Chapter 2: Starting the Career

When Han Ranzhi brought up business matters, her expression became serious as she looked up at Lu Yuner: “Sister Yuner, do you resent me?”

Lu Yuner naturally understood the meaning behind her words. From the Second Rank Minister of Revenue to an Eighth Rank Doctor, outsiders who didn’t know might think she had committed an offense and been demoted.

“I don’t resent you. I guess Sister Ranzhi’s recommendation also had the Emperor’s intention,” Lu Yuner smiled, as if seeing through it all, and continued, “First, to appoint the worthy and capable; second, to combat corruption and promote integrity.”

Because Lu Yuner knew that the current female Emperor was originally the Ninth Princess Mu Yue of the previous dynasty. Just because she was born in the Cold Palace and not favored, she endured all kinds of humiliation every day, bullied by her brothers and sisters above, and disrespected by even the dog servants below.

She lived in hiding for years, and after the Chaoyang Gate incident, she finally ascended to the throne by stepping on the flesh and blood of her closest kin.

In the struggle for imperial power, the victor becomes the king and the loser becomes the bandit. Throughout history, there have been many emperors who killed their relatives and usurped the throne.

The reason this female Emperor could claim the throne was naturally due to an important figure behind the scenes – the current and only non-imperial Prince, Cloud Prince Su Bai.

Cloud Prince Su Bai was a female hostage from the Kingdom of Yunnan. Although small in territory, Yunnan was a land of outstanding people and abundant resources.

Every year, they offered plenty of gold, silver, and jewels to the previous female Emperor, with the sole purpose of seeking peace and prosperity for their country.

However, the previous female Emperor was fond of extravagance, insatiably greedy, and her desires were hard to fill. She betrayed her word and ordered troops to be sent, disregarding the lives of Yunnan’s people and forcibly occupying Yunnan as her own.

A grudge for the destruction of a country, and one enduring humiliation with a heavy burden – this also led to Su Bai and Mu Yue appreciating each other’s qualities and cooperating to overthrow this decadent and corrupt dynasty.

However, after this female Emperor ascended the throne, she carried out extensive reforms both inside and outside the court, concentrating manpower and financial resources on water conservancy and people’s livelihood projects, and promulgating various commercial and educational decrees.

For example, allowing free trade in markets, allowing men to go to school, and so on. Every measure was genuinely for the welfare of the people.

Indeed, she was a wise ruler who was benevolent, respectful of the worthy, diligent in government, and loving towards the people.

This was also why Lu Yuner, since becoming Minister of Revenue, had been willing to work tirelessly and handle official business personally.

However, given the severe corruption of the previous dynasty and many constraints, it was impossible to uproot everything at once. Even if everything could be uprooted, capable people would still need to be in place.

The key issue at present was the problem of talent cultivation, followed by the problem of educational corruption.

The Imperial Academy, being the highest institution of learning and educational management, was naturally the first to bear the brunt.

Han Ranzhi smiled slightly and sincerely praised, “Sister Yuner is indeed clever!”

Then her tone became somewhat heavy as she tightly gripped her teacup and said solemnly, “You also know that I come from a humble background. The path of studying and entering officialdom was extremely rough. I know well the bitterness of having grand ambitions but nowhere to fulfill them. Now, what Her Majesty proposes is also my heart’s desire, but… it will inevitably face difficulties. I know Sister Yuner is cultured and talented. Would you be willing…”

“I’m willing. It would be Sister Yuner’s greatest honor,” Lu Yuner was of course willing. This kind of unfulfilled ambition – having the will to serve the country for a thousand miles but lacking a long sword to pierce the sky, pitifully studying hard by the cold window for ten years yet unable to achieve fame – should be given attention.

Hearing the answer, Han Ranzhi smiled warmly, the gentle light in her heart gathering between her beautiful brows. She raised her teacup, “Come, let’s use tea instead of wine and have a drink.”

At this moment, Liu Lan laughed lightly from the side, “Alright, alright! Indeed, in a gathering of three, I’m the odd one out. But don’t worry, you two. With this general protecting you at the Imperial Academy, no one will dare to touch a hair on your heads.”

