Even more coincidentally, the man who stood upright and looked like he knew martial arts was the same man Meng Zhao had reported to the Five Cities Military Command about the counterfeiting of Treasure Pavilion's goods. When the matter made progress, she went to the yamen again and saw a familiar figure in the distance. Upon closer inspection, it was none other than the man she had seen at Mingde Academy that day!
Meng Zhao's eyes widened as he watched the man glance at him before striding out of the yamen's main gate. She quickly grabbed the constable beside her and asked, "Who was that gentleman who just left?"
The constable followed her gaze and replied, "That is Qin Ye, the commander of our Five Cities Garrison, Lord Qin."
The Five Cities Garrison was mainly responsible for the security, fire prevention, and anti-theft affairs of the capital. In modern terms, it was equivalent to a police station. So, wouldn't this commander be a police chief?
After finishing the business and receiving the stolen money from the counterfeiters, Meng Zhao suddenly realized that the smooth progress of his case might have something to do with that Lord Qin.
However, since things had gone so smoothly, regardless of whether the other party was involved or not, he should express his gratitude. So, the next time he went to Mingde Academy, Meng Zhao stopped Lord Qin and just as he opened his mouth to say, "Lord Qin, about that thing I had last time..."
Before she could finish speaking, Qin Ye interrupted her, "Madam Meng, today's question only gave two conditions. How did you deduce the complete figure?" He then casually drew an incomplete geometric figure on the blackboard and stared intently at Meng Zhao.
Meng Zhao was taken aback, but then she understood. This commander was clearly telling her that at the academy, they were just like-minded people discussing academic matters, and there was no need to thank him for those official matters.
So she relaxed, picked up the chalk and drew a dotted line on the blackboard. "Lord Qin, please look, although this question only gives two conditions, if we draw an auxiliary line here as a reference... in this way, we can complete the whole figure." Meng Zhao put down her pen and looked up to meet Qin Ye's admiring gaze.
"Brilliant!" Qin Ye clapped his hands in admiration. "Madam Meng's solution is truly enlightening."
Without saying thank you, Meng Zhao was still thinking about whether to prepare a thank-you gift. Gold and silver were unnecessary. Her case was written clearly and concisely. She had collected witness testimonies in advance and even wrote down the addresses of several counterfeit merchants. Even if Qin Ye had helped, he probably only urged her to hurry up. If she gave something too valuable, it would seem like she was helping her out of personal favoritism.
So the next time I went to Mingde Academy, I brought some new snacks with me. We discussed academic topics while drinking tea and eating snacks, which made things a bit less boring.
Just as Meng Zhao and the others were talking, the curtain was suddenly lifted, and Madam Gu walked in with her sleeves rolled up. She took off the apron from the wall and tied it with practiced ease. Seeing Shen Qingze huddled to one side carving, she went over and took the knife from him. "I asked you to come and help, but what are you doing, slacking off, huh!"
Shen Qingze looked completely innocent. "No way, we have to be a little particular about our own meals. I'm just adding to the festive atmosphere!"
Watching the family of three bustling about, Meng Dashan couldn't help but lean close to Xu Yunrong's ear and whisper, "Look at this family, they act like they're at home here, not at all like outsiders. If I had known it would be like this, I should have pooled my money to buy a bigger house so we could all live together."
Upon hearing this, Xu Yunrong glanced at him sideways, but didn't reply. Instead, she turned and walked to Madam Gu's side, asking with concern, "Lan Ying, have you finished with everything at home? Why are you here to help so early?"
Madam Gu arranged the chopped vegetables on a plate and sighed, "Alas, how can I ever finish all this work? Those gift lists are making my head spin. I just couldn't take it anymore, so I came out to find some peace and quiet."
Upon hearing this, Meng Dashan joked, "Hey, it's because Qinghe got promoted. They don't usually have many opportunities, but during the holidays, they all rush over to curry favor. The more people who come, the more the Emperor values Qinghe. You should be happy!"
Hearing this, Madam Gu couldn't help but complain, "That's true, but Qinghe is fine. He's on duty in the palace all day long, and nothing gets to his ears, leaving me at home busy as a bee." Although she was complaining, she still had a smile on her face.
As the year drew to a close, the Shen family was overjoyed. Shen Qinghe was promoted from compiler in the Hanlin Academy to Right Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, a sixth-rank official position. He was tasked with assisting the Crown Prince in handling documents, etiquette, and other matters, as well as arranging the Crown Prince's study schedule and helping him cultivate virtue and advance his studies. He was a very close minister to the Crown Prince.
This position has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that it allows one to be close to the Crown Prince first, and when the Crown Prince ascends the throne, he will definitely appoint those close to him first.
The downside is that this position requires one to share both glory and ruin with the Crown Prince. However, the current Crown Prince is the legitimate son of the Empress and enjoys the deep favor of the Emperor and Empress, making his position as secure as a mountain.
That's why the threshold of the Shen residence has been worn down by visitors these days. Who wouldn't want to become a familiar face to the Crown Prince's confidant?
Seeing Gu's expression of mixed joy and sorrow, Xu Yunrong smiled and said, "Lanying, if you ask me, you should have arranged a marriage for Qinghe long ago. Once the new bride enters the family, someone will naturally take care of all the chores of welcoming and seeing off Qinghe." A mischievous glint flashed in her eyes, "Then you can just enjoy your grandchildren and live a life of leisure."
Gu's smiling expression immediately dimmed. She sighed softly, "How could I not want to? It's just that Qing and that child..." The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she felt it was inappropriate to talk about her son in public, so she swallowed them back, leaving only a sigh on her lips.
But Meng Dashan wasn't one to read the room. He asked with a curious look, "What's wrong with Qinghe?"
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