After saying goodbye to Gu Shaoheng, Shen Qingchen went to the Ministry of Works to report for duty.
The Ministry of Works was where she spent more than two months during her observation of government affairs, and she knew most of the people there, so it was like a second home to her. In addition, she solved a problem for the Ministry of Works, making the Minister of Works, who had always been ranked last among the six ministries, look good. Therefore, when she came to the Ministry of Works, many people would greet her with a smile.
Before some people could even speak, they abruptly changed their address of "Qingchen" to "Lord Shen."
According to Zhu Rui's idea, although Qingchen was a sixth-rank official like Han Yuanshu, he did not need to be responsible for specific affairs. He was only retained in his post to be consulted by others, and was somewhat similar to an advisor.
Therefore, when she met with the Vice Minister of Works, the Vice Minister did not say anything to her. He only affirmed her performance during the observation of the government, thanked her for helping the Ministry of Works solve the problem, and expressed his hope that she could have a better way to build water conservancy projects, just like she had done with silt control.
He didn't say anything more. He knew that her main focus was not on the Ministry of Works, but on the Crown Prince's Court of Imperial Sacrifices, so he didn't make any demands on her.
After he finished speaking, Qingchen bowed and said, "Thank you for your consideration, sir. I believe that although the Ministry of Works has the lowest level of order among the six ministries, it is responsible for matters of utmost importance to the people's livelihood. I am fortunate to be in the Ministry of Works and to be able to do my part for the people. I will do my best to fulfill my duties in the future."
These words earned the Vice Minister's approval: "It is truly rare for a young and promising scholar like you to have such thoughts."
After bidding farewell to the Right Vice Minister of Works, Qingchen ran into Han Yuanshu in the courtyard.
Han Yuanshu was wearing the same egret-patterned official robe as Qingchen, but it looked much older, a bit dirty, and the color wasn't as vibrant. The winter plum tree beside him was still covered with snow that had fallen the previous night.
"Greetings, Lord Han." Qingchen bowed first. "Thank you for your kindness and recognition." She was able to display her talents before the Emperor because of his recommendation to Zhu Rui.
Han Yuanshu glanced at her new official robe and black gauze hat, hiding the ink stains on her sleeves with his hands behind his back, and said coldly, "The higher you climb, the harder you fall. Don't be too smug."
"..."
Seeing that she didn't know what to say, he raised his head and walked straight away. As he passed her, he left behind a few words: "Never forget your original intention."
Ministry of Revenue.
Qingchen's position in the Ministry of Revenue was Zhaomo, a rank of eighth grade, the lowest of all her positions. The main responsibility of Zhaomo was to audit the ministry's income and expenditure, and she could also participate in the verification of some of the national treasury's accounts.
When Shen Qingchen arrived at the Ministry of Revenue, the place was very quiet, unlike when she was in the Hanlin Academy or the Ministry of Works, where someone would greet her.
She went to the office to find the steward, saying she was there to take up her new post and wanted to meet her superior. The steward's response was lukewarm, simply saying, "Please come with me, sir," which was his greeting to the newly appointed Lord Shen.
The steward led her to see the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, but he was not there, so he took her to the back hall and told her to wait.
In the back room, Qingchen sat and waited for a while. Soon, two people walked in, talking as they entered. The two looked travel-worn, clearly having just come from outside the city, and each carried a thick account book.
One of the two men was a physician of the fifth rank, in his forties, and the other was a clerk of the sixth rank, not yet thirty. Qingchen was the first to bow to them.
Upon hearing her name, the two men first sized her up, then exchanged a glance, their expressions somewhat subtle.
The official in charge said, "We belong to the Zhejiang Provincial Bureau of Personnel Management. We only arrived in the capital this morning and heard about your business. Lord Shen, you are so young, yet so capable. You came up with such a novel idea for raising funds. I wonder who taught you that?"
His tone carried a clear skepticism. The implication was that they didn't believe the solution was her idea.
As the saying goes, "A large forest has all kinds of birds." Some believe in the inherent goodness of human nature, while others believe in its inherent evil. Therefore, while some praise her, others naturally doubt her. Qingchen understood this perfectly and simply answered truthfully and calmly; no one had taught her this.
The young clerk, a man widely recognized as intelligent within the Ministry of Revenue, smiled upon hearing this and whispered something in his superior's ear. After the senior official nodded, he continued, "Lord Shen has come to the Ministry of Revenue to serve as an accountant, right? Perfect timing. The senior official and I each have an account book recording this year's taxes and expenditures for Zhejiang Province. One is incorrect, and the other has been corrected. We'd like to ask the accountant to proofread it. Since Lord Shen is so knowledgeable about finances, this small account should be no problem for you. Please discern which of our account books is correct and which is incorrect."
