Chapter 59: Three Letters

Chen Xiaofu naturally agreed with this statement.

A so-called favorite is nothing more than Her Majesty the Empress’s plaything.

When a certain prince ascends the throne in the future, those favorites will likely face a brutal fate, torn apart by chariots.

Even the Third Prince... when the Empress dies, it will probably be the day he meets his end.

Alai drove the carriage toward the Huaxi Villa.

In the Willow Pavilion by Qingyuan Lake, Ge Zijian, the governor of Gecheng, was no longer brewing tea; instead, he was grinding ink.

“Old Qian, are you really intending to help Ji’an get a leg up? Do you truly believe he can carve out a path in the bureaucracy of our Great Zhou?”

Qian Shilin smiled faintly. “I am no sage; how could I possibly know what his future holds?”

“But some things simply must be tried. If his talent truly pleases Her Majesty, and he can accomplish tasks the Empress herself finds inconvenient, then it’s not impossible that he might rise swiftly.”

Saying this, Qian Shilin laid a sheet of paper on the table, took up a brush, and looked at Ge Zijian. “If you still trust these old eyes of mine, then you should take the initiative to get closer to Ji’an.”

“You have neither great achievements nor failures in Lin’an over the years, so the Ministry of Personnel has rated you as ‘average’ every year.”

“Your greatest strength is knowing your proper place—understanding when to advance and retreat, and grasping your limits.”

“Draw closer to Ji’an. I truly cannot help you any further, but perhaps he can.”

Ge Zijian was momentarily taken aback—not because Qian Shilin said he could no longer help, but because he could never understand why Qian Shilin placed such faith in Chen Xiaofu.

True, Chen Xiaofu now was hardly the same as before, but how many scholars were there in the world?

Among them, every region boasted so-called prodigies, yet Qian Shilin had never recommended a single one to Her Majesty.

Before this, Qian Shilin and Chen Xiaofu had never even met.

All because of the two poems and two ci verses Chen Xiaofu composed recently at Lin’an Academy, Qian Shilin summoned him and had an earnest conversation with him on the very day they met.

This was hardly reasonable.

From Ge Zijian’s perspective, even if only because of Chen Linyuan’s connection, Qian Shilin ought to have investigated Chen Xiaofu more thoroughly.

After all, officialdom was not the same as poetry and literature.

Being an official meant dealing with politics, achievements, factions, and social intricacies.

Did Chen Xiaofu understand these?

He had already violently beaten the grandson of the Left Chancellor, Pan Qingyun. At least in matters of social savvy, this young man was hardly astute.

He had made enemies even before leaving Lin’an.

And those enemies were tremendously powerful, with countless allies nearby. He was effectively standing opposed to half the civil and military ministers of the court.

Yet, based on his years of observation, Qian Shilin, a veteran of two dynasties, never acted without purpose.

Everything he did was carefully considered, with few unexpected outcomes.

His judgment of people was no different.

Now that he suddenly favored Chen Xiaofu, was there some deeper meaning unknown to others?

Ge Zijian bowed slightly and said modestly, “I understand. From now on, I shall follow Master Chen’s lead.”

Qian Shilin smiled faintly but gave no direct reply.

He dipped his brush in ink and truly wrote a letter to Her Majesty the Empress.

Three letters closely related to Chen Xiaofu were sent from Lin’an to the imperial capital.

One was from the Lin’an education official, Lord Huang.

This letter was sent to Lord Kang Binghui, the head of the Imperial Academy in the capital.

After all, the Great Zhou education system was overseen by the Imperial Academy; the Lin’an education official lacked the authority to report directly to the throne.

In the letter, Huang Can detailed Chen Xiaofu’s performance at Lin’an Academy and mentioned his two violent incidents.

Of course, he included Chen Xiaofu’s couplet, the two palindrome poems, and the two ci verses.

His intent was to announce that Lin’an had produced another great talent and to assure the Imperial Academy that a responsible education official was present in Lin’an.

It was a move to claim credit.

The second letter was written by Qian Shilin himself.

This letter was sent directly to the imperial palace in the capital, intended for Her Majesty’s hands.

In it, Qian Shilin clearly described Chen Xiaofu’s transformation and also enclosed his couplet and poems.

At the end of the letter was this passage:

“This old servant reads his poetry as if drinking sweet nectar; Ji’an is a great talent, worthy of high use!”

“This young man is difficult for ordinary people to mold; only Your Majesty can shape him into a treasure.”

“My only concern is that he is sharp and youthful; if Your Majesty can grasp his handle, you may wield his blade effectively!”

“In Your Majesty’s last letter, you mentioned concerns... I believe this young man may serve as a pawn. With Your Majesty’s aid, he can cross that river and clear the path for you.”

“To break a deadlock, when the inner circle is unbreakable, one must try from the outside—that requires a sharp blade.”

The third letter was sent from the Moon-Viewing Pavilion by West Lake.

The writer was none other than Hong Xiu, the pavilion’s leading courtesan.

This letter was also sent to the imperial capital, addressed to the most famous brothel there, “Heaven on Earth.”

But the recipient’s name was not that of a courtesan.

It was addressed directly to the Old Ghost himself.

In the letter, Hong Xiu carefully described Chen Xiaofu’s astonishing transformation, his decisive and ruthless nature when fighting, and his quick wit in composing poetry.

At the end, she wrote:

“Old Ghost, aren’t you in desperate need of talent?”

“He is absolutely the most suitable man I have ever seen for the Department of Internal Affairs!”

“Seventeen years of concealing his brilliance without a single flaw!”

“Even you, after all these years, have not noticed.”

“After seventeen years of hidden talent, his sudden sharpness has shocked all of Lin’an, and soon it will astound the entire realm!”

“Upon careful thought, his revealed brilliance is no accident but... perfectly timed!”

“At seventeen, he must be known across the land!”

“Next autumn, at the Imperial Capital’s Literary Assembly, he will surely take first place!”

“He will inevitably come to Her Majesty’s attention and become the target of recruitment by the capital’s civil officials.”

“In my view, his rise is unstoppable... You, Old Ghost, if you do not act quickly, he may be used by others.”

“Didn’t you say you don’t have long to live? Didn’t you urgently need to cultivate someone to take charge of the Department of Internal Affairs?”

“I’m telling you, if you die and he is not appointed head of the Department of Internal Affairs, I will quit and run!”

The first letter was sent via the courier station and naturally took the longest.

The second letter was dispatched by Qian Shilin on a swift horse from Qingyuan, taking only about half a month.

The third letter... was sent by pigeon through the Department of Internal Affairs!

It was the fastest, taking only two or three days.

Hong Xiu hesitated for several days before writing that letter.

By the time Chen Xiaofu, An Xiaowei, and Liang Jingru returned from Qingyuan to Huaxi Villa, the letter had already arrived on the Old Ghost’s desk.