Chapter 121 Spring Returns, Horses Galloping Swiftly
The transfer order issued by the Ministry of Personnel to Xiao Yu would not arrive in Ji City for several days. Upon hearing the news, Xiao Lin, who was on duty in the palace, took some time to send someone home to share the good news.
Wanhetang is closest to the main entrance, so Xiao Rong and the Deng couple were the first to know about it.
Overjoyed, Deng burst into tears, repeatedly chanting "May Buddha bless you." Xiao Rong glanced at his wife's silly expression and laughed at her, "Buddha is too busy to care about the third son's affairs. It's obvious that the third son's wife put in a lot of effort. Otherwise, how could the Emperor have granted her a pardon this morning after she only went to the palace yesterday?"
Deng was too slow to react because she was thinking about her youngest son. Seeing the old man's smug expression, Deng couldn't help but retort, "What are you so proud of about Fu'er's achievement?"
Xiao Rong took a sip of tea with a satisfied smile and began to explain to his wife in detail: "Where did Fu'er come from? Wasn't it me who personally took the third son to Yangzhou to betroth her? Without me, you wouldn't have met such a wonderful daughter-in-law, so of course I should be proud. Besides, you always disapproved of me when I was busy socializing and doing business, calling me a lackey. But look at Fu'er, how much she resembles me. This shows that if ordinary people like us want to gain a foothold in the capital, we have to be as clever and resourceful as me, the second son, and Fu'er."
Madam Deng: "Stop flattering yourself. The second son does enjoy socializing, but he doesn't fawn over everyone like you do. Besides, all your flattery hasn't helped you get a promotion. The second son is only in his early forties and has already become one of the commanders of the Four Guards of the Imperial Guard. As for Fu'er, she only needs to be fawned over by the nobles in the palace and the Princess. Now even the Princess Consort of Shun and the Princess Consort of Qi have to give her some face. Ordinary officials' wives have to fawn over her. Aren't they all better than you?"
Xiao Rong: "No matter how strong they are, if I hadn't earned the title of Marquis for my family first, they would never have the glory they enjoy in the capital today."
Finally, Madam Deng stopped criticizing him; the title of Marquis was indeed very appealing!
After the elderly couple had a quarrel, the over-sixty-year-old Ms. Deng walked briskly to Shensi Hall.
Luo Fu also received the message sent by Steward Zhao. She was happily keeping Cheng Jie company when her mother-in-law praised her one after another. Luo Fu smiled and said, "This is all thanks to the Emperor's grace. Mother, you should be grateful for the Emperor's kindness. We are family, so there is no need to be so polite."
Madam Deng glanced at her little granddaughter beside her, who was listening intently to the adults with her big, bright eyes, and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Yes, the third son isn't even forty yet. He's already served as the Minister of Revenue, and now he's become the Censor-in-Chief. Only the Emperor would value him so highly."
When the Imperial Censor was mentioned, Luo Fu asked with concern, "I heard that Elder Fan was ill when I left the capital before the New Year. Has he improved in the past two months?"
Back when Xiao Yu first passed the imperial examination and entered officialdom, Fan Yan, at the age of forty-eight, was considered young among the senior officials of the previous emperor's reign. Now, fifteen years have passed in the blink of an eye, and veteran officials such as Yang Sheng, Li Gong, Lin Bangzhen, Gu Xi, and Xue Chang have passed away one after another due to illness or old age. Fan Yan has also reached the age where he has no choice but to resign and retire.
Madam Deng sighed, "I haven't heard anyone say that. Fu'er knows that I don't go out much anymore. Although your sister-in-law has some social engagements, she has no connection with Old Master Fan."
Luo Fu: "If Elder Fan is willing to accept the position, Xiao Yu will not be able to become the Imperial Censor. I would like to send someone to deliver a visiting card. If it is convenient for Elder Fan, I plan to take Man'er and Tuan'er to visit him during my 20th day of rest."
Deng: "Of course, Fu'er should make the decision."
.
On February 20th, Luo Fu took her two children to the Fan residence.
Fan Yan's first wife had long since passed away, his second son was still serving as an official in the local area, and his eldest son's family had returned to the capital. The huge mansion finally had some more life.
