vying for favor
The sunlight inside the palace walls always comes later than outside. By the time the warmth shines through the high windows and falls on the golden brick floor of Minyou Hall, it is almost noon.
When Su Qingfan entered the hall holding the note, he immediately saw Ning Lingyi leaning over the desk.
Sunlight streamed through the high windows, landing just enough on half of her face, making her complexion appear somewhat translucent and leaving a faint shadow beneath her eyes. She held the red brush, but for a long time, she didn't let it go, her gaze fixed on the memorial. The densely packed handwriting seemed to weave a web, trapping her within.
Ning Lingyi has been busy non-stop for nearly two months, sleeping only three hours a day, tormenting herself and refusing to let go.
Su Qingfan knew in her heart that she was extremely bitter and in pain, and could only numb herself in this way.
Su Qingfan's footsteps became even lighter, and he quietly put the memorial aside. He then took a few steps forward and said softly, "Your Majesty."
Ning Lingyi heard the voice, her eyelashes moved slightly, and she slowly raised her head.
Su Qingfan met her somewhat bewildered gaze, his heart aching. He said gently, "These official duties won't be finished in a moment. Your Majesty, why don't you take a break? The sun is shining brightly outside, and the spring scenery in the Imperial Garden is becoming more and more vibrant. Yingxue is on duty today and is waiting outside. Your Majesty, would you like to move and take a short walk to relax?"
She knew that His Majesty was concerned about the world and could not forget the matter of Emperor Cheng Lie. He had never really relaxed for a moment, but being too rigid would easily lead to failure. She saw it with her own eyes and was worried in her heart. Today, no matter what, she had to persuade His Majesty to take a break from the mountain of documents.
Ning Lingyi looked at the concern in her eyes and sighed inwardly. She couldn't bear to reject such kindness.
"Okay." Ning Lingyi stood up, her body slightly stagnant from sitting for so long, "Let's go get some fresh air."
In the Imperial Garden, spring is in full swing.
The palace servants had already received the news, and they quickly set up brocade cushions and low tables in the open pavilion facing the water, and prepared warm fragrant tea and some light snacks.
There were also clever eunuchs who directed the young eunuchs to move dozens of pots of spring orchids, azaleas, crabapples and other seasonal flowers in full bloom to the periphery of the pavilion. They were arranged in a staggered manner, in a riot of colour, and instantly made the waterside pavilion full of vitality.
Warm sunlight bathed her body, a gentle breeze carrying the fragrance of flowers and plants caressed her face. Ning Lingyi leaned back in the cushioned chair, took the tea offered by Su Qingfan, sipped it gently, and listened to Zhou Yingxue talk about the recent interesting events on the "Fiftyth Floor" in Shanshan City, how those women studied, how they discussed matters, how they quarreled over trivial matters, and how they finally reconciled...
"It seems that my decree has hit the mark unexpectedly and really given them a chance to survive." Ning Lingyi said softly, her eyes passing over a pot of crabapples in full bloom. Her thoughts seemed to drift to the distant western border, to that bright and fiery figure.
If the spirit of the Hai Nv is still alive, would she feel relieved to see the current scene of Shanshan City?
Before I could fully enjoy this moment of leisure, it was interrupted by a clear and laughing voice.
"Your Majesty has taken a moment to relax, how could you have forgotten me?"
Ning Lingyi looked in the direction of the voice and saw Shen Qingyan, dressed in an official robe, looking handsome and elegant, walking slowly along the road with his usual gentle smile on his face.
"Prime Minister Chen is well-informed." Ning Lingyi smiled, indicating that he didn't need to be polite. "I just came out to sit for a while. How could I disturb you while you were handling government affairs?"
"Your Majesty, what you said is alienating to me." Shen Qingyan walked in calmly, his eyes sweeping over the furnishings in the pavilion and the surrounding flowers, and said with a smile, "I just finished my urgent work, and when I heard that Your Majesty was here enjoying the spring, I had the audacity to come and join in the fun. Besides, I have had some free time recently and have picked up my old art and practiced the zither. I was just thinking of asking Your Majesty for some comments."
"Oh?" Ning Lingyi was genuinely surprised and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Prime Minister Chen is actually proficient in music? I only knew you were wise and decisive in handling affairs, but I've never heard of this refined hobby."
