Lu Xi chanted, "I, sovereign by the sacred mandate of Heaven, bear the responsibility for all under heaven. The governance of Kaifeng Prefecture, with the multitude of lawsuits and the abundance of people and goods, cannot be entrusted to anyone but a minister of enlightened understanding and upright loyalty. Yan Tongshu of the Xianlin Academy, having passed the imperial examinations early with the talent of a top scholar, possesses broad-minded vision, integrity, and courageous loyalty, making you suitable for great duties. Now, I specially appoint you as Acting Prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture, to oversee the livelihood of the entire prefecture. I hope you will conduct trials with clarity, encourage virtuous customs, root out corrupt elements within the prefecture, so that ten thousand households may dwell in peace and all people may thrive in their industries."
Lu Xi finished reciting the imperial edict, then bowed with a beaming smile and respectfully handed it over with both hands: "Lord Yan, congratulations on your promotion."
Yan Tongshu remained kneeling on the spot, stunned as if struck by lightning, utterly petrified.
Seeing Yan Tongshu seemed "overcome with joy," Lu Xi called out, "Lord Yan, you should accept the edict now."
Yan Tongshu's lifeless eyes moved slightly, and she mechanically reached out to take the imperial edict.
Lu Xi reminded, "Lord Yan, express your gratitude for the grace."
Screw your gratitude!
Yan Tongshu nearly exploded, barely managing to swallow the words before they left her lips.
She drew a deep breath, bowed her head, and prostrated herself: "Your humble servant thanks His Majesty for this profound grace."
The position of Acting Prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture was truly a high office. If handled well, the prospects for advancement were limitless. Moreover, the emperor had specially sent his head eunuch to deliver the edict, showing the emperor's great regard for this matter.
Lu Xi, hoping to build a good relationship with Yan Tongshu, decided to offer a small favor by advising, "Lord Yan, once you have received the imperial edict, remember to go to the palace to express your thanks. Do not let your joy overwhelm and cause you to forget proper etiquette."
Yan Tongshu kept her head lowered with a demure expression: "Yes, I understand."
Lu Xi nodded, satisfied, and then departed.
As Lu Xi and his retinue left with great fanfare, Yan Tongshu was nearly at the limit of her explosive temper.
Is the new emperor out of his mind?
What nerve in his brain had misfired, making him suddenly pick a fight with her for no reason?
Upon learning of Yan Tongshu's promotion, Lady Zhou immediately came to offer congratulations: "Tongshu, congratulations indeed. After all your hardships, you've finally—"
Yan Tongshu shot her a fierce glare, and Lady Zhou's remaining words got stuck in her throat.
What a terrifying gaze, as if she were ready to kill.
Yan Tongshu, supporting Lady Yan—who was equally thunderstruck—led the others back inside.
Once Lady Zhou realized she had been glared at by Yan Tongshu, her face turned ashen with jealousy, and she muttered sourly, "What's there to be so smug about? It's only a rank-three position, isn't it? Does she really think being Prefect of Kaifeng is such an easy job? This is the capital, everywhere you turn there are imperial relatives. Someone as upright and socially inept as Yan Tongshu will end up devoured before long, without a bone left."
As sour as Lady Zhou's words were, she was fully aware of how vital the post of Acting Prefect of Kaifeng actually was.
It was the training ground for a future Chancellor.
She tugged at Zhou Zhengxun's sleeve: "Put aside what I told you earlier about advising Liangyu. We'll wait and see for now. Over the next few days, you go to Liangyu more often and reconnect with her. Tell her we can make concessions about the dowry. Have her put in a good word for you with Yan Tong—"
The position of Acting Prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture was no sinecure like Xianlin Academy; it was a post of genuine executive authority.
Thinking back to Yan Tongshu's terrifying glare, Lady Zhou swallowed nervously, a flicker of awe unconsciously showing in her eyes. She automatically adjusted her address for Yan Tongshu: "Have her… put in a good word for you with Lord Yan, to get you a proper post. No more waiting as a candidate."
Zhou Zhengxun hesitated: "But—"
Lady Zhou cut him off: "No buts."
She lowered her voice: "The position of Acting Prefect of Kaifeng is no easy task. Many who've held it haven't lasted a year—either dead or disgraced. Seize the chance while Lord Yan is in power and get him to elevate you. That way, when the Yan family is dragged down by him, you'll still be able to keep your Liangyu safe."
The matter involved Liangyu, so Zhou Zhengxun didn't hesitate. He replied promptly, "Yes, Mother, I understand."
...
Yan Tongshu, along with Yan Liangyu, Yan Liangrong, Lady Yan, and Chen Meirong, returned to the inner hall.
Yan Liangrong and Yan Liangyu, unaware of Yan Tongshu's disguise as a man, both wore beaming expressions.
"By Heaven's grace," the two of them said, clasping each other's hands in gratitude that Heaven had blessed Yan Tongshu and the Yan family.
Yan Tongshu held the imperial edict in her hand, her entire person radiating an oppressive low.
That damn dog emperor!
Chen Meirong, on the other hand, offered hearty congratulations to Lady Yan: "Sister, congratulations! Our Yan family has truly turned a corner. I've always said that a top scholar of Tongshu's caliber was bound to gain the emperor's favor eventually."
