Chapter 52: Championing Justice
It seems he’s destined to live off his wife’s success for life…

“His capabilities are truly remarkable. He just took office and already managed to resolve those long-pending cases accumulated over the years.” Emperor Jingrui’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “Moreover, he comes from a clean background, not from any influential family. This is exactly the kind of person I need.”

“Currently, the court is dominated by powerful families, with Chen Yanfeng leading the pack—a rather domineering group.” Wang Xiuwen sighed. “Your Majesty is young and ambitious, yet implementing reforms has been fraught with challenges. As your humble servant, I understand Your Majesty’s intentions. Jiang Qingshi indeed presents an excellent opportunity.”

“The Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet should have been my mentor.” A cold glint flashed in Emperor Jingrui’s eyes. “The Great Liang Dynasty has only been established for a few decades, and from the start, power was concentrated in their hands. Now, decades later, their influence has only grown. The founding emperor deliberately emphasized civil officials over military ones, fearing the latter might become too powerful, but this only fueled the arrogance of these civil officials. Chen Yanfeng’s nephew, Chen Qi, is mediocre at best. Chen Yanfeng has exerted tremendous effort over the years, solely to pave Chen Qi’s Road to Imperial Examination, aiming for him to legitimately enter the Inner Cabinet someday. Chen Yanfeng is only in his forties now. If the Inner Cabinet falls under the control of him and his nephew in the future, I will have even less say in many matters.”

“Your Majesty, I am already deeply honored to serve by your side. There is no need for Your Majesty to regret this on my account,” Wang Xiuwen said. “So, does Your Majesty intend to recruit talents like Jiang Qingshi?”

“At present, Jiang Qingshi appears to be a sharp blade. I hope he can be of use to me.”

Lin Guilan and Jiang Zhimiao were naturally unaware of the complexities within officialdom. Jiang Qingshi had always shared only good news, never the troubles, so they believed his career was progressing smoothly.

However, Jiang Zhimiao could tell from the faint dark circles under her father’s eyes that things were not as simple as they seemed.

Her father’s expression had grown noticeably more solemn, his entire body tense like a drawn bowstring, a far cry from the relaxed demeanor he had in Jiangping County.

Perhaps this was the inevitable cost of climbing higher.

The road ahead was long, and her father had a heavy burden to bear.

Meanwhile, Lin Guilan successfully opened a shop in Jingshi, determined to establish the reputation of Lin’s Brand.

Even back in Jiangping County, her business had already flourished. She had expanded by opening branches in two neighboring counties, attracting a steady stream of customers. With her constant introduction of new products, the latest releases from Lin’s Brand had become the talk of the entire Linzhou city.

On her way to Jingshi, Lin Guilan had been conflicted. She thought to herself that she was now the wife of an official, and since ancient times, merchants had been looked down upon. If she continued her business, wouldn’t she be bringing shame to her husband?

But then she recalled the heartfelt conversation she had with her husband. He had always encouraged her to pursue her passions. Although their family’s financial situation had improved and they no longer had to scrimp and save as before, Lin Guilan was accustomed to hard work and felt uneasy with idleness.

When people remain idle for too long, they grow lazy—a fate Lin Guilan had no intention of accepting.

In the end, she decided to stay true to herself. Since her husband had given her the confidence, there was no need to hold back. She would bravely be herself.

Lin Guilan had originally thought the capital would be a prosperous place where peace and order prevailed. To her surprise, on their very first day in Jingshi, she witnessed a street hooligan harassing a young woman on the street. Without caring about the ruffian’s background, Lin Guilan immediately stepped in to defend the girl. The young woman expressed endless gratitude, while the bully begged for mercy after being thoroughly beaten.