The latter half of her words took on a somewhat arrogant tone. Though she appeared unrestrained on the surface, the glint in her eyes was not to be underestimated.

Lu Yuner was surprised, “Sister Lan, you’re going too?” How come she hadn’t heard about this?

Han Ranzhi explained, “When you arrived late earlier, she had just decided on the spur of the moment. I don’t know if the Director of Studies will…”

Liu Lan suddenly smiled, brief and without warning, her tone carrying a sense of unrestrained arrogance, “With the reputation of General Liu, how could the Director of Studies not give me face!”

Then she curled her lips into a mischievous smile, “Besides, doesn’t the Imperial Academy have a men’s college? I should at least go and have a look, right? Otherwise, with spring coming and flowers in full bloom, but no one to appreciate them, wouldn’t those beautiful flowers be heartbroken!”

Lu Yuner and Han Ranzhi exchanged smiles without speaking.

This was probably her true purpose.

At this time, the Cloud Prince’s mansion was brightly lit, with everyone from top to bottom on tenterhooks and bustling about.

In the Qinghua Garden.

Su Qingwan had now regained consciousness and was obediently lying on a soft couch. However, his phoenix eyes were dim and unfocused, the depths filled with calmness.

Xiao Yuan, looking at the young master who was unnaturally quiet, felt guilty and remorseful once again.

Recalling when they found the young master, he was soaked through, pitifully sitting on the cold ground, covered with a woman’s outer garment, staring intently at a nameless folding fan clutched tightly in his hand.

He had remained silent until now.

Outside the purple sandalwood screen carved with peony patterns stood a woman in her forties, in her prime, wearing a black dragon robe with gold patterns. Without speaking, she exuded an oppressive aura of unspoken authority.

At present, her eyes were filled with an inky darkness that seemed about to burst forth, and her whole body emanated an undiminished fierce aura that inspired fear.

A female medical official knelt cautiously on the ground, swallowing hard: “Reporting to Cloud Prince, the young master’s body is not in serious condition. He’s just a bit shocked and caught a chill. With a few doses of calming medicine and cold medicine, and a few days of rest, he’ll be fine.”

The Cloud Prince’s tightly knitted brows gradually relaxed, and the corners of her mouth twitched slightly. “You may go!”

Then a guard came to report, “Reporting to Cloud Prince, those who harmed the young master have all been captured and are now imprisoned in the dungeon. The person who rescued the young master has not yet been found.”

However, all the words from outside the screen fell into Su Qingwan’s ears. His unfocused gaze seemed to ripple with a watery glint.

The Cloud Prince waved her hand with a deep expression, and the guard withdrew. She walked around the screen, her cold gaze sweeping over Xiao Yuan like a sharp blade. Xiao Yuan immediately left in trepidation.

Because he knew that if it weren’t for the young master shielding him, his head, which was still attached to his neck, would have already been cut off by the Cloud Prince’s sword.

The Cloud Prince looked at her pale-faced son. Her originally stern face softened slightly in the yellow candlelight, her slightly moist eyes showing both tenderness and a trace of pain.

After a long while, she finally spoke slowly, her tone softening a bit, “Why didn’t you listen to your mother’s words? Why do you keep sneaking out? If this time…”

“Just right, I miss father too,” Su Qingwan said expressionlessly, like a lifeless pond, full of deathly stillness.

This lightly spoken sentence instantly pierced a certain part of the Cloud Prince’s heart. Her face instantly paled a few shades, her fists clenched as if suppressing something. After a moment, she let go and said with finality, “After you’ve rested well, you’ll go to the men’s college at the Imperial Academy.”

Then she turned and left.

Su Qingwan’s nose tingled, his eyes growing increasingly red, a layer of moisture gradually welling up in his dark eyes.

He immediately turned inward, curling up into a ball, looking like an abandoned puppy, so pitiful that one couldn’t help but want to hold him in their arms and cherish him in every way.

