After Yan Shang handed over the fish token waist badge, he entered the imperial city. He first went to the Honglu Temple, and then took a stack of documents from the Honglu Temple and sent them to the Hanlin Academy.
Because the Crown Prince was in charge of this grand ceremony, he was solely responsible for all the affairs of the countries that came to Chang'an to pay tribute. His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin felt as if he had been forgotten, but when he tried to fight for it, he found that the Crown Prince had been manipulating this matter several months ago, and it was too late for him to snatch it.
After jumping up and down for a long time, the King of Qin took over the affairs of the Hanlin Academy and asked the Hanlin Academy to be responsible for recording this incident.
After all, he could be included in the grand ceremony, so the King of Qin reluctantly accepted it. Didn't he see the King of Jin next door, who was still sitting at home waiting for his concubine to give birth, and had no important business to attend to.
That's right, half a year has passed, and since Chunhua, concubines in the Jin Palace have gradually become pregnant. The most important thing for the Jin Prince now is to look forward to the safe birth of the child. And the Jin Princess's daily route, apart from her own mansion, is to visit various temples in Chang'an, which is also funny.
The prince did not take the Qin king's operation of taking over the affairs of the Hanlin Academy seriously. He joked to others during a casual chat: "After I eat meat, I always give people some soup."
Since the punishment of the powerful, the prince's position in the court has become more stable, and the relationship with many noble families has eased. The prince attaches great importance to this visit of various countries and personally arranges them one by one, just to make his position higher in the eyes of the emperor after this event.
However, people with discerning eyes noticed that Yang Si, the third son of the Yang family, who was always with the prince, was not with the prince at such a critical period.
The prince explained: "Yang San's great-grandmother was ill, and the family went to visit her."
However, Yang Si's father could not leave Chang'an to visit his aunt who was not a blood relative, so he could only send his son. It is said that Zhao Lingfei, the fifth wife of Zhao Jijiu, also went with him noisily.
Without Yang Si around, everything was peaceful around the prince, which made all the ministers and advisers around him breathe a sigh of relief, thinking that finally no one was causing trouble at the wrong time.
Yan Shang walked all the way from the gate of the imperial city to the Honglu Temple, and then from the Honglu Temple to the Hanlin Academy. Friends he knew kept greeting him.
"Su Chen, I heard that you took two days off because of drinking. Is that true? Your alcohol tolerance is too poor. Aren't you going to leave the bride alone on the wedding night? Haha."
"Yan Er, I heard that you made mistakes because of drinking? Did your superiors punish you? It's okay, right? But now, do you listen to the orders of the Secretariat or the Honglu Temple?"
"Erlang, I heard you were sick? I was just about to go to your house to see you, why did you come out? You are seriously ill, why don't you take a good rest?"
"I heard you have an incurable disease?"
The rumor spread from drinking to an incurable disease, becoming more and more outrageous. If Yan Shang takes two more days off, he will be rumored to have died. Yan Shang walked over, explaining to people that he just accidentally drank two sips of wine, and now he is sober and fine.
Everyone felt sad.
Yan Shang was tired of explaining, and his words became more and more concise: "I just drank and only took one day off. I didn't miss any work, and I don't have an incurable disease."
However, he had too many friends. On the day he asked for leave, many people came to see him. Now that he was back, even more people came to greet him. Many people were preparing to visit him, but before they could do so, Yan Erlang recovered.
Yan Shang felt helpless and thought it was all the Princess' fault.
He was supposed to be better by noon the next day after getting drunk, but Mu Wanyao asked his servants to spread the word that he was drunk and wanted to take a leave.
Everyone in Chang'an is generous and straightforward, and no one can't drink. Although friends who know Yan Shang know that he doesn't drink, they never thought that he could take a leave even if he was drunk, so they came to visit him with worries. And when his friends went back and spread the word... well, now everyone knows.
Yan Shang walked quickly in the cold wind. When he saw the gate of the Hanlin Academy, he felt a little relieved. He thought that he would not feel cold once he went in.
