SEHE Chapter 72

Taking Office

Ancient trees shade the coolness of June, secluded flowers fragrant through the four seasons.

Wuben Ward bordered the Imperial City to the north and Xingdao Ward to the west. It stretched approximately three hundred and fifty paces from north to south, and four hundred and fifty paces from east to west. The Imperial Academy in its western section occupied half the ward’s area, neighboring the Bureau of Imperial Memorials and numerous officials’ residences. Among them could be seen many stone tablets bearing ink treasures left by famous figures throughout history.

At the beginning of the hour of Mao, a young figure appeared at the entrance of the Imperial Academy.

The person wore a moon-white robe with auspicious character and bamboo pattern round collar, the neckline revealing a corner of indigo blue inner lining. His raven-black hair was half-bound with a small crown carved from jade and turquoise in rolling cloud patterns. His crescent-moon eyes were modest and warm, refined and noble. Upon closer examination, they concealed sharp edges, like constellation guards, possessing an elegant bearing and spirited demeanor, like morning clouds at sunrise.

A young man in white robes, books tucked under his arm, hurried toward the Imperial Academy’s main gate and accidentally bumped into someone, scattering books all over the ground.

“How do you walk without watching where you’re going?” The person angrily gathered the books from the ground.

“This student, you were the one who bumped into me from behind just now,” Pei Yanci said. Among several white-robed academy students hurrying inside, a black shadow stood out conspicuously.

An acquaintance.

Qi Lan had two or three braids carefully woven at his crown and temples, the back half of his hair bound high together with the rest at the back of his head, tied tight with a black silk band. He wore a form-fitting black long robe with new leather embedded at the joints, and at his waist hung a leather belt with white jade rings and gold wire ornaments that jingled as he walked. Four or five black-clad guards followed behind him. He looked like he was going to the Imperial Academy to pick a fight, but that seemed highly unlikely at a place like the Imperial Academy.

Pei Yanci couldn’t help but wonder what brought him here.

Qi Lan obviously saw Pei Yanci too. His dark eyes slid in his direction, then turned back. Without a sideways glance, he walked straight past him and entered the Imperial Academy.

“If you hadn’t blocked the way, would this young master have bumped into you?” The white-robed student flew into a rage. As he spoke, he grabbed at his collar, clenching one hand into a fist and raising it to swing at his face.

Pei Yanci’s form shifted slightly. His martial arts-trained body was countless times more agile than this good-for-nothing. The man couldn’t even touch the corner of his robe.

“You dare dodge?” The man said indignantly, “You just wait!” He was about to charge into the Imperial Academy to find help.

Just as he reached the entrance, he bumped into someone quickly emerging from inside.

That person wore dark green official robes, his face stern and solemn, his lean frame unnaturally straight, as if a ruler had come to life.

“Stop right there,” he intercepted the man. “Not greeting your teacher, not showing respect—Xu Du, have you studied your books in vain?”

“Prefect Fang, you’ve come at just the right time. Watch that person for me, don’t let him run away.” Xu Du shoved his books into his hands, warning as he ran, “If he gets away, I’ll have my father strip you of your position.”

(TL: 司業 (sī yè) = official title at the Guozijian (Imperial Academy), often translated as “Prefect” or “Director of Studies”, depending on context. This person was responsible for overseeing students’ education and conduct.)

Without waiting for Fang Qingdu’s response, he disappeared completely.

He had no choice but to walk toward Pei Yanci and apologize on Xu Du’s behalf.

“Prefect Fang need not be overly courteous. I, Pei, have come to take up my post today.”

A trace of astonishment appeared on Fang Qingdu’s stern face, followed by a skeptical once-over.

“You are Pei Yanci Daren?”

“Yes.”

Clearly the other party hadn’t expected him to be so young.

“Follow me.”

Pei Yanci sensed that after learning his identity, this person’s attitude had immediately changed.

They walked in silence for most of the way. Seeing that he looked unwilling to engage, Pei Yanci assumed he wouldn’t speak to him, but suddenly heard him ask a question.

“How old are you this year?”

“Seventeen.”

Fang Qingdu’s brow furrowed even deeper, the two creases between his eyebrows as if an axe had struck them, leaving two deep marks.

“You’re Prime Minister Zheng’s adopted son?” He emphasized the words “adopted son” heavily.

“Yes.”

“No wonder.”

He stepped through the threshold first, pointing remotely at someone in the room. “Give him your appointment documents.”

Pei Yanci did as told, walking over there and producing his appointment documents and identity proof.

The erudite scholar looked at Pei Yanci, then as if not believing it, examined the documents repeatedly before saying, “You are the newly appointed Prefect of the Imperial Academy?”

