Chapter 386 Treating with Sincerity
Grand Tutor Yan was satisfied with Yan Fenghua's answer, and asked him to stand up, saying, "I understand."
Grand Tutor Yan nodded, his tone tinged with approval. "I will get to work on Fengxi's matter as soon as possible. I will find a prominent family outside the capital that has produced officials for generations, one with a clean family tradition and strict rules, so that she can be disciplined there."
He gestured for Yan Fenghua to stand up, and then said, "You don't need to worry about this anymore. Just focus on your studies. The next imperial examination is just around the corner, so you should concentrate all your attention on your studies now."
"yes."
Just then, the steward came to announce that the Duke of Wei had arrived. Grand Tutor Yan stood up and said to Yan Fenghua, "Come with me to greet him."
"yes."
The grandfather and grandson walked out and soon saw the Duke of Wei walking towards them. The two sides exchanged greetings and pleasantries. Then, Grand Tutor Yan led the Duke of Wei to his study, and Yan Fenghua returned to the Imperial Academy.
"Your grandson is young and promising; he looks like a pillar of the state," the Duke of Wei praised with a smile.
Grand Tutor Yan nodded slightly and said with a faint smile, "It's just some cleverness; it still needs more polishing."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the conversation turned to the marriage between Yan Fengju and Ning Yunchuan. Duke Wei said with a smile, "Speaking of which, my grandson Yunchuan has often talked about her intelligence and composure ever since he met Miss Fengju at the Tiangong Division. I also think that Miss Fengju is of good character and has real talent, making her more than a match for Yunchuan."
Duke Wei took a sip of tea and said earnestly, “As for whether the daughter is legitimate or illegitimate, it really doesn’t matter in the eyes of our Wei family. What matters is the girl’s character and the upright family tradition passed down through generations of the Yan family—these two things are better than any empty title.”
The meaning is clear: they don't care that Yan Fengju is a concubine's daughter.
Grand Tutor Yan once again felt that Yan Fengju should not be underestimated. Judging from the current situation, Fengju must have said during her meeting with the Duke of Chu yesterday that she would not register the child under the name of her stepmother, which led to the Duke of Wei's statement today that he did not care about the status of legitimate or illegitimate children. This shows how farsighted Fengju was.
Suppressing his inner turmoil, Grand Tutor Yan replied with a smile, "It is truly Fengju's blessing that the Duke of Wei is so open-minded."
Grand Tutor Yan stroked his beard and smiled, a hint of emotion in his eyes. "Speaking of which, a few days ago, the Earl of Qingshan specifically sought me out, his words quite probing, wanting my eldest granddaughter, Fengxi, to enter the Eastern Palace as the Crown Princess."
One sentence made the Duke of Wei's smiling face turn serious. He hadn't expected the Crown Prince to offer the position of Crown Princess to Grand Tutor Yan in order to win him over. He just didn't know what Grand Tutor Yan's intentions were now.
At this moment, Grand Tutor Yan's voice rang out again, "Although the position of Crown Princess is prestigious, it is not as practical as a marriage alliance with the Wei family."
Grand Tutor Yan put down his teacup, his gaze calm and firm: "Marriage between children has always been about letting things fall into place naturally. The fate between Fengju and Yunchuan seems to be ordained by heaven, and I have already accepted this marriage in my heart."
He tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, his voice low but clear, “Although the Crown Prince’s palace is prestigious, it is ultimately a place in the clouds. It cannot compare to our two families, who know each other well and get along well. If we can see the children living peacefully and the friendship between our two families being passed down from generation to generation, that would be the best thing.”
In other words, he rejected the Earl of Qingshan, but also expressed his intention to surrender. The Duke of Wei was a cunning old fox; how could he not understand his meaning? After a moment's thought, he said, "The Grand Tutor is absolutely right."
Duke Wei clapped his hands and chuckled, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. "The situation in the capital is constantly changing. The key is to choose the right direction and board the right ship. Only by working together and supporting each other can we ensure the safety of our family amidst these turbulent times."
"Hahaha, yes, what the Duke of Wei says is right." Grand Tutor Yan laughed heartily, and the Duke of Wei laughed along with him. The two of them reached an agreement in a pleasant manner.
Next, they discussed the marriage between Yan Fengju and Ning Yunchuan. The two exchanged their birth dates and times, and then the Duke of Wei took his leave. He did not return to his residence but went directly to the Secretariat to find Jiang Yu.
Jiang Yu was somewhat surprised to see him arrive, and quickly invited him to sit down, then personally brewed tea for him. Duke Wei looked around Jiang Yu's study, and seeing her skillful tea-making movements, he immediately recounted his conversation with Grand Tutor Yan.
Jiang Yu placed a cup of tea in front of the Duke of Wei, pondered for a moment, and said, "It seems that the Prime Minister and the others have their eyes on the power held by Grand Tutor Yan."
Duke Wei nodded. "They also know that the Emperor has no intention of passing the throne to the Crown Prince, but they insist on going against the tide. If it really comes to that, those who seized the throne through shady means will always need to find a respectable excuse to maintain appearances."
The Grand Tutor, as the head of the Three Dukes, was in charge of etiquette and education, and enjoyed considerable prestige in the court. With him assisting with the rituals and ensuring everything was in order, even if some harbored doubts when the Crown Prince ascended the throne, out of respect for the Grand Tutor and the constraints of propriety, there would be less public criticism. Moreover, the Grand Tutor's power extended far beyond this.
Jiang Yu nodded, "It's just a pity that Grand Tutor Yan is so discerning."
This remark amused the Duke of Wei, and Jiang Yu smiled as well. Setting down her teacup, she added, "Let's decide on the marriage between my cousin and Fengju after he returns from Lingnan."
Duke Wei was taken aback, then immediately understood Jiang Yu's meaning. Ning Yunchuan's trip to Lingnan was fraught with danger. Although they had made ample preparations, the possibility of Ning Yunchuan encountering an accident was not high, but there was always a chance of something going wrong.
Since Grand Tutor Yan sincerely surrendered, they should also treat him with sincerity.
"Alright," said the Duke of Wei after a moment's hesitation.
"You can tell the Grand Tutor about my cousin's trip to Lingnan," Jiang Yu added.
Duke Wei nodded, "I understand. I will have someone analyze the birth charts in a moment. If they match, I will go to the Grand Tutor's residence."
........
The matching of horoscopes was swift; the Duke of Wei received the results that very evening—a match made in heaven. The next day, he went to the Grand Tutor's residence to report the results. Grand Tutor Yan hadn't expected him to act so quickly; he hadn't even begun his own investigation. This, however, demonstrated how much the Duke of Wei valued this marriage.
Just as Grand Tutor Yan was about to discuss the engagement with Duke Wei, he saw Duke Wei lean closer to him and say in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Yun Chuan has taken on a mission and will be away from the capital for a while. How about we decide on the engagement of the two children after Yun Chuan returns?"
Grand Tutor Yan paused for a moment, saying "good" aloud, but his mind was racing. Ning Yunchuan was the commander of the Imperial Guards; who would assign him this task? Naturally, it would be the Emperor, and this task would certainly be carried out in secret.
So, what kind of job would it be?
He looked at the Duke of Wei, his eyes questioning. The Duke of Wei dipped his finger in tea and wrote the two characters "Lingnan" on the table. Grand Tutor Yan's heart skipped a beat, then he smiled and changed the subject.
...........
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