People in the Game
The hustle and bustle of the autumn hunt gradually settled in the dust of Suzaku Street as the imperial carriage returned. In the late autumn of the imperial capital, the morning mist was filled with a chill that penetrated the bones.
Shen Qingyan walked out of the house in the dim morning light. The bluestone road was wet, reflecting the skylight. He walked steadily, as usual.
Walking through the streets, the hustle and bustle of teahouses and taverns could be faintly heard, and there was even the rhythmic voice of a storyteller, mixed with a few lines of poems he had written during the autumn hunt, which were sung by curious people.
He did not stop and did not look around, as if the protagonist of the poem was not himself. His handsome profile was quiet in the morning light.
The gate of the Hanlin Academy is still elegant, with lush pines and cypresses, and the air is filled with the familiar scent of pine smoke, ink and old books. However, when he stepped in today, Shen Qingyan keenly noticed a difference.
"Oh, Shen Tanhua is here!" The new top scholar Zhou Wenyuan put down the pen in his hand, with a smile on his face, but there was no warmth in his eyes.
"I heard that Brother Shen's new work was being sung in the streets yesterday? Tsk, tsk, what a magnificent sight! We stayed behind to handle the paperwork and were unable to witness Her Royal Highness the Princess's divine majesty in person, but thanks to Brother Shen, we were able to experience it as if we were there in person."
Second-place finisher Li Yun also strolled over and said with a forced smile, "That's right. Brother Chen, accompanying the Emperor, witnessed the entire Autumn Hunting Ceremony and was even fortunate enough to witness Princess Mingzhu's remarkable archery prowess. This opportunity is truly enviable. We've studied diligently for decades, fought hard for the Palace Examination, and thought passing the imperial examination would be the path to success. But now it seems Brother Chen's success is much faster than winning the Emperor's favor and ascending to the top in one step."
Several scholars around them also stopped what they were doing, their eyes wandering between the three of them, and the air was filled with silent mockery.
Shen Qingyan pretended not to hear anything and walked straight to his desk, spread out the paper, ground the ink and picked up the pen. His posture was still calm, but the moment the tip of the pen hovered, it revealed the ripples in his heart.
Seeing that he had no reaction, Zhou Wenyuan became angry and raised his voice a few degrees: "Brother Shen, why are you so arrogant? We just want to learn a thing or two about how to take the shortcut to success. Is it true that Her Royal Highness Princess Mingzhu favors you as people say..."
Before he could utter the more explicit words, a high-pitched, shrill voice suddenly rang out from outside the Hanlin Academy: "The imperial edict has arrived. Shen Qingyan, the editor of the Hanlin Academy, is here to receive it!"
The room was completely silent.
Everyone looked up in astonishment, only to see a middle-aged eunuch in crimson eunuch's uniform, holding a bright yellow scroll, walking in proudly, surrounded by a group of eunuchs. He had a pale face and no beard, and a solemn expression.
Shen Qingyan's heart trembled. He immediately stood up, straightened his clothes, walked quickly to the open space in the courtyard, lifted his robe and knelt down: "Your Highness, Shen Qingyan, respectfully listens to the imperial edict!"
The eunuch unfolded the imperial edict, and his sharp voice echoed clearly over the silent Hanlin Academy: "By the grace of Heaven and the Mandate of Heaven, I decree: Shen Qingyan, the editor of the Hanlin Academy, is a man of brilliant literary talent and quick wit. He has served the Emperor on the autumn hunt and has made outstanding contributions. He is hereby promoted to the position of Chief Clerk of Princess Mingzhu's Palace, and concurrently serves as Acting Governor of Mingzhou. He will assist the Princess in managing palace affairs and assisting in the administration of Mingzhou. I hope you will serve diligently and live up to my expectations. This is my decree!"
"Your servant Shen Qingyan accepts the imperial edict and expresses his gratitude! Long live the emperor!" Shen Qingyan raised his hands high, took the heavy imperial edict, and spoke in a steady voice.
He was a seventh-rank editor and jumped to the fifth-rank deputy driver!
The princess' words actually saved him ten years of hard study!
This heavy imperial edict was the first real power that Princess Mingzhu had seized for him and herself after her plan under the moonlight. Her victory now became a solid stepping stone for him.
After the imperial edict was announced, the courtyard was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Zhou Wenyuan, Li Yun and others who were just spouting sarcastic remarks suddenly turned pale, their eyes filled with disbelief and shock.
Fifth rank! And a powerful provincial position! They were still working their way up through the Imperial Academy, while Shen Qingyan had already stepped into the shoes of a local official, holding real power. This huge disparity was like an invisible slap in the face, slapping them hard and burning with pain.
The eunuch who announced the decree glanced at everyone expressionlessly and said to Shen Qingyan, "Sir Shen, congratulations. His Majesty has ordered that you go to the Princess's residence immediately to take over the affairs of Mingzhou without delay."
