As Lin Qingge held the transfer order in her hands, her first thought was:
Had she received good news from the delivery room again—another promotion?
However, before any joy could grace her brows, she saw the words "Shuntian Prefecture Governor" on the order, and a sudden urge to pack her bags and flee the capital overnight struck her.
If her memory served her correctly, Old Master Yan Xiuping had explicitly told her to stay far away from the capital before he left, and the further the better.
But the Shuntian Prefecture yamen was located right in the capital. Wasn't that like sniffing gunpowder to find explosives—intentionally running into the line of fire?
Her gaze shifted downwards.
The words "Fourth Rank" caused Lin Qingge's tightly furrowed brows to relax just a tad.
"Salary doubled, ten thousand taels of gold."
These two short sentences instantly smoothed the wrinkles on her brow.
She continued to read.
"A mansion bestowed."
!!!
A house in the capital, and one not less than three courtyards deep, was something she wouldn't have dared to dream of in her previous life!
Lin Qingge, her heart fiercely swayed, felt as if her adversary could read her mind, directly targeting her most vulnerable spot!
But thoughts were thoughts; no matter how much money or how grand a house, she needed to be alive to spend the money and live in it.
While Lin Qingge hesitated, Yan Tinghao had already poked his head over.
The next moment, he let out a shout that could echo throughout the entire prefecture yamen:
"The Governor is going to be the Shuntian Prefecture Governor?!!!"
With her ears ringing from the noise, Lin Qingge, unable to bear it any longer, slammed the transfer order into the face of the simple-minded man before her, "You big-mouthed fool, would it kill you to lower your voice?
How many times have I told you, trouble comes from the mouth, trouble comes from the mouth, why can't you ever learn?"
After speaking, as if still not appeased, Lin Qingge stepped on Yan Tinghao's instep, then deliberately ground her heel.
Yan Tinghao, accustomed to his superior's frequent beatings, let out a sharp inhale and scratched his head in confusion:
"Governor, isn't your subordinate just happy for you?
The Fourth Rank Shuntian Prefecture Governor, at the foot of the Emperor—it's practically soaring to new heights!
Such great fortune absolutely must be celebrated!"
"Celebrate what? Celebrate your governor retiring early to live a peaceful life?"
Lin Qingge rolled her eyes and said, then walked away without looking back, still holding the order.
But once Yan Tinghao knew, it was practically as if the entire Fengtian Prefecture knew.
Meanwhile, Leng Ningyue entered the study carrying a food box, "Xiao Cao made your favorite pastries, try them and see how they taste."
"Oh."
Lin Qingge, who was staring intently at the transfer order on the desk, responded absently.
Seeing this, Leng Ningyue got straight to the point and asked:
"What, you don't want to go?"
Lin Qingge leaned her elbow on the desk, propped her chin in her hands, and said dejectedly:
"Getting promoted, getting rich, living in a big house—while not everyone's dream, it's definitely the lifelong pursuit of most people.
Of course, I'm no exception.
But now that these things are actually laid out before me, I find myself lost."
Leng Ningyue moved the transfer order aside, then took out the still steaming pastries from the food box and placed them in front of Lin Qingge, saying lightly:
"You're not lost; you've just found something more precious than all of the above."
"Indeed, for me, nothing is more important than Sister Ningyue and Mo'er right now.
Yet, I always place you both in danger."
As she spoke, Lin Qingge deflated visibly, like a pricked balloon.
But Leng Ningyue shook her head, "Although Mo'er is young, neither Mo'er nor I are porcelain dolls; you don't need to protect us with such meticulous care.
I know you're worried about my and Mo'er's safety.
And if Mo'er and I were to return to the capital, it would indeed attract many unpleasant flies.
But compared to that, we would rather you be happy, and we would rather be with you."
"But—"
Just as Lin Qingge was about to say something, Leng Ningyue interrupted her forcefully:
"Remember this, we don't want to be your burden, nor do we want to be seen as such by you.
Besides, escaping is never a solution; some things eventually have to be faced."
Lin Qingge, seeing a fleeting cold glint in the eyes of the person before her, hesitated several times before finally raising her hand to pick up a pastry and put it in her mouth.
At the same time.
Besides Lin Qingge, who had been promoted two ranks, there was another minister whose career was similarly on the rise, a thousand miles away.
That was Feng Qingchen, formerly the Minister of Personnel, who had risen from being the youngest Zhuangyuan Lang in the history of the Great Xia dynasty to becoming the youngest Prime Minister.
Although the original Prime Minister Shangguan had been on extended leave due to a cold and a relapse of an old illness, he had not resigned from his post. Therefore, the new Emperor decided to appoint two Prime Ministers concurrently.
That is, Shangguan Hong would serve as the Right Prime Minister, and Feng Qingchen as the Left Prime Minister, jointly leading the officials and assisting in governing the country.
"Crash—snap—bang—"
Inside the Prime Minister's mansion, or more accurately, the study of the Right Prime Minister's mansion, sounds of porcelain shattering and hard objects hitting the ground were heard one after another. Faintly, the enraged roars of an old man could be heard:
"Outrageous!
Absolutely outrageous!
After years of toiling in the political arena, I, this Prime Minister, am now on equal footing with a brash young brat who hasn't even fully grown his facial hair?!"
In the study.
Scattered writing implements and shattered porcelain fragments lay mixed together, making the scene as messy as if a storm had passed through.
In a corner, the old butler hesitated before speaking:
"Master, please calm your anger. Perhaps His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, oh no, His Majesty should be addressed now, simply wants to relieve the elderly Master of his burden and help share his responsibilities?"
Shangguan Hong sneered upon hearing this:
"Hmph, my good son-in-law isn't trying to relieve this old man of his burden; he's forcefully pressing my face to the ground and then stamping on it a few more times!
How am I supposed to face anyone after this?"
"Master, should we contact the second daughter and have her whisper in His Majesty's ear?"
"Do you think I haven't thought of that?
But for the past half month, no matter how many connections I've used, openly and covertly, I haven't been able to contact Yu Yan in the palace."
"Master, upon the ascension of the new Emperor, the Empress's enthronement ceremony will be held. The second daughter will surely appear then.
Master, you might as well wait until then and visit the Empress under the guise of offering congratulations. Even if His Majesty has a thousand objections in his heart, he absolutely cannot utter the word 'no'!"
"Hmph, I'm afraid Xia Chengjin that brat has no intention of holding an Empress's enthronement ceremony from the start!
I don't know what kind of rotten luck Xia Chengjin had. First, the King of Wucheng, then the Fourth Prince, and even that dissolute Second Prince lost his chance to compete for the supreme position due to a mere game of鞠!"
"Perhaps, this is the legendary bestowal of destiny, protection from Heaven.
But Master, as His Majesty's father-in-law, the State Grandfather, you've bet on the right horse. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say you have merit for supporting the dragon!"
"What dragon-supporting merit!
That brat Xia Chengjin has always harbored resentment about what happened back then.
And to think that Yu Yan that girl so confidently guaranteed me, saying that within a few days, Xia Chengjin would fall at her feet.
How many years have passed now? Not to mention bearing an imperial prince or grandson, not even a single useful piece of information has been conveyed!
If I had known this would happen, it would have been better to just say that wicked creature had died!"