Chapter 113 This is going to make him an enemy of the Duke of Chu's mansion!
After saying this, he spurred his horse and left, leaving the Minister of Personnel clenching his fists tightly. He, a second-rank official of the imperial court and the head of the six ministries, had been openly threatened and intimidated in the street.
At that moment, he looked around and realized that he was in a quiet alley, the only sounds being his own breathing and that of the four sedan chair carriers. He would never take such a dark alley home.
He narrowed his eyes; something was amiss with his entourage. But who was it? Who was trying to intimidate him? And why?
Thinking about how the Emperor had just asked him to organize an assessment of Jiang Yu, he clenched his fists tighter. Was it because of this?
Looking down, he saw his attendant with wide-open eyes, blood streaming from his mouth, his eyes still open in death. His pupils contracted, and he said, "Report... back to the manor."
The sedan chair bearers were so frightened their legs went weak, but upon hearing his words, they hurriedly lifted the sedan chair and headed towards the Ruan residence. Once home, he rushed to the inner courtyard and, upon seeing his wife, asked, "Has something happened at home?"
Mrs. Ruan looked puzzled. "No, everything is fine?"
Seeing that he didn't look well, she stepped forward and asked, "Sir, what's wrong?"
Minister of Personnel Ruan Heng breathed a sigh of relief, then walked to the table and sat down, gripping the edge of the table tightly in silence. Seeing his anxiety, Madam Ruan asked, "What's wrong, sir?"
Ruan Heng recounted what had just happened, and Madam Ruan was so shocked that her mouth dropped open. After a while, she finally spoke, "Who...who did this? We must report it to the authorities immediately!"
Ruan Heng glanced at her and said, "Quickly investigate Zhang Da and his family, and tell everyone that I was frightened into illness. Tomorrow, go to the Duke of Chu's mansion again, visit the Duchess of Chu's heir, and make my dangerous situation and illness sound more serious."
"Why? What does this have to do with the Duke of Chu's mansion?" Madam Ruan asked.
Ruan Heng snorted, "The Duke of Chu wanted to recommend his granddaughter for an official position, and the Emperor agreed. He then asked me to organize the investigation of Jiang Yu. Before anything even started, Zhang Da said there was something going on at home and asked me to come back. On the way, Zhang Da was trampled to death by a horse, and I was also threatened. It seems that someone doesn't want Jiang Yu to enter the court as an official and is trying to obstruct the process."
Madam Ruan held her handkerchief and thought for a while before realizing the key point. Then she said, "Isn't the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel the son-in-law of the Duke of Chu? If you are ill, the investigation should be..."
Lady Ruan immediately changed her tune, saying, "No, it's precisely because he is the son-in-law of the Duke of Chu that even if you are ill, he will not be in charge of this matter."
Ruan Heng nodded, "Yes, Cheng Jinchuan should avoid suspicion."
"It's Yan Ruihua, another Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel," Madam Ruan said with certainty.
Ruan Heng nodded again, but his expression was heavy. Then Madam Ruan asked, "I heard Yan Ruihua is a local official. Whose connections did he use?"
For local officials to want to serve in the capital, it is not an easy matter. Every position held by these officials in the capital is very important, and even the lowest-ranking officials are caught up in this complex network of relationships.
Local officials without connections, unless they accomplish something that reaches the emperor's ears and earns his praise, are usually transferred to the capital. Otherwise, they would typically rely on connections within the capital. This Yan Ruihua hasn't been known to have done anything particularly groundbreaking; it's likely he's using his connections in the capital.
Upon hearing her question, Ruan Heng looked both embarrassed and angry. Madam Ruan could tell from his expression, but still asked, "Was it through your connections?"
Ruan Heng frowned and said, "I only opened a door for him; he's following the path of Imperial Censor Liang."
"Why did you give him special treatment?" Madam Ruan asked.
Ruan Heng hesitated for a moment but still told the truth: "It was Liu...Aunt Liu who was given to me."
Madam Ruan was so angry that her hands trembled when she thought of Aunt Liu's seductive appearance. She gritted her teeth and said, "Now look what's happened. Yan Ruihua isn't on your side, and you've been dragged down with her."
Ruan Heng hadn't expected that Yan Ruihua would drag him into such a predicament. Clearly, Yan Ruihua was someone else's pawn, someone who wanted to use Yan Ruihua to prevent Jiang Yu from becoming an official. This was meant to make him an enemy of the Duke of Chu's mansion!
Although the Duke of Chu was old and ailing, and had retired, the Emperor still treated him with great care. Therefore, the Duke of Chu's mansion did not decline until many years later.
Moreover, Jiang Yu is going to serve as an official in the imperial court. If Jiang Yu is capable, the Duke of Chu's mansion can prosper for several more decades, or even longer.
Ruan Heng hated himself more and more for being blinded by lust and falling for her trick. He looked at Madam Ruan and said, "Madam, now is not the time to talk about that Concubine Liu. Send someone to the Chengen Marquis's residence to invite the Marquis of Chengen over."
Madam Ruan snorted but didn't speak. Ruan Heng continued, "Afterwards, you can do whatever you want with Concubine Liu, can't you? She's just a plaything. I was intrigued for a few days, but does she think she can get past you?"
Madam Ruan was still seething with hatred. She reached out and pinched Ruan Heng's arm hard, watching him wince in pain before letting go. She then snorted and went to give orders. Ruan Heng leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowed, a dangerous look on his face.
To rise to the position of Minister of Personnel, he was clearly not a very kind person. How could he not hate someone who had been schemed against?
......
Cheng Jinchuan watched Ruan Heng's sedan chair depart, then also rode in his own sedan chair to the Duke of Chu's residence. Upon arrival, he found Jiang Yu in the Duke of Chu's study, where they had just seen off the eunuch who had come to deliver the message.
"Congratulations, father-in-law, and congratulations, niece," Cheng Jinchuan said with a smile.
The Duke of Chu smiled and offered him a seat. "You know everything?"
Cheng Jinchuan nodded, "Yes, the Minister just called me to his study. I guessed he wanted to talk to me about Yu'er's assessment, but before he could, his attendant called him away, saying there was something going on at home."
Jiang Yu and the Duke of Chu both frowned; it seemed someone else had made a move again. Jiang Yu asked the Duke of Chu, "Is Ruan Heng, the Minister of Personnel, a member of the Xie family?"
The Duke of Chu shook his head. "The Ruan family rose to prominence during the reign of Emperor Gaozu. At that time, Emperor Gaozu appointed many female officials, and the Ruan family produced a woman of great wisdom and resourcefulness who rose to the rank of third grade. From then on, the Ruan family gradually rose to prominence. The Ruan family is related to the Marquis of Chengen by marriage; Ruan Heng's eldest daughter married the Marquis of Chengen's eldest son."
After listening, Jiang Yu pondered for a moment and said, "In other words, Ruan Heng has no significant connection with the Qingshan Marquis's Mansion or the Xie family. So, why was he chosen?"
The Duke of Chu remained silent, his eyelids drooping; he couldn't figure it out for the moment. And who would be the one to make this move? The Earl of Qingshan, Xie Yun, or someone else?
At this moment, Jiang Yu said, "No matter what methods they use, since the Emperor has already ordered the Ministry of Personnel to examine me, they can only tamper with the test questions."
The Duke of Chu nodded, and Jiang Yu continued, "The examination questions for recommending officials in the past were similar to those for the imperial examinations, but much easier. They just rigged it; they simply made the questions more difficult and the grading of the papers more rigorous. But... I'm not afraid of that."
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