Escape to Your Heart

Chapter 245: The Blow

"Did you find out anything?" Madam Yu asked her husband urgently.

Grand Secretary Yu remained silent, instead casting a stern glance at Yu Jingxiu before saying gravely, "Let's talk in the study."

Madam Yu quickly followed Grand Secretary Yu to the study.

Yu Jingxiu, however, felt his heart sink as an ominous premonition rose within him.

Once inside the study, Madam Yu helped Grand Secretary Yu change his outer robe. Father and son took their respective seats according to seniority, and a maid served tea. Madam Yu dismissed the servants, closed the door herself, and sat beside Grand Secretary Yu.

Only then did Grand Secretary Yu speak: "Do you know who Fu Shi's third sister married?"

Madam Yu was stunned.

What did this have to do with the Fu family?

The Fu family was far away in Huayin, and the marriage alliance between their families had long been dissolved. How would she know who Fu Tingyun's third sister had married?

"I haven't paid attention to that," Madam Yu said. "Should I make inquiries? Madam Wu lives next door to Fu Shi."

But Yu Jingxiu suddenly jumped up. "Don't tell me that Shen Rensi is Fu Shi's third older cousin's husband?"

When he had lured Zuo Junjie into giving false testimony, he had thoroughly investigated the Fu family.

Fu Tingyun's third sister had married a widower with an official title to secure a better match. He vaguely remembered that the widower's surname was Shen...

Seeing his father nod, Yu Jingxiu's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Impossible! Impossible!" Yu Jingxiu exclaimed. "Back then, I investigated all of the Fu family's marital connections. They were just a so-called 'official family' in some obscure little place like Huayin. In the last fifty years, not a single member of their family has held a position above the third rank, let alone had any powerful backing in the court. Otherwise, I would never have dared to target the Fu family in the first place..."

Before he could finish, Grand Secretary Yu let out a cold "hmph" and snapped, "Fool! How dare you bring up that incident now?"

Yu Jingxiu immediately fell silent, though his face remained flushed with indignation, still unable to believe it.

Seeing this, Grand Secretary Yu grew even angrier, his face darkening. "That Shen Rensi is indeed Fu Shi's third older cousin's husband. He went through Fu Shi's connections, and when the Emperor summoned Qian Donglin and Chen Dan Ting, he personally spoke to Qian Donglin. To repay the Emperor's favor, Qian Donglin threw himself into the task without hesitation. Worried that his position in the Grand Secretariat was still unstable, he even dragged Grand Secretary Shen along to the Ministry of Personnel..." At this point, he couldn't help but sneer in frustration. "I've seen people with ugly ambitions, but never someone as shameless as Qian Donglin—a Grand Secretary stooping to such flattery, neglecting his duties just to curry favor with the Emperor... The future of the Grand Secretariat is truly bleak..."

Yu Jingxiu knew his father's complaints stemmed from losing the position of Left Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel. Back when Grand Secretary Shen was Chief Grand Secretary, he had occasionally feigned compliance while secretly resisting, but no one had ever dared to neglect the Emperor's orders.

Madam Yu, however, cared little for these political intricacies. All she knew was that Fu Tingyun had now intervened to help her third older cousin's husband snatch a lucrative position that should have gone to her son.

"How is this possible?" she murmured in shock, shaking her head repeatedly. "No, it can't be! How could a mere woman influence court politics? If Zhao Ling were home, it might make sense, but he's in Guizhou right now...""The news came from the Qianqing Palace, so it must be accurate." Grand Secretary Yu was equally puzzled as he analyzed the situation. "Since the Emperor personally arranged her marriage to Zhao Ling, it’s clear that His Majesty holds Zhao Ling in high regard. Fu Shi must have relied on Zhao Ling’s influence to get the message to the Emperor..."

