He could hate, he could resent, he could rage.
Song Jing had already accepted the failure of this father-son relationship.
But that seemingly pure concern instantly drained him of strength.
Bitterness and guilt surged up within him.
He realized that because he'd been mindful of the Song household's legitimate wife's feelings, not wanting the family thrown into chaos, he had never cared for this illegitimate son—especially after Song Ce was born.
Originally, he felt he'd done nothing wrong.
Every household head of a noble house did the sa.
When the legitimate wife ca from a wealthy background and had a strong personality, it was only natural for illegitimate sons to suffer grievances and coldness. In fact, illegitimate sons needed to accept this fate.
Until this one expression of concern ca out.
Song Shi'an—it seed he didn't care about these grievances at all?
What he cared more about was himself as a father?
Of course, 'guilty conscience' was insignificant among his current emotions.
His heart skipped a beat.
The mont Song Shi'an stepped out, Song Jing was swept by an inexplicable fear.
What Song Jing truly feared was Song Shi'an's seemingly final departing figure.
In a flash, a night breeze blew into the main hall.
The candle fla in a night lamp beside Song Jing flickered, then suddenly went out.
His terror intensified sharply all at once.
Minister Sun was indeed the leader of the empire's gentry, with disciples and forr subordinates throughout the realm, but that didn't an he could cover the sky with one hand.
Even going to Cangxia, as a court-appointed official, he wouldn't be easily killed.
If Song Shi'an consulted with him and insisted on going there, wanting to fully demonstrate his political talent and reach the pinnacle in one step, Song Jing wouldn't necessarily refuse.
He might even use the family's resources in advance to pave the way for him.
Though the Cui Clan and Song clan were already quite prestigious, if there was an opportunity to produce a young gentry leader, they would definitely invest fully and support him to the top.
What Song Jing couldn't agree to wasn't Song Shi'an going to Cangxia County to serve as county magistrate.
Rather, it was—
No, that was certain death!
………
The stars do not fail those who journey.
On foot, walking through the Palace City.
When dawn broke, Song Shi'an finally arrived at the Secretariat.
Those sub-yuan who had ridden in carriages had already arrived earlier at the entrance to the Secretariat offices, laughing and chatting harmoniously. The mont they saw Song Shi'an, like a Sichuan opera face-change, their expressions darkened.
Only he was pure, only he was noble.
What Sun Heng had cursed that day was exactly what the sub-yuan were thinking now.
Only Gao Yunyi was better—upon seeing him, he even smiled faintly, though he didn't take the initiative to bow in greeting.
Because after returning ho that day, he'd been set straight.
His father had scolded him pretty harshly.
When others show off, if you can't stand those who bend with the wind, then just don't join in—why follow along and make noise?
That fa isn't yours, and you've offended others too. Are you an idiot?
He'd learned his lesson.
Seeing these blue-robed colleagues, Song Shi'an walked over quite amiably, took the initiative to bow and greet them, then naturally stood in the very center, becoming the center position.
Great Yu's official robes—eighth and ninth ranks were blue.
Sixth and seventh ranks were black.
Song Shi'an was the jieyuan, directly seventh rank.
The rest were sub-yuan. Though they could also wait for official positions and had opportunities to beco county magistrates, their ranks also had to start from eighth rank.
Even if their old man at ho was one of the Three Excellencies, there was no such thing as reaching heaven in one step.
They had to follow procedure and rise step by step.
Only when Old Sun stepped down from his position as one of the Three Excellencies could Young Sun "enter the hall," completing the power transition.
One family couldn't possibly produce two of the Nine Ministers simultaneously.
Let alone two of the Three Excellencies.
What, you think Great Yu is your family's enterprise?
His smooth ascension to everyone's "big brother" made everyone quite displeased, especially Sun Qian.
No helping it—among a group of blues, there was one black. Even if he stood at the very edge, he'd still "stand out like a crane among chickens."
"For today's appointnt ceremony, where does jieyuan want to achieve success?" Han Zhongchen said sarcastically.
"Isn't that for the Secretariat officials to decide?" Song Shi'an countered.
"You've already said 'what scholar becos a marquis commanding ten thousand households'—you can't possibly want to stay leisurely in the capital, right?" Han Zhongchen quite cleverly used Song Shi'an's own words to counter-question, and added, "Jieyuan has lofty ambitions, you should speak up proactively."
