lcionline Article 110, Chief
Article 110, Chief
Just as Shen Jingshu had predicted, her words came true after the play at the restaurant that day, and within a few days, they indeed came true.
A transfer order from the Ministry of Personnel was quietly delivered to Cheng Wenhao.
Principal of the Personnel Examination and Evaluation Department of the Ministry of Personnel.
Although his official position was low, he was in charge of the performance evaluation and promotion of all officials in the capital. Everyone who met him had to greet him politely as "Master".
Cheng Wenhao quickly became a highly sought-after figure in Beijing.
The news arrived in the afternoon. Cheng Wenhao was lounging behind the counter of the rice shop, his legs crossed high, the beads on his abacus clicking loudly.
He was frowning, looking at the tiny characters in the account book with a headache, when suddenly someone handed him this gold-embossed transfer order. His eyelids twitched, and his temples throbbed with pain.
"The head of the Performance Evaluation Department?" He held the gold-flecked paper in his hand and examined it carefully against the light.
The official seal was real, and the gold lettering was dazzling, but he still wanted to laugh.
Cheng Wenhao's lips curled up slightly, a sneer flashing across his face as he shook the paper, making it rustle loudly: "Do I look like someone who can understand those damn performance evaluation books?"
"More persistent than courtesans in brothels." He spat, crumpled the transfer order into a ball, and threw it out the window. "Is the Cheng family's ancestral graves emitting auspicious smoke?"
"Oh my god!"
The messenger was quick-witted and pounced forward, barely catching the wad of paper. He carefully unfolded it, smoothed out the wrinkles, and then said with a forced smile, "Master Cheng, this is a transfer order from the Ministry of Personnel. Be careful, be careful."
The messenger was none other than the Wen family man.
A round face was plastered with a fawning smile, and the fabric of her clothes looked nice, but the smile looked stiff, as if it had been forcibly pulled out.
His stiff smile widened as he bowed and scraped to Cheng Wenhao: "Master Cheng, the Minister said that you are young and promising, and will surely make great strides in the Examination and Merit Department and serve the court."
shit.
Minister Wen surely knows his own limitations.
The vacancy in the Examination and Evaluation Department had fallen to him, the son of a merchant.
Cheng Wenhao cursed inwardly, but his face still wore a half-smile as he lightly tapped his fingertips on the counter.
Seeing that he didn't respond, the servant tried to continue flattering him, saying, "The Minister also said—"
"Wait a minute." Cheng Wenhao interrupted him without even lifting his eyelids, his tone somewhat nonchalant. "Your daughter, has she really become a nun?"
The servant's smile froze, seemingly not expecting Cheng Wenhao to ask this. He was momentarily speechless and gave a vague reply: "This... I dare not ask too much about the young lady's affairs. I was just ordered to deliver a message."
After saying that, he put the transfer order back on the counter. "Don't forget to report to the Ministry of Personnel tomorrow."
He bowed respectfully, hastily took his leave, and fled the rice shop as if escaping.
Cheng Wenhao watched the servants of the Wen family flee in panic, his head spinning. Then he heard a commotion outside, followed by Bai Shi's sharp, excited voice piercing through the curtain and into his ears: "Oh my, my son, is this true? You really became an official? Or something... the head of the Examination and Merit Department? That sounds like a very high-ranking position!"
The curtain was suddenly thrown open, and Madam Bai rushed in, dressed in her finest attire, followed by Old Madam Cheng, who was leaning on a cane. Both of them had uncontrollable joy on their faces.
"The Cheng family is about to change their allegiance!"
Cheng Wenhao's headache worsened.
Bai strode to the counter, grabbed the transfer order, examined it carefully, and exclaimed in amazement, "Wow, this is real! It's a transfer order from the Ministry of Personnel, and it even has the official seal! You've really made something of yourself!"
Old Madam Cheng also walked over, leaning on her cane, and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Good, good, good! Our Cheng family is finally going to make something of itself!"
Bai held Cheng Wenhao's hand, muttering to herself, "It's time to change your clothes. I'll make you a few new official robes tomorrow, using the finest silk!"
Cheng Wenhao was annoyed by Bai Shi's nagging. He pulled his hand away from her and said helplessly, "Mother, Grandmother, this official hasn't even taken office yet, and you're already so happy? What kind of good job do you think this is?"
Bai immediately put on a stern face, "What do you mean by a good job and a bad job? Being an official is a good job! The Cheng family has been in business for generations, but you're the only one who's ever become an official!"
She suddenly lowered her voice and leaned closer, "I heard that the Examination and Merit Office can see officials'...salary slips?"
Cheng Wenhao rolled his eyes.
A muffled laugh came from behind the counter; it was the rice shop assistant, his face flushed.
"Grandmother, please persuade Mother..."
“Your mother is right!” Old Madam Cheng tapped her cane loudly. “Tomorrow, we’ll pay our respects to the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel…”
"What a load of rubbish!" Cheng Wenhao suddenly slammed the account book on the counter, startling both Madam Bai and Old Madam Cheng. "If I really want to be this damn official, I might as well go to a brothel and check the roster of women!"
He grabbed the transfer order and turned to leave, but met Bai's eager gaze, and swallowed back the curse words that were about to come out.
Madam Bai and Old Madam Cheng only cared about the wealth and status that came with official positions; they didn't care what he was thinking or what he wanted to do.
All they cared about was the Cheng family's reputation and their own face.
Bai then pulled him aside and showered him with compliments.
Finally, the conversation shifted to another matter: "Your father hasn't spoken to you for several days because of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion incident. Look, now that you're an official, go and apologize to your father. Father and son don't hold grudges overnight, do they?"
Lady Bai had no idea about the intricacies of the situation. All she knew was that her youngest son had hosted a banquet for Prince Gu that day, but it ended in a bitter argument, causing a rift between father and son.
Cheng Wenhao thought for a moment and realized that trying to make Bai Shi and Old Madam Cheng understand the matter of Zuixianlou would be like casting pearls before swine. It would be better to go directly to Cheng Xiangsong.
He readily agreed, made a few perfunctory remarks, and after returning to his residence that evening, he headed towards Cheng Xiangsong's study.
Cheng Xiangsong's study desk was piled high with various books and documents. Cheng Xiangsong was standing in front of the desk with his back to the door, holding a calligraphy brush, seemingly practicing calligraphy.
"Your son greets his father." Cheng Wenhao stood at the door and gave a perfunctory bow.
Upon hearing Cheng Wenhao enter, Cheng Xiangsong didn't even turn his head, and said coldly, "What are you doing here?"
Cheng Wenhao had anticipated Cheng Xiangsong's reaction and didn't care. "The matter at Zuixianlou has angered Father. I've come here specifically to apologize to Father."
"An apology?" Cheng Xiangsong put down his pen, turned to look at him, "You think an apology can make up for all the stupid things you did at Zuixianlou? You're still a hopeless piece of trash!"
Cheng Wenhao paused for a moment, then looked up and stared directly into Cheng Xiangsong's eyes, saying calmly, "What I did at Zuixianlou may seem foolish to you, but I did it to save the Cheng family."
Cheng Xiangsong laughed as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world. "Save the Cheng family? What do you know?"
“Yes, I don’t understand anything.” Cheng Wenhao admitted frankly, “I also don’t understand what the note tucked in your book of the Commentary on the Zhuangzi in your study means.”
Cheng Xiangsong's laughter stopped abruptly.