"Zhizhou Jiang, please accept the order." Ji Xuelian, who was responsible for reading the imperial edict, said kindly.
However, Jiang Yushu was so shocked that she froze and knelt there motionless.
"Ahem." The old prefect cleared his throat and reminded, "Master Jiang, obey the order."
Prince An saw this and said happily, "Look, she is stunned."
The prince usually had a dignified demeanor, but his eyes hinted at appreciation and tolerance. "Jiang Mian?"
Jiang Yushu woke up from her dream, realizing she had lost her composure. She replied in embarrassment, "Yes! Ahem, I'm here!"
"You should accept the order." The prince said slowly.
"Yes." The imperial edict came so suddenly, so unexpectedly, that her heart raced. Amidst the excitement, she felt something strangely unreal. She raised her hands, as if sleepwalking, and took the edict with her palms facing upward. "I accept your command and kowtow to thank Your Majesty for your grace. From now on, I will do my utmost to serve the people and the public, and will never betray the court's trust."
"I'm glad you understand." The prince stared intently at the female official who had gone from being crisp and capable to being bewildered. "Get up."
"yes."
The first magistrate of Ningzhou slowly stood up, holding the imperial edict that had not yet been rolled into a tube in both hands. The bright yellow silk cloth swayed slightly, blocking her face. The dazzling bright yellow color woke her up, and she thought to herself: Everything is true. Ning County was promoted to Ningzhou, and I was promoted from magistrate to prefect... Hahaha, I finally got promoted!
Prince An took a sip of tea and said with a smile, "Master Jiang, congratulations."
Jiang Yushu completely regained her composure. In an instant, she was filled with immense joy, her eyes sparkling. She gripped the imperial edict with both hands, her knuckles aching. She tried her best to remain calm, "Thank you, thank you, Your Highness. This, this is truly unexpected. I am terrified, truly terrified."
"Why are you so nervous? I've been promoted based on my merits and it's well deserved." The prince sat upright and softened his tone unconsciously.
"Your Highness, thank you for your compliment." Jiang Yushu hesitated to speak. She was so excited that she didn't know what to say for a moment. She lowered her head, carefully rolled the imperial edict into a tube, and held it cherishedly, because it represented the court's affirmation and praise of her ability.
Ji Xuelian said graciously, "Congratulations! The Emperor truly trusts you. His Majesty is truly gracious. With Ning County being promoted to Ning Prefecture, many changes will need to be made. You'll have a lot of work ahead of you."
"Your Majesty's appreciation and promotion are truly beyond my reach. I can only repay your kindness by devoting myself to your work!" Jiang Yushu spoke solemnly, her tone resonant and powerful. Previously, she held a low position and had never met either the late emperor or the current Emperor Yongqing. Yet, she was sincerely grateful for the emperor's willingness to make an exception and appoint a female official, giving her the opportunity to realize her ambitions.
"Yes, that's right." Ji Xuelian twirled his beard. "This is our responsibility as subjects."
When a good thing happens, people are in high spirits. She couldn't hide the smile on her face. "Thank you for your advice, sir."
While chatting, the prince looked at the female official with a deep and complicated gaze for a long while, until the rain suddenly became heavier. He was awakened by the sound of rain, lowered his head to drink tea, and his mood was indescribable.
Although the two had only known each other for a short time, Zhao Minyu had actually heard of the "Northwest Female Official" when he was still the Crown Prince. He was initially skeptical and disgusted, believing that it was unbecoming for a woman to hold an official position and concluding that she would have little chance of achieving success. However, Jiang's reputation grew, and he was crowned Crown Prince, and she also rose in rank.
He had been watching for several years and became increasingly curious, so when his father ordered him to inspect the northwest, he agreed immediately, hoping to see the true face of the female official.
Before they met, the prince naturally thought to himself: She had experienced being a convict and farming, and had been exposed to wind, sun and rain, and had worked hard for more than ten years. She must be old and haggard, like a village woman.
Unexpectedly, she was tall and slender, with a flawless fair complexion, dignified and beautiful. The hands holding the imperial edict had slender fingers. She could write and review official documents, ride a horse at full speed, and lift the gavel to try cases... It turned out that the rumors were true. Jiang was a heroine. It was really amazing, amazing -
At this time, Prince An, who was standing by the window admiring the rain, stretched himself, patted the windowsill, and sighed, "Alas, I was supposed to go to the Tuning Guard Camp today, but it suddenly rained, so the errand has to be postponed for two days. I'm bored and idle, so why not go out for a walk?"
