Tigers Sniff the Rose - Chapter 71

Chapter 71

After Yan Shang presented his tally and waist badge, he entered the Imperial City. He first went to the Court of State Ceremonial (Honglusi), and then, carrying a stack of documents he had obtained from there, delivered them to the Hanlin Academy.

Because the Crown Prince was in charge of the Grand Ceremony, all matters concerning the various nations arriving in Chang'an to offer congratulations were handled entirely by him. The Prince of Qin felt as though he had been forgotten, but when he wanted to contend for a role, he realized the Crown Prince had already begun maneuvering this months ago; it was already too late for him to snatch it.

After jumping around in the court for half a day, the Prince of Qin ended up with the duty of the Hanlin Academy, making the academy responsible for recording the events of the ceremony.

Since he could at least stand on the sidelines of the Grand Ceremony, the Prince of Qin reluctantly accepted. One only had to look at the Prince of Jin next door, who was still sitting at home waiting for his concubine to give birth, with nothing of importance to do.

Indeed, half a year had passed, and ever since Chunhua, the Prince of Jin's estate had seen a succession of concubines become pregnant. The most important thing for the Prince of Jin now had surprisingly become hoping for his children to be born safely. As for the Princess of Jin, her daily route was limited to her own estate and the major temples of Chang'an, which was quite laughable.

Regarding the Prince of Qin’s maneuver to snatch the Hanlin Academy duties, the Crown Prince was indifferent. During a casual chat, he laughed and said to others: "I have eaten the meat; I must always leave a bit of soup for others to drink."

Ever since the crackdown on powerful local clans, the Crown Prince’s status in the court had become more stable, and his relations with many noble families had eased. The Crown Prince valued this arrival of various nations highly and personally arranged everything, all so that after this matter, his status in the eyes of the Emperor would be higher.

However, sharp-eyed people noticed that Yang Si (the third son of the Yang family), who was always with the Crown Prince, was not by his side during such a critical period.

The Crown Prince explained: "Yang San’s maternal grandmother is ill, and his whole family has gone to visit her."

It was just that Yang Si’s father could not leave Chang'an himself to visit a non-blood-related aunt, so he could only send his son. It was said that Zhao Lingfei, the fifth daughter of the Zhao family (whose head was the Libationer), had also noisily tagged along.

Without Yang Si there, the Crown Prince’s side was calm and peaceful, allowing his ministers and strategists to breathe a sigh of relief, thinking that finally, there was no one around to cause trouble at inopportune times.

Along the way from the Imperial City gate to the Court of State Ceremonial, and then from the Court of State Ceremonial to the Hanlin Academy, Yan Shang was constantly greeted by friends he knew—

"Suchen, I heard you took two days off because of drinking. Is that true? Your alcohol tolerance is really too poor. Wouldn't you be leaving your bride all alone on your wedding night? Hahaha."

"Yan the Second, I heard you messed up your work because of drinking? Did your superiors punish you? Is it alright? But are you taking orders from the Secretariat or the Court of State Ceremonial now?"

"Er-lang, I heard you fell ill? I was just planning to visit you at home; why are you already out? You were so sick, why not rest properly?"

"I heard you have a terminal illness?"

The rumors had spiraled from drinking to a terminal illness, becoming increasingly outrageous. It was likely that if Yan Shang had taken two more days off, the rumor would have been that he had died of an incurable disease. As Yan Shang walked, he explained to everyone that he had only accidentally had a few cups of wine, that he was now sober, and he was fine.

People felt sympathy for him.

Yan Shang was tired of explaining, and his words became more and more concise: "Just drinking, only took one day off. Did not mess up work, and I do not have a terminal illness."

However, he had too many friends. Many people had visited his home to see him the day he took off, and now that he was back, even more people were greeting him. Quite a few were planning to visit a sick man, only to find that Yan Er-lang’s illness had already vanished before they could even make the visit.

Yan Shang felt helpless, thinking that this was all the Princess’s fault.

After he had gotten drunk, he would have been fine by noon the next day, but Mu Wanyao insisted on making his servants go around and proclaim that he was drunk and needed to take a leave.

The people of Chang'an were all straightforward and hearty; there were none who couldn't drink. Although the friends who knew Yan Shang knew he didn't drink, they had never imagined he would take a leave just because he was tipsy, so they visited one by one, full of worry. And once those friends went back and spread the word... well, now everyone knew.

