Chapter 1044: Chapter 1044: 1042: The Honor of the Prime Minister

“You …”

Leng Yi was choked up, and then sighed, “If you are unwilling, then so be it, but now I am no longer the Prime Minister. Can you at least stay by this father’s side and keep me company in my old age?”

“You have your grandchildren around your knees. It’s not my turn!” Zhuo Junli had no intention of keeping him company.

He would do better to think about how he could make Sijin accept him.

“I may have many grandchildren, but now you are the only son by my side. Besides, all these years, I have never properly looked after you, taught you to read and write, or trained you in literature and the martial arts. Now that I am free, I can teach you and take you out to have some fun,” Leng Yi imagined happily.

“Have you gone senile? Do I still need you to teach me to read and write? Do you know martial arts?”

His mocking was merciless, with a hint of disdain.

When Leng Yi acted as the Prime Minister, he had no right to say anything, for the Lord Prime Minister had his own authority.

But he wasn’t the Prime Minister anymore. What right did he have to teach him?

Ridiculous!

“Well … then I will teach you how to appreciate antiques, and there’s tea art too. Your two little nieces, they were personally taught by me!”

Leng Yi tried hard to think.

“Useless skills, what use is there in learning them?”

“Then you … what do you want to learn? I am your father; I have more experience than you, surely there is something I can teach you.”

Leng Yi was earnest.

Zhuo Junli sneered, “I want to marry Sijin. Why don’t you teach me how to make her my wife?”

“This …”

Leng Yi was at a loss for words, and his complexion sank, “Do you really have to marry that courtesan?”

“Yes, I want to marry her! No other woman in this world catches my eye except for Sijin. Old man, you pride yourself on being able to teach everything, don’t you? Teach me then!”

Zhuo Junli sat down with his robes fluttering, arching his eyebrows, his eyes filled with contempt.

Leng Yi sighed heavily, his fists clenching alternately.

In his entire life, he had never been anxious over any woman.

His wife was a legitimate daughter from a prestigious family, intelligent and capable. His concubine was also from a scholarly family. There had never been anyone in his inner court that required him to spend much thought.

Therefore, he was indifferent towards the women around him, feeling nothing in particular.

He knew very little about love.

He even had little memory of Zhuo Junli’s mother.

Zhuo Junli had given him quite the problem.

“I should have known you were heartless. There’s no need for pretense if you can’t figure it out. I’ll go get your official hat for you!”

Zhuo Junli, bored with the play, got up to leave.

Leng Yi had spent most of his life focused on the royal court; how could he know how to win the heart of a beloved woman?

He had never truly loved anyone!

“Wait!”

Leng Yi stood up hesitantly, “If you really must marry that courtesan, it’s not impossible. I can find a Lord who will take the woman as his adopted daughter and grant her a status. Then I can formally ask for her hand on your behalf. Although it will attract criticism, at the very least it would be justifiable on the surface.”

“What did you say?”

Zhuo Junli turned around, somewhat in disbelief.

The former Prime Minister Leng Yi had lost his position, and now he was coming up with such plans?

“I said, I’ll find a Lord to give that woman a status, so you can marry her rightfully,” Leng Yi repeated earnestly.

This couldn’t be a joke, but coming from Leng Yi, once of Prime Ministerial dignity, it was still incredible.