The moment Song Shi'an's words fell, the entire hall became utterly silent.
It was as if the very air had frozen solid.
Every maid and servant stood completely rigid, afraid to make the slightest sound, their hearts leaping into their throats.
Gao Yunyi was left utterly dumbstruck on the spot, staring at Song Shi'an's back, so shocked that his mind went completely blank.
Totally empty.
How could this man have such guts!
Your birthday—what does it have to do with me?
This sentence echoed repeatedly in Minister Sun's mind.
Including that face, every single detail—he remembered it all crystal clear.
Never in his entire life had he experienced such humiliation.
Coming from this brat.
The hand gripping the wine vessel, already coarse, now looked like gnarled tree roots, veins bulging outward.
The veins extended all the way up to his neck.
He was enraged.
The Prince of Zhongping could already feel the fury burning beside him.
Song Shi'an, you really are something else.
To actually choose this path.
If you write too good a poem as a gift to Minister Sun, that's flattery and ass-kissing, completely lacking in self-respect.
If you write too poorly, that's going through the motions, disgracing the name of Jieyuan.
And if you lose your temper and start cursing, that's even more lowbrow.
But you just had to say "what does it have to do with me?"
This kid—you're going to be famous.
Wei Yiyuan could sense that tomorrow... no, starting today, he would become the talk of all Sheng'an.
"To think such an arrogant wretch exists!" After he left, Han Zhongchen angrily rose to his feet, pointing in his direction and cursing, "This kind of insolent..."
"Shut up!"
Before he could finish, Minister Sun directly hurled the bronze wine vessel—still containing wine—toward the lower hall.
Wine splashed everywhere.
The bronze vessel rang out with a resounding clang, and instantly lost a corner.
Han Zhongchen, who had originally wanted to take a strong stance at this moment, was frightened into silence, terrified to the point of breaking out in cold sweat.
His heart tightened, his limbs trembled.
Everyone else fell silent as cicadas in winter, not daring to meet his gaze.
Actually, when he threw the cup, some wine even splashed onto the Prince of Zhongping.
But the Prince of Zhongping didn't take offense, and Minister Sun had no intention of apologizing.
Slowly, Wei Yiyuan turned his head.
Minister Sun rose furiously to his feet and walked toward the lower hall.
His legs actually had no problem, but now, as he walked, he couldn't help swaying.
Sun Heng hurried over to support him, helping the enraged Minister leave the scene.
With a hard swallow.
Sun Jinhu, sitting in her place, watched her father's back. Her already fair face now looked almost 'deathly pale' from fright.
She had never seen him this furious before.
No one had ever made Father like this...
Song Shi'an—he would absolutely not be let off.
After Minister Sun left, Wei Yiyuan, seated in the place of honor, rose to his feet, shaking the wine from his sleeves.
He left the great hall without a word.
The sub-yuan immediately stood, bowing deeply to see off the Prince of Zhongping.
After he was completely gone, everyone slowly straightened up.
Thinking about what had just happened, Hu Yu spoke with displeasure: "What did Song Shi'an mean by pointing at us when he recited that poem?"
"Exactly." Someone immediately chimed in, "Whether civil or military officials, don't we all serve His Majesty and pledge loyalty to Great Yu? Besides, is he the one who can recover the fifty prefectures beyond the passes?"
"Damn it, we're all cowards who fear death, but he's noble, he's righteous!"
Song Shi'an had offended not just Minister Sun—everyone here, except for the Prince of Zhongping, had been hit by his area-of-effect attack.
Even including Sun Jinhu.
Coming for me means indulging in gentle pleasures?
Didn't you also ask if this young lady was around!
"Han-xiong, what do you think?"
Gao Yunyi patted Han Zhongchen on the shoulder, pulling him into the conversation.
But he was still immersed in the terror of having been scared witless. When he looked up in confusion, he instinctively showed a dazed expression.
This scene absolutely delighted the sub-yuan.
Some couldn't help but gloat.
Song Shi'an was arrogant, yes, and didn't quite know his place.
But someone else, at another person's banquet, had been willing to "steal century-old peaches from the Jade Pool to gift to father-in-law for longevity"~
"Jinhu, let's go."
Though angry, forcibly suppressing her emotions, Sun Qian said coldly as he led Sun Jinhu away from this place.
The two had just left when Gao Yunyi started stirring things up again, teasing Fan Wuji: "Wuji-xiong, she's already gone."
"..." Fan Wuji's face reddened, then he pressed his lips together and said to him speechlessly, "What do you mean singling me out?"
"If Song Shi'an hadn't caused such a scene, Minister Sun would definitely have made Wuji-xiong his worthy son-in-law today. Aren't you angry?" Since he had nothing to gain here, Gao Yunyi could casually stir up trouble.
"What would I be angry about?"
After Fan Wuji's counter-question, he glanced back at the seats of honor, then his expression returned to calm as he said, "Let's go."
"Mm."
Gao Yunyi nodded, and after the two exchanged courtesies with the other sub-yuan, they quickly left without any delay.
These two clear-minded individuals knew that getting involved in such a situation would only bring trouble.
Compared to Song Shi'an, what they found more distasteful was Minister Sun treating them as chess pieces.
...
"Father, please don't be angry. Anger harms the body."
After leaving the great hall and heading toward the inner chambers, Sun Heng, who was supporting Minister Sun, hurried to console him.
Minister Sun stopped walking and pushed his hand away, asking in return: "What am I angry about? Everything is within my control."
He spoke this line very firmly.
But quite obviously, he was already trembling slightly.
Physiological reactions don't lie—right now he was just—frustrated, frustrated, frustrated, practically about to explode.
Along with powerful self-regulation, the old man's heavy breathing that made his white beard rise and fall gradually became lighter.
After quite a while, he finally managed to calm down.
"If this brat were merely arrogant and insulted me, that would be one thing. But now, he's extremely proud."
Raising his finger, Minister Sun said to Sun Heng: "Since he's so proud, there are ways to deal with him."
"What does Father mean?"
Sun Heng asked for instruction.
"You couldn't write that poem. Even though Sun Qian has considerable literary talent, he couldn't write it either. Only such a reckless fool who doesn't know death would sing so loftily."
Thinking of this wet-behind-the-ears brat, Minister Sun became contemptuous: "Isn't he arrogant? Then when it comes time for job assignments, we'll arrange for him to go to Cangxia as county magistrate. The position there is vacant."
Hearing this, even Sun Heng was stunned, saying dumbfounded: "Cangxia County borders the barbarians, and bandits within the county collude with foreign tribes. Three county magistrates have already been killed, and the position has been vacant for two months. Any official assigned there would rather accept a demotion than go. Sending him there as county magistrate—isn't that clearly trying to get him killed?"
"Directly sending him there naturally won't work."
Speaking of this, Minister Sun said with complete confidence: "He's already put himself on such a high pedestal, and public opinion will surely be in an uproar. At that time, with just a little provocation, he'll definitely find himself in a corner he can't escape. He'll send himself to Cangxia."
"But what if he doesn't die, and even manages to govern Cangxia well... what then?" Although this was basically impossible, Sun Heng still felt somewhat worried.
Hearing this, Minister Sun's aged yet dignified features showed a sinister smile for the first time: "I often teach you all—there are four characters to fear most in any matter."
Sun Heng said woodenly: "Where there's a will, there's a way..."