The others all waited to watch the spectacle.
Killing with praise.
They'd lift him up, then kill him.
This sort of thing was not uncommon in history.
If you like wearing high hats, then go do what people cannot do.
But you should know—"what people cannot do" ans everyone can't do it.
If everyone can't do it, but you can?
What are you?
Being an official isn't sothing you can do well just by writing a few good essays.
Otherwise, the chief ministers of every dynasty throughout history would just be assigned to whoever wrote poetry best. Would that work?
"Comfort ans death; naturally I cannot be comfortable."
Without needing any reaction ti, Song Shi'an imdiately answered.
Another area-of-effect attack, harshly choking all those present who wanted to steadily work their way through officialdom, or rely on the path their fathers paved.
"I have no great ambitions, I'm afraid I'll be going to the Imperial Academy. How embarrassing, how embarrassing." One person didn't want to be manipulated, and quickly spoke with a laugh, refusing to follow Song Shi'an's solo "rule-setting" violent argunt.
What gives you the right to define what constitutes great ambition?
"Normal, that's normal. Not everyone has great ambitions."
Song Shi'an smiled and pressed down with his hands, likewise going along with his words. That person's expression darkened, imdiately displeased. But Song Shi'an then turned to Han Zhongchen: "I presu this gentleman has great ambitions, yes? Why not join in going to a certain place for appointnt and achieve fa and rit?"
You bind , then I'll bind you too.
As long as you dare engage, then co die with .
"Hmph!"
Han Zhongchen flicked his sleeve and turned his head to the side, not taking the bait: "Why should I go with you? Everyone has their own aspirations."
"Oh!" Song Shi'an seed to have an epiphany, as if recalling sothing, and said leisurely, "This brother's aspiration seems to be to steal century-old peaches from the Jade Pool for Minister Sun?"
As soon as these words ca out, Han Zhongchen turned into a red duck in one second.
The others couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Those who didn't laugh either had extrely strong composure and could really endure it.
Or they were Sun Qian.
Just felt disgusted, his face completely black.
"Whose ambition is so great?"
As he spoke, the Minister of the Secretariat arrived with Secretary Yu Xiu, joining the conversation with a laugh.
The students hurriedly bowed in salutation.
And with everyone bowing in greeting, he directly walked into the Secretariat offices.
Yu Xiu then said to those behind: "You all, co in."
Afterward, everyone followed into the compound.
The Great Yu Secretariat was equivalent to the Organization Departnt, managing the appointnts, dismissals, promotions and demotions of all officials.
Unquestionably the head of civil officials.
Of course, unlike the Tang Dynasty's Secretariat Departnt, its power had been divided.
This also prevented situations of "overwhelming authority in court" from occurring.
As for the current Minister of the Secretariat, he also couldn't be strictly defined by the ritorious nobility clique or the aristocratic family clique.
His ancestors hadn't followed the founding emperor, so he didn't belong to the ritorious nobility. Though as gentry he was also from a prominent family, unlike the aristocratic families who'd joined from Jiangnan, he differed in both geography and faction.
The reason he could sit in this extrely important position for so many years was because of his "impartiality and neutrality."
In politics, there's no such thing as absolute "impartiality and neutrality."
Being able to achieve relative "impartiality and neutrality"—this was the reason he was trusted by the Emperor.
The Minister of the Secretariat thus led everyone into the Personnel Bureau courtyard.
This was a rather imposing and solemn building.
It had an outer hall and inner chambers.
Jinshi appointnts also took place here.
Generally, others waited in the outer hall while those being appointed had conversations in the inner chambers.
Throughout the entire 'interview,' a eunuch from the palace accompanied them.
Without soone from the palace, the process couldn't begin.
What Ouyang Ke ant by watching for "soone from the palace" didn't an just any random eunuch.
In years past for sub-yuan appointnt ceremonies, the eunuch who ca was rely fifth rank, serving a regulatory reporting function.
If there were orders from above, at least a sufficiently important head eunuch had to co.
And while waiting, soone finally arrived.
"Eunuch Chen has arrived—"
Hearing this na, Ouyang Ke imdiately stood up.
The palace's intention, at the last mont, had finally arrived right on ti.
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