"What should we do now?" Madam Yu, more concerned about her son’s future, asked, "Are we just going to let this go? Is there any room for reconsideration?" Having married Grand Secretary Yu many years ago, she came from a prominent family and held the prestigious rank of First-Grade Imperial Mandate Title. Her judgment was sharp—once the Ministry of Personnel had issued the official document, there was no reversing it. Yet, she clung to a sliver of hope and couldn’t help but press her husband.

"I remember now," Yu Jingxiu suddenly interjected. "That Shen Rensi was in the same examination cohort as me—ranked thirteenth in the second tier..." The thought filled him with shame and anger. He had been the top scholar in that year’s exams, with ancestors who had produced three Imperial Academy directors and a father who was a grand secretary. What was Shen Rensi? A mere country squire from Hanxiang, barely avoiding the third-tier Presented Scholar rank... How dare he compete and even push me aside? "Mother!" he fumed, standing abruptly. "It’s just a minor seventh-rank position in one of the Six Ministries. If I don’t get it, so be it. The Office of Transmission has also produced many talents. Grand Secretary Shen and Grand Secretary Tian both started as transmission officials there. Within two years, I’ll be promoted."

Madam Yu had been most worried that her son would lose heart over this. Relieved, she quickly agreed, "That’s the right attitude. Every great figure in history has faced setbacks!"

Grand Secretary Yu, however, frowned and hesitated before speaking after a moment of silence. "Why don’t you join the Censorate instead? As an inspecting censor, you could gain insight into the people’s grievances and expand your connections. While serving in the Office of Transmission keeps you close to the Emperor, remember—water can carry a boat but also capsize it. With your experience, if you prove yourself, and with my support, your promotion will come swiftly."

Yu Jingxiu was stunned.

Did his father really have so little faith in him?

Did he need his father’s help to advance?

But seeing his father’s stern expression and recalling how his own actions had indirectly cost him the Left Supervising Secretary position in the Ministry of Personnel, he bit back his words and seriously considered the proposal.

His father had entered the Grand Secretariat from the position of Left Censor-in-Chief and had deep connections in the Censorate. Although Ye Bi, his successor, had clashed with his father, he had retired due to illness the previous year. The current Left Censor-in-Chief had once been his father’s subordinate...

Yu Jingxiu bowed respectfully. "I will follow your guidance, Father."

Grand Secretary Yu nodded. "This is just between us for now... Go and rest. As for the Left Supervising Secretary position, put it out of your mind."

Yu Jingxiu understood his father’s implicit warning—not to speak of his ambitions for the Censorate position nor to complain about losing the Ministry of Personnel post. After all, their interest in the Left Supervising Secretary role had only been speculative. If word got out that they had failed to secure even a minor seventh-rank position for him, it would invite ridicule. With Grand Secretary Yu already having lost his position as Chief Grand Secretary, some were already gloating. If it became known he couldn’t even secure a small post for his son, others might seize the chance to kick them while they were down.

He responded deferentially, "Understood," and withdrew.Yet he couldn't help but wonder why his father had become so cautious. Was there something else being kept from him?

With this thought, he suddenly stopped and asked Moyan, who was following him, "Where is Mr. Huang now?"

Mr. Huang was Grand Secretary Yu's advisor.

Moyan quickly replied, "I'll go find out immediately."

"No need," Yu Jingxiu said after a moment's consideration. "I'll go to the side courtyard to see him." With that, he hurried off to the side courtyard.

In the study, Madam Yu, having regained her composure, asked Grand Secretary Yu with concern, "De Pu is already a seventh-rank official. Is it really so difficult to arrange a lateral transfer?"

In front of his wife, Grand Secretary Yu no longer concealed anything. With a grave expression, he said, "What I fear is that Fu Shi won't accept this quietly—sometimes good intentions don't work out, but bad omens often come true."

"That can't be!" Madam Yu retorted, though inwardly she believed it might be true. "Are we supposed to live under her thumb like this?" She then pleaded with Grand Secretary Yu, "Can't you think of something? This concerns De Pu's future!"

