Chapter 278, Promotion to Prefect
After resting for a day, Yan Zhigao took Yan Wenxiu to visit the residence of the Minister of Personnel. After meeting the second master of the Zhou family, he led Yan Wenxiu to report to the Ministry of Personnel and wait for the emperor to summon him.
While waiting, neither the father nor the son thought of taking the initiative to go to Yang's house.
The Yang family waited for a few days, but finally couldn't bear it any longer, so Yang Boyi brought his legitimate son Yang Hongrui to visit in person and met Yan Zhigao and his son.
Yan Zhigao and Yang Boyi are classmates. They haven't seen each other for several years. They should have had a lot to talk about, but unfortunately, when they met, all they felt was awkwardness.
However, Yan Wenxiu and his cousin Yang Hongrui had a very pleasant conversation and agreed to go to a teahouse to listen to stories together another day.
The Yang family father and son stayed for a long time and then left. Before leaving, Yan Zhigao said, "After I meet the emperor, I will go to see my sister."
It was to see my sister, not to visit the Yang family.
Hearing this, Yang Boyi felt a little uncomfortable, while Yang Hongrui looked embarrassed.
In the past few years, their family was really unfriendly to my uncle's family. Not to mention helping them, they didn't even show the most basic courtesy.
He knew that his mother was also resentful, and now looking at his uncle's attitude, she no longer had a good impression of the Yang family.
Xingzhou.
While Yan Zhigao was waiting for the emperor's summons, the Yan family lived their lives as usual.
Time flies and it is February.
On the fifth day of February, the servant of the Yan family came back breathlessly with a letter.
"Madam, a letter from the master!"
Butler Sun handed the letter to Madam Li, who couldn't wait to open it and read it. Soon, a bright smile appeared on her face, and she quickly went to Songheyuan with the letter.
When the people from the second and third rooms heard the news, they hurried to the old lady's yard.
"Mother, great news! The master has been personally appointed by the Emperor and is now a prefect of the fourth rank."
Daohua and Old Lady Yan were teasing the parrot. When they heard this, their faces lit up with joy.
Old Lady Yan said excitedly: "Here's the letter, let me see it quickly."
Mrs. Li quickly handed the letter over.
After the old lady read the letter and confirmed the news, she immediately clasped her hands together and said, "May the ancestors of the Yan family bless you!"
Daohua also took the letter and read it, her brows full of joy.
The better the cheap dad is, the better the rest of the family will be.
At this time, Yan Zhiyuan and others came over.
Yan Zhiyuan asked anxiously, "Sister-in-law, did you receive a letter from your brother?"
Mrs. Li smiled and nodded.
Yan Zhiyuan: "Brother, are you going to be transferred to the capital, or to somewhere else?"
Madam Li: "I have been transferred to Ningmen Prefecture and appointed as the fourth-rank prefect."
Upon hearing that he wasn't being transferred to the capital, Yan Zhiyuan was a little disappointed. However, thinking that a fourth-rank prefect wasn't bad either, he smiled and said, "Ningmen Prefecture? That's still in Zhongzhou Province."
Madam Li nodded. She had heard of Ningmen Prefecture. It was the northernmost prefecture in Zhongzhou Province and seemed a bit poor.
On this side, the Zhou family also received the news, and Mrs. Zhou immediately brought Zhou Jingwan over to congratulate them.
The Yan family did not know the importance of Ningmen Mansion, but Old Master Zhou knew it very well.
Ningmen Prefecture connects Zhongzhou, Jiguan and Fenxi provinces. Ningmen Pass is a very important military pass with a jurisdiction area equivalent to that of three other prefectures. The prefects in history were all appointed by the emperor himself.
From this point, it can be seen that the emperor had a very good impression of Yan Zhigao during this audience, otherwise, he would not have sent him on such a mission.
While Madam Li was entertaining Madam Zhou, Daohua took Zhou Jingwan back to her own yard.
"What are you looking for?"
Zhou Jingwan was puzzled when she saw Daohua went straight into the study as soon as she came back.
Daohua replied, "Map!"
She needed to see where Ningmen Mansion was and what the geographical environment was like.
