The emperor and his subjects get along well with each other
Accompanied by the cool night breeze outside the bedroom, Ning Lingyi paced aimlessly in a secluded corner of the palace, subconsciously avoiding the hustle and bustle of the banquet.
Before she knew it, she had reached a quiet high ground where she could see the banquet venue.
Beside a stone table, a figure in a green robe sat alone. Before him lay a cup of tea, not a wine cup. He tilted his head slightly upwards, gazing at the bright moon in the night sky. His profile was elegant, yet his demeanor hinted at a sense of marginalization and loneliness.
Shen Qingyan?
Ning Lingyi's heart moved slightly.
I had just mentioned him to my father, and now he was here alone? My father's tacit approval was still ringing in my ears. This was a godsend.
She no longer hesitated, moved her feet slightly, and walked straight towards the quiet corner.
The footsteps startled Shen Qingyan.
He turned his head and saw who was coming. A trace of surprise that was hard to conceal flashed across his eyes. Then he quickly stood up and bowed, his posture respectful but still clear and elegant like a scholar. "Your humble servant, Shen Qingyan, pays homage to Her Royal Highness the Princess."
"No need to be so polite, Mr. Chen." Ning Lingyi walked to the other side of the stone table and sat down, her eyes sweeping over the lonely cup of tea in front of him. "Why didn't Mr. Tanhua come to the banquet? Are you dissatisfied with the noise at the banquet?"
Shen Qingyan sat down again, his posture still calm, and a faint, self-deprecating arc appeared at the corner of his lips: "Your Highness, it's not that I dislike the noise. It's just that I've been suffering from a cold recently and can't drink. Besides, the banquet is so noisy that I'm afraid it will disturb the leisure of my colleagues."
What he did not say explicitly was that ever since that memorial fell into oblivion, his situation in the Hanlin Academy had been delicate. Rather than feeling the invisible barrier at the table, it would be better for him to enjoy the peace and quiet at this moment.
He met Ning Lingyi's gaze calmly and asked gently, "Besides, isn't His Highness here too?"
He looked at her, thinking of the recent rumors about her in the palace, and recalling her stunning arrow shot during the autumn hunt.
His rhetorical question actually made Ning Lingyi's tense heartstrings relax a little.
Yes, they are all fleeing from the false excitement.
"Elegant mood?" Ning Lingyi repeated softly, her eyes cast towards the bright moon in the sky, her tone carrying a barely perceptible ambiguity, "How easy is that?"
How could there be true peace in the center of a storm? The two of them fell silent for a moment, the only sound being the rustling of leaves in the night wind. The atmosphere was subtle, but not awkward.
Ning Lingyi withdrew her gaze and looked at Shen Qingyan again. Under the moonlight, he was dressed in a clean blue shirt, with clear eyes and eyebrows, and had the unique character of a scholar.
This person might really become her first subject.
"Tanhua Shen," Ning Lingyi began, deciding to get straight to the point. "I heard that your essay in the palace examination was a sharp criticism of current issues, with unique insights, which earned the emperor's praise. I wonder if Tanhua has any ambition to serve the country? What are your aspirations?"
Shen Qingyan's expression straightened when he heard this. He hadn't expected Princess Mingzhu to ask this so directly at this moment and in this place.
My heart moved slightly. This princess was indeed not as obedient as she appeared to be.
After a brief pause, he gazed into the distant night, his voice clear and firm: "Your Highness, I have studied diligently behind the clear inkstone and cold window, hoping to use what I have learned to assist a wise ruler and bring peace to the people. If I could one day hold a position at the heart of government, ensuring clear and transparent government and a peaceful and prosperous society, then I would have lived up to all I have learned."
"Be at the core and support the country." Ning Lingyi repeated softly.
"Tanhua Lang has lofty ambitions, which is admirable. However..." She changed the subject, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Now that you are a poet, writing eulogies is noble, but it is still a long way from the political center. How do you plan to reach that point step by step?"
Shen Qingyan looked at Ning Lingyi.
Both the princess and he had, to some extent, tried to fight against the unfair trend, even though the results were in vain. However, they were fortunate that there were people in the world who shared the same aspirations.
He smiled calmly, "Your Highness is right. The road to the imperial court is long and arduous. Qingyan knows that his influence is insignificant, so he can only stick to his heart and wait and see what happens."
"Wait and see what happens?" Ning Lingyi glanced at him and finally threw out the bait. "What if I could offer you a different path? A path where you don't have to endure the hardship of studying in the Imperial Academy, but can take charge of a region and realize your ambitions?"
Shen Qingyan looked quietly at the princess in front of him. He suddenly remembered her heroic posture of drawing the bow and shooting the tiger during the autumn hunt, which was exactly the same as at this moment.