Zhejiang is a large province, with the highest tax revenue among the thirteen provinces in the country. The account books the two men had were hundreds of pages thick. Let alone Qingchen, who had just arrived at the Ministry of Revenue and was not yet familiar with the tax details of various regions, even for someone familiar with these matters, reading through these two account books and distinguishing between right and wrong would not be an easy task; it would take at least a month or two.
They wanted her to distinguish right from wrong on the spot, which was clearly making things difficult for her.
At this moment, the steward entered the inner hall and said that the Right Vice Minister had returned and wanted to take Qingchen to pay his respects.
The clerk replied, "No rush. The newly arrived Lord Shen is currently discussing scholarship with us. He said he'll go see him after the account books are sorted out." With that, he sent the clerk away again.
It's considered very impolite for a newly appointed official not to pay respects to their superior. Qingchen had already visited the Hanlin Academy and the Ministry of Works, so it was quite late when she arrived at the Ministry of Revenue. Yet, these two officials still wouldn't let her leave. If she continued to linger here reviewing accounts, the Vice Minister might think she was arrogant and disrespectful, relying on the four positions bestowed upon her by the Emperor.
She examined both sets of ledgers. The number of pages was the same, and the beginnings and ends were identical. There were only minor adjustments to the data somewhere in the middle. At a cursory glance, the two ledgers appeared exactly alike. Unless one compared them carefully page by page and column by column, it would be impossible to discern any differences, let alone determine which was correct.
Seeing that she was really going to argue, the official in charge laughed and said, "Lord Shen truly lives up to his reputation as a celebrity in the court these days, always ready to take on challenges. But I must tell you first, these two account books, each with 388 pages, only differ in three places. It will take you quite a bit of effort to find them, my lord."
Meanwhile, someone had already arrived outside the back hall, but did not show himself; he listened quietly outside the door.
Qingchen thought for a moment and said, "Zhejiang is a large province, and the accounts for this year must have taken a lot of effort to complete. Since you two lords need me to distinguish right from wrong, I dare not disobey. However, I dare not take up your time. So I have a request. I wonder if you two lords would agree?"
"What request?"
"I would like to ask you two a question. If you both agree to let me ask this question, I will be able to immediately identify the correct ledger," she continued. "At the same time, to prevent me from directly asking which ledger is correct, you two can choose one to tell the truth and the other to lie, and I will not know who is telling the truth and who is lying. In this way, if I ask the one who is lying, I will get the wrong answer."
"Lord Shen, do you mean that you can distinguish between the correct and incorrect ledgers by choosing only one of us, asking only one question, and allowing one of us to lie?" the doctor in his forties asked incredulously.
Qingchen nodded, "Yes, sir."
The doctor glanced at the head of the department for advice. The head of the department frowned and thought for a moment. It was indeed as she said, because she didn't know who was telling the truth and who was lying. So no matter what she asked, she couldn't be sure of the answer.
"Fine, since you're new here, I'll let you ask one question," the manager finally said. "You can only ask one."
"Thank you, sir." Qingchen smiled slightly, picked up a pen from the desk, handed it to the two men, and then turned his back. "If you two are going to tell the truth, please put this pen in your sleeve first. If you have made your choice, please call me."
"alright."
Qingchen turned around and asked the doctor, "Sir, my question is, do you think the chief clerk will tell me whether the account books he has are correct or incorrect?"
The doctor was momentarily stumped by the somewhat convoluted question and glanced at the chief clerk beside him. Upon hearing it, the chief clerk's expression slowly hardened.
At this moment, a man in a third-rank scarlet robe walked in from outside the hall. He clapped his hands and said, "Good question. I only heard that Lord Shen offered a brilliant plan. Now that I see it, he is indeed exceptionally intelligent."
Upon seeing this, the three of them quickly bowed in greeting. This person was none other than Tian Moyin, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, whom Shen Qingchen was to pay his respects to.
The reason he applauded was that Qingchen had indeed identified the correct and incorrect ledgers with just one question.
Assuming the clerk has the correct ledger and is telling the truth, then the physician is the one lying. The physician knows the clerk will tell the truth, meaning the clerk's answer will be "the correct ledger," since he himself can only lie. Therefore, the physician must answer Qingchen with "the wrong ledger."
Assuming the clerk has the correct ledger, and the clerk is the one lying, then the physician is the one telling the truth. The physician knows the clerk will lie, meaning the clerk's answer will be "the ledger is wrong," because he himself can only tell the truth. Therefore, the physician must answer Qingchen with "the ledger is wrong."
Conversely, if the person in charge has an incorrect ledger, the doctor can only answer "the ledger is correct".
