Chapter 68 Why Did She Come?
The atmosphere at the Royal Academy was unusually tense today.
The results list, which should have been posted publicly, was not posted on time. Early in the morning, everyone was summoned to the front of the faculty building. Lu Jinlan and Xiang Ruzhen were called into the dean's office for a private talk, and the students were filled with anxiety.
Ling Zhaoren whispered, "I heard the examination hall caught fire last night. Was it those two who did it?"
Chu Yishu was surprised: "Really? Why burn down the examination hall? But it's such a pity you didn't invite me to such an exciting event."
Ling Zhaoren scoffed, "Hmph, I called you, and now you're inside too."
Zhao Zhiyu, still known as Yan Yu at the academy, looked around and asked, "Lewen, why isn't Wuxin here?"
Sun Lewen shook his head. "I don't know. I haven't seen a soul since early this morning. My heart is pounding; I have a feeling something bad is about to happen."
Sun Lewen clutched her chest anxiously. "Yan Yu, do you think the fact that they were called in might be related to the matter at the examination hall?"
Zhao Zhiyu frowned. "The exam papers for the academic year are stored in the marking building. It's of great importance. They'd better not be involved in this."
As Zhao Zhiyu said, this matter is of great importance. Inside the dean's office, Ling Zhixu looked worried.
“You’ve gone too far. You’ve offended almost every powerful force in the capital. It’s like you’ve ripped a hole in the sky. To be fair, you are the most outstanding students I’ve ever had. I want to see you achieve great success and become pillars of the nation. But this matter is too big. I’m sorry, I can’t protect you.”
Xiang Ruzhen said, "Dean, we are already very grateful that you would say that. You really don't need to apologize."
Lu Jinlan also said, "Although this year has not been long, we have caused you a lot of trouble. I know that you have always been tolerant of us in your own way. We did nothing wrong in this matter, we just failed. We have to bear the consequences of failure. We have no regrets and can bear all the blame. You can decide what to do."
Ling Zhixu's old eyes reddened. "The academy will expel you first, and then I will go to the palace to plead with the Emperor. I hope she can be lenient and not pursue the matter further, considering that you have already been expelled."
She patted the two of them on the shoulder, "Leaving the Royal Academy, you've lost a straight path to success. What a pity."
She looked at Xiang Ruzhen and touched her head with her aged hand. "Your future path will be even more difficult. If you encounter any difficulties, you can still come to me, and I will do my best to help you."
Xiang Ruzhen nodded, and Lu Jinlan said, "Don't worry, no matter what happens in the future, we will help and support each other. I will never let her be isolated and helpless."
Ling Zhixu nodded with a tearful smile, "Okay, I'll write two withdrawal notices. You can go out and wait."
The two walked outside, and the door closed again.
They exchanged a glance, then simultaneously lifted their skirts and knelt at the doorway, preparing to listen to the dean's instructions one last time.
The other students, bewildered, knelt down as well. A moment later, Ling Zhixu emerged from the room with two sheets of paper and began to read aloud: "Lu Jinlan, a student admitted to the Royal Academy in the year of Renzi, is arrogant and willful, and acts recklessly..."
As Ling Zhixu finished reading, a commotion arose outside, and suddenly a voice came from several doors: "The Prime Minister has arrived!"
Ling Zhixu stopped, and the students immediately began to whisper among themselves.
"Your Excellency? The Prime Minister Yan Weijin, who is the head of all officials and second only to the Emperor? What brings her here?"
The sound came through the archway, growing louder as it approached. Everyone turned to look, and saw a tall, capable-looking middle-aged woman, resembling a bodyguard, step through the archway and shout in a high-pitched voice, "The Prime Minister has arrived!"
Ling Zhixu hurriedly stepped forward and led the students to kneel and bow, chanting in unison, "Greetings, Your Excellency."
Lu Jinlan lay on the ground with the others, secretly glancing to the side, when she saw Prime Minister Yan Weijin emerge from behind the guards.
She looked to be under fifty years old. Her thin face bore the marks of time and the hardships of more than twenty years in officialdom. Her eyes were exceptionally bright and sharp, like those of an eagle.
She stood tall and walked with a steady gait, exuding an aura of authority and unyielding dignity.
Lu Jinlan had once heard Zhao Zhiyu say that among the three, only the Prime Minister deserved the title of "honored," while the other two could only be called "sir."
Even someone as remarkable as Ling Zhijing, who held the title of Marquis of Dingbei, could only be addressed as "Lord Marquis," not "Honored Marquis."