Braving the cold wind, Yan Shang walked quickly. When his eyes caught the gate of the Hanlin Academy, his heart lifted slightly. He thought that once he got inside, it wouldn't be cold anymore.

But just as he entered the courtyard gate and stood on the path, through the rows of pagoda trees, he saw four or five eunuchs standing under the eaves of the main hall of the Hanlin Academy. In the offices within the Imperial City, eunuchs were often used to deliver news and documents, so their presence was not unusual.

What made Yan Shang stop at the courtyard gate was that among those four or five eunuchs, he saw Liu Wenji at a glance.

Having not seen him for two months, Liu Wenji had lost more than half his weight. Standing in the draft, his face was pale and his cheeks gaunt and cold. He had lost his form so much that half of the aura of the handsome youth he once was had vanished.

The castration had ultimately brought him many consequences.

Those eunuchs standing under the eaves, blowing in the cold wind, were of the lowest rank, used for odd jobs and running errands. Liu Wenji stood among them, but unlike the hunched and cowering others, his back was straight, standing exceptionally upright.

Yet, he was, after all, a eunuch.

None of the officials entering or leaving the main hall gave these eunuchs a second glance.

Yan Shang, holding the documents, watched silently for a long while through the pagoda trees. He masked the heartache he felt, thinking calmly that, given Liu Wenji’s current rank, he shouldn't even have been able to get a post serving the Hanlin Academy.

He must have spent some money.

Yan Shang lowered his eyes, wanting to lend Liu Wenji some money, but then remembered that he had just donated his funds to Yongshou Temple, and he himself was relying on Princess Danyang for his daily meals... Moreover, for an official to be close to a eunuch was not a good thing for either party.

The Emperor managed the eunuchs very strictly.

Yan Shang stood for a long time, only to eventually pretend he hadn't seen Liu Wenji. He couldn't bear to walk in through the main hall and run into him; since he couldn't acknowledge him, why agitate Liu Wenji? Liu Wenji used to be so proud and arrogant; one of them standing in the eaves blowing in the wind as a eunuch, while the other could freely enter and exit this place... the contrast was truly painful.

Yan Shang took a long detour and went in through a small side door behind the main hall.

After he entered, through the curtain, he could still vaguely see the bleak back of the eunuch standing in the eaves.

Yan Shang handed the documents he had brought to a Hanlin scholar, who nodded repeatedly. After asking a few questions, the scholar said directly: "Some of the things from the Court of State Ceremonial are categorized quite chaotically, and we can't quite make sense of them. Stay here specifically and help us clarify and transcribe them."

Yan Shang replied: "Yes."

He followed the scholar into a room and saw at a glance that everyone in the room was sitting at desks transcribing documents, and the officials coming and going were all in a hurry.

Yan Shang asked the scholar he was following: "Seeing everyone so busy, is there a shortage of manpower?"

The Hanlin scholar complained: "When is there ever enough manpower?"

Yan Shang said: "With the Grand Ceremony this year, it’s the busiest time at the end of the year, but that only applies to a few official bureaus. Most bureaus aren't that busy; the Hanlin Academy could borrow people to use."

He said something that was essentially common sense.

The Hanlin scholar replied offhandedly: "That is natural. It’s just that there’s no profit in this task, unlike the Court of State Ceremonial, which deals directly with the envoys of various small nations... Those with connections have all gone to the Court of State Ceremonial; who is willing to come to the Hanlin Academy just to copy books?"

Yan Shang smiled slightly and said: "When recorded in the history books later, the Hanlin Academy will always be famous."

The guiding scholar was even more dismissive: "Only a few people will be famous; the majority are buried in the 'et cetera' after those names."

Yan Shang sighed: "It is not easy for you all, either. I cannot help much, but I do know some students from the Imperial Academy (Taixue). Although they lack official rank, they are generally quite literate. I wonder if I might invite them to come and help?"

The Hanlin scholar was thoughtful: "That is not impossible."

Just as he had sat down at his desk and was rolling up his sleeves to write, he looked up and finally took a serious look at Yan Shang, suddenly asking: "Are you Yan Suchen?"

Yan Shang was startled: "Why, has the matter of me messing up work due to drinking already reached the Hanlin Academy?"

