This son-in-law is wicked in a good way!

The Left Prime Minister's Residence.

study.

Lu Chongyang, the Left Prime Minister of the current dynasty, dressed in casual clothes, sat quietly reading a book behind his desk.

Sun Guihua stood before the desk, bowing deeply.

"Prime Minister Lu, His Majesty seems to have already decided to kill me! Please, Prime Minister Lu, save me!"

Lu Chongyang closed the book and looked at Sun Guihua expressionlessly.

"Lord Sun, if His Majesty intends to kill, your pleas will be of no use!"

"Moreover, you really went too far in some things."

They're all old foxes. The massacre in the west of the city, which claimed thousands of lives, was ostensibly the work of the White Lotus Rebels, but everyone knows who the real culprit is behind it all.

Sun Guihua pleaded, "Prime Minister Lu, as long as your son-in-law Zhang Ping'an stops harassing me, even if His Majesty is determined to kill me, he can't do anything to me."

Lu Chongyang looked displeased and snorted, "So, Lord Sun is blaming me?"

"If it weren't for your good-for-nothing son's ostentatious behavior, how could this disaster have happened today?"

"Go away, I can't help you."

Sun Guihua was extremely anxious and knelt down with a thud.

"Prime Minister Lu, if something were to happen to me, His Majesty would likely hand over such an important position as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel to someone from the Academy. Are you really not going to take responsibility?"

A glint of light flashed in Lu Chongyang's eyes. He could ignore Sun Guihua, since his actions were already courting death.

However, if it involves a conflict between the Imperial Academy and the academies, he has no choice but to take action.

Especially when he saw the four lines of calligraphy by Hengqu on the table.

Without the suppression of the inscription on the stele of the Second Sage, the academy, once it gains power, will probably soar to great heights.

"Lord Sun, you may return now. I will have Zhang Ping'an leave the Night Watch Office."

Sun Guihua was overjoyed: "Thank you very much, Prime Minister Lu!"

He knew that this was all the Left Prime Minister could do to help him.

It's absolutely impossible to get this old fox to stand up against His Majesty.

Watching Sun Guihua leave, the Left Prime Minister's gaze returned to the paper on the table.

One sheet of paper contained four lines by Hengqu, and the other sheet contained poems about plum blossoms that had recently been circulating from the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau).

"Was this really done by Zhang Ping'an?"

Lu Chongyang couldn't believe it.

As one of the leaders of the students at the Imperial Academy, his own knowledge was no less than that of the great Confucian scholars of the academy.

He knew very well how talented the person who could write the four lines by Zhang Zai and the poem about plum blossoms was.

Would Zhang Xuanling really make someone like that a live-in son-in-law to bring good fortune?

How could he possibly accept that?

"Someone come here."

The butler who was waiting outside immediately came in.

"What are your orders, Prime Minister?"

"When you see Zhang Ping'an return, immediately summon him to my study," Lu Chongyang instructed.

"Yes."

The Sun residence.

A horse-drawn carriage was parked at the door.

The butler, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately stepped forward to help Sun Guihua out of the car and quietly informed him.

"Master, our spies have just reported that Zhang Ping'an led a night interrogation of White Lotus sect members. It seems there has been a major breakthrough."

Sun Guihua paused, glaring at him sharply.

Is the news reliable?

"Sir, the scouts saw and heard it with their own eyes and ears."

"What about the spy?"

"I have arranged for him to wait at the mansion."

"Bring him to me quickly."

Sun Guihua strode into the courtyard.

In Sun Guihua's study, the oil lamp was dim. He stood by the window with a gloomy expression, his large figure trembling slightly with panic.

The spy responsible for keeping watch on the Night's Watch reported everything he heard and saw in front of the Night's Watch.

"Well done, go collect your reward from the butler!"

"Then continue surveillance."

"Thank you, sir!" the scout said excitedly, bowing.

