Chapter 50: Officialdom
“Then I’ll join you.”

What a country bumpkin with no vision, completely unaware of the severity of this situation! He’ll surely regret this in the future!

They’re all acting as if facing a formidable enemy, truly making a mountain out of a molehill! Judging by his ignorant appearance, he probably got here solely through rote learning and will certainly achieve nothing in official circles.

Jiang Qingshi took the rusted bronze keys and turned to walk step by step toward the old building that stood particularly isolated in the light and shadow.

Without looking back, he could feel Zhou Jinrong’s gleeful gaze, and he could even hear the little tune humming from Zhou Jinrong’s mouth…

The building was dimly lit, with the smell of dust mixed with the stench of aged ink and moldy paper assaulting his senses, almost suffocating him.

Wherever he looked, there were mountains of disorderly piled documents, record books, and loose pages, some already moth-eaten and rodent-gnawed, yellowed and fragmented, covered with a thick layer of dust.

Jiang Qingshi stood amidst the dust in silence for a moment. He reached out, his fingertips brushing over a stack of scattered files, immediately leaving clear fingerprints behind.

He surveyed his surroundings, then walked to the window and pushed it open with force.

“Creak—”

Years of accumulated dust rustled down as daylight suddenly poured in from outside, illuminating countless swirling dust particles dancing in the air.

But if they thought this alone could defeat him, they were sorely underestimating Jiang Qingshi.

Having sorted out his thoughts, Jiang Qingshi removed his outer robe and began immersing himself in work at the desk…

Just like during his study days when he would shut out all external affairs, he remained equally focused while organizing documents. If not for two crisp knuckle raps on the desk, Jiang Qingshi wouldn’t have belatedly lifted his head.

He saw Xie Qinghe standing before the desk in a blue official robe, his face sour. The official robe added a touch of solemnity and steadiness to his cool features. Gone was his usual plain attire – the official robe made his facial features appear deeper and more composed, diminishing some of his youthful air.

He noticed Xie Qinghe covering his nose with both hands, clearly unable to bear the dust inside.

“Rongyu, why have you come?” Jiang Qingshi looked at Xie Qinghe in surprise. “This place is filthy. You’ve had poor health since childhood – you shouldn’t stay here.”

Xie Qinghe looked momentarily stunned: “How did you know about my childhood health problems?”

“Since we’ve become friends, it’s only natural I’d learn about your circumstances,” Jiang Qingshi replied. “I know you suffered from a coughing illness as a child. That condition can’t tolerate environments like this. You should leave quickly.”

“I’m perfectly fine now.” Speaking of childhood matters made Xie Qinghe’s expression somewhat awkward. He still covered his mouth and nose, but his eyes looked somewhat uncomfortably toward the window. “Though my health isn’t strong, my Xie family comes from a military lineage. I’m not that delicate.”

Jiang Qingshi, being several years older than Xie Qinghe and already married with children for years, now viewed Xie Qinghe like an elder brother looking at a younger brother. He estimated half a day had passed, and the first person to show concern for him turned out to be this tsundere Young Marquis.

“I know you mean well, but I’ve endured hardships since childhood. This is nothing to me.”

Recalling the drafty, crumbling house he used to share with Guilan and the others, Jiang Qingshi found his current surroundings hardly worth complaining about. At least here, he was sheltered from wind and rain. As for hardship… he had endured plenty during his dedicated studies and had long grown accustomed to adversity.

“That Zhou Jinrong is nothing but a bootlicking lackey,” Xie Qinghe remarked bluntly. “He’s clearly trying to make things difficult for you. Can’t you see that?”

“Of course I can see it. Though I may be somewhat bookish, I’m not completely foolish. But I have no foundation here, and I’ve only just entered the Hanlin Academy.” Jiang Qingshi smiled wryly. “I’m in no position to choose my tasks. Rongyu, I know you mean well and want to help me. I consider you a true friend, but even so, I cannot rely on you. I wish to establish my footing at court through my own abilities.”

Seeing the earnest determination in Jiang Qingshi’s eyes, Xie Qinghe swallowed the word “fool” that had been on the tip of his tongue.

“Then I’ll work with you.”

Xie Qinghe initially meant to sit down, but after glancing at the dust-covered stool, he ultimately decided against planting himself there.

“Anyway, it’s my first day at the Hanlin Academy too. Probably because they want to curry favor with me, they haven’t assigned me any tasks—just told me to wander around and familiarize myself with the place. Perfect timing for me to find some work on my own.”

Jiang Qingshi nearly refused, but seeing Xie Qinghe’s expression, he held back his words. Though they had only met twice, he could already tell Xie Qinghe was stubborn by nature. Such a person wouldn’t make decisions lightly, but once made, wouldn’t change them easily, nor would he readily offer genuine friendship. If Jiang Qingshi rejected him now, it would truly wound Xie Qinghe’s feelings.

