Union

Chapter 151 Let's get down to business

Chen Yanzhou returned to the front yard, his troubled mood having calmed down.

However, when he saw the letter that Sui Yu handed him, his mood suddenly plummeted, and he became even more depressed.

He sent Yunying to the capital, but he never intended for her to live under the same roof as Lin Shuqing.

Over the past two years, he had become somewhat aware of Lin Shuqing's methods of causing trouble. But even those few things were enough to terrify Chen Yanzhou.

He couldn't imagine what Lin Shuqing would do to Yunying if he brought her to the mansion. That's why, when he went to the capital, he wrote a letter to his people there, asking them to prepare one of his private residences in the city.

There were two private schools near the house, and the house itself was quiet despite being in a bustling area, making it an ideal place for seclusion. She even had her clothes and bedding prepared in advance, and she also had two maids chosen to serve her.

Unfortunately, before he could say these things to Yunying, she had already decided to leave and live in the temple.

Staying in a temple during the Lunar New Year is incredibly desolate compared to the bustling city. Just thinking about it made Chen Yanzhou feel uneasy. If he were to arrange for Yunying to stay there, he feared he would miss her terribly and be restless day and night.

But if you don't agree to her suggestion, she can get angry and refuse to back down.

Furthermore, his mention of Yunying and Qiuning's indenture to Lin Shuqing earlier deepened Lin Shuqing's resentment towards Yunying. If Lin Shuqing were to find out that Yunying had entered the capital, she might just lead a group of people to storm their door.

Lin Shuqing was ruthless towards him, so how could you expect her to show any mercy to Yunying? Don't even dream about it.

After considering all of this, Chen Yanzhou actually felt that it might be a good idea to temporarily place Yunying in the temple.

But the temple was truly too desolate...

After much deliberation, Chen Yanzhou finally sent a reply letter.

After he finished writing his reply, the last bit of drowsiness he had felt completely disappeared.

He washed up, lay in bed, and tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

In the empty room, only his occasional sighs could be heard.

It was at this moment that Chen Yanzhou made a decision: some things needed to be put to rest.

……

After receiving the letter from the Second Master, Yunying finally felt relieved.

With the Second Master's permission and the year drawing near, Mo Xue hurried on her journey, and the group entered the capital the following afternoon.

Mo Xue took Yun Ying to Linghui Temple to settle down.

Linghui Temple is renowned in the capital, and it is particularly effective for those who pray for children or marriage.

Upon entering the temple, one sees a huge marriage tree growing on the right, adorned with ribbons and strips of silk inscribed with prayers. Young women and couples walk side-by-side everywhere.

The temple has good feng shui, so many people come to pray to Buddha. Especially towards the end of the year, the temple's incense offerings are even more abundant, almost to the point of being overcrowded.

When Yunying and the others arrived at Linghui Temple, it was already very late, and all the courtyards were already occupied.

With no other option, Mo Xue donated a large sum of money for incense offerings, which finally managed to get the monks to help find out if there were any pilgrims coming down the mountain that day. In the end, she managed to secure a courtyard for Yun Ying to stay in before the pilgrims left.

After doing all this, Yunying urged Moxue to return to the Rongguo Duke's Mansion to report back.

Mo Xue agreed, but was still worried that Yun Ying would be left without anyone to take care of her, so she temporarily hired an old woman from Linghui Temple who specialized in manual labor to come and help Yun Ying for the next few days.

The old woman assured her that she would take good care of Yunying and ensure that not a single hair on her head would be missing. Only then did Mo Xue, still worried, lead the people to the Rongguo Duke's Mansion.

It was already the 26th day of the Lunar New Year.

After Yunying had a deep and restful sleep in the temple, dawn broke, and it was the 27th day of the Lunar New Year.

On the 27th, slaughter the New Year's chicken; on the 28th, prepare the dough; on the 29th, steam the buns; stay up all night on New Year's Eve, and dumplings will be made every year.

Temples naturally do not eat meat, but Linghui Temple's vegetarian chicken is made with tofu and is especially fresh and delicious.

Yunying ate a lot, following local customs, and her appetite was greatly satisfied. The emptiness in her heart seemed to be filled at this moment.

Being alone in the temple was too boring, and Yunying wasn't an overly devout Buddhist. But since she had nothing else to do, she followed the example of those who came to offer incense and wandered around each of the main halls.

When they turned to a secluded hall, Yunying saw a long line of people in front of her.

Without thinking much of it, she assumed that some great master was giving a sermon, so she joined the end of the line and walked forward with the flow of people.

Halfway there, Yunying's wandering thoughts suddenly returned. She learned from the casual conversation of the people around her that this hall was not a lecture hall, but a hall for interpreting divination slips.

