For a moment, Du Ke Xin's room was unusually noisy. A bird flew over the courtyard, lifting its tail, and dropping a lump of bird poop perfectly onto Du Ke Xin's favorite potted flower's most beautiful flower.

After a while, Imperial Physician Hu was called over. Seeing the already awake Du Ke Xin, he inwardly sighed at the impressiveness of Du Xiao Li's poison skills. And towards Du Ke Xin's request of immediately removing the stinky smell on her body, he could only shake his head to express his powerlessness to do so, because this smell, even Bai Ning Yuan himself doesn't know how to dispel. One can only wait for it to slowly disperse.

Hearing Imperial Physician Hu's words, Du Ke Xin was endlessly shocked, kicking up a fuss in her room. However, because she'd been unconscious for a long time, her body was weak. After shouting for a while, she passed out again. Fortunately, Imperial Physician Hu still hadn't left, and quickly examined her, prescribing some medicine before leaving.

Afterwards, Chang Feng came over and said a few words, making Du Ke Xin, who'd just awoken, faint again.

He said: "Old master said, asking second miss to not leave the manor before fully recovering, best to not even leave the courtyard!

This was wanting to confine her!

If she can't leave the courtyard, then she further can't go to the academy. Then, her place in the competition will also be nulled!

Her body smelling all over was already a reality. Even if Du Ke Xin didn't accept it, she still had to accept it. But the competition matter, she absolutely won't accept!

Seeing her daughter faint from crying, then wake and continue crying, Zhong Mei Qing entered the palace and went to find the Empress Dowager. With the Empress Dowager's decree, even if Du Yun Han is angry, he's still unable to go against the Empress Dowager's intention. Thus, after resting for a day, Du Ke Xin was able to go out again. However, even if her body was sprayed with strong perfume, it still couldn't cover that stinky smell on her body.

Meanwhile, Du Yun Han was currently in the palace attending morning court. In Taihe* Hall, all the ministers and officials looked to him in surprise.

(T/N: This name is taken from an actual hall in the Forbidden City, the english name of it is 'Hall of Supreme Harmony'.)

Han Ming Ze sat atop the dragon throne looking to Du Yun Han, who had a sincere expression, with a confused look.

"Prime Minister Du, you've always been this emperor's right and left hand. With you helping this emperor take care of those trivial matters, this emperor is able to rest, yet now you say, without the slightest warning, that you want to have this power handed over, and even request to disband the Cabinet? How did you think of this?"

Du Yun Han slightly bend his waist and replied, "Replying to your Majesty, this subject recently has been in charge of the competition matter. The competition is of great importance and must not have any mishaps. One hopes to be able to have all of one's energy spent on this competition, just fearing that there's any place one doesn't notice, affecting the commoner's life. After contemplating over and over again, one still feels it's best to have the power handed over to your Majesty. Since there's no need for the Prime Minister to read through memorandums, then the Cabinet doesn't need to exist either."

"But the Cabinet has already been around for several dynasties, how can one just disband it just like that?!"

"If Prime Minister feels one is inadequate, other officials are naturally willing to take your place."

"Prime Minister, with your abilities this strong, how would you be unable to handle? Asking Prime Minister to please reconsider!"

"........."

The voices of opposition came in waves. Han Ming Ze listened as he tightly clenched his fist.

"Precisely the so called, 'the land under the heavens is nothing more than the imperial land, and within the borders merely imperial subjects'. The entire Feng Ming is all his Majesty's land. Then, his Majesty ought to personally govern the matters on this land, personally come govern the subjects of this land. This is also the direction in which the public opinion points!" Du Yun Han said this as he knelt down, "By having this power handed over, one is naturally following the will of the people. Asking your Majesty to please take back the power!"

"Prime Minister Du, please, quickly get up!" Han Ming Ze waved his hand, "Since Prime Minister says it like so, then this emperor will take back this power. From today onwards, disband the Cabinet, and all the memorandums, this emperor will personally handle."

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Du Yun Han took the lead and shouted. The other officials looked to one another, and seeing that Du Yun Han had already took the lead, they could only follow along, shouting 'your Majesty is wise'.

But all the way until morning court ended, there were still people who didn't understand why Dun Yun Han wanted to let the Emperor disband the Cabinet.

The Cabinet was different from the six ministries. It was an organization internal of the imperial power. At first it was directly governed by the Emperor, but afterwards it was parted to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister thus was the head of the Cabinet. Moreover, at the time, in order to restrict the imperial power, that Prime Minister even ruled that it must be approved by both the Emperor and the Cabinet at the same time in order for the Cabinet to disband.

Because at the time, that Prime Minister's power overflowed the heavens, this rule continued on like this, all the way until now.

The Cabinet has continued for so many dynasties, and has always been a sore point for every successive dynasty's Emperor. Many Emperors wanted to have this system eliminated, disbanding the Cabinet, but this power has always been in the Prime Minister's hands. Letting the Prime Minister have the meat in his mouth spat out, how can that be possible!

That's why, Du Yun Han's action today shocked too many people, and also made too many people have other thoughts inside, especially those that had their interests damaged.

Outside Taihe Hall, a crowd of officials had him surrounded, inquiring his reasoning for this decision. Du Yun Han just smiled and said, "This official has already stated the reason in court. I still have some matters to attend to and will leave first."

With that said, he hastily left the imperial palace.

"Tsk, really a fool!" Those officials looked to Du Yun Han's departing figure. Thinking about how he actually had the power returned to the emperor, they all felt this Du Yun Han definitely must have broken his brain.

Only a small portion of the officials understood, the imperial power centralizing was merely something that was going to happen sooner or later. Du Yun Han merely took the lead, that's all.

After Du Xiao Li got up, she ate breakfast and then went to Sui Yuan. Today, the people of Northern Yuan will arrive. She needed to work out their living arrangements.

"Father." Just as she arrived at Sui Yuan's entrance, Du Xiao Li saw Du Yun Han coming out from the gates.

"Xiao Li, you've come." Du Yun Han saw Du Xiao Li and stopped his steps.

"Father, have the people of Northern Yuan arrived?" Du Xiao Li asked.

"Not yet, they won't arrive until the afternoon."

"Then what are you in a rush for?"

"I have some matters that I need to take care of. Go in and see if there's anything else that still needs to be taken care of." Du Yun Han said.

Du Xiao Li nodded and said, "Alright father, you go take care of your matter."

"En."

After Du Yun Han left, Du Xiao Li entered Sui Yuan with Xia Yuan and them. In two steps, she already felt it was different from before. The entire environment became very solemn, seemingly as if even the atmosphere wasn't as relaxed as before.

Other than the outside of Sui Yuan being surrounded by a bunch of soldiers, even inside, there was a soldier standing guard at every three steps, and a sentry at every five steps. Aside from the soldiers that were outfitted with pikes, there were also the imperial guards with swords patrolling everywhere!

"Miss, this places is really tight now!" Qiao Zhu looked to those soldiers and exclaimed.

"The competition this time not only concerns the few countries' honor, those students' safety is further important. If any mishap occurs to the students from another country during the competition period, our country needs to bear the responsibility." Du Xiao Li explained, then thinking again, she added, "If anything happens, our Sui Yuan definitely won't be able to escape the blame. That's why during this period, everyone needs to all be more alert."

"Yes, Miss." Xia Yuan and them simultaneously answered.