They've all become top scholars in the imperial examinations, and you're telling me this i

Chapter 16 Giving Gifts
The tall walls of Yongxingfang fragmented the setting sun, casting deep shadows.

Chen Guangrui and Chen An walked towards the post station, their footsteps echoing on the bluestone slabs.

"elder brother,"

Chen An spoke in a muffled voice, kicking a pebble that flew a long way.

"So, what exactly is the rank of the Grand Tutor of the Imperial Household? Is it higher or lower than the former position of Tutor to the Crown Prince?"

His brows furrowed into a knot.
"Both the postmaster and Zhang Bangyan said that Wei Xima was doomed, but now... the Imperial Guards have all been scattered, and a 'registrar' has suddenly appeared out of nowhere, leaving me completely confused!"

Chen Guangrui continued walking steadily, his gaze fixed on the winding outline of the city wall in the distance, his voice calm.

"The Court of Imperial Sacrifices is the core government office of the new Crown Prince's Eastern Palace. The Crown Prince's Tutor is a civil official who assists the former Crown Prince, while the Chief Clerk of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices is a close advisor who assists the new Crown Prince. In terms of rank, they are both fifth-rank officials and are equally matched."

Chen An was clearly even more confused.

"The same rank? Why did the Imperial Guards make such a big fuss surrounding him? I saw them retreating just now, and everyone around was saying that Wei Xima was going to rise to prominence this time, thinking that the position of Grand Secretary was very high. Now it seems that they've just given him an official position of the same rank... What is the new Crown Prince up to?"

He kicked away yet another pebble, looking utterly bewildered.

A faint smile played at the corners of Chen Guangrui's lips, reflecting the fading light of the sky.
"Thunder and rain, all are the Emperor's grace. Whether to use it or not, to what extent to use it..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Chen An's confused face.
"Looking at the present, it's all just old wine in new bottles. Wei Zheng isn't dead; instead, he's caught the eye of the new crown prince. This is the magnanimity that the King of Qin... oh, the new crown prince, is displaying to the world: forgive past mistakes, use talent only."

"Let bygones be bygones? Employ only the talented?"

Chen An pondered these two words, seemingly understanding but not quite, but the fact that 'Wei Zheng is not dead' was finally confirmed. A huge weight was lifted from his heart, but a new sense of bewilderment arose.
"So...brother, is it a good thing or a bad thing that we went to visit yesterday?"

Chen Guangrui did not answer directly, but only said,

"Go to the post station first and pack your bedding."

He spoke as if it were nothing more than a simple matter of changing his residence.

At the entrance of the inn, the twilight stretched the shadows of people into long, thin streaks.

The postmaster, hunched over like a withered vine, huddled in the shadows beside the threshold. His once sharp and piercing eyes were now filled only with a desolate bewilderment and an undisguised panic. His thin, wiry fingers nervously picked at the peeling paint on the door frame, his fingernails filled with grime, his fingertips trembling slightly.

When Chen Guangrui and his servant appeared at the alley entrance, the postmaster felt as if he had been struck by an invisible electric current, and his whole body trembled violently!

But he didn't rush forward, nor did he cry out. Instead, he instinctively took a half-step back, pressing his back firmly against the doorframe, as if trying to embed himself into the wood and hide. His cloudy eyes darted around rapidly, filled with panic and calculation.

Chen Guangrui walked with ease, his gaze sweeping over the changing panic on the postmaster's face as if looking at a pebble in his way, and stepped directly onto the stone steps of the post station.

Chen An followed behind, looking at the postmaster's appearance, and thinking of his arrogance that morning, he snorted heavily and subconsciously touched the place where he had put the pearl in his pocket.

The postmaster's gaze had been fixed on Chen Guangrui, but now it suddenly focused on Chen An's hand, which he instinctively used to protect his chest—a place where valuables could be hidden.

As if suddenly awakened to something, he forced a dry laugh—more painful than a grimace, a last vestige of ingratiation—on his aged face. His parched throat gurgled, his voice hoarse and faint, like a mosquito's buzz.

