Chapter 59 A Second Blossom
Back at her workstation, Yu Mingshu couldn't help but complain to Chen Qingyue: "Xu Xiaoshu's attitude towards He Xima is almost like a son-in-law serving his father-in-law."
Chen Qingyue moved the cushion to the side to make room for her.
"You know what, Xu Jie's father-in-law's family is really a prominent and distinguished family."
How expensive?
"His mother-in-law is the Princess of Danyang, whose mother was the late emperor's younger sister. She is a member of the imperial family and is extremely noble."
Yu Mingshu raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself, "This family has a lot of live-in sons-in-law."
"No wonder you're so skilled; you must have practiced at home."
Chen Qingyue swept the clutter off the table, rested her chin on her hand, smiled at Yu Mingshu, and said meaningfully, "Have you heard? He Zheng submitted a memorial requesting the court to build warships and train a navy in the south."
Yu Mingshu seemed thoughtful. "This is a good thing."
"For a long time, the imperial court has focused on defending against foreign enemies in the north, but has neglected to guard the southern seas. The imperial army is full of landlubbers. Take the Taozhou army for example. It has ample military funds and is well-equipped, but it was defeated by the pirates and was completely disoriented..."
Zhang Yaoguang put down the scripture he was reading halfway through and suddenly joined their casual conversation, "Repairing warships and training a navy, which of these doesn't cost money? And where does the money come from?"
Yu Mingshu fell silent.
When you're broke, everything is meaningless.
"The national treasury is depleted, and we can't even pay the officials' salaries. How can we expect the court to allocate funds to train the navy?" Zhang Yaoguang said helplessly, "This He Erlang really dares to think too much."
After she finished speaking, the room fell silent.
When it was time to finish his shift, Yu Mingshu passed by the provincial government office but did not see his get off work partner.
This morning, the emperor held a grand meeting in the court.
After the court session ended, the emperor summoned the crown prince and his close advisors to a small meeting in the warm pavilion.
After the emperor finishes his short meeting, all the government offices will be facing endless meetings...
As expected, Xie Huaijin will be working overtime tonight.
Everyone's busy, it's good to be busy.
During dinner, Yu Dan heard his sister talking about the events of the previous dynasty and couldn't help but mutter to himself.
"Since the imperial court has no money, what is there to discuss? Let's recall the army as soon as possible and let He Erlang return to the capital for the New Year."
“The national treasury may not have the funds, but His Majesty is determined to make this happen, so we must struggle a bit before giving up,” Yu Mingshu said.
Imagine if the King of Qi hadn't really died and had been lying low overseas for so many years, would His Majesty the Emperor be able to sleep soundly at night?
Once the Daliang navy is fully trained, it means His Majesty can send troops out to sea to wipe out the remaining forces of the Prince of Qi and completely eliminate this major threat.
How could he not be tempted?
…
The memorial submitted by the Bureau of Justice to the emperor regarding the "Notes on Flood Control" was sent up layer by layer, and the commendation replies were sent down layer by layer. In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.
A young, unfamiliar eunuch carrying several bolts of cloth entered the courtyard and greeted He Wenfang with a smile.
"He Xima has worked hard. Although the Sijing Bureau is a sinecure, it has never forgotten to care about the people's livelihood. His Majesty was very pleased to learn of this. Yesterday afternoon, His Majesty praised He Xima for his virtue, loyalty and integrity, and for being a model for civil officials, in front of Minister Li and many important officials."
"To receive the emperor's bounty and serve him faithfully is the duty of a subject," He Wenfang nodded, his tone humble.
"Please have the eunuch convey my gratitude to Your Majesty. I will certainly be diligent and conscientious in fulfilling my duties and live up to Your Majesty's praise."
"I will write this down," the eunuch replied.