“Yes.”

“You must have extraordinary literary talent, a heaven-sent genius, to receive His Majesty’s favor,” the scholar exclaimed.

“Not at all. I won the polo tournament during the Dragon Boat Festival this year,” Pei Yanci said with a smile, completely unconcerned by the contempt that appeared after the man’s surprise.

Scholarly purists held themselves in high regard. In their view, the Emperor’s fondness for polo was a sign of neglecting proper duties, and easily obtaining a sixth-rank official position through a few polo matches was something beneath their notice.

Naturally, they looked down on Pei Yanci considerably.

This was probably one of the reasons Zheng Qinglai had deliberately arranged for him to be here.

Relying on the gratitude from saving Gu Jiuqing, Pei Yanci had asked for a favor from the Emperor over a month ago. Zheng Qinglai mistakenly thought he would ask for a position as the Crown Prince’s secondary consort and directly offered to adopt him as a son. This way, he would nominally be Gu Jiuqing’s cousin, and the Emperor could hardly let such a violation of propriety come from his own mouth.

Seeing Pei Yanci’s satisfied expression, he finally realized that everything before had been this boy’s misdirection.

He had let his guard down.

The Emperor probably also understood Pei Yanci’s intentions and instructed Zheng Qinglai, “Since you’ve adopted a son, put in some effort. Discuss with Cui Ya—such talent shouldn’t be buried.”

Those directly appointed by the Great Yu Emperor were generally positions of third rank or above; he rarely opened his mouth to bestow official positions. Appointments by the Prime Minister were for positions below third rank and above fifth rank. The Three Departments and Six Ministries proposed officials of fifth rank and below.

The Emperor didn’t ask the Six Ministries but had the two Prime Ministers personally propose it—this might have been an offhand remark after Zheng Qinglai had just adopted a son, or perhaps he was in a good mood at the time and unconsciously wanted to give a decent position, not realizing the impact of subsequent problems.

Those who had previously won the polo tournament already held some official position, so everyone was happy with a promotion of one or two ranks. Giving a commoner a fifth-rank position for a polo tournament and letting him move between the Imperial City and central government offices—that would be utterly unreasonable and would only be a laughingstock in the history books. If the Emperor later came to his senses and realized this was inappropriate, naturally the two of them would bear responsibility for this matter.

In the end, the two Prime Ministers pondered the Emperor’s meaning and set Pei Yanci’s position as Prefect of the Imperial Academy, a sixth-rank position.

Firstly, sixth-rank officials were everywhere in Anjing. The position of Prefect was nominally the deputy to the Head of the Imperial Academy, but the entire Imperial Academy actually had little real power in Great Yu and would attract even less attention. Of course, sixth rank was already the lifetime pursuit of many people outside, and it appeared to show the Emperor’s great favor.

Secondly, if the Emperor later came to his senses and realized the order he’d given was inappropriate, understanding that they were covering for him, he naturally wouldn’t blame them much and would instead think they’d handled it well. If the Emperor felt they were paying lip service while acting otherwise and ordered them to handle it personally, meaning he wanted to give Pei Yanci high rank and generous salary, they also had their justification—suitable positions were temporarily unavailable, and the Prefect of the Imperial Academy was over sixty and about to retire. They arranged for Pei Yanci in the deputy position to train well for a period. When the Prefect retired, he could naturally be promoted.

Zheng Qinglai and Cui Ya consulted together, and with a few words had the Ministry of Personnel issue a document and threw him here.

Pei Yanci hadn’t originally expected to obtain a sixth-rank position.

It seemed Gu Jiuqing had been too self-deprecating—the Emperor was obviously quite concerned about him.

After submitting the appointment documents at the Imperial Academy, a specialized official would compile his service record. Soon, relevant government offices would send copies of the record to various archives for storage. In the future, each year’s evaluations and promotions would follow that record for his entire life.

At the entrance where Prefect Fang had originally stood, only one academy student remained. Prefect Fang had disappeared without a word.

That student took him to his daily office and introduced the situation here along the way.

When his words stopped, Pei Yanci had also arrived at the place. The student took his leave without stopping, as if afraid to stay with him a moment longer.

In the teaching office besides him were several other scholars who all looked busy. A few people noticed his new face but didn’t ask much, glancing twice before hurrying away.

They might as well have asked a few questions.

Pei Yanci idled away an entire day. When it reached the hour of You, he stretched his back and only then left the Imperial Academy.

Just as he reached the entrance, he didn’t first see his carriage but instead saw someone.

Wang Lingche sat upright on the second and third steps at the entrance of the Imperial Academy. The setting sun fell on him, casting a honey-orange bright shadow and stretching his shadow long, slanting crookedly to one side.

