The line "Traveling ten thousand miles to the battlefield, crossing mountains and passes as if flying. The northern wind carries the sound of the watchman's clapper, the cold light shines on the iron armor" stirs the blood, while the line "Two rabbits run side by side, how can one tell male from female" carries a touch of sadness.
The poem "The Ballad of Mulan" tells the story of Hua Mulan, who disguised herself as a man to join the army in place of her father.
Nowadays, she, like Mulan, is also a woman disguised as a man.
Thinking of this, Qingchen frowned even more and couldn't help but look at the jade pen that Song Yue had given her.
Is he implying something?
But she couldn't understand it, because she clearly hadn't given herself away in front of him. That day, when they shared a bed, everyone was wearing thick clothes; it was hard to tell if someone was a person or not, let alone a man and a woman.
If the teacher really finds out, how should she face him?
Meanwhile, inside the tavern on Chessboard Street.
Lu Shenyun sat alone in the dimly lit corner, his eyes slightly bloodshot and his face flushed. Seven or eight empty wine jugs sat on the table, and his embroidered spring knife lay beside him. The two plates of appetizers were cold, untouched by anyone.
Outside the window, the snow fell silently.
One cup down his throat, and another was already filled. He had a high alcohol tolerance and wasn't easily drunk to begin with, but now, drowning his sorrows, he only wanted to get drunk quickly, pass out, and forget everything, which made it even harder for him to get drunk.
So even after drinking seven or eight jugs of wine, he remained cruelly lucid.
Cruelly, it reminded him that the wine heated on the stove needed to be wrapped in cloth to avoid burning his hands, just as the heart also needs a layer of protection so that it wouldn't hurt so much when it was stabbed.
This is truly the worst part of getting drunk.
He still couldn't bear to think too deeply about what that person had said in the snowstorm that day. Was his insistence that he not repay the debt of saving his life a form of rejection...?
A short while later, a group of three entered the tavern and sat down at a nearby table, unaware of Lu Shenyun in the corner.
The three people in the group were also government officials: Chen An, a compiler in the Hanlin Academy; Zhang Yuan, a former compiler in the Hanlin Academy who was now a principal officer in the Ministry of Revenue; and an old doctor in the Ministry of Works.
Lu Shenyun glanced at them, then looked back down into his wine glass, where he saw a blurry and unfamiliar reflection of himself.
The three ordered drinks and dishes and then began to talk.
Zhang Yuan said, “The Ministry of Revenue is in an uproar today. Managing revenue and expenditure is the ministry's responsibility. Han Yuanshu was worried about the funds for dike repairs and had already come to the ministry three times. The tax revenue collected is limited, and money is needed everywhere. No one has the magic touch to turn lead into gold; we can't just hand out our salaries. Although we sympathize with him, there's nothing we can do. Let alone the dikes of one county, even ten counties are nothing compared to the military funds for palace repairs. Unexpectedly, a fundraising plan suddenly appeared a few days ago. Everyone got together to discuss it, and it was a revelation. We were wondering who came up with it. Today I learned it was someone from our Hanlin Academy. Now some people are shut up; they can no longer say that Hanlin officials only know how to compile books.”
As the food and drinks were served, Zhang Yuan took a sip of wine and said, "Thinking about it, it's really hard to believe. Two months ago, we were drinking here with Shen Qingchen, the one who tumbled down the stairs. He didn't seem to be able to drink much that day, and he didn't talk much either. We never realized he had such great abilities."
Chen An shook his head. "That's because you haven't had much contact with him. Back then, when Grand Secretary Song showed us the policy essays of the junior scholars, Qingchen's was very different from the others. His ideas were bold, but his logic was very rigorous. I loved discussing scholarship with him. I could always hear something new and inspiring."
Zhang Yuan had only been at the Ministry of Revenue for a short time. Although he had been a top scholar in the imperial examinations, he was still a newcomer to the Ministry. These past few days, he had been pondering a plan. "A situation without money is a dead end in everyone's eyes, but he was able to turn it around. Let me tell you, his method of raising funds was not a flash of cleverness, but rather a result of seeing through the essence of this dead end at a glance."
As he spoke, he tapped the table with his finger and analyzed, "On the surface, there's no money, not even the cabinet can conjure up any, so this situation is hopeless. But he saw that the real reason is the lack of incentive, so he thought of generating profit. Building a dam and spending less money is already a remarkable achievement, who would dare to think that it could generate profit? I discussed this with the people in the Ministry of Revenue, and his smartest move is in generating profit."
