Female-dominated society: Striving for the position of powerful minister, doting on Xiao Yunqing

Yang's

Yang Zilin was fetching water in the courtyard when he caught sight of Mu Yunqing and the others. He put down the water ladle and was about to run away.

But Mu Yunqing picked him up in one arm, asking, "Why are you running?"

Yang Zilin was both shocked and frightened, but he forced himself to remain calm and said, "Sir, my mother and the others are not here. Your presence is of no use."

Mu Yunqing smiled and said, "Isn't there you here?" With that, she carried him inside.

"Sir, you can't go in!" Yang Zilin clung tightly to the doorframe.

"Why can't we go in?" Mu Yunqing gently pulled his hand down. "Don't worry, we won't steal or rob you. We just want to ask you a few questions."

"My lord, I know nothing."

“I didn’t even ask,” Mu Yunqing said, placing him on the couch. “How can you say you don’t know?”

“I’ve never been to school…” Yang Zilin lowered his voice, “I can’t read many characters, I really don’t know anything.”

“This has nothing to do with how many words you can read,” he said, pulling out a notebook from his pocket. “Did Yang Qiaojing have any close friends during her lifetime?”

"do not know."

“The way you ask questions, Lord Mu,” Shen Chenxi sighed, “no one would want to talk to you.”

Mu Yunqing glanced back at him, then stood up and said, "Then, in Lord Shen's opinion, what should be done?"

"come over."

"What?" Mu Yunqing moved closer to him.

Shen Chenxi whispered a few words in his ear and led the two of them out.

_

Long Street

The three walked side by side down the street.

"My lord, I want to eat candied hawthorns," Yang Zilin said, looking longingly at Mu Yunqing.

"Buy it if you want to eat it," Mu Yunqing replied, turning around to buy him candied hawthorns.

"Hold on tight."

"Thank you, sir!" Yang Zilin said with a grin.

“Let’s go,” Mu Yunqing said, leading Yang Zilin by the hand, “Let’s go take a look over there.”

“Alright.” Shen Chenxi obediently followed in his footsteps. “It seems more lively over here. Would you like to take a closer look, Lord Mu?”

"Yes, it's a good opportunity to take him around."

Shen Chenxi suddenly stopped and looked at a small stall. "Lord Mu, what do you think of this?" He picked up an exquisite calligraphy brush and turned to look at Mu Yunqing.

“It looks good,” Mu Yunqing said, taking the pen from his hand and examining it. “The nib is soft, and the body is sturdy. You can buy it.”

"I didn't expect Lord Mu to know these things," Shen Chenxi said softly as he took out his money pouch. "Boss, please wrap this up for me."

"Okay!" The shopkeeper quickly wrapped it up for him.

"Let's go." Shen Chenxi glanced at the person beside him and said, "Lord Mu seems to care quite a bit about this child."

"Since it's an investigation, we naturally have to be more attentive."

"In order to investigate the case, shouldn't Lord Mu also pay more attention to me?"

Mu Yunqing glanced back at him and said, "Why should I care about you? I'm not investigating you. I should be investigating the Yang family."

“Yang Zilin is a member of the Yang family,” Shen Chenxi said, feigning hesitation. “I have no objection to Lord Mu wanting to learn about the Yang family. It’s just that…”

"Just what?"

"Officials and commoners do not share the same path. If the shepherd gets too close to him, it will cause trouble if someone with ulterior motives sees it."

“What Lord Shen says is true, but…” Mu Yunqing looked up at him, “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this trip. I would appreciate Lord Shen’s guidance.”

"Ha, Lord Mu's ability to pretend to be ignorant when he knows the truth is quite impressive."

"Lord Shen is joking. I am perfectly clear-headed and have not been confused for a moment."

Yang Zilin found the two talking too much and went to play with lanterns by the river.

“Since you are sober, then Lord Mu should understand,” Shen Chenxi said calmly and naturally, “Yang Zilin is indeed clever, but it won’t be so easy to get information out of him.”

"What are your plans, Lord Shen?"

"Me?" Shen Chenxi chuckled. "Of course, I'll have to give Yang Zilin a proper 'welcome.' Would Lord Mu like to come along?"

“He’s just a child,” Mu Yunqing said in a deep voice, “Don’t mess with him.”

“Lord Mu, don’t forget, he’s a member of the Yang family.” His voice was low and tinged with coldness. “Moreover, in order to investigate cases, sometimes we have to resort to some special methods.”

"for example?"

“For example…” Shen Chenxi paused deliberately, his gaze lingering on Mu Yunqing’s face for a moment, “…to cater to his interests, lower his guard, and then slowly extract information from him. What does Lord Mu think of this method?”

“Yes, that’s a good idea,” he said, glancing at Yang Zilin in the distance. “That’s why I brought him to the street.”

"Lord Mu seems to have a lot of confidence in Yang Zilin," Shen Chenxi said leisurely. "However, it might be a bit inappropriate to rely on just one child to investigate this case."

There are two other people in his family.

"You mean Yang Jiaxin?" Shen Chenxi raised an eyebrow, her gaze towards him becoming more inquisitive. "She's quite the old fox. Trying to get information out of her will be harder than climbing to heaven."

