Tang Shen and Li Shu stood behind the coiled dragon white jade pillar to the left of the dragon throne, both bowing in salute. By then, Zhao Fu had already walked past them. All Tang Shen could see was a small corner of bright yellow robes, which made his eyelids twitch. After a moment, he heard Zhao Fu say softly, “You may rise.”

“Thanking Your Majesty.”

Li Shu sat down and began preparing to record, while Tang Shen stood behind him.

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In the silent and cold Zichen Hall, the morning court had quietly begun.

The entire power center of the Song Dynasty stood behind that small coiled dragon white jade pillar. A minister stepped forward to report on recent border conflicts. Zhao Fu listened and then said, “We will discuss this further.” Li Shu recorded this in the “Records of the Emperor’s Daily Life.” Ministers took turns stepping forward to report recent events, but there were no major issues in the court.

An hour later, the morning court session ended. Facing the throne, the officials first saluted to send Zhao Fu off. Once Zhao Fu left, they departed from the two side doors of the Zichen Hall. By this time, Tang Shen, Li Shu, and the other official responsible for recording the emperor’s daily activities had already followed Zhao Fu out of the hall.

From the start of the morning court, the Chamberlain and the two Junior Chamberlain responsible for recording the emperor’s daily activities had been by Zhao Fu’s side. Except when he went to the restroom, they did not leave him even for a moment. It wasn’t until evening, when Zhao Fu went to the Immortal Ascension Platform to practice cultivation, that the three of them were stopped at the door, with only two young Taoist attendants allowed to enter.

Tang Shen gave Li Shu a curious glance, but Li Shu kept his eyes on the ground and said nothing.

Tang Shen sighed inwardly.

After all, an emperor is still an emperor!

In theory, the Chamberlain and Junior Chamberlains should follow the emperor from dawn to dusk, from morning court until the emperor retired to the inner palace at night. However, Zhao Fu never allowed them to follow him while he practiced cultivation, which was against protocol, but no one dared to object.

Still, he was considered a rule-abiding emperor.

It was said that during the previous dynasty, there was an emperor who wielded absolute power. One day, he suddenly demanded to see the “Records of the Emperor’s Daily Life.” The civil and military officials all jointly advised, “Your Majesty, you must not!” But the emperor refused to listen. No matter how much they tried to persuade him, he wouldn’t budge. The ministers, unable to argue with this powerful emperor, had no choice but to let him see the records. However, by the time the emperor received the records, much of it had been altered.

In later generations, this incident was recorded in history books, leading many historians to consider the “Records of the Emperor’s Daily Life” from that emperor’s reign as unreliable.

Zhao Fu, however, was different. He simply didn’t allow them to follow him and had never interfered with the records. Nevertheless, he was meticulous in his daily affairs. He might not be a wise ruler of his era, but he was a competent and unproblematic emperor.

When the emperor finished his cultivation and had his evening meal, he entered the inner palace. Only then did Tang Shen and the other two officials leave, taking advantage of what was left of the time to exit the palace before it was locked.

This was Tang Shen’s first day on the job. The next day, he didn’t need to enter the palace and instead spent his time reading at the office.

Days passed like this, and soon seven days had gone by.

Tang Shen was still learning under Li Shu and hadn’t really started working on his own when he received his long awaited arrivals.

That day, Tang Shen had a day off. Early in the morning, he and Yao San went to the canal dock in the western part of Shengjing. They stood on the dock, gazing out at the vast river. After waiting for half an hour, a passenger boat appeared on the horizon. The boat docked, and the passengers disembarked one by one. When Aunt Yao and Tang Huang emerged from the cabin, Yao San immediately recognized his mother and excitedly shouted, “Mother! Mother! I’m over here!”

Aunt Yao saw her son and her eyes reddened with joy.

Standing next to Aunt Yao was, of course, Tang Huang. But when Tang Shen saw the graceful young lady, he was stunned. It wasn’t until Tang Huang and Aunt Yao approached that he snapped out of it and called out, “Tang Huang?”

Under the azure blue sky, the slender young girl was dressed in a lotus pink gown with auspicious cloud patterns and wore a white fox fur coat. She was delicate and elegant, standing by the flowing river, with a gentleness unique to the Jiangnan region that surpassed the girls of Shengjing.

In just two short years, Tang Shen hadn’t expected his little sister to grow up so beautifully!

But then he remembered that Tang Huang was already twelve years old. Twelve was the age of graduating from elementary school in modern times, but here, in another three years, she would be of marriageable age.

Still, Tang Shen felt that something was a bit off.

Noticing Tang Shen looking at her clothes, Tang Huang lowered her head and softly explained, “Aunt Yao said that Shengjing is colder than Gusu, so she told me to bring more clothes. But it doesn’t seem that cold now.” She was explaining why she was wearing a fur coat.

Tang Shen looked at his sister and, after a moment, his eyes lit up with understanding. He smiled and said, “You’ve gained weight, haven’t you?”

Tang Huang immediately raised her head, glaring at him, “I have not!”