In other words, no matter who has the correct ledger, and no matter who is telling the truth, the doctor's answer will always be the opposite of the ledger in the official's hands.
Therefore, based on the doctor's answer, one can deduce whether the account book in the person in charge is correct or not, and thus distinguish between the two accounts.
The physician was a little slow to react, and before he could figure out how to answer, the young manager had already put on a stern face, cupped his hands to Qingchen, and said, "Lord Shen, I concede defeat. This matter today..."
Tian Moyin raised his hand to interrupt him, saying, "Today's matter is quite interesting. You can have another match another day when you have the chance. Lord Shen, please come with me."
"yes."
Qingchen followed Tian Moyin out the door and couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.
With so many officials in the imperial court, all sorts of people, she would inevitably have to deal with them all in the future. In the workplace, interpersonal relationships are often more difficult to manage than job duties.
On the first day of the twelfth lunar month, the Gu family held a grand banquet to celebrate the coming-of-age ceremony of their eldest grandson, Gu Shaoheng.
Shen Qingchen arrived at the Gu residence on time. When she handed over the invitation, the servant who opened the door said, "Young Master has given instructions, please follow me," and then led her to Gu Shaoheng's courtyard.
Inside the mansion, gardens and pavilions of all sizes were arranged in a harmonious and orderly manner, and every hall and pavilion was decorated with exquisite beauty, showcasing the heritage and grandeur of a noble family. Some early guests had already arrived in the courtyard, all dressed in fine clothes, admiring the plum blossoms and enjoying the scenery.
Qingchen followed the servant up the covered corridor, her black boots crunching on the snowflakes along the edge. Just then, a maid in a green jacket approached, and their eyes met. The maid was momentarily stunned, then lowered her head in embarrassment.
After wiping herself away, the maid couldn't help but turn back for a glance.
His figure was straight and slender, though slightly thin, with a well-proportioned build. His face was fair and clear, with rosy lips and clear, pure eyes; he was truly a handsome and extraordinary young man.
Soon, Shen Qingchen arrived at Gu Shaoheng's courtyard.
His door had been open, as if he were waiting for someone. Upon hearing the servant's message, he immediately came out to greet Qingchen, led him into the house, and closed the door behind him. "You've finally arrived. I was worried you wouldn't come. Come in and sit down. It's cold outside, don't catch a cold."
Inside, an underfloor heating system burned, and a brazier provided warmth, casting a golden glow. The sandalwood furniture gleamed softly. On the wall hung a portrait of a beautiful woman and a scorched-tail zither.
Although it was very warm inside, Gu Shaoheng still ordered someone to prepare a few hot water bottles. As soon as he entered the room, he stuffed two into her hands, saying, "Your ears are all red from the cold."
Gu Shaoheng was the star of the day, dressed in a newly made dark green robe with fur trim, a glossy fur collar around his neck, and his hair was neatly tied up. He was truly a dashing and handsome young man.
"Shaoheng, today is your coming-of-age ceremony. Shouldn't you be busy with many things and entertaining guests? When I arrived earlier, I saw your father and several uncles greeting guests in the main hall. Why are you still inside?"
"I've been waiting for you," Gu Shaoheng said matter-of-factly. "Since it's your first time here, I was afraid you'd get lost, so I had the servant bring you here first. Anyway, there are a lot of people here today, and my father can't take care of me. We'll go and greet the teacher together when the gatekeeper announces his arrival."
"Um."
Gu Shaoheng nodded. "Look at my outfit. How do I look? Don't I look sharp?"
Qingchen laughed and said, "You look very spirited, a truly upright and honorable man. You'll look even more spirited once you put on the crown."
Hearing her say that, Gu Shaoheng was overjoyed. He thought to himself that when she came of age, she would be wearing a long robe and a silver crown, and she would look dignified, elegant and refined. She would probably be much more dazzling than him.
The two chatted for a few more minutes. Qingchen noticed a piece of calligraphy on the desk, the ink still wet, so he went over to take a look. "Did you write this?"
Gu Shaoheng nodded. "Today is a special day, and I was feeling quite emotional, so I couldn't help but write a piece of calligraphy. What do you think?" He then raised his head, waiting for her praise, but Qingchen was so engrossed in the calligraphy that she didn't notice his eager face at all.
Coming to her senses, she asked, "Which hand did you use to write this?"
"Of course it's written with the right hand. Who writes with their left hand?"
“Some people can not only write with their left hand, but also with both hands at the same time. The characters they write are so seamless that you can’t tell they were written with both hands at the same time.” Seeing this calligraphy reminded her of Song Yue.
Gu Shaoheng nodded and said, "People like that are extremely rare, a rare sight indeed."