“Yang Jiaxin is cunning, and Yang Qiaoyue is timid, so we can only start with Yang Zilin.” Mu Yunqing sighed, “But this family keeps their doors tightly shut every day, so we really have no way to get to them.”

“With the two of us keeping watch every day, they must have noticed.” He sneered. “However, I don’t believe she can hide forever.”

“You know what, given her personality,” Mu Yunqing pinched the bridge of her nose and said helplessly, “she really might hide forever. What a hassle.”

Shen Chenxi glanced at him and slowly played with the calligraphy brush in her hand. "Is Lord Mu trying to show weakness to me? But don't worry, I have a way to handle this."

"With Lord Shen's words of reassurance," Mu Yunqing said, cupping his hands in greeting, "I am relieved."

"Lord Mu seems to trust me." Shen Chenxi's lips curled slightly, a hint of something unfathomable in his eyes. "However, I'm curious, if I really do find out something, what does Lord Mu intend to do?"

"Would you like a meal?" He paused. "Or perhaps a cup of tea?"

Shen Chenxi seemed amused by his answer, her eyes and brows filled with laughter. "Lord Mu is really stingy. You think you can just send me away with one meal?"

Mu Yunqing stated frankly, "I am truly short of funds," and cannot offer Lord Shen anything of value.

"Lord Mu, have you forgotten that we both serve in the same court, and our salaries are..." He deliberately dragged out his words, "but they are the same."

Mu Yunqing patted his shoulder and said softly, "So you should think about me even more."

"Is Lord Mu implying something to me?" Shen Chenxi looked at him with feigned surprise, then regained her composure. "But don't worry, if I really find out something, I won't let you suffer any losses."

"Row."

Shen Chenxi smiled meaningfully, "Lord Mu must keep his word. But for now, let's think about how to get information out of Yang Jiaxin and Yang Qiaoyue."

"If they keep their doors tightly shut every day, they will still have no choice but to continue to wait."

"Lord Mu," Shen Chenxi said in a low voice, "do you think we should lure them out?"

"Tell me carefully."

“We might as well spread the word first,” Shen Chenxi said, “saying that we have made some progress in the case and are just waiting for Yang Jiaxin to take the bait.”

"That's possible, but..."

"But what?" Shen Chenxi interrupted him. "Does Lord Mu have any concerns?"

"The area south of the city is sparsely populated, so it's probably not a good place to spread the news."

“What’s so difficult about that?” Shen Chenxi smiled confidently. “If I wanted to, the whole city’s streets and alleys would be filled with the news within half an hour.”

"Then I will trouble you, Lord Shen."

Shen Chenxi smiled gently, but his tone was somewhat teasing, "Lord Mu, you're being too polite with me. It was just a small favor, nothing to trouble you."

“In any case, Lord Shen should proceed according to plan,” Mu Yunqing said. “Let’s go and send this child back.”

“Alright,” Shen Chenxi smiled faintly as she walked alongside him. When they reached the Strange Path Inn, she suddenly stopped and turned to look at Mu Yunqing. “Lord Mu, perhaps…”

"how."

“Why don’t we part ways here?” Shen Chenxi smiled gently, but his eyes held a deeper meaning. “I still have some things to take care of.”

"In that case, let's get busy."

"Then I shall take my leave." Shen Chenxi bowed to him in farewell, turned to leave, but then seemed to remember something and turned back. "Oh, right, Lord Mu, don't forget our agreement."

“Yes,” Mu Yunqing returned the bow and said goodbye. “Farewell.”

_

Stranger Inn

In the guest room

Shen Chenxi sat leisurely on the couch, drinking tea, with a man in black standing beside him.

"Young master, I have investigated the matter you mentioned last time."

“Hmm,” Shen Chenxi put down his teacup, “Tell me about it.”

"There is no information about the background of Young Master Mu. He has lived in the Prime Minister's mansion since childhood and was a slave."

"Slave status?" Shen Chenxi asked in astonishment. "Are you sure you've investigated thoroughly?"

"Your Excellency, everything I have said is true."

“Okay, I understand,” he said, taking a small sip of tea. “What about the other one?”

"The other one is named Jiang Suqin, the young master of the Jiang family, and a merchant."

This background is so impressive that anyone who hears it would applaud.

A man of slavery rose to become the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review.

His cultural refinement and conversation were no less than those of a noble young master; he exuded an air of nobility and was skilled in both literature and martial arts.

A merchant's son, possessing a fortune of tens of millions.

They could be considered a distinguished family, yet they spoke crudely, behaved exaggeratedly, and were unreasonable.

Interesting, really interesting.

Shen Chenxi was becoming increasingly interested in the two of them.

_

The next day.

Du Yanqiu had been on sick leave for some time and had missed the morning court sessions for almost half a month.

Having just recovered from a serious illness, he rushed off to find Song Qinghe.

When people in the capital saw this, they all said that the two were very close friends. They served in the same court, supported each other, and were also on good terms in private. It was a truly admirable story.