Fan Yan suffers from a back ailment and cannot stand or sit for long periods of time. Now, when he receives guests, he leans on a wheelchair and is pushed around by his attendant.
The sun was shining brightly today. Fan Yan took Luo Fu and her two children to the garden. After dismissing his servants, the three generations could finally have a private chat.
"Hong-ge'er really looks like his father, a handsome and refined young man." Fan Yan said, admiringly examining the eleven-year-old boy in front of him.
Xiao Hong humbly expressed his gratitude.
Fan Yan praised Cheng Jie'er again, saying that her features resembled her mother's and that she looked like a little fairy. Cheng Jie'er smiled sweetly.
Luo Fu stood aside, listening to Fan Yan inquire about her son's studies. After Fan Yan invited the siblings to go for a stroll in the garden, Luo Fu pushed Fan Yan to follow behind them at a distance, and said softly, "Xiao Yu respects you the most. I imagine he must have been half happy and half worried when he received the transfer order."
Fan Yan leaned back in his chair, gazing naturally at the distant blue sky: "He should have respected me when he first entered the Censorate, but now I respect him more. Think about it, in his early years, his outspokenness and willingness to remonstrate could be attributed to the idealism of a scholar. Later, he rose to the rank of Second-Rank Minister, the career path that many newly appointed scholars dreamed of, yet he still remained selfless and spoke from the heart. In this respect, I am truly inferior to him."
Luo Fu gritted her teeth: "He's just stupid."
Fan Yan glanced at his wife above his head and laughed, "He is indeed silly, but you like his silly side, don't you? Otherwise, you wouldn't have helped him out."
Anything that happens inside or outside the capital, unless it's a closely guarded secret among the nobles, will quickly spread through official circles. Xiao Yu had served as the Chief Secretary of Jizhou for over nine months, and Emperor Xianping had never once mentioned this former favorite of the emperor. But after accompanying Xiao Yu's wife to the palace, Emperor Xianping recalled Xiao Yu. At this moment, countless officials envied Xiao Yu for marrying such a good wife, while countless others resented that Xiao Yu was able to return to the capital simply because of his good wife.
With the elders' keen eyes, Luo Fu no longer denied it, and brought up another matter: "I'm afraid he won't be able to serve as the Imperial Censor for long, and will be demoted again."
Both the late Emperor and Emperor Xianping were considered magnanimous, but the late Emperor lacked close advisors like Chen Ruliang, who were adept at sowing discord. After the Northern Expedition, Xiao Yu was demoted, and Emperor Xianping reshuffled the positions of the important officials in the capital. Xu Lian, the former Minister of Works, was promoted to Right Chancellor of the Secretariat, Chen Ruliang filled the vacancy of Minister of Works, and his brother-in-law Pei Xingshu filled the vacancy of Minister of Revenue.
Both were promoted to the rank of Minister. However, Chen Ruliang's brother-in-law, who had served in important positions in the capital after passing the imperial examination and had been promoted step by step, was far more respected than Chen Ruliang. But as Chen Ruliang became one of the new favorites of the emperor, more and more officials in the capital tried to win him over. It was no longer the time when everyone in the Secretariat ostracized Chen Ruliang.
Fan Yan laughed and said, "There's no need to worry about that. Whether it's the Censor-in-Chief or the Minister of the Six Ministries, as long as Xiao Yu returns, given his intolerant nature, he could be punished for his words anywhere."
Luo Fu: "..."
.
After visiting the old superior on Xiao Yu's behalf, Luo Fu resumed her leisurely life. Her son was intelligent and studious and did not need her to supervise his studies and homework. Her daughter had also started her early education and made friends with other girls her age in the neighborhood. She no longer liked to cling to her like she did when she was a child.
Besides enjoying playing cards and admiring flowers with the dignitaries, Luo Fu has recently taken on a new task: accompanying her two sisters-in-law to choose a niece-in-law.
All three of her nephews were of marriageable age, and many families wanted to arrange marriages with the Marquis's family. Luo Fu was mainly just watching the excitement and didn't dare to comment on any of the noble ladies.
The first choice for Xiao Chun's wife was decided. The woman was the daughter of a conductor who was a colleague of Xiao Hu. She was cheerful, fond of martial arts, and compatible with Xiao Chun in temperament.