As soon as the scout left, Sun Guihua frowned deeply.

"Those White Lotus followers were all wrongly convicted death row inmates who hated the government. Logically speaking, they shouldn't have shown any respect to the government."

"Could it be that the kid is testing me?"

Sun Guihua paced back and forth in the room.

He was ruthless, yet also suspicious by nature. Even though he had guessed Zhang Ping'an's intentions, he was still uneasy.

"No, these White Lotus sect members who slipped through the net must die."

"Only the dead are truly safe."

The Left Prime Minister's Residence.

Zhang Ping'an returned at exactly 10 PM.

However, as soon as he returned, his servants informed him that the Left Prime Minister was waiting for him in his study.

Since Zhang Ping'an married into the Prime Minister's family, apart from meeting the Left Prime Minister once that day, he basically never saw this powerful civil official again.

What does he want from me?

With a sense of doubt, Zhang Ping'an arrived at the Left Prime Minister's study.

"Master, the son-in-law has arrived," the butler reported from outside.

"Let him in." The Left Prime Minister's voice was calm, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Zhang Ping'an pushed open the door and saw the tall Lu Chongyang sitting behind his desk, the dim light of the oil lamp casting a sense of vicissitude on his face.

"Greetings, Prime Minister Lu!"

Zhang Ping'an bowed respectfully. Although he disliked the Left Prime Minister, he still had to show proper courtesy.

"Sit down." Lu Chongyang's attitude was fairly polite.

Zhang Ping'an didn't stand on ceremony with him, sat down on the chair next to him, and looked up at him.

Lu Chongyang took out a piece of paper with four lines of Zhang Zai written on it and slowly recited them.

"To establish a moral compass for Heaven and Earth, to secure a destiny for the people, to continue the lost learning of past sages, and to usher in an era of peace for all generations."

"Did you really write this?"

Lu Chongyang's gaze, with its penetrating power, was fixed on Zhang Ping'an, not missing a single subtle expression on his face.

"That's right."

Zhang Ping'an readily admitted it.

Lu Chongyang saw no trace of lying on his face.

"Good ambition, but unfortunately, it's mostly empty talk." Lu Chongyang put down the paper, his tone seemingly disdainful.

"On the contrary, that poem about plum blossoms is more talented. It's a pity that you gave it to a woman of the night."

Zhang Ping'an, not wanting to listen to his lecture, took the initiative to ask, "Did Prime Minister Lu need something from me?"

"I'm going back to my room to rest now, I have to be on duty tomorrow."

Lu Chongyang frowned slightly, his face showing some anger, and raised his voice.

"Boy, watch your tone when you speak to this old man."

Then, his tone softened.

"Tomorrow you will release Sun Xing, then resign from your position as a night watchman and spend two years at the Imperial Academy. After you come out, I will arrange for you to take a position in the Ministry of Personnel."

"After a few years of hard work and gaining experience, I will use my influence to ensure you have a place in the court."

He said these words as if he were giving alms.

Zhang Ping'an was very disgusted by this.

"Heh, Prime Minister Lu, I finally understand. So Miss Lu's arrogance is inherited from you!"

Zhang Ping'an sneered.

"Do all members of the Lu family have this kind of despicable habit?"

Lu Chongyang's expression changed drastically, and he instantly flew into a rage: "You bastard, do you want to hear what you're saying?!"

Zhang Ping'an stood up directly, looking at him without flinching.

"I know exactly what I'm talking about."

"However, I would like to ask you, Your Excellency, do you even know what you are saying?"

Zhang Ping'an's words became increasingly harsh, ignoring Zuo Xiang's face, which was even more unpleasant than a pig's liver, and he shouted angrily.

"As the head of the civil service, you ordered me to release Sun Xing without even asking what happened. Do you know what crime Sun Xing committed?"

"Do you know how many innocent people Sun Guihua harmed in order to destroy evidence for his son?"

Do you know why I joined the Night's Watch?