Jiang Qingshi already felt protective of Xie Qinghe as if he were a younger brother, and he didn’t want to see this “brother” distressed.

“Alright,” Jiang Qingshi said with a gentle smile. “Since you’re willing to help, I won’t decline.”

When Jiang Qingshi smiled, springtime seemed to bloom at the corners of his eyes and brows, making his already handsome features radiate with even greater warmth. His beauty held a hint of enchantment, particularly striking against the backdrop of dust and decay, as if he were a deity descended to save this grimy world.

Even Xie Qinghe, a man himself, was momentarily stunned. He awkwardly turned his face away. No wonder everyone at the Hanlin Academy was jealous of Jiang Qingshi’s looks—he was truly exquisite! How could those bald, spotted, pot-bellied old bureaucrats not be envious?

“Jiang Qingshi, you’re so refined in appearance, yet you have no fastidiousness about you,” Xie Qinghe finally burst out, unable to hold back. “How can you stand being in such a filthy place for nearly a day without cleaning it up?”

Jiang Qingshi scratched his head and smiled sheepishly. “Is it that bad? I thought it was fine… Rongyu, to be honest, though my family was poor, I was fortunate to marry a wonderful wife. She kept our home perfectly tidy, and I never had to do these chores… I’m ashamed to say she shouldered too much labor over the years…”

“You’re the one who’s never lifted a finger, like a pampered young master,” Xie Qinghe said, exasperated. “Wait here. I’ll have my family servants come and clean this place up immediately.”

Jiang Qingshi felt somewhat uneasy and was about to advise Xie Qinghe when Xie Qinghe anticipated his thoughts: “Rest assured, I will select someone trustworthy. The Hanlin Academy is a restricted area where ordinary people are not permitted to enter. I am naturally aware of this.”

Only then did Jiang Qingshi feel relieved, nodding as he said: “Rongyu has considered everything thoroughly. I underestimated you.”

When Xie Qinghe directed the servants to completely refresh the study, he discovered Jiang Qingshi had already been bent over the desk studying the chaotic documents for a long time.

Dust motes dancing through the air passed before the man’s tranquil features. Though he remained silent, he formed a picture of flourishing vitality within the space. Despite Xie Qinghe’s instructions, the cleaning still created considerable commotion, yet none of it disturbed Jiang Qingshi in the slightest. To Xie Qinghe’s astonishment, he noticed a thick stack of documents had accumulated before Jiang Qingshi – all materials he had just reviewed.

“You’ve finished reading all these?”

Jiang Qingshi glanced up at Xie Qinghe before gesturing downward: “I’ve finished these below as well.”

Xie Qinghe eagerly peered under the desk to see another substantial pile of documents. His typically composed expression finally cracked: “All… all of these? Nian Chen, you couldn’t have just skimmed through without making any corrections…”

“I’ve revised them all with the vermilion pen,” Jiang Qingshi replied without looking up, continuing to flip through pages rapidly. “There are many logical flaws, obvious ones at that. One wonders if the previous compilers had paste for brains.”

Xie Qinghe was utterly amazed, watching Jiang Qingshi’s flying brush movements. He had originally come to assist Jiang Qingshi, but seeing the current situation, he found himself completely unable to contribute.

Always somewhat proud of his own talents and coming from an affluent family with high standards, this was the first time he experienced the feeling… that he was only fit for cleaning duties?

Well… he couldn’t help feeling somewhat displeased.

After observing for a while, Xie Qinghe realized Jiang Qingshi wasn’t merely browsing casually – his reading speed was extraordinarily fast, almost as if he could take in ten lines at a glance.

Though Xie Qinghe had long known Jiang Qingshi was exceptionally intelligent, he never imagined his capabilities would be this outstanding. Despite understanding he shouldn’t disturb Jiang Qingshi at this moment, seeing his focused demeanor, he couldn’t resist asking: “Nian Chen, this concerns our dynasty’s history, which has always been highly sensitive. Zhou Jinrong dug this pit for you, clearly with malicious intent. If you’re unfamiliar with this period of our history, perhaps you shouldn’t make rash revisions…”

“Our dynasty is merely decades old. I’ve read relevant historical texts at Wei Fengling’s residence. Though not in exhaustive detail, I can still identify certain errors.” Jiang Qingshi continued flipping through documents swiftly. “Rongyu, you needn’t worry about me. Though I may indeed be somewhat foolish, I’m not completely ignorant about these matters. I can discern certain aspects of official affairs.”

Hearing this, Xie Qinghe suddenly felt enlightened. Spreading his official robe, he slowly sat down, experiencing a rare sense of expansive tranquility within.

“Very well, then let us see how far we can take this.”