Just after entering the gate of the Hanlin Academy, standing on the road, I saw four or five eunuchs standing in the corridor of the main hall of the Hanlin Academy through several rows of locust trees. These government offices in the imperial city often use eunuchs to deliver messages and documents, so it is not unusual for eunuchs to appear in the Hanlin Academy.
What made Yan Shang stop at the gate of the courtyard was that he saw Liu Wenzhi among the four or five eunuchs.
After not seeing him for two months, Liu Wenji had lost a lot of weight. Standing in the wind, his face was pale and his cheeks were thin and cold. He was so thin that he looked out of shape. Half of his former handsome youthful demeanor was gone.
Castration had a lot of impact on him.
The eunuchs standing in the corridor, feeling the cold wind, were the lowest-ranking eunuchs, doing odd jobs and running errands. Liu Wenji stood among them, and unlike the others who were hunched and cowered, he stood straight and upright.
But he was an eunuch after all.
None of the officials who entered and exited the main hall even glanced at the eunuchs.
Yan Shang held the document and quietly read it for a long time across the locust tree. He concealed his reluctance and thought calmly, thinking that with Liu Wenji's current rank, he should not be able to get a job like serving in the Hanlin Academy.
I guess he spent some money.
Yan Shang lowered his head, wanting to borrow some money from Liu Wenji, but he remembered that he had just donated the money to Yongshou Temple and that he was relying on Princess Danyang for food all day long... Besides, it would not be good for an official to get close to a eunuch.
The emperor still had very strict control over the eunuchs.
Yan Shang stood there for a long time, and could only pretend that he had never seen Liu Wenji. He also didn't have the heart to go in from the main hall and meet Liu Wenji. Since they couldn't recognize each other, why bother to irritate Liu Wenji? Liu Wenji was so arrogant in the past, and now one of them stood in the corridor to get some fresh air, while the other could come and go freely... This contrast was really uncomfortable.
Yan Shang took a big detour and entered through the small side door behind the main hall.
After he went in, he could still vaguely see the eunuch's back standing in the corridor through the curtain.
Yan Shang handed the documents he brought to a Hanlin scholar, who nodded repeatedly, asked some questions, and said directly: "Some of the things in the Honglu Temple are organized in a rather messy way, and we can't understand them very well. You have come here specially to help us solve the doubts and copy them."
Yan Shang replied: "Yes."
He followed the scholar into a room and at a glance saw that everyone in the room was sitting at a desk copying documents. There were officials coming in and out, all in a hurry.
Yan Shang asked the scholar he was following: "You all seem so busy, but are there not enough people?"
The Hanlin scholar complained: "How can we ever have enough manpower?"
Yan Shang: "This year, the grand ceremony is held at the end of the year, which is the busiest time. There are only a few government temples. Most government temples are not that busy, and the Hanlin Academy can borrow people to use them."
He said something nonsense.
The Hanlin scholar also answered casually: "Of course. But this matter is not profitable. It's not like the Honglu Temple directly contacting envoys from small countries... Those who have connections go to the Honglu Temple. Who would be willing to come to the Hanlin Academy just to copy books?"
Yan Shang smiled slightly and said, "When it goes down in history, the Hanlin Academy will always be famous."
The Hanlin scholar who led the way was even more perfunctory: "Only a few people can be famous, and most people are in the word 'etc.' after that person's name."
Yan Shang sighed, "It's not easy for you guys either. I can't help much, but I know some students from the Imperial College. Although they don't have any rank, they are generally quite literate. Can I ask them to help?"
The Hanlin scholar thought for a moment and said, "That's not a bad idea."
He was already sitting at the desk, rolling up his sleeves to prepare to write, when he looked up and finally took a serious look at Yan Shang and suddenly asked, "Are you Yan Suchen?"
Yan Shang was startled: "Why, has the news of my drinking and messing things up reached the Hanlin Academy?"
Hanlin scholar was also confused: "What do you mean by drinking and causing trouble?"