Of all the imperial relatives, nobles, and officials in the court, only Yan Weijin held a supreme position. This demonstrates his exalted status, second only to the emperor.
Yan Weijin walked up to the crowd with an imposing presence, like a mountain, and said to Ling Zhixu, "Dean Ling, please rise. Let's talk inside."
Her tone was gentle and calm, even polite, yet it conveyed an unwavering firmness.
Ling Zhixu hurriedly said, "Please, Your Excellency."
Everyone looked up slightly and then noticed a familiar face following behind Yan Weijin.
Someone in the crowd whispered, "Yan Wuxin? Why is she with the Prime Minister?"
Zhao Zhiyu gave a cold, smirking smile and murmured meaningfully, "Yeah, why is she here? I thought she was hiding and wasn't coming, but I didn't expect her to go and get reinforcements."
Yan Wuxin walked up to Lu Jinlan and Xiang Ruzhen and winked mischievously.
"Xin'er." Yan Weijin turned his head slightly and called out to her.
Yan Wuxin hurriedly and respectfully replied, "Mother."
mother?
Aside from the dean and Zhao Zhiyu, countless people widened their eyes instantly.
"Call your friends in."
"Your son obeys."
Yan Wuxin smiled and helped Lu Jinlan and Xiang Ruzhen up. "Let's go."
The three of them entered the dean's office together and considerately closed the door.
Yan Weijin sat upright in the center, took a sip of tea, and after reading the two expulsion notices, he suddenly smiled and said to Ling Zhixu standing to the side, "Dean Ling, your investigation is not thorough enough. Did the two of them do this?"
Ling Zhixu replied, "That's what they said, as for the truth..."
Ling Zhixu glanced at Yan Wuxin and said, "This humble official truly does not know, please enlighten me, Your Excellency."
Yan Weijin curled the corners of his lips. "I heard from Xin'er that it was the three of them who did it."
Ling Zhixu was puzzled and thought to himself: She said it, so why are you telling me what she meant?
Ling Zhixu's old eyes darted around, and he began to laugh it off, "Oh? Is that so?"
Yan Weijin put down the two notices, his smile fading. "The children acted out of good intentions, hoping the court could select talent fairly. Their magnanimity and courage are a testament to the merits of your Royal Academy's education; expulsion is unnecessary."
"We'll tell the public that the marking building caught fire and burned all the exam papers. The grades for this academic year will be fairly assessed based on the daily exam results this semester."
Ling Zhixu broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing this, and said with difficulty, "What Your Excellency says makes sense, but what if the Emperor blames us..."
Yan Weijin said, "I will go to the palace now and personally report the truth to the Emperor."
"If the other major clans are not satisfied..."
"Let them come to me," Yan Weijin said calmly, taking a sip of tea.
Ling Zhixu breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good, then what about the Hanlin Academy..."
"I'll give them a heads-up, you write down the reason, and put the past exam papers in there so they can keep a record."
Ling Zhixu said gratefully, "Then I'll trouble you, Your Excellency, to take care of this."
Yan Weijin nodded slightly. "I'm taking the three of them with me. You can continue with your work."
She put down her teacup, and Ling Zhixu hurriedly said, "Respectfully seeing off Your Excellency."
The three followed Yan Weijin out of the academy amidst the respectful farewells of the crowd.
Yan Weijin boarded the official sedan chair and said to Yan Wuxin, "I'm going to the palace. You take your two friends home and wait for me."
"yes."
Watching the official sedan chair drive away, the three exchanged glances and got into the Yan family's carriage.
As soon as the curtain was drawn, Lu Jinlan and Xiang Ruzhen immediately held Yan Wuxin down. "You, Yan Wuxin, you've been hiding your true abilities for so long!"
Yan Wuxin protested, “I’ve told you all before that I’m an extremely low-key person. Does any of you believe me? Let me tell you, I got into the Royal Academy on my own merit. I didn’t bother my mother at all. I originally planned to keep quiet about it, but Ling Zhaoren acts all high and mighty in front of me every day, and I’ve tolerated it all. Who am I making an exception for today?”
The two chuckled, one massaging the other's legs and the other massaging the other's shoulders, "Of course you're doing this for us."
Lu Jinlan smiled and said, "Young Madam Yan, you've worked hard. I thought you were afraid I would scold you because you were late."
Yan Wuxin said firmly, "Of course there is a reason. After I woke up, I thought about it and if I went to meet up with you two, you would definitely scold me and say that I couldn't even keep an eye on someone, and that I wasted my big head. I thought I should go home and get reinforcements. Maybe there is still a chance to turn things around."
