Chapter 2: Night Visit to the Relay Station

In the twenty-seventh year of Xilong, summer...

After nightfall, Steward Zhang of the Grand Secretary's residence arrived at the Hanlin Academy, and under the guidance of Compiler Tu Xijin, proceeded to the relay station where the new Jinshi scholars were lodged to pay a visit.

This nocturnal visit was made on the orders of the current Grand Secretary, "Crane Prime Minister," to select promising talents.

"Have the Jinshi scholars finished their meals?" Steward Zhang asked, carefully counting the windows still illuminated by candlelight.

"They have all finished their meals..." Lord Tu replied politely: "They are the new Jinshi personally appointed by His Majesty today; our Academy would not dare to treat them with any neglect."

"Lord Tu has worked hard..." Steward Zhang smiled slightly and continued: "It is so late, yet I have troubled you to accompany me on this trip; I truly feel apologetic."

"Not at all, not at all..." Lord Tu, being quite perceptive, said: "We are both serving Prime Minister Crane; matters concerning Prime Minister Crane are our own matters—how could this be hard work! It is only right, only right..."

As they spoke, the two arrived before the door of a guest room. Lord Tu stated: "The occupant of this room is none other than the new Zhuangyuan!"

A few days prior, during the palace examination, the new Zhuangyuan personally appointed by the Emperor bore the surname Jiang, given name Jiang Mingyu, courtesy name Jiang Xingqiu, hailing from Dongzhou in Nanping Circuit.

He was twenty-seven years old this year, with thick eyebrows and large eyes, handsome features, standing seven chi tall, with a slender and tall figure.

At this moment, he was sitting before the Shangshan Shangshan Jian, writing a letter home to report the good news to his mother!

Since Jiang Mu was illiterate, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's letter had to be entrusted to the village's Mr. for transcription.

Thus, the opening of the letter was written in plain vernacular: Oh Mother, your son has achieved the rank of Zhuangyuan! But the official court is completely different from what I imagined...

However, he had written only a few characters of the letter when the sound of "Knock, knock, knock" came from the doorway.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu opened the door to see two gentlemen standing outside; one was Lord Tu, who had been responsible for receiving them today, and the other was an older man with a long beard, possessing an ethereal and Daoist bearing, dressed in a black satin long robe adorned with silver floral patterns, appearing to be a distinguished elder of high status.

Seeing Lord Tu dressed in a full set of bright red round-collared court robes, seemingly not yet dismissed from duty, leading this unfamiliar elder to visit, Jiang Jiang Mingyu presumed this person must be either extremely wealthy or of noble rank!

Jiang Jiang Mingyu dared not show any neglect; with utmost reverence and politeness, he welcomed them inside to sit for a while.

Once the three were seated, they quickly began exchanging pleasantries and chatting about daily life.

Lord Tu and Steward Zhang, both having rolled in the official court for many years, conversed with laughter and ease, perfectly composed; whereas Jiang Jiang Mingyu, newly arrived, sat upright and rigid, at a loss, accompanying them with stiff smiles and agreement, his face full of awkwardness, deeply fearing that a single careless word might offend someone!

Through Lord Tu's introduction, Steward Zhang and Jiang Jiang Mingyu established a preliminary acquaintance.

After a quarter of an hour, Lord Tu asked with a hint: "Jiang Xingqiu, why are our cups dry?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jiang Mingyu was startled and immediately stood up, repeatedly apologizing: "This humble student is at fault; I forgot to brew tea for the two lords! This humble student will go prepare it immediately; I hope the two lords will forgive my offense..."

"No rush, no rush..." Steward Zhang helped smooth over the situation at this point, comforting him: "The Zhuangyuan truly possesses noble character; he cannot even bear to brew the tea provided by the Hanlin Academy!"

Steward Zhang had noticed upon entering the room that the collar of Jiang Jiang Mingyu's cloth garment had two small holes, and there were patches on the sleeves and elbows; he deduced that Jiang came from a poor family and was unfamiliar with elegant pursuits such as the tea ceremony.

Seeing Jiang Jiang Mingyu lift the tea canister, stare at it for a long while, and then actually pour half the canister of tea leaves into the pot! After finishing, he scratched the back of his head, muttering: "Oh no, there is no hot water!"

Lord Tu, finding Jiang Jiang Mingyu's rustic behavior both exasperating and amusing, quickly urged him to stop busying himself unnecessarily; he then ordered the attendants outside to brew a pot of tea and bring it in.

Afterwards, the three chatted in the room for another half-shichen, until the third quarter of the Xu hour, before taking their leave.

After leaving the Hanlin Academy, Steward Zhang hurried back to the Prime Minister's residence to report.

At this time, Prime Minister Crane was inside the residence's Daoist temple, gathered with several maids in the rear hall for collective cultivation!

Two quarter-hours later, Prime Minister Crane, with his clothes disheveled, walked out of the rear hall of the Daoist temple, panting heavily.