At night, as the lanterns in the Hanlin Academy gradually dimmed, only this particular attic remained brightly lit, often staying illuminated until late hours. Jiang Qingshi lit a candle, its flame stretching his slender figure into a long shadow cast upon the mountain-like stacks of documents.

Xie Qinghe had already returned to rest. Though Xie Qinghe had the will to endure hardship, he was after all a Young Marquis accustomed to a life of luxury since childhood—by the hour of Hai (9-11 PM), he simply couldn’t stay awake any longer… At this time, he would normally have long been attended to by servants and fast asleep.

Seeing Xie Qinghe struggling to keep his eyes open, Jiang Qingshi took the initiative to send him away. At first, Xie Qinghe refused to leave, but when Jiang Qingshi explained that excessive fatigue could lead to mistakes and promised to leave shortly himself, Xie Qinghe finally departed.

Jiang Qingshi, however, was different. Having endured hardships since childhood, he found sitting in this attic—sheltered from wind and rain—more comfortable than the arduous years of his past studies. Moreover, Jiang Qingshi possessed an innate fervor for official duties. Even if this task was assigned by a superior to trouble him, he saw it as an opportunity to contribute to the dynasty by exhaustively checking for omissions, filling gaps, and correcting errors.

When hungry, Jiang Qingshi would take a few bites of the steamed cake he brought along; when thirsty, he drank cold tea to refresh his mind. His eyes—more captivating than a woman’s with their deep, elongated shape—were now slightly reddened, yet they devoured decades of records at an astonishing speed. His mind raced, sorting and revising information.

As the moon passed its zenith, the Hanlin Academy fell into complete silence, save for the chirping of insects. In the old attic, a single candle burned brightly—this was the dream Jiang Qingshi had waited years to fulfill.

The next day, just as dawn began to break, Xie Qinghe arrived at the old attic with dew still fresh underfoot, his eyes still bleary with sleep. The usually disciplined Young Marquis had risen unusually early, driven by a competitive spirit after being sent away by Jiang Qingshi the previous day. He was determined to arrive earlier than Jiang Qingshi today, so that his status as the top scholar wouldn’t be overshadowed.

Yawning, Xie Qinghe pushed open the door to the old attic, but the scene that greeted him left him stunned.

In the dimly lit room, a single candle flickered. Jiang Qingshi sat behind a cleanly wiped wooden desk, bent over and writing rapidly. He had removed his official robe, wearing only a simple cotton undergarment, his sleeves slightly stained with ink. Though weariness showed on his face, his eyes remained clear and bright.

“Nian Chen, you didn’t stay up all night, did you?” Xie Qinghe asked in disbelief. “You clearly said you’d leave soon!”

Jiang Qingshi looked up, his face—more beautiful than a woman’s—now shadowed by faint dark circles under his eyes. Yet this did nothing to diminish his handsome features; instead, it lent him a fragile, porcelain-like delicacy and the weary elegance of a scholar with ink-stained sleeves.

“What time is it? Has it really been all night?” Jiang Qingshi seemed unaware, offering Xie Qinghe an innocent smile. “Rongyu, I didn’t mean to deceive you. I truly intended to rest at the desk for a while, but before I knew it, it was already morning… The night passed so quickly.”

Xie Qinghe’s mind replayed the scene: Jiang Qingshi alone in the cold, secluded attic, a single candle burning like a bean of light, the world outside pitch black, the night wind rustling through the old paper windows. In such circumstances, could the night really have passed “so quickly”?

Xie Qinghe now began to wonder what exactly filled the mind of this newly appointed Tanhua…

Indeed, someone who could overcome all obstacles and attain the rank of Tanhua in less than three years was certainly no ordinary individual. Xie Qinghe now firmly believed that if Jiang Qingshi had studied for just one more year—no, not even a full year, merely three months!—the title of Zhuangyuan would undoubtedly have been Jiang Qingshi’s.

He had never seen anyone as diligent as Jiang Qingshi.

Xie Qinghe silently glanced at the thick stack of documents Jiang Qingshi had completed and had learned to keep his thoughts to himself. No matter how peculiar the circumstances surrounding this person, he would no longer be surprised.

Quietly sitting to the side, Xie Qinghe spread out a pile of documents. He was truly impressed by Jiang Qingshi, but he couldn’t afford to fall behind. Entering the official arena and encountering such a colleague was nothing short of a motivation for him.

Thus, the two kept each other company, and before they knew it, three days had passed.

Jiang Qingshi closed the final stack of documents and instinctively stretched. He turned to Xie Qinghe, intending to say something to celebrate with him, but the moment he caught sight of Xie Qinghe, he was thoroughly startled.

Xie Qinghe’s robes were disheveled, his expression weary, with two large dark circles under his eyes—gone was the elegant and refined demeanor of the Young Marquis he once embodied.