Chapter 119: As Encouragement
“I can’t stand it anymore! This old man deserves a beating!”
“My fists are hardening!”
“Quick, pour a cup of water over his head and shout, ‘Thirty years in Hedong, thirty years in Hexi, don’t bully a young man in poverty!’”
“Mommy,” someone is bullying us!
Although Liu Sheng was inwardly seething, outwardly she remained as calm as if she had been gutting fish in a market for twenty years.
She dissuaded Little Tentacle, who was about to respond in a daze to her summons, and slowly spoke.
“Does Lord Zhang Chunxue know?”
“Someone will tell him.” Fang Yuanzheng did not answer directly. “I believe he won’t object either.”
“After all, he can also understand our Qinghe’s position.” Fang Yuanzheng’s eyes were deep.
“Cultivator Feng has diligently worked at the Qinghe Special Research Department for ten years. She deserves credit even if she has no achievements, and it’s time to give opportunities to the elderly.”
“You should know that if she hadn’t married and had children a few years ago, forcing her to spend time caring for her family, she would have long since been promoted to the position of Siku.”
“You are also a woman, and you should know the various difficulties women face. When you have a family and children in the future, you will understand what a difficult opportunity this is for her.”
“You are still young, with two top journal articles to your name, and now you are a Cultivator. You have many opportunities. Why contend with such a pitiful woman?”
“In short, I know you are inevitably upset, but it doesn’t matter. As the Yuan Zheng of the Qinghe Weaving Institute, I can give you some rewards.”
“As a reward for your article being included in ‘cultivation theory’.”
Fang Yuanzheng emphasized each word specifically.
Liu Sheng knew this meant it could not be related to her giving up the recommendation quota for the Honghu Plan.
“Haven’t you always wanted to join the Special Research Department? No problem at all. If you want to return to being the Imperial Storage Siku, that’s also fine, whatever you prefer.”
“Additionally, because your article successfully appeared in ‘cultivation theory’, the Qinghe Weaving Institute will reward you with fifty Lingtual as encouragement.”
Back then, at the Li County Weaving Institute, Liu Sheng only received ten Lingtual as a reward. This time, it had increased fivefold.
However, how much of it was hush money was unknown.
Fang Yuanzheng saw that Liu Sheng was still silent and knew she was displeased.
He sighed, still too young, unable to clearly see what was important and what was not.
But hadn’t he also come this way himself?
So he softened his tone and said, “You don’t have to go to the Ten Thousand Affairs Hall this afternoon. Go back and rest first, and think it over carefully.”
“Once you’ve thought it through, come tell me tomorrow, so I can arrange your duties.”
…
Since the Yuan Zheng had said she didn’t need to be on duty, Liu Sheng naturally swaggered straight home.
Su Yanjun watched Liu Sheng’s hasty departure, sighed, and lamented how heartbreaking that feigned casual back was.
However, Su Yanjun had initially thought Liu Sheng would be downcast for a few days, but to her surprise, she still saw her return to duty the next morning.
Although it was a bit later than usual.
But it was understandable; perhaps she had cried for a long time last night.
She was originally going to the capital to enter the National Academy, but now she was back to square one and had to stay here.
Qinghe was good, but it couldn't compare to Chang'an.
Liu Sheng was different from her. She could tell that Liu Sheng was an ambitious person who could not be content with just idling away.
So, for Liu Sheng, only by going to the National Academy and becoming an official in the imperial court could she fully utilize all her talents.
Su Yanjun was still immersed in sorrow and grief over Liu Sheng’s unrecognized talent, unable to move past it.
Liu Sheng saw that Su Yanjun had no reaction after greeting her, so she greeted Gao Yisheng, who was reading nearby.
“Gao Yisheng, why are you here today? Didn’t you say you were focusing on preparing for the exam?”
“Not at all, not at all. My brain gets dull from being buried in books all day. It’s better to go out and clear my head.”
