Chapter 81 Promotion [First Update]
As Su Qing was about to sit back down, she saw Consort Qin looking at her.
Su Qingchao smiled, wondering why she would take her anger out on others.
Besides, she really does dance well.
Consort Qin visibly breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes filled with gratitude.
She already had countless enemies in the harem because of her favor with the emperor, and she really didn't want to provoke anyone.
This outfit, and even this dance, were all chosen by the Emperor.
They even made her practice secretly so she could perform a dance at the Celebration Banquet.
If this had happened when she first entered the palace, she would have been overjoyed, thinking it was a sign of the emperor's favor.
But she now understands that she is nothing more than a tool.
Tools for disgusting people.
Fortunately, Lord Su didn't hold it against him.
Su Qing certainly wouldn't mind; she was enjoying the show.
The Empress Dowager was only in her early fifties, the perfect age for her to make a difference.
There are so many old men in the court, all much older than her.
We can't give up so easily!
With Su Qing leading the way, the princes and ministers who wished the Emperor a long life would surely also extend their congratulations to the Empress Dowager.
After all the civil and military officials had finished offering their birthday greetings, the emperor's face was extremely grim.
The Empress Dowager's expression grew increasingly pleased.
His birthday banquet turned into a stage for the Empress Dowager.
The Emperor stared at Su Qing, but the Empress Dowager didn't give him a chance to make trouble. She praised Su Qing a few more times and bestowed countless gifts upon her.
"What a filial child. Your mother must be very happy to have a child like you. What is she doing now?"
Su Qing smiled and replied, "My mother has settled in Nanjiang County. Several younger members of the Mei family have come and are teaching them to read and write."
This made the Empress Dowager even happier.
Su Qing's mother is so lucky.
The daughter is filial, so let her support her family.
The Empress Dowager glanced at the Emperor, clearly saying, "Look at them, and then look at you."
The Empress Dowager's family couldn't help but look up.
This time, we need to re-examine Su Qing.
Their clan was severely suppressed by the emperor.
Unexpectedly, it was her words about filial piety that gave him back his spirits.
Why didn't we think of bringing such talent to our side before?
The grand banquet concluded on April 23, and opinions varied from party to party.
However, no one mentioned Consort Qin's matter.
Anyone with eyes can see that she was just a target to attack Su Qing.
But Su Qing not only returned it.
It seems they immediately sought out a powerful backer.
The day after the Thousand Autumns Banquet ended, Su Qing was summoned to the palace.
The person who summoned her this time was none other than the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager's bedroom must be luxurious; upon entering, one is surrounded by incense, as if floating on clouds.
In ancient times, women in their fifties were mostly grandmothers, and their dwellings were generally simple and unpretentious.
But the Empress Dowager's place was quite different; looking at the carved beams and painted rafters, it exuded a lively atmosphere.
Such a person would never easily relinquish power.
Come to think of it, the Empress Dowager's family was not prominent. She became a favored concubine by virtue of her skills and beauty, and even had two sons.
Only she knows best how hard she has worked along the way.
Even if it's your own son, you wouldn't be able to let go of something you've acquired in this way.
This applies to anyone.
They can share hardship, but not prosperity.
The Empress Dowager will definitely be dissatisfied.
But an emperor is an emperor after all, and he has legitimate power.
Since last year's imperial examination, they have suppressed her.
Unexpectedly, this anniversary banquet gave her another opportunity.
And this opportunity was given to him by Su Qing.
For this reason alone, she wanted to get closer to Su Qing.
Su Qing said those things yesterday, and she was prepared to be won over.
The two sides hit it off immediately and sat down for a chat in the beautifully landscaped flower hall.
Su Qing also noticed the female officials behind the Empress Dowager and was slightly taken aback.
The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "At the last Qionglin Banquet, it was Lady Cui who invited you, wasn't it?"
The Emperor specifically requested that Lady Cui go and invite her.
At that time, both the Empress Dowager and Cui E knew what Su Qing was going to face.