Yan Shang was slightly embarrassed and quickly shook his head and said that it was just some unofficial rumors. He was curious about how the other party knew him. The Hanlin scholar smiled and said, "When you were not yet an official, the news of the arrow that killed the head of the Zheng family spread all over Chang'an. Who in Chang'an doesn't know you?"
Yan Shang blushed: "I'm ashamed."
The Hanlin scholar looked him up and down and said, "Now that you are an official... it is easier to get to know you. Do you know that the reputation of your 'good looks and good manners' is almost spread throughout the officialdom?"
Yan Shang: "...How could this be?"
Hanlin Scholar: "It's strange that we in Chang'an like bold and forthright people, and rarely see your humble and gentle style. When we see you for a while, we find it strange, and we are all betting on when you will be assimilated by us."
Yan Shang was confused and helpless for a moment, and had to express his shame again.
And this was just some idle chat. The purpose of Yan Shang talking so much to the official was certainly not to bring the topic to himself.
Yan Shang slowly guided the Hanlin scholar until the two began to treat each other as brothers. Yan Shang also sat in front of a desk, rolled up his sleeves and raised his wrists to write. Then he casually said his real purpose: "Since we are short of manpower and no one is coming at this time, why not ask the eunuchs standing outside? Maybe someone among them can write well and come over to help?"
Upon hearing this, the Hanlin scholar said with disdain, "What do they know?"
The words are still silent.
This is the true view of orthodox scholars on eunuchs.
He gently advised: "Those who can be employed are all talented. What does their background have to do with it? Besides, aren't we short of manpower now? Do you intend to stay here all day just for the sake of your reputation? Didn't you just tell me that you came home late last night and your sister-in-law gave you a cold shoulder? Do you want to do the same today?"
This Hanlin scholar was ashamed to associate with eunuchs. He didn't care what Yan Shang said about everyone being talented. But when Yan Shang used his wife to persuade him, the Hanlin scholar hesitated.
Seeing that the other party was somewhat moved, Yan Shang stopped persuading him. He was deeply aware of the self-esteem of these scholars, especially those who served in the Hanlin Academy. They all looked down on others. It was enough to say just enough. If you said too much, the other party would be unwilling to listen.
After Yan Shang finished speaking, he concentrated on copying the document at hand. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Hanlin scholar sitting next to him writing quietly for less than an incense stick of time, then he cursed a beast in the Chang'an dialect and stood up and left.
Yan Shang smiled slightly and continued writing his own.
-----
The Hanlin scholar asked the eunuchs if there were any who could read, and two of them stood up. He let them in with a sullen look and asked them to write a few words each. When he saw the handwriting of one of them, the contempt in his eyes faded.
He looked at Liu Wenji: "Your handwriting... is it because you have studied?"
Liu Wenji whispered: "I studied for nearly twenty years, and then I entered the palace because my family fell into poverty."
The contemptuous look on the Hanlin scholar's face completely disappeared, and he began to feel sympathy for the other party. After twenty years of study, plus the appearance of this eunuch... he could have been an official in the court.
He sighed and said, "You stay in the main hall and help with the documents. Before the envoys from various countries leave Chang'an, the Hanlin Academy is short of staff. Are you willing to come and help? The affairs here should be less busy than those in the Ministry of Internal Affairs."
Liu Wenzhi was stunned.
Since he entered the palace, he has been met with contempt and disgust everywhere. In the palace, people flatter the powerful and bully the weak, which has made him more and more indifferent. He finally used his connections to come to the Hanlin Academy... but he didn't expect it to be useful.
Serving in the Hanlin Academy is much better than doing odd jobs in the Imperial Household Department!
Without saying anything, he bowed down.
The Hanlin scholar sighed, gave him instructions on the documents to be copied, asked him to stay in the main hall to copy them, and then turned around and went into the inner room.
Liu Wenzhi knew that it was impossible for him to go into the inner quarters and be with those officials, so he was already very grateful to be able to stay in the main hall without having to be exposed to the cold wind outside.
