Assessment of the Ministry of Personnel

Zheng Shanci took off his straw hat, revealing a handsome face. Yu Lanyi was a bit taken aback seeing this familiar face. How could it be Zheng Shanci?!

“Three.”

Yu Lanyi stared at Zheng Shanci, only then realizing that Zheng Shanci was answering his question.

Zheng Shanci said, “One for steaming, one for braising, and one I haven’t decided yet.”

Yu Lanyi: “…”

Yu Lanyi felt both angry and unable to move his feet. He stood silently to the side, and since he didn’t speak, Zheng Shanci continued fishing on his own.

There was a rustling sound nearby, and Yu Lanyi sat on the grass, clearing his throat. “Why are you fishing in the suburbs?”

“For food.”

What a disinterested answer.

Yu Lanyi lost interest in talking to Zheng Shanci. He sat on the grass without moving, and Zheng Shanci didn’t try to start a conversation either. Normally, this would make things awkward, but since Zheng Shanci was naturally quiet while fishing, the atmosphere between them wasn’t awkward at all; it was rather peaceful.

Yu Lanyi rarely quieted down like this.

He allowed himself to slowly lie down, resting on the grass. The fresh scent of grass was close to his nose, and the sounds of insects and birds were clearer. Yu Lanyi turned to look at Zheng Shanci.

Zheng Shanci sat on the grass with his legs bent, his straw hat placed to the side, his features relaxed.

Everything around was quiet.

A horse, having quenched its thirst, trotted over, nudging Yu Lanyi’s face with its neck. Yu Lanyi dodged and slapped the horse’s neck.

“Filthy.”

The black horse lowered its head in grievance, looking at Zheng Shanci with its eyes.

Zheng Shanci was focused on fishing when suddenly there was a clattering sound from the bucket. He saw out of the corner of his eye that the horse had stuck its head into the bucket, messing with the three fish.

The horse seemed smart enough to sense danger and trotted away.

Zheng Shanci: “…”

Yu Lanyi glanced over. “They’re still alive.”

Barely.

Zheng Shanci almost laughed in exasperation. “Keep your horse in check.”

“It’s just three fish. Can’t I compensate you?” Yu Lanyi pulled out ten coins from his pocket, his face flushed, making him look even more striking.

“I’ll pay you back,” Yu Lanyi said loudly. “It’s not like I’m broke. I just got out of confinement and haven’t asked my dad and father, or my brother for money yet. I have a lot of monthly allowance.”

Zheng Shanci already knew Yu Lanyi had been confined. Before he could say anything, Yu Lanyi tossed the ten coins into his sleeve. It was a pretty accurate throw.

It even formed a parabola.

He stood up angrily, not planning to pay any more attention to Zheng Shanci. This stingy guy, he looked just like the heartless man from a play.

Such a temper.

Plop—

The heavens weren’t kind, and Yu Lanyi felt a wetness on his head as the rain started pouring down.

Zheng Shanci quickly packed up his fishing rod, grabbed his bucket, and looked for a place to take shelter from the rain.

Yu Lanyi was at a loss. He looked at the river, now a blur, and saw his horse. Riding it now would only get him soaked.

“Aren’t you going to find shelter?” Zheng Shanci saw Yu Lanyi still standing there dumbly and pulled him by the sleeve, running east. He remembered there was a pavilion not far away where they could take shelter.

Yu Lanyi instinctively followed for a few steps. The rain blurred the path, and raindrops ran down his head, cheeks, and chin, splashing onto the ground. His steps were muddy, and he thought his boots were getting soaked.

His hair was a mess, and he looked like a drenched chicken.

Zheng Shanci took off his straw hat and put it on Yu Lanyi’s head. He didn’t mind getting wet himself, but if Yu Lanyi got into trouble with him, the Changyang Marquis Mansion wouldn’t be easy to deal with.

He searched for the path in the rain and finally saw the faint outline of the pavilion. His eyes lit up, and he pulled Yu Lanyi’s sleeve, rushing forward.

“We’re almost there.”

Yu Lanyi’s vision went dark as the straw hat covered his head, shielding him from the wind and rain.

He followed behind Zheng Shanci, who only held his sleeve, not his hand, even in urgency. Yu Lanyi blinked, looking up at Zheng Shanci’s broad back.

Raindrops hit the straw hat with a pitter-patter, and the sound of their footsteps mixed with the rustling of the grass and the splashing of water. The rain soaked through their robes, and the outline of Zheng Shanci’s back muscles was faintly visible.

His grip was firm and unyielding.

A slight blush gradually spread across Yu Lanyi’s face.

Once they reached the pavilion, Zheng Shanci let go of Yu Lanyi’s hand. He placed the bucket inside and lifted his robe to wring out the water, which poured out in streams.

Yu Lanyi found a spot to sit down. He took off the straw hat and, seeing Zheng Shanci lift his robe, averted his gaze, unable to be as bold as Zheng Shanci.

After all, he was a Ge’er.

Zheng Shanci saw that the rain wouldn’t stop anytime soon. He wrung out his clothes repeatedly, which helped a bit. Without a fire starter, they could only wait in the pavilion for the rain to pass.

He said, “You should wring out your clothes too, to avoid catching a cold. It’s not a cure, but it’s better than doing nothing.”

“How am I supposed to wring out the water!” Yu Lanyi felt uncomfortable at the thought of wringing out his clothes under a man’s gaze.

Zheng Shanci: “I’ll turn around.”

Only then did Yu Lanyi wring out the water from his clothes. He was wearing riding attire, not a long robe, which was somewhat better. He also took off his boots, which were half-filled with water.

“…Done.”

Zheng Shanci turned around, and Yu Lanyi sat to the side, looking like he didn’t want to talk.