With his Daoist robe half-draped and his lower body completely naked, he casually grabbed a red cord, wrapped it around his waist, and tightened the hem of his Daoist robe to serve as a lower garment, concealing his private parts.

Subsequently, several maids, also with clothes in disarray and wearing playful smiles, walked out from the rear hall; upon seeing Steward Zhang guarding the Qiandian, they suddenly became shy and bashful, quickly raising their hands to cover their faces, clutching their belts, skirts, and trousers, and hurriedly moved to the Piandian, disappearing without a trace.

Steward Zhang glanced sideways and counted; there were eight in total! He thought to himself: Prime Minister Crane recently passed his fortieth birthday; to handle eight alone tonight is truly fierce; he must have consumed some elixir again!

Prime Minister Crane, surnamed Weng, given name Xian, courtesy name Tiantong, styled himself: Great Mechanism White Real Person. Proficient in both literature and martial arts, capable of divination and calculation, and especially skilled in painting cranes, he was thus bestowed the honorary title by the Imperial Decree: Crane Prime Minister, hence referred to as Prime Minister Crane.

"Did you see the Zhuangyuan?" Prime Minister Crane asked while slowly walking to his exclusive round cushion, sitting cross-legged; then he picked up the white jade pestle and struck the nearby bronze-gold mortar once, producing a "Clang—" sound that pierced the slightly awkward, frozen air within the Daoist temple.

"I saw him," Steward Zhang replied.

Prime Minister Crane: "How is his character?"

Steward Zhang: "His appearance is extraordinary, his conduct upright; he is a promising young man from a poor family."

Upon hearing the words "poor family," Prime Minister Crane's mouth corners lifted slightly. He asked again: "Is it a true poor family? Or a false poor family?"

Steward Zhang: "It is... a true poor family."

"What is your evidence?" After speaking, Prime Minister Crane casually plucked a lychee from the side table beside him and handed it to Steward Zhang.

After receiving the lychee, Steward Zhang did not dare to peel it, but instead replied: "Unfamiliar with the tea ceremony, clumsy in speech, wearing tattered cloth garments; although knowledgeable and reasonable, he appears even more green... all are signs of a poor family background."

Prime Minister Crane laughed heartily and said: "Excellent, this is exactly the person I have been looking for!" Having spoken, he plucked three more lychees and handed them to Steward Zhang, adding: "Eat; you have worked hard making this trip, so do not stand on ceremony..."

Only after receiving the lychees this time did Steward Zhang dare to peel one and eat it.

Just as the lychee shell was peeled away, a maid approached holding a gold-flowered bronze basin to receive it; Steward Zhang fixed his gaze and realized this woman looked very familiar, as if he had seen her somewhere before.

Only when she brought over the gold-flowered bronze basin did Steward Zhang suddenly realize: she was one of the eight women who had walked out from the rear hall earlier!

At this moment, she was fully dressed, her hair coiled up, wearing a shy expression, no different from the other ordinary maids in the Prime Minister's residence.

Had he not witnessed it with his own eyes just moments ago, Steward Zhang would never have been able to connect her current self with the delicate and enchanting woman from the rear hall.

That enchanting woman had been glamorous and seductive, clad in a layer of red gauze that seemed to invite yet was truly tempting.

But now, this woman had donned the attire of a maid in the Prime Minister's residence, wearing a shy expression, dignified and generous, as if she were two different people.

These eight women were proficient in music and dance, possessing graceful and varied charms.

However, while usually serving in the Prime Minister's residence, they would also pretend to be ordinary maids, indistinguishable from the other servants.

Unless done intentionally, it was truly difficult to detect any difference.

This disguise allowed Steward Zhang to witness another side of these eight women, transforming from enchanting to dignified and refined in an instant, as if they had become entirely different people; such a technique was truly superb, their concealment of identity most appropriate, truly worthy of being the secret weapons of the Prime Minister's residence.

A trace of curiosity arose in Steward Zhang's heart: just how many faces did these eight women possess, and what role did they actually play within the Prime Minister's residence on a daily basis? It was truly perplexing.

It seemed Prime Minister Crane was indeed unfathomable.

"Have the Zhuangyuan's family background, wife, children, and elderly relatives all been investigated clearly?" Prime Minister Crane asked.

"They have all been investigated clearly..." Steward Zhang continued: "From Dongzhou in Nanping Circuit, twenty-seven years old this year..."

"I am not in a hurry to know these details!" Prime Minister Crane waved his hand, then instructed: "Tomorrow, you shall acquire a residence near the Southern Garden of the Eastern Palace, then bring the Zhuangyuan's entire family—wife, children, and elders—to live in the capital; you know how to handle the other corresponding trivial matters yourself."

After Steward Zhang agreed, clutching the remaining three lychees, he slowly backed away until he had exited the Daoist temple, only then turning to leave.