The Hanlin scholar was also confused: "What drinking and messing up work?"

Yan Shang was slightly embarrassed and quickly shook his head, saying it was just some low-class gossip. He was curious as to how the other man knew him. The Hanlin scholar laughed: "Before you were an official, that matter of you shooting the head of the Zheng family with an arrow was spread all over Chang'an. Who in Chang'an does not know you?"

Yan Shang blushed: "I am ashamed."

The Hanlin scholar looked him up and down: "And after you became an official... it’s even easier to know you. Do you know that your reputation for 'handsome appearance and fine bearing' has almost spread throughout the officialdom?"

Yan Shang: "...How could that be?"

The Hanlin scholar: "It’s just that we people of Chang'an like hearty, straightforward people, and rarely see someone with your humble and gentle style. Seeing it for once, people find it rare, and they are all betting on when you will be assimilated by us."

Yan Shang was at once confused and helpless, and had to say "I am ashamed" once more.

But this was only small talk. The purpose of Yan Shang saying so much to this official was, of course, not to turn the topic onto himself.

Yan Shang slowly guided the Hanlin scholar until they were calling each other brothers. Only then, while sitting at a desk and rolling up his sleeves to write, did he casually mention his real purpose: "Since there is a shortage of manpower, and no one is coming right now, why not ask those eunuchs standing outside? Perhaps some of them write a good hand and could come over to help?"

Upon hearing this, the Hanlin scholar looked down on them: "A bunch of things that have lost their roots, flattering and seducing their masters—what do they know?"

Yan Shang was slightly silent.

This was the true view that orthodox scholars held toward eunuchs.

He gently persuaded: "Those who can be used are talents; what does that have to do with their background? Besides, isn't there a shortage of manpower now? Brother, for the sake of a good reputation, do you intend to toil here all day? Didn't you just tell me earlier that you came home late last night and your wife gave you the cold shoulder? Do you want that to happen again today?"

The Hanlin scholar was ashamed to be associated with eunuchs, and he didn't care at all about Yan Shang’s talk of them being "talents," but when Yan Shang used his wife to persuade him, the scholar hesitated.

Seeing the other party was moved, Yan Shang stopped persuading. He understood the temperaments of these scholars who held themselves in high regard, especially those serving in the Hanlin Academy—they were all arrogant. Saying just enough was fine; saying too much would only make the other person refuse.

After Yan Shang said that, he concentrated on transcribing the documents at hand. With his peripheral vision, he saw the Hanlin scholar next to him write quietly for less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick before cursing with a common Chang'an profanity and getting up to leave.

Yan Shang smiled slightly and continued writing his own—

The Hanlin scholar asked if any of those eunuchs were literate, and two stepped out. He looked at them with a flat expression and had them come into the room to write a sample. When he saw the handwriting of one of them, the light of contempt in his eyes faded.

He looked at Liu Wenji: "This hand of yours... are you a literate person?"

Liu Wenji said in a low voice: "I studied for nearly twenty years. It was only after my family fell into ruin that I entered the palace."

The look of contempt in the Hanlin scholar’s eyes vanished completely, replaced by sympathy. Twenty years of study, plus this eunuch’s appearance... he could have been an official.

He sighed and said: "Stay in the main hall and help write documents. Until the envoys of the various nations leave Chang'an, the Hanlin Academy is short-handed; are you willing to come and help? The work here should be much more relaxed than at the Imperial Household Department."

Liu Wenji was stunned.

Ever since he entered the palace, everywhere he looked, he saw looks of contempt and disgust. The palace was a place where people fawned over the powerful and trampled on the weak, which had made his heart increasingly cold and indifferent. He had struggled to pull strings to get to the Hanlin Academy... he hadn't expected it to actually work.

Serving the Hanlin Academy was much better than running errands at the Imperial Household Department!

Without a second thought, he bowed deeply.

The Hanlin scholar sighed, gave instructions regarding the documents to be transcribed, and told him to stay in the main hall to copy them before turning to go into the inner office.

Liu Wenji knew he could not enter the inner office to be with those officials, but being able to stay in the main hall and not have to blow in the cold wind outside was something he was already grateful for.