The prince's thoughts were interrupted. He shook the teacup, smelled the tea, and looked normal.
Jiang Yushu was stunned. "Walk? Where do you want to go, Your Highness?"
"The market," Prince An said excitedly, a sudden inspiration coming to him. "Last time when I was inspecting the grain and cloth factories, I passed by several shops specializing in stone materials, stone carvings, and inkstones. I heard that the materials were all collected from the rocky gullies along the border, and they naturally have a variety of patterns. It's a dazzling sight and worth a visit. I'm bored with nothing to do, so I might as well go out and get some fresh air!"
"Ah? This..."
After a fortnight of toiling and working, straining all day and night to serve the royal family, she was exhausted. She had gotten up early and was glad that she didn't have to go out on a rainy day, happy to stay in the government office and work peacefully. Now, she smiled bitterly, looking out the window at the wind and rain, and tried to persuade him: "It's raining, the streets are slippery, and the wind is strong. It's not very convenient to travel. If you like stone carvings or inkstones, I will send someone right away-"
Prince An interrupted with a wave of his hand, refusing to allow for further discussion. "You must see and choose for yourself to fully appreciate the pleasure. As long as the storm isn't too severe, it's all right. We can just take a ride."
After two months of getting along, Ji Xuelian understood Prince An's character and simply stopped trying to persuade him. Instead, he twirled his beard and reminded him, "The streets are crowded. We need to arrange for more guards to ensure the prince's safety."
Jiang Yushu had no choice but to obey the order and said with a smile, "Your Highness, please wait a moment. I will make the arrangements right away."
"Hurry!" Prince An waved his hand with satisfaction and then ordered, "Remember to call Guo Ye. That kid stays in the study every day studying hard. Aren't you afraid he'll get bored?"
Another rumor about Ye'er? Jiang Yushu was both happy and worried that the prince appreciated her son. She calmly said, "My son is dull and ignorant. Thank you, Your Highness, for not disliking him. Please sit down for a moment and let me make the arrangements."
"Hmm."
The prince was drinking tea nearby, so Jiang Yushu had to approach and ask, "Your Highness, the prince is going to Stone Street later. Are you interested?"
This woman was a heroine, both talented and beautiful, and it was very interesting to be with her. Unfortunately, she was married, with a teenage son. The prince suddenly became sober and calm. Despite the regret, he forcibly suppressed the inexplicable throbbing emotion, crushed it with regret, and scattered it into the spring breeze and drizzle at the border. He made a quick decision and decided to meditate quietly, shaking his head majestically.
Prince An, who was standing by the window, invited loudly, "You've got some free time, why don't you go out for some fresh air?"
"Unfortunately, I have two things I haven't finished yet, so I'll have to go out with Uncle Wang another day." Zhao Minyu treated his uncle with great respect and apologized, "The roads are slippery in the rain, so please be careful."
After everyone had invited everyone, they left the prefect to accompany the prince. Jiang Yushu took her son, led several subordinates, and many guards surrounded several carriages, and headed towards Stone Street in a grand manner.
Prince An enjoyed himself leisurely and continued to admire after lunch, enjoying himself selecting stone carvings and inkstones with unique patterns. In the evening, he returned home with a full load.
When they arrived at the government office, Jiang Yushu had just gotten off the car when she heard the servant announce, "Madam, the general is back!"
"Oh?" She smiled and asked hurriedly, "When did he arrive? Where is he?"
The servant replied, "I arrived at noon. After paying my respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Magistrate Ji, I rested for two hours. I just got up now and am in my bedroom in the back hall."
"knew."
Guo Ye rushed over excitedly, "My dad is back?"
"Um."
Prince An was the first to step through the threshold. Upon hearing this, he turned around and said happily, "He's finally here. Quick, tell them to prepare the wine. I want to have a few drinks with General Guo!"
When men get together, it's rare for them not to drink, and most of them end up drunk. Jiang Yushu disagreed, but she was used to it and answered readily, "You've been busy all day. Take a break. I'll invite you to the banquet once it's ready."
Prince An nodded happily, strode towards the back hall, and ordered, "Boy, tell your father that tonight, I will definitely get him drunk!"
"Oh, okay, alright." Guo Ye scratched his head and thought to himself: It's still uncertain who will get drunk.
At night, the banquet began.
The prince drank a few glasses and chatted for half an hour, then said he could not hold his liquor and left the table surrounded by his guards, appearing calm and elegant in front of others.
