The next day, Shen Qingchen still went to Hanlin Academy for classes.
Inside the classroom, Xu Silin was engrossed in writing something. As she passed by him, he seemed to sense her gaze and looked up, meeting her eyes.
Today, his gaze was indifferent, gentle and simple, and he quickly lowered his head. This glance was no different from when he saw other classmates.
Luo Yuanhao and Lin Mo were vying to see something new and interesting. They chased each other like children, playfully bumping into Xu Silin, even colliding with his arm that was resting on the table. He didn't say anything, keeping his head down, only slightly withdrawing his arm.
Seeing this, Qingchen finally felt completely relieved. It seemed he believed her and wouldn't bother her anymore.
Her studies at the Hanlin Academy will return to their former simplicity and tranquility.
As the class began, Song Yue entered the lecture hall, still looking as dashing and confident as ever.
Shen Qingchen hadn't attended her teacher's classes for several days. Returning today, her mind was at ease, and having rested for a few days, she felt refreshed. Seeing him, she was even slightly excited. Last night, she had studied her teacher's reflections and felt some resonance. She also wanted to tell him about writing letters to the other disciples. Suddenly, she felt she had so much to say to him. However, upon reflection, it didn't seem like anything she absolutely had to say, and he was so busy. Torn between these conflicting thoughts, her gaze involuntarily followed him.
Song Yue casually glanced around the hall, not specifically looking in any particular direction. Qing Chen's prepared gaze did not meet his.
Feeling a little disappointed for some reason, she lowered her head slightly.
Song Yue flicked his sleeves, then leaned on the desk with both hands and looked at everyone, saying, "I have something to announce to you all. From today onwards, I will no longer be teaching you."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.
Qingchen felt as if her heart had skipped a beat.
Didn't you just arrive? Why are you leaving all of a sudden?
His visit to her home that day was perhaps a final act of concern for his student before resigning from his post.
She stared at him intently, but he still didn't look at her.
Song Yue glanced at the surprised looks on everyone's faces, and after a long while, he said softly, "I want you to go to the Six Ministries to observe the administration. Go for three days every five days, just like other Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations)... I am still your teacher."
Qingchen breathed a sigh of relief.
The imperial examination system of the Ming Dynasty selected officials based on their literary talent, but those who passed the highest level of the examination were required to handle practical affairs. Theory without practice was insufficient, hence the system of "observing government affairs" for successful candidates. After passing the examination, successful candidates were not immediately appointed to official positions. Instead, they had to first go to the offices of the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers to practice government affairs. After a period of time, the court would then select talented individuals to serve as officials based on their performance.
Because the junior scholars were the best among the successful candidates in the imperial examinations, they did not need to enter the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers to learn specific affairs. Instead, they went directly to the prestigious Hanlin Academy, which everyone desperately wanted to enter. During their three years of study, they had more opportunities to meet the emperor and important officials than ordinary successful candidates. After graduation, they could often be directly appointed to important positions.
Song Yue, on the contrary, felt that this was a waste.
The Six Ministries and Nine Ministers oversaw all national affairs and people's livelihood, with specific and specialized functions. In contrast, the Hanlin Academy had a relatively singular function, responsible only for compiling books and histories, drafting imperial edicts, and serving as lecturers at the Imperial Lectures, emphasizing literature while neglecting technical skills, which was actually not conducive to the development of the country.
Therefore, he wanted to place the junior officials into the Six Ministries.
He had actually been planning this for a while, but he always felt it was too early. Zhou Shiping's threat a couple of days ago, however, forced him to make up his mind... it would be better to distance himself from Shen Qingchen first.
"Remember, I've sent you here to observe politics, not to serve tea, grind ink, or flatter and fawn," he instructed his students.
Although he was the second-in-command, the training of junior officials was a matter of national importance and not something he could decide alone. For this matter, he personally submitted a memorial to the cabinet, awaiting the draft proposal from the chief minister, Xu Yan.
