Do You Know?: Rule the World.

Chapter 164 Qi Heng's Official Appointment, Joy in the Liang Family

The year-end had passed, and it was already the fourth year of the Hongwu reign.

When Qi Heng and Wen Yanjing's terms as Hanlin scholars expired, Zhao Han, knowing their character well, decided after careful consideration to send Qi Heng to Jiangnan to serve as an imperial censor.

Wen Yanjing remained in the Hanlin Academy and, according to custom, was appointed as an editor.

Gonghou Lane, the residence of the Duke of Qi.

The backyard flower hall was warm and inviting, where all members of the Qi family were gathered.

Shen Hezhen gently rocked the cradle, looking tenderly and lovingly at Yu Jie'er, who was sleeping soundly.

Han Ge'er was held in Princess Pingning's arms.

He was full of energy, sometimes grabbing Princess Pingning's sleeve and swinging it, and sometimes reaching out his little hand to grab the candied fruit on the table.

As for the Duke of Qi, he was sitting upright on a soft couch, slowly turning the pages of a book.

“My lord, look, Han’er is much more mischievous than Yuan Ruo was when she was young.” Princess Pingning raised her eyebrows slightly and said with a smile in her eyes.

Duke Qi raised his eyes and stroked his beard, saying, "It's better for boys to be more lively. I think Yuan Ruo was a bit too honest and docile when he was young."

Upon hearing this, Princess Pingning's smile froze slightly.

Upon seeing this, the Duke of Qi quickly changed his tune, saying, "Anything is fine. As long as they are our offspring and have upright character, they are the best."

Princess Pingning gave a soft hum, the slight displeasure she had felt earlier gradually dissipating, and a smile returned to her face.

Just then, Qi Heng lifted the curtain, stepped forward, and bowed to the two of them.

Duke Qi immediately put down his book and, before Qi Heng could even remove his cloak, eagerly asked, "Well? What did His Majesty summon you to the palace for?"

Under the curious gazes of Princess Pingning and Shen Hezhen.

Qi Heng smiled gently, sat down by the stove to warm his hands, and said, "His Majesty has appointed his son as the Inspector of the Four Circuits of Jiangnan, to supervise the implementation of the new policies and to monitor the words and deeds of local officials."

"My God!" Duke Qi sat up straight, his face showing surprise, and Princess Pingning beside him couldn't help but gasp.

Although he was only a seventh-rank official, he wielded considerable power.

They could impeach high-ranking officials in the prefecture and supervise local clerks; they were the eyes and ears of the government, and traditionally, only the officials themselves could hold this position.

After completing his duties and being transferred back to Beijing, his future prospects will be limitless.

"The fact that the Emperor has entrusted you with this task shows that he has high hopes for Yuanruo!"

The Duke of Qi sighed repeatedly, as he had resigned from his position as salt inspector before the new year and was currently unemployed at home.

He knew he was already old and his abilities were limited; he had only been able to secure the position of salt inspector with the help of the Shen family.

It's probably impossible for him to regain the emperor's favor.

Qi Heng nodded slightly, looking at the crackling silver-bone charcoal in the furnace, "I understand what Father means."

"My only hope is to do my best to live up to the trust of the officials and to revitalize the family's reputation."

Princess Pingning looked pleased.

Shen Hezhen, standing to the side, pursed her lips, a hint of worry in her eyes, "When does my husband plan to set off?"

"I'll be leaving early next month. This is a very important job, and I can't delay. I need to take up my post as soon as possible."

Shen Hezhen lowered her eyes, her expression inevitably showing some melancholy.

Princess Pingning saw through her thoughts, handed Han'er to the wet nurse, and said, "Yuan Ruo left home for his future, not to travel and enjoy the scenery."

"You should pack his bags and clothes, and raise his children well at home, so that he will have fewer worries."

Qi Heng turned to look at Shen Hezhen and gently placed his hand on her shoulder.

"You will surely offend many people on this trip to Jiangnan. The Emperor has repeatedly instructed me to be careful."

"Once I take office, I will frequently send letters home."

Upon hearing this, Shen Hezhen could only say softly, "I understand. My lord, you must be careful in everything you do while you are away."

"Han-ge'er, Yu-jie'er, and I are waiting for you to come home."

"Okay, don't worry," Qi Heng replied with a smile.

Shen Hezhen nodded. Ever since she met Minglan, she seemed to understand why Qi Heng had been so fond of her in the past.

Her appearance was one thing, but her demeanor and behavior were even more pleasant and comfortable to behold, and her overall bearing was unique among the concubines and officials' wives.

Fortunately, Minglan has already entered the palace as a concubine. If she were to marry into an official family in the city, she would definitely not feel at ease with Qi Heng.

As night fell, the Wenhua Hall was brightly lit.

Zhao Han's gaze darkened slightly as she picked up the teacup beside her and gently blew away the foam.

To consolidate imperial power and prevent officials from engaging in corruption or rebelling against the court due to poverty, the founding emperor of this dynasty implemented a policy of high salaries to encourage integrity.

Therefore, the salaries of officials in the Great Zhou Dynasty were unprecedentedly high.