Tang Shen laughed heartily, “You’re speaking so softly that you can barely catch your breath. If it’s not because you’re too fat to breathe properly, then what is it? Oh, but now you’re speaking louder!”

Tang Huang snapped, “Stupid brother, can’t you say something nice for once?”

“Sincere advice is often unpleasant to hear. I’m just looking out for you.” Tang Shen’s expression was earnest.

Tang Huang was speechless.

My brother’s brain hasn’t gotten any better after two years!

After this little commotion, the group burst into laughter and then boarded the carriage back to the Tanhua Residence.

Sitting in the carriage, Tang Huang breathed a sigh of relief.

At the beginning of last year, when Tang Shen had just left, Tang Huang missed her brother and longed to go to Shengjing every day. But as the days passed, her feelings gradually changed. People told her that Tang Shen had ranked second in the xiangshi and was now a distinguished juren. They also told her that Tang Shen had achieved the third spot in the top rank of the imperial exams and was a true official now.

Tang Shen’s approach to raising Tang Huang was somewhat hands-off. He never confined the women of the family within the house like other families, restricting their outings. Tang Huang had a dedicated tutor and frequently went out with other noble young ladies from Gusu. Some people told her that Tang Shen had become an important official and that, even as his sister, she would have to be more cautious in her behavior and couldn’t afford to lose her manners.

So, before coming to Shengjing, she had mixed feelings. When she boarded the boat, she even felt a bit scared.

But after seeing Tang Shen, Tang Huang felt reassured: My brother is still the same annoying brother who only knows how to tease me.

When the four of them returned to the Tanhua Residence, Tang Shen learned what had happened in Gusu during his two years away.

Yao San said, “I told the young master about this last year when I first came to Gusu. Sigh, it’s really a case of kicking someone when they’re down. As soon as the little boss left Gusu last year, a few restaurants and cosmetics shops took an interest in our business. They couldn’t find any faults with our Zhenbao Pavilion or Xixia Tower, so they started targeting Tang’s Logistics, falsely accusing our workers of theft. It wasn’t until the news of the little boss becoming a disciple of a daru reached Gusu that these people suddenly stopped beating their drums and disappeared overnight.”

Tang Shen was surprised: “You even know the phrase ‘to lay down one’s banner and stop beating drums’?”

Yao San’s face turned red: “Little Boss, after everything I said, is that all you heard?”

Tang Shen smiled and asked, “Brother Yao, have you ever thought about studying?”

Yao San quickly waved his hand: “No, no, I just want to assist the little boss. That’s enough for me.”

Tang Shen wrote letters back to Gusu every month to keep in touch with his extended family. Sometimes, he would ask Wang Zhen to send things to Jiangnan using the Wang clan’s boats. However, many things couldn’t be clearly explained in letters.

Tang Huang spoke animatedly: “I heard that after you passed the exam and became a yayuan, our home became very lively. The wealthy merchants of Gusu who have interests in Xixia Tower and Zhenbao, as well as some acquaintances and strangers, all came to visit us. Even the newly appointed governor of Gusu came.” After a pause, Tang Huang added, “But he had wanted to visit you long before, and just used the excuse of you becoming a yayuan.”

Tang Shen glanced at Tang Huang, surprised that she knew the new Gusu governor visited their home not just because he had passed the exam but because of his connections with Fu Wei and Wang Zhen.

Tang Huang continued: “After the xiangshi, your uncle held a banquet for you in Gusu, lasting for seven days and nights! When it was heard that you had become the tanhua, it became even more extraordinary. Our relatives from all over Gusu came and held a ten-day and night banquet. The entire Gusu was invited. It’s a pity you didn’t go back. Eldest Aunt says you should find time to return for a special ancestral worship ceremony.”

Tang Shen thought to himself that it wasn’t the first time they had held a special ancestral worship ceremony for him, but he only said, “I understand.”

Tang Huang remembered something else and looked at Tang Shen with a peculiar expression, winking at him: “By the way, brother, do you remember what happened when we left Zhao Family Village?”

Tang Shen was puzzled: “Something happened when we left Zhao Family Village?” He thought for a moment, “What happened?”

“Think harder.”

“Did we forget to repay a debt or did someone owe us money?”

“…”

“Can’t you recall the village head promising us something if you were to pass the imperial examinations?”

Tang Shen suddenly realized: “Ah? That thing?”

Aunt Yao laughed: “Zhao Family Village no longer exists. After you became a juren, it was renamed Tang Family Village!”

Tang Shen was both amused and exasperated.

He hadn’t expected that a joke from back then would become true.

However, behind the renaming of Zhao Family Village to Tang Family Village, there were some interesting incidents. The village head had casually said that if Tang Shen passed the imperial examination, he would change the village name to Tang Family Village. But becoming a juren wasn’t easy. Tang Shen’s eldest cousin, Tang Yun, the eldest son of Tang juren, still hadn’t become a xiucai!

The village head never expected that just over a year later, Tang Shen would indeed pass and return with the title of tanhua.

The village head was suddenly in a difficult position.

