Ink Burns

Chapter 172 The Official's Glimpse

Xue Xiao calmly removed the bird from his head.

First look at Shan Yue. Shan Yue's face shows surprise, but also undisguised joy.

Ah, very good.

Then there's my sister-in-law, who has no particular method and is good at messing around, but always manages to succeed inexplicably.

The young girl, Shuiguang, was already dressed in the uniform of a seventh-rank female official, wearing a black gauze hat, a green gauze dress, a narrow-sleeved round-necked robe, a leather belt at her waist, and black boots on her feet. Her eyes were bright, with her left eye sparkling with worry for her elder sister's health and her right eye shining with pride at entering the court as an official and bringing glory to her ancestors. Her two eyes each performed their own function, and they were very harmonious.

Xue Xiao turned his head, silently raised his wrist, and poured a cup of tea for his sister-in-law.

"Meitan Sparrow Tongue, please have a taste, clerk." Xue Xiao's voice was deep and composed. After filling Shan Yue's glass, he looked at Shan Yue, stood up and took his leave: "I'm going to the outer room to reply. If you'd like to stay for a meal, just have Luo Feng go to Tianxiang Restaurant to get the dishes. The braised lamb leg, grilled meat, and sugar-filled buns are all quite good. It's rare for you to come out, clerk, so you can also try the most famous douzhi in the capital."

Xue Xiao left the warm room to the two sisters.

Shui Guang quickly grabbed her sister's wrist and felt for her pulse with her index and middle fingers. Shui Guang frowned and looked down: "The pulse is weak when lightly pressed, and soft and thin when pressed hard. This is often seen in cases of yang deficiency or blood deficiency, so it's not a big problem. Wait, there's a hidden pulse that flows in reverse under the single pulse. The force of the reverse flow is extremely slight, as if it's being suppressed by something. Could it be poisoning?"

Shan Yue withdrew her hand and smiled as she smoothed her sister's hair: "It's alright, she's already taken the antidote, and Doctor Cheng is helping to prepare the medicine. Why are you wearing a female official's uniform? Clerk? What is a clerk's job?"

Shui Guang smiled, a hint of pride in her eyes: "A couple of days ago, all the good families of this year were granted titles. An eunuch also came to Qiushui Ferry and gave us a set of exam papers to answer. The test was entirely on the pharmacopoeia. I must have done the best. In addition, I saved three other people from the plague, so I was appointed as a seventh-rank clerk in the Department of Medicine. Xiao Bai, Yuan Yuan, and Huan Niang were officially registered as female officials. I have the highest rank!"

Why are you so obsessed with officialdom?

Shan Yue laughed: "Really?"

She was also worried that her younger sister would be summoned to the palace.

Shan Yue asked, "Are you still working at Qiushui Ferry?"

Shui Guang nodded regretfully: "Yes, she hasn't entered the palace yet! If she can't enter the palace, she can't become a concubine, and if she can't become a concubine, how can she whisper sweet nothings in someone's ear?"

Unable to become a concubine, Shui Guang appeared slightly anxious.

But usually, her anxiety only lasts for a couple of blinks before Shui Guang quickly reconciles herself, without even needing Shan Yue's comfort, she swiftly convinces herself: "But! The eunuch said that I, as a seventh-rank clerk, am in charge of the Xinglin Hall, which is fifty miles north and south of Qiushui Ferry. Don't underestimate me just because I'm only a seventh-rank official. I currently oversee two Xinglin Halls and seven female physicians!"

The palace, which oversees two hundred Xinglin Halls, has never been known to be happy that the water doesn't flow into the palace!
Shan Yue laughed even harder, repeatedly saying, "Good! Good! Good!"

Right outside the palace!

It's quite nice being outside the palace!

