xu instead, clearly indicating that Jiang Xu was a better candidate.

So what?

His disguise is the most powerful; he wants Jiang Xu to get as far away as possible.

Seeing His Majesty deep in thought and silent for a long time, the Minister of Personnel called out, "Your Majesty?"

Qin Ji swallowed a mouthful of blood. "Let's choose Jiang Xu. The Ministry of Personnel will recommend a new prefect of Yangzhou and have him take over from Jiang Xu as soon as possible."

The Minister of Personnel said, "Your Majesty is wise and sagacious."

Shen Jiangliu: "Your Majesty is wise."

The crowd: "Your Majesty is wise."

Qin Ji narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Shen Jiangliu, who was standing in the queue with his eyes downcast and seemingly oblivious to everything else. He had a feeling that this junior brother was secretly laughing at him.

Shen Jiangliu stepped forward again, bracing himself against the Emperor's piercing gaze. "Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present."

...

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