"I know," Grand Secretary Yu said, his eyes flashing. "I'm planning to ask someone to find out how Fu Tingyun managed to appeal directly to the Emperor."

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In the main hall of the inner courtyard at Shi Family Alley, Seventh Sister's Husband laughed heartily, "So, Mr. Zhao went straight to the Emperor to plead the case?"

Though she hadn't managed to acquire the Go set, Fu Tingyun was overjoyed with the rare book she had bought—a handwritten copy of the Lotus Sutra by the renowned Master Huiwu from the previous dynasty.

After dinner, Third Older Cousin's Husband and Seventh Sister's Husband were still deep in conversation. They moved to the main hall of the inner courtyard for tea, where Fu Tingyun and Third Sister, who had also dined in the inner courtyard, joined them in discussing the day's events.

"If it weren't for that, why would Grand Secretary Qian have been so assertive?" Third Older Cousin's Husband said with a triumphant smile. "He was just borrowing the tiger's might—Grand Secretary Shen has been entrenched in the Ministry of Personnel for years, and with his own footing unstable, Grand Secretary Qian seized this opportunity to assert his authority..."

"And if anyone dares to oppose, they can just invoke the Emperor's name," Seventh Sister's Husband chimed in with a chuckle before Third Older Cousin's Husband could finish. "Then those who dare to question will find themselves in an impossible position!" He raised his thumb in admiration. "This Grand Secretary Qian is no ordinary man."

"Those who become grand secretaries are rarely ordinary," Third Older Cousin's Husband remarked casually. "But Grand Secretary Qian is indeed formidable. Chen Dan Ting once served as a county magistrate in Pingxiang, which borders Huguang—where the Emperor's former residence was located. So, it's no surprise he caught the Emperor's eye. But for Grand Secretary Qian to rise from Grand Academician of the Hanlin Academy straight into the Grand Secretariat—that's something few could achieve."

"Isn't the Grand Academician of the Hanlin Academy always under the Emperor's watchful eye anyway?" Seventh Sister's Husband laughed. "In any case, I believe that to get promoted, you must make sure the Emperor remembers you exist..."

As the two men continued discussing court affairs, Third Sister noticed Fu Tingyun sitting quietly beside them. Worried she might be bored, she interrupted with a smile, "Court matters are endless. It's getting late, and Ninth Sister has to go to Tanzhe Temple tomorrow. Let's wrap this up early so she can rest."

"Look at us, once we start talking about these things, we never stop!" Seventh Sister's Husband scratched his head sheepishly as he stood up. "Let's call it a night then. Once Third Older Cousin's Husband is settled in, I'll come by for a drink.""You can come for a drink anytime, no need to wait until I'm settled!"

Amidst laughter and chatter, everyone went their separate ways.

Fu Tingyun immediately wrote a letter to Zhao Ling that night, informing him of what she had heard. At the end, she asked: "Should I submit a secret memorial to express gratitude for the imperial favor?" Early the next morning, she summoned Zheng San and instructed him to deliver the letter to Lin Chi: "Tell him it's urgent and ask Lord Lin to help deliver it to Guizhou as quickly as possible."

Zheng San acknowledged and left.

Fu Tingyun sat down for breakfast, leaving Yu Wei at home to look after the children while taking Zhenzhu with her to visit Tanzhe Temple.

However, Yue Chuan came in to report: "Madam, there's a little monk from Tanzhe Temple who wishes to see you!"

Surprised, Fu Tingyun quickly had Yue Chuan bring the little monk in.

The little monk bowed respectfully to Fu Tingyun and said: "I serve Master Zhenghe. The Master says he already knows the whole story. Since you've just finished your postpartum confinement, it's not advisable for you to travel around. Please rest well at home—there's no need to visit him. When Lord Zhao returns, have him come to play chess with the Master."

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Dear sisters and brothers reading this, don't forget to cast your pink votes...O(∩_∩)O~

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(End of Chapter)