Following behind Wu Da were none other than Grand Secretary Tan’s grandson, the Duke of Anguo’s legitimate grandson, and the Grand Princess’s youngest son.
Any one of these three, taken alone, could be described as handsome, a promising young talent, outstanding among men. They were all dressed in official robes, yet easy to distinguish. The one with the sternest expression and the most rigid posture was Tan Yanzhi, Vice Director of the Ministry of Personnel. The tallest was Pang Xiangzhen, a Secretary in the Ministry of War. And the one who looked youngest, without a proper stance, exuding an air of idle mischief, was Zhou Junyu of the Ministry of Rites, the Grand Princess’s youngest son.
An Sheng descended from his carriage and stood still before the three of them.
Among them, Tan Yanzhi was the oldest, already twenty-five, and held the highest official rank. With a completely expressionless face, he clasped his hands in a perfunctory bow toward An Sheng and said coolly, “Lord An, we only received His Majesty’s decree yesterday to follow you to Lindong. The matter is urgent, and we truly do not know our duties on this journey. I beg you to enlighten us.”
“That’s right, what exactly are we going for?” Zhou Junyu beside him chimed in, his tone sloppy and careless.
An Sheng turned his head slightly in his direction, his gaze lazily sliding toward Zhou Junyu. Their eyes met, and Zhou Junyu visibly flinched. Perhaps feeling that shrinking back was embarrassing, he stubbornly lifted his chin and stared hard at An Sheng, speaking in the toughest tone he could muster: “Lord An, I’m an official in the Ministry of Rites. I’ve never been sent on an external assignment. I don’t know anything. Don’t you go making things difficult for me!”
An Sheng raised an eyebrow slightly, a faint curve tugging at the corner of his mouth, but his sharp gaze made it impossible to tell whether he was amused or angry. He spoke slowly, with a hint of slyness: “Junior Lord Zhou, rest assured. Not only out of respect for the Grand Princess, but His Majesty himself specially instructed me to take good care of you.”
Zhou Junyu’s eyes flew wide open in a mix of surprise and delight upon hearing that the Emperor had personally asked An Sheng to look after him. Though he had just come of age the year before, he still showed a youthful vigor and liveliness. He couldn’t help pressing An Sheng: “The Emperor really said that?”
An Sheng lifted his head indifferently. “Naturally.”
Zhou Junyu’s joy became plain to see. He immediately pulled a thick envelope from his chest and handed it directly to An Sheng. His tone was light, though he tried to sound mature: “Then I, your subordinate, thank Lord An in advance. This is what my mother asked me to give you, Lord An. Please accept it graciously.”
An Sheng’s brow arched slightly, a peculiar smile lingering at the corners of his lips. He reached out and made a light, dismissive gesture: “What is the Grand Princess doing? I am merely fulfilling my duties. How could I accept gifts for that?”
“Ah, just take it when it’s given. Why be so polite?” Zhou Junyu said cheerfully and loudly.
An Sheng’s smile grew unmistakably wider, and he accepted the envelope without further hesitation. First, he felt its thickness, then weighed it in his palm. “Excellent. I can see Junior Lord Zhou is forthright and unrestrained. I like that. Then I shall not refuse.”
Saying this, An Sheng’s eyes lifted meaningfully toward the other two. As he continued to slap the envelope lightly against his palm, his voice carried a hint of ill intent delivered with amusement: “By the way, Lord Tan and Lord Pang, do you have anything else to say to me?”
Tan Yanzhi: …
Pang Xiangzhen: …
Half a teacup later, holding three envelopes, An Sheng was in excellent spirits. He nodded with satisfaction and finally decided to answer Tan Yanzhi’s question. With a straightening of his expression, he got down to business and started speaking without hesitation: “Every one of you comes from a prestigious and prominent family, with a magnificent lineage. You are truly rare gems, promising young talents. This is one of the main reasons I specifically selected you. More importantly…”
At these words, the three men’s gazes all fixed intensely upon An Sheng’s face. Then they saw his slender eyes narrow slightly, and his sharp voice took on a thought-provoking, deeper meaning: “To achieve great things, one must undergo countless trials. This is an exceptional opportunity for honing—and both I, the elders in your families, and even His Majesty are in agreement. The court has high expectations for you.”
“If it weren’t so, do you really think my few words alone could convince your parents, grandparents, and even His Majesty to agree and feel assured in letting you accompany me to Lindong?”
The moment An Sheng finished speaking, not only Tan Yanzhi and Pang Xiangzhen’s eyes lit up, but even Zhou Junyu, inexperienced as he was, widened his eyes with newfound brilliance.
“Oh!” “Wow!” “Whoa!”
“Husband, we’re rich, we’re rich! So many banknotes!”
A Mei opened the three envelopes one by one, and with each one, she couldn’t help exclaiming in admiration, looking like a proper little money-grubber.
Even An Sheng, seeing her like this, turned his head away and pressed a fist to the tip of his nose to hide his smile.
A Mei caught his expression of suppressed laughter and suddenly blushed shyly. She cast him a sideways glance, half in mock anger, and said, “Hmph, you still have the nerve to laugh at me, husband? You’re the one who accepted all this yourself.”
An Sheng gave a low cough and immediately put on a serious face: “Right, my lady is correct. It’s all from our household. Well then, my lady, give it back quickly, and I’ll put it away myself.”
A Mei twisted her body as if guarding her food, hiding the bundle of banknotes in her bosom, and stuck out her tongue at An Sheng: “That won’t do. You never need to spend silver on a daily basis, husband. What would you do carrying so much money on you anyway? Besides, I’ve always managed the household funds. Don’t trouble yourself over it.”
“Hmph, they say a man gets up to no good if he carries too much silver. What, you don’t have some scheme in mind if you insist on keeping it on you, do you?”
An Sheng: …
An Sheng’s head suddenly began to ache. He said helplessly, “Our lady is growing sharper and sharper-tongued by the day. I’m nearly at a loss for words before you.”
A Mei planted her hands on her hips and turned the accusation back on him: “Hmph, it’s clearly you who are in the wrong, and can’t argue anymore, husband.”
An Sheng: …
Deep down, A Mei knew she was being unreasonable, but who could blame her when her husband spoiled her so much every day? “Playing on his indulgence to act arrogant” was the perfect phrase to describe A Mei now. Even as she fussed, she used her large, sparkling eyes to peek at An Sheng and see if he was truly upset, which only amused him more.
That laughter made A Mei feel shy, yet pleased, pleased that he indulged her so.
Finally, A Mei couldn’t keep up the act anymore. She burst out laughing.
An Sheng fondly tapped her on the nose and sighed, “Oh, you.”
Then An Sheng spoke again: “Aren’t you going to ask why they all gave us silver, my lady?”
A Mei blinked and said matter-of-factly, “They must have some request of you. What’s there to ask? If they give, take it. Isn’t that what you told me before, husband? The more we put on airs of arrogance, the more at ease His Majesty will be.”
An Sheng nodded with relief, his eyes as gentle as water: “Our lady truly appears foolish but is wise.”
He pulled A Mei into his arms, his gaze shifting between light and dark as his thoughts gradually drifted far away.
Serving the emperor was like sleeping beside a tiger. And now, as his Majesty’s well-known favored minister, outwardly acting wantonly, tyrannically, and basking in limitless glory, he was actually treading with deep caution and hidden taboos.
The ancients said: What reaches its apex must decline; when things go to extremes, they inevitably reverse.
He had understood this truth very clearly all along...
