Chapter 196 [VIP]

Half a month later, the results of the provincial examination came out. Chen Qingsong ranked seventy-third, and the next day he ranked sixty-seventh in the palace examination, which was in the second class.

This result was within the expectations of the two older brothers; it wasn't particularly good or bad, just a normal performance. With this, the Chen family had produced four Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) across two generations—who wouldn't say their ancestors were incredibly lucky!

Wang Ying specially prepared two banquet tables to entertain relatives and friends in the capital. She will also hold a continuous banquet when Qingsong returns to Jizhou.

Second-class graduates had priority in choosing their positions. Most of them chose to return to their hometowns to develop their careers. Of course, some wanted to work in wealthy areas, mostly Yangzhou and Suzhou. However, there were few good positions available in those places, and it was difficult to advance unless one had a powerful family backing them.

Chen Qingsong didn't have any grand ambitions. His wish was simply to return to Jizhou, stay with his mother, elder sister, and classmates, and live a leisurely life. So, as soon as the palace examination ended, he set off back to Jizhou. Chen Qingyan and Chen Qinghuai couldn't get leave, so they could only wait until the end of the year to go back.

After my younger brother left, the house returned to its usual state. In mid-March, as the weather gradually warmed up, the vegetable business began to slow down.

Wang Ying took some time to go to Madam Xing's house to settle the bill. When she arrived, the embroiderer was measuring Madam Xing's clothes. Wealthy families all kept embroiderers, and clothes had to be tailored for each season.

"Young Master Chen has arrived."

"Greetings, Madam."

"Sit down, Xi'er, make a pot of tea."

"No need to trouble yourself." Wang Ying sat awkwardly on the stool next to her, watching the embroiderer take the measurements, record the numbers, and leave.

Madam Xing walked over and said, "It's time to settle the bill today."

"Yes, thanks to Madam for taking care of the business these past few years."

“Not at all. You sell the vegetables to me, and I make money too. It’s a win-win situation for both of us. Zhang Ma, go and call the accountant over.”

Before long, the manor's accountant arrived with the ledger. Madam Xing, being a straightforward person, picked up the ledger and handed it to Wang Ying, saying, "Young Master Chen, please take a look and see if there are any errors or omissions."

Wang Ying quickly flipped through two pages. The accountant's records were even more detailed than her own. She put down the account book and said, "Madam is meticulous in her work and there are no mistakes."

"That's good. I'll write a note later, and you can take it to the bank to collect the silver yourself."

"Thank you, Madam."

The vegetables they sold that winter, converted into silver, amounted to over 1,700 taels of silver, enough for their family to live comfortably in the capital and for social obligations.

After writing the note, Madam Xing hesitated for a long time before speaking, "We've been doing business together for several years. I think you're a good person and you're straightforward in your work, so I'm just quietly giving you a few words of advice."

Wang Ying was taken aback and quickly said, "Please speak, Madam!"

"Someone's interested in your land."

No one paid any attention to the hilltop that Wang Ying rented in the first year, but when he transported vegetables to the city in the second year, people inquired about it privately. They learned that his husband was on duty at the Hanlin Academy, so many merchants gave up their plans, since the common people could not fight against the officials.

However, the person who coveted his land this time was no ordinary person; it was Princess Kang. Upon learning that there was a warm spring on the estate, she wanted to claim it and build a villa there, so she could move there in the winter.

After repeatedly inquiring about Wang Ying from Madam Xing, Madam Xing had no choice but to tell her about Wang Ying.

"Take my advice. This deal is profitable, but it's too conspicuous. If Princess Kang wants it, then give it to her. Just don't anger Prince Kang for a little money."

"Thank you for your advice, Madam. However, this land is rented by me. If Your Highness wants it, I'm afraid you'll have to discuss it with the owner."

Madam Xing: "Don't worry about those things. You're smart, and I'm sure you know what to do without me having to remind you. I won't say anything more. If there's an opportunity in the future, we can do business again."

Leaving the Minister of Personnel's residence, Wang Ying felt extremely uneasy. Although the experimental fields could be moved back at any time, she was still annoyed. She had finally gotten the business up and running, but before she had earned much money, she had to start all over again.

After returning home, Wang Ying told Chen Qingyan about it.

"Forget it, we are too weak to contend with Prince Kang. If we take back the experimental fields, he will only get a barren mountain."

Despite this, Wang Ying was still furious. "That Princess Consort Kang is so short-sighted. She's just a nobody from a small hill with a warm spring, and she's already eyeing a mere one or two thousand strings of silver a year. Does the vast Prince Kang's mansion really need such a small amount of money?"

Chen Qingyan patted his hand and said, "I'll be transferred soon, and my salary will increase accordingly. We can tighten our belts a bit."

"Have you decided where to go?"

Chen Qingyan shook his head, "It should have been decided by now, but there's been no news. We don't know what the higher-ups decided, so we can only wait."

"Where is my second brother?"

"He's already decided to go to the Ministry of Revenue, starting as the head of the granary department, a seventh-rank official." It takes at least ten years to climb from the seventh rank to the fifth rank, no wonder Qinghuai wanted to be transferred out.

Time flew by and it was already the end of March. Sure enough, the Prince Kang's mansion sent someone over to discuss the matter of that mountain.

The person who came was just a steward from Prince Kang's residence. He spoke arrogantly and looked down on people, acting as if he were the most important person in the world. "Our princess said that she has her eye on that piece of land and has already bought it from the original owner. The contract you signed before is no longer valid."

"However, considering that you have managed that mountain area well, the rent will be waived." After saying this, he had his servant bring over fifty strings of cash.