In the center of the main hall sat a kind-faced, white-haired monk.

In front of the head monk was a divination tube filled with over a hundred divination slips.

A believer stepped forward, picked up the divination tube, and shook it. A divination stick fell out of the tube.

Those who drew the best fortune were overjoyed, while those who drew the worst fortune were dejected and rolled up their sleeves to try again.

Yunying was engrossed in watching, and before she knew it, only one person remained in front of her.

As the older woman picked up the stick from the ground and handed it to the monk, Yunying quickly stepped aside and left the group.

The senior monk saw this and smiled as he looked at Yunying, saying, "It's fate that you've come. Why don't you wait a moment and draw a fortune stick yourself?"

Yunying thought for a moment, then shook her head. "I don't know what to ask for."

"Marriage, children, future prospects, cause and effect—if you have any desires in your heart, you can make a request."

"But what you can get in return is just a consolation..."

Yunying lowered her eyes and ultimately did not touch the divination sticks. Instead, she walked towards her own courtyard.

After returning to the courtyard, the old woman who had been looking for Yunying was washing her clothes. When she saw Yunying return, the old woman wiped her wet hands on her body and was about to pour tea for Yunying.

Yunying said, "You go ahead with your work, I'll do it myself."

She went back to her room, drank some water, and quickly found something to do.

Yunying took the Lotus Sutra she had obtained from the young novice monk, bought paper and pen, and calmly copied the sutra in her room.

The paper wasn't very good; ink would bleed through and leave marks. This distorted the handwriting, making it look less appealing than usual.

This was due to the paper, but Yunying thought it was also because her handwriting was not good enough.

If it were the Second Master, so what if the ink smudged?

Good handwriting is good handwriting; it won't become bad handwriting just because the paper is rough. Yunying copied ten pages of scriptures, and then the sun set.

The light in the room dimmed, so Yunying put away the paper, ink, brush, and inkstone.

She's just here to cultivate her mind and character, not to practice calligraphy and become a calligrapher.

She can write for a little while. If you really make her bright, beautiful almond-shaped eyes nearsighted, she'll cry her eyes out.

As evening approached, most of the pilgrims who had stayed at Linghui Temple went down the mountain to return home.

The mountain fell silent, save for the intermittent wisps of incense smoke. For a moment, it was a place of tranquility, where all worries vanished.

Yunying had only been at Linghui Temple for less than two days, but she seemed to have been cleansed of the filth of the world, and her whole being became clear and cheerful.

She ate her meal, washed herself quickly, and went to sleep. The days passed by so quickly that it was New Year's Eve in the blink of an eye.

……

Leaving aside Yunying's situation, let's just say that after Second Master finished writing his reply to Yunying, he lay down on the bed and fell asleep. He didn't know how long it took him to fall asleep, but it felt like he hadn't slept for very long when he heard Suiyu calling from outside, "Second Master, wake up, the Duke is back and wants you to go to the study."

Chen Yanzhou seemed to be in a dream, and after a moment he sat up abruptly in bed. "I know, tell Father I'll be there shortly."

He washed up again, changed into his everyday clothes, and went straight to his father's study.

Upon entering, one sees wisps of incense smoke rising, filling the room with the scent of sandalwood. The Duke of Rongguo stands with his back to the window, his tall, imposing figure exuding an aura of majestic grandeur.

He was looking at the scenery in the courtyard with his hands behind his back, as if he was thinking about something.

Hearing the commotion behind him, the Duke of Rong turned around and looked at his tall and handsome son as he walked in, his eyes filled with satisfaction.

"Sit down and talk."

What the father and son wanted to talk about was, of course, the words Chen Yanzhou exchanged with His Majesty last night.

There are some things in officialdom that Chen Yanzhou sometimes finds inconvenient to talk about with his mother, but he naturally answers whatever his father asks.

In the exchange of questions and answers, the events of last night were clarified, and the smile in the eyes of the Duke of Rongguo deepened. "My son's promotion is just around the corner."

"There isn't a suitable position available in the short term, and Prefect Zhang probably won't release him anytime soon."

"Don't worry about these things, I'll take care of them for you."

Prefect Zhang wouldn't release the man because so many of the county magistrates below him were incompetent, while this capable man had suddenly appeared, accomplishing in two years what others couldn't do in twenty. Prefect Zhang, relying on his son, had significantly boosted his political record, so his reluctance to release the man was understandable.

But if His Majesty issues an edict, can Prefect Zhang really go against the emperor?

Another issue is the lack of a suitable location...

The Duke of Rongguo said, "Before you were transferred to another post, you were a sixth-rank official. Although you were demoted to the position of seventh-rank magistrate in Yungui County, you have made remarkable achievements. Your performance evaluations for the past three years have all been top-notch. Returning you to your original position would be the minimum promotion. If possible, a fifth-rank position would be within your reach."