Xiang Ruzhen laughed and said, "Luckily you arrived in time. The help you brought is like a godsend. What was a huge problem for us was resolved with just a few words from your mother."
Lu Jinlan excitedly praised, "Your mother is incredibly cool and awesome, it's beyond words. I admire her so much."
Yan Wuxin: "What do you mean?"
Lu Jinlan: "It means she's incredibly powerful! When she stood there, everyone was so scared they didn't dare to breathe. The dean even said, 'You guys have really messed up the sky. Your mother came and patched it up.' Can you believe how powerful she is?"
Yan Wuxin proudly raised his chin, "Of course, my mother became prime minister the year I was born. She was the head of all officials for nearly twenty years, so she must be capable. However, this is indeed a big deal, and I will tell you in detail later."
Upon arriving at the Prime Minister's residence, Yan Wuxin began to vividly describe the process to them.
"I stole a horse and whipped it until it was almost smoking as I rushed home, only to be told by the gatekeeper that my mother had already gone to court. I was so anxious that I immediately chased after her and stopped her halfway."
"She saw I was furious and said, 'Shouldn't you be in class right now? Why are you back here instead of doing your job?' I said, 'The sky has fallen! I've gotten myself into big trouble.'"
“When I told her what happened, my mother glanced at me and said, ‘You little brat, I didn’t know you had this kind of guts.’ I said, ‘My two sisters are still holding out there. If you don’t save me, I’ll go back and confess to them myself.’”
"Then she probably felt that the matter was of great importance, and immediately decided not to attend court. She sent someone to the palace to inform them, and then changed her route to the academy."
After Yan Wuxin finished speaking, he finally sat down and took a sip of tea. Lu Jinlan sighed, "Your mother really spoils you. She can handle such a troublesome matter so easily."
Yan Wuxin waved his hands repeatedly, "My mother has six daughters and eight sons. I am her youngest daughter, and I am the one she looks down on the most. Whenever she sees me, she either scolds or berates me, always complaining that I am useless, unambitious, and obsessed with men. When I see her, I am like a mouse seeing a cat."
"When you first came to the capital, didn't you write a poem called 'Bring in the Wine'? You included my name in it, and I was quite happy to show it to my mother. But she said, 'Isn't this the poem written by that romantic and talented woman from Yunzhou? Of course you two can get along, you're both lecherous.'"
At this point, Yan Wuxin lowered his voice and complained, "She has sixteen young men of her own, yet she calls me a lecher."
Xiang Ruzhen smiled without saying a word, while Lu Jinlan laughed and said, "I think she doesn't think you're lecherous; she's afraid that all you're good for is being lecherous."
Yan Wuxin shrugged. "Who knows? Anyway, my sisters are all more studious and more ambitious than me. The last time my mother praised me was probably before I could remember, when she praised my loud crying. By the way, let's leave together later. I'm afraid she'll leave me alone and scold me again."
As they were chatting, a servant came to report, "The Prime Minister has returned and requests that the young mistress and the two young friends come to the main hall to speak."
The three quickly got up, straightened their clothes, and followed the newcomer.
Upon seeing the three, Yan Weijin said, "The Emperor has not blamed you. This matter has been let go. Do not go out and tell others."
Yan Wuxin was taken aback and asked in surprise, "How could His Majesty not blame us? Didn't we ruin her plans?"
Yan Weijin curled the corners of his lips. "Why do you think that is?"
Yan Wuxin tilted his head and thought for a moment, "I can't think of that."
Yan Weijin glared at her disdainfully, "Stupid girl, you can talk endlessly about gossip, but you can't say a word about serious matters. Let your friend do the talking."
Yan Weijin beckoned to Lu Jinlan and Xiang Ruzhen, "You two come to me and give me your answer."
The two men stood obediently in front of her, and Xiang Ruzhen cupped her hands and said, "Your Excellency, I think there are two reasons why the Emperor doesn't blame us. First, it's naturally because of your sake, and second, perhaps she approves of what we did, so she is willing to be lenient and let us off the hook."
Yan Weijin nodded slightly. "Your name is Xiang Ruzhen?"
"yes."
"I've heard Xin'er mention you before. Although you come from a poor background, you are upright and trustworthy, and you study hard. You are quite respected among your students. Meeting you today, I can see that you are indeed a remarkable young woman."
Xiang Ruzhen hurriedly said, "Your Excellency is too kind. I am just a somewhat stubborn student. If it weren't for my negligence, this matter wouldn't have turned into a failure, and I would have troubled you to clean it up."
