The Prodigal Son

Zhu Songlan?

For myself?

Qin Yu looked at Zhao Luan with suspicion, "Why are you giving him to me? You don't expect me to lead him into battle, do you?"

He didn't know whether Zhu Songlan was cut out to be a military leader.

But he knew that Zhu Songlan was definitely an official skilled in governance and domestic affairs.

Such a person should be placed in an important functional department of the central government or in charge of a region in order to make him effective.

"So you're giving it to me to fight in a war?"

Zhao Luan rolled her eyes at him. "The allocation of provisions, logistics, and all sorts of miscellaneous tasks in the army, including stabilizing the rear, all require people to do! The larger the battle, the more complicated these things become!"

Qin Yu frowned slightly. "This... isn't his forte, is it?"

"You'll only know after you've used it!"

A sly smile flashed across Zhao Luan's face. "Some people are suited to the intrigues of the court, while others are not! You and Zhu Songlan are the latter! At least you're not suited for it now! I hope you can properly train him and cultivate a wise prime minister for my Great Ning in the future!"

What?

Qin Yu's eyes widened suddenly as he stared at Zhao Luan in disbelief.

A wise minister?

Has she already decided on Zhu Songlan's future path?

Isn't this... taking it a bit too seriously?

Even if Zhu Songlan is truly talented, is it really necessary to groom him as a future prime minister?

Isn't this a bit too hasty?

Or perhaps I haven't fully discovered Zhu Songlan's advantages?

"Were you scared?"

Zhao Luan was quite pleased with Qin Yu's shocked expression, and even shook him, almost causing Qin Yu to unleash his Supreme Bone.

Okay, he admits that sometimes being a kiddie ride is nice.

"It really scared me!"

Qin Yu smiled noncommittally, "I didn't expect you to have such high expectations for him! What, you've already summoned him?"

"Um."

Zhao Luan nodded slightly. "I already summoned him after today's court assembly! This Zhu Songlan is indeed a rare talent!"

Qin Yu was surprised and asked in confusion, "If that's the case, why not let him hone his skills in the court? At worst, we can appropriately lower his official rank and prevent him from being exposed to the intrigues and backstabbing of the court too early."

Zhao Luan shook her head and smiled to herself, then looked at Shangguan Youyi: "You tell him!"

Shangguan Youyi picked up the thread, "Although Zhu Songlan is a man of great talent, he is too arrogant. His Majesty wants to temper him, but feels that ordinary people cannot control him, so he sent Lord Qin to personally train him..."

"proud?"

Qin Yu frowned slightly. "I've also known Zhu Songlan for a while, and I didn't find him to be particularly arrogant."

"His arrogance is different from what you think."

Zhao Luan shook her head and smiled, "His arrogance stems from being overly confident in himself, believing he can do anything well..."

This kind of confidence is both a good thing and a bad thing!

No one in the world can do everything perfectly.

When you are a county magistrate, you can take charge of everything.

However, when you are a high-ranking official, it is impossible for you to do everything by yourself.

Many things require collaboration between different departments!

A person who can't even cooperate with others, no matter how talented or capable, can't go very far.

"I see!"

Qin Yu suddenly realized and readily agreed, "Alright! Then leave him to me! I love training people!"

As he spoke, Qin Yu glanced over Zhao Luan.

If the Empress can discipline herself, why can't she discipline him?

Yes, I feel more at ease using people I've trained myself!

"Anyway, I've entrusted this person to you! If you can't outlast him, I'll have no choice but to outlast you!"

A slight smile appeared on Zhao Luan's lips as she extended her slender finger and gently poked Qin Yu's forehead.

Upon hearing this, Qin Yu immediately stared at Zhao Luan with a mischievous grin, "I dislike doing serious business the most; I prefer to do romantic and frivolous things."

"Pooh!"

Zhao Luan spat lightly, then said with a charming smile, "Not only will I give Zhu Songlan to you, but I will also let you select thirty more people from the Confucian Temple, the Imperial Academy, and those who passed this year's special imperial examination to keep by your side and train them properly!"

"what?"

Qin Yu's face darkened. "Your Majesty, you can't employ people like this!"

"Who told you to be so lazy? Didn't you just say you loved disciplining people?"

Zhao Luan winked and smiled at Qin Yu, "Since you don't want to do serious work, then we'll train some people to do it for you! By the way, let me remind you, the newly appointed Academic Director of the Confucian Temple, Hong Xuzhou, is a student of Prime Minister Gao!"