A second-rank official could earn as much as 18,000 strings of cash annually.

It should be noted that an average family's annual expenses would be at most ten or so strings of cash.

One of the reasons for the perennial emptiness of the national treasury is the enormous salaries of redundant officials, and the so-called anti-corruption measures have not been very effective in curbing corruption.

Instead, it fostered a culture of extravagance and competition among officials and nobles, with them spending their days in lavish banquets.

In addition to the basic monthly salary, the salaries of officials in the Great Zhou Dynasty also included silk fabrics and brocades, as well as monthly stipends in grain for the officials and their families to eat.

The salary and land allocated according to the actual position held, as well as the annual public funds of about 5,000 strings of cash given to high-ranking officials such as prime ministers, were used for private banquets.

Even the monthly wages and rations of servants and attendants were provided by the imperial court.

Therefore, officials like Han Zhang, Shen Shiqi, and Hai Yanping, who held high-ranking positions, were considered part of the Qingliu faction.

Each of them was incredibly wealthy, with a large retinue of servants, and could easily produce several thousand strings of cash.

Local officials of lower rank could earn less in a year than officials of the third rank or above in a single day, a difference of hundreds of times, and some even had to borrow money to make ends meet.

Thinking of this, Zhao Han looked up at the sky and sighed deeply.

Once the performance evaluation system takes effect and reduces the number of redundant officials, the salaries of high-ranking officials will have to be gradually reduced.

Local officials' salaries can be linked to performance evaluations, which can also motivate them to work diligently.

Just then, Qingyun came forward with a mahogany tray, bowing, and asked softly, "It's getting late, Your Majesty, would you like to summon your concubines to your bedchamber?"

Zhao Han turned her head and glanced at the tray. After thinking for a moment, she said calmly, "Let's go to Rong Xiuyuan's place tonight."

After Qingyun respectfully responded, he immediately sent someone to the Jade Capital Palace to convey the imperial decree.

When Rong Feiyan learned that she would be serving the emperor tonight, she couldn't wait to start bathing, changing clothes, and dressing up.

When the moon was high in the sky, incense filled the Jade Capital Palace.

Rong Feiyan wore a moon-white nightgown, which shimmered softly in the candlelight, making her skin appear as smooth and fair as jade.

Zhao Han leaned against the pillow embroidered with gold thread, looking at her with a half-smile.

Rong Feiyan gave a soft hum, her coquettish tone tinged with a hint of resentment, "Your Majesty has finally remembered your humble servant."

"If Your Majesty doesn't come soon, I'll think you've completely forgotten about her."

Zhao Han chuckled and said, "I have been busy with state affairs lately and have no time to spare. I came to visit you, my beloved consort, as soon as I had a moment to spare today."

"Hmph, I think the Emperor's soul is completely on Consort Sheng right now." Rong Feiyan turned slightly to the side, her eyes revealing an undisguised jealousy and coquettishness. Zhao Han reached out and pulled her closer to him, and Rong Feiyan, quite sensibly, buried her face in his chest.

It was common for women in the imperial harem to fight over the emperor's favor, and as long as they didn't go too far, it was usually overlooked.

"In terms of appearance, I am not as good as Consort Sheng, but when it comes to serving Your Majesty, I will not admit defeat."

As she spoke, Rong Feiyan took off her dress, revealing a bodice embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in the water.

She has a slender waist, a shapely figure, fleshy thighs, and exceptionally thin calves.

"In terms of figure, my beloved concubine far surpasses Ming'er!" Zhao Han couldn't help but exclaim.

Rong Feiyan gave a delicate snort, "It's good that the Emperor knows!"

"You must come to my palace more often in the future, otherwise the long nights are really lonely for me."

-

In early March, before the chill of winter had completely faded, patches of new green could be seen everywhere in and around Bianjing.

Wang Anshi, Gu Qianfan, Qi Heng and others have already traveled south by boat from the Bian River. If the journey goes smoothly, they will arrive in the Jiangnan region in no more than half a month.

Shi Qiang has ordered his brothers in the canal gang to secretly investigate the private interactions and social affairs of officials in various prefectures and states, as well as some little-known secrets.

Suzhou, Xiao Mansion, inside the study of the second courtyard.

Xiao Qinyan, who was over forty years old, wore a dark blue brocade robe and a jade belt. Although he had a few strands of white hair, he did not look old at all, and his eyes were sharp and bright.

He sat upright at the desk, gently stroking the white jade thumb ring on his finger.

His trusted aide, standing below him, clasped his hands and said, "My lord, Lord Gu of the Imperial City Guard will be arriving soon. Should we make preparations as soon as possible?"

For every supporter of the new policies in the court, there is bound to be a group of conservatives who insist that the ancestral laws cannot be changed, and Xiao Qinyan is one of them.

He had been operating in the Jiangnan region for many years, and had dealings with salt merchants, tea merchants, officials from the Six Ministries, and wealthy gentry. Their fortunes were intertwined, and their losses were shared.

Xiao Qinyan sighed softly. He knew perfectly well what Gu Qianfan had done in the Imperial City Guard over the past few years.