Rubbing his hands, Liu Wenzhi looked at the chilblains on his hands, gritted his teeth and endured it, kneeling in front of the long desk, picked up a pen and started writing.
-----
Liu Wenji was left here to copy documents for the whole morning. He was a little nervous, afraid that he would make a mistake and be punished. After more than a month in the palace, he already knew how much these orthodox scholars looked down on the eunuchs. They regarded the eunuchs as thieves and did not even want to look at them.
Liu Wenzhi was quietly huddled in a corner copying books. An official who was coming in and out saw him and was about to get angry, but a servant whispered something in the official's ear, so the official endured it and went into the inner room.
They pretended that Liu Wenzhi didn't exist, and Liu Wenzhi breathed a sigh of relief.
Gradually, more and more people came to the Hanlin Academy. Many of them were tired of copying books, so they came out of the inner room and stood in the hall to drink tea and chat. While Liu Wenji was copying books, he pricked up his ears to listen to what they were talking about -
A young official said, "When it came to cracking down on the powerful, my grandfather was too timid and was afraid of trouble, so he got rid of all the powerful people my family depended on. But later on, he discovered that there were powerful people depended on from other families, who were much more powerful than my family, and my grandfather was so angry that he cursed at home every day."
Another person looked at him with contempt: "So your grandfather went to the prince to complain and ask for stricter punishment? Just because your family is in a bad situation, you want to drag everyone down with you."
The former official snorted, "We all have powerful people to rely on, why should only my family suffer misfortune? It would be better if we all suffer misfortune together."
Another person joined the conversation: "Alas, the world is difficult, and it is difficult for aristocratic families to survive. Ever since the Li family... well, everyone has been living in fear and trembling. His Royal Highness's move is really frightening. Brother Wang, you are close to the prince, can you find out if the prince is like your majesty and doesn't like aristocratic families very much?"
The one who was called the prince brother said quickly, "That's wrong. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is not that kind of person. Don't worry, it's been a few months, didn't the Crown Prince only attack the powerful and didn't attack the noble families? His Majesty doesn't like noble families, but the Crown Prince knows that to govern the country, we still have to rely on our noble families."
There are many different opinions.
They were all talking about the previous crackdown on the powerful.
The general meaning is that the noble families are now assessing the situation and making their own assessments.
The emperor's drastic measures, even at the cost of the Queen Mother, to drive Li back to Nanjing, had already made those noble families who wanted to join forces to suppress the imperial power tremble. The noble families had just recovered after a few years, and the prince's method of dealing with the powerful once again made them uneasy, and they all started to inquire about it.
When the campaign to crack down on the powerful began, no one thought that it would have an impact on the aristocratic families.
Now the noble families began to feel uneasy, and the prince felt that it had gone too far, and began to appease the noble families one by one.
Liu Wenji listened to them and had a strange thought in his mind. The things they were discussing had nothing to do with him...but the things they were discussing started with his and Chunhua's sacrifice.
Without Chunhua's sacrifice, the whole situation would not have reached this point today.
There will be no such thing as eliminating the powerful.
There will be no anxiety and confusion among the aristocratic families.
There would not be these officials asking for directions and inquiring about the intentions of His Majesty and the Prince.
A single move can affect the whole body.
Liu Wenji was thoughtful, thinking that this was politics. It was a small person and a small incident at the beginning, but it caused the whole situation to change. And he didn't even need to ask, he knew that 90% of the people involved didn't know who Chunhua was or who Liu Wenji was.
Politics... no wonder this kind of cruel beauty attracts so many people.
Only when you have power can you do whatever you want.
While Liu Wenji was thinking this, a new eunuch came over and said that lunch had been prepared for all the gentlemen.
Then the Hanlin scholar who had asked Liu Wenji to stay here to copy books came out from the inner room, opening the curtain and saying casually, "Prepare one more. Yan Suchen will also have lunch here at noon today."
The eunuch who came to ask about lunch bent over and said yes. Liu Wenji, who was sitting in the corner copying books, was stunned and the pen in his hand was almost broken.
Su Chen?
Why is Su Chen here?