Renaming wasn’t a simple matter; it had to be reported to the Gusu government. Moreover, once the village name was changed, many family genealogies would need to be updated. In the future, they would no longer be “someone from Zhao Family Village,” but “someone from Tang Family Village.” The village head hesitated, and his hesitation lasted until after the New Year, when news of Tang Shen gaining the title of tanhua traveled back.

At that point, it was the villagers who urged the village head to make the name change. The village head, pleased, went ahead and changed it.

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No matter how troublesome it was, could anything be more important than having a first rank, third-place scholar who came from their Tang Family Village?

Listening to Tang Huang and Aunt Yao talk about what had happened at home over the past two years, Tang Shen’s heart gradually warmed. After two years in Shengjing, he was experiencing the warmth of home for the first time, as if he had returned to the days spent in Gusu.

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Wang Zhen stood up and directly tied the jade and sachet to his belt.

Seeing his action, Tang Shen was slightly stunned but said nothing.

Tang Shen really didn’t know what customs the ancients had for birthdays. He thought for a moment and figured they should at least eat longevity noodles. But in his hometown, they ate noodles at noon and had a banquet at night. After hesitating for a while, Tang Shen asked, “Senior Brother, have you eaten noodles?”

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Wang Zhen naturally knew what Tang Shen was thinking and told the steward, “Serve two bowls of noodles.”

The steward relayed the orders, “Serve two bowls of longevity noodles.”

Tang Shen was completely confused.

It was Wang Zhen’s birthday; eating longevity noodles by himself was fine, but why did he prepare a portion for Tang Shen too? But Tang Shen didn’t have time to refuse because the servant had already received the steward’s order and rushed to the kitchen. Before long, the servant brought two bowls of noodles to the garden.

Tang Shen stared at the noodles on the table, speechless.

“Little Junior Brother, don’t you like noodles?”

Tang Shen: “That’s not the case.” 

Wang Zhen’s face grew serious: “Then it must be the kitchen’s fault for not making them to your taste.”

“No!”

“Then eat.”

Tang Shen helplessly picked up his chopsticks and started eating the noodles. After eating three or four bites, he noticed that Wang Zhen had only taken one bite and then put down his chopsticks, not eating any more. Tang Shen asked curiously, “Senior Brother, why aren’t you eating?”

Wang Zhen looked surprised and said as if it were obvious, “We just had dinner not long ago; I’m not hungry at all, so I’m naturally not eating.”

Tang Shen: “…”

You’re too full, but does that mean I’m not too full?

Tang Shen, speechless, also threw down his chopsticks, no longer eating the troublesome noodles, and inwardly cursed Wang Zifeng a lot. But when Wang Zifeng called out “Jing Ze,” Tang Shen immediately responded obediently with an “Ai.” After replying, Tang Shen wanted to give himself a slap: How embarrassing! Wang Zifeng, today I have to flatter you, but in the future, when I no longer need to, just wait and see!

After chatting for a while longer, Tang Shen took his leave and returned home. Wang Zhen personally escorted him to the gate of the Minister Residence.

Watching Tang Shen’s departing figure, Wang Zifeng held a folding fan in his right hand and lightly tapped it against the palm of his left hand. After a while, he lifted the fan and pointed at Tang Shen’s back, saying, “Do you think he was cursing me in his heart just now?”

The steward looked around, thinking that there was no one else around; the young master must be talking to him.

The steward thought: Whether or not he cursed you, don’t you already have a sense of it yourself!

The steward lowered his eyes and said, “I don’t know.”

Wang Zhen’s beautiful face showed a faint smile, but his tone was very serious: “But I find his way of secretly criticizing me inside quite amusing. I can’t help but want to tease him. What should I do about that?”

The steward: “…”

Wang Zhen wasn’t really expecting an answer from the steward. He gently stroked the exquisite white jade at his waist, sighed deeply, and turned back to enter the gate of the Minister Residence.

On the seventh day of the tenth month, it was the emperor’s grand birthday.

As a low-ranking official of the seventh rank, Tang Shen was not qualified to participate in the sacrificial ceremony at the Temple of Heaven. However, during the time when civil and military officials and members of the imperial family were offering ancestral sacrifices, he still had to kneel and sit in the courtyard of the Hanlin Academy, a dozen or so miles away, to remotely experience the “majestic heavenly power.” It wasn’t until the afternoon, when the long sacrificial ceremony finally ended, that the civil and military officials entered the palace for a banquet, and the sixth- and seventh-rank minor officials were given a holiday to enjoy some leisure at home.

On the emperor’s birthday, a general amnesty was declared throughout the country.

Three days later, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Tang Shen put on his brand-new sixth-rank official robe and went to the Palace Secretariat.

During the previous dynasty, the positions of Chamberlain and Junior Chamberlain belonged to the “Department of the Interior” (TN: In historical Chinese government structures, it was a government body responsible for administrative affairs and internal management). In this dynasty, the founding emperor abolished the Department of the Interior and established the Palace Secretariat. Most of the officials in the Palace Secretariat held other posts concurrently; for example, Wang Zhen was also the Minister of Revenue in the Ministry of Revenue under the Department of State Affairs, and he was also a cabinet minister in the Palace Secretariat, known as Wang xianggong. For those officials in the Palace Secretariat without other posts, only two kinds remained.