In his view, the child's personality was exactly like his maternal grandfather's.

In officialdom, they are inflexible, stubborn, and inflexible.

Although his eldest son, Xiao Wei, was somewhat clever, he spent all his time on eating, drinking, and having fun. His second son, Xiao Yan, was mediocre and lacked both shrewdness and courage.

Not to mention the two illegitimate sons, they only know how to enjoy themselves at home and are utterly useless.

Gu Qianfan passed the imperial examination at a young age, possessing both literary and martial talents. However, he changed his surname to Gu, making him a legitimate member of the Gu family.

He probably still hates his biological father to the core.

After sighing deeply, Xiao Qinyan said in a low voice, "The land accounts must be kept very clean, so that they can find some oversights, but we can't reveal the real situation."

"Understood." The confidant bowed and turned to leave.

Xiao Qinyan stood by the window, his hands behind his back.

He did feel guilty towards Gu Qianfan, but this was based on the fact that Gu Qianfan was now exceptionally capable and the only son who had the potential to inherit his mantle.

About an hour later.

Xiao Qinyan instructed his trusted servant, "If Lord Gu comes to Suzhou Prefecture, send a message to him, asking him to come and see me."

-

Jiying Lane, Sheng Mansion.

The old residence of the Marquis of Yongyi in Bianjing has been renovated. After Xu Pingyuan got married in Jinling, he and his family moved to the capital.

Today, he specially brought his wife, Dong, to pay a visit to Old Madam Sheng.

Inside Shou'an Hall, the two men, with smiles on their faces, respectfully bowed and said, "Grand-nephew greets great-aunt."

"The grand-niece-in-law pays respects to Madam Dong and greets her great-aunt."

The old lady gently turned the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand, raised her eyes and carefully examined Ms. Dong.

Seeing that she was well-mannered and had a dignified demeanor, and that she and Xu Pingyuan were indeed a good match, he quickly raised his hand and said, "No need for formalities."

After saying that, she gestured for Madam Dong to come to her side, took off the jade bracelet from her wrist, and gently slipped it onto Madam Dong's wrist.

Madam Dong glanced down, her brows furrowing slightly, her voice tinged with apprehension. "Grandmother, this is far too precious..."

The old lady interrupted her directly, saying gently, "Now that you've married into the family, I'm relieved that Pingyuan will have you taking care of him."

"Consider this a gift from your great-aunt; please don't refuse it."

Hai Chaoyun chimed in, "Our grandmother has been hoping you could come to the capital soon, so please accept this gift. Our two families should keep in touch more often in the future."

Madam Dong turned to look at Hai Chaoyun and nodded gently.

"When I first arrived in the capital, I was very unfamiliar with the rules and social interactions there."

"I hope that in the future, Sister-in-law Hai can give me more guidance, so that I don't make mistakes in etiquette and embarrass my husband."

Hai Chaoyun smiled gently, "Okay, come visit me often when you have time."

On the other side, inside the Wei Rui Xuan.

The sound of counting and calculating filled the air as Wang Ruofu busied himself checking the public accounts.

Rulan leaned against the soft couch, looking languid. She casually picked up a candied fruit and put it in her mouth, saying softly, "Mother, Fourth Sister gave birth yesterday."

"Oh?" Wang Ruofu stopped fiddling with the abacus and looked up at Rulan with interest.

"A girl or a boy?"

Rulan's eyes darted around, and she said casually, "It's a maid. I happened to run into Madam Wei on the way here, and she told me herself."

"She looked even happier than I was."

Wang Ruofu straightened his back, shook his slightly stiff neck, and couldn't help but smile slightly.

Chun Ke has an illegitimate son by her side, and he hates her to the core.

If Mo Lan never has a legitimate son, her situation will only become more difficult after the Yongchang Earl's Mansion is divided up.

Ever since Liang Liulang read the letter sent by Liang Jinyue, his attitude towards Molan has become increasingly cold. He has disregarded Madam Wu's objections and promoted Chunke to the rank of concubine.

Qiu Jiang also won Liang Liulang's heart and revealed all of Mo Lan's past actions at home.

Rulan pouted and said, "Mother, would you like to go and see their baby's full moon celebration in a few days?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Ruofu immediately turned to Liu Mama and said, "When the Liang family's invitation arrives, just say that I'm not feeling well and it's inconvenient for me to come and offer my congratulations in person."

"Go to the warehouse and pick out any item you like and send it over. It doesn't need to be too valuable, and don't make me lose face."

“Yes, Madam,” Liu Mama replied immediately.

Rulan rested her chin on her hands and shook her head. "If you're not going, I'm going. I don't want to miss any of the excitement at the Liang family's place."

Mother Liu smiled helplessly and said softly, "Even though she's married, Fifth Miss is still sulking with Fourth Miss."

"That's right, I'm going to make her miserable, I'll make her so angry she'll die."

"I need to see her completely unable to get back on her feet before I feel satisfied."

Rulan snorted softly. No matter when or where, as long as Molan was unhappy, she would be happy.

(End of this chapter)