Su Chen is here, but I have never seen him?
Liu Wenji only thought about it, and based on his understanding of Yan Shang's behavior over the past decade, he gradually had a guess in his mind. So when the Hanlin scholar who asked him to copy the book turned around and was about to go back to the inner room, Liu Wenji stood up and hurriedly held the document he had copied for him to review.
The Hanlin scholar flipped through the book and nodded, "Not bad."
Liu Wenji took the opportunity to ask, "The Yan Suchen you just mentioned, is he the current head of the Secretariat, Yan Erlang?"
The Hanlin scholar looked over with a deep gaze. Liu Wenji explained, "When I was delivering coal to the Central Secretariat, I heard them talk about a man named Yan Erlang who was 'good-looking and well-mannered.'"
The Hanlin scholar smiled and said, "Well, that's right. It is indeed 'good-looking and elegant'."
Liu Wenji said, "I have been here for the whole morning, but I don't think I have seen that young man. It's a pity."
Hanlin scholar continued to look down at the copied documents in his hands, nonchalantly: "Well, if you care, you should thank him. It was he who suggested that the eunuchs who can read should copy the books."
Liu Wenzhi thought that was true.
He looked surprised: "That young man is really a good man."
The Hanlin scholar looked at him, but could not find out anything, so he just smiled and turned to go into the inner room. When Liu Wenji saw the Hanlin scholar's meaningful smile, he was startled and realized that the other party's indifferent words just now were all testing him... None of these officials were fools.
Each one is difficult to deal with.
Fortunately, Liu Wenzhi's temperament has changed. He recalled what he had said and felt that he had not shown any signs of being on good terms with Yan Shang, so he felt relieved.
After thinking for a long time, Liu Wenzhi went out and discussed with his companions to double the amount of charcoal provided to the Hanlin Academy today.
Yan Shang is here. Liu Wenji knows that this is Yan Shang's first winter in Chang'an, and he must be extremely afraid of the cold and not adapting to it. More charcoal fire is just right to take care of Yan Shang.
Originally, after the Hanlin scholar left, Liu Wenji thought that in order to prevent the other party from speculating, it would be better to do nothing. But he thought that if he did nothing, it would prove that he was guilty and that he knew Yan Shang... It would be better to regard Yan Shang as an official who was kind enough to take care of him, and repay him with appropriate charcoal fire.
Don't do more than is necessary.
That Hanlin scholar would not be so bored as to go and check whether Yan Shang knew a eunuch.
After thinking through all these, Liu Wenji sat back down to copy the documents. His pen rustled, his mind calmed down, and he began to learn how to fight with these people.
-----
In the evening, Mu Wanyao came out of the palace, looking extremely happy.
This time, she completely defeated Concubine Xian and firmly took the responsibility of organizing the grand palace banquet into her own hands. Sitting in the carriage, Mu Wanyao looked through the information of the various countries that came to the court, and calculated in her mind whether the seats arranged for them were appropriate.
Well, the arrangements in the palace must be coordinated with the arrangements made by the prince outside the palace.
Mu Wanyao didn't see Wu Man on the list of small countries that were coming to the court. It was undeniable that she was slightly relieved. After all, it was awkward to receive Wu Man's envoys. It would be best if Wu Man didn't come... Mu Wanyao prayed in her heart, let the chaos of the Nanman continue, so that Wu Man would be unable to cope with it.
Make it impossible for that person to get away.
The situation in Wuman was very complicated and could not be easily resolved.
Mu Wanyao was sitting in the carriage thinking about these things. She felt the carriage stop and knew that it had left the palace. After a while, the carriage started moving again. Mu Wanyao suddenly had an idea and asked the people outside: "Have we reached the imperial city?"
The maid riding on the horse outside, wearing a round-necked robe, was Xia Rong. She answered the princess, "Yes, we have arrived at the imperial city and will be able to leave the imperial city gate soon."
Mu Wan shook his head and said, "Stop the carriage, come in."
