National Division

Why didn't the scholar reveal his identity in Chapter 70?
Qilin Pavilion, 7th floor
Shen Xian and Xue Zhihua quickly left the Vermilion Bird Palace and entered the pavilion.

"Put this Sumeru bag away carefully. I need to see Her Highness the Princess first, and I'll come back to find you later," Xue Zhihua said gently.

Shen Xian nodded and said, "Then I'll go back to the Shen residence first."

The secret passage says, "Tell me how to open this! Do I have to wait for you to come back? Are you afraid I'll roll up my pills and escape?"

Xue Zhihua hummed in agreement.

Not long after the two left the pavilion, Zheng Guanying, the scholar in charge of the key, also sensed the commotion and went up to the second floor of the Qilin Pavilion.

"Scholar Shen has come out," Zheng Guanying said with a forced smile.

Shen Xian said, "It's all set. Prepare the register, and I'll record the types and quantities of pills used."

These are the rules he set, so naturally we must take the lead in following them.

Zheng Guanying was taken aback for a moment, then put on a fawning smile and said, "Scholar Shen, I haven't brought paper and pen with me yet."

Shen Xian said, "Writing it on the lower floors is the same."

This is actually the art of the workplace. You rush over with paper and pen, what does that mean? It means you don't trust your boss.
As they spoke, Zheng Guanying led Shen Xian and Xue Zhi to draw the three-story pavilion.

Zheng Guanying smiled and said, "Scholar Shen, the west side of the third floor is where you conduct your official business. Your subordinates are already waiting in the council hall."

Shen Xian nodded and said, "I'll go take a look."

When Xue Zhihua arrived at the government office, there was a long table with a bookshelf made of rosewood behind it, which was filled with beautifully bound picture books, as well as bronze sculptures and porcelain decorations.

At that moment, two elderly men sat in chairs in the reception area, seemingly enjoying tea and waiting, when they heard what was happening outside.

Zheng Guanying said, "Scholar Shen, these are Wu Gecheng and Wang Gecheng. They usually handle the general affairs of the cabinet. If you need anything, you can give them your instructions."

The two bowed to Shen Xian and said, "Greetings, Scholar Shen."

“These are the officials in the cabinet, six judges,” Zheng Guanying said.

Shen Xian said, "Since we are all officials in the same cabinet, we will look after each other in the future. There is no need for you to be so formal."

Everyone present stood up.

Shen Xian said, "Let's continue with the affairs of the pavilion as usual for now. We will discuss the affairs of the pavilion with everyone tomorrow."

Zheng Guanying smiled and said, "Scholar Shen, this is Han Lingshi, who is just over twenty years old this year. He was the top scholar in the Mingjing examination. Little Han, come over and greet Scholar Shen."

Before him stood a handsome young man, barely twenty years old. He cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Han Yi greets Scholar Shen."

He was secretly surprised by the other person's youth.

Is she even younger than him?
Shen Xian nodded and said, "From now on, you will serve by my side. You should follow up on the implementation of the Qilin Daily that Scholar Zheng asked you to do earlier."

The clerk surnamed Han cupped his hands in greeting and replied, "Yes, Scholar Shen."

Zheng Guanying smiled and said, "I have already sent people to handle the matter that you just asked me to do. As for the Ministry of Works, the talisman will be made in two days."

Shen Xian nodded and said, "This matter concerns the progress of the Qilin Pavilion's follow-up matters."

Afterwards, he chatted with the officials in the Qilin Pavilion before leaving.

"You know the ancestral home of the Shen family in Lanxi, right?" After leaving the Qilin Pavilion, Xue Zhihua looked at the young man in the blue robe and asked.

Shen Xian said, "I'll inquire about it later."

Actually, he hadn't been to the capital for several years, and he would have to inquire about it later.

He also wanted to experience the prosperity of the capital city on his own.

Xue Zhihua said, "Then I won't see you off. I'll go to the Princess's residence to report back first."

Shen Xian nodded, his gaze quietly fixed on the beautiful woman, and said, "Miss Xue, thank you for your trouble this time."

Xue Zhihua chuckled softly, her originally aloof and jade-like face softening slightly. She said, "Where did you get the idea to say that? I am acting on the Empress's orders to protect you, which is only right and proper."

Shen Xian only glanced at Xue Zhihua deeply, and said nothing more.

He wasn't referring to coming to the Qilin Pavilion, but rather to the matter of introducing her to the Empress.

After parting ways with Xue Zhihua, Shen Xian was about to find his way to the Shen family's residence in Lanxi.

Just then, the clerk surnamed Han, who had been leading the horse, came closer and called out, "Scholar, where are you going? Take my horse."

Shen Xian turned to look at the young man and said, "Han Lingshi, do you know which neighborhood the ancestral home of the Shen family in Lanxi is located in?"

"Scholar, you've come to the right person. The Shen family of Lanxi is the Junior Supervisor of the Secretariat and resides in Lixingfang," Han Yi said with a smile.

He thought to himself, "No wonder he was so young and yet held a fifth-rank official position. He must be a member of the Shen family of Lanxi."

He was merely a second-rate outsider, and in the past he might have been resentful, but over the years, that resentment had been worn down.

Shen Xian nodded and said, "Then, Han Lingshi, lead the way."

"Scholar, please mount your horse," Han Yi said.

Seeing this, Shen Xian didn't hesitate, turned over, stepped into the stirrups, and mounted the horse.