Zhou Jingwan looked surprised: "You still have a map here?" This thing is only available in the outer study room of their house, and female family members are not allowed to enter the outer study room.
Daohua didn't even turn around: "I got it from Xiao Yeyang."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Jingwan was envious: "The young prince is so kind to you. You can't buy a map outside."
Daohua took out the map from the bookshelf, opened it, and said with a smile, "That's because he lost to me in chess, and this is my reward."
Zhou Jingwan curled her lips. "Do you believe that? Your chess skills are only good enough to compete with me. If you play with others, you will only lose."
Daohua said stubbornly, "Anyway, I won it."
Zhou Jingwan was too lazy to argue about this and quickly moved closer to Daohua: "Have you found it? Where is Ningmen Mansion?"
Daohua pointed to a mark on the map and said, "At the northernmost tip of Zhongzhou Province, a tributary of the Grand Canal flows through it." Then she smiled and said, "That's great! We can still see each other often in the future."
Zhou Jingwan nodded with a smile.
Her family had a boat, and as long as it passed through the Grand Canal, it was convenient for them to travel.
Daohua looked at Ningmen Prefecture on the map seriously. "It connects the three provinces of Jiguang, Fenxi, and Zhongzhou. The jurisdiction of this prefecture is quite large."
Zhou Jingwan immediately said, "I heard from my grandfather that Governor Guo is stationed at Ningmen Pass within the jurisdiction of Ningmen Prefecture."
Daohua looked surprised. This was the first time she had heard of this. After a moment's silence, she said, "There's banditry in Fenxi and flooding in Jiguang. Only the situation in Zhongzhou is better. This Ningmen Prefecture is not easy to govern."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Jingwan was surprised: "My grandfather said the same thing, but he also said that it is a bit difficult, but if you have the ability, it is the easiest place to achieve political achievements."
Daohua didn't think much about it and let her cheap dad worry about it.
On the third day after receiving Yan Zhigao's letter, Mrs. Li received another letter, this time from the Li family.
"What?! Cousin Zixuan's marriage is settled?"
Daohua was a little surprised. She and her two cousins had only been separated for more than two months: "Isn't this a little too fast?" she said as she read the letter from her second uncle.
After reading it, Daohua sat down and pondered for a moment, then looked up at Madam Li: "Mother, did the Fang family, to whom Zixuan is engaged, rush to finalize the marriage because they knew that my father had been promoted to the prefect of Ningmen Prefecture?"
Mrs. Li tapped her daughter's forehead and said, "You are such a mischievous spirit everywhere."
There is no denial, so it is true.
Daohua looked worried: "Mom, the Fang family is so utilitarian, will they be good to cousin Zixuan?"
Madam Li was silent for a moment. "Since your second uncle is optimistic about the son of the Fang family, I think he is a decent person. As for the utilitarianism you mentioned, the purpose of marriage between two families is to support each other. If we can gain benefits from each other, it will naturally be a great joy for everyone."
Daohua was silent for a while, then asked, "Mother, if I marry someone in the future, you should also first consider whether it will benefit the Yan family?"
Madam Li smiled and glanced at Daohua: "Shameless." Then she hugged Daohua in her arms and said, "You are my daughter. I don't ask you to bring any benefit to the family in the future. I only hope that you can live a happy and fulfilling life. Don't worry about it. I won't marry you off just because someone wants you to."
Daohua raised the corners of her mouth and climbed up the pole: "Then mother, can I wait until I am twenty to get married?"
As soon as these words were spoken, they were met with a slap in the face.
Mrs. Li said with a stern face: "What nonsense are you talking about? At twenty years old, she's already an old maid."
Daohua was speechless. Twenty years old is the best time of life, isn't it? She immediately said, "Then eighteen years old, eighteen years old should be fine, right?"
Madam Li sighed, glared at Daohua and said, "You little girl, I don't know what you're thinking about all day long. Don't think about it. Mother can keep you at home for a few more years, but if you want to get married, you have to meet each other early."
Daohua wanted to say something, but was stopped by Mrs. Li.
(End of this chapter)
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