Xia Rong was puzzled, but she still stopped the carriage and got in. Mu Wan looked at the maid in a man's narrow-sleeved clothes and thought: "Yan Shang should be in the Honglu Temple at this time."
Xia Rong tried to follow the princess's thoughts: "Logically, it should be."
Mu Wanyao's eyes lit up with interest: "I have never been to the Honglu Temple. I want to see how he works."
Xia Rong was slightly startled and said quickly, "Your Highness, you can't do this! What if someone recognizes us?"
Mu Wan glanced at her and said, "At this time, the senior officials should have gone back. The only ones still busy in the Honglu Temple should be some junior officials of the eighth and ninth ranks. It is unlikely that such junior officials know me."
Xia Rong cried anxiously: "Just in case..."
Mu Wan smiled and looked at her: "Just in case, you and I can change clothes, and I will pretend to be you and go to the Honglu Temple."
Xia Rong was stunned: "Ah?"
-----
Xia Rong was thrown into the carriage with grievances, and the princess forced her to change into her own gorgeous and complicated clothes. Xia Rong was terrified the whole time and dared not wear the princess's clothes.
In the end, Xia Rong sat in the car with her hair spread out in disarray, and was forced to wear the princess's high-waisted long skirt with layered shawls. The bright skirt was spread on the mattress in the car, and the golden light spread on the edge of the skirt like the setting sun, the light was flowing and dazzling.
Xia Rong didn't need to comb her hair. After the princess put on light men's clothes and jumped off the carriage, Xia Rong held onto the edge of the carriage door and said with tears in her eyes, "Your Highness, please come back soon and don't abandon me."
Mu Wan was wearing a neat man's robe and was adjusting his collar. When he heard her words, he turned around and smiled at her. She looked so pretty and lovely in this attire.
She smiled and said, "You guys can go back now. You don't have to wait for me."
After saying that, Mu Wan waved his hand and walked leisurely towards the Honglu Temple.
Mu Wanyao had Xia Rong's badge, so she made up an excuse, saying that there was something she had to tell her about in the palace, and went into the Honglu Temple. The clerk who led the way first led Mu Wanyao into the temple, then called a young official to ask the maid what she wanted.
Mu Wan shook her hands behind her back and looked at them without showing any fear: "I am a maid in Yan Erlang's family. Is my... husband here?"
When she mentioned "my dear", her face turned slightly red.
The young official asked, "Madam, are you talking about Yan Er and Yan Su Chen?"
Mu Wan's eyes lit up when she heard it. She suppressed her excitement and nodded modestly. She thought that Yan Shang would be surprised and scared when he saw her dressed like this.
Thinking that he would be frightened, she smiled teasingly.
The official said, "My lady, you came at an unfortunate time. Yan Erlang accompanied a country's envoy to shoot arrows this afternoon and has not returned yet."
Mu Wanyao was slightly disappointed, but said, "Then I'll wait for him."
After saying this, she walked into the main hall of the Honglu Temple nonchalantly, not acting like a maid at all.
The minor official was stunned to see her walk in so casually, and he didn't even have time to stop her... The minor official shook his head and thought that Yan Suchen was a humble man, so how could the maid in his family be so domineering?
-----
Yan Shang finally dealt with his own affairs and returned to the Honglu Temple to rest. After finishing today's affairs, he could leave the Honglu Temple and go back to the palace.
Yan Shang was sitting in the inner room, searching for medicine for his wounds. A junior official came in, saw him coming back, and asked, "What are you looking for, Erlang?"
Yan Shang: "Some medicine for healing."
The official was surprised: "Are you injured?"
Yan Shang smiled: "It's just a minor injury, it's okay."
The official looked at him sympathetically, knowing that it was not easy to serve those envoys. The official sat back in his seat and suddenly thought of something: "By the way, your maid came to see you, what a great momentum."
Yan Shang looked up: "Huh?"
What housemaid?
The minor official looked at him teasingly, "Is she really your maid? She looks more imposing than the mistress to me? Did you secretly have an affair with your maid and never told us?"
Yan Shang: “…Ah?”
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