"I obey your order. Thank you, eunuch." Shen Qingyan bowed again and stood up.
As soon as the eunuchs who announced the imperial edict left, the Hanlin Academy was in an uproar.
Someone suddenly woke up from a dream and squeezed forward, their faces filled with flattering smiles: "Oh! Congratulations, Lord Shen! Congratulations, Lord Shen! Lord Shen is young and promising, and he is favored by the emperor and appreciated by Her Royal Highness the Princess. He has a bright future."
"Yes, yes! Brother Shen... no, Lord Shen! When you become successful in the future, don't forget to support your classmates."
"Although Mingzhou is not the central capital, it is an important training ground. Lord Shen will surely achieve great things when he goes there!"
Compliments poured in like a tide. Shen Qingyan remained calm as he returned the compliments one by one, neither humble nor overbearing.
However, a sudden sneer came from the corner, drowning out the noise.
It was Zhou Wenyuan. His face was livid, his eyes blazing with jealousy. He raised his voice in a sarcastic tone, "Oh! Lord Shen is truly a master! No wonder he's been granted such a privilege. Princess Mingzhu is incredibly beautiful, and Lord Shen is so handsome and refined. As the Chief Clerk in the Princess's mansion, I'm sure he'll be able to win the heart of the Princess, become her lover, and listen to her teachings day and night, right? This path to fame is truly unique, using your beauty to please someone, quite..."
"How dare you!" he shouted.
Before he finished speaking, everyone saw a flash of light. Shen Qingyan, who had been silent and forbearing until then, stepped in front of Zhou Wenyuan. His usually gentle and calm face was now filled with unprecedented anger.
"Bang!" A heavy punch hit Zhou Wenyuan's face, which was distorted by jealousy!
The force was so great that Zhou Wenyuan, who was caught off guard, screamed and staggered back a few steps, knocking over the desk behind him. The pens, ink, paper and inkstone were scattered all over the floor. He covered his nose which was swollen and bleeding in an instant, and fell to the ground in a miserable state, looking at the completely different Shen Qingyan in front of him in horror.
The whole yard was dead silent.
Everyone was stunned, watching this scene in disbelief. A scholar renowned for his talent and scholarship actually assaulted someone in public in such a prestigious place as the Hanlin Academy?!
Shen Qingyan's chest heaved violently. He shook his numb finger bones and looked down at the embarrassed Zhou Wenyuan on the ground. "Zhou Wenyuan! Princess Mingzhu is a royal princess, a descendant of the royal family. How can you let a scoundrel like you sully her with your dirty words? If you dare to say another word of nonsense, I, Shen Qingyan, will give up my fame and fortune to tear your mouth apart."
The resounding rebuke silenced the entire Hanlin Academy. Zhou Wenyuan, shocked, angry, and terrified, pointed at Shen Qingyan and muttered, "You...you..." for a long time, unable to form a complete sentence. Li Yun and the others were even more hushed, not daring to even breathe.
This earth-shattering conflict quickly alerted the head of the Hanlin Academy. The serious nature of the matter, involving the princess's reputation and a brawl with an imperial official, made the head of the academy unsure of his own actions and had to hand both men over to the Crown Prince.
Crown Prince Ning Yanqing was reviewing memorials when he heard this, and his brows furrowed.
Mingzhu is the apple of his father's eye. If this matter is not handled properly, and it gets to his father's ears, or is used by someone with ulterior motives, the consequences will be disastrous. He did not dare to make a decision on his own and immediately got up and went to the emperor's bedroom.
There was a strong aroma of medicine in the bedroom.
Emperor Ning Hong leaned on the soft pillow, looking slightly more energetic than the previous two days, but his face was still pale. After listening to the prince's report, especially Zhou Wenyuan's vicious words "using beauty to serve people" and "being a guest in the curtain", the emperor's gray face was instantly covered with a layer of frost.
"Asshole!" The emperor's voice was hoarse, but filled with thunderous anger. "How can such a filthy villain discuss my pearl? Ahem..."
A sudden cough interrupted his words, and Fu'an hurried forward to pat his back. The emperor, catching his breath, his eyes icy as a knife: "Pass on my command! Hanlin Academy editor Zhou Wenyuan has evil intentions, speaks foul language, and slanders the princess. This is disrespectful to civil society and unfit for office! Immediately strip him of his official title, demote him to the status of a commoner, and exile him to Qiongzhou in Lingnan. Never to be employed again, and escorted out of the capital without delay!"
"Your son obeys your order." The prince's heart trembled. Qiongzhou is a smoke-filled and miasma-ridden place, thousands of miles away. As expected, his father's protection of Mingzhu would not tolerate any encroachment.
Wasn't this drastic measure meant to establish Mingzhu's authority? It meant to make it clear to everyone that, even though she was about to marry far away, she was still the Princess Mingzhu, personally appointed by the Emperor. No one could touch her!