As winter approached, the air grew chilly. Du Yanqiu, draped in a brocade white fox fur cloak, slowly stepped into the gates of the Marquis's residence.

Upon seeing this, the servants outside the door hurriedly bowed and ran to report.

Song Qinghe's Study

"My lord, Lord Du has arrived."

Song Qinghe paused, her hand holding the pen still, and turned to say, "Please come in."

"No need to invite him, cough... cough, this humble official greets Lord Song." Du Yanqiu coughed twice, his voice somewhat weak.

"You've only just recovered from your illness," Song Qinghe said, helping her up with concern. "Why are you in such a hurry to go out? If you had something to say, you could have just sent me a letter. Why did you have to come all the way here yourself?"

“The proper etiquette must still be observed,” Du Yanqiu stood up and stood beside her, looking down at the calligraphy and paintings on the table. “Your calligraphy is getting better and better.”

“You always flatter me,” Song Qinghe said with a smile, spreading out the calligraphy and painting. “Look, there’s a blank space here. What should we fill in?”

After a moment's thought, Du Yanqiu said, "I think it would be better to carry a flying crane."

“Amidst the grass and trees, white cranes fly over the mountains,” Song Qinghe praised, “It is quite profound.”

“If Your Excellency is pleased,” Du Yanqiu hesitated for a moment before speaking, “That day in the court…”

“What’s past is past,” Song Qinghe interrupted her, saying, “You’re also ill, so you can’t blame anyone else. Besides, the matter of the male official has already been resolved, so there’s no point in pursuing it further. Let’s just let it go.”

"I am deeply grateful for your kind words, my lord," Du Yanqiu said with a worried expression. "I have been ill these past few days and have been unable to sleep well at night, fearing that this matter might damage our relationship."

Song Qinghe picked up her brush to paint cranes and said with a smile, "If we were to damage our relationship over such a trivial matter, Old Lady Du would probably come to me in a dream to scold me. She cares about these things the most."

“Yes,” Du Yanqiu added with a sigh, “When my mother was alive, she often taught me that one should be mindful of relationships in all things, so that one will not be cut off from one’s future.”

“Hearing those words again now, I can still understand some of the truth in them,” Song Qinghe put down her pen and turned to look at her. “Look, how’s the drawing?”

“Lifelike, as if it were real,” Du Yanqiu said, “It’s really beautiful.”

"You were in too much of a hurry to paint, and this stroke is a bit messy," Song Qinghe said regretfully. "Otherwise, it would have been much better."

"I think this stroke of ink is absolutely brilliant."

"how do I say this?"

“Things in this world are not simply black and white,” Du Yanqiu said, pointing to the white crane in the painting. “A touch of ink in the white perfectly expresses this principle.”

Song Qinghe clapped her hands and exclaimed, "Such insight is truly rare, completely suppressing my regret."

"It is my honor to be able to relieve your worries, sir," Du Yanqiu said. "I heard that you recently drafted a book of calligraphy. May I borrow it to take a look?"

“Of course you can,” Song Qinghe walked towards the bookshelf, took out a notebook and handed it to Du Yanqiu. “I won’t look at this after I write in it. If you like it, feel free to take it.”

“Then I will not stand on ceremony,” Du Yanqiu said, taking the booklet with admiration in his eyes. “I will study it carefully and live up to your kindness.”

"Why did you get sick?" Song Qinghe joked, "and you've become so polite with me."

"Perhaps it's been too long since we last met," Du Yanqiu said with a smile, taking Song Qinghe's hand. "If we see each other more often in the future, we won't feel so distant."

Where do you want to invite me to go?

"I'd like to invite you to Songming Temple to enjoy the snow," Du Yanqiu looked up at her, "Are you going?"

"If you invite me, I will definitely go."

Du Yanqiu was secretly delighted. "Then I will prepare tea for you at Songming Temple in three days."

"it is good."

“In that case,” Du Yanqiu said, cupping his hands in greeting, “I will take my leave now and visit you another day.”

"Okay, be careful on the road," Song Qinghe said, seeing her off at the door.

Just after seeing the person off, he caught a glimpse of Song Qi'an swaggering towards him in the distance.

"Young master," Mu Dong whispered, "it looks like an adult up ahead..."

Song Qi'an paused, grabbed Mu Dong, and tried to run away.

"Stop right there!" Song Qinghe shouted angrily, "You think you can run away right under my nose, Song Qi'an? You're getting bolder and bolder!"

Song Qi'an stood rooted to the spot, too afraid to move.

"What are you standing there for? Get in here right now!"

"Okay," Song Qi'an replied, obediently following behind Song Qinghe.

Song Qinghe led the people into the study.

"Kneel down."

“Mother, I really didn’t do anything wrong this time. I just listened to a song,” Song Qi’an said. “If you don’t believe me, ask Mu Dong!”

Mu Dong nodded repeatedly, "My lord, the young master really only listened to the music."

"Listen to music?" Song Qinghe said sternly, "Is listening to music something you should be doing?"

Song Qi'an didn't reply, his gaze falling on the calligraphy and painting on the table. He asked in confusion, "Mother, why did you paint a wounded crane?"