He Wenfang gently invited the eunuch in, saying, "It's such a cold time of year, I'm sorry to have troubled you to make this trip. My clerk just brought back some egg yolk pastries. Please come in and have some snacks and a cup of longan tea to warm yourself before you leave."
The young eunuch had never been treated with such courtesy by an official before. A hint of bewilderment flashed across his youthful face, and he quickly returned the greeting.
"Mr. He, you are too kind. I have other duties to attend to and cannot delay. I will not go in for tea."
"In that case, getting the job done is the priority, so I won't insist."
He Wenfang looked up at the gray clouds in the sky and said, “Judging from this sky, it looks like it’s going to snow heavily soon. I’ll prepare an umbrella for the eunuch.” As soon as he finished speaking, a quick-witted clerk handed him an oil-paper umbrella.
The eunuch accepted the gift with a flattered expression and bowed to thank He Wenfang.
Yu Mingshu looked out the window and saw the scene outside the courtyard, watching the group leave the Bureau of Justice.
Was He Wenfang really introverted? He was actually quite adept at navigating social situations.
"The palace only sent a nameless eunuch to deliver the decree. It seems His Majesty isn't very interested in this 'Flood Control Notes.' Oh, by the way, Yu the Proofreader, you're the one who compiled this book, right? Why is His Majesty praising He Xima instead?"
A strange, sarcastic voice came from beside him; he knew it was Xu Jie without even turning around.
Yu Mingshu didn't even turn his head. "Xu Xiaoshu is usually close to Shangguan. Why don't you ask him yourself?"
Xu Jie said no more, snorted coldly, and left.
Later that day, the document of commendation reached Yu Mingshu.
She only glanced at it, and her fist hardened.
He Wenfang stole her first authorship, which she tolerated—after all, he was her superior. But Xu Jie was just a gossipy scoundrel; why should he share in her work?
Yu Mingshu clenched his fist and slammed the memorial onto the table, the loud thud causing Zhang Yaoguang and Chen Qingyue to turn around.
"What did you see that made you angry?"
Chen Qingyue sat down opposite her, picked up the folded document, and glanced at it. Even the usually dignified and composed young woman couldn't help but frown at just one glance.
"This is outrageous!"
Chen Qingyue reacted in the same way as Yu Mingshu, slamming down the folded document and pacing back and forth in the room in anger.
"Who in the entire Bureau of Justice doesn't know that you worked day and night for months to compile my late father's manuscripts into a book! How can your name be placed at the very end of this memorial!"
Yu Mingshu gulped down half a cup of strong tea and stood up, supporting himself on the table.
"I'm going to confront He Wenfang."
Chen Qingyue's anger stopped abruptly. Fearing that she would argue with her superior in the government office, she wanted to chase after her to mediate, but Zhang Yaoguang called her back.
“He Wenfang is becoming increasingly reckless, and the Bureau of Justice has become his personal fiefdom. It is time for someone to curb his arrogance.”
Chen Qingyue was vaguely worried, "But Yu Xiaoshu has no one to rely on. If He Wenfang is really angered, it's not certain who will be able to deflate whose arrogance."
Zhang Yaoguang stared intently at the worry in her eyes, remaining silent for a long time.
Just a room away, Xu Jie learned that he had gotten a bargain while lying down, so he knelt down next to He Wenfang and put on a show of being extremely grateful.
When Yu Mingshu stormed in, he saw Xu Jie holding a cup of longan tea that had just cooled down, his face still wet with tears of excitement. Anyone who didn't know better would have thought that He Wenfang had saved his life.
Suddenly caught in the act, Xu Jie's eyes flashed with embarrassment, his lips twitched, and he hurriedly put down his teacup and stood up.
He Wenfang glanced at him before turning his gaze to the cold-faced woman in front of the door. "Proofreader Yu, what's the matter that you're so flustered?"
Yu Mingshu slammed the memorial onto He Wenfang's table, his eyes fixed straight ahead.