“Why isn’t Attendant Wang reciting scriptures in his residence? Why has he taken the job of the stone lions at my Imperial Academy entrance?”

Wang Lingche turned his head in delight, and indeed saw Pei Yanci walking over.

“If Attendant Wang is looking for someone, just have someone announce you. They wouldn’t dare block people from the Wang family.”

Pei Yanci always did favors easily—he could help with small matters like going in to find someone.

“I didn’t want to disturb you.” Wang Lingche pursed his lips, his eyebrows and eyes drooping, appearing listless.

So he was looking for him.

“If you have business, you can send a calling card through the Wang family.” No need to block him here.

“I don’t know where you live now. I only know you’ve moved out.”

“Indeed. Another day I’ll invite you to my humble residence, Attendant.” Pei Yanci said politely.

“Could I stay at your house for a period of time?”

“Ah?” Pei Yanci was stunned. “We’ve only met two or three times, haven’t we?”

Isn’t this a bit presumptuous?

“I know.” Wang Lingche’s handsome features formed a worried expression, somewhat embarrassed. “But I don’t have any good friends left in Anjing.”

Did he tease this person once on a whim, and now he thinks they have a good relationship?

“I had a fight with my parents and left in a huff.”

So this was a child who’d run away from home.

The corner of Pei Yanci’s mouth twitched. He walked past him down the steps. Wuli had long been waiting there with the carriage.

“If Attendant Wang has nowhere to go, you can return to your previous temple to continue eating vegetarian food and reciting Buddhist scriptures. No one at home will disturb you now.”

“I left in such a hurry I didn’t bring money to hire a carriage.”

Pei Yanci turned back and pressed a few taels of broken silver and copper coins into his hand, then headed toward the carriage again.

Wang Lingche stared blankly at the money in his hand and said, “That’s not what I meant. I want to live with you.”

“Attendant Wang, if that really won’t work, take this silver and stay at an inn for a few days.” Pei Yanci waved his hand and was about to board the carriage.

We really aren’t that close.

“My sister has been promised to someone.”

“Not to me.” He didn’t have such a brother-in-law.

“To the Zheng family.”

Pei Yanci’s footsteps paused. He looked toward the person standing below the steps.

Wang Lingche walked closer in a few steps, his eyes red and wet, lips trembling.

“Fine, get in and explain slowly.” Pei Yanci stepped into the carriage.

Wang Lingche wiped the corners of his eyes with his sleeve and without another word followed into the carriage.

He was surprised to see another person in the carriage.

Just now when the two were chatting outside the carriage, Wushu had noticed. Now he revealed a gracious smile and bowed to him.

“Attendant Wang.”

Wang Lingche responded listlessly and lazily.

“It’s fine, just speak. What exactly happened?” Pei Yanci said.

Wang Lingche was silent for a long while, pushed the silver back, and said dejectedly, “When the Zheng family came to propose marriage today, I only then learned that my father had secretly promised my sister to that old widower from the Zheng family who killed three wives over a month ago. Isn’t this pushing her into a fire pit!”

Although he only nominally occupied the position of adopted son, Pei Yanci had thoroughly investigated the situation of each branch of the Zheng family.

The “old widower” Wang Lingche spoke of was Prime Minister Zheng’s younger brother, now thirty-four years old. He had married three wives, and each had died suddenly within a few years. According to the Zheng residence servants, this Fourth Master had frequented brothels and taverns in his youth, had seen all manner of tricks from those girls, and often played with different things at home, accidentally causing deaths.

Everyone dared not spread this outside, but he couldn’t escape his reputation for killing wives.

“You said over a month ago?” Pei Yanci was more concerned about this.

“Just shortly after you spoke to me about my sister.” Wang Lingche said, “Did you hear rumors back then, so you warned me?”

“No, that was just my speculation. A mere servant—how could His Highness the Crown Prince reveal such things to me?” Pei Yanci said. “I already warned you early. Even if you didn’t believe me, you should have taken precautions early. You keep saying you want to protect your sister—where’s any sign of action?”

Back then, he had that inference only because he felt Gu Jiuqing would probably rely on a marriage alliance to win over the Wang family. Given Gu Jiuqing’s aloof and proud nature, he probably still felt the Zheng family’s daughters weren’t worthy of him and wouldn’t sacrifice such a good bargaining chip as Crown Princess when it wasn’t his turn to act.

But he thought the person who would marry into the Wang family would be Zheng Qinglai’s nine-year-old youngest son. If an alliance was needed now, they’d arrange a child betrothal first. After the Zheng family’s three-year mourning period passed, when the boy grew up, if the alliance fell apart, there were plenty of cases of broken engagements. With the girl being several years older, they could say she’d been delayed a few years but could still be promised to someone else.