Wang Ying was furious inside, but she still had to force a smile on her face. "Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness. I will leave this land to Your Highness to manage. I will have the servants return tomorrow."

The manager snorted and left with his men.

Wang Ying accepted the money while cursing. She had originally planned to take back the experimental field ahead of time, but now she would wait until Princess Kang finished building the villa before taking it back, so that her efforts would be in vain!

The next day, Wang Ying ordered Chen Zhandong to bring all his men back.

Chen Zhandong kept lamenting, "Such a beautiful warm spring, and they just took it all. If we had known this would happen, we should have bought this whole mountain back then."

Wang Ying said, "Even if we buy it, we can't hold onto it. Those in high positions of power can just ask us a question."

"So what should we do now?"

"Don't pick the vegetables in the field. That Princess Kang is petty and will only make things difficult for Qingyan if she blames you. Anyway, the vegetable business won't be good when the weather gets warmer, so leaving them won't cost us much money. We can find other business to do later."

"yes."

After purchasing the hilltop, Princess Kang sent people to renovate it, removing the vegetables that had been planted and replacing them with a bunch of flowers and plants.

Because of the warm spring, the surrounding area remained lush and green even in winter. Princess Kang couldn't wait to have her servants start building the villa, sparing no expense, and it took only a few months to complete its basic structure.

Wang Ying secretly went to the experimental field several times at night. This Princess Kang was really willing to spend money. The house was made entirely of old oil pine, and the furniture was made of nanmu wood.

Seeing that the construction was almost complete, Wang Ying quietly took the experimental field back.

The experimental field is well hidden; it doesn't suddenly disappear into thin air, but rather the terrain changes slowly over time, making it unnoticed by those around it.

The flow of the warm spring gradually decreased until it stopped flowing altogether. The fertile land was washed away by the rain, and all the flowers and plants planted on it withered and died.

By the time the villa was completed, this place had returned to its original bare state!

The steward dared not tell the princess, for if he told her that so much money had been spent, he feared he would be punished.

This was kept secret until August. Princess Kang couldn't wait any longer and inquired about the progress of the villa's construction. The steward made excuses, saying it wasn't finished yet.

Princess Kang angrily rebuked, "It's been five months and it's still not finished! What are these servants doing?!"

The manager stammered and dared not speak.

"Never mind, let's go see how the construction is going." The next day, she went to the villa with Prince Kang. She had thought it would be a lush and green mountain courtyard, but it turned out to be a desolate rocky mountain! The huge courtyard stood out awkwardly among the rocks, looking quite ridiculous.

Princess Kang was so angry she almost fainted. She had spent tens of thousands of taels of silver on water tickets. She immediately dismissed the steward and sent people to dig for a warm spring, but they dug until winter without finding any hot water and had to abandon the villa in the end.

This incident became a laughing stock in Kyoto. Every time it was mentioned, everyone burst into laughter. Princess Kang, who usually bullied and tyrannized the market because of her status, had now suffered a loss she could not speak of.

Time flew by and it was mid-August. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the colleagues in the Hanlin Academy were transferred to other departments one after another. Only Chen Qingyan remained in the Hanlin Academy, working with the newly arrived Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations).

He had also inquired at the Ministry of Personnel, but there was still no news. With the transfer deadline approaching and no official matters settled, Chen Qingyan had no choice but to visit Lord Liu's residence.

Liu Yaozhi seemed to have anticipated his arrival and showed no surprise upon seeing Chen Qingyan. He led him to the study and asked, "You've come for official business, haven't you?"

"Yes, all my colleagues have been transferred, and I am the only one left in the Hanlin Academy. But what have I done wrong that made His Majesty keep me here..."

Liu Yaozhi waved his hand, "You're wrong, Qingyan. It's not that you did a bad job, but that you did too well, which is why we kept you here."

Chen Qingyan looked puzzled. "This humble official does not understand. I hope you will explain, sir."

"Are you aware that in recent years, powerful families in the court have begun to court overtures to newly promoted officials?"

Chen Qingyan nodded. Some people had tried to win him over before, but his stance was clear: he had always stood on the side of the Qingliu faction.

"The Qingliu faction is the sword in His Majesty's hand. The aristocratic families are timid but helpless. They can only feel at ease when they dull this sword. Originally, His Majesty intended to transfer you to the Ministry of Personnel to help me. Unexpectedly, seven or eight ministers strongly opposed it."

Liu Yaozhi smiled helplessly and said, "Your sharp edge is too overwhelming; it scared them."

Chen Qingyan understood immediately. After a moment's thought, he stood up and said, "In that case, I will pack my things and prepare for my post outside the capital."

Liu Yaozhi patted him on the shoulder, "Go out and gain experience for a few years. I believe that your skills will only become sharper with practice, and sooner or later you will cut down those pests."

After returning home, Chen Qingyan told Wang Ying about it, saying, "We might have to move away from Kyoto and go to another place with me."

Wang Ying was also aware of the risks involved. At present, Chen Qingyan's power was not yet fully developed, and if he stayed in the capital, he would probably be destroyed by the powerful families before he could gain any influence.

"It's fine to be transferred to another place. My vegetable business has just failed anyway. Business is not good in Kyoto. Maybe it will be much more convenient to go to another place. Have you decided where you want to go?"

Chen Qingyan hesitated for a moment before saying, "I want to go to Shanzhou."

"Shanzhou? Why go there?"

"Although it's harsh and cold there, there's room for development and a good chance of advancement. Besides, we have Uncle Si's connections and resources, so we should be able to adapt quickly."

Therefore, Shanzhou does seem like a good choice.

A note from the author: