Chapter 81: Chapter 68, Joy l
Yan Zhigao gripped the official appointment letter and the official seal tightly in his hands, trembling slightly with excitement, until he returned to the post station and his emotions somewhat settled.
“Congratulations, my Lord!”
Standing in front of the courtyard, Xiao Yeyang bowed and expressed his felicitations as soon as he saw Yan Zhigao.
Yan Zhigao, who had been tense outside, could no longer suppress his joy upon returning to his own place and smiled uncontrollably, “Has the Teacher already received the news?”
Xiao Yeyang nodded with a smile, “Brother Shounian has some acquaintances in the Governor’s Office. Early this morning, he sent someone to inform us, saying you might be advancing soon. Now, looking at your expression, it seems things have worked out.”
A look of uncontrollable joy bloomed across Yan Zhigao’s face as he laughed, “Come, let’s go inside to talk.”
As soon as the two entered the main hall, Yan Wenxiu and the younger children came running over.
Being the eldest, Yan Wenxiu understood that their father’s promotion was critical to the family’s destiny. Hearing of Yan Zhigao’s return, he quickly brought his siblings to meet their father, looking somewhat anxious.
Yan Wentao and Yan Wenkai didn’t think as much but knew the benefits of a promotion, so they both looked eagerly at Yan Zhigao and Xiao Yeyang.
The calmest among the four was Daohua.
She was no mere child. Having received the Jade Pendant from Xiao Yeyang and observed the attentive behavior of the officials at the post station towards her adoptive father in the days that followed, she had guessed that her father was likely to be promoted.
Now, seeing her father’s triumphant demeanor, the result was clear without words.
Lost in the joy of his promotion, Yan Zhigao did not notice the expressions of the four little ones, but Xiao Yeyang, who stood aside, took in everyone’s reactions and once again could not help but silently praise Daohua’s composure.
Seeing her brothers just staring eagerly, with no one speaking up, Daohua felt compelled to break the silence due to her younger age and asked Yan Zhigao with a smile, “Father, have you been promoted?”
Maintaining his dignity, Yan Zhigao coughed softly and smilingly handed the document in question to Xiao Yeyang beside him.
Taking the document, Xiao Yeyang read through it quickly and couldn’t help but exclaim with surprise, “Prefectural Governor of Xingzhou! My Lord, you have been promoted three ranks at once?”
Yan Zhigao nodded, “Honestly, I was surprised too when I saw the appointment letter!”
Xiao Yeyang immediately said, “Given your experience and the political achievements over the years, it is well-deserved that you become the Prefectural Governor! Xingzhou… under the jurisdiction of Beiding Prefecture, although only a middle-ranked prefecture among the fifteen in Zhongzhou Province, is nevertheless situated near the Dayuan River, with convenient transport. As long as you prioritize the people’s livelihood, you will be able to achieve political success.”
At this moment, Xiao Yeyang was thrilled.
In his youth, due to family circumstances, he lost the opportunity to take the imperial examinations, leaving him with no hope of entering officialdom to realize his ambitions. He was disheartened for many years.
It was not until the tenth year of Yongxing that he traveled to Zhongzhou Province and saw the County Magistrate Yan personally encouraging agriculture in the fields. The sight of him eating and drinking with the farmers, regardless of his status, moved Xiao Yeyang deeply.
Afterward, he voluntarily became a teacher under the Magistrate and served as his mentor.
Unfortunately, political intrigue is complex. Coming from a humble background, Magistrate Yan possessed a literary man’s pride and refused to stoop to collusion with certain officials, leading to suppression from above. He served as the County Magistrate for nine long years.
Originally, Xiao Yeyang had thought there was no hope for Magistrate Yan to turn things around, but unexpectedly, the tides shifted and opportunity descended upon them.
Now in his middle age, Xiao Yeyang no longer aspired for a political career for himself; he simply wished to assist the earnest Yan, who truly worked for the people, allowing his own talents and learning to be fully applied.
Xingzhou, although only considered a lesser prefecture, still governed four counties. If things went well, it was possible for Yan to rise even further.
Hearing about Yan Zhigao’s promotion, his children, including Yan Wenxiu, were all delighted.
Yan Wenkai asked, “Father is now a Lord Prefecture Governor! Does that mean you have the same rank as the former Dong Prefecture Governor?”
Even Yan Wenxiu, usually reserved, smiled at this time and confirmed, “Yes, the same rank.”
Immediately, Yan Wenkai burst into laughter, “Hah, next time we meet Dong Xiangrong, let’s see how he acts all high and mighty!”
“Don’t cause trouble!” Yan Wenxiu glared at Yan Wenkai, “We have already reconciled with Dong Xiangrong, and Lord Prefecture Governor Dong has already presented an apology. If we meet in the future, you are not to bring up this matter again.”
As he spoke, Yan Wenxiu looked at both Daohua and Yan Wentao.
Yan Zhigao and Xiao Yeyang watched from the side, both looking pleased.
Xiao Yeyang complimented, “The eldest son is increasingly showing the demeanor of an elder brother!”
Yan Zhigao didn’t speak, but his face showed agreement.
Just then, a servant rushed in, reporting that an official had come to pay a visit.
Yan Zhigao and Xiao Yeyang quickly exchanged a glance.
“In the Governor’s Office, word sure travels fast!”
Yan Zhigao turned around and instructed Yan Wenxiu to take Daohua and the others down, then went out to meet the guests with Xiao Yeyang.
In the following two or three days, the courtyard where Daohua and the others stayed was never at rest, as officials came to visit Yan Zhigao every day, regardless of whether they had known him before or not.
A few youngsters sat by the windowsill, watching with great excitement as Yan Zhigao and Xiao Yeyang received and sent off guests.
Daohua, “Big brother, are we going back soon?”
Yan Wenxiu nodded, “Father’s appointment time is finite, and he still has to handover responsibilities. It should be in the next couple of days. You all should also prepare, don’t get overwhelmed when it’s time to leave.”
Daohua asked again, “By the way, big brother, did you write to mother to tell her about father’s promotion?”
Yan Wenxiu smiled and nodded, “I wrote the letter the day father received his appointment document. Mother should have already gotten the letter by now.”
Meanwhile, at the County Governor’s Office in Linyi County.
Madam Li, with a face full of excitement, took the letter to Old Madam Yan in the Songhe Courtyard. People from the second and third branches, upon hearing the news, also hurried over.
“Mother, great joy! Father has been promoted to Prefectural Governor of Xingzhou!”
Old Madam Yan had been thinking about Daohua and the others when she heard the news, she stood up abruptly, “Really?!”
Madam Li quickly handed over the letter written by Yan Wenxiu, “Absolutely true, look, this is the letter from Wenxiu!”
“Did big brother really get promoted?”
As soon as Yan Zhiyuan entered the courtyard, he heard Madam Li’s words, and he ran into the room in haste, quickly moving next to Old Madam Yan.
Old Madam Yan held the letter, reading word by word. As she recognized only a few characters, her reading was very slow.
Yan Zhiyuan, finding it too slow, was anxious to grab the letter, “Mother, give me the letter, let me read it to you.”
Old Madam Yan glared at her second son, but seeing her daughter-in-law, grandsons, and granddaughters all looking on eagerly, she finally flipped the letter to Yan Zhiyuan.
Yan Zhiyuan first read through the letter himself, confirming that his elder brother had indeed been promoted, then with a face full of joy, he read the letter to everyone else.
“Good, good, good!”
After hearing the letter, Old Madam Yan said ‘good’ several times, her eyes reddening slightly, “Zhigao is now a Fifth-rank official, I can face your father with honor when I die.”
Seeing Old Madam Yan so moved that she shed tears, Madam Li and the others quickly went forward to comfort her.
Sun Family laughed and said, “Mother, this is just the beginning. In the future, big brother’s rank will surely rise further, and we still have Wenxiu and the others. Just you wait to be an honored elderly noble!”
Old Madam Yan broke into a smile, “You sure know how to talk, well, I’ll be looking forward to it!”
Seeing Old Madam Yan cheered up, Madam Li continued, “Father will take office after a set period, he should be returning in a few days. I think we should start packing now, to avoid a rush later on.”
Yan Zhiyuan agreed, “Sister-in-law is right, Xingzhou is still some distance from here.”
After talking for a while, everyone left Old Madam Yan’s courtyard and went back to their own quarters to pack.
Shuangxin Courtyard.
“Did you find out? What happened, why is Old Madam Yan’s courtyard so lively?” Aunt Lin asked her maid.
The maid shook her head, “I didn’t dare get too close, but I know a letter came from the eldest young master. Seeing how happy the second master and his wife were, it must be good news.”
Aunt Lin was somewhat dissatisfied that her maid did not find out the exact news, and was about to scold her, when she saw her brother rush into the courtyard.
“What brings you here?”
Xiao Yeyang was beaming, “Sister, great joy, brother-in-law has been promoted to a Fifth-rank Prefectural Governor, leaping three levels at once!” Upon hearing this, Aunt Lin was first shocked, then overjoyed, “Really? Who told you that?”
Xiao Yeyang, suppressing his joy, excitedly said, “It’s all over the County Governor’s Office. You know, the Zhu family from the Governor’s Office have connections, he came over and told us, it can’t be wrong..”