While Menxia Province's undercurrents were surging, Sun Yin, who held the post of minor eighth rank clerk, still left on time every day. When Grand Secretary Zhang's comments were widely circulated, there were rumors that Sun Yin would advance to minor sixth rank Fu Baolang. After all, this post could still be considered one of the Son of Heaven's close ministers. Even though it couldn't compare to last year's newly established 'Study Office' clerk, who was always by the monarch's side, it was still enough to make the younger generation of influential families rather envious. However, this matter was quickly left unsettled. Menxia Province's officials didn't like this reclusive outsider to begin with, happy to see him fail. Sun Yin's position as clerk was something Tantanon temporarily added with a wave of his hand. The old six clerks all tacitly joined hands to exclude Sun Yin. In reality, Sun Yin spent every day in Menxia Province's yamen doing nothing, to the extent where he didn't even flip through books or practice writing. He just sat in the darkest corner of the clerk's room, other than staring blankly, there was nothing else to do. At first, even the clerk's head felt restraining fear towards this young scholar, but in the end, he was someone Tantanon 'personally appointed', so for better or for worse, he still had to leave him a bit of face. How he secretly tripped him up was one thing, but on the surface, he could still act amiably. However, as time went on, he discovered that after Left Servant She threw this fella into Menxia Province, he didn't pay him any attention at all, not once summoning Sun Yin alone. The only time he stepped foot in was when he discussed past and present with an old and experienced clerk. From start to finish, he didn't even give Sun Yin a single look. As a result, even the last bit of good expression in this yamen was gone. Sun Yin imperceptibly became Menxia Province's most leisurely mediocre person, nothing to do, nothing to say, to the extent where he was pitiful to the point where he couldn't make a mistake.
Under the autumn rain's dusk, Sun Yin silently walked out of the room, raising his head towards the overcast sky. During this period of time, colleagues occasionally entered and left at his side, but they all turned a blind eye to each other. Then, Sun Yin saw a familiar figure wave towards him. After following, the two walked side by side. When the figures in the distance saw this scene, they were all stupefied. Under the curtain of rain, Tantanon was actually holding an umbrella for a youngster! Yet, that young student who didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth could actually be so calm?! Sun Yin opened his mouth and said, "I heard that the Grand Secretary is holding a family banquet today. Is Left Servant She going to freeload? Aren't you afraid of being rejected? "
Huan Wen said calmly, "It's Green Eyes' business whether or not to see him. It's my business whether or not to go."
Sun Yin's brows furrowed tightly. He hesitated for a moment and then said, "Back then, the study in the palace was set up to deal with the Zhang and Gu Huts. If there is another Head of the Secretariat, we will have a falling out."
Huan Wen smiled and said, "You actually want to say 'when the map is unrolled, the dagger will be revealed', right?"
Sun Yin nodded.
Huan Wen didn't continue on this topic. Instead, he asked, "What have you been thinking about recently?"
Sun Yin was truly a newborn calf that didn't fear the tiger. He straightforwardly replied, "I want to be Xun Ping first, and then Zhang Julu. Xiangfan City has Lu Xu as the King of Jing An. Zhao Xun wrote on behalf of Zhao Xun, and his name shook the capital. In my opinion, it's still a prescription for treating headaches and foot pains. "
Huan Wen smiled and said, "Oh?"
Sun Yin said calmly, "I have an essay that I've thought of halfway. For the time being, I already have the eight characters of ascending the throne, ruling the government, managing the household, and patrolling the borders."
Huan Wen was experienced and ruthless. He had experienced ups and downs in the officialdom for most of his life. Naturally, he could see the farthest reaches. He laughed softly and said, "It seems like you've written something for His Highness the Crown Prince. You want to teach His Highness how to take over the throne, how to sit on the dragon throne and face two groups of old officials, how to act as a filial son and a strict father, and how to stabilize the territory. Sun Yin, oh Sun Yin, it's not that I want to take advantage of my seniority, but you're just a poor child who has never been a local official or even touched a hundred taels of gold. Aren't you biting off more than you can chew to teach others how to govern the world? That scholar Xun Ping is Qi Yanglong's favorite student, and he's fully learned the Art of Unhindered Travel. And Bi Yan 'er has also been under my teacher's tutelage for many years. You? "
Sun Yin asked in return, "Wild carps in rivers and rivers can't jump over the dragon gate?"
Huan Wen laughed loudly. "It's not impossible to wear white in the morning and look green in the evening."
After Huan Wen, who was still holding the umbrella, laughed, he sighed emotionally. "The good times for scholars have come. Perhaps an article with tens of thousands of words can buy an imperial tutor."
At this point, Huan Wen turned to look at the young man from Beiliang and asked curiously, "If you're lucky enough to get rid of Xun Ping and Bi Yan 'er, who's next?"
Sun Yin pointed at himself.
Huan Wen curled his lips and forced out two words with difficulty. "You deserve to be killed."
Huan Wen put away the umbrella. The two of them sat in a carriage that had already been prepared and slowly drove toward the street filled with nobles. Tantanon lifted the curtain and looked at the familiar buildings. He muttered to himself, "Logically speaking, when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. But when the time comes, it'll definitely surprise everyone. Let's see if the Everlasting Hui Spring Bamboo that Yin Maochun and Wang Xionggui personally promoted by the two of us will immediately change."
As they approached the Grand Secretary's residence, Huan Wen said softly, "The Scholarly Sage once said that those who look at the sea find it difficult to see the water, and those who swim in the door of the sage find it difficult to speak. But in the future, there will be more and more people like you outside the door of the sage in the imperial court. I'm afraid that once you have the power of the imperial court in your hands, you'll be responsible for all the people of the world. "
Sun Yin was silent.
When they arrived outside Zhang Julu's residence, Tantanon opened the umbrella and got off the carriage. As Sun Yin expected, the embarrassed Zhang clan gatekeeper told Tantanon that today was the Zhang clan's private banquet and that outsiders were not allowed to enter. It was clear that Tantanon had now become an 'outsider'. Huan Wen didn't make things difficult for the gatekeeper, who couldn't be more familiar with him. He nodded lightly and turned to walk down the steps. Sun Yin didn't immediately follow. He looked at the old man's back and then at the dark sky. For some reason, there was no setting sun or afterglow above his head, but Sun Yin still felt that a certain someone had single-handedly propped up an empire and walked into the twilight.
With Zhang Julu's death, the empire's last ray of afterglow would also dissipate.
Huan Wen had probably finally realized that the young man wasn't keeping up with his footsteps. He stopped a hundred steps away from the carriage and turned his head to look.
He saw that young man with steady steps. He could see from his body a kind of vitality that he himself had once possessed in the past.
Turning the tide, who else could it be but me?!
He still remembered that a long time ago, within his benefactor's sect, from top to bottom, it was publicly acknowledged that only two blue-eyed people could be one Huan Wen.
But Huan Wen had never thought this way.
Even though his benefactor and Emperor Xian had decided that he, Huan Wen, would be the head of the Minister of Affairs.
He had also been willing to serve as a foil for his best friend, Zhang Julu, for several decades.
Huan Wen suddenly laughed and handed the umbrella in his hand to Sun Yin. "In the future, it's up to you to hold it up."
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