Gao Yisheng began to shake his head again.
“As the saying goes, reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. These past few days, I’ve been missing those aunties who asked me to find kittens and puppies. Their fervent love for living beings moved me deeply, and I wish I could write three hundred poems to praise it. See, isn’t that where the writing inspiration comes from?”
“You’re not short on money to play leaf-card games, are you?” Liu Sheng believed that after their time together, she understood Gao Yisheng somewhat.
“Cough, cough, a scholar occasionally indulging in some recreation is also an elegant affair.” Gao Yisheng blushed, trying to save face.
“Moreover, leaf-card games also train the mind and are even more helpful for preparing for the imperial examination. Do you want me to teach you?”
Gao Yisheng rubbed his hands, wanting to pull another person into his vice, but was suddenly pushed away by Su Yanjun.
“Gao Yisheng! You don’t even know what Liu Sheng is going through. Haven’t you seen her smiling to hide her inner sorrow?!”
Liu Sheng and Gao Yisheng were both stunned.
Gao Yisheng even turned back to carefully check if Liu Sheng’s face had tear stains.
“Um… actually I…”
“Liu Sheng, no need to say anything. I support you, but I’m timid and don’t dare to scold that old man Fang to his face. But I’ve already gone back and secretly poked his effigy.” Su Yanjun said very sincerely.
“Actually, I…” Liu Sheng hadn’t finished speaking when her words were cut off again.
“It’s just a pity that our strength is too weak to overthrow the injustices of this world. Otherwise, if I lost my job and my salary, my parents would nag me to death…” Su Yanjun herself started to wail.
“What exactly happened?” Gao Yisheng was even more curious.
Su Yanjun’s desire to share gossip instantly ignited. She looked at Liu Sheng, her eyes wide and full of longing.
Liu Sheng nodded helplessly, indicating she allowed Su Yanjun to tell Gao Yisheng about the matter.
However, Gao Yisheng was now somewhat considered one of her rare friends in Qinghe, so it didn’t matter if he knew.
After listening, Gao Yisheng’s first reaction was to look at Liu Sheng with an expression of reverence, almost kneeling to beg the expert to teach him how to write articles.
“If one day I can have an article in ‘cultivation theory’, my parents will buy a hundred copies and burn them for my grandparents, great-grandparents, etc., ensuring everyone in the underworld gets a copy.”
“However, as far as I know, it’s better not to get involved with this Honghu Plan.”
Gao Yisheng also seemed to come from a scholarly family, albeit a fallen one, but he still had some sources of information.
“Indeed, for this Honghu Plan, I heard it’s a murky mess everywhere now.” Su Yanjun had clearly also heard about it.
“This recommendation system has become a major way for aristocratic families to enter the National Academy without taking the imperial examination. It’s no longer the grand Honghu Prosperous Era of the past where everyone could offer advice to the nation. It’s truly regrettable.”
Gao Yisheng snapped open his flamboyant folding fan and sighed to the sky.
“I don’t know why those people are so stubborn. Studying hard at the National Academy is not as free and easy as being a wealthy young master in the local area.”
“Then why do you insist on taking the imperial examination?” Liu Sheng was curious.
“Me, ah, cough, cough, if I don’t go take it, someone will chop me to death.”
Gao Yisheng’s reasons were always so exaggerated and absurd. As for who it was, he was unwilling to say.
“My intuition tells me it’s a girl!”
“Top student Senior Sister, underachiever Junior Brother, a few stories about the academy that must be told?”
“Have we read this kind of book?”
“The world is watching, it seems there’s such a book tucked into the library Liu Sheng gave him.”
Liu Sheng: “Cough, cough.”
“So, your books… are you finished with them?”
“More or less… the rest is one part diligent practice, three parts talent, and six parts luck.”
As soon as he mentioned this, Gao Yisheng looked dejected.
“So, your books, can I borrow them?” Liu Sheng asked.
“I’m also going to take the imperial examination.”