Rubbing his hands together, Liu Wenji looked at the chilblains on his hands, grit his teeth, endured it, knelt at the long desk, picked up the brush, and began to write—

Liu Wenji was kept here to transcribe documents all morning. He was a bit nervous, afraid he would make a mistake and be punished. After a month in the palace, he already knew how much these orthodox scholars looked down on eunuchs. They viewed eunuchs as thieves and didn't even want to glance at them.

Liu Wenji quietly shrank into a corner and copied books. When officials entered or left and saw him, they would start to get angry, but a page would whisper something in their ears, and the official would endure it and enter the inner office.

They acted as if Liu Wenji didn't exist, and Liu Wenji was also relieved.

Gradually, there were more people in the Hanlin Academy. Many people, tired from copying books, came out of the inner office to stand in the hall to drink tea and chat. Liu Wenji, while copying books, pricked up his ears to hear what they were talking about—

A young official said: "About the previous crackdown on powerful local clans, my grandfather was truly timid. He himself removed all the powerful clans that our family was attached to. As a result, afterward, we discovered that other families still had powerful clans attached to them, and they were far more influential than ours. It made my grandfather so angry he curses at home every day."

Another person looked at him with contempt: "So your grandfather ran to the Crown Prince to complain, demanding a stricter crackdown? Because your family’s situation is bad, you want to drag everyone else down with you?"

The previous official snorted: "Everyone has powerful clans attached to them; why should only my family be unlucky? Everyone being unlucky together is fairer, isn't it?"

Another person joined the conversation: "Alas, the world is difficult, and it is hard for noble families to survive. Ever since the Li family... well, everyone has been living with their necks tucked in, trembling. The Crown Prince's move is truly frightening. Brother Wang, you are closer to the Crown Prince; could you find out if the Crown Prince, like His Majesty, doesn't really like noble families?"

The one addressed as Brother Wang quickly said: "That’s wrong. The Crown Prince is not that kind of person. Rest assured, it has been several months; the Crown Prince only moved against the powerful clans, not the noble families, right? His Majesty doesn't like noble families, but the Crown Prince knows that governing the country still relies on us noble families."

Opinions varied.

They were all centered around the previous crackdown on powerful clans.

The general consensus was that the noble families were currently assessing the situation and judging the direction of the tide.

Years ago, the Emperor’s drastic measures—preferring to lose the Empress rather than let the Li family continue to press against imperial power—had made these noble families, who wanted to unite to suppress the throne, tremble. The noble families had just started to relax after a few years of recovery, but the Crown Prince’s crackdown on powerful clans had caused them to become uneasy again, and they were all busy gathering information.

When the crackdown began, no one thought it would affect the noble families.

Now that the noble families were becoming uneasy, the Crown Prince felt he had gone too far and began to appease them.

Liu Wenji listened to this and a strange thought arose in his heart. These things they were discussing had nothing to do with him... yet these things they were discussing had started with the sacrifice of himself and Chunhua.

If it weren't for Chunhua’s sacrifice, the whole situation would not have reached this point today.

There would not have been the crackdown on powerful clans.

There would not have been the anxiety and confusion of the noble families.

There would not have been these officials scurrying about, probing the intentions of the Emperor and the Crown Prince.

One move affects the whole situation.

Liu Wenji was thoughtful, thinking that this was politics. Clearly, at the very beginning, a small, insignificant person, a small incident... had caused the changes in the whole situation. And he didn't even have to ask to know that ninety percent of the people involved here had no idea who Chunhua was, or who Liu Wenji was.

Politics... this kind of cruel beauty, it’s no wonder it makes people flock to it.

Only with power in one’s hands can one do as one pleases.

Just as Liu Wenji was thinking this, a new eunuch came over, saying he had prepared lunch for the gentlemen.

Then he saw the Hanlin scholar who had let Liu Wenji stay here to copy books lift the curtain of the inner office and come out, saying offhandedly: "Prepare an extra portion. Yan Suchen is also eating here today."

The eunuch who came to ask about lunch bent down and agreed. Liu Wenji, sitting in the corner copying books, was stunned, and the brush in his hand was almost snapped in two—

Suchen?

Why is Suchen here?

Suchen is here, but I haven't seen him?

