Chapter 3461: Extra Chapter 39
Zhou Man and his companions pretended not to see the request at the end of the emperor's letter. After collecting their luggage, they returned to Liuzhou, then took the water route from Liuzhou to Guangzhou, and then sailed from Guangzhou to Yangzhou.
Zhou Man and Bai Shan had both been to Yangzhou on business, but Bai Erlang and the other three had never been.
It is rumored that Yangzhou is prosperous and full of beautiful women, so Bai Erlang and Mingda are very interested in coming to see it, and Yin Huo wants to visit Daming Temple.
So they got off the ship in Yangzhou, planning to play there for a few days before heading north to Qingzhou to find a familiar ship to go out to sea.
Arriving at a new place, Zhou Man subconsciously wondered if he knew anyone there. After going through the process in his mind, he realized that there was indeed one. "Second Sister Fu is in Yangzhou!"
Bai Shan thought about it and realized that Yue Lan is now the governor of Yangzhou.
Yue Lan was several years older than Bai Shan, but he started his official career late and worked diligently. He became the governor of Yangzhou less than two years after Bai Shan retired as prime minister after serving for many years.
At that time, it was Bai Shan who approved the document for his promotion.
He smiled and said, "The reason why he was chosen as the governor of Yangzhou was precisely because of Fu Erniang."
Yin Huo was puzzled, "You are not a person who shows partiality."
Bai Erlang burst out laughing and said, "He is not partial. You don't know that Fu Erniang has a nickname in the officialdom, called Madam's Adviser."
He said, "This Lord Yue is also very famous in the court, but his reputation is not very good."
Bai Erlang has been hanging out in the Hanlin Academy, a group of scholars and officials who write books. They love to gossip when they have nothing to do.
Everyone in the court, from the emperor to a soldier guarding the Xuanwu Gate, could talk about it.
And because of Bai Erlang, many officials in the Hanlin Academy secretly took pen names and wrote storybooks and miscellaneous talks outside.
Therefore, they are most interested in these gossips and are the best at discussing them.
Besides, the matter between Yue Lan and his wife, the military advisor, was not considered gossip.
Bai Erlang hangs around in the Hanlin Academy, so he knows a lot even if he doesn't ask specifically.
Especially since Fu Wenyun was Zhou Man's good friend, he paid more attention to her, and accidentally learned a lot of gossip.
"I heard that Censor Yue immediately chose Fu Erniang as his daughter-in-law because he believed she was intelligent and could help his son rise to prominence," Bai Erlang commented as he relayed the gossip. "That's pure hearsay, don't believe it. If you don't believe me, ask Zhou Man. Was it because her family background matched the Yue family's that the Yue family chose Fu Erniang?"
Zhou Man glanced at Bai Erlang and said, "You're overthinking it. The marriage between the Yue and Fu families wasn't about the Yue family falling for Second Sister Fu, but Second Sister Fu choosing the Yue family."
Fu Wenyun didn't like Yue Lan back then, but he was the most suitable one among all the suitors.
But she had to get engaged and married, so she chose the other party.
Zhou Man corrected him and raised his chin, saying, "Go on. I want to hear what you sour-minded scholars are saying about Second Sister Fu in private."
"I'm not a sour-minded scholar," Bai Erlang muttered, then continued, "Yue Lan's abilities are average. Although he's a Mingjing scholar, he's too pedantic, indecisive, and mediocre. While he has a heart for action, he lacks the courage and ability. Those of us in the Hanlin Academy who graduated with him say he won't go far."
"In the end, he made steady progress, moving from one place to another and becoming a county magistrate. Then he was promoted from a county magistrate to a military officer, from a military officer to a chief secretary, and finally to a provincial governor..."
There are only a few provincial governors in the world. To be able to become a provincial governor, he not only has a good reputation in the hearts of many ministers in the court, but also has caught the eye of the emperor.
Then, more people began to watch Yue Lan's every move.
The Censorate, the Ministry of Personnel, and his opponents.
Then everyone looked at it intently and realized something was wrong.
Yue Lan...when he had something unresolved, he would ask his wife for help; when he was bullied, he would go to his wife; even when he submitted an impeachment memorial to the Censorate, he would go to his wife first.
This is outrageous.
So after further investigation, everyone discovered that the reason why Yue Lan had such outstanding political achievements along the way was because he had a wife and a mentor behind him.
The governor of a state actually listens to the lady in the harem in everything he does, so the court officials... naturally don't have any big objections.
In the current environment where women can serve as officials in the court, Fu Wenyun's advice to Yue Lan from behind is not worth mentioning at all.
Moreover, it was a common practice for officials to seek legal advisors. The reason why Yue Lan attracted more attention was simply because his legal advisor was his wife.
Everyone had no objections on the surface, but privately they lamented that Yue Lan was far inferior to his wife, and they didn't know how Fu Er Niang could have fallen for such a mediocre person like Yue Lan.
While everyone envied him, they couldn't help but sympathize with him, because Yue Lan looked glamorous on the surface, but when you think about it carefully, you find that she is just so-so.
He has no say at home, and in the yamen, he mostly listens to his wife. Although he has an enviable capable wife, he still feels complicated when he thinks about how he is being controlled by his wife.
But it seems that Yue Lan is also enjoying it at the moment.
Yue Lan was not happy about it, but his ability was indeed limited, and now he relied on Fu Wenyun to make decisions on most of his government affairs.
And he didn't think much about it.
Compared with Fu Wenyun who is always "thinking" and thinking a lot, Yue Lan is a person who follows all existing rules and does not use his brain if he can.
Fu Wenyun said that they were one as husband and wife, a family, and had the same goal, which was to bring honor to the Yue family, so they should trust each other. She was much better than the legal advisors hired from outside.
Because the legal advisor hired from outside would deceive him for profit, but she would definitely not.
Because their interests will always be consistent, husband and wife are one.
Then Yue Lan believed it. Since he became the county magistrate, Fu Wenyun has been giving him advice and sometimes even helping him solve various government problems.
Yue Lan has become accustomed to having Fu Wenyun around, and he can leave anyone except Fu Wenyun.
Unless he wants to resign immediately.
So Yue Lan didn't dare to offend Fu Wenyun.
Fu Wenyun said that she would treat Zhou Man and the others well, so Yue Lan treated them well. He accompanied them to pick them up, but when his eyes met Bai Shan's, he couldn't find words to say for a moment.
So the three women in the front were chattering happily, while the four men in the back remained silent.
Yue Lan felt that Fu Wenyun was very different today. She talked too much. She was already old, so why did she still have so much to say?
He tried several times to interrupt or bring up a new topic, but never found the chance.
Seeing that he opened his mouth several times but could not utter a word, Bai Shan took the initiative to bring up the topic and asked, "Governor Yue, has the weather been good this year?"
Yue Lan sat upright and replied cautiously, "The autumn harvest hasn't started yet, so we don't know what the weather will be like this year."
Bai Shan: ...It's already May, and the rice is already heading and filling with grain. Don't you have any idea whether the weather is good or not?
Who says we have to wait until the autumn harvest to find out?
See you tomorrow
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