Lady Yan barely managed to twist her lips into a smile, unable to force happiness: "You should all go back for now. Tongshu still needs to wash up and prepare for the audience at the palace to express gratitude."
Chen Meirong nodded eagerly and took Yan Liangrong and Yan Liangyu away with her.
Once they had left, Lady Yan let down her guard, and her shoulders slumped with exhaustion.
She let out a sigh of infinite worry as she approached Yan Tongshu, whose low spirits had reached rock bottom. Taking the imperial edict from Yan Tongshu's hand, she summoned Steward Liu and instructed him to enshrine the edict in the ancestral hall.
After Steward Liu departed respectfully with the edict, Lady Yan took Yan Tongshu's hand, her voice choked with tears: "Tongshu..."
Yan Tongshu snapped back to reality, glaring furiously as she cursed: "That damnable dog emperor!"
Lady Yan immediately reached out to cover her mouth: "Don't talk nonsense."
Yan Tongshu's nostrils flared with rage.
Lady Yan's eyes glistened with tears: "In the end, it's all my fault."
Wasn't it just so?
Lady Yan reproached herself.
Back then, she had thought Yan Tongshu's father—the master of the house—was on his deathbed, so she lied and told him that she had given birth to a son, to ease his mind.
When the master, overjoyed by the news, managed to survive the deadly illness, she decided to wait a couple more days until his health improved further before telling him the truth.
And then, because she had delayed those few days, the late emperor made an inquiry and sent down an imperial decree to commend them. How had the Yan family ended up trapped in such a dilemma?
Her good daughter, with all her scholarly brilliance and learning, had now reached twenty-two without being able to marry.
Liangyu would soon be seventeen, and Lady Yan and Chen Meirong already felt such anxiety about her. But Tongshu was already twenty-two.
Yan Tongshu had always known Lady Yan was deeply guilt-ridden, so she tried to comfort her: "Mother, it's not your fault. Actually, daughter rather enjoys this life. It spares me from many of the constraints placed on women and gives me a lot more freedom."
The real culprit was that damn dog emperor.
She had been quite content to do nothing at all—no need to rise at dawn for morning court sessions, no work to do. Every day with a cup of tea and a storybook was pure bliss. Why did he have to take away her peaceful slacking?
Dog emperor, dog emperor, dog emperor!
Yan Tongshu silently cursed the dog emperor to an early, miserable death.
Even though Yan Tongshu said these words, Lady Yan's guilt was not alleviated in the slightest. But what was done was done; there was no helping it now. They would just have to take things one step at a time.
The two talked for a while longer, then Lady Yan urged Yan Tongshu to go and wash up thoroughly, so as not to offend court etiquette in the imperial presence.
Yan Tongshu nodded and called for Zhenzhu and Jinbao to prepare hot water.
In addition to kowtowing and verbal thanks, expressing gratitude also required submitting a formal Letter of Thanks.
Yan Tongshu thought for a moment, then decided not to write it.
As an honest, upright, and socially rigid scholar who didn't understand all those schemes and formalities, she naturally wouldn't bother.
If the dog emperor had the guts, let him dismiss her from office.
Though Yan Tongshu was seething with resentment, she also knew that having appointed her as Acting Prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture, that was the imperial curse wouldn't casually depose her.
She might have holed up in the Xianlin Academy, pretending to be clueless about everything, but she had never missed a single piece of palace gossip. She was well aware of the situation at court.
"Dog emperor."
Yan Tongshu cursed through gritted teeth again.
After Lady Yan came out, Chen Meirong immediately went over to her: "Sister!"
She called out in a sweet, honeyed voice, taking Lady Yan by the hand: "Sister, our Tongshu has made it big. From now on, whenever we go out, we'll hold our heads high. Come on, come on, I'll take you to Qian's Silk & Brocade Shop—let's pick out some fine cloth and have several new outfits made.
Lady Yan was weary at heart: "Meirong, I know your intentions are good, but I'm tired today. You go on back first. We can talk about the clothes another time."
Chen Meirong pouted, not understanding why her own sister looked so worried when Tongshu's promotion was such wonderful news.
Yan Liangyu quickly tugged at Chen Meirong: "Mother, the officialdom is treacherous. Mother is afraid Big Brother might be ambushed by someone."
Chen Meirong nodded: "That's true. Tongshu was once ruined by those old foxes in court. But our Tongshu is talented and capable, and the new emperor knows a good man when he sees one."
Yan Liangyu warned: "Mother, you can't speak of His Majesty that way. It's great disrespect."
Chen Meirong hastily shut her mouth.
Yan Liangyu was about to see Chen Meirong out when Yan Liangrong walked over, smiling: "Liangyu, you've had a tiring day too. Go back and rest. I have to head home anyway, so I'll see Aunt out."
Yan Liangyu nodded: "Then I'll trouble you, Sister."
Yan Liangrong smiled with dignified grace and walked with Chen Meirong toward the estate gates.
Yan Liangrong took an unobtrusive measure of Chen Meirong. "Aunt."
Chen Meirong turned her head to look at her. Chen Meirong's eyes were like a pool of spring water—when she wasn't speaking in her usual plain-spoken way, her gaze on someone was full of tender emotion.
She asked, "What is it, Liangrong? Do you have something to say to me?"