Liu Wenji only thought about this briefly, and based on his understanding of Yan Shang’s conduct over the last dozen years, a guess gradually formed in his heart. So, taking advantage of the moment when the Hanlin scholar who had told him to copy books turned to go back into the inner office, Liu Wenji got up and hurriedly carried his transcribed documents to let him review them.

The Hanlin scholar flipped through the booklet and nodded: "Not bad."

Liu Wenji took the opportunity to ask: "Is the Yan Suchen that the gentleman mentioned earlier the Yan Er-lang, the current Vice Director of the Secretariat?"

The Hanlin scholar looked over, his gaze slightly deep. Liu Wenji explained: "When I was delivering charcoal to the Secretariat, I heard them talk about an Yan Er-lang with 'handsome appearance and fine bearing'."

The Hanlin scholar smiled and said: "Hmm, not bad. He is indeed a man of 'handsome appearance and fine bearing'."

Liu Wenji said: "I have been guarding here all morning, but I haven't seen that gentleman, which is a real pity."

The Hanlin scholar continued to look down at the transcribed documents in his hand, nonchalantly: "Well, if you have a heart, you should thank him. It was his suggestion to let the literate eunuchs come over to transcribe books."

Liu Wenji thought, "As expected."

He looked surprised on the surface: "That gentleman is truly a good person."

The Hanlin scholar glanced at him. Having not probed anything, he just smiled slightly and turned to go into the inner office. But it was only when Liu Wenji saw that meaningful smile from the Hanlin scholar that he felt a chill, realizing that all the indifferent things the other party had said were tests... these officials, not one of them was a fool.

Everyone is hard to deal with.

Fortunately, Liu Wenji’s temperament was not what it used to be. Reflecting on his own words, he felt he hadn't revealed any signs of being close to Yan Shang, and only then did he feel relieved.

After thinking for a long time, Liu Wenji went out and discussed with his companions that they should double the charcoal for the Hanlin Academy’s inner office today.

Yan Shang was here, and Liu Wenji knew this was the first winter Yan Shang had spent in Chang'an, so he must be extremely afraid of the cold and unaccustomed to it. More charcoal would be just the thing to look after Yan Shang.

Originally, after the Hanlin scholar left, Liu Wenji had thought that to prevent the other party from guessing, he should do nothing. But he then thought that if he did nothing, it would instead confirm his guilt, confirming that he knew Yan Shang... it was better to treat Yan Shang as a kind official who had looked after him, and appropriately return the favor with charcoal.

No need to do anything extra.

That Hanlin scholar wouldn't be so bored as to investigate whether Yan Shang knew a eunuch.

Having thought all this through, Liu Wenji sat back down to transcribe documents. With the rustling of his brush, his heart settled, and he began to learn how to play the game with these people—

At dusk, Mu Wanyao came out of the palace, feeling exceptionally happy.

This time in the palace, she had thoroughly defeated Consort Xian and firmly snatched the responsibility for organizing the Grand Ceremony’s banquet into her own hands. Sitting in the carriage now, Mu Wanyao flipped through the information about the various nations coming to pay tribute, calculating in her heart whether the seating arrangements for them were appropriate.

Hmm, the arrangements in the palace must correspond with the arrangements the Crown Prince had made outside.

Mu Wanyao did not see the Wuman in the list of small nations coming to pay tribute; she couldn't deny that she felt slightly relieved. Receiving Wuman envoys would have been awkward, after all. It was best that the Wuman were not coming... Mu Wanyao prayed darkly in her heart, let the chaotic wars of the Southern Barbarians continue, and keep the Wuman stretched too thin.

Let that person be unable to pull away at all.

The situation in Wuman was very complex and could not have been easily resolved in the first place.

Mu Wanyao sat in the carriage thinking about these things, feeling the carriage come to a stop, knowing that they were out of the palace city. A moment later, as the carriage moved again, Mu Wanyao’s heart suddenly stirred, and she asked the person outside: "Is this the Imperial City?"

The maid riding on a horse outside, wearing a round-collared, slit-sleeved robe, was Xia Rong, who replied to the Princess: "Yes, we have arrived at the Imperial City, and we will be leaving the Imperial City gate shortly."

Mu Wanyao said: "Stop the carriage, you come in."

Xia Rong was confused, but still had the carriage stopped and crawled into it. Mu Wanyao looked at the maid in her narrow-sleeved men’s clothing, lost in thought: "Yan Shang should be at the Court of State Ceremonial by now."

