After a male student transmigrated into the body of a widow,

Chapter 147 Entering the Palace

However, he didn't show it.

Du Yuan lowered his eyes and looked at Wen Wen, saying, "I worked with Brother Zheng at the Hanlin Academy."

Wen belatedly realized what was happening, raised her hand and patted her head, saying, "I almost forgot, my husband, you are the second-place scholar and Lord Zheng is the first-place scholar, so naturally you will both enter the Hanlin Academy and work together."

Seeing that her husband had been talking for a while without getting to the point, Du Yuan, used to his way of speaking, reminded him, "Why did you suddenly ask me about Brother Zheng?"

Considering that the other party mentioned the owner of the skin oil in the beginning, but then mentioned Zheng Hao in the end, Du Yuan pondered for a while and then asked, "Is the owner of the skin oil related to Brother Zheng?"

Upon hearing this, Wen Wen looked up at her husband in surprise. Seeing the astonishment on her husband's handsome face, Du Yuan realized that he had not guessed wrong.

Wen Wen didn't keep them in suspense and immediately said, "That shop is called Zhenyulou, and the owner behind it is Zheng Zhuangyuan's uncle, Gu Lin."

Wenwen said with a smile, "Husband, you are right to say that birds of a feather flock together. When the newly appointed scholars paraded through the streets, I thought that the leading scholar, Zheng, was a rare and charming man, but that Boss Gu was even more stunning. She was beautiful and charming, and I liked her at first sight."

In the quiet of the night, with Yu'er not around to remind him and his husband speaking to him calmly, Wenwen relaxed and blurted out his true thoughts.

Realizing something was amiss and that the other party wasn't responding, Wen Wen slightly raised her eyes and saw Du Yuan's indifferent expression. She quickly tried to salvage the situation, saying, "Of course, no matter how charming and dashing that Scholar Zheng is, he can't compare to my husband. My husband is a gentleman, a fine and elegant man, of noble character. He is the most romantic figure throughout history. On the day my husband was parading through the streets, I saw many young men and women throwing flowers at him from above the restaurant. I felt so heartbroken."

Du Yuan did not respond.

With a determined heart, Wen Wen lunged forward and buried herself in Du Yuan's arms, her voice soft as she said, "Husband—"

The sudden movement meant that if Du Yuan hadn't instinctively stopped himself from dodging, Wen Wen would have fallen face-first to the ground.

Du Yuan said in a deep voice, "Nonsense!"

Wenwen's breath was slightly heavy and her body was slightly warm. She then shrank back in Du Yuan's arms and whispered, "Husband... don't be mean to me."

Hearing the other party's pitiful pleas for mercy, Du Yuan's anger gradually subsided.

He cautioned, "Don't act rashly next time."

Then, Du Yuan said, "Rest now."

Wen Wen hesitated and said, "Then the moisturizing oil..."

Du Yuan pondered for a moment and said, "Brother Zheng's things are fine, you can use them."

"But"

Du Yuan lowered his gaze slightly, landing on the boy who was looking up at him. The boy's face was as beautiful as a peach blossom, and when his eyes met, he looked away shyly.

Wenwen said in a low voice, "I haven't even finished applying my lotion yet, and my husband has already kicked Yu'er out. What's left is the most crucial thing: my belly. What am I going to do, husband?"

The whole house was silent.

After a long pause, Du Yuan spoke, his gentle voice hoarse: "I'll help you apply it."

.

After Emperor Jian'an bestowed the mansion upon him, Gu Lin no longer needed to worry about looking for or buying a house. However, since the Ministry of Works had not yet completed the renovation of the mansion, Gu Lin and Zheng Hao still needed to stay in an inn.

In the upper echelons of the capital, the reputation of Zhenyulou gradually spread. Through word of mouth among noble ladies and their husbands, such as Madam Fang, Wen Wen, and Chen Jiayi, everyone knew that the newly opened Zhenyulou in the capital sold fragrant dews and creams that could make the skin delicate and smooth, and even moisturizing oils that could remove stretch marks on the belly of women after childbirth.

The ladies and gentlemen listened with a mixture of excitement and skepticism, but under the immense temptation, and with Wen Wen and others reminding them that the lotion was limited and that once it was sold out, it was uncertain when Zhenyulou would restock, they no longer hesitated.

Good things are only real when they are in your own hands. If Zhenyulou were to deceive them, the group of noble ladies and husbands shook their heads. This shop was recommended by Wen Wen, Chen Jiayi, and others. If the things they sold were fake, the other party would lose all face in this circle.

Therefore, Gu Lin had no free time during this period, personally receiving noble ladies and husbands from the capital on the second floor of Zhenyu Tower.

These are not the most tiring things; what takes the most time and energy is mediating the conflicts between these wives and husbands.

Generally, the ladies and husbands who can travel together are close friends, but once the reputation of Zhenyu Tower spread, Gu Lin could receive several groups of people in a single day. Among them, there might be some estranged noble ladies and husbands who didn't get along.