The campaign against Yan was imminent.

Since Qin Yu is going to participate in this battle, she must prepare some manpower for him in advance.

The Yan state was such a large territory that after it was conquered, it needed to be governed.

Qin Yu trusts the people he trains himself, and she will feel more at ease as well.

At the same time, this is also a disguised way of disciplining Zhu Songlan.

Qin Yu was essentially a hands-off manager; how those people were used, and how to use them effectively, largely depended on Zhu Songlan.

"A student of the High Minister?"

Qin Yu was slightly surprised. "Was this obtained through Gao Xiang's efforts, or was it His Majesty's original intention?"

"Is there any difference?"

Zhao Luan asked with a half-smile.

"Of course!"

Qin Yu said solemnly, "If this is Your Majesty's intention, then I have nothing to say! If it was obtained by Gao Xiangzheng, then I must remind Your Majesty to be wary of him."

If this is Zhao Luan's intention, then she's probably trying to use that balancing tactic again.

If this was achieved through the efforts of the Gaoyi Institute, it means that the Gaoyi Institute has begun to vigorously develop its own influence.

"It doesn't matter who the educational administrator of the Confucian Temple and Academy is!"

Zhao Luan smiled knowingly, "As long as you can train the people you choose well, they'll all be yours!"

Got it!

It seems that Zhao Luan did not take Gao Yi seriously.

Qin Yu felt helpless, but then stared at Zhao Luan with a mischievous grin: "The person I most want to train right now... is Your Majesty!"

Hearing Qin Yu's blunt and explicit words, Zhao Luan's cheeks instantly burned. She suddenly punched Qin Yu in the chest, glaring at him with shame and anger, "You? You want to discipline me? I'm the one who should be disciplining you!"

That bastard!

Shameless!

"Very well, Your Majesty, then please instruct me!"

As Qin Yu spoke, he opened his arms wide, appearing to let Zhao Luan do as she pleased.

Seeing Qin Yu's shameless behavior, Zhao Luan was furious. "Shangguan, go and fetch my riding whip!"

"I will go find it right away!"

Shangguan Youyi accepted the order and immediately quickened his pace to leave.

She won't take the riding whip!

They won't be back anytime soon!

It's reasonable to spend an hour looking for a horsewhip, right?

Qin Yu didn't take it seriously. No sooner had Shangguan Youyi left than he swept Zhao Luan up in his arms, grinning mischievously, "Your Majesty, now it's just the two of us in the Imperial Study. I want to see who disciplines whom!"

"If you dare to do anything reckless, believe me, I'll beat you to death!"

Zhao Luan glared at Qin Yu, but her gaze held no threat whatsoever.

"Whatever!"

Qin Yu laughed heartily, "If it hurts, we'll hurt together!"

Zhao Luan bit her lip, glaring angrily at Qin Yu, "You think I wouldn't dare?"

Qin Yu remained unconvinced, chuckling, "Whether Your Majesty dares or not is unimportant; what matters is that I dare!"

As he spoke, Qin Yu immediately carried Zhao Luan to the soft couch in the imperial study.

Zhao Luan was extremely ashamed and angry, but refused to beg for mercy. She simply and weakly punched Qin Yu, yelling, "Bastard! Don't go too far!"

Qin Yu remained silent, simply holding Zhao Luan as they lay down on the soft couch.

"Well……"

Before Zhao Luan could even speak, Qin Yu had already kissed her.

clap clap!

At the same time, Qin Yu slapped Zhao Luan's buttocks several times in succession.

After a few slaps, Zhao Luan's body went limp, and her breathing suddenly became heavy.

Qin Yu was very satisfied with Zhao Luan's reaction. He looked at his hands with a grin and couldn't help but exclaim, "They feel so good!"

"Bastard! Die!"

Feeling deeply ashamed, Zhao Luan kicked out, but her kick was weak and powerless, and Qin Yu caught her leg instead.

Qin Yu gently stroked Zhao Luan's beautiful legs, staring at her with a wicked grin, "Legs like these should only exist in heaven; such beauty is rarely seen on earth..."

Hearing Qin Yu still reciting lewd poems, Zhao Luan felt extremely ashamed.

However, when she heard that last word, she couldn't help but pause in surprise.

smell?

Does he have this strange quirk?

Imagining Qin Yu hugging and sniffing her legs, Zhao Luan couldn't help but feel a chill...