Afterwards, he called Xiao Yuan into the room and gave a few instructions. Xiao Yuan then extinguished the lights and quietly closed the door as he left.

The room gradually quieted down, becoming one with the darkness.

Su Qingwan slept alone in the room, gradually becoming more and more restless. But he couldn’t wake up, as if imprisoned in endless darkness. No matter how he walked, there was only boundless emptiness and darkness.

Just as he was in despair and helplessness, suddenly his father’s familiar voice sounded in his ears.

“Wan Wan, Wan Wan.”

That voice was one he knew all too well, the voice he missed day and night. This was the pet name his father had given him. Yes! This was his father calling him.

Su Qingwan’s breathing quickened, the corners of his phoenix eyes turning slightly red with excitement. His whole heart felt like it was burning with fire, suppressing the boiling emotions within.

He looked towards the sound, and the darkness before his eyes was split by a beam of light. There stood his father, whom he missed night after night, smiling gently in that sacred light.

Su Qingwan finally broke down, tears pouring from his eyes the next second. He ran towards that beam of light with hot tears, and as soon as he stood in the light, his surroundings instantly changed to scenes of his days with his father.

His father was sitting in the back garden, sewing clothes for him stitch by stitch, looking at him with a mixture of exasperation and amusement. “My Wan Wan is such a little mischief-maker. Where have you been off playing again? Come here quickly, let father measure you and see if it’s too big or too small?”

Su Qingwan obediently walked over, but with each step, his feet felt as heavy as if they were tied to lead weights.

“Oh? Why is my Wan Wan crying? Who bullied you? Tell father quickly, and father will stand up for you.”

Su Qingwan said pitifully, “It’s mother, mother bullied Wan Wan.”

“Alright, father will go settle accounts with your mother right now!” His father gently patted his head and left with a smile.

Su Qingwan suddenly realized something and cried out anxiously, “Father! Father, don’t go!”

As soon as the words fell, darkness surrounded him.

Suddenly, the scene returned to the lively performance at the September Hundred Shows Troupe. Su Qingwan and Xiao Yuan were separated by the surging crowd, and he was alone when three ruffians accosted him. Frightened, he fled in all directions.

The surroundings grew darker and quieter, while the three ruffians chased him relentlessly. In a moment of inattention, he fell into the Liusu River.

The water of the Liusu River was bitingly cold, with needle-like chills piercing through his limbs and into his marrow.

Unable to swim, he could only wait for death.

Gradually, everything around him became very quiet. A sense of suffocation came over him, tightly gripping his throat. His five senses were slowly fading, his entire body and mind sinking.

Su Qingwan only remembered that just before he closed his eyes, a blurry figure radiating a sacred light rushed towards him.

At this moment, he realized that there was someone besides his father who would rush towards him without regard for their own safety, just like his father.

When he regained some consciousness, he still couldn’t see that face clearly. Seeing that person about to leave, Su Qingwan became anxious and reached out, wanting to firmly grasp that person.

He excitedly said, “Who are you? Don’t go! Tell me who you are! Don’t leave!…”

Su Qingwan suddenly opened his eyes from the dream, his hand frozen in mid-air. Realizing it was a dream, he slowly lowered his hand after a long while.

His eyes were full of desolation, and his dazed face revealed a hint of despair, as if his soul bore an inconsolable wound.

Su Qingwan walked barefoot down from the bed, and in the soft moonlight, he came to the wardrobe. He placed his hand on the neatly folded outer garment, gently caressing the white magnolia flower embroidered on the clothing, inch by inch.

A radiant smile, as bright as a fresh flower, slowly blossomed on his thoroughly contented face, spreading to the tips of his eyebrows.

Afterwards, Su Qingwan took the garment back to bed, cherishing it preciously as he pillowed it in his arms. Accompanied by a pleasant, faint cool fragrance, he slowly drifted off to sleep.

In the latter half of the night, the moon was bright and the wind was clear, peaceful and tranquil.

Su Qingwan slept very soundly, a faint smile lingering on his lips.