Chapter 49: Predicament – First Entry into Hanlin Academy

One month later, as warmth began to melt the chill and gentle breezes blew pleasantly.

Jiang Zhimiao sat in the carriage heading to Jingshi, vomiting until he felt utterly disoriented. Lin Guilan patted his back with heartache, thinking that Jingshi was indeed not an easy place to reach. Miao Ge’er’s constant vomiting and diarrhea were probably the trials they had to endure on their journey to the capital.

Jiang Qingshi had already gone ahead to assume his post at Hanlin Academy. Lin Guilan and Jiang Yunxiu needed time to pack their belongings, hence the delay. Seeing Jiang Zhimiao so miserable, both Wei Danqing and Wei Sichan grew anxious. After spending these days together, they had come to regard Jiang Zhimiao as their own younger brother.

Not long ago, Jiang Qingshi had returned briefly. Witnessed by Jiang family relatives, he removed his family of three from the Jiang Family Genealogy. Jiang Yunxiu had already married out and was no longer listed in the Jiang genealogy. Although she later divorced, her name was never moved back.

Finding these Jiang family elders had cost Jiang Qingshi considerable effort. The Jiang family had moved to Fanjiazhuang for business, and those relatives lived far apart. Yet Jiang Qingshi managed to gather them all, opened the ancestral hall, and severed ties with the Jiang family.

Now that Jiang Qingshi was a proper court official and a popular figure among commoners, those relatives saw no reason to offend him. With just a little inducement from Jiang Qingshi, they hurried to assist him with the matter.

The Great Liang Dynasty valued filial piety. Under normal circumstances, Jiang Qingshi’s rush to sever family ties immediately after achieving Tanhua status would be considered unacceptable. Fortunately, Jiang Jinyao’s earlier commotion provided justification. After Fan Xiang’e’s bloody scene at the county government office, the incident had spread far and wide. Tales of Jiang Jinyao attempting to murder his own brother, with Old Master Jiang and Feng Shi shielding their biological son, circulated widely. Under such circumstances, Jiang Tanhua’s decision to withdraw from the family genealogy and establish his own household appeared perfectly reasonable.

Moreover, Jiang Tanhua had repaid malice with kindness. Despite being mistreated, he still gave the Jiang family several taels of silver for Jiang Jinyao’s medical treatment. Whoever heard of this couldn’t help but sigh in admiration, declaring Jiang Tanhua a truly compassionate immortal descended to earth.

“I originally thought severing ties with the Jiang family wouldn’t be so straightforward,” Lin Guilan whispered to Jiang Yunxiu while holding the now sleeping Jiang Zhimiao. “Fortunately, Miao Ge’er had foresight and told me to secretly arrange for spreading stories about Jiang Jinyao’s attempted fratricide and the Jiang family’s heartless behavior among the commoners. Now our establishing an independent household appears perfectly justified.”

“Miao Ge’er is far too clever,” Jiang Yunxiu gazed at the deeply sleeping Jiang Zhimiao. “A five-year-old child actually capable of such thorough consideration. Sometimes I wonder what exactly fills this little one’s mind.”

“I used to suspect Miao Ge’er might be some kind of supernatural being,” Lin Guilan confided quietly to Jiang Yunxiu, then laughed at her own words. “I don’t know what I was thinking back then, how I could have such strange thoughts. Miao Ge’er is the child I carried for ten months – how could I ever think that way?”

“Miao Ge’er’s mind is indeed far too mature for his age.” Jiang Yunxiu gazed at Jiang Zhimiao with equal fondness, “He likely takes after Nian Chen, who was always cleverer than other children since childhood. But in some aspects, he doesn’t resemble Nian Chen – Nian Chen never had as many schemes as Miao Ge’er does. Nian Chen was merely exceptionally gifted in studying, whereas… Miao Ge’er is much sharper than him in other areas.”

“I don’t expect this child to achieve great wealth and honor,” Lin Guilan gently stroked Jiang Zhimiao, “He can pursue whatever he wishes in the future. Sometimes when I see my husband studying so diligently, I feel it’s excessively laborious. If Miao Ge’er doesn’t wish to follow this path later, both my husband and I will respect his choice.”

