Chapter 1929: Chapter 960: The Obsessive Baby-Boasting Maniac (Dragon and Phoenix Twins Extra)
Ever since Xiao Hen took over the cabinet, he has always been high-profile in handling affairs and low-profile in personal conduct. He saves on formalities wherever possible and never puts on airs.
But today, for the first time ever, is the Prime Minister actually planning to call each one into his room for a talk?
The two Vice Ministers, three Grand Academicians of the Cabinet, and several Secretariat Officers all gathered outside the Prime Minister’s Intermediate Hall, puzzled by today’s proceedings.
“Is it because we’ve committed some recent offense and been caught?” asked Vice Minister Liu.
He was originally a confidant of Grand Mentor Zhuang. After Zhuang was defeated, Liu defected and sincerely proved himself to His Majesty.
Another Vice Minister with the surname Zhang, due to his severe offences, could not be pardoned even after defecting, and was dismissed and prosecuted. The person who replaced him was surnamed Wu, selected from among the Grand Academicians of the Cabinet.
Vice Minister Wu pondered, “We haven’t committed any offenses recently… Could it be the Prime Minister has discovered I’ve promoted a relative?”
In clear waters there are no fish; no era can guarantee that its officials are completely clean. However, these few people at most have some minor schemes and can’t be seen as the country’s parasites.
On normal days, Xiao Hen would turn a blind eye, and he generally wouldn’t interfere unless things went too far.
“If even the two senior cabinet members don’t understand the situation, then for us—” said the Grand Academician of Wuying Hall, surnamed Kong.
The cabinet has a total of six Grand Academicians, only the Prime Minister and the two Vice Ministers are qualified to be respectfully called cabinet elders. The other three, from Wuying Hall, Wen Yuan Pavilion, and Dong Pavilion, are only referred to as junior cabinet elders.
“Indeed.”
“Indeed.”
Grand Academicians from Wen Yuan Pavilion and Dong Pavilion nodded in agreement with a sigh.
Vice Minister Liu said, “The three Grand Academicians need not worry, the Prime Minister is not one to be capricious. His summons today must be to inquire about recent official business.”
Vice Minister Wu hurriedly responded, “Yes, indeed, since the Prime Minister took office, he has never really had a confrontation with us. Even when things went awry daily, he would lightly remind us. Today… perhaps there’s good news.”
“Hopefully, it is so,” said Academician Kong.
Not long after, the secretary beside the Prime Minister came out and called Vice Minister Liu in first.
Despite claiming not to be worried, Vice Minister Liu’s face turned pale once he was summoned.
For some reason, he felt the atmosphere today was overly serious.
Has something major actually happened?
Is the Prime Minister going to groom his people, making them secretly pledge allegiance one by one?
If one doesn’t surrender to the Prime Minister, would they be ruthlessly eliminated in secret?
With clenched teeth, he entered the Prime Minister’s study room.
Xiao Hen was sitting on the official chair behind his desk, this youngest Prime Minister in the history of Zhan Country demonstrated what it means to be accomplished at a young age, becoming a head of Guozijian at thirteen, suffering betrayal, wandering the common society, yet returning to the Capital City at eighteen as the top passer, and at nineteen topped the scholar list, joining Hanlin Academy, the cabinet, and the judicial department, and at twenty-one rising to the Prime Minister position.
It’s a legend of Zhan Country that will surely be recorded in history.
“Under-crier, pays respect to the great lord,” Vice Minister Liu dared not act dismissively due to Xiao Hen’s youth.
“Mm-wa~”
Suddenly a small, sweet voice came from next to Xiao Hen, and Vice Minister Liu paused for a moment.
He had a poor sense of smell and didn’t catch the milky fragrance in the room.
But his ears weren’t deaf.
Bracing himself, he took a glance beside the Prime Minister, oh my god!
Two kids!
Xiao Cong and Xiao Yang lay side by side in their cradles next to the table. As the weather wasn’t too cold anymore, they weren’t wrapped in swaddles. Xiao Cong continued being a quiet little handsome boy, while Xiao Yang was nibbling her hand.
The little sweet voice just now was made by her.
“Are they the young lady and young master of the lord’s family?” he asked in a daze.
“Mm.” Xiao Hen answered mildly, with a proud expression.
Vice Minister Liu was stunned, what’s going on? You’re pulling duty and bringing your kids?
So the purpose you called me to your study—
“Mm.” Xiao Hen signaled to the secretary beside him.
Understanding the cue, the secretary brought over two red chicken eggs with a kindly expression, saying to Vice Minister Liu, “The lord gives you these red eggs.”
Vice Minister Liu: “???”
He’d seen people giving eggs two days after a child was born, but have you ever seen two months later still giving red eggs?
Without changing his expression, Xiao Hen said, “Mainly because I forgot last time, so I’m making it up this time.”
Vice Minister Liu: So the whole time, you just wanted to give some red eggs? You should have said earlier! Look at how scared you got everyone else!
“Cute?” Xiao Hen asked with a straight face.
“Cute… cute!” Vice Minister Liu was almost doubting his sanity.