Now it had become the Zheng family’s old widower—no matter how you looked at it, this marriage wasn’t as good as the one he’d envisioned. What parent would push their child into a fire pit?

His mind pondered the reason the Wang and Zheng families were in such a hurry, while sobs reached his ears.

“Why are you crying?”

Looking tall and sturdy, how could his temperament be so fragile?

“They won’t listen to me.” Wang Lingche raised his head pitifully, his eyelashes wet in clusters, nose tip bright red, utterly pitiful. “You could guess my sister would marry into the Zheng family—can you tell me the reason my father agreed to this marriage?”

“Perhaps it’s related to the new tax law that will soon be implemented.” Pei Yanci handed him a handkerchief.

He recalled what Gu Jiuqing had said to him during the Dragon Boat Festival polo tournament.

That the Zheng family would choose to support him—Pei Yanci had been puzzled at the time.

Looking at it now, Gu Jiuqing must have persuaded the Wang family, bringing both rival families under his banner. If they insisted on their own views, Gu Jiuqing would very likely kick out the Zheng family and directly ally with the Wang family. Now Gu Jiuqing could rely on more than one aristocratic family. The Zheng family felt the crisis and had no choice but to comply with Gu Jiuqing’s wishes.

And a marriage alliance was the most useful sincerity both families could show in moving from hostility to shaking hands and talking, both willing to support Gu Jiuqing.

Pei Yanci briefly explained this matter to Wang Lingche. After hearing it, the latter looked lost and dejected, as if his soul had been lost.

Since he’d gotten into his carriage, if he got out like this and later had some accident, wouldn’t the Wang family blame him?

Pei Yanci thought, when the carriage stopped at his door, he still let Wang Lingche enter the gate.

From Wang Lingche’s back, he seemed to see the entire Wang family.

This was the legitimate eldest son the Wang family had painstakingly cultivated.

And he had delivered himself to the door.

Wushu and Wuli followed behind Pei Yanci into the residence.

Since recovering his commoner status, it was no longer appropriate for him to remain in the Crown Prince’s mansion. Zheng Qinglai casually gave him a deed—it was a two-courtyard residence. Small as it was, it had the advantage of location, right in Pingkang Ward next to Wuben Ward.

Later, Pei Yanci asked for Gu Jiuqing’s favor to let Wuli and Wushu, mother and son, leave with him, then immediately had all three of them changed to commoner status. Wushu’s mother, Madam Wu, now washed their clothes, cooked, and took care of daily life for them. Wuli and Wushu usually went to the theater to watch performances. Occasionally Fang Hongchun would also teach Wushu a lesson or two. After guidance from a famous teacher, Wushu now studied quite properly.

Madam Wu welcomed them in and said, “Pei Daren, you’ve finally returned. The table of food you ordered from the restaurant was delivered to the residence long ago. Quickly wash your hands and sit down to eat.”

Pei Yanci hadn’t forgotten there was another person. “Attendant Wang, you come eat a bit too.”

Wang Lingche, having calmed down during the journey, looked somewhat better. Seeing everyone accommodating his mood and not daring to be too happy, he only then remembered that today was Pei Yanci’s first day taking office.

“You all eat. Don’t mind me.” Wang Lingche’s thoughts were simple and pure. He immediately felt bad for disturbing their interest.

“You’re already here, let’s eat together. What we can’t finish will just be fed to the dogs anyway. You can help eat some now.” Just as Wuli finished speaking, his leg was kicked under the table.

“Who are you calling a dog?” Wushu glared at him secretly.

“Eat, eat.” Wuli quickly lowered his head to pick up food.

Wang Lingche looked at Wuli and suddenly asked Pei Yanci, “Was he the one who painted your portrait back then?”

“What painting?”

Wang Lingche roughly described it.

Pei Yanci laughed. It seemed the person with whom Wuli had accidentally exchanged paintings back then was from the Wang family.

“Someone else painted it. With his chubby hands, he can only lift chopsticks.”

Wuli puffed his cheeks and glared, but didn’t refute, acknowledging aggrievedly.

He’d have to eat three more of Pei Yanci’s chicken feet to compensate.

Wang Lingche lowered his head, picking at a piece of chicken in his bowl without much interest, muttering something under his breath.

“Why can people without blood relations be closer than actual relatives?”

“What are you muttering?” Pei Yanci didn’t hear what he said clearly.

Wang Lingche raised his face and smiled wearily.

Friends, schoolmates, siblings, parents…

He also really wanted to experience the feeling of being loved.