Chapter 3, Female Master

Tang Feilong

You come from an extraordinary background, having been free from worries about food and clothing since childhood. It is destined that you will hold a high position among men, enjoying a lifetime of glory and wealth, and bringing prosperity to your descendants. Oh, by the way, you will later marry a wife who will greatly benefit your fortune, and then you will have many children and grandchildren

Tang Tianyuan : `` ... ... ''

He believes that the Emperor must have done it intentionally. The Emperor had long anticipated that he would harbor resentment towards him, so he deliberately chose such a name to vex him.

Indeed, what lay before him was a confidential decree

Tan Lingyin entered, respectfully saluting Tang Tianyuan, who was seated, and said, "I am Tan Lingyin, a humble woman, and I have come to pay my respects to you, sir"

The two constables were somewhat at a loss; they came forward to seize Tan Lingyin's arms, intending to take her away. Tan Lingyin struggled fiercely, kicking her legs wildly, causing Tang Tianyuan to feel dizzy. "My lord! You cannot look down upon women; your esteemed mother is also a woman!"

"Don't move." In a moment of panic, Tan Lingyin quickly reached out to grab his hand. Fearing that he would pull away again, she simply held his hand with both of hers and looked at him earnestly

In summary, this pit is unfathomably deep

Forget it, a girl is just a girl, let's take a look first and then decide

Most importantly, where has all the illegally mined gold gone

Tang Tianyuan was very pleased. However, the words of the constable that followed left him somewhat disappointed

Tang Tianyuan did not wish to continue this commotion, so he asked Tan Lingyin, "Show me a couple of your skills... what can you do?"

Tan Lingyin began to explain palmistry to him in a mysterious manner. Tang Tianyuan did not listen to a single word; he forcefully withdrew his hand and frowned as he said, "Are you done playing around?"

Tang Tianyuan opened the letter and immediately saw his new name, feeling a sudden pang of frustration

Tang Tianyuan's expression darkened, "Come here, throw him out."

Tan Lingyin could not see clearly, so she leaned in a bit closer, and only then did she come to a realization. She then let out a laugh similar to the one from that day, which sounded quite lewd in Tang Tianyuan's ears

He then extended his hand

Tan Lingyin, seeing that he was urging her again, quickly said, "My lord, please do not be anxious! I can also read palms. Please extend your hand, and I will take a look for you, just a glance..."

It turns out she is a girl

Tang Tianyuan organized everything and lowered his head to contemplate the situation he was currently facing

Tang Tianyuan looked at the disheveled Tan Lingyin, feeling somewhat better. He beckoned her with a finger, "Come here"

... ...

The secret message explains the situation very clearly: According to preliminary investigations, His Majesty suspects that there are individuals in Tongling County who are illegally mining gold, with a conservative estimate of around 100,000 taels. Coincidentally, Tang Tianyuan is in Tongling County, so he has been appointed as the county magistrate to thoroughly investigate this matter. At the same time, to prevent Tang Tianyuan from being unable to take action, His Majesty has secretly conferred upon him the title of Imperial Envoy, allowing him to act on behalf of the heavens and oversee all affairs in the Southern Zhili Province when necessary. Additionally, it is worth noting that this case is closely related to the former county magistrate of Tongling County.

One doesn't need to think hard to come up with this, Tang Tianyuan thought to himself, what kind of hint is this

Stop, I can no longer continue watching. Tang Tianyuan strained to turn his head away.

Tang Tianyuan steadied his mind and resolved to act decisively without hesitation to expel her

As he waited to comprehend the imperial decree, Tang Tianyuan felt as though he had inadvertently stumbled into a deep pit

Leave after finishing the hand.

Upon seeing that young woman, he felt utterly unwell. The person before him had left him with many unpleasant memories, and he had no desire to see her at all

All the strange and bizarre occurrences can be attributed to that Miao Miao Sheng

Tang Tianyuan nodded, demonstrating a remarkable skill in flattery

To speak frankly with you, Tan Lingyin proudly raised her head and said, "I am Miao, Miao, Sheng."