Afterwards, the prefect Ji Xuelian, who was old and afraid that drinking too much would bring up his old illness, apologized and left the table after obtaining permission from Prince An.
They drank until late at night and the guests fell drunk one after another.
The wine jugs were empty one after another. Gradually, Guo Honglei's toasting movements became clumsy. Prince An spoke with a lisp, but he never stopped talking and was very talkative.
"Alas," Prince An stammered, "with you not in the capital, hunting has become dull without company. It's become boring."
Guo Honglei was drunk. "It's okay. There's a long way to go. We can go hunting together again if we have the chance in the future."
"Why, why wait until 'later'? Tomorrow, tomorrow we'll go!" Prince An was filled with pride and slammed the table, saying, "I heard hunting on the grasslands is really fun. Let's go to the grasslands and hunt a few wolves. By the way, when we pass by the rocky gully, let's take a look and pick out some unique stones."
Guo Honglei smiled. "Stones? There are countless of them in that ditch. As many as you want, in all shapes and colors. I'm tired of seeing them."
"You, you are tired of it, but I haven't seen enough!"
“This is easy, you can just stop by and take a look.”
"Hounds?"
“No, no.”
Prince An's face flushed red as he slammed the table. "How can we go hunting without dogs? Come on, come on! Quick, get some smart hunting dogs! We're going hunting tomorrow, and we have to bring them!"
…
The clerks and guards were standing by, unable to persuade them or stop them, and they didn't dare to snatch the wine jug away by force. They served them with bitter faces until the two men passed out drunk, and then they hurriedly sent them back to their room.
It was the middle of the night and everything was silent.
In the back hall, the door was pushed open with a bang, and several servants worked together to support the drunk and staggering Guo Honglei.
"careful."
"Walk slower."
"Don't let him lie down yet, lean on him!" Jiang Yushu took two pillows and let him half lie down, half sit. The maid quickly made some hangover tea, and the old woman brought hot water. After several people busied themselves, she whispered, "It's the middle of the night, hurry back to your room and go to bed."
"But the general is so drunk..."
"It's okay, I'll take care of him."
The maidservant bowed and said, "I'll take my leave."
After a while, the couple were the only ones left in the bedroom.
"Oh, I really don't understand. You men, why do you drink for so long when you can just reminisce about the past? Don't you feel uncomfortable being drunk like this?" She couldn't help but sigh and wrung out her handkerchief to wipe the sweat off his face. "How can we chat when we're drunk?"
Guo Honglei leaned against the bed railing, feeling drunk and sweating from the alcohol. "Madam."
"Um?"
"lady."
"What's wrong?" She lowered her head, helped him untie his belt, opened it and made him feel comfortable, then covered him with a thin blanket. "Thirsty? Dizzy? Or want to vomit?"
Guo Honglei's eyes were bright, and he suddenly reached out and pulled, "Congratulations."
"Why--"
She was completely defenseless and was dragged down by the drunken and reckless man. She fell into his arms and hit the tip of her nose. The pain was so severe that she almost cried. She covered her nose and said angrily, "What are you congratulating me for? You almost broke my nose!"
Guo Honglei was quite drunk, feeling hot and sweaty. He said to himself with a smile, "Congratulations, you are no longer a county magistrate, but a prefect."
"Congratulations, congratulations." She couldn't argue with the drunk man and rubbed her nose. "General, didn't you get promoted? From now on, you are the commander of the Tate Guard. As the head of a guard, it will be easier for you to realize your ambitions. Cough, cough, cough, let go, I can't breathe!"
Since their marriage, the couple has been apart for most of their lives. They've only been together in Tuning for a few years, and now they're parting again. Guo Honglei, reeking of alcohol, tightened his arms around her, holding her tightly as he sighed, "From now on, I'm not in Tuning Guard anymore, so I won't be able to see you often."
She tried to prop up her upper body, naturally reluctant to leave, and comforted him, "But Tacha is close to Xicang. If things go well, we'll be home in five days. The old lady will definitely be happy."
"What are you going to do?" He frowned.
"Don't worry, although I have been promoted, and although Tuning County has been promoted to Ningzhou, the name has changed, but the location has not changed. I can handle it!"
"To be honest, I really hope that the court will transfer you to Ta Cha."
Jiang Yushu couldn't help laughing, "Husband sings and wife follows?"
"Is it not good?"
"Of course. Unfortunately, I have to stay."
In his mind, his wife was no heroine, a weak woman who needed constant protection. Guo Honglei's face was furious, a bit worried. "We're both in Tuning. Who would dare to bully you? But, but we're far away. It's out of reach. Do you understand? Do you understand?"