They knew even better why the Empress Dowager's people had been sent to invite them, which seemed to signify a victory.
Fortunately, Su Qing did not fall into the trap.
When Lady Cui returned, she told the Empress Dowager about the matter.
Unexpectedly, they met again a year later.
Su Qing smiled, stood up, and bowed: "I also thank Lady Cui for reminding me at the time."
To be honest, neither Su Qing nor the Empress Dowager are people to be trifled with.
At this moment, things are particularly harmonious.
Looking at Su Qing, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but recall a past event: "Actually, I had a daughter."
The Emperor and Yan Zhengzhou are ten years apart in age; how could they not have had children in between?
Her second daughter was born four years after her eldest son.
At that time, the emperor was about to turn five years old and was about to begin his formal education.
It was then that she neglected to take care of her daughter, who died in her infancy.
The late emperor felt that she was negligent and careless, and was very angry that she could not even take good care of her own child.
If she hadn't pleaded so desperately, her eldest son might have been taken away by someone else.
"If she were still alive, she might be able to share my burdens." The Empress Dowager sighed, revealing a rare moment of genuine emotion.
Su Qing listened quietly without interrupting.
Once the Empress Dowager had recovered somewhat, she asked, "After the Thousand Autumns Banquet, are you going back to Guangyue Mansion?"
Su Qing said, "Your Majesty, I have already submitted the invitation to the Ministry of Personnel. Once His Majesty approves it, we will set off."
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager said bluntly, "I'm afraid you won't be able to go back."
Upon hearing this, the female official Cui standing nearby was not surprised.
The palace clearly already knew.
Su Qing looked surprised: "How could that be?"
She remained in Guangyuefu for only her first year.
"How could you be so confused about this matter?" the Empress Dowager said. "Counting from Nanjiang County, you have been in Guangle Prefecture for seven years."
“Even the Hua family listens to you, and they have close ties with Gaoqing Prefecture.”
The rest is unnecessary to say.
If the Empress Dowager were in power, she wouldn't allow Su Qing to stay any longer.
Gaoqing Prefecture, together with Guangle Prefecture, had a local garrison of 160,000 troops.
She lacked ambition; if she had commanded 160,000 troops, she could have held this entire region in her hands.
With her popular support, the people in these places would definitely follow her if she spoke.
The emperor couldn't possibly be unaware of this hidden danger.
He nitpicks over everything else, let alone something like this.
"His Majesty does not doubt your loyalty," the Empress Dowager said slowly, "but a wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall."
Su Qing answered yes.
It seems they have already accepted her fate of not being able to return to Guangyue Mansion.
The Empress Dowager then asked, "Have you thought about where you would like to serve as an official next?"
Asking her that way makes it seem like she has every place in the world at her disposal.
But neither Su Qing nor the Empress Dowager.
They all understand.
The Emperor will most likely not allow her to leave the capital.
Otherwise, there wouldn't have been that scene yesterday.
According to the Emperor's plan.
The point is to let everyone guess his feelings for Su Qing and the relationship between the two.
Then, it was only natural that she was kept in the capital, which was somewhat of a demotion in disguise.
He used her promotion to seize her real power.
On her path to promotion, a scandalous affair was added to the mix.
Yesterday's open and covert struggles at least show that Su Qing didn't have that intention.
But this will not prevent the emperor from continuing his plans.
Logically, this matter should have been handled last year.
However, Su Qing was determined to deal with the Hua family last year, which delayed the process by a year.
Fortunately, it's only been a year, and Su Qing can't cause any major trouble.
Keeping her in Beijing this year is just a rehash of old issues.
Seeing that Su Qing did not answer, the Empress Dowager said, "You are so smart, you must have thought of it."
"For you, staying in the capital is definitely not as good as going to a local area."
"Although she is a woman, she can still make achievements and produce good results in her local area."
"But if you stay in the capital, it's not just about ability anymore."
Although these words are straightforward, they hit the nail on the head.
Su Qing's position in the court was earned little by little through his political achievements.
No one can get past her.
