Thinking that he could achieve his current status, earning respect and admiration, all thanks to Leng Yu Sheng, Pan Zi Ye found himself unable to retort. He decided to change the subject, unwilling to foolishly continue the previous conversation.
"Have you heard about Chang Qing's house being robbed, everything stolen? Chang Qing is going mad, he ran to the Dali Temple to report the case, forcing the Minister to deploy all Dali Temple personnel to help him catch the thief and recover all stolen items.
Has Chang Qing lost his mind? All personnel at the Dali Temple are currently fully engaged in investigating the national treasury theft. Where can we spare anyone to help him catch a thief... Who has the time for him!"
Speaking of Chang Qing, Pan Zi Ye's face was full of disdain, clearly showing his dislike and contempt for Chang Qing.
"The thief who stole everything from Chang Qing's house was practically acting on behalf of heaven!" Leng Yu Sheng uttered softly, a hint of disdain also showing in his eyes. It seemed he also disliked and despised Chang Qing.
"As expected of you, you really dare to speak! Aren't you afraid Chang Qing will explode with anger if he hears this and hate you to the bone!" Pan Zi Ye chuckled.
"A mere ant," Leng Yu Sheng's voice remained indifferent, the disdain in his eyes deepening.
Pan Zi Ye knew he wasn't calling him an ant, but Chang Qing. He felt Chang Qing was nothing but an ant, not worth his attention. What did it matter if Chang Qing hated him to the bone? It would be as easy to kill him as to step on an ant.
"Indeed. He is merely an ant. For you, a young Duke, it would be effortless to kill him."
As he said the last sentence, Pan Zi Ye winked at Leng Yu Sheng again, earning him a sharp glance.
"Where did I go wrong? You are the young Duke of the Duke of An's estate. Isn't it effortless for you to get rid of Chang Qing, a mere official in the Ministry of Personnel!" Pan Zi Ye pouted.
The Leng family of Jinling, having held esteemed positions for four generations and married a princess, commanded immense power.
Leng Yu Sheng was also the young Minister of the Dali Temple, overseeing criminal justice, holding significant authority. To frame someone, send them to prison, or even to the guillotine, was merely a matter of a word.
Therefore, it would be effortless for him to deal with Chang Qing, a mere official in the Ministry of Personnel.
"A mere official in the Ministry of Personnel? You have quite the nerve! The official of the Ministry of Personnel is a third-rank official. What rank are you, the Assistant Minister of Dali Temple? Merely a fifth-rank! Look at you, acting so proud!" Leng Yu Sheng gave Pan Zi Ye a roll of his eyes.
"So what if I'm only a fifth-rank official! If I wanted to get rid of an official from the Ministry of Personnel, it would be effortless!" Pan Zi Ye felt belittled by Leng Yu Sheng again, experiencing a sense of insult. His young heart was once again struck, and he pouted.
"Wake up! The one who can effortlessly get rid of an official from the Ministry of Personnel is your father, not you!" Leng Yu Sheng thought that if he had a stick, he would surely hit Pan Zi Ye a few times to wake him up.
Pan Zi Ye's expression stiffened, his face turning from green to white, then to red. Like before, he opened his mouth, wanting to retort, but in the end, he said nothing.
Because, just like before, Leng Yu Sheng was stating a fact.
"I will inherit my father's title sooner or later," Pan Zi Ye finally managed to squeeze out after a long pause, this being his last bit of stubbornness.
"Inheriting your father's title does not mean you have the ability to inherit his influence and control it," Leng Yu Sheng uttered indifferently.
Although Pan Zi Ye's father's noble title was not particularly high, merely a Count, he was exceptionally capable and skilled in strategy, rising to the position of Grand Tutor. He had disciples among officials throughout Da Yue, his influence spread everywhere, making him extremely formidable.
Compared to his father, Pan Zi Ye was truly... a father of a tiger, but a dog of a son.
"Leng Yu Sheng, can't you stop pouring cold water on me and discouraging me? Will you die if you don't!" Pan Zi Ye gritted his teeth in anger.
Although Leng Yu Sheng was speaking the truth, his constant cold remarks and discouragement were very hurtful, and he couldn't bear it!
"No! But as your friend, I am reminding you, to help you clear your head and recognize your responsibilities."