Seeing that he was drunk, his eyes were hazy and his speech was incoherent, but he still cared about his wife, she was immediately moved and replied with a smile, "I understand, I understand! Don't worry, I've been in Tuning for six or seven years. If I let myself be bullied so easily, how could I save my dignity?"
"If anyone gives you any trouble, you must tell me immediately." Guo Honglei felt dizzy and muttered to himself, gradually falling asleep due to drunkenness.
Jiang Yushu tried to comfort him, and after a while, she gently broke free, wrung the handkerchief again, and helped him wipe the sweat off his face. She hadn't slept well all night, and poured water for him who had been shouting "thirsty" several times.
At the end of March, it is an auspicious day and the spring is bright.
"Crackle~" the sound of firecrackers rang out, and under the gaze of everyone, the old plaque of "Tuning County Yamen" was taken down and replaced with a brand new plaque of "Ningzhou Prefecture Yamen".
Jiang Yushu, her official robe straight, looked up at the plaque with a feeling of deep emotion. She said respectfully, "Thank you, Your Highness, for writing the name on this plaque. This is truly a great honor for Ningzhou!"
In the crowd, a pretty woman in an official robe was smiling and particularly eye-catching.
The prince put his hands behind his back and looked up at the plaque carved with his own words. He was usually calm and composed. "It's just a piece of cake."
Prince An looked up and glanced at it, praising him: "The prince's handwriting is getting better and better!"
"Uncle Wang, you're too kind."
"Let's go. We have an appointment. Let's go to the camp to watch Commander Song train his troops." Prince An couldn't wait and said excitedly, "Today we watch the training, tomorrow we go hunting."
"Going hunting with General Guo again?"
Prince An nodded and replied cheerfully, "When I was young, I often went hunting with him. It's a rare trip to the northwest, and I'll be returning to the capital in the middle of next month. I'll have to hurry and kill a few more prairie wolves to satisfy my cravings and leave no regrets."
Hunting, hunting again. Jiang Yushu couldn't help but worry, "Your Majesty, please be careful. Hunting is after all-"
“I know, I know!”
Prince An was unconcerned. He took his nephew with him and walked quickly towards the carriage, muttering, "Women in the world are probably all equally timid. They are always cautious about this danger and that danger."
Zhao Minyu smiled, said nothing, and got on the carriage without looking around. The uncle and nephew led the crowd to the military camp to watch the military training.
At this moment · Xicang Heqin
Outside the door of the upper room in the backyard of the Guo Mansion, Guo Hongxuan's wife Liu Huiniang, accompanied by her niece-in-law Nie Feier, and their maids were holding food boxes, intending to visit Wang.
"The old lady took the medicine and fell asleep." Wang's trusted maid respectfully informed.
Liu Hui Niang was wealthy and gentle. "Then we'll come back to pay our respects later. Fei'er, go ahead and don't disturb the old man's rest."
"Okay." As the granddaughter-in-law, Nie Fei'er naturally obeyed her orders. The two of them left quietly. "Fourth Aunt, go slower."
In fact, Wang was not asleep, but was beating her chest and crying.
"Oh, this is bad, this is bad!"
"Honglei went to Tatecha as the commander, and Yushu stayed in Tuning as the prefect. With the news, they'll probably be busy for another three to five years. When will they be able to return to the capital?"
Wang's hair was white, her face wrinkled, and she was heartbroken, disappointed, and even beginning to despair. She choked up and said, "Since the day I left the capital, I have been looking forward to returning home as soon as possible. Who would have thought that more than ten years have passed, and I am still staying at the frontier? Cough, cough, cough——"
"Ma'am, are you okay?"
The two maids tried to comfort him, "Second Master has been promoted, and Second Madam also has a bright future. I believe she will be transferred back to the capital sooner or later."
"Yes, I will return to the capital sooner or later. Just take care of yourself."
Wang missed her hometown and was filled with deep disappointment. She wasn't even happy about her son's promotion. She coughed so hard that she couldn't straighten her back and gasped for breath. "Sooner or later, sooner or later, how soon or later will it end? My health is getting worse every year. I'm afraid I won't be able to wait until that day comes."
"I can't go back when I'm alive, so after I die, my coffin must be transported back! Although Heqin is a good place, it's not my hometown after all. I don't want to stay here for even a day longer—"
Before he could finish his words, the sad and excited old man gasped, closed his eyes, and collapsed.
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