Qingchen then asked, "Shaoheng, what comes to mind when you hear the 'Collection of Yuefu Poems'?"
“Naturally, they are the two masterpieces of Yuefu poetry, the Ballad of Mulan and The Peacock Flies Southeast.” Gu Shaoheng looked at her, puzzled. “Why would you ask this?”
"……nothing."
The teacher has been asking her to copy poems for a long time. Is she just slow to react, or is there really nothing there, and she's just overthinking it?
Just then, someone announced from outside, "Grand Secretary Song's carriage has arrived at the street corner."
Gu Shaoheng straightened his clothes and hurriedly got up to go to the gate to greet them, with Shen Qingchen following him.
Because of the arrival of distinguished guests, the entrance to the Gu residence was bustling with activity, with people from the porch all the way to the screen wall coming to greet them. In addition to the host, there were also some high-ranking officials and dignitaries who had come to visit, all dressed in brocade robes trimmed with fur.
Several patriarchs of the Gu family were waiting at the door. Gu Shaoheng, as one of the owners, joined their queue upon arrival. Shen Qingchen stood at the back of the crowd and could only see heads bobbing about, along with two motionless red crepe lanterns hanging from the eaves.
This momentum...
Looking at the cloud-riding unicorn pattern carved on the screen wall, she thought to herself, "Indeed, he is the second-in-command of the cabinet of the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty."
Qingchen rubbed his hands together and breathed on them. Because of the cold weather, his breath lingered in the air for a while before dissipating.
Just then, the person in front of her inexplicably took a step back, stepping on her foot. The person turned around, saw her in ordinary robes, and turned back without even an apology. Qingchen had only recently been promoted; many people in the court didn't recognize her.
On such a cold day, being suddenly stepped on was incredibly painful. She winced slightly and hissed.
Just then, someone appeared beside him and reached out to pat the person in front of him on the shoulder.
Shen Qingchen looked up and saw Xu Silin standing beside her. He was wearing a luxurious black winter robe and brocade gloves, with a cold and aloof expression.
The man turned around impatiently, but suddenly saw a man in a luxurious fur coat. His gaze moved upwards and he saw a cold face. He immediately smiled obsequiously and said, "It's Young Master Xu. My apologies."
Xu Silin was tall and looked down at him, saying calmly, "Greetings, Registrar. But you just stepped on this Lord Shen's foot. Did you forget what you were going to say?"
The person who stepped on Qingchen's foot was surnamed Wang. He was the registrar of the Imperial Household Department, Qingchen's future colleague, though of a lower rank. Qingchen had just been promoted and hadn't reported to the Imperial Household Department yet, so they didn't know each other.
"...May I ask which Lord Shen this is?"
"Lord Shen Qingchen, Left Assistant of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Compiler of the Hanlin Academy, Principal of the Ministry of Works, and Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue."
Hearing this, he said somewhat embarrassedly, "He is... I was blind to your greatness. I offended Lord Shen by accident just now. Please forgive me, sir."
Qingchen hadn't intended to make a fuss, so she just shook her head and said it was fine, exchanging a few polite words with him.
Xu Silin seemed still dissatisfied, his face remaining cold.
After the man left, his expression softened, and he turned to her, saying, "When I saw your back just now... Lord Shen's silhouette, I was wondering if I was seeing things. I didn't expect you to come. I thought... you're a new official and must have a lot to do..."
As he spoke, he smiled at her, but the naturalness he displayed in Huairou was gone.
“Shao Heng is coming of age, I should be here,” Qing Chen said. “Why don’t you stand at the front?” The son of the Grand Secretary should be surrounded by people.
"I don't want to go." He tucked his cloak in and moved a little closer to her. "Standing here is just as good. I like standing here with you..."
Before he could finish speaking, a commotion broke out at the doorway.
Surrounded by several elders of the Gu family, Song Yue finally entered the house.
Qingchen managed to spot him through the gaps in the crowd with great difficulty.
He wore a royal blue brocade robe with a right-fastening front, and a familiar purple-brown fur cloak draped over his back; the cloak billowed in the wind as he walked. Many days had passed, yet he remained as radiant and handsome as ever, his features exquisitely defined, illuminated by the soft snowlight. His tall figure stood out strikingly against the silvery backdrop.
Song Yue strode inside, talking to the Gu family patriarch as he went. When he passed Qing Chen, he seemed to see her and smiled slightly in her direction.
Qingchen was a little nervous. When she saw him, she couldn't help but think of the poem "Ballad of Mulan," and her heart started beating a little fast.
Xu Silin turned his head, glanced at her, and frowned slightly. The words "Is the teacher smiling at you?" were on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back.
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