He was silent for a few breaths, his voice still steady, but with a hint of deep inquiry: "Your Highness, what do you mean by this? Qingyan would like to hear the details."
He already knew in his heart that this might be the "variable" he was waiting for, someone who, like him, was unwilling to surrender.
Ning Lingyi's heartbeat quickened slightly. She knew that this was the most crucial step.
"I have a fiefdom, Mingzhou," she said. "Although it's not a wealthy or large province, it's located in the southeast and is quite important. I'm still short of a chief secretary to oversee all the affairs of the princess's residence, both internally and externally, and to assist with the correspondence between the fiefdom and the princess."
"I can petition the Emperor to allow you to take on the position of Chief Clerk of the Princess's Palace and concurrently serve as Deputy Governor of Mingzhou, assisting in the management of state affairs. The prerequisite is that you are willing to serve me."
"Mingzhou Beijia?" Shen Qingyan's mind was in turmoil.
He was really surprised that a princess, who he had thought was doomed to die, could actually plan and try to turn things around.
"That's right." Ning Lingyi struck while the iron was hot and outlined a blueprint. "Although Mingzhou isn't a central city, it's an excellent place for you to truly gain experience and accumulate achievements. It's better than wasting your time and talents in the Hanlin Academy. Isn't this a practical path?"
She looked at him and said, "Your wish is to help the wise ruler and bring peace to the people. This is not contrary to what I want."
Under the moonlight, Shen Qingyan looked at the person in front of him.
If he had sympathized with her before, now they were king and his subject, so he needed to be cautious when boarding this ship.
"Your Highness is so kind, Qingyan... I'm grateful." He spoke carefully, looking directly into Ning Lingyi's eyes, his tone more serious than ever before. "Why did Your Highness choose me? What do you need Qingyan to do?"
He wanted to know what kind of loyalty he would need to show on this seemingly easy road, and what kind of plans she had.
Ning Lingyi met his gaze without dodging at all.
She needed an ally, someone smart, ambitious, and at least sympathetic to her situation, and at this moment, she had to show sincerity.
"I chose you not only because your essay for the palace examination showed concern for the suffering of the people, but also because I felt you might understand the plight of women like me who are helpless."
"Mingzhou will be your foundation, and it must also become my last resort in the Southern Dynasty. I want you to manage it for me, making it a place where my mother can rely on in the capital, no matter what happens to me in the northern border. This will also allow you to accumulate the capital to enter the core. If possible, you can make a career in the court."
She withdrew her gaze and looked directly at Shen Qingyan, extending a final invitation and also pointing out their future mutual dependence: "This road is difficult, like walking on a cliff. Shen Tanhua, are you willing to walk this road with me?"
Shen Qingyan fell silent. He looked at the princess before him, his heart surging with emotion. He understood all her hidden meanings—her unwillingness, her schemes, her entrustment.
He remembered the burned memorial and his former powerlessness.
Now, a person who is equally unwilling to accept his fate reaches out to him and gives him the starting point he has always dreamed of.
Should he continue to "wait and see" in the Hanlin Academy, or take on this double-edged sword that is linked to the princess's fate and step into a chess game with an uncertain future but the possibility of truly realizing his ideals?
The night wind blew across their clothes, and Ning Lingyi's palms were slightly sweaty.
Finally, Shen Qingyan slowly stood up and bowed deeply to Ning Lingyi.
He said in a deep voice, "Your Highness has trusted me deeply. Qingyan is deeply grateful. If Your Highness does not abandon me, Qingyan is willing to serve you wholeheartedly and do my best to govern Mingzhou. I will definitely live up to Your Highness's trust!"
Done!
She had finally taken the first step successfully! Shen Qingyan was the first capable person she had personally recruited!
Ning Lingyi felt relieved, and finally revealed a genuine smile: "Okay! Chen Tanhua, no, Shen Biejia, I believe you!"
The relationship between the ruler and his subjects began from then on.
Back in the bedroom, the lights were warm and Concubine Yu was still waiting under the lamp.
Seeing her daughter return, she couldn't hide her relief. She put down the book in her hand and asked softly, "Yier?"
Ning Lingyi quickly walked over to her mother and sat down beside her. She lowered her voice, unable to conceal her excitement, "Mother, I met Shen Qingyan, and he agreed to serve me."
A flash of understanding flashed across Concubine Yu's eyes, but then her expression grew serious. She held her daughter's hand, tightening her grip slightly: "Lingyi, now that this matter has been settled, we can't wait any longer. If we delay, things might change."
Ning Lingyi's heart trembled, and she nodded solemnly: "Daughter understands."
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