Well, the skill of boasting is indeed remarkable

Left hand, the left for men and the right for women

In the inn, Tang Tianyuan stared blankly at a piece of brocade laid out before him. The brocade was filled with small script, and in the lower left corner was stamped a square red seal: Treasure of Destiny. This was one of the twenty-four imperial seals.

Tang Tianyuan was very tempted to crumple the paper and throw it away, but in the end, he held back. That said, it is precisely because of the subtle connection between the names Tang Tianyuan and Tang Feilong that it is unlikely anyone in this world would believe that Tang Tianyuan would be foolish enough to flaunt himself under the alias of Tang Feilong. The emperor took advantage of this point and acted contrary to expectations. Of course, there are more reasons, particularly the emperor's wicked sense of humor.

Tang Tianyuan possesses a keen self-awareness. Having only entered the officialdom for two years, and serving in the leisurely and esteemed Hanlin Academy, his experience in the struggles of the political arena is quite limited. In the capital, others treat him with courtesy, largely due to his father's influence. Upon arriving in Tongling, he finds himself in unfamiliar territory, lacking any foundation, and cannot invoke his father's name to intimidate others. Engaging in a contest with those cunning local power brokers is no easy task. He must also confront numerous unknown situations, which may very well lead to a complex web of relationships, a thought that is already quite daunting.

Changed to the left hand again

"Look at who I am," said Tang Tianyuan

It seems you still do not know why he drove her away. Tang Tianyuan waved his hand and said, "Stop"

Tan Lingyin moved a little closer

Tang Tianyuan got up from his seat, and at this moment, he had already regained his composure. "Do you want to be my assistant? First, tell me where Miaomiao is."

On that day, upon returning from the ancient hall of books, he encountered the chief eunuch of the imperial court, Lord Sheng, who had come to convey an imperial edict. Tang Tianyuan was quite astonished; it was only the second day since he had arrived in Tongling County, and Lord Sheng had already come, indicating that they had arrived almost simultaneously. He could not fathom what urgent matter the Emperor had.

The hands of Tan Lingyin before him were exceptionally beautiful. For women, as long as they are well-maintained, their hands are generally not unattractive; however, the bones and muscles are innate and difficult to improve through maintenance. Although Tang Tianyuan could not see all of Tan Lingyin's hands, he could tell from her thumb and index finger that her fingers were slender, with a harmonious balance of bone and flesh. A little more would be excessive, and a little less would be too thin; such perfect proportions are truly rare. The skin on her hands was delicate and moist, surpassing even the finest mutton-fat jade; the cuff revealed a section of her fair wrist, as pure as frost and snow, resembling freshly picked tender lotus root in autumn.

"Enough," Tang Tianyuan waved his hand, interrupting her. He had no interest in this kind of universal flattery typical of con artists. This girl was only at this level, better than the average person simply because she had read a few more books. In any case, he would not allow her to cause trouble for the county office. Therefore, Tang Tianyuan pointed to the door and said, "You will now turn around, take a step, and keep walking without stopping"

The eyes may not see, but the hands can still feel. His hand rested on her palm, and the soft warmth left him with an abundance of imagination, far more wonderful than what the eyes could behold

Tan Lingyin noticed his indifference and said, "I can also tell fortunes and read faces. Allow me to show you, my lord." As she spoke, she stepped forward, only two paces away from Tang Tianyuan, and began to examine his face intently. Her clear eyes resembled two pools of autumn water, with exceptionally long eyelashes that fluttered twice, like butterflies taking flight from the ground.

It is evident that the previous county magistrate met an untimely death, and the clerk has also fled, indicating that the county office is an ominous place. The new county magistrate comes from an unknown background, seemingly lacking any support. Scholars need not worry about their livelihoods, and thus would not demean themselves by settling in such a place

The greater the amount of illicit funds, the more individuals will be implicated. If indeed such a large quantity of gold has been illegally extracted, it is truly uncertain how many people will be drawn into this matter

The next day, Tang Tianyuan went to Chizhou Prefecture, submitted the official letter to the Ministry of Personnel, completed the necessary procedures, and officially became the magistrate of Tongling County

These are all unknowns

He has a peculiar habit that is difficult to mention. If a girl has a beautiful face, he might remain indifferent, but when faced with a woman's beautiful hands and feet, he always finds his heart racing involuntarily. ... He once had a maid whose hands and feet were very beautiful, but later that maid ... . ... Forget it, it's better not to bring it up.