Xu Yan was a man of deep thoughts. Having served the emperor for many years, he had long since developed a wary mind. Upon seeing Song Yue's memorial, he first pondered the other party's intentions. He thought that Song Yue had been engrossed in political affairs for so many years and had always been respectful to him, so he figured this move wouldn't be detrimental to Xu Yan's faction.
Then he thought of his son. He was getting older and didn't know how many more years he could control the court. It wouldn't be a bad thing for Xu Silin to gain experience early and establish relationships with reliable people as soon as possible. So he agreed, "Grand Secretary Song has taken on the role of teacher for the junior officials and has been very dedicated and responsible in teaching his students. This suggestion is excellent. Grand Secretary Song, please draft the proposal now."
Xu Yan hadn't expected that while he was building connections for his son, Song Yue was also considering Qingchen's future in the same way.
After leaving the main hall, Shen Qingchen went to the back hall to find Song Yue.
He was carrying purple bamboo as he came out of the back hall, heading back to his office in the inner cabinet, when the midday sun shone down on him.
"What is it?" he asked her calmly.
The overly bland tone reminded Qingchen of the time he helped her wash the dishes. After a few days apart, something seemed to have changed.
"I came here for that poem," Qingchen said, then realized his tone was a little unnatural. He paused before continuing, "Seven days have passed. May I ask, teacher, has anyone come to claim it?"
"No."
"In that case... the student should be punished."
His eyes flickered. "Are you really willing to be punished?"
Qingchen nodded.
"Very well," he said bluntly, "I'm going to deduct three months' worth of your allowance and give you ten strokes of the cane. Do you have any objections?"
She lowered her head. "No objection. The student is willing to accept the punishment."
He thought for a moment and then said, "That doesn't seem enough. I'd like to add another punishment."
"...Teacher, please go on."
He put one hand behind his back and said, “I’ve been reading the Yuefu Poetry Collection recently, and I’ve suddenly become interested in some of the songs. Could you please copy the first fifty volumes for me?”
The Yuefu Poetry Collection contains over five thousand songs, divided into one hundred volumes, with an average of fifty songs per volume. Song Yue asked her to copy fifty volumes, which would be two thousand songs…
Qingchen blinked slightly and calmly replied, "Yes."
"Give me the copied music within three months, and the allowance will be deducted starting today." Song Yue paused for a moment before continuing, "As for the flogging, you can receive the punishment when I have time to go to the Ministry of Justice."
After saying that, he walked right past her.
Qingchen bowed and stood up, only to see his elegant figure disappear by the flower wall.
Unbeknownst to her, Song Yue had already anticipated her acceptance of punishment. He wanted her to know that whatever choice she made, she had to bear the corresponding consequences; being soft-hearted came at a price.
Song Yue kept his word and quickly arranged for Shen Qingchen and other junior officials to work in the Six Ministries.
Even though they were assigned to observe the administration of the Six Ministries, they still had to balance their studies. They would spend three out of every five days at the Six Ministries and the remaining two days at the Hanlin Academy to continue studying classics and calligraphy.
There were fifteen of them in total, and they were divided into five groups of three by the scribes of the Hanlin Academy, each group going to a different department. Shen Qingchen was assigned to a group with Gu Shaoheng and Xu Silin.
This group is something that others would envy.
Because Xu Silin was Xu Yan's son, and Xu Yan had been deeply involved in the court for decades, controlling almost all of the six ministries except for the Ministry of Rites, which was headed by Song Yue. Officials naturally had to give face to the Grand Secretary and wouldn't neglect or treat his son with disrespect.
This trio will surely be able to quickly establish good relationships with the officials of the six ministries, becoming familiar with the ways of officialdom before even entering it, and having acquaintances to look after them once they do enter it—that would be the best thing ever.
However, when Gu Shaoheng first heard about the group assignments, his lips pursed so much that an oil bottle could hang from them.
He didn't care about having any advantages; all he cared about was being around Xu Silin every day, which made him unhappy. But then he thought, since Shen Qingchen was close to him, the two of them could stick together and leave that guy out in the cold. No matter how powerful he was, he would still end up all alone.