Jiang Zhimiao watched from the sidelines as his mother started making her mark right after entering the capital, feeling as if he had stumbled into a thrilling novel where his mother was the protagonist. However, Lin Guilan broke into a cold sweat after the fight—this was the capital after all! They said every ten steps in Jingshi would bring you face-to-face with nobility. For this man to dare harass a woman openly on the streets, he must have powerful connections. Having been in business for years, Lin Guilan had learned to read people. Judging by the man’s expensive clothing, she realized she might have caused trouble for her husband…

Though her husband wouldn’t blame her, she still felt deeply guilty…

Yet seeing the young woman’s tearful gratitude, her face wet with tears like pear blossoms in the rain, Lin Guilan knew she would do the same if given another chance.

After comforting the frightened girl, who said she had been separated from her family, Lin Guilan personally escorted her home.

Having done this good deed, Lin Guilan felt thoroughly satisfied. Though uncertain what consequences it might bring, she decided excessive worry was pointless.

When she told Jiang Qingshi about the incident, he supported her completely, just as expected.

“My dear, do what you think is right.”

Jiang Qingshi looked somewhat weary. Since that incident, the Hanlin Academy had been assigning him increasingly more tasks. Despite being only a Seventh-Rank Compiler, he was busier than even Xie Qinghe, who held the higher position of Sixth-Rank Editor.

“Our family situation keeps improving. If you become more cautious than before because of this, then my Road to Imperial Examination would be meaningless. While it’s my dream, I’m doing this to provide a better life for you and Miao Ge’er. If it instead makes you uncomfortable, we might as well return to farming.”

Lin Guilan had anticipated Jiang Qingshi’s response, but hearing it still made her heart flutter anew.

Seeing her husband’s exhausted expression, Lin Guilan understood that his early official career was undoubtedly challenging. She resolved to prepare more nourishing meals for him—he looked far too frail now.

Contrary to Lin Guilan’s worries, the young woman’s family arrived the next day with generous gifts to express their gratitude. Only then did Lin Guilan learn that the girl she had helped was named Song Yunyue, granddaughter of the Duke of Yingguo.

The Duke of Yingguo was a founding hero of the dynasty. Though advanced in years, he remained vigorous, with his sons serving in court. Song Yunyue’s father held the position of Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. The man who had harassed her on the street was Rong Yi, the sole heir of the Earl of Yongning. Though the Rong family held a noble title, it represented their last vestige of dignity. While some family members served as officials, none held high ranks—the highest being the Earl of Yongning himself, who served in the Ministry of Revenue. The Rong family had been engaging in corruption for years while failing to discipline their younger generation, thus indulging Rong Yi’s outrageous arrogance.

As soon as this incident occurred, Song Yunyue’s father immediately submitted a severe impeachment against the Earl of Yongning, accusing him not only of harassing respectable women but also of years of favoritism and embezzlement from the Ministry of Revenue. Emperor Jingrui, being far from incompetent, promptly ordered a thorough investigation into the Earl’s household. Song Chao, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, specifically mentioned Lin Guilan’s name, praising the wife of Tanhua Jiang for her chivalrous spirit in rescuing his daughter from peril.

Thanks to his wife, Jiang Qingshi received imperial praise in court for the first time—something even he found unbelievable.

He had relied on his wife’s support back in Jiangping County, but he never expected to still be benefiting from her influence after arriving in the capital.

Well… it seemed this was a dependency he was destined to maintain for life.

From that day onward, Song Yunyue clung to Lin Guilan like a shadow. Though Lin Guilan was seven or eight years her senior, Song Yunyue had already regarded her as both a confidante and an elder sister. While Lin Guilan busied herself with opening a shop, Song Yunyue tirelessly assisted her. Lin Guilan worried how a young lady of noble birth could handle such tasks, but whenever she suggested Song Yunyue rest, the girl’s eyes would well up with tears, making Lin Guilan feel like a heartless scoundrel abandoning an innocent maiden.

Jiang Qingshi was astonished upon learning this. Having served as an official for some time, he was aware of court gossip. He’d heard that the granddaughter of the Duke of Yingguo was notorious for her spoiled temperament—so much so that despite her prestigious family background, no one dared propose marriage as she approached marrying age.