Bringing her to the capital now would be tantamount to cutting off the path of relying on political achievements.
That road is gone.
How will she establish herself in the capital?
"You have no family background, no relatives, no official rank, and you are a woman," the Empress Dowager said bluntly. "What will you rely on to establish yourself?"
If it's a man, he can find a good father-in-law, which means he has a reliable support.
But she can't.
When a family marries a woman, they inevitably have many thoughts. Will they marry her and then do everything they can to support her in continuing her official career?
That's too difficult.
Marrying him into the inner quarters is not worthwhile, and this person is too smart and poses a threat.
It seems that all roads are blocked.
The Empress Dowager said, "Why not pledge your loyalty to me? I need a clever woman like you."
If she wanted to retain power, she was determined to fight the emperor.
Yesterday, seeing Su Qing's sharp tongue, I knew she would be a great help.
Unfortunately, she was left alone and helpless in the capital.
Now that I'm offering help in their time of need, I'm sure I can make them submit and submit.
It all boils down to one thing.
They wanted to win over Su Qing.
A look of surprise appeared on Su Qing's face, clearly indicating that she had agreed.
"I am indeed unable to establish myself in the capital, but with the Empress Dowager's support, I am sure to be able to make a name for myself."
The Empress Dowager and Lady Cui were very satisfied.
The Empress Dowager patted Su Qing's hand: "You are indeed a smart person. Don't worry, I will not treat you unfairly."
After Su Qing left the palace, the news reached the Emperor's ears in the Hall of Diligent Governance.
Although the Emperor did not know what the Empress Dowager and Su Qing talked about, he could guess.
It must be that the two of them joined forces to deal with me.
"What exactly does Mother Empress want to do!"
The Emperor couldn't help but ask, "What exactly is she trying to do?"
Where has my loving mother gone?
She protected him wholeheartedly from a young age and even helped him ascend the throne.
Yet they still wanted to seize power from him.
This doesn't look like a loving mother at all.
Now they have to work with outsiders to deal with them.
She is a mother!
Why do that!
If Su Qing knew what the Emperor was thinking, she would definitely say something.
One should not praise her as a loving mother when the Empress Dowager is vying for power with the late Emperor.
Maybe what they love is the struggle for power; whether they're fighting for it with you or with the former emperor, it's all the same.
Of course, this is not to deny their mother-son relationship.
Their relationship is still very good.
A deceased second princess.
And Yan Zhengzhou.
These are all testaments to the bond between a mother and her child.
The news that the Emperor did not intend to let Su Qing return to Guang Le Mansion spread almost instantly.
This news surprised everyone, yet it also seemed normal.
However, many people are thinking about it.
The Emperor was genuinely worried that Su Qing was wielding too much power.
Or does he intend to take her as a concubine?
Both guesses seem reasonable.
However, the Empress Dowager intervened and suggested that Su Qing be reinstated to his position as a Hanlin scholar and assigned to work in the Ministry of Revenue.
"In the area where Su Qing is stationed, tax revenue has been increasing year after year. Letting her manage the national treasury will definitely not be a problem."
Even the emperor could not refute this statement.
But his original plan was to give Su Qing a sinecure.
If she were to be sent to the Ministry of Revenue, it would be a demotion in disguise.
This is a sure thing – a promotion.
When the emperor hesitated.
Officials from the Jiangnan faction suddenly submitted a memorial strongly supporting the Empress Dowager's proposal.
"Su Qingzhi's abilities are excellent in the Ministry of Revenue."
"With her around, the national treasury will surely be full."
“Shunchang Kingdom is struggling to collect taxes in various places, and it needs people like this just the way it is.”
These memorials caught the emperor off guard.
They clearly wanted to erase Su Qing's achievements.
It seems we should continue using her.
After all, it's about replenishing the national treasury.
He must be tempted.
Just as the emperor hesitated.
The sky is falling for the Guangyuefu Fellow Association.
Lord Fang rushed to Lord Su's residence that very night, his eyes filled with pleading.
"My lord? Are you really going to stay in the capital?"