One was the position of a prime minister, and the other was the position of imperial historians, like Tang Shen and Yao Shan.

One either held a first-rank office with authority over the entire court, or was a close attendant to the emperor, responsible for recording the emperor’s daily life.

When Tang Shen arrived at the Palace Secretariat, Yao Shan had already arrived earlier. Upon seeing Tang Shen, Yao Shan said, “Jing Ze, I didn’t expect we’d meet again so soon. The Palace Secretariat is not like the Hanlin Academy; from now on, we’ll have to look out for each other.”

Tang Shen naturally responded, “Let’s encourage each other, Brother Wen Ji!”

After exchanging pleasantries, two officials wearing fifth-rank official robes entered through the door. Tang Shen saluted them, and they exchanged equal courtesy with Yao Shan. One of them said, “This must be Yao Wenji daren, and this must be Tang Jingze daren. My name is Li Shu, and I am also a fifth-rank Chamberlain like Yao daren. This is Zhang Si daren, another Chamberlain.”

Zhang Si said, “Today, I will accompany His Majesty. The two Junior Chamberlains have already been selected. Tomorrow, Li daren will accompany His Majesty, so Tang daren, you’ll have to enter the palace.”

Tang Shen asked, “Zhang daren, will I be recording the emperor’s daily life tomorrow?” He looked worried. “To be honest, I have just entered the Palace Secretariat, and I’m completely in the dark. I’m afraid I might make a fool of myself tomorrow. It’s a small matter if I embarrass myself, but it’s a big deal if I disturb the emperor. What should I do tomorrow?”

Tang Shen was sixteen this year, and his face showed a deeply concerned expression. His brows were tightly furrowed, and his hands were clenched as if he was genuinely frightened.

The two fifth-rank Chamberlains exchanged a glance and smiled, thinking that as the rumors suggested, he was indeed just a child. Li Shu said, “You needn’t worry. Tomorrow, I will lead you, and you won’t be the only Junior Chamberlain there. You can stand behind me and watch how I record the emperor’s daily life. I will stand on the left side of the emperor, and the other Junior Chamberlain will stand on the right. Since both you and Yao daren are new here and unfamiliar with the duties, today you should go and read the ‘Daily Records’ from the Kaiping period of this dynasty. Read as much as you can. Once you finish reading them all, you will naturally know what to do.”

Yao Shan and Tang Shen exchanged a glance, both smiling wryly. “Understood.”

They hadn’t expected that even after leaving the Hanlin Academy, they would still have to read books!

Tang Shen and Yao Shan each took a thick volume of the “Daily Records” and began reading. They read until the sun set and the emperor had finished his immortal cultivation and returned to the inner palace. Only then could the Chamberlains and Junior Chamberlains end their day’s work.

Tang Shen returned home and washed his face with cold water. The icy water jolted him awake.

As Tang Shen regained his composure, his eyes sharpened, and he quickly took a blank booklet from the bookshelf in his study. He immediately ground the ink and used a fine-tipped goat-hair brush to rapidly write on the paper: “On the fourth day of the eighth month of the 24th year of Kaiping, a star as large as a peach fell in the southeast. That night, Chief Astronomer Li Xiaoren entered the palace…”

As he closed his eyes, lines of text instantly appeared in his mind, and Tang Shen continued to write: “On the seventh day of the eighth month of the 24th year of Kaiping, the emperor summoned Deputy Minister of Justice Su Wenyun. The emperor said, ‘Last night, I had a terrifying dream, where I saw the people suffering in prison, crying tears of blood at the bars.’ Deputy Minister Su replied, ‘Your Majesty is merciful, and I am not worthy.’ The emperor said, ‘I grieve with the people, and you grieve for me, do you not? We should reward the people and bless the citizens. Today, I grant amnesty to all under heaven!’ That day, the Emperor granted amnesty to all criminals.”

Tang Shen wrote line after line of text on the blank rice paper at a rapid pace.

Eidetic memory!

Even Tang Shen hadn’t expected that he would one day use this special ability in this way.

Today, when Tang Shen went to the archives of the Secretariat to select books, he specifically chose the “Records of the Emperor’s Daily Life” from the 24th to the 26th year of Kaiping. He spent the entire day reading, but only finished a little over a year’s worth of books, leaving more than a year’s worth unread.

After writing down content he thought might be relevant, Tang Shen let out a long sigh of relief and collapsed into his chair. He picked up the makeshift “Records of the Emperor’s Daily Life” that he had written and carefully examined it.

Tang Shen had written down a variety of things, including a few words Zhao Fu had occasionally said and dialogues during Zhao Fu’s summoning of ministers. He recorded anything that might be related to the Songqing Party. However, these…

“Aren’t nearly enough!”

Tang Shen slammed the book heavily on the desk, his eyes bloodshot. “The emperor granted amnesty to the whole nation, so it’s impossible that Zhong Taisheng was released. Amnesty only pardons minor criminals; all serious and capital offenders are not pardoned. Did Zhao Fu grant amnesty to criminals simply because of a nightmare, or was he planning something?”