“Miss Song is just sensitive and fragile from losing her mother. She’s nothing like the rumors suggest,” Lin Guilan blurted out. “She’s actually very easy to get along with. It’s just that the men in her family are always occupied with their duties, paying no attention to her inner thoughts. That day, she deliberately dressed plainly and went out alone without her servants, hoping to experience the market like any ordinary girl. Unfortunately, she encountered that ruffian Rong Yi. Seeing her humble attire, he mistook her for a commoner. Young Miss Song had never faced such situations before. The bystanders, noticing Rong Yi’s luxurious clothing, didn’t dare intervene. And Rong Yi, being bold by nature, wouldn’t have believed her even if she revealed her identity.”

Jiang Qingshi and Jiang Zhimiao listened nearby, both surprised. They had assumed Lin Guilan’s straightforward nature would prevent her from perceiving such subtleties, yet within just a few days, she had seen right through Song Yunyue.

Moreover, Lin Guilan had appeared at Song Yunyue’s most helpless moment—to the young girl, she was nothing less than a deity descending from heaven.

Not only was Lin Guilan growing rapidly herself, but she had now begun redeeming others as well.

Jiang Qingshi and Jiang Zhimiao fell silent. In that moment, father and son reached a silent understanding: anything they might say would be superfluous. Lin Guilan was meant to shine on her own.

Since then, Song Yunyue had been following Lin Guilan everywhere. The Duke of Yingguo’s household was aware of this situation. Ever since Song Yunyue started associating with Lin Guilan, her temperament had become much more cheerful, and she no longer threw inexplicable tantrums at home. The Duke of Yingguo’s family had always been predominantly male, and in this generation, Song Yunyue was the only girl. She had lost her mother at a young age, and Song Chao never remarried, leaving household affairs to a rather dutiful concubine. However, the concubine’s status was ultimately inferior to Song Yunyue’s, so she only dared not to shortchange Yunyue in terms of food and clothing, never overstepping her bounds.

As time passed, Song Yunyue grew increasingly withdrawn and ceased interacting with other young ladies from noble families. This was especially true after she accidentally overheard them gossiping about her behind her back. She became unwilling to trust anyone, shutting herself in her room all day, dismissing all her servants. No one knew what she did inside.

Now that she was willing to take the initiative to befriend Lin Guilan, the Duke of Yingguo was greatly relieved. Particularly after hearing that Lin Guilan was skilled in martial arts, he even followed Song Yunyue over, insisting on teaching Guilan a few moves.

Lin Guilan had always been fond of martial arts, and the Duke of Yingguo was a renowned general of the Great Liang Dynasty who had helped the founding emperor secure the empire. Guilan immediately sought guidance from the Duke. As a woman, she naturally couldn’t gain much advantage against the Duke and ended up covered in bruises from falls. However, this ignited the Duke’s enthusiasm—he declared Lin Guilan a martial arts prodigy and insisted on taking her as his disciple.

He even tried to persuade Lin Guilan to close her shop and focus on training with him, suggesting she should go to the battlefield someday to live up to her martial talent. Lin Guilan found this both amusing and exasperating.

Watching from the side, Song Yunyue smiled. In her eyes, her grandfather had always been a stern man. Growing up, she had barely spoken to him. Although he rarely scolded her, his perpetually stern expression made her instinctively want to avoid him.

She never expected her grandfather to have this playful, childlike side.

For the first time, grandfather and granddaughter reached a reconciliation. They sat together, chatting and laughing all afternoon. Song Yunyue felt as though she was truly understanding her grandfather for the first time.

It wasn’t that family wasn’t as good as imagined—it was just that everyone had been rushing forward, hesitant to get too close, never thinking to pause and appreciate those closest to them.

As everyone gradually found their footing, Jiang Zhimiao naturally couldn’t fall behind.

With a father who placed such importance on education and a mother who obediently followed his every word…

Thus, Jiang Zhimiao and his aunt’s two children arrived in Jingshi with the primary task of quickly finding a school to attend!

Originally, this matter would have taken some time to arrange, but unexpectedly, at this critical moment, fate intervened—his mother coincidentally saved the Duke of Yingguo’s granddaughter… and a few days later, they learned Song Yunyue’s identity.