“But I notice Nian Chen seems to have high expectations for Miao Ge’er.” Jiang Yunxiu chuckled quietly, “He might not let Miao Ge’er off so easily… Guilan, by my calculation we should reach Jingshi today. Seeing how you’ve been missing Nian Chen all these days, I’ve been feeling anxious for you as your elder sister.”

Lin Guilan blushed, looking at her sister-in-law who was teasing her: “My relationship with my husband has remained excellent since our marriage… Mainly because he’s such a good man, he’s never once quarreled with me. Speaking of this, it’s truly my good fortune.”

“Though Nian Chen appears successful now, we don’t know how he’s truly faring in the capital.” Jiang Yunxiu, being perceptive, always considered things more deeply than Lin Guilan, “The power structures in Jingshi are deeply intertwined and complex. Initially, Nian Chen might inevitably face some bullying – we can only hope he handles it with composure.”

Jiang Qingshi had been serving at the Hanlin Academy for several days now.

He remembered that first day entering the Hanlin – he had been so nervous he couldn’t sleep all night. This was the Hanlin Academy, the ultimate aspiration of all scholars in the realm. Before dawn broke, Jiang Qingshi had already set out. Even in spring, the air still carried a lingering chill, though he couldn’t tell if it was real or just his imagination.

Dressed in brand new blue official robes, Jiang Qingshi stood before the heavy vermilion lacquered gates. He took a slight breath before raising his hand to push them open. The gate hinges emitted a drawn-out, dull creak, as if deeply reluctant to have their tranquility disturbed, forced to reveal the courtyard heavy with the scent of ink and scholarship.

The elderly Record Keeper on morning duty lifted his dim eyes from behind a stack of ancient documents. When he recognized the newcomer, his remaining sleepiness instantly vanished. He hurriedly stood up, performing a nearly flustered bow: “C-Compiler Jiang…” His voice betrayed unconcealable surprise, mixed with some indescribable nuance.

His reaction was understandable. Jiang Qingshi, the new Third Scholar – this name along with his face had spread throughout Jingshi since the results were announced. Now the actual person stood here, in the faint morning light that outlined his slender figure. His features resembled layered ink-wash landscapes, his appearance even more striking than the rumors suggested.

With such looks, he ought to be galloping through entertainment quarters, composing poetry amid wine and romance, drawing admiring glances from all the ladies. Yet here he was, dressed in proper official robes, standing in this ancient, solemn, ink-scented depth of the Hanlin Academy.

The old Record Keeper led him inside, passing through several silent courtyards. Along the way, they occasionally encountered a few officials who all stopped walking, their gazes – whether overt or subtle – fixed on his face. Their whispers rustled like cold wind through dried leaves, creating a chill around him even in the warm spring air.

“That’s the one…”

“My, such exceptional appearance is indeed rare.”

“I heard his policy examination paper was brilliantly written, though who knows…”

The subsequent words trailed off, blending into a light laugh of ambiguous meaning.

“They say the Tanhua is the most handsome among the Tribute Scholars—and indeed, it’s true! Such remarkable looks truly bring honor to our Hanlin Academy!”

The tone was exceedingly flippant. Jiang Qingshi was a proper court official, not to be lumped together with those who trade on their looks. While the speaker superficially praised Jiang Qingshi’s appearance, they were implicitly comparing him to entertainers from pleasure quarters.

Jiang Qingshi’s face remained calm, though a faint trace of coldness flickered deep in his eyes before vanishing without a trace.

He kept his gaze straight ahead, his expression still aloof and proud.

He had long grown accustomed to the criticism provoked by his appearance. Back in Fanjiazhuang, people had mocked him for being a “kept man” because of his looks. Now, having entered Jingshi where every step brought him into contact with noble families and elites, he had not expected such shallow judgments to persist.

His humble origins, paired with his striking appearance, made him an easy target for their ridicule.

Born with less than what they possessed, he faced doubts and mockery with equanimity. Time would reveal one’s true character; he believed that through his own efforts, he would eventually silence them.

The Hanlin Academy Academician did not receive him immediately. Instead, he was greeted by another Attendant Academician named Zhou Jinrong. Zhou had a fair complexion, a neatly trimmed beard in three wisps, and smiling eyes that gave him an exceedingly amiable appearance.