Xia Rong tried her best to keep up with the Princess’s thoughts: "Logically, he should be."

Excitement rose in Mu Wanyao’s eyes: "I have never been to the Court of State Ceremonial, and I want to go and see how he works."

Xia Rong was slightly startled and hurriedly said: "Your Highness, you cannot do that! What if you are recognized?"

Mu Wanyao glanced at her and said: "At this hour, the high officials should have all gone back, and those still busy at the Court of State Ceremonial should only be some minor officials of the eighth or ninth rank. It is unlikely that such minor officials would know me."

Xia Rong was so anxious she almost cried: "Just in case..."

Mu Wanyao smiled at her: "Just in case, you and I will swap clothes; I will dress as you and go to the Court of State Ceremonial for a trip."

Xia Rong was stunned: "Ah?"—

Xia Rong was pitifully thrown into the carriage, forced by the Princess to put on the Princess’s own gorgeous and complex clothes. Xia Rong was terrified throughout, not daring to wear the Princess’s clothes at all.

In the end, Xia Rong sat in the carriage with disheveled hair, forced to wear the Princess’s high-waisted long skirt with layers of ruffles. The bright skirt hem spread out on the cushions in the carriage, casting a golden light like the sunset, the brilliance flowing, incomparably dazzling.

Xia Rong didn't need to comb her hair. Only after the Princess had put on the light, convenient men’s clothing and jumped off the carriage did Xia Rong claw at the edge of the carriage door, weeping: "Your Highness, you must return quickly and don't abandon this servant."

Mu Wanyao, wearing a proper men’s slit-sleeved robe, was bowing her head to adjust her collar. Hearing this, she looked back and gave her a bold, wanton smile. Dressed like this, her features were clear and beautiful, with red lips and white teeth—truly handsome and approachable.

She smiled brightly: "You all go back first; no need to wait for me."

With that, Mu Wanyao put her hands behind her back and strolled off toward the Court of State Ceremonial.

Mu Wanyao had Xia Rong’s waist badge, and she casually made up a reason, saying there was an order from the palace, and entered the Court of State Ceremonial. The guiding official first led Mu Wanyao into the court, then called over a young official, asking what exactly this maid had come for?

Mu Wanyao stood with her hands behind her back, looking at them without any timidity: "I am a maid from Yan Er-lang’s house; is our... gentleman, in?"

When she mentioned "gentleman," her face turned slightly red.

The young official asked: "Is the lady speaking of Yan Er, Yan Suchen?"

When Mu Wanyao heard this, her eyes lit up slightly. She suppressed the excitement in her heart and nodded reservedly. In her heart, she thought that if Yan Shang saw her dressed like this to visit him, he would surely be shocked and frightened by her.

Thinking that he would be startled, she revealed a teasing smile.

But the official said: "Lady, you have come at an unfortunate time; Yan Er-lang went to shoot arrows with an envoy from a small nation this afternoon and has not yet returned."

Mu Wanyao was slightly disappointed, but said: "Then I will wait for him."

After that, she walked into the main hall of the Court of State Ceremonial with generous ease, not having the manner of a maid at all.

The official was dumbfounded, watching her walk in so casually, without even having a chance to stop her... The official shook his head, thinking, Yan Suchen is a humble man; how is it that his maid has such imposing vigor?——

Yan Shang had finally finished dealing with his own work and returned to the Court of State Ceremonial to take a break. After finishing today’s tasks, he would be able to leave the Court of State Ceremonial, exit the Imperial City, and return to his estate.

Yan Shang was sitting in the inner office, rummaging for wound medicine. An official came in, saw he was back, and said: "Er-lang, what are you looking for?"

Yan Shang: "Some medicine for injuries."

The official was surprised: "Are you injured?"

Yan Shang smiled: "Just some minor injuries, it doesn't matter."

The official looked at him with sympathy, knowing that serving those envoys was not easy. The official sat back at his own seat and suddenly remembered something: "By the way, your maid came looking for you; she had such an imposing air."

Yan Shang looked up: "Ah?"

What maid?

The official teased him: "Is it really your maid? Why did I think she had more presence than a mistress? Could it be that you are having an illicit affair with your own maid, but didn't tell us?"

Yan Shang: "...Ah?"