Tang Shen pondered deeply, “After the night of the meteor shower, this was the only time he mentioned the prisoners in the prison. What have I missed?”

Tang Shen quickly flipped through the book, but no matter how he looked, he couldn’t find any clues.

It felt as if a great weight was pressing down on his shoulders, making it hard to breathe. He knew that Zhong Taisheng’s death was most likely connected to Zhao Fu, and he also knew that the palace coup twenty-seven years ago was related to Zhao Fu. But all these things were like a web of secrets, entwining him. Even with his eyes wide open, he couldn’t see through it.

“I just don’t know enough yet,” Tang Shen concluded.

Make bold assumptions, but carefully verify them. There was no other way!

Tang Shen blew out the candle in the study, quietly hid the book in a secret compartment behind the bookshelf, and went to bed.

The next day, at chou shi (1-3 a.m.), before the sky was even bright, Tang Shen donned his official robe and headed to the office of the Palace Secretariat.

Li Shu, seeing Tang Shen arriving early, nodded approvingly. After another official responsible for the “Records of the Emperor’s Daily Life” arrived, Li Shu glanced at him, said nothing, and led both Tang Shen and the official into the imperial palace. Under the dark night sky, with stars scattered across the heavens, the three low-ranking officials walked briskly through the palace without raising their heads.

The imperial palace was silent, the buildings shrouded in darkness, like a man-eating beast quietly lying in wait.

The three arrived at the Zichen Hall, where only eunuchs and palace maids were kneeling on the ground, cleaning. Li Shu instructed the two of them, “Silence.” Naturally, they kept their mouths shut, and he led them behind the imperial throne.

Tang Shen had only been to Zichen Hall on the day of the dianshi, when he stood in the center of the hall and was personally awarded the title of tanhua by Zhao Fu.

Li Shu exchanged a look with the other official, who had more experience and quietly walked to the right. Tang Shen followed Li Shu to the left. They bypassed the throne and arrived at the side of a Taibai stone platform. There, hidden behind a five-person-wide coiled dragon white jade pillar, was a small desk and chair.

The desk was narrow and small, and the chair was nothing more than a stool made of three wooden boards.

Tang Shen stared at it in surprise for quite a while. He never would have imagined that there were people hiding behind the pillars next to the imperial throne when he was awarded the title of tanhua.

Li Shu said, “Stand behind me, and use the pillar to hide yourself.”

Tang Shen replied, “Understood.”

Li Shu sat down and gently ground the ink.

After a while, the palace maids and eunuchs responsible for cleaning the Zichen Hall filed out. Another group of eunuchs entered through a side door. After they entered, the last one closed the hall doors. Two more quarters of an hour passed, and then a sharp voice rang out from outside the door, as if someone was shouting at the top of their lungs: “Officials, enter the hall!”

“Officials, enter the hall!”

“Officials, enter the hall…”

The voice echoed layer by layer, resounding throughout the imperial palace.

After the voice faded, Tang Shen strained his ears and heard the sound of footsteps approaching. The eunuchs who had already entered the Zichen Hall lowered their heads and moved to the side doors. With a creak, it took four of them to open one of the doors. In total, eight eunuchs opened both side doors completely. The next moment, civil and military officials in robes of various ranks entered the hall in order.

Tang Shen and Li Shu stood to the left of the throne, which was to the right of the officials.

Civil officials stood on the left, and military officials on the right. In front of Tang Shen was a group of military officials. Tang Shen looked up and saw Wang Zhen standing among the civil officials on the left side. He was wearing a red official robe, holding a long jade tablet, and standing in the third position among the civil officials. The two people in front of him were both dressed in first-rank official robes. Several people beside him were also wearing first-rank robes.

In this group of officials, the ones standing at the end were wearing fourth-rank robes.

The Song Dynasty valued civil officials highly, and since the time of the first emperor, the practice of kneeling had been abolished. What was commonly referred to as “kneeling” was actually “sitting on one’s knees.” Even during the early morning court session, officials did not have to kneel before the emperor; they could stand in the hall and look up at him.

Inside the grand hall, the golden bricks on the floor emitted a chilling aura.

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The officials stood holding their jade tablets, waiting for a quarter of an hour, until the chief eunuch Ji Fu raised his voice and called out, “Officials, present yourselves!”

Li Shu immediately stood up, and Tang Shen imitated him, bowing with the officials in the hall. Dozens of voices shouted in unison, their sound echoing through the Zichen Hall, reaching the heavens.

“Greetings to Your Majesty!”

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If reading books and writing articles were considered leisurely, then indeed, it would be pretty relaxing, as these are the two main things Hanlin scholars do every day. But doing it day and night, month after month, year after year—who could stand it? Yao Shan and Wang Xiao were fine; they had been reading and writing for decades and were used to it. But Tang Shen’s head was spinning!

They had to write essays every day!

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Opening his eyes, he had to start thinking about how many essays he had to write today. Eating meals, he still had to think about how many more he had left to write that day. At night, before going to bed, he was thinking about how many essays he had to write tomorrow.

Tang Shen was suffering too!