"Since ancient times, everyone has their own expertise: farmers cultivate the land, merchants trade, and scholars enter officialdom. We are accustomed to relying on ourselves and limiting ourselves to using our own skills to make money. But we have overlooked the fact that many things can actually be entrusted to professionals. As long as there is enough trust behind it, even money can be entrusted to others to generate profits and manage our finances. His cleverness lies in two aspects: first, he found the most professional people to generate profits, and second, he brought in the imperial court as a guarantor... This method has so many aspects worth learning from, and it is very meaningful for us officials of the imperial court. This Shen Qingchen's thinking is truly too agile."
In the corner, Lu Shenyun had finished another pot of wine.
The image of that person, praised by others, vividly reappeared in his mind. What couldn't be washed away even with strong liquor, now became even clearer.
From the emperor to colleagues, from acquaintances to strangers, that person's goodness is obvious to all. One day, he will surely rise to the top.
When he one day stands on the clouds, will he still see himself below, among the crowd?
Lu Shenyun drank three cups in a row.
Inside the tavern, candlelight flickered, the sounds of clinking glasses filled the air, and the shadows of the drinkers danced among the diners.
At Chen An's table, the old doctor from the Ministry of Works said again, "Speaking of quick thinking, I must also chime in. I don't understand the Ministry of Revenue's financial affairs, but when it comes to water conservancy, none of you are as good as me. Do you know how long this problem of silt has plagued us since ancient times? In the past, we relied on manual dredging, which was tiring and slow, and it was hard on the people, often resulting in their deaths. But if we didn't dredge, the silt would get blocked, and if it got blocked, even more people would die. This Shen Qingchen only changed the flow rate and velocity of the waterway, and he was able to reduce the deposited silt by 70%... I've been in the Ministry of Works for almost twenty years, and this has really broadened my horizons."
Chen An smiled and said, "It's rare to see someone praise someone like you, sir."
The man shook his head. "You're really skilled. I have to admit it."
“You two don’t know, he’s not only smart, but also very hardworking,” Chen An said. “He’s the most hardworking of all the junior officials I’ve ever met. Every time I pass by the lecture hall after my shift, he’s the only one left inside. I used to wonder what he was busy with, but now I know. What you’ve described is probably the result of countless mornings and evenings like this. He’s smart and hardworking, truly admirable.”
"Hey, is he married?"
"I haven't heard of that..."
"In that case, there will likely be no shortage of high-ranking officials in the court who want to marry him. If he can get a good wife to help him, he can be promoted even faster."
"Perhaps. He has always been a man of integrity and never goes to brothels."
"That would be even better. This is a good opportunity, and he should choose carefully."
Lu Shenyun picked up the wine pot, stood up, tossed a silver ingot onto the counter as he passed by, and silently left.
Outside, in the deep night sky, millions of snowflakes drifted down.
He looked up quietly for a while, and suddenly, he collapsed onto the snow.
The streets were deserted and quiet.
Just then, a horse-drawn carriage happened to pass by.
After the coachman said something, Song Yue, wearing a fur cloak, lifted the curtain and got out of the carriage.
Song Yue helped up the unconscious Lu Shenyun, took off his cloak, and wrapped it around Lu Shenyun's body, which was chilled by the snow.
"Lord Lu? Lord Lu..."
"Qingchen..."
The next morning, Qingchen, dressed in a brand-new blue robe embroidered with egrets, stepped through the lingering snow of the previous night and reported to the Hanlin Academy.
The Hanlin Academy was the place she was most familiar with in the imperial court. Although she was a new official, she felt like she was returning to her maternal home.
Chen An was waiting for her in the back hall. When he saw Qing Chen, who had changed into an official robe and looked even more handsome and elegant with a radiant spirit, he quickly bowed and said, "This humble official greets Lord Shen."
Qingchen was promoted directly to the rank of compiler, which is the sixth rank, making him a higher-ranking official than Chen An.
She used to be the one bowing to Chen An, but now that the roles were reversed, she was still a little unaccustomed to it. She quickly waved her hand and said, "Lord Chen, there's no need to be so polite. I have received a lot of help from you in the past, and I will never forget it." Last time, when she accidentally broke her teacher's flowerpot, it was Chen An who took the blame for her.
Chen An smiled and said, "It would be impolite not to reciprocate. You used to greet me, but now that you are my superior, it's natural for me to greet you. I know you're not used to it at first, but you'll get used to it. You're now Lord Shen of the Hanlin Academy, and many, many people will greet you in the future. Once you hear it enough, you'll get used to it and won't have time to tell them not to be so polite. Just start getting used to it from here."
Qingchen nodded. "Thank you, Chen An."
"Lord Shen, you needn't be so polite."
As he spoke, he glanced outside and saw the figure of the Grand Secretary of the Hanlin Academy. He said, "Come on, I'll take you to see the Grand Secretary. Although you are quite familiar with the Hanlin Academy, a new official always needs someone to guide him."