Fortunately, the wives and husbands of these wealthy families valued their reputation above all else. Even if they encountered mortal enemies outside, they would not actually fight. Even if they cursed, they would use witty and roundabout language to satirize the other party. If Gu Lin had not been experienced in handling these conflicts, he might not have realized that the two men, who were sitting intimately together chatting and laughing, actually disliked each other.

However, Gu Lin also had to thank these noble ladies and their husbands. When he did the accounting, he found that whenever Zhenyulou served a noble lady or her husband who was not a good match, Zhenyulou always earned more money than usual.

Gu Lin gradually adapted to the pace and rhythm of life in the capital, and showed signs of making a name for himself. However, as he counted the money flowing into his pocket like water, he sighed slightly, wondering when he would be able to bring Yu Ge'er and Lin Xiaoyao over.

Although Zheng Hao's official position did not prevent him from doing business, the capital city was a place with many people and many eyes. In the long run, it would not be a good thing for Zheng Hao to entertain the wives and husbands of high-ranking officials and nobles.

Gu Lin's gaze was firm; he needed to bring his men over quickly.

Hanlin Academy.

On the first day of their shifts, with Du Yuan's attempt to ease tensions and Zheng Hao's cooperation, the three had a discussion.

I originally thought it was just superficial politeness, to build tacit understanding between us, so that we could just nod to each other in the future.

Unexpectedly, after talking, the three of them discovered that they were not the same as they had imagined.

He Yanzhi changed the most. Before, he treated Zheng Hao with disdain, especially on his first day at the Hanlin Academy, when he addressed him as "Lord Zheng" with apparent respect but actually with disdain and sarcasm. From the next day onward, he addressed Zheng Hao as "Lord Zheng" in front of outsiders, but in private, he addressed him as "Brother Zheng" like Du Yuan did.

Regarding his rapid change, during a private conversation, Du Yuan jokingly asked, "Brother He, why has your attitude towards Brother Zheng changed so much?"

Setting down his wine glass, He Yanzhi glanced at Du Yuan and said, "I only respect capable people, and he happens to fit that description."

As the teasing subsided, Du Yuanwen said with a slightly helpless expression, "Birds of a feather flock together. Brother Zheng has few but excellent friends. All three of them are second-class Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations). Among them, Zhen Cheng and Zhen Yuan, who are known as 'Qilinzi' (prodigies), also implicitly regard him as their leader."

“Brother He, he is no ordinary man.”

He Yanzhi raised his glass and drank the wine. Although he did not speak, his upturned peach blossom eyes were deep and thoughtful.

Zheng Hao sat at his desk and chair, organizing classical texts and documents while quickly absorbing their contents.

The Hanlin Academy was a place that scholars all over the world aspired to, not only because it represented the possibility of a smooth career in the government, but also because it contained a rich collection of books.

As the top scholar of the Great Qian Dynasty, Zheng Hao had naturally read a great many books, but it is undeniable that compared to the vast collection of books in the Hanlin Academy, what he had read was only the tip of the iceberg.

Every day on duty, apart from lunch, He Yanzhi and Du Yuan would see the handsome young man sitting opposite them, quietly reading a book without moving.

This was truly a unique sight in the Hanlin Academy, because unlike the Six Ministries and the Court of Judicial Review, which were busy with affairs, the Hanlin Academy was a famously elegant and leisurely place. From the scholars to the officials in charge of imperial examinations, everyone would take their time to show up for duty and spend their days walking back and forth in the Hanlin Academy with a teapot in hand.

He Yanzhi and Du Yuan were well aware of this and knew that they could not accomplish anything in the Hanlin Academy. Therefore, they planned to accumulate seniority in a year or two and then go to the Six Ministries to do practical work.

Seeing the handsome young man in the same room tirelessly reading every day, they couldn't stay still. Their restless hearts gradually calmed down. In addition to doing their own work, they, like Zheng Hao, also browsed through various classics, national histories, documents and laws in the Hanlin Academy.

Suddenly, as the three were engrossed in their own tasks, they heard whispers coming from outside.

Although they were whispering, the volume was actually loud enough to break their concentration.

The conversation outside reached the ears of the three.

One person said, "Today, when I saw the palace eunuch summon the lecturer to the palace to explain the classics and history to the emperor, his expression was not good."

Another person responded, "If what you say is true, then the lecturer's journey is likely to end in grave danger!"

The man opposite said, "Outsiders all say that the Hanlin Academy is a prestigious and prestigious institution, but they don't know that compared to the officials of the other six ministries, we have no power. When it comes to other officials, the Emperor might consider their hard work and merits and let them off lightly for their mistakes, but when it comes to us..."

Before the other person could finish speaking, the other person said, "Shut up, are you out of your mind?"

The whispers outside gradually faded away, and then footsteps sounded as the two people outside left.

Du Yuan couldn't help but turn to look at Zheng Hao, only to find that the other party's expression was calm and unchanged.

