Lin Qingge looked at the man before her, as gentle and refined as jade, and raised an eyebrow, "Is something the matter?"
Standing at the doorway, Lin Yan first offered a slight smile, then cupped his hands in a gesture of respect and said,
"This subordinate has something to discuss with your excellency in detail. If your excellency does not mind, might I be allowed into your chambers to speak with you privately?"
"Very well."
As Lin Qingge spoke, she stepped aside to let him in. She then glanced around, ensuring that the garrulous Yan Tinghao was nowhere to be seen, before closing the door once more.
"Qingge, I have submitted a transfer request to the imperial court, resigning my position as Magistrate of Changzhou Prefecture to become your secretariat in Shuntian Prefecture.
However, the transfer order may take a few more days to process, but it should not affect our departure."
Although Lin Qingge knew little about the intricacies of official transfers, even a lowly county magistrate couldn't simply abandon their post at will, could they?
As if sensing the solidifying doubt in Lin Qingge's eyes, Lin Yan smiled and said,
"Even for ordinary transfers, approval does not come so swiftly.
I enlisted the help of friends in the capital, and with the ascension of the new Emperor bringing about a large-scale reshuffling of officials, I managed to slip through the cracks."
"So, you're coming with us to the capital?"
Lin Yan nodded, then let out a sigh that seemed a mixture of helplessness and resignation, "There's no help for it, who told me to worry about you?"
...
Lin Qingge's body prickled, and she instinctively took two steps back.
Seeing this, Lin Yan's lips curved into a smile that seemed to convey both无奈 and bitter resignation, "Qingge, I'm worried you might inadvertently reveal a flaw and be discovered.
Have you forgotten that your elder brother, Lin Jingxing, studied at the Hanlin Academy in the capital for several years?
The Hanlin Academy, being the foremost academy in all of Great Xia, is largely attended by the descendants of prominent noble families. These individuals often become officials or successful merchants.
In other words, there are many people in the capital who know your elder brother, Lin Jingxing, and by extension, know you. But you do not know them."
"Yes, how could I have forgotten this!"
Lin Qingge, who had been solely focused on advancing her career, amassing wealth, and living in a grand house, only now belatedly recalled that her nominal elder brother had spent a considerable amount of time in the capital before achieving the title of third-place scholar (探花). Naturally, he must have known a great number of people.
At this point, Lin Yan spoke earnestly,
"Qingge, I also studied at the Hanlin Academy. Although we were not classmates, your elder brother Lin Jingxing and I were childhood friends.
When I returned to Xiaolin Village to observe the mourning period for my father, I maintained correspondence with Lin Jingxing and learned something of the people and events he encountered in the capital.
Therefore, with me by your side, you are less likely to make a mistake.
After all, this is a grave offense of deceiving the sovereign, and discovery means losing your head, possibly even implicating your entire clan.
Of course, if you no longer wish to proceed, I can ask my friends in the capital to help you resign your post by citing illness, and then I will accompany you back to Dalin Village."
Meeting Lin Yan's overly sincere and bright eyes, Lin Qingge retreated another two steps, her back pressing against the door.
"Qingge, I know you are exceptionally intelligent, but the capital is far more complex than you imagine. A single misstep could lead you into a quagmire, even to eternal damnation.
Therefore, if possible, I wish for you to return to Dalin Village with me."
But Lin Qingge shook her head without hesitation,
"They say a woman who doesn't aspire to high office is not a good magistrate. So I won't trouble your capital friends, Lord Lin."
"Very well, since Lord Lin insists, this subordinate can only accompany you to the very end."
With that, Lin Yan solemnly cupped his hands and bowed to Lin Qingge, earning him a pair of eye-rolls from the latter.
After seeing off the somewhat overwhelmed Lin Yan, before Lin Qingge could even catch her breath, Lian Chengyi sought her out.
"I heard you're being transferred to the capital?"
"Yes."
"This young general can accompany you to the capital, but remember our month-long agreement."
Lin Qingge raised her eyebrows in surprise at his words, "Wouldn't it be that wherever I go, young General Lian will follow me?
However, from what young General Lian says, you have matters to attend to in the capital?
That's right, King Wucheng is still in the capital.
But is the Imperial Mausoleum accessible to just anyone?
Also, as a commander of the Northeast Grand Camp, is it truly permissible for you to return to the capital privately without an imperial summons?"
...
Overwhelmed by Lin Qingge's barrage of questions, Lian Chengyi's expression turned somewhat unsightly.
Clearly, he hadn't considered these points before.
After a long pause, he stubbornly retorted, "Who, who said this young general was returning to the capital? Can't this young general just take a stroll outside the capital?"
"Of course, you can. After all, the Imperial Mausoleum is not located within the capital itself, and the Fourth Prince is confined to the outskirts of the capital, so it doesn't hinder you from seeing them.
However, the terms of our agreement stipulated that young General Lian would serve as my bodyguard for a continuous month.
If young General Lian leaves mid-way, we will have to restart the count for the month."
"On what grounds?"
"On the grounds that it is clearly written, in black and white."
As Lin Qingge spoke, she took out the written agreement from her embrace and pointed to the supplementary clauses below.
"If you leave mid-way, the time will be recalculated. If you are inadvertently injured and unable to fulfill your duties as a bodyguard, the time will be recalculated. If you talk back to the official, show dissatisfaction, or neglect your duties, the time will be recalculated..."
Lian Chengyi read those two lines of dense small print, and his entire demeanor soured.
"Outrageous! This is utterly absurd!"
In his anger at the time, Lian Chengyi had not even bothered to read it before crumpling the agreement into a ball and tucking it into his sleeve.
One could say they were birds of a feather, weren't they?
He hadn't expected that the scribe who drafted the agreement would collude with this Lord Lin and secretly tamper with the document!
He desperately wanted to know how many people had been fooled to develop such an unspoken, tacit understanding of operation...
Meanwhile, Lin Qingge reminded him with a smile,
"Young General Lian, please mind your words and conduct. I can interpret your recent behavior as joy and excitement upon learning of the supplementary clauses.
What do you think, young General Lian?"
Recalling the unfair contract he had just read, Lian Chengyi pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth, and struggled to force out a sentence that was extremely against his will:
"Lord Lin is absolutely correct."
Having received a satisfactory answer, Lin Qingge nodded with a smile and said kindly,
"Please do not misunderstand, young General Lian. From beginning to end, I have had no intention of making things difficult for you. I am merely concerned that you might incur the Emperor's wrath, thus rendering you unable to continue serving as my bodyguard.
Of course, there is a solution.
My mentor, Lord Xu Changling, currently serves as the Minister of Justice in the capital. You should promptly write a memorial requesting to travel to the capital alone.
As for the reason for your return to the capital, you can write that you represent the Northeast Grand Camp and are bringing valuable gifts to congratulate His Majesty on his ascension.
Then, my mentor, Lord Xu, will submit this memorial on your behalf.
As you know, my mentor, Lord Xu, is a disciple of Grand Scholar Su, just like His Majesty. Therefore, for the sake of my mentor, Lord Xu's face, His Majesty will surely not refuse you.
This way, you will be able to enter the capital with us legitimately.
As for the gifts, how about a Night Pearl from the East Sea?
However, the price...
You must know, young General Lian, the rarer and more precious an item, the more difficult it is to obtain, and the more it represents the sincerity of your Northeast Grand Camp towards His Majesty."
...
Lian Chengyi's mouth twitched violently. He had already forgotten why he had come to see the person before him.