"He Xima, I am truly puzzled by the name on this memorial requesting merit. I humbly request that you take the time to enlighten me."
The fold book was opened to the list side. Yu Mingshu's slender fingertip poked at Xu Jie's name, leaving a scratch on the dried ink.
She didn't directly express her confusion, and He Wenfang knew what she wanted to ask, so he raised his hand to signal Xu Jie to leave. He lowered his head, took a sip of tea, and then lazily lifted his eyelids to scan the troublesome woman in front of him.
“Miss Yu, we all work in the Bureau of Justice. We share both good times and bad times. You must understand that, right?”
“Understood.” Yu Mingshu scoffed. “Since we’re sharing the good fortune, this memorial should include all of the dozen or so people in the bureau. We can’t be biased.”
He Wenfang hesitated for a long time, seemingly finding it difficult to speak.
He raised an eyebrow at Yu Mingshu's angry face and lowered his voice, saying, "You don't know, Xu Xiaoshu has his reasons."
Who in this world doesn't have their own troubles?
“You’re still young and don’t understand the bitterness of a man being unable to hold his head high in his father-in-law’s house! This Xu Jie comes from a poor family and has been looked down upon by his father-in-law’s family since his marriage. Even his position as a schoolteacher was arranged for him by his father-in-law…”
"Then he should reflect on himself."
"..."
He Wenfang was almost speechless because of her words. After a moment, he put on a stern face and reprimanded her: "We are all colleagues. Why are you so harsh? You should put yourself in Xu Xiaoshu's shoes. He needs an opportunity to make a contribution so that he can stand tall in his father-in-law's family."
"He desperately needs to make a name for himself but doesn't work diligently. He's always buzzing around his superiors like a fly. Is his achievement based on his words?"
He Wenfang remained silent, his gaze lowered, and he slowly poured a cup of tea, pushing it towards her. "Miss Yu, calm down. I've already spoken to Xu Jie. Fortunately, he doesn't lack a few bolts of cloth, so his share of the reward will all be yours. You'll get everything that's rightfully yours."
Yu Mingshu laughed in exasperation, "Do I look like I'm just missing a few bolts of cloth?"
Seeing that she was unmoved by his words, He Wenfang finally turned cold.
It has always been subordinates who flatter and reward, how can a superior appease a subordinate? He asked himself honestly, he had already done more than enough by speaking so kindly and patiently to Yu Mingshu.
He Wenfang's tone suddenly turned serious, "Things have come to this point, the petition for merit has been approved, and the rewards have been sent to the Bureau of Classics, yet Yu Xiaoshu is still making a fuss. Does he want to cause trouble before the Emperor and make him change his orders every day?"
Yu Mingshu said, "I didn't mean that."
The emperor was already worried about the naval funding he couldn't get, and if someone went to the emperor's court at this time to say that His Majesty's reward was wrong and asked him to withdraw and reissue it, that would only add to the emperor's troubles and make him think he had too much time on his hands.
Yu Mingshu wasn't as straightforward as he thought, to the point of dementia.
She gave a mocking smile, closed the memorial, and looked up to meet He Wenfang's gaze, ignoring the invisible pressure emanating from his eyes.
“You used my work as a stepping stone for Xu Jie, so you should give me appropriate compensation.”
Upon hearing this, He Wenfang gave a disdainful smile and was about to bring up the matter of rewarding with cloth again.
Yu Mingshu spoke first: "A few bolts of silk are not enough. What I want are real benefits."
He Wenfang's face stiffened, and his brows furrowed deeper. "You are just a woman, why do you bother competing with men for fame and fortune!"
“You are a great man, yet you also act like a petty person.”
Upon hearing this, He Wenfang placed his right hand heavily on the table and let out a cold snort.
This ended in discord.
Yu Mingshu returned home, locked himself in his room, and went back to his old ways.
She was not a gentleman; she was a calculating and mercenary woman with no other skills, only a slight understanding of artistic techniques, and she enjoyed dabbling in small-scale creations in her spare time.