"Shouldn't it be the Imperial Attendant who receives it?"
"I happen to have nothing to do, so come with me. This is your maternal home, so won't it be nice to you? Once you get to the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, things will be different. Especially the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, everyone revolves around the Crown Prince, and none of them are simple. At that time, why should I worry about them not following the proper procedures?"
Upon hearing this, Qingchen felt a warmth in her heart, agreed, and followed Chen An.
The head of the academy, surnamed Du, was nearly fifty years old and a very amiable person.
Since they both worked at the Hanlin Academy, he often saw Qingchen and spoke with her a few times. His impression of her was that she was cautious, polite, humble, and diligent. Now that he saw Qingchen had been promoted, he was very happy.
After Qingchen bowed to him according to custom, he smiled and asked her to sit down. Then, as usual, he gave a brief introduction to the affairs of the Hanlin Academy and explained her duties to Qingchen.
The Hanlin Academy primarily served the emperor, functioning as his secretariat. Its main responsibilities included drafting various imperial edicts, compiling and editing historical records, and explaining classical texts to the emperor and his sons.
Qingchen was a compiler, not yet qualified to directly lecture the emperor on the classics. Her main duties were to compile historical records, draft documents for ceremonies, and prepare relevant books for the emperor's lectures. During lectures, she would take notes. Compared to many other positions in the Six Ministries that were responsible for practical matters, this was a relatively less strenuous job.
It was precisely for this reason that Zhu Rui gave her four positions.
After the head scholar gave a brief introduction, he chatted with her for a few moments, asking how she came up with such an amazing plan and expressing his expectations for her to perform even better. Although it was the first formal conversation between the two officials, the atmosphere was very relaxed, as it was, after all, her family's.
The conversation ended quickly. The head of the academy said to Qingchen, "You still have to take up your posts in the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works, so I won't say much more to you. Your cell was prepared yesterday, and I'll have Chen An take you to see it later. If you want anything added, just tell the officials in charge, and they'll add it. We're all family, so don't let yourself be wronged."
Qingchen nodded gratefully, "Thank you, sir."
After leaving the house, Chen An went to the outhouse. Qing Chen was about to report to the Ministry of Works when she ran into Gu Shaoheng, who was about to attend class, as soon as she stepped onto the corridor.
Gu Shaoheng looked at her robe with a grin, "This official robe looks really good on my Lord Shen."
Qingchen shook his head helplessly, "I'm going to the Ministry of Works to start my job first, I'll talk to you later. You should go to class soon too."
"Wait a minute." Gu Shaoheng took an invitation from his bundle and handed it to her. "Tomorrow is my birthday, and it happens to be a day off. You absolutely have to come."
Because of her special status, Qingchen always avoided crowded occasions involving drinking, just to be on the safe side. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "Shaoheng, I won't go if it's just drinking. I'll prepare a separate gift for you later, okay?"
"No good." Although Gu Shaoheng hadn't forgotten the scene of her tumbling down the stairs, he was turning twenty this year, and tomorrow he would be celebrating his coming-of-age ceremony. He really hoped Shen Qingchen could be there for such an occasion; if she didn't come, he would feel something was missing.
After thinking for a moment, Gu Shaoheng said again, "That day was my fault. I didn't know that Xu Silin would become violent after drinking. This time I will separate you and never let him sit with you. Don't worry. Besides, Qingchen, I'm turning twenty this year. Tomorrow I will have my coming-of-age ceremony. It only happens once in a lifetime. Aren't you going to come and celebrate with me?"
Qingchen then realized that in the Ming Dynasty, which valued rites and music, the coming-of-age ceremony was a very important ritual, ranking first among the four rites of coming-of-age, marriage, funeral, and sacrifice, signifying that a man had come of age and was ready to take on great responsibilities.
She had forgotten this point and rejected him without hesitation, which did seem rather heartless. "I'm sorry, Shaoheng, I forgot you were going to have your coming-of-age ceremony..."
Seeing that she was slightly more receptive, Gu Shaoheng quickly went from worried to smiling. His young face, hidden beneath his fur collar, shone brightly, revealing a few white teeth. "Don't worry, I know you can't drink, so I've thought of everything for you. I'll set up a special table just for us classmates, no one else. Since we're all classmates, you won't need to drink with me. I'll just make up some excuse and say you can't drink. After my coming-of-age ceremony and meal, you can leave. You don't need to stay to watch the play or anything. Is that alright?"
Remembering something, Gu Shaoheng added, "Oh right, Teacher Song will be coming tomorrow too."
The moment the words left his mouth, Qingchen suddenly thought of the poem "The Ballad of Mulan".
Tomorrow, shouldn't it be time to reveal the answer?
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