This time she did not run around recklessly, but instead clung to the door frame without letting go, "Sir, what must I do for you to allow me to become your assistant?"

One hundred thousand taels of pure gold is equivalent to one million taels of silver, a sum so enormous that it raises doubts about the authenticity of the matter... Tang Tianyuan believes there is another possibility regarding this case: the Emperor has become obsessed with money.

The two constables looked on in astonishment as their county magistrate's fair face quickly turned red

Tang Tianyuan felt somewhat uneasy, turning his face away from her, "Can you see anything?"

Tang Tianyuan was almost driven to despair by them. He had no choice but to come up with a few examination questions, extracting some phrases from the Four Books and Five Classics, and had the yamen runners memorize them. If anyone came to apply for a position, the yamen runners would first test those individuals, allowing them to meet the county magistrate only if they could answer at least half of the questions correctly

Therefore, in the past two days, most of those who came to apply were merely seeking a chance by joining the crowd, with some even unable to recite the Three Character Classic completely. Those who were eliminated began to spread tales outside the county office about how handsome and dashing the county magistrate was, attracting a group of people who specifically came to admire the county magistrate

Tan Lingyin now believes that this gentleman truly admires her. Such a deep obsession can either stem from admiration or enmity. She does not have such enemies. Thus, she released the door frame, stood with her back to it on the steps, her expression mysterious, resembling a reclusive master.

Tang Tianyuan was quite impatient and wanted to send her away quickly, so he asked, "Are you leaving right after looking at your hand?"

It was a grave mistake; he should not have impulsively rushed to Tongling, which led his father and the emperor to naturally assign such a significant matter to him

Tan Lingyin straightened her back and looked at him with a cheerful smile. It seems that this county magistrate is not easily deceived, she thought

This move is very effective, having blocked many people

I have extensively read classical literature, possessing knowledge of astronomy and geography, and I have some proficiency in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting

On this day, the bailiff rushed in excitedly to report to Tang Tianyuan that someone had answered all the questions he had set correctly

Tan Lingyin looked in admiration and said, "My lord, to speak honestly, I have never seen such a good countenance as yours."

Fork it out

One of the constables felt some sympathy for her. The young lady had not committed any wrongdoing; how could the county magistrate hold such a deep prejudice against her? He paused and tentatively suggested to Tang Tianyuan, "Sir, why not first see what abilities this young lady possesses?"

The constable immediately put Tan Lingyin down

"No, no, no, I am a person of real ability!" Tan Lingyin exclaimed as she ran around with her hands on her head, and the two big men were momentarily unable to catch her

Tan Lingyin lowered her head. Due to her poor eyesight, she leaned in very close, almost as if she were about to kiss. Tang Tianyuan felt even more uncomfortable and instinctively wanted to pull his hand back

However, the recruitment process has not been progressing smoothly

To speak frankly, if the illegal mining of gold is true, then the depths of this case are quite profound. How many people are aware of the matter concerning gold? And how many individuals are involved? Who is the mastermind? How was the silence maintained? How were the spoils divided? How was the public misled? Will there be any officials implicated? How many?

He shook his head, carefully stored the secret document, and then opened a bundle on the table. Inside the bundle were the purple imperial seal and a letter of introduction issued by the Ministry of Personnel. The Emperor is a meticulous person; considering that Tang Tianyuan's reputation is too great and his identity is rather special, using his real name would be too ostentatious. Therefore, he was given a fabricated identity. Elder Tang is the head of the Ministry of Personnel, making it very convenient to forge official records. Thus, Tang Tianyuan transformed into an ordinary Jinshi awaiting assignment in the Ministry of Personnel. Each examination for Jinshi produces several hundred candidates, making it impossible to scrutinize each one individually, which is quite advantageous.

The constables are readily available and can be summoned back. The situation with the clerks is a bit more complicated. Tang Tianyuan does not have a clerk, so he has no choice but to post a notice for public recruitment