Fortunate Young Gentleman

Tang Ning stood there in shock, he never thought that the emperor of a country could be so shameless.

It didn't matter which foot he stepped into the palace first, what mattered was that if Emperor Chen wanted to hit him, he would definitely find a reason. He dodged it today, but there would be tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, day after day, endlessly.

It's not the thief who steals, it's the thief who thinks about it. Tang Ning hoped to get over this matter as soon as possible.

He raised his head and said, "Your Majesty has entrusted me with such a difficult task. I do have complaints in my heart. As a minister, I actually blame Your Majesty. I am willing to receive thirty strokes of the cane. Please grant your Majesty's wish."

Emperor Chen glanced at him and said, "Since you asked for punishment, I will grant you your wish. Wei Jian, take him down to receive the punishment."

"As ordered." Wei Jian walked downstairs, looked at Tang Ning, and said with a smile, "Lord Tang, let's go out."

Tang Ning followed him out of the imperial study. Wei Jian looked at him and said softly, "Don't worry, Lord Tang, I will ask them to be gentle."

Beating with a cane is a technical job. With thirty strokes of the cane, everything from nothing to minor skin injuries to breaking legs and killing people can be achieved.

Tang Ning lay on the bench, chewing an apple while being beaten with the cane.

Two guards lifted the wooden board high and landed on the cushion on his buttocks without any sound or movement.

After the thirty strokes, Tang Ning patted his buttocks and stood up, bowed to Wei Jian, and said, "Thank you."

Wei Jian smiled and said, "Your Majesty is just angry, it's okay once you get rid of it, Lord Tang, don't mind it."

Tang Ning really didn't mind it. After all, if he were Emperor Chen, that little bastard would have been disabled long ago, and he could understand this feeling.

Wei Jian looked at the two people who were beating the boards and said, "You two, help Lord Tang back."

Tang Ning didn't refuse either. Although he didn't feel the thirty strokes at all, he had to pretend for the sake of face.

It took Tang Ning a long time to walk the short distance from the imperial study to the palace gate, and he met many people.

The powerful Marquis Dingguo, who was second only to the emperor and above ten thousand people, limped out of the palace with the help of two guards. The palace maids and eunuchs he met along the way were all shocked and amazed.

"What happened to Marquis Dingguo?"

"He was beaten with a stick. I just passed by there and saw it with my own eyes!"

"Didn't he just solve a problem for His Majesty?"

"Who knows? Maybe something has displeased His Majesty again..."

...

The information in the palace spreads very quickly. The Hanlin Academy and the Shangshu Province are all in the palace. In half a day, what happened in the palace today spread to the upper circles in the capital. In less than half a day, the whole capital will know about it.

The allocation of juren quotas that has troubled the court for a long time was solved at today's morning court.

Marquis Dingguo proposed a method of reducing the number of juren in Jiangnan and the capital to subsidize the rest of the provinces. No one in the court refuted it and it was easily passed.

Although this move will offend many people, it will be appreciated by more people.

If it were someone else, he would have been worried about offending the capital and Jiangnan at the same time, but how many people did Marquis Dingguo offend? Until now, hasn't he still been promoted to a higher position?

In the capital, there are only people who dare not offend him, but no one he dares not offend.

However, the subsequent development of the matter was far beyond everyone's expectations.

It was thought that he would be rewarded by His Majesty for solving this problem for the court and eliminating this trouble for His Majesty. However, no one expected that there would be no reward, but many people saw him being beaten by His Majesty and being supported out of the palace by the guards.

For a time, rumors about Tang Ning, the Marquis of Dingguo, spread everywhere, evolving into countless versions.

Some people said that His Majesty was not satisfied with his proposal, and this was a punishment for him.

Some people said that he was so powerful that he had aroused His Majesty's vigilance, and this was a warning to him.

Many people were more inclined to the latter possibility. When His Majesty handed this hot potato to Tang Ning, it had already aroused their suspicion. Everyone could see that no matter how to do this matter, it would be thankless. How could His Majesty hand it over to his favorite minister?

Now that he had done a good job, he was punished, which made them more determined in their thoughts.

Tang Ning, who was favored by the emperor, was finally going to fall out of favor...

...

"Are you okay..." Xiao Jue hurried into the Tang family and saw Tang Ning sitting in front of the copper pot, eating meat. He sat steadily on the stool, not like the rumors outside that he was beaten seriously.

Xiao Jue took the chopsticks, mixed the dipping sauce himself, and dipped a thin slice of beef tops, and asked: "Are the rumors outside false?"

Tang Ning moved his butt to make room for him and said: "Didn't you see it?"

Xiao Jue was surprised and said: "But why did His Majesty beat you with a stick?"

The rumor that Tang Ning was beaten seriously was false, but the beating was seen by many people, so it couldn't be a rumor.

Tang Ning waved his hand, not wanting to talk about it anymore, and said, "Let's eat your meat."

"As long as you haven't fallen out of favor." Xiao Jue waved his hand and said, "Otherwise, there are many people in the capital who are ready to make a move."

...

The news that Tang Ning had fallen out of favor spread throughout the capital within a day.

As the most powerful minister in the court, everything that happened to him attracted everyone's attention.

The allocation of the quota for the juren was done well, but he was punished. Regarding this matter, the public's speculation was rampant. Tang Ning's fall from favor had almost become a fact tacitly accepted by everyone.

And he still had countless enemies in the capital. There was no doubt that those people would never miss this opportunity to add insult to injury.

Apart from other things, the two princes Kang and Duan who had suffered great losses under him were the two mountains that he could not overcome after falling from favor.

Prince Kang's Mansion

Prince Kang twisted his chin and muttered, "What is the plan of the emperor to beat that man?"

A servant beside him stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, Tang Ning is in trouble. This is a rare opportunity. Should we avenge the revenge of that day..."

"No need." Prince Kang waved his hand and said, "Let Zhao Ming jump out first to test it. Tang Ning is still very useful to the emperor. I don't believe that he will fall out of favor so quickly..."

The servant was stunned and asked, "Will Prince Duan jump out?"

Kang pulled the corner of his mouth and said disdainfully, "If he doesn't, who will?"

Prince Duan's Mansion

"Tang Ning was beaten?" Prince Duan was surprised and asked, "When did it happen? Is it true?"

"Today." A servant said, "This is the news from Concubine Hui from the palace. It has spread all over the capital. It must be true."

Prince Duan was delighted and asked, "In other words, Tang Ning has fallen out of favor?"

The servant said, "That's what everyone else said."

Prince Duan couldn't help laughing and said, "Haha, I didn't expect him to have this day. It's time for me to settle the accounts with him in the past!"

The last time Prince Duan jumped out, he was tricked by Prince Huai and almost caused a disaster. The servant was hesitant and said, "Your Highness, the two Lords Tang said that it is better to be quiet than to move, and asked us not to act rashly. The last time..."

"The last time was different from this time!" Prince Duan waved his hand and sneered, "Father is not on his side. This time, I want to see who can protect him!"