The Emperor’s birthday was an even bigger deal. The birthday of Emperor Zhao Fu of the Song Dynasty was on the seventh day of the tenth lunar month. By the beginning of September, the Hanlin Academy was already busy writing blessing texts for him. Yao Shan was led by Grand Secretary Yang to organize the various affairs of the Emperor over the past year. After a thorough examination, they still had to record everything in detail. Wang Xiao and Tang Shen were assigned to write articles, focusing solely on blessing texts.

No matter how beautifully these articles were written, the Emperor would only read a few, and the rest would be burned, under the noble name of offering prayers to heaven.

The person responsible for selecting which articles would be presented to the Emperor was the Hanlin Academy Scholar, Second-Rank Grand Secretary Yang.

This Grand Secretary Yang had quite a history with Tang Shen.

Back when Tang Shen took the xiangshi, his first essay in the eight-legged essay format was excellent but lacked brilliance, leaving him no chance of becoming second place (yayuan). However, Grand Secretary Yang saw Tang Shen’s answers to the five questions on the Book of Changes in the second session. Grand Secretary Yang was deeply impressed and almost wanted to award Tang Shen the top spot. But considering that Tang Shen’s first session paper was indeed not as good as others, and in the interest of fairness, Grand Secretary Yang gave Tang Shen the second place.

After joining the Hanlin Academy, Tang Shen didn’t have the chance to meet these Grand Secretaries. The highest-ranking officials he usually encountered were of the fifth rank.

Knowing that Grand Secretary Yang would personally visit the next day, Tang Shen went home and thought deeply. He took out the Book of Changes and carefully read through it again.

After being at the Hanlin Academy for so long, Tang Shen had already discovered that, besides himself, no one else knew that Grand Scholar Yang liked the Book of Changes!

“Wang Zifeng, oh Wang Zifeng!”

Tang Shen called his senior brother’s name, feeling both amused and helpless.

Three months ago, Tang Shen had moved to the Tanhua Residence, which was indeed close to the Minister Residence, only separated by two alleys. That evening, after reading the Book of Changes, Tang Shen thought for a moment, then picked up the book and went to the Minister Residence. The gatekeeper, upon seeing Tang Shen, immediately respectfully invited him in. This time, Wang Zhen was at home, so Tang Shen didn’t go to the flower hall but directly to the study.

Wang Zhen was lying on a rocking chair, leisurely reading a book by candlelight.

When Tang Shen arrived, he called out, “Senior Brother Zi Feng.”

Wang Zhen peeked out from behind the book, looking surprised, “What brings my little junior brother here today?”

Tang Shen lied with a straight face, “I came across something I didn’t understand while reading and thought it was still early, so I came to ask you for clarification.”

Wang Zhen stared at him, put down the book, and smiled, “Are you really here for clarification?”

Tang Shen thought for a moment and decided to tell the truth this time, “I missed you, Senior Brother.”

Wang Zhen’s smile grew even brighter, and he reached out his hand, “What book is it?”

Tang Shen thought to himself, “When I lied, you didn’t believe me, and now that I’m telling the truth, you still don’t believe me! Wang Zifeng, you’re too smart for your own good, aren’t you?”

Tang Shen’s visit to the Minister Residence was indeed a sudden thought. As Wang Zhen said, ever since Tang Shen took up his position at the Hanlin Academy, the two senior brothers had less contact and spent less time together. Tang Shen was just a seventh-rank minor official and had no opportunities to interact with Wang Zhen in official circles. At most, they might run into each other after work.

Today, Tang Shen remembered Wang Zhen’s reminder that Grand Secretary Yang liked the Book of Changes, and for some reason, he felt the urge to visit Wang Zhen.

Of course, Wang Zhen wouldn’t believe that “I missed you,” but when Tang Shen handed him the Book of Changes, Wang Zhen was slightly stunned. After a moment, he said, “Is the Hanlin Academy writing blessing texts for the Emperor recently?”

Tang Shen was momentarily confused about how Wang Zhen knew, but seeing the Book of Changes, he was startled. Just from a book, Wang Zifeng can think of so much? Isn’t he a bit of a demon!

Tang Shen thought for a moment and didn’t hide anything, “Yes.” After all, if Wang Zhen wanted to know, he would find out soon enough.

Wang Zhen paused for a long time before saying, “So, my little junior brother really did miss me, huh?”

Tang Shen looked up at him, bewildered. In the flickering candlelight, Wang Zhen quietly smiled, with an uncharacteristic hint of warmth and softness.

At that moment, for the first time, Tang Shen felt that he had truly connected with Wang Zifeng and become friends.

Holding a copy of the Book of Changes, the two chatted all night, talking until dawn.

The next day, Tang Shen arrived at the Hanlin Academy, and sure enough, Grand Secretary Yang came at noon.

Yang Qi sat at the head of the room, surveying the officials inside. He slowly said, “Colleagues, in a few days, it will be the Emperor’s birthday. The Hanlin Academy has been busy for a month, and it’s time for results. Every year, I select three articles to present to the Emperor, and this year is no exception. Each of you has prepared an article, correct?”

Everyone responded in unison, “We have prepared.”