Shen Qingyan smiled slightly, and the eunuch had already cleverly brought over a guqin.
He washed his hands, burned incense, and sat before the zither. His expression was solemn, and his fingertips lightly plucked the strings, and gurgling music flowed out. The tune was the elegant "Yangchun," and his playing didn't sound outdated. His fingering was skillful, his artistic conception broad, and amidst the solemnity, a rare air of openness emerged, evidently a sign of painstaking effort.
The song ends, but the lingering sound remains.
Ning Lingyi clapped her hands and praised, "I didn't expect Prime Minister Chen to have such skills. Today I have really broadened my horizons. This zither is clear and unrestrained, with a sense of the charm of the forest."
Shen Qingyan lowered his collar and bowed, his tone calm but pointed, "Your Majesty, you are too kind. In the past, when state affairs were difficult, Your Majesty worked tirelessly day and night, and we, your servants, dared not slack off in the slightest, so naturally we had no time to worry about such trivial matters. Now that the overall situation has been settled, Your Majesty should rest a little, and we, your servants, can now display our strengths and help Your Majesty."
Ning Lingyi looked at his lowered eyes and understood.
Shen Qingyan and Nong Zi Shizheng had disagreements from time to time. His action today was simply to gain more weight in her heart and add another impression of a "refined scholar".
She smiled, but didn't point it out, and just said, "Minister Chen is thoughtful."
Just as the music of the zither had died down, another person appeared from the other end of the road, walking briskly. It was Nong Zishi.
He was holding a book in his hands, his face a look of servility. Seeing the situation in the pavilion, he paused slightly, then laughed out loud, "Great! Your Majesty, Lord Su, and Prime Minister Chen are gathering here. I've been looking for you for a while!"
He stepped forward and saluted, his eyes passing over Shen Qingyan and the guqin without any strange expression. He solemnly presented the book in his hand to Ning Lingyi: "Your Majesty, this old minister came here today because of this."
Ning Lingyi took it and saw four large, bony characters on the cover - "Farmer's Daily Lessons".
She opened the book and found that the content was written in very simple language, describing how to read and write common words, distinguish right from wrong, the key points of farming in four seasons, the prevention and treatment of common diseases, and even basic knowledge of arithmetic and laws. It was illustrated with pictures and was easy to understand.
"This is..." Ning Lingyi flipped through it carefully, with a look of surprise in her eyes.
If this book is promoted, it will be of great benefit in enlightening the people and improving their livelihood.
"Your Majesty," Nong Zishi said in a loud voice, with a hint of subtle pride, "This is the result of my visits to the countryside over the past few years, gathering knowledgeable people proficient in farming, medicine, and elementary education to compile it together."
"I wouldn't claim every word is a pearl, but I just hope it will help ordinary people learn a few words, understand more about things, be less deceived, and get some practical help in their livelihoods."
"Excellent book!" Ning Lingyi closed the book and praised it. "It's profound and easy to understand, and practical. If everyone in the world could learn a thing or two from this book, there would be no need to worry about people's livelihoods being in trouble."
Nong Zishi felt more inspired after receiving the affirmation and continued, "Your Majesty, although the national treasury is gradually filling up, we still have many expenses. I am afraid that we cannot afford to print this book on a large scale. I am willing to donate all my savings from my salary over the years. I earnestly ask Your Majesty to allow you to choose a convenient place in each prefecture to erect a stele and engrave it on stone, so that all people can freely view and copy it!"
Before Ning Lingyi could agree, he floated an even bolder idea: "Furthermore, I implore Your Majesty to issue a decree requiring that in the future, the selection of minor officials such as wardens and village heads in each prefecture must be based on the ability to recite and explain this book before they can take up their posts! Only in this way can education truly reach the countryside and be passed down from generation to generation, rather than just becoming a formality!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Su Qingfan beside him couldn't help but chuckle and teased, "This is a very good suggestion, Minister of Agriculture. However, if you do this, I'm afraid all the village heads and neighborhood heads in the world will secretly hate you. They usually have a leisurely life, but now they have to memorize books and take exams like children. Won't they complain?"