Thinking this way, his mood improved again.
Xu Silin had mixed feelings when he received the group assignment message.
This must be what fate is all about. Although he had managed to control his wild thoughts about that person, he hadn't expected that even after being assigned to various departments to oversee governance, he would still be facing that person every day. He wondered what would happen between them after all this.
Shen Qingchen's group was assigned to the Ministry of Works.
The three men showed their waist badges at the entrance of the Ministry of Works, and soon a ninth-rank official from the Ministry of Works came out to greet them. "The three of you have come to observe the government affairs on behalf of the Chief Clerk. Today, the Minister has convened a meeting of all the officials, and the Chief Clerk is also present. I will take you to see the Chief Clerk after the meeting is over. Now, let me show you around the Ministry of Works."
The three men bowed and said hello, then followed the steward inside.
The Ministry of Works didn't look very big; it was a small courtyard with three sections, even smaller than the Hanlin Academy, but just as simple and ancient. The houses were all painted with gray tiles, the courtyard was paved with square bricks, and there were bluestone steps. Several pine and apricot trees dotted the courtyard.
The steward led the three of them, introducing them to all the buildings they passed, and also explaining the affairs of the Ministry of Works to them.
"The Ministry of Works does all the specific work. Whether it's good or bad, it's obvious, with so many eyes watching. If you do it well, it's expected, and you won't receive any praise. If you do it poorly, it's a crime, and no one can escape punishment. The work is tough, and it's the lowest-ranking among the Six Ministries. Not to mention the Court of Judicial Review and the Censorate, even the Imperial Observatory is not to be trifled with. If they push you too far, they'll set an 'auspicious day' for moving the palace, and we'll have to finish by then, even if it kills us. Sigh, it's a lot of bitterness and hardship to talk about."
The Ministry of Works in the Ming Dynasty was a complex entity, similar to a modern combination of the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the Ministry of Water Resources. It oversaw civil engineering, water conservancy, mining, metallurgy, textiles, weaponry, and even the minting of coins nationwide. Managing so many things was one thing, but the most crucial responsibility was supervising the construction and repair of palace buildings. Indeed, as the official in charge stated, doing it well was no easy feat; even a small oversight could cost someone their head.
The clerk continued, "The canals for transporting water and goods need to be repaired urgently, the dikes for flood control also need to be repaired urgently, and the palace buildings need to be built urgently. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Personnel is considering laying off officials because they think there are too many of them. We all have to do the work of two people, and we often have to work non-stop. We can't even close our eyes for a moment, for fear of making a mistake. Everyone thinks that being a government official in the capital is a very good job, but you only realize that everyone is working for the court and for the people. Nobody has it easy."
"Therefore, it is a wonderful thing that Grand Secretary Song has invited you to observe the government. I will not presume to say that I would like to ask the three of you to help us with the affairs of this department in the future. If we do a good job, not only will the Emperor be satisfied, but the people will also benefit."
Everyone in the imperial court knows that the work in the Ministry of Works is difficult.
It was a rare opportunity for Grand Secretary Xu's son to be assigned here. Even the steward was quite excited to see him and wanted to experience it for himself before going back to tell the Grand Secretary how hard it had been for them.
After touring the ministry, the clerk led the three of them into a small room. This room was originally used to store books and miscellaneous items, but it had been specially set aside and three desks had been added for Shen Qingchen and the other two to use. Gu Shaoheng wiped the desks with a finger and found them dust-free, which pleased him greatly.
Xu Silin remained silent and picked up a copy of "Yingzao Fashi" from the bookshelf. Qingchen looked at the book and thought of the one at home that she had almost worn out from reading it so many times.
"Please wait a moment, gentlemen. I'll go see if the chief has finished his discussion and will be back shortly." With that, he left.
A short while later, he returned and said that the chief official had finished his discussion and returned to his cell.
The group followed the steward to the chief's cell. Just as they reached the door, Shen Qingchen heard a roar—
"Bullshit!"
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