By the end of February, Cheng'er had changed her routine again, dragging her grandmother to the door to greet her father, who might return at any moment.
Deng thought to herself, "When my third son comes back, I'll make sure to get back the money my granddaughter tricked out of me!"
Xiao Yu received the Ministry of Personnel's transfer order at dusk on February 20th. He spent a day handing over duties with Prefect Du and another day entertaining Prefect Du and Li Chong. He set off on the 23rd. Eager to return home, Xiao Yu had no patience for carriages and, as usual, rode on horseback with Qingchuan. At the first post station, he left behind two good horses that were just tired from running, and was able to exchange them for two horses that had rested and recuperated at the post station using his transfer document. He then changed horses at each post station, traveling two hundred li every day. Even a continuous spring rain could not stop the master and servant's pace.
On the morning of the first day of the third month, Xiao Yu finally stepped into the capital again. This time, he paid special attention to the carriages queuing in the capital, but unfortunately, there was no sign of the Princess's residence or his own carriage.
Xiao Yu still had to go to the palace to express his gratitude, while Qingchuan happily returned to the Marquis's residence to reunite with his wife and children.
In the Imperial Study, when Emperor Xianping heard that Xiao Yu was requesting an audience, he immediately guessed that Xiao Yu had once again rushed back on horseback, and perhaps even composed a few poems about missing his wife during his journey.
"Speak," Emperor Xianping said calmly, then coughed a few times softly after Eunuch Xue left.
The transition from winter to spring is a time when many people catch colds. Ever since Emperor Xianping was injured in Liaozhou and weakened, he has become frail and sickly. Even when he feels like summoning his concubines to his bedchamber at night, he has to rely on elixirs to enhance the experience. After all, he is a high and mighty emperor. Even if he doesn't care about most of his concubines, he is unwilling to admit that he is old and weak.
Xiao Yu was traveling in plain clothes and had not yet gone to the Ministry of Personnel to hand over and receive his official robes, so naturally he had no official robes to wear.
Therefore, Emperor Xianping waited for more than a quarter of an hour, and what appeared before him was a Xiao Yu dressed in fine cloth robes, covered in dust. His hair and face were indeed covered with a layer of dust, and coupled with his haggard appearance from days of travel, the Xiao Yu in front of him was at least a dozen miles different from the ethereal, handsome, and refined Xiao Yu in Emperor Xianping's memory.
Emperor Xianping first laughed, then sighed that time waits for no one. After his emotions subsided, he asked in a casual tone, "You are a second-rank official of the court, how did you end up in such a sorry state?"
Xiao Yu lowered his head and said, "It has been several months since we last met. I am eager to see Your Majesty and have not delayed my journey."
Emperor Xianping scoffed, "Are you in such a hurry to see your wife?"
Xiao Yu: "It is true that I miss my wife, but I am equally worried about Your Majesty."
Emperor Xianping was silent for a moment, then said, "I am fine, you don't need to worry. You may leave now, I am very busy."
Xiao Yu agreed, and as he stood up, he finally looked at Emperor Xianping behind his desk. Emperor Xianping was reviewing memorials, his head lowered, which allowed Xiao Yu to see the silver strands in his hair.
Xiao Yu was greatly alarmed, quickly concealed his unusual expression, and took his leave.
Eunuch Xue saw him off, and before the two had even left the Imperial Study, a few soft coughs came from inside.
Xiao Yu looked at Eunuch Xue, who shook his head slightly. It concerned the Emperor's health, so he dared not say more.
Xiao Yu was loyal to the emperor and could not bear to see Emperor Xianping showing signs of aging at only forty-five years old. However, the palace had imperial physicians to treat Emperor Xianping's health, so Xiao Yu put his worries aside after a while. When he mounted his horse again and headed towards the Marquis's residence, all that remained in Xiao Yu's heart were his parents and children whom he had not seen for more than a year, and his wife whom he had not seen for two months again.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Don't worry, our Imperial Censor Xiao will be handsome again after a few days of bathing and rest! [doge emoji]
Happy New Year 2026! Wishing all my friends, old and new, happiness and all the best! [starry-eyed emoji]
100 small red envelopes, see you around 9 pm for the second update~
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com