“Once the rain stops, the people from the stables will come looking for me. You can rest at the stables for a while and leave when the rain lets up.”

“Thanks.”

Yu Lanyi’s lips curled slightly, and he raised his chin proudly. “At least you know what’s good for you.”

Zheng Shanci looked at Yu Lanyi’s face and then looked away. This person was both annoying and arrogant, yet he had a face as beautiful as a peach blossom. Luckily, he was straight and not interested in men.

To him, Yu Lanyi was just another guy.

Lü Jin indeed brought people from the stables to find Yu Lanyi. Yu Lanyi was skilled in horseback riding, and Lü Jin couldn’t keep up. With the rain, he returned to the stables to get help. The people at the stables were worried when they couldn’t find Yu Lanyi in the rain. Everyone knew that the Changyang Marquis Mansion doted on Yu Lanyi, and if anything happened to him at the stables, they would be in big trouble.

The people from the stables took Yu Lanyi and Zheng Shanci back.

Someone brewed ginger soup, and Yu Lanyi, Lü Jin, and Zheng Shanci each had a bowl.

The owner of the stables handed Zheng Shanci a set of new clothes, smiling warmly. “My wife made these for me, but I haven’t worn them yet. Young man, you can wear them for now.”

Zheng Shanci wasn’t fussy and put on the clean clothes. In ancient times, medical skills weren’t as advanced as today, and even a small cold could be deadly. Zheng Shanci valued his life.

A maid brought over a warming stove, curtsied gracefully, and spoke softly, “My young master noticed you got wet in the rain and might be cold. This warming stove will help warm you up.”

Zheng Shanci quickly said, “Please thank your young master for me.”

The maid, with a lovely face and a smile in her eyes, replied, “No need to be so polite. My young master and Young Master Yu have been close friends since childhood. I have other tasks to attend to, so I’ll take my leave.”

As the maid returned to the courtyard, she heard Lü Jin teasing Yu Lanyi, “How did you two end up meeting? I took a peek, and he’s quite handsome and capable. His status might be low, but who knows what the future holds? With the Marquis Mansion and your brother, what are you afraid of?”

Yu Lanyi’s voice was filled with annoyance, “I have no fate with him! We were forced together.”

Lü Jin said, “If you don’t want to hear it, I won’t say it. Be a good Ge’er and drink the ginger soup. We’ll head back once the rain stops.”

Yu Lanyi responded, frowning as he finished the ginger soup.

When the rain subsided a bit, Lü Jin had the people from the stables find a carriage. Yu Lanyi also changed into a new robe. He often visited the stables and kept his clothes there.

He got into the carriage, planning to go home and have the family physician check him, just in case he caught a cold.

Lü Jin said, “Go see if Mr. Zheng is still here. There’s another carriage ready.”

The maid quickly returned, saying, “Young Master, Mr. Zheng has already left. He borrowed an umbrella from the stables and left on his own when the rain let up.”

“Let’s get on the carriage then.”

Lü Jin got into the carriage, and Yu Lanyi heard what Lü Jin said outside. He thought about how Zheng Shanci left on his own without even saying goodbye, and it made him feel a bit uncomfortable.

The coachman drove the carriage, leaving tracks on the ground as they headed back to the Capital City.

…

Zheng Shanci couldn’t appear with Yu Lanyi, or there would be even more gossip. He left first, asking the owner of the stables not to tell them, to avoid disturbing them.

After that, Zheng Shanci solved his food problem and didn’t go out again. Fortunately, he didn’t catch a cold after getting wet, and his health was fine. On the day of the Ministry of Personnel’s assessment, he dressed in a long robe and went out.

The Ministry of Personnel was in the Imperial City, and there were five other competitors, all from humble backgrounds.

When Zheng Shanci arrived, the other five candidates were already there. They glanced at Zheng Shanci, their eyes flickering with resentment. Zheng Shanci had connections with the Changyang Marquis Mansion, yet he was here to compete for the small position of Xinfeng County Magistrate.

“Brother Zheng, I’m Fang Jue. Technically, you shouldn’t be participating in this Ministry of Personnel assessment, right? Or have you already heard some insider information?” A scholarly man approached and asked softly.

He had a good posture, but his words were full of malicious insinuations.

Zheng Shanci calmly cupped his hands, “The officials of the Ministry of Personnel gave me a token, indicating that I meet the criteria for this selection. Also, Brother Fang, I don’t know any insider information. The Ministry of Personnel is a place for selecting talents for Da Yan. Are you suggesting that the officials of the Ministry of Personnel are colluding with me? Which official are you suspecting? Speak up, and we can verify it, so both I and that official can give you an explanation.”

Fang Jue’s face stiffened, and he flicked his sleeve, “Brother Zheng, it was just a joke.”

Zheng Shanci replied, “I was just joking too.”

In the officialdom, if you show weakness in a confrontation, others will see you as an easy target. Zheng Shanci was not an easy target; he was a tough one.

Having been at home reading and writing with a heavy heart, Fang Jue’s provocation was like hitting a nerve, and Zheng Shanci had no choice but to sharpen his metaphorical knife.

The Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel presided over the assessment, and Minister Lü asked them to take their seats.

“This time, the topic is to write an essay on local agriculture.”

An old tradition of the court, focusing on agriculture.

Zheng Shanci raised an eyebrow, spread out the rice paper, and began writing with a prepared mind.

“Fan Chi asked about farming, and Confucius said: I am not as good as an old farmer. Please learn to be a gardener…” Zheng Shanci started with the agricultural views from the Analects to introduce his understanding of agriculture, then shifted to the three agricultural issues.

“There are three aspects to agriculture: one is rural areas, the second is agriculture, and the third is farmers. Farmers differ in value, time span, and regional span… The five grains are the life of the people and the foundation of the nation.”