While pleased, Shan Yue harbored some doubts: becoming a female official wasn't as easy as she'd imagined. When she first began teaching at the Six Departments, she'd heard Granny Gao mention that not all women from respectable families who entered the palace were immediately promoted to concubines or consorts. According to the laws of the Great Wei Dynasty, the most outstanding women from respectable families were selected for promotion to female official positions. If nothing unexpected happened, empresses and consorts would emerge from among these female officials. This was a precedent set by Emperor Taizong to prevent women from becoming mistresses upon entering the palace but being misled by servants due to a lack of understanding of the workings of the Six Departments and Twelve Bureaus. It seemed impossible for a female official to be so easily appointed, especially one from a respectable family who had never undergone the Six Departments' assessments.

There must be something fishy going on.

Shan Yue wanted to ask more questions, but then she saw Shui Guang stretch her neck like a cat and lick a mouthful of Sparrow Tongue Tea with the tip of her tongue.

Shanyue: "."

I doubt I'll get anything out of this stupid loofah.
Therefore, Shan Yue gave up.

After licking the water, Shui Guang smacked his lips twice and carefully savored the taste: "It tastes better than my father's tobacco leaves soaked in water."

Shan Yue blinked: Xue Xiao's favorite drink is Sparrow Tongue. There was a major flood in the Guichuan area last year, and I heard that the whole prefecture only received three ounces this year.
"When I received the invitation from Xinglin Hall, I thought it was a spy planted by 'Qingfeng' to investigate. Who knew it was you?" Shan Yue narrowed her eyes: "But what does 'Qingfeng' want with you? Have there been any suspicious people or events lately?"

Shui Guang squinted, pondered for a long time, and honestly shook her head: "No—yes, really no."

Along with the imperial edict, several plaques arrived, newly made "Xinglin Hall" plaques, stamped with the red seal of the Shanggong Bureau, the head of the Six Departments, and the seal of the Imperial Household Department. The old, tattered plaques were replaced as if the place had been reborn. Even the Junior Director of the Capital Transport Department at Qiushui Ferry came to pay a visit to the eunuch who delivered the edict!

It's quite obvious that the Six Ministries still have their eyes on Xinglin Hall. This place is still royal territory and has by no means been abandoned!
Once the new sign was hung up, all the troublemaking crew members and thugs kept their distance from the pharmacy!

Qiushui Ferry is located east of the capital, quite a walk from the main imperial city. There aren't many noblewomen of official rank within its jurisdiction, so they secretly treat the women and children in the neighborhood. A prescription is all it takes to get medicine that can save lives. The women are especially kind; if she recovers from the medicine, they'll bring her cured meat, sugar, bowls and chopsticks, bedding, and sweet potato sprouts. They'll give her whatever they have, calling her "Doctor Wei" all the time, making her feel quite flattered. She's living a very comfortable and pleasant life, almost forgetting why she came to the capital in the first place!

Get your revenge quickly!
After taking her revenge, she should go back to being "Doctor Wei" and living her good life!

"Then why did you come here?" Shan Yue asked again.

"Imperial Censor Xue sent me," Shui Guang said blankly. "He said you were ill and missed me, so he asked me to come and see you."

While unconscious, Wang Erniang said she kept sobbing and crying, calling out "Mother," "Shuiguang," "Mother," "Shuiguang."
Shan Yue felt relieved, but then turned her face away somewhat awkwardly: Xue Xiao hadn't said a word, and every day under the guise of "alliance," he would "discuss" with her. During these "discussions," he would either serve her tea or grind ink for her. Even when he gave her his lectures on anecdotes from the capital every fifty or eighty days, the table would be filled with pastries, fruits, and tea. Sometimes, when the "discussions" went late, he would stay and eat with her around mealtime.

Shan Yue was starved to death, and it wasn't until he went to Master Sun's place that he finally got a few proper meals.

In her view, eating together is an extremely intimate thing.

For animals in the mountains, drinking and eating are the most dangerous times of the day. Only very close companions can share food, expose their vulnerabilities, and be honest with each other while chewing.

She originally thought she wasn't used to eating with Xue Xiao, but probably because Xue Xiao ate so well, making no noise at all, and even swallowing white rice with relish, Shan Yue felt less averse to sitting opposite Xue Xiao for a meal.

Unbeknownst to her, Xue Xiao was gradually invading her life, even bypassing her and contacting her family.