Given how much He Wenfang cared for Xu Jie, he probably wouldn't mind if this touching friendship were widely known and remembered for generations to come.
Yu Mingshu focused on his literary creation and didn't eat with his family for several days.
Yu Dan couldn't help but mutter, "Last time, my sister stayed indoors and did something big when she came out... I wonder who has offended her this time."
As Luo Yan served the dishes, she said, "It seems that someone stole the credit for the 'Flood Control Notes' compiled by the young lady."
"Who is so immoral?" Yu Dan asked in surprise.
"He Wenfang and He Xima from the Sijing Bureau, and also Xu Jie and Xu Jiaoshu."
Yu Dan muttered, "Two grown men with no ability are trying to steal credit from a girl. They've lost all sense of shame."
Jiang Ruan frowned and glanced at him, but didn't say much at the dinner table.
After finishing her meal and returning to her own courtyard, she closed the door, lowered the bed curtains, and then cornered Yu Dan against the wall.
"My lord, you should advise my elder sister that we should cultivate good relationships with our colleagues. He Wenfang is her superior, and Xu Jie is the county princess's son-in-law. What good will it do for our Yu family to offend these two?"
“He’s the county magistrate’s son-in-law, not the emperor’s son-in-law. What’s there to be afraid of? Besides, if He Wenfang really had connections everywhere, he wouldn’t have wasted so many years in the Bureau of Classics.” Yu Dan said dismissively.
Jiang Ruan was somewhat annoyed. "No matter what, it's not good for an elder sister to have a reputation for being competitive as a woman."
Yu Dan frowned, his tone displeased: "A reputation for being competitive doesn't sound good, but one for being submissive sounds good?"
Jiang Ru'an was about to say something more when Yu Dan said, "From now on, you should mind your own business."
Before the other person could reply, he had already stepped over his wife and gotten out of bed.
"Where are you going, my lord?"
"Study." Yu Dan said this and left without looking back.
Jiang Ruan choked up, and unable to bear it any longer, punched the bedding.
Gu Yu rushed in and asked cautiously, "Miss, did you and your husband have a fight?"
Jiang Ru'an seemed to have found an outlet for her emotions. "Isn't everything I'm saying all this for his own good? My elder sister has offended everyone. What will become of your future career? I'm thinking of him in every way, and not only does he not appreciate it, but he also gives me the cold shoulder."
"Please calm down, Miss. This young master and Miss Yu have been each other's only family for many years. They are like siblings and he always thinks of his elder sister."
Gu Yu gently advised, "You've only just married into this family. You should follow your husband's wishes and work on strengthening your relationship as a couple. Don't rush things."
As Jiang Ruan calmed down, she also felt some regret.
"Bring me the cloak, I'll go and call my husband back."
Yu Mingshu was completely unaware of the little incident in the East Courtyard.
Her office propaganda masterpiece is finished; all that's left is to find a bookseller to copy and distribute it.
At the end of the year, on the eve of the Crown Prince's birthday, a shocking story spread throughout the capital, its vulgarity no less than that of "The Secret History of the Imperial Secretariat" published more than half a year earlier.
When Liang Yuanjun returned from the Taiji Hall, she caught four or five palace maids who were gossiping during their shifts, and she secretly began to have some doubts.
They sent Yang Leyi out to investigate, but they couldn't find any identical copies of the storybooks.
"What did you write? Read it to me." Liang Yuanjun picked up the ink stick that was sleeping peacefully on the bed and raised an eyebrow.
Yang Leyi casually flipped to a page, read only a few sentences, and her expression froze.
"Your Highness, this article is unbearable to read..."
"read."
Liang Yuanjun's tone was firm and left no room for argument, so Yang Leyi had no choice but to lower her eyes, turn her gaze back to the words, and brace herself to speak.