He thought to himself that the young man had a strong desire to improve, and he couldn't be too reserved and deny him a chance to demonstrate his abilities. It was evening, and because of the recent rain, there weren't many pedestrians on the street.

Looking at the rows of shops on both sides, Shen Xian casually asked, "Han Lingshi, how are the streets of Shendu distributed?"

Han Yi smiled and said, "Of the 108 wards in the capital, the area north of the Luo River is where the residences of the officials are located. They are very close to the offices of the Left Gate Tower, making it convenient for them to go to court. The area south of the Luo River is where the common people live."

Shen Xian pondered his words and considered his next move.

He wouldn't stay in the capital forever. Prime ministers rise from the provinces, and great generals emerge from the ranks. If he wanted to build his own faction, he needed to make strategic moves throughout the country, but he couldn't stray too far from the center of power.

I estimate I'll have to travel between the two places from now on.

Before long, Shen Xian and Han Yi arrived at a magnificent mansion. There were two stone lions at the entrance, and several servants were sitting on benches on the stone steps, chatting and eating melon seeds.

Han Yi smiled and said, "Scholar, we have arrived at the Shen residence."

Shen Lin, the patriarch of the Shen clan in Lanxi, was a fourth-rank official, serving as the Junior Supervisor of the Secretariat. His residence, with its vermilion gates and copper studs, already possessed a rather imposing presence.

Shen Xian nodded and said, "Han Lingshi, I'm troubling you."

With that, he dismounted.

Han Yi quickly smiled and said, "Scholar, what are you saying? If there's nothing else, I'll head back now."

Shen Xian nodded and arrived at the gate of the Shen residence.

"Hey, hey, who's there?" The fat servant at the head of the group stood up and shouted as Shen Xian approached.

Shen Xian said, "I am Shen Xian from Guhe County, Lanxi."

"The Shen family of Lanxi? There are at least three or five, if not seven or eight, impersonating the Shen family of Lanxi every month." The fat servant looked Shen Xian up and down and sneered.

Seeing that his clothes were simple and he had no jade ornaments, it was guessed that he was probably a poor scholar trying to curry favor with the emperor.

In fact, in this era, there was a natural class barrier between prominent families and children from poor families. In order to climb up the social ladder and attach themselves to prominent families, many children from poor families would impersonate others or even claim kinship.

Shen Xian frowned almost imperceptibly and said, "I am Shen Xian of Lanxi, and I do not change my name or surname. Why would I need to impersonate someone else?"

Actually, he felt a bit speechless at this moment. In his previous life, he thought that the Dragon King and the like were all nonsense. He never expected that he would encounter a servant who was "unpleasant to look at and difficult to enter".

All I can say is that everything comes from life.

At this moment, Han Yi, who had been leading his horse away, looked puzzled upon seeing this, but then his eyes lit up.

"Do you have a visiting card?"

Shen Xian said, "Why would I bring a visiting card when I'm returning to my ancestral home?"

No one brought a visiting card when they went home. I remember they came to pay respects to our ancestors a few years ago.

In particular, this is the ancestral home of the Shen family in Lanxi, and Shen Lin is his second uncle. As long as the servants in front of him turn around and report, any servant of a certain rank will know his background.

Or perhaps the servants had never heard of Shen Xian, and the people in the capital were unaware that the Shen family of Lanxi also had a branch in Guhe County?

"You still say you're not an imposter? No visiting card, no family genealogy, and you claim to be from the Shen family of Lanxi? You are, then?" The servant sneered, "The Shen family of Lanxi has countless branches. If everyone came to Shendu to curry favor, the Shen family's doorstep would have been broken down long ago. Have you ever heard of the Shen family of Lanxi in Guhe County?"

“In all the years I’ve served the master, I’ve never heard of any Shen family from Lanxi in Guhe County.” A servant cracked melon seeds and laughed, “Where did this poor scholar come from, trying to curry favor with the master again? He probably heard that the second master has been promoted to censor and has come to submit a letter requesting an audience.”

The servants standing nearby all agreed.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xian's mind became as calm as still water.

At that moment, he gained some understanding of the arrogance of those from prestigious families.

Shen Xian shook his head inwardly, said nothing more, turned and left, arriving at the alley entrance.

"I knew it! Look at that poor, shabby appearance, how dare he talk about the Shen family of Lanxi?" The fat servant looked at the boy's back and said to the person next to him with a smile.

Just then, Han Yi stepped closer and said, "Scholar."

"You haven't left yet?" Shen Xian looked at Han Yi calmly, and felt more favorably toward this young man.

Han Yi secretly admired the young man's composure and said, "The scholar ordered me to attend to you and be at your service. How dare I leave without permission?"

As he spoke, he glanced at the Shen residence and asked, "Scholar, shall I present my visiting card?"

Shen Xian shook his head and said, "It's easier to see the King of Hell than to deal with his underlings. The Shen family's ancestral home is a prestigious place, and I don't necessarily have to go there."

Han Yi asked in surprise, "Why doesn't the scholar reveal his identity?"

Shen Xian smiled faintly and said, "Revealing your identity won't make any difference even if you go in. Han Yi, do you know where Shen Qian, the Left Guard of the Right Gate, lives?"

This is his uncle.

Han Yi thought for a moment and said, "This subordinate knows, it should be nearby."

Shen Xian said, "Let's go over there."

He first went to his uncle's house to catch up.

(End of this chapter)