Zheng Hao looked up and met his gaze. Du Yuan smiled gently, while He Yanzhi frowned thoughtfully.

However, none of the three of them spent too much time on what they had overheard. Even if Emperor Jian'an was in a bad mood, given their official ranks, they had no chance to meet the emperor.

Royal study room.

The lecturer from the Hanlin Academy stood in front of Emperor Jian'an, looking down at his book while explaining it to him in a slow, deliberate manner.

Halfway through the reading, Emperor Jian'an spoke up, saying in a deep voice, "Stop, there's no need to read any more."

The lecturer stopped what he was doing, looking flustered.

Emperor Jian'an said, "Is this the level of lecturers in the Hanlin Academy now?"

The attendant's expression changed, and he immediately knelt down: "Your Majesty, please forgive me."

Looking at the officials below begging for mercy, Emperor Jian'an frowned, and disgust appeared in his eyes.

Your Majesty, please forgive me?

He sneered, "How many of the civil and military officials in the court truly regard me as the emperor?"

Thinking back to the morning court session, when all the civil and military officials advised him that the Crown Prince's harem was empty, with only the Crown Princess and a concubine, and no children, they all suggested that he select concubines for the Crown Prince in order to produce a grandson for the Eastern Palace.

The crown prince was personally chosen by Emperor Jian'an, who placed high hopes on him. However, when Emperor Jian'an closed his eyes, his once fair and youthful face instantly turned old and frail.

The Crown Prince shouldn't have done that!

The Emperor Jian'an could already imagine what it would be like to hand over the throne to the Crown Prince after his death, given that the prince was gentle, weak, and easily swayed by powerful families.

At that point, even the situation where the king and the horse share the world might not be able to be maintained.

However, the Crown Prince should not be easily deposed if he has made no mistakes, otherwise it would shake the foundation of the country, and the powerful families would not allow him to depose the Crown Prince who is close to the powerful families.

Emperor Jian'an was also unwilling to depose the crown prince. Among his sons, the crown prince was kind and gentle but not lacking in cunning. The other sons were mediocre and destined to be idle princes.

Emperor Jian'an pondered that the Crown Prince was not beyond redemption. He only needed a whetstone to teach the Crown Prince how to use his own strength to suppress the powerful families, and then the Crown Prince could become a qualified emperor.

Whetstone...

Emperor Jian'an silently repeated that the only officials who could serve as a whetstone to inspire the Crown Prince and as a weapon to suppress powerful families were those from humble backgrounds.

However, those officials from humble backgrounds who had the experience to endure and establish themselves in the court had long since submitted to powerful families. They were naturally of one mind with these families. Other officials from humble backgrounds who were unwilling to submit to powerful families were either demoted to remote areas or resigned and returned to their hometowns.

Emperor Jian'an pondered, thinking that he should have protected one or two people back then, so that he wouldn't have ended up in a situation where he had no one to rely on.

Suddenly, he thought of someone.

This year's new top scorer.

He opened his eyes and ordered, "Summon Zheng Hao, a compiler of the Hanlin Academy, to the palace to explain the classics and history."

"Yes." Seeing that Emperor Jian'an did not punish him, the lecturer immediately withdrew.

The sound of hurried footsteps entered the Hanlin Academy. Everyone looked up and saw the pale-faced lecturer entering the palace, accompanied by the eunuch who had invited him to the palace that morning.

The eunuch raised his eyes and said, "His Majesty has decreed that Zheng Hao, a compiler of the Hanlin Academy, be summoned to the palace to explain the classics and history."

An official hurriedly ran towards a small room inside the Hanlin Academy. The door was pushed open, and the noise of the outsider barging in made Zheng Hao raise his head and look at the person.

The junior official, panting, said, "Lord Zheng, please hurry out. The Emperor has decreed that you be summoned to the palace to lecture on the classics and history."

Du Yuan and He Yan exchanged glances, both looking puzzled.

Although Hanlin Academy compilers had the duty to enter the palace to explain classics and history to the emperor, crown prince, and princes, such a good opportunity was generally not available to them; they were mostly assigned to lecture or read aloud.

Moreover, the lecturer had already entered the palace today, but the emperor summoned someone to the palace again. Du Yuan looked at Zheng Hao with worry in his eyes.

A multitude of thoughts raced through his mind. Zheng Hao stood up, his expression calm, and said in a steady tone to the flustered junior official, "Please lead the way."

Seeing the other party's unhurried demeanor, the junior official gradually calmed down as well.

He said to Zheng Hao, "Lord Zheng, please come with me."

Zheng Hao followed the man to the main hall of the Hanlin Academy, where he saw a eunuch holding a whisk. The eunuch glanced at him and said in a soft, drawn-out voice, "Lord Zheng, please come with me."

The Hanlin Academy was located within the Imperial City, not far from the Imperial Palace. Zheng Hao and the eunuch did not need to take a carriage; they could reach the Imperial Study on foot.