The playboy county magistrate

"The court is in chaos right now, with the old and new factions locked in a tug-of-war, and many officials trying to curry favor with both sides. Only Li Xuanzhi, since entering the court, has only followed the laws of the country and stayed true to himself, neither currying favor nor attaching himself to anyone. Such an upright man may face many storms in the future, but he will never allow his household to fall into sordid schemes, nor will he allow his wife and children to be tainted."

He paused, his tone becoming increasingly firm, revealing a hint of appreciation for talent.

"What is most admirable about Li Xuanzhi is that he remains untainted by the mud and unmoved by hardship. He protected his mother during the division of the family property and spoke frankly in court. He did everything with integrity, reason, and restraint."

"Sister Yuan'er is gentle and insightful, dislikes conflict and is not interested in extravagance. If she is to marry, it will be a mutual fulfillment. If anyone is jealous and says something unfounded, it will not be our Pei family that will be disgraced, nor will it be Sister Yuan'er."

Meanwhile, at the Lin residence of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the couple were doing the same thing.

Madam Lin was helping her husband change into his court robes, muttering to herself as she did so.

"Our Lingyi can manage a household peacefully and harmoniously no matter which family she marries into. The Miss Pei you favor is too talented; she may not be content to be confined to the inner quarters and manage trivial household affairs."

"When you see Li Xuanzhi at court today, be sure to tell him in detail how wonderful our Lady Lingyi is. It's not very useful to find a woman who is too smart; the best choice is someone who can manage the trivial matters behind the scenes perfectly."

Lord Lin felt like his ears were about to fall off.

Ever since I heard the rumors last night, my wife has been nagging about it.

One moment he's praising his own daughter, the next he's sighing that she can't compare to Miss Pei.

A little while later, he said that Miss Pei was not as good as his own daughter, and that Li Xuanzhi would be blind if he did not choose his own daughter as his wife.

As a result, even Lord Lin couldn't get a peaceful sleep, and his intermittent sleep caused him headaches.

"Alright, stop nagging. If you keep nagging, I'll take the day off from court and you can stand guard at the palace gate! You're supposed to be the lady of the Lin family, and you've been chattering away all night. Aren't you afraid of being laughed at if word gets out?"

After finishing his words, Lord Lin turned and left, leaving his wife alone to watch his receding figure.

After a long while, Madam Lin sat down at the table, fuming, picked up the tea that had long since gone cold, and gulped it down.

"You scoundrel! Do you think I'm talking about something trivial? Shouldn't you be careful about your own daughter's marriage? What father would be so indifferent to his daughter's marriage? I must have had the worst luck in eight lifetimes to marry such a blockhead!"

At the Shen residence of the Ministry of Personnel, Chief Clerk Shen had just changed into his court robes and was about to leave when he saw his beloved daughter, Shen Zhiwei, habitually carrying a food box as she walked in.

"Father, eat this on the way. Your stomach isn't good, so I made some cloud cakes. Please eat a little to tide you over. I've changed the tea to plain water. Drink it after court, so you don't need to relieve yourself during court and upset His Majesty."

Manager Shen accepted it with a smile, and didn't forget to remind him:

"Wei'er, you are the smartest and most rational child in the family. If you are in love with Li Xuanzhi, you must know an objective fact. What Li Xuanzhi fears most right now is the word 'attachment'."

"My Shen family holds positions in the Ministry of Personnel, dealing daily with the promotion and demotion of officials and the selection of personnel. We are born into a vortex of factionalism and personal relationships. It may seem glamorous, but in reality, it is fraught with many entanglements. Neither Li Xuanzhi himself nor his maternal grandfather's Zhang family will allow Li Xuanzhi to get involved in another layer of personnel entanglements."

Shen Zhiwei's expression faltered slightly, a pang of sadness welling up inside her. But her demeanor remained clear and bright, her smile serene and composed.

"Father is absolutely right."

"I know I am sharp-witted and quick-thinking. But I am not as gentle and pure as Miss Pei, nor as docile and well-mannered as Miss Lin. Imperial Censor Li, who serves in the court, needs a quiet inner quarters and an environment free from strife and disturbance. I am too insightful and too good at weighing things, which makes me unsuitable."

Manager Shen patted his daughter's shoulder with heartache and let out a long sigh.

Li Xuanzhi is indeed a rare young talent, and he would naturally be happy if he could become his prospective son-in-law.

But some things can't be achieved just by dreaming. After all, there can only be one principal wife, and his daughter could never become someone's concubine.

Meanwhile, at this time, the Chengen Earl's Mansion...

Li Dehai sat in the courtyard all night.

Listening to the various rumors reported by his spies, he gripped the cool stone table tightly with his fingertips, his eyes filled with endless bitterness and regret.

He used to look down on this child so much, and was so certain that he would never amount to anything.

But now, the child he once pushed away has become the most sought-after young husband in the capital.

In contrast, his carefully cultivated eldest son, Li Xuanjing, was mediocre and incompetent, and didn't even have a decent marriage prospect.

……

The morning court session in the Golden Palace was solemn and orderly as usual, with officials standing in their respective positions and each department reporting on its affairs.

Li Xuanzhi, dressed in a blue imperial censor's robe, stood tall and upright among the ranks of censors. His expression was calm and composed, exuding an air of dignity and composure.

Today, court discussions mostly revolve around the new policies and the improvement of official conduct. Whenever a report involves official corruption or improper conduct, Li Xuanzhi speaks frankly and impartially, analyzing each point. His words are sharp and well-founded, and his legal reasoning is clear and transparent, earning frequent nods of approval from the emperor.

The officials and civil and military officials saw this and their understanding became increasingly clear.

The rumors of marriage proposals that spread throughout the capital last night have kept many shrewd officials secretly on their minds.

If they could form a marriage alliance with Li Xuanzhi, it would surely secure the careers of their descendants, and they might even be promoted.

After the political affairs were discussed and the emperor withdrew from court, all the officials bowed and took their leave.

The solemn and dignified court instantly lost its somber atmosphere and became incredibly lively.

The officials did not immediately disperse; their gazes all fell on Li Xuanzhi, who was slowly leaving the train.

People flocked to him, laughing and chatting amiably, their attitude warm and friendly. Gone was the previous disdain and deliberate aloofness that some had displayed in the past.

The first to step forward were several mid-level civil officials, their faces full of kind smiles and their posture extremely humble.

"Imperial Censor Li's debate in court today was truly brilliant; every word he uttered hit the nail on the head. He is indeed a pillar of our dynasty's upright officials!"

"Yes, thanks to the Censor's impartial investigation and clean-up of officialdom, the new policies have been implemented and the atmosphere in the court has become more upright."

After a few polite compliments, the conversation naturally shifted to personal matters.

"I recently heard an interesting story: Your Highness's new residence has been completed, and the house is quiet and peaceful. To this day, there is no principal wife to manage the household affairs. Is this true?"

Li Xuanzhi continued walking, nodding slightly. "It's just a trivial matter, not worth mentioning."

His attitude was gentle yet distant, aloof yet polite. It made people hesitant to be too abrupt, yet still gave everyone room to continue the conversation.

The Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, standing to the other side, immediately chimed in with a sincere smile.

"Sir, you are young and promising; it is time for you to choose a good wife, settle down, and build a stable family. I wonder if you have your own set of standards?"

The moment these words were spoken, the surroundings fell silent.

Countless gazes fell upon Li Xuanzhi, and everyone held their breath in anticipation.

Although Li Xuanzhi's relatives' criteria for choosing a spouse do not meet them, what if Li Xuanzhi himself has other criteria? What if his own daughter, sister, or granddaughter is a good match?