The weather was extremely hot, and Leng Yu Sheng felt thirsty again. He reached out, raised his white jade teacup, and took a couple of sips.
"I want to drink too, I'm thirsty too." Pan Zi Ye, seeing Leng Yu Sheng drinking tea, reached out to take the teacup from his hand, but Leng Yu Sheng dodged.
"How old are you, and you still like to snatch others' drinks... So unhygienic... If you want to drink tea, go pour it yourself." Leng Yu Sheng shot him a sharp glance, his face filled with disgust.
Pan Zi Ye pouted and turned to look for the teapot and teacup. He quickly found them on the table by the wall, and immediately left the desk to pour himself some tea.
After drinking half a cup of tea, Pan Zi Ye refilled his teacup and returned to the desk, plopping himself down on it, which earned him another sharp glance from Leng Yu Sheng.
"Can't you sit on a chair!" Leng Yu Sheng's expression of disgust deepened, but he did not physically push Pan Zi Ye away.
"I like sitting on your desk!" Pan Zi Ye said with a roguish grin. "Just let me sit for a while, don't worry, I won't break your desk, I won't fall through!"
"You really need to get married to have someone take care of you!" Leng Yu Sheng uttered as if sighing.
"I'm not getting married! I don't want to get married my whole life, I don't want anyone bossing me around... Like my cousin, who's married someone like a mother, constantly managed!"
Fear was evident in Pan Zi Ye's eyes and brows. He shook his head like a rat, frantically.
Thinking of his cousin and his cousin's wife, he felt a shiver. His cousin's wife was famously a shrew, treating her husband like a son, and her husband was miserable.
Ever since he learned how miserable his cousin was after getting married, he had given up the idea of getting married.
"You think you can just not get married if you don't want to? Would your parents agree? I heard your father intends to propose marriage to a princess for you, to make you a son-in-law of the imperial family!" Leng Yu Sheng's lips curved into a very faint, almost imperceptible arc, a half-smile.
"My father wants to propose marriage to a princess for me? Has he lost his mind? For someone like me, making me marry a princess is just making me suffer!" Pan Zi Ye cried out excitedly.
"Those princesses in the palace are one more difficult to serve than the other. Whichever one I marry, I can forget about having a good life for the rest of my days. My future life would be hell!" Pan Zi Ye said with despair.
"You're exaggerating!" Leng Yu Sheng raised his eyebrows slightly.
"Not exaggerating at all! You know perfectly well what kind of people those princesses in the palace are!" Pan Zi Ye snorted, and suddenly his expression changed as if he had remembered something.
"Speaking of the palace, what are your thoughts on the national treasury theft? Who do you think did it?"
As an Assistant Minister, he had a mountain of official duties to handle. He had been extremely busy before, preventing him from discussing this matter with Leng Yu Sheng. He had only just remembered.
Leng Yu Sheng shook his head slightly. "I can't tell."
Pan Zi Ye frowned. "I didn't expect you, the divine detective, to be unable to figure it out! I thought you would be able to see something... This matter is truly too bizarre!
Officials in the court are discussing privately, all finding this incident extremely strange. It doesn't seem like something a human could do! It's really not like something someone could accomplish!
Even if that group of thieves were many, they couldn't possibly empty the national treasury and transport so much gold, silver, and jewels out of the imperial palace in such a short time, without leaving a trace and without being detected.
Moreover, they sealed the city and searched all night, yielding nothing. The complete lack of results makes it even more unbelievable that it was done by humans...
Lord Su, who has a strong belief in gods and ghosts, suspects it might have been done by ghosts. He said the legendary 'Five Ghosts Moving Technique' seems capable of such a feat."
"Done by ghosts? Do you think it was done by ghosts?" Leng Yu Sheng showed an expression that was almost amused.
"I... I don't know. I can't say for sure," Pan Zi Ye replied after thinking.
"Done by ghosts, it sounds too preposterous! But if it wasn't done by ghosts, then this matter is too bizarre, too unbelievable for humans to have done! What do you think?"
"The world is vast and full of wonders, but the national treasury theft was definitely man-made, not by ghosts or spirits," Leng Yu Sheng replied.
"Why are you so sure?"
"Instinct."