Everyone thought that after the Thousand Autumns Banquet, Lord Su would be able to go back.
But after calming down, they realized that the emperor's paranoia had definitely resurfaced.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, why have you come to this?" After saying this, Lord Fang quickly looked around and sighed deeply.
Su Qing reassured her, "Don't worry, Guangyue Mansion will be fine."
She did a lot during that extra year.
The people surrounding Guangyuefu were also their own.
No matter who goes to Guangyuefu, it will not affect the normal operation of the area below.
We'll see.
If General Chai is there, he will help with anything, big or small.
With Lord Su's words, Lord Fang was finally relieved.
But the fact that Prefect Su was no longer the prefect of his hometown made him feel a little heartbroken.
If only Lord Su could remain the governor of his hometown forever.
Of course, now that the Empress Dowager has recommended me to be an official in the Ministry of Revenue, it doesn't seem so bad.
As a secretary in the Ministry of Revenue, Lord Fang laughed, "I never expected we'd become colleagues."
Su Qing said, "I don't know what kind of official he is yet; he might be your subordinate."
"No, with you here, I will definitely listen to you."
What Lord Fang said was from the bottom of his heart.
Who in the court can rival Lord Su in making money?
The examples of Guangyuefu and even Gaoqingzhou are right before our eyes.
Other things can be faked, but you can't lie about taxes.
Su Qing smiled but remained silent.
Yes, taxes cannot be falsified.
Ability cannot be faked.
Therefore, the Empress Dowager's words cannot be trusted.
There aren't that many rules and restrictions.
From this perspective, the Emperor and Empress Dowager truly are mother and son.
The methods of suppressing people and the methods of employing people are the same.
But it's okay.
She has already gotten what she wanted.
That means staying in the capital.
Su Qing thought back to when he traveled from Nanjiang County to Guangle Prefecture.
Her thoughts at the time were very simple.
She governed Nanjiang County very well.
But it didn't work.
Grain and commodity prices were high in the surrounding counties, and there were even more displaced people and bandits.
Under these circumstances, it would be extremely difficult to hold onto Nanjiang County.
Therefore, she wanted to become the prefect.
Only by becoming the prefect can peace be restored to the entire Nanjiang County.
After becoming the prefect, he dealt with the affairs of Haiwanzhou in Tongmin Prefecture.
This made Su Qing understand that she could no longer stay in that small area.
He didn't want to be summoned back to the capital so easily.
I don't want to be the butt of jokes at banquets.
Just because she was a subject, and a woman?
Although I knew that this trip to Beijing would definitely cause trouble.
But what happened at the Celebration Banquet was something she hadn't anticipated.
To say that I felt insulted wouldn't be an exaggeration.
If you never get angry, that's the nature of a bodhisattva.
Unfortunately, she was not a Bodhisattva.
He became a county magistrate, and then a prefect.
We should try other positions too.
Yan Zhengzhou entered silently and walked up to Su Qing.
Su Qing opened his palm, which was covered in bloodstains: "Gu Congsi was like this too."
Hearing her mention her ex-fiancé, Yan Zhengzhou sat next to Su Qing, his eyes fixed on her.
Su Qing smiled and hooked her arm around his neck, not avoiding his gaze at all, and gently kissed the corner of his mouth.
Yan Zhengzhou instinctively hugged her tighter.
Su Qing laughed again, and simply sat back on him, taking the initiative to deepen the kiss. Yan Zhengzhou hugged her even tighter and learned even faster.
Things that happen at a banquet will always be settled in due course.
They won't just let this go.
April 30th.
Seven days have passed since the Thousand Autumns Banquet.
Su Qing, the prefect of Guangyue Prefecture, was relieved of his original post as a fourth-rank official and promoted to the position of fourth-rank councilor in the Ministry of Revenue in the capital.
She was the first female official in Shunchang Kingdom, and within seven years, she rose from a local position to a central one at an extremely rapid pace.
Regardless of what these people are thinking.
She, Su Qing, already held the official seal.
Other matters are not up to others to decide.
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