Chapter 22 — Brother Poinsettia Forced Me to Replace Him as Official

The second day, he ordered someone to buy a bunch of breakfast from Bui's house, saying it was for me to taste my future husband's skills. On the third day, he hugged the blanket and came to my door to sit, his face miserable as if he was about to be thrown away. I raised my head to look at him.

"What do you want to say?"

He looked at me with extremely sad eyes.

"If you get married, who will take your place at court in the future?"

I quietly put down the flower waffle.

"Tham Tri Hanh."

"Do you really think it's appropriate to say that now?"

He thought for a moment and then answered honestly:

"Inappropriate."

Before I could nod, he added:

"But this is a very important issue."

I almost crushed the plate in my hand. Anyway, in the end, I still agreed to marry Bui Dien Chi. Not because my brother urged me. It's not because the whole capital is waiting to see the excitement. But because on the fourth day, Bui Dien Chi himself went to Tham residence, stood under the cinnamon tree in the yard, and said only one sentence.

"I won't let you become anyone's shadow."

That sentence made me stunned for a long time. From childhood to adulthood, I have always been Tham Tri Hanh's twin sister. After that, I became the person to replace Tham Tri Hanh at court. Until today, the first person to tell me that I don't need to be anyone's shadow was the mad dog from Dai Ly temple that the whole court feared. So I nodded. My marriage with Bui Dien Chi is going to end very quickly. So fast that Tham Tri Hanh didn't have time to bargain for a few more meals at Bui Palace. The bride price had already filled half of the yard of Tham Palace. The day I got married, the whole capital crowded to see it. On one side is the first female official who was specially allowed to join the Cabinet as an apprentice by His Majesty. On one side is the famous Dai Ly Tu Khanh. If someone bites him, that person bites him. Everyone wants to see if these two people getting married is a happy event or two knives put together in one sheath. I wore a dark red robe and sat in the room waiting for the good hour. Outside, Tham Tri Hanh is crying. Not the kind of quiet, touching cry. But crying is very embarrassing.

"Sister, you're gone, how will brother live?"

I endured and endured again, and finally I couldn't help but lift the veil.

"You can live by going to court yourself."

The crying outside immediately stopped. Then came his choked voice:

"You're so cruel."

"You half-sister went to court for several months, now you say you're cruel?"

It was quiet outside for a while. Then Tham Tri Hanh said in a low voice:

"So in the future, if I really can't get up, can you come home and change shifts for a day?"

I took a deep breath.

"Cannot."

"You pay."

"Cannot."

"Five hundred taels."

"Cannot."

"One thousand taels."

I'm silent. Outside the door, Bui Dien Chi suddenly chuckled.

"Lord Shen, my wife will have to join the Cabinet as an apprentice in the future. I'm afraid I won't have time to replace you in court."

The words "my lady" silenced the whole room. My face gets hot. Tham Tri Hanh was so heartbroken that it felt like he was stabbed with a knife.

"I haven't paid my respects yet. You called too early!"

Bui Dien Chi replied very calmly:

"Sooner or later you have to call."

I heard my brother gritting his teeth outside, and for the first time, I felt like someone could treat him well. But Tham Tri Hanh's real retribution did not come on the day I got married. Which was the next morning. The first day I married into Bui Palace, I didn't even have time to get a full night's sleep. I was already in the palace transmitted to oral example.

"Tham Tri Y just got married, give her three days off."

I haven't been touched yet. The eunuch smiled and continued:

"Your Majesty also said that from tomorrow onwards, Tham Tri Hanh must attend court every day, not to call in sick, not to ask for leave, not to delay using the excuse of back pain."

Bui Dien Chi sat next to him, drinking tea, his lips curled slightly.

"It seems your Majesty has tolerated him for a long time."

I nodded sincerely. Not just your majesty. I've been holding back for a long time. It was said that the next morning, the Tham residence was so chaotic that chickens flew and dogs ran away. Before Mao arrived, people in the palace were already standing in front of the palace door, waiting. Tham Tri Hanh hugged the blanket and pretended to be sick, saying his head hurt, his legs hurt, and his heart hurt. The royal physician was invited very quickly. After checking his pulse, the doctor said:

"Master Shen's body is healthy, his blood is full, he's just lazy."

This word spread out, and the whole court laughed for three days. The second day, Tham Tri Hanh said he had back pain and couldn't stand. The royal physician immediately brought the needle.

"If you have back pain, get acupuncture."

It was said that Tham Tri Hanh saw that shiny set of silver needles, immediately jumped up from the bed, and changed into his official uniform faster than any other day in his life. On the third day, he no longer pretended to be sick. He just sat in the carriage going to the palace, his face expressionless, his whole body radiating the sadness of someone who has been beaten down by life. At court, Tieu Duc looked at him and rarely smiled.

"Tham Khanh is in a good mood today."

Tham Tri Hanh clasped his hands.

"Thanks to your Majesty's blessing, I am still alive."

The whole court immediately bowed their heads and stopped laughing. Tieu Duc said:

"Are you tired of standing for two hours?"

My brother was silent for a long time. Then gritted his teeth and replied:

"Not tired."

Tieu Duc placed a stack of letters of condemnation.

"These copies, you can finish them today and then go home."

It is said that at that moment, Tham Tri Hanh's eyes were empty as if his soul had left his body. The entire civil and martial court bowed their heads.