The emperor's gaze turned to Shen Qingyan, who stood respectfully with his hands lowered. He took a breath, then looked at the young man recommended by his daughter with a complicated expression: "Shen Qingyan."
"I am here."
"You're fine." The emperor's voice deepened, a hint of fatigue in it, yet remarkably clear. "You know how to protect your master, you're courageous and responsible. Mingzhu didn't misjudge you."
He paused, his gaze growing deep and serious. "Remember your position. You are the Chief Clerk of Princess Mingzhu's mansion, personally appointed by me as the Deputy Governor of Mingzhou, and even more so, Mingzhu's own! I entrust the affairs of her fiefdom to you because I trust you. Treat her well, assist her wholeheartedly, and protect her for me. Do you understand?"
The last three words carry a lot of weight.
Shen Qingyan's heart was shaken. He knelt deeply, his forehead touching the cold gold brick. He said with great determination: "Your Majesty, I, Shen Qingyan, will remember your majesty's teachings and will do my best to live up to the princess's kindness and your majesty's trust!"
The name "Mingzhu's man" completely severed the last tenuous connection between him and the Hanlin elite, and tied him firmly to Ning Lingyi's chariot.
Her trust and support are his only reliance at this moment.
Coming out of the Emperor's chambers, the late autumn afternoon sun pierced Shen Qingyan's eyes, causing him to squint slightly. He clutched the fate-altering imperial edict in his hand, his knuckles still aching from the punch he had just delivered.
There is probably no other person who is a fifth-rank official at the age of nineteen since the founding of the Great Southern Dynasty. This honor was given by Princess Mingzhu.
He subconsciously raised his head, his gaze passing over the towering eaves of the palaces, looking far into the distance in a certain direction deep within the imperial palace. There was Xuehan Palace, the residence of Princess Mingzhu.
The sunlight fell on his young face, reflecting an unprecedented determination.
Your Highness Mingzhu, I, Shen Qingyan, am willing to be the sword in your Highness's hand and clear away the thorns on the road ahead. This aspiration is witnessed by heaven and earth!
He took a deep breath, straightened his back, and prepared to go to the princess's mansion. Just as he walked down the white marble steps and reached the corner of the palace road, the scene not far ahead made him pause.
The eunuch in red robes who had just announced the decree was standing solemnly under the palace wall with two burly imperial guards. In front of them, a figure in the green robe of a seventh-rank editor was kneeling on the cold stone floor in a daze, shaking all over - it was Zhou Wenyuan!
The eunuch's expressionless face unfolded another scroll of bright yellow imperial edict. His sharp voice, piercing the empty palace passage, sounded especially cold: "Hanlin Academy editor Zhou Wenyuan has evil intentions, speaks foul language, slanders the imperial family, and defames civil society. He is unfit to be an official. He is immediately stripped of his official title and rank, demoted to the status of a commoner, and exiled to the smoky, malaria-ridden land of Lingnan and Qiongzhou. He will never be employed again. He must be escorted out of the capital without delay! This is my decree."
"No, no, no, no!" Zhou Wenyuan suddenly raised his head, his face drained of all color, pale as paper. In those eyes that were once filled with jealousy, there was only great fear. "Eunuch! Your Majesty, I know I was wrong! I was confused for a moment! I will never dare to do it again! Your Majesty, please have mercy on me, please have mercy!"
His tears were streaming down his face, his voice was hoarse and shrill, and he kowtowed desperately, soon breaking his forehead. Blood mixed with tears flowed down, staining the bluestone red. He looked so miserable, how could he still look like a noble Hanlin?
Exiled to Qiongzhou, never to be employed again! His fame and official position were destroyed in a single day. Ten years of hard study and a promising future were all undone by that momentary outburst of words and that shameful jealousy, bringing with them the utter disgrace and humiliation of his entire family.
Shen Qingyan stood quietly not far away, taking in the entire scene.
His expression was calm, showing neither gloating nor pity or sympathy.
In the shadow of the palace walls, several low-ranking officials were whispering, "See? This is what happens when you offend Princess Mingzhu..."
"Who says it's not? Zhou Wenyuan is also stupid. Even though the princess has married far away, His Majesty still has this feeling in his heart. How can you treat her so casually?"
"Tsk tsk, what a thundering move! Killing a chicken to scare the monkeys! Who will dare to look down on the person from Xue Han Palace from now on? This Shen Qingyan has found a golden thigh. Although it is a long way to go, it is also a road to heaven..."
These discussions floated clearly into Shen Qingyan's ears, and he understood clearly.
The difference between a step to heaven and a step to the abyss is sometimes just a thought away, and the change of this "one thought" is the mind of the emperor.
Shen Qingyan didn't look back. He walked through the long palace corridor, the cold wind blowing his collar.
A copper coin is thrown down, and both sides are turned over in the hands of power.
At this moment, Shen Qingyan has decided to become the copper coin in Ning Lingyi's hand, and to carve out a bloody path for her and himself in this chess game of power.
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