Yan Weijin praised, "You can't say that. It's already rare for someone so young to be so courageous and responsible. You'll definitely be of great use in the future. Your analysis just now was correct, but it didn't quite hit the nail on the head. Lu Jinlan, why don't you explain?"
Lu Jinlan said, "Your Excellency, my thoughts are actually similar to Ruzhen's. I think that the Emperor's lenient handling of this matter, besides giving you face, may also be due to the nature of the incident itself. Perhaps we did not ruin her plans, but rather did what she wanted."
"Oh?" Yan Weijin looked up at her. "Tell me more."
Lu Jinlan said, "The issue of falsifying academic records has a long history. It dates back to before the Emperor ascended the throne, and it is a chronic problem. Whether it is the selection of talents or the appointment of officials, the royal relatives and noble families in the capital all want to get involved and put their own people in to get a share of the pie."
"Perhaps the Emperor has long been dissatisfied with this, but it involves many things and the interests of many parties, so she can't easily intervene. Our discovery and correction of this matter may have been a lucky accident, and we've done just what the Emperor wanted. She might not be angry; on the contrary, she might be very happy."
Yan Weijin nodded repeatedly, his eyes revealing a look of pleasure and approval. "Your analysis is very correct. The political situation is like a gnarled vine, with many forces holding each other back. It is extremely complicated."
"In such a large country, many things happen every day. Some things we want to manage but cannot, and some things we don't want to manage but still have to manage. When you enter the court and become officials in the future, you will understand what I am saying today."
"The Emperor is indeed very pleased with what happened today. If it weren't for the sudden report from the front lines, he would have almost summoned you to the palace. However, you will have other opportunities to meet the Emperor in the future. The affairs in Beizhou were handled well, and although this matter was not accomplished, it is still commendable."
At this point, she suddenly changed the subject, "But I still have to remind you, think more carefully before you act in the future, otherwise you might offend the wrath of Heaven without even realizing it."
"Offending the Emperor's wrath?" Xiang Ruzhen asked, puzzled. "Didn't you just say the Emperor was very pleased?"
Yan Weijin smiled. "If there's something that makes her happy, she'll be happy. If there's something that makes her unhappy, she'll be unhappy. Between her joy and anger, you're practically walking through the gates of hell. Why don't you guess what's making her unhappy?"
The three men frowned in thought, and Yan Wuxin murmured, "Could it be because we knowingly committed the crime?"
Yan Weijin's expression remained unreadable. "What do you mean?"
Yan Wuxin said, "When we were handling this matter, we guessed that the Emperor had been tacitly approving of it, or even involved in it. We could guess that the Emperor knew, and the Emperor could also guess that we knew she knew."
“The Emperor’s authority cannot be offended, yet we are going against her, which is a challenge to imperial power, so naturally she is not happy. But I think that even if she is not happy, it will only be a little bit, and overall she will still be happy and will definitely forgive us.”
Yan Weijin then asked, "Why do you say that?"
"Because she is the emperor, the one destined by heaven who holds the reins of power over all the people. Our little act of disobeying the imperial authority poses no threat to her at all; on the contrary, it is a source of amusement."
"Besides, we appear to be opposing her, but in reality, we are doing what she wants. Therefore, she will surely forgive us to demonstrate her magnanimity as the emperor. If she summons us to an audience today, she will first make us tremble with fear, and then make us grateful to tears. She likes to manipulate people. This is the art of the emperor."
As Yan Wuxin spoke, she became somewhat carried away with her pride. Coming to her senses, she cautiously looked at Yan Weijin and asked, "Mother, do I make sense?"
Yan Weijin asked her seriously, "Who told you these things?"
Yan Wuxin said nervously, "Nobody told me this. I just figured it out myself."
Lu Jinlan hurriedly said, "Wu Xin has always been good at understanding people's hearts. She is more risk-aware than Ru Zhen and me. When we were in Beizhou, she reminded us to be careful with our words in front of His Highness. She is also very low-key in the academy. Even we only found out today that she is your daughter. I think what she said makes a lot of sense."
Yan Weijin nodded and said to Yan Wuxin, "You've improved. Besides being a womanizer, I've finally seen some other good qualities in you."
Yan Wuxin said smugly, "What day is it today? It's rare for you to praise me, I must remember it well."
Everyone laughed. Seeing that Xiang Ruzhen seemed distracted, Lu Jinlan quickly asked, "What are you thinking about?"
Xiang Ruzhen said, "I have something I'd like to ask you, Your Excellency. Did you know about the falsified grades all along?"