Listening to the Duke of Rong's guidance, Chen Yanzhou nodded slightly and said in a low voice, "I think so too."

"Two fifth-rank officials in the capital could be spared..."

"Father, your son does not want to return to the capital."

Duke Rong suddenly frowned and looked at his son, "You don't want to return to the capital? Do you want to continue your posting to other places?"

“That’s not necessarily a bad thing,” Chen Yanzhou said. “With you and my elder brother in the capital, I feel at ease. Besides, my son is still young and wants to gain more experience…”

Duke Rong thought for a moment, "That's not impossible either."

Since ancient times, "only those who have passed the imperial examination can enter the Hanlin Academy, and only those who have passed the Hanlin Academy can enter the Grand Secretariat." When his son passed the imperial examination with top honors, he was directly appointed by the emperor to the Hanlin Academy as a compiler of the sixth rank.

His original plan for his son was to spend a few years in the Hanlin Academy to temper his temper and familiarize him with the ways of officialdom. After three to five years, he would find a way to send him to a post outside the capital to gain experience.

Once he has accumulated two or three terms of seniority, he will put his son in one of the Six Ministries when he returns to Beijing.

Once you enter the Six Ministries and then move on to the Cabinet, things will be much easier.

Unexpectedly, this stubborn man, for the sake of his mentor, went to war with His Majesty.

As a result, the egg hit a rock and was directly demoted to Yungui County, a desolate place where chickens don't lay eggs and birds don't even poop.

He originally thought that the kid was going to be hit hard, and it was uncertain whether he would be able to recover.

But who could have imagined that, just over two years later, this young man would return to the capital in triumph, bringing back such an impressive report card.

Duke Rong was overjoyed. It was truly a case of like begets like, and a rat's son knowing how to dig a hole.

Just as Rong Guogong was feeling smug, Chen Yanzhou spoke up, "Could you keep an eye out for a suitable posting for my son? It doesn't matter if we can't find one in the short term; I can delay things with His Majesty."

"Delay it? Do you want to go back to your Yun Gui County?"

Chen Yanzhou didn't feel there was anything wrong with going back. Yun Gui County was peaceful, like a paradise. Yun Ying lived a carefree life there and didn't have any wild thoughts. They lived the life of an ordinary young couple, their love flowing like still waters, overflowing with affection.

Instead, she went to a bustling place, hiding herself because of her status. Even now, he can't help but feel heartbroken when he thinks of that scene.

Chen Yanzhou suddenly brought it up, "Father, if I were to divorce Lin..."

Duke Rongguo said indifferently, "Divorce is divorce. After all, your heart is not with her, and Lin doesn't treat you like a piece of cake either."

"Does Father mean... he doesn't object?"

Duke Rongguo spread his hands and said, "What are you objecting to? You're all grown up now. Do you expect your father to worry about your daily life? I'm already overwhelmed with worrying about your third brother and Xi'er's excessive sleepiness. Go cool off somewhere else."

Having said all that, the Duke of Rong felt he had nothing more to say to his son, so he waved his hand and said, "Alright, you can go now... wait a minute."

The Duke of Rongguo looked at his son, his eyes suddenly turning deep. "I don't object to your divorce from Lin, but if you want to marry that maidservant of yours, no way. Don't tell me you really think that way? Ha, you unfilial son! You are the second legitimate son of the Duke of Rongguo's mansion, someone who might become a high-ranking official in the future. You want to marry a maidservant? Aren't you afraid that future generations will laugh their heads off?"

When Chen Yanzhou went south, the Duke of Rongguo placed two people by his son's side for protection. Ostensibly, there were two, but since his son was going to the conservative and unconventional Lingnan Prefecture, the Duke of Rongguo, not entirely at ease, secretly assigned four more people.

These four people only showed themselves in times of crisis, so although Chen Yanzhou could sense their presence, he basically ignored them.

These four people may seem to do nothing, but in fact, they do everything.

For example, whenever Chen Yanzhou did something in Yungui County, no matter how small or big it was, these people would mention it and send it to the capital every ten days or half a month.

Yunying's journey to the capital was neither a big nor a small matter, but when the Duke of Rong repeatedly questioned why his son was walking so slowly, the guards explained again that it was because they were concerned about Yunying's health.

As a result, Yunying, who was originally not taken seriously by the Duke of Rong, suddenly became more noticeable.

The Duke of Rongguo said, "Let me make this clear from the start: I absolutely disagree with this. You'd better give up on this idea now, otherwise, I can't bear the shame, and I won't even want you as my son anymore."