But Jiang Qingshi understood all too well: whoever awaited him here was unlikely to be friendly—most likely a “smiling tiger.”

“Editor Jiang, with your exceptional talent and renown throughout the capital, your entry into our Hanlin Academy is truly our good fortune,” Zhou Jinrong began with pleasantries, then predictably shifted his tone. “The Hanlin Academy is a repository of the world’s literature, spanning ancient and modern times. As a newcomer, Editor Jiang, you must first familiarize yourself with our dynasty’s statutes. Only by stepping through this gate can you later share the burdens of His Majesty. Coincidentally, there is an urgent matter that has been backlogged for years. The Hanlin Academy staff has been too inept—all these years, we’ve lacked someone as clever as Editor Jiang! This task simply cannot be handled by anyone else. Fortunately, Editor Jiang’s outstanding abilities set you apart from the rest, enabling your entry into the Hanlin Academy. Indeed, only a discerning mind like Compiler Jiang’s can untangle this mess.”

He gestured toward a solitary building at the farthest end of the courtyard. It appeared more dilapidated than the others, with windows covered in aged paper and eaves faded in color.

“Don’t be fooled by its shabby appearance—inside lie some of the Great Liang Dynasty’s long-accumulated documents. Though our dynasty is young, merely decades old, our emperors’ virtuous achievements have generated no small number of records. Unfortunately, our brief history means policies and regulations have frequently changed, leaving these documents dusty, entangled, and riddled with errors and omissions… They have never been properly organized or compiled. Such a weighty responsibility can only be entrusted to Editor Jiang. We hope you will immerse yourself in this task and achieve fruitful results soon.”

The words sounded grand, but the trap was blatantly laid.

A century’s backlog, errors and omissions—it was clearly a thankless quagmire. Once entangled, wasting months or even a year with nothing to show for it would be the least of his worries. If any mistakes occurred, it would be a ready-made offense.

Several junior scribes working in the back had already been watching the scene with interest. When Zhou Jinrong spoke, they exchanged knowing glances.

The aristocratic families in the court were too obvious in their exclusion of outsiders. Although Jiang Qingshi had achieved the rank of Tanhua, his humble background meant he had no foundation or connections. These high-ranking officials had long formed a tight-knit circle and naturally looked down on him. They maintained only superficial courtesy toward him, without even bothering to pretend otherwise.

Just after entering the Hanlin Academy, he was assigned this task—unlike compiling historical records from previous dynasties, these were contemporary documents. When earlier compilers encountered situations they didn’t know how to handle, they often resorted to vague and evasive language, which was quite common. Unless the Emperor specifically requested them, such backlogged documents were rarely touched. Now Jiang Qingshi was sent into that dilapidated building. Being a poor student, even with some talent for scholarship, he was certainly clueless about court affairs. With no one to guide him, if he stubbornly buried himself in those old records, by the time he sorted things out, he would likely have fallen far behind his colleagues who entered the Hanlin Academy with him.

What did it matter if he had earned the Tanhua rank? In the end, he might not even fare as well as the Shujishi who placed lower in the exams but were ultimately selected. Though their official ranks might be lower, if they worked steadily under their superiors, they would still have opportunities to advance.

As for Jiang Tanhua… his journey had been too flamboyant. The Hanlin Academy might appear to be a noble and pure institution, but in reality, political struggles within it were fierce. It was no surprise he was being maliciously targeted.

Jiang Qingshi lifted his gaze, taking in the lifeless old building, the hypocritical smile on Zhou Jinrong’s lips, and the sympathetic looks around him.

His expression remained unreadable as he gave a slight bow, his voice clear and calm: “This official accepts the assignment.”

Zhou Jinrong had expected Jiang Qingshi to refuse abruptly and had even prepared responses for such objections. Zhou Jinrong wasn’t particularly capable—over the years, he had merely honed the skill of telling people what they wanted to hear. By flattering others and following their lead, he had managed to climb the ranks, which was why his superiors had assigned him to deal with Jiang Qingshi today.

This was Zhou Jinrong’s area of expertise, and he wouldn’t miss the chance to both trouble someone and curry favor with his superiors. He thought this country bumpkin would argue with him, but to his surprise, Jiang Qingshi accepted so readily!