Nong Zishi heard this, but smiled calmly, not caring at all: "Master Su, you are joking. An official's duty is to benefit the people. Although the position of village head is low, it is also an official who is close to the people. If you are unwilling to read and cannot understand books that benefit the people like this, how can you be qualified for the job?"
"They hate me, Nong Zishi, but if I can gain the people's love for the court and Your Majesty in return, I, an old minister, will gladly accept it!"
Ning Lingyi was touched.
Shen Qingyan was fighting for influence in the court, while Nong Zishi was fighting for the eternal achievement of educating the people.
She nodded and said decisively, "Minister of Agriculture is fair-minded. I approve this. You will be fully responsible for supervising this matter. I will ask the Ministry of Revenue to cooperate with the required manpower and material resources."
"Old minister, I accept your order and thank you!" Nong Zishi bowed deeply, his face full of excitement at having his wish fulfilled.
After chatting for a while in the garden, the sun was setting and Ning Lingyi set off to return to the palace.
Shen Qingyan and Nong Zishi also took their leave.
Su Qingfan and Zhou Yingxue lagged behind a few steps and walked slowly along the palace road.
Zhou Yingxue thought back to today, especially the encounters between Prime Ministers Shen and Nong. She seemed lost in thought and asked softly, "Master Su, it seems to me that Prime Minister Shen and Prime Minister Nong's encounters today weren't entirely coincidental."
Su Qingfan stared ahead, a knowing smile playing on his lips as he whispered, "Of course it's not a coincidence. Your Majesty is so busy with affairs of state. You and I invited Your Majesty to enjoy the spring today. How could Ministers like Minister Chen and Minister Nong, who are so well-informed, not know about this? They're just looking for an excuse to come and compete for Your Majesty's favor."
"Competing for favor?" Zhou Yingxue frowned slightly. She had followed her father in business in Shanshan City for many years and was familiar with the grassroots practices, but she still felt a layer of distance from the subtle mentality between the high-level officials in the capital.
"That's right." Su Qingfan explained calmly, "Your Majesty is the ruler of the world and holds supreme authority. If a minister can gain more favor from Your Majesty, their position will be more stable, and their decrees will be implemented more smoothly."
"Prime Minister Chen is a master of political maneuvers, so he naturally knows how to showcase his talents at the right time to impress His Majesty. Prime Minister Nong cares deeply about the people's livelihood, so he must demonstrate tangible achievements. What you and I have witnessed today is only the tip of the iceberg of the political game at court."
Zhou Yingxue suddenly realized and murmured, "So that's how it is. Even figures like Prime Minister Shen and Prime Minister Nong are not immune to this."
"When water is too clear, there are no fish." Su Qingfan sighed softly, then his tone turned to relief. "Fortunately, Your Majesty has a wise heart and has not given rise to arrogance and pleasure. Instead, he has been able to use this to balance the court and promote government affairs. Otherwise, if you had a monarch who indulged in pleasure and was easily flattered, the trend of vying for favor would have led to a serious breakdown of the court order."
Su Qingfan paused, gazing at the towering palace in the twilight. His voice deepened with a subtle hint of fear, "By then, the mission we all aspire to: women establishing themselves and educating the people, will probably be... even more difficult."
Zhou Yingxue followed her gaze and saw the overlapping eaves and peaks, outlining a silent and huge outline in the darkening night. It carried supreme power, but also concealed endless temptations and risks.
She felt awe in her heart and asked softly, "Master Su, do we need to compete for favor like Minister Shen and Minister Nong?"
Su Qingfan retracted his gaze and looked at Zhou Yingxue, a smile on his lips: "Fight? No, we don't need to fight."
"Among all the nobles in the court, the ones least likely to betray Your Majesty are women like you and me."
"We all depend on Your Majesty. Without Your Majesty, how could we even have a place in this court? I'm afraid we'd be reduced to our former selves in an instant, or even die without a burial place."
"So, Yingxue, you just need to remember," Su Qingfan looked directly into Zhou Yingxue's eyes, his gaze sharp, "no matter how the situation changes in the future, you just need to follow His Majesty's heart and His Majesty's interests. His Majesty will naturally make the decision."
Zhou Yingxue nodded heavily and took today's "fighting for favor" lesson to heart.
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