Wenfang gazed at the forlorn and melancholic scholar, lost in thought, as if only the two of them remained in the world. Those were captivating, alluring eyes, their gaze telling tales of life's hardships and uncontrollable resentment…
He said, "This life is like a caged bird; I only wish to roam the heavens in the next life." Wenfang wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, feeling endless pity. Suddenly, he lifted his thin jaw and kissed him between his thin lips and thick beard. He said to him, "With me here in this life, what more could you ask for in the next?"
A long silence followed.
Liang Yuanjun was deeply shocked and couldn't help but snatch the storybook and start reading it from the beginning.
"Who wrote these divine characters?"
Yang Leyi hesitated for a moment, but still told him about the recent situation of the Bureau of Justice.
"So, this article was written by Yu Mingshu?"
"Yes, even the story about Minister Xie that was written last time was written by Miss Yu and published by He Erlang."
Liang Yuanjun pulled out Yu Mingshu's exam essay from a pile of books she hadn't had time to look at in a long time, and placed it next to this newly published storybook.
It's hard to imagine that these two scripts were written by the same person.
"I've been so busy with state affairs lately that I forgot she was still idling around in the Bureau of Justice."
She pondered for a moment, then sneered, "I thought He Wenfang was a bookworm who didn't care about worldly affairs, but he actually did something as despicable as impersonating someone else and stealing credit."
Hearing the Crown Prince's unfriendly tone, Yang Leyi's heart sank, and she said worriedly, "Your Highness, the memorial requesting credit for the 'Flood Control Notes' was approved by His Majesty..."
"After the morning court session tomorrow, please invite Yu the Proofreader over," Liang Yuanjun said in a deep voice. "Also, remind He Wenfang that the Crown Prince's court cannot tolerate those with wicked intentions."
It was just a reminder, not a punishment. Yang Leyi breathed a slight sigh of relief and replied, "Yes."
The Bureau of Justice was bustling with activity.
Not only did officials from the Eastern Palace point and whisper as they passed by, but even minor officials from the Six Ministries who lived further away would find excuses to run to the Eastern Palace and, incidentally, stop by the Sijing Bureau to watch the commotion.
This morning, Xu Jie came to his post for the morning shift and was given directions the whole way. He felt like he was being watched wherever he went.
Feeling pressured by his stares, he snapped, "What are you looking at! Get out of here!"
He was fine when he wasn't in a hurry, but his outburst only made the people around him chat even more enthusiastically.
"He Xima stole other people's credit for him..."
"He always liked to fawn over his superiors, so it's no wonder that the stories portrayed his relationship with He Wenfang as that kind of relationship."
"Why should He Wenfang help him when they have no relation to each other?"
"Perhaps there really is something between these two, who knows?"
Upon entering the Bureau of Scriptures, Xu Jie went straight to He Wenfang's office. When Yu Mingshu arrived to report for duty, Xu Jie immediately confronted him and demanded an explanation.
"Scholar Yu! Those vulgar stories circulating in the market, weren't they your doing? This is slander, fabrication, and malicious defamation of a colleague! If you don't recall those stories, I can ask the Imperial Censor to impeach you!"
"What storybook? I don't know anything about it." Yu Mingshu's acting was extremely perfunctory.
"You're not asking about 'The Caged Bird' that your colleagues are all talking about, are you? You've misunderstood. I only found out this morning that such a book has become popular in the capital!"
He Wenfang slammed his hand on the table, his tone stern, "Yu Mingshu, do you think you can absolve yourself of responsibility by making up a few lies?"
“The innocent are innocent. If He Xima doesn’t believe me, then please ask the censor to impeach me.” Yu Mingshu practically had “I’m fearless” written all over his face.
The entire story, from the scholar's plight to the official stealing credit for him, is adapted from reality. Of the tens of thousands of words, only the scene where the scholar kisses Xu is fictional.
Would He Wenfang dare to present this to the Emperor?
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