"Sir... Your two precious gems... are they still with Young Master Chen?... Or... shall I go and get a brocade box for you to put them in? I have some fine satin..."

Before he could finish speaking, his tongue froze, because he saw Chen Guangrui stop walking.

It wasn't because of his words, but because of the few brass abacus beads scattered on the ground, two of which happened to roll down to Chen Guangrui's feet.

These beads were scattered when the postmaster was so shocked upon hearing the news of Wei Zheng's promotion that he accidentally knocked over the account books.

Chen Guangrui leaned forward slightly, his two slender fingers picking up the two dusty abacus beads. The postmaster's breathing quickened instantly, his eyes fixed on Chen Guangrui's fingertips.

Chen Guangrui's gaze fell on the postmaster's face, calm and indifferent.

He gently placed the two cold beads into the innkeeper's palm, which was covered in filth and sweat.

Then he said, "Chen An, go pack your luggage. Let's go."

Before he could finish speaking, the postmaster trembled violently! He then realized that he had already given the order to leave at noon, and now the guests had returned to pack their bags and leave.

"Can't leave!"

The postmaster's face flushed red as he stumbled forward, his withered hands desperately grabbing the hem of Chen Guangrui's robe with such force that it almost tore the fabric apart.

"Your Excellency! I've lost my mind! That document was forced upon me by the Imperial Guards! They held a knife to my throat!"

The subtle trembling and humility that had just been there erupted after hearing Chen Guangrui's simple sentence.

Regardless of whether what he said was true or not, the postmaster's goal was very clear: to prevent people from leaving!

Tears and snot instantly covered his old face. In an attempt to clear himself of the earlier coercion, he fabricated a threat from the Imperial Guards, his voice sounding like a wail.

Chen Guangrui completely ignored the postmaster and walked straight ahead.

Chen An then said fiercely from the side, "Didn't you kick us out before? Now that we're back to pack our bags, you won't let us?"

Seeing that Chen Guangrui did not stop, the postmaster's knees buckled and he knelt down on the bluestone steps with a thud!

"Bang bang bang!"

His forehead slammed heavily against the cold stone slab, three muffled thuds like a death knell.
"It was I who was blinded by greed and had the audacity of a bear and a leopard! Scholar Chen, you haven't been appointed to an official position yet. If the court finds out that I was the one who dismissed you, I will be in deep trouble!"

He suddenly looked up, his bloodshot eyes flashing with a desperate madness.

"Your Excellency, please have mercy! The lives of my entire family are in your hands!"

Chen An pushed away the postmaster, his eyes filled with disgust, but he still walked to Chen Guangrui's side and muttered, "Brother, Wei Zheng is treating us to dinner tonight. If we move now, I'm afraid we won't have enough time."

The postmaster's attention was entirely on the two of them at this moment. When he heard Chen An say this, his eyes lit up. "No need to move. This place is the most convenient for us."

At this point, he suddenly hardened his heart.
"A superior room! I'll get you a south-facing superior room! A brand new pine bed! Feasts from Xinghualou every day! I'll cover all the food and drink expenses! I just ask that you stay a couple more days!"

At this point, he was going all out, because he had acted too early this time by treating people differently based on their status, and he would have to bear the losses if he failed.

Anyway, it won't be long before the top scholar is appointed to an official position. He gritted his teeth and figured he could get through this.

Seeing that Chen Guangrui didn't say anything more, the postmaster was delighted.

Then, he took out the brocade box and satin he had just mentioned and secretly gave them to Chen An, his meaning clear: he wanted Chen An to say a few good words for him.

Chen An accepted the gifts, but he might not say anything kind about them.

He placed the two beads in the brocade box, walked over to Chen Guangrui, and only spoke after confirming that no one was around.
"Brother, how about we use these two beads as a gift when we go to Wei Zheng's place tonight?"

(End of this chapter)