Yang Qi nodded in satisfaction, “Then bring them up.”

The officers descended from the high platform and collected the articles from each official. Tang Shen handed in his article, and after collecting all the articles, Grand Secretary Yang left without saying a word.

Yao Shan was not responsible for writing articles, so among the three newly appointed first-rank jinshi officials, only Wang Xiao and Tang Shen had to write.

Wang Xiao sighed to Tang Shen, “I wonder what the outcome will be, Jing Ze, are you confident?”

Tang Shen replied, “I’ve always believed that we can only plan, but success is up to the heavens.”

Wang Xiao nodded, “Indeed, we just need to do our part well.”

The next day, Grand Secretary Yang didn’t announce which three articles he sent to the Emperor. But on the fourth day of October, Tang Shen suddenly received an imperial decree. A fifth-rank official from the Ministry of Appointments arrived at the Hanlin Academy with a smile and read the decree in front of everyone: “To Tang Shen, Compiler of the Hanlin Academy. The Emperor, by the grace of Heaven, acknowledges your modesty, diligence, and excellence in writing. You are hereby promoted to the sixth rank of Junior Chamberlain to the Emperor, effective on the tenth day of this month. This is the Emperor’s decree. Twenty-seventh year of the Kaiping reign, tenth month.”

Everyone in the room was shocked. Tang Shen lowered his head, maintaining a calm expression, but the hand holding the decree was trembling slightly, revealing his inner turmoil.

At the same time, another decree arrived at the Hanlin Academy, but it was delivered to the adjacent hall. Yao Shan received the decree with both hands, unable to hide his joy as he was promoted to the fifth-rank position of Chamberlain to the Emperor.

The Junior Chamberlain to the Emperor and the Chamberlain are known as the “Imperial Historians,” responsible for recording all the Emperor’s affairs, compiling the “Daily Records of the Emperor.” They document the Emperor’s conversations with ministers, the ministers’ memorials, and the Emperor’s occasional remarks—all recorded by the Imperial Historians.

This dynasty has three Chamberlains and twelve Junior Chamberlains to the Emperor. Most of the time, there must be two Chamberlains or Junior Chamberlains present with the Emperor.

At least one Chamberlain is replaced each year, and the top scholar of each imperial examination is guaranteed to serve as a Chamberlain—it’s just a matter of when. When this top scholar is promoted to Chamberlain, his departure from the Emperor’s side marks the beginning of his rise to prominence. As for the Junior Chamberlain, they have more flexibility and are not strictly assigned.

Everyone knew that Yao Shan would be promoted to Chamberlain, but no one expected Tang Shen to be promoted alongside him!

The officials of the Hanlin Academy flocked to congratulate him. Wang Xiao looked dejected and was silent for a long time. But he still cupped his hands towards Tang Shen and said, “Jing Ze, congratulations, congratulations.”

Tang Shen looked at him deeply and replied, “Thank you, Dai Yue (Wang Xiao’s courtesy name).”

Wang Xiao felt a bitter taste in his mouth. He opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words to say.

Tang Shen had quite a network in the Hanlin Academy. For one, he was young, and most of the officials in the Hanlin Academy were older, so they treated him like their own grandson, doting on him. Additionally, he had strong backing!

Tang Shen was a student of Fu Wei, which everyone knew. Although Fu Wei never visited the Hanlin Academy, he was nominally its head. Moreover, Tang Shen had a good relationship with Wang Zhen. The Ministry of Revenue is responsible for selecting and refurbishing the residences for the zhuangyuan, bangyan, and tanhua in the imperial examinations. The residences for the zhuangyuan and bangyan are both located in the west of the city, while only the tanhua’s residence is in the east, close to the Minister Residence.

People often say that Wang Xiao and Wang Zifeng are distant relatives. However, they are indeed only distant relatives, with no close connection. After Wang Xiao came to Shengjing, he visited Wang Zhen a few times. Although Wang Zhen was friendly, their relationship was merely cordial.

Wang Zhen and Tang Shen are the real fellow disciples.

No matter how dissatisfied Wang Xiao is, he can only curse, “Those damned connections!”

However, he doesn’t know that Tang Shen’s promotion to the Junior Chamberlain was actually unrelated to Wang Zhen. The one who promoted Tang Shen was truly the Emperor Zhao Fu of Kaiping.

Among the three articles Yang Qi recommended, one was naturally written by Tang Shen. Since Tang Shen began his article with, “The dragon flying in the sky, positioned in heavenly virtue. The dragon seen in the field, the world is civilized,” which are lines from the Book of Changes: Qian Hexagram, Grand Secretary Yang was very pleased and recalled the five essays Tang Shen had written for the xiangshi.

“Well, although I couldn’t make you the top scholar back then, I suppose this makes up for it and settles an old worry!”

Starting with a flattering tone to please Grand Secretary Yang, Tang Shen went on to quote extensively from classical texts. He cited Taoist classics like the “Tao Te Ching,” “Zhuangzi,” and “Huainanzi,” extravagantly praising Emperor Zhao Fu’s achievements over the past twenty-seven years. He then lauded Zhao Fu as a sage-like ruler with magnificent prose, to the point of almost declaring, “Your Majesty, you are truly a celestial being.”