Yan Weijin smiled slightly, "If I didn't know, wouldn't I be a prime minister for nothing?"
Xiang Ruzhen was taken aback. "Then why don't you care?"
Lu Jinlan quickly tugged at her sleeve, "Ruzhen, you've done something foolish again. Even the Emperor can't handle this, how can you expect the Prime Minister to manage it?"
Xiang Ruzhen apologized, "Your Excellency, please forgive me. I misspoke. I was just thinking that this matter has existed for so long, someone should find a way to resolve it. As a subject, it is my duty... uh..."
Yan Weijin smiled. "Go on, why don't you continue?"
Xiang Ruzhen straightened her clothes. "They almost tore my clothes apart."
Yan Weijin laughed heartily, “I thought the same thing when I was young. Back then, I was full of enthusiasm and thought I could change the world, but I stopped thinking that way later. Anyway, you all made me especially happy today. Don’t leave, stay for dinner. I’ll cook for you myself.”
Yan Weijin got up and left, leaving the three of them standing there dumbfounded.
Lu Jinlan: "What did she say she would do personally?"
Xiang Ruzhen: "Cooking, is it what I mean by cooking? Or does it mean something else?"
Yan Wuxin: "Oh my God! I've lived for seventeen years and never knew my mother could cook."
Even after the food was served, the three of them still felt a little dazed.
Yan Weijin dismissed all the servants from the kitchen, refusing any help. She single-handedly chopped and prepared vegetables with practiced skill, mastering every technique from frying and stir-frying to braising. Her demeanor was astonishingly adept.
After the last dish of braised pork was cooked, she wiped her hands and said, "Dinner's ready."
The four sat down, and three of them looked at the six dishes in front of them, full of doubts.
Yan Weijin said kindly, "Try my cooking first, and then I'll answer your questions."
Lu Jinlan picked up a piece of braised pork and exclaimed, "It's fatty but not greasy, tender and flavorful, it's even better than what you get in restaurants."
Xiang Ruzhen took a bite of the braised carp and said, "It's indeed about the same as what you'd find in a restaurant."
Yan Weijin laughed loudly, "You're an honest man, if you say it's about right, then it's definitely about right. Xin'er, what do you think?"
Yan Wuxin nodded vigorously, "It's delicious. Mother, when did you learn to cook?"
Yan Weijin sighed, "I could chop vegetables when I was six years old, and I was cooking when I was eight. I could cook a hundred or so dishes with ease. At that time, your grandmother had a small stall on the street, and I helped her run it to make a living and save money for tuition. The customers were not rich people, and the most popular dish we ordered was this stir-fried shredded potatoes."
Yan Weijin took a bite and said, "Hmm, it's passable. I haven't been in the kitchen for over twenty years, so my skills have become a bit rusty."
Lu Jinlan said in surprise, "I thought the Yan family was a prominent family."
Yan Weijin shook his head with a smile, "Even prominent families can fall into ruin. Back then, the head of the Yan family was the Censor-in-Chief in the Censorate, while I was just a poor relative of hers, not even close to her. When I was a child, my family was poor, and life was extremely difficult. If I accidentally broke a bowl, I would get a beating. But I don't blame anyone; it was all caused by poverty."
As she spoke, she rolled up her sleeve, revealing a scar on her arm. "This is from when I was nine years old. I accidentally burned myself with hot oil while cooking. It was the middle of summer and I couldn't afford medicine. I was in so much pain that I couldn't sleep all night, and I was left with these scars. When the pain was excruciating, I thought to myself, I have to change this situation. I can't live a life of poverty forever."
Xiang Ruzhen hurriedly asked, "Did you change through reading?"
"Of course, and I studied at the Royal Academy. Xin'er said that you went through nearly twenty years of archives and found that all the grades were fake. It's a pity. If you could find the archives from twenty-five years ago, you would find that one person's grades were real. The name tag of the first place Yan Weijin was pasted on her own exam paper."
The three stared in surprise. Yan Weijin laughed and said, "So, Xin'er's lack of diligence in her studies really angers me. I can't bear to let her suffer even a day, but she refuses to endure any hardship either. I knew from a young age that she wouldn't amount to much. When other children had their first birthday celebration, they would pick up pens or swords, but guess what she picked up?"
Yan Wuxin said urgently, "Let's not talk about this anymore."
Curious, the two asked, "What did you catch?"
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Author's Note: I had so much fun writing this chapter that I didn't even have time to bring in two male characters to lighten the mood. Next chapter, I'll add some exciting romance, hehe.
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