Tang Shen wrote this article on the night he had a deep conversation with Wang Zhen. He felt he must have been delirious to produce such a masterful piece of flattery. It might have been his drowsiness that led him to write such an article. If asked to write something like it again, he probably couldn’t manage it—he just didn’t have that thick of a skin!

In short, with good news coming, Tang Shen was promoted to the Junior Chamberlain, becoming close to the Emperor. To celebrate he invited colleagues and a few familiar jinshi to Qianli Tower for a celebratory meal.

That night, when he returned home, Yao San, upon learning the good news, said, “Little Boss, you have double happiness!”

Tang Shen was surprised, “Double happiness? What other good news is there?”

Yao San replied, “This should have been done a long time ago. Six months ago, when Little Boss achieved the rank of tanhua, Miss Ah Huang was supposed to come from Gusu to reunite with you. Unfortunately, my mother suddenly fell ill with a cold and was bedridden, so she couldn’t board the ship. Miss Ah Huang was unwilling to leave my mother alone in Gusu and stayed to care for her. This care lasted for half a year. Last month, my mother’s health improved, and a few days ago, they boarded the ship, so they should arrive in Shengjing within half a month!”

Tang Shen imagined a young girl in hemp clothes, angrily saying, “Tang Shen, you are not allowed to spend money recklessly,” and felt warmth in his heart. “Alright, then we will wait for them to arrive!”

On the sixth of October, Fu Wei caught a cold, and after leaving the office, Tang Shen went to visit him at Fu Residence. An hour later, Wang Zhen also arrived.

The two of them talked with Fu Wei for a while, and after Fu Wei fell asleep, the two left.

After leaving Fu Residence, Tang Shen suddenly asked, “Senior Brother, do you have any good wine and food at home today?”

Wang Zhen looked at Tang Shen in surprise, then smiled and said, “When has my little junior brother ever come over without seeing good wine and food?”

Tang Shen nodded, “Then I’ll go home to change out of this official robe and come find you.”

Wang Zhen gazed at Tang Shen but said nothing, only smiled.

At night, Tang Shen indeed changed into a green robe and went to the Minister Residence.

The large Minister Residence was quiet and deserted. Wang Zhen had set up a table of dishes in the courtyard, with the sound of water from the pond beneath. Under the moonlight, several koi fish were playing in the water. Because Wang Zhen rarely spoke during meals, Tang Shen also remained silent. After finishing the meal, the steward cleared the table and brought out a pot of tea.

They looked at the moon and savored the tea.

Tang Shen took something from his sleeve and gently placed it on the stone table, making a crisp sound.

Wang Zhen looked down and was slightly taken aback. He then looked up and said, “Little Junior Brother?”

Tang Shen said, “A gentleman of noble character is refined like cut and polished jade, like carved and honed stone. Senior Brother, you are noble and pure, and I have always known that. This piece of jade was something I had someone find in Gusu. It took two months to find a piece of translucent white jade, which I thought would best complement your white brocade robes. I know you come from the Wang clan of Langya and have seen countless beautiful jades, so this piece may not be of much value. This is just a token of my heartfelt congratulations for your twenty-sixth birthday.”

Under the clear moonlight, there was something star-like and brilliant in Wang Zhen’s clear eyes.

After a long time, Wang Zhen picked up the jade and asked, “How did you know today is my birthday?”

Tang Shen was momentarily stunned, “Last year, Mr. Fu mentioned it. He said he had been busy recently and forgot that the day before yesterday was your birthday. Mr. Fu said that on the eighth of October. So isn’t your birthday the sixth of October?”

Wang Zhen stroked the jade and said, “Yes. However, the seventh of October is the Emperor’s birthday, and all the officials in the court are busy with that. Even I often forget that the sixth of October is my birthday.”

Tang Shen, unaware of such details, said without thinking, “Then I’ll remember it for you.”

Wang Zhen suddenly looked up at Tang Shen.

Tang Shen said, “…Senior Brother?” Did he offend him? Did he not flatter him well enough?

Wang Zhen looked at him for a while, then smiled quietly. His hand moved down and touched a sachet tied beneath the jade. The sachet was made of deep blue silk, and Wang Zhen sniffed it. The fragrance was elegant and somewhat familiar. “Is this the scent of peony?”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Tang Shen explained, “It’s a blend of sweetgrass and peony. The Book of Songs: Qin Wei says, ‘The Qin and the Wei, they are both fine. The scholar and the girl, they both hold sweetgrass. The girl says, “Look at that,” and the scholar says, “Yes, let’s go and see.” It’s outside the Wei, truly sweet and joyous. The scholar and the girl, they play and exchange peony.’ I thought your name came from ‘Qin Wei,’ wasn’t it?”

Wang Zhen looked at Tang Shen and smiled, “Yes.”

AN: Little Tang Lang: After traveling to ancient times, the first thing I learned was how to flatter people! Senior Brother, did I not do it well enough?

Old Neighbor Wang [smiles]: Perfect! 

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