Chapter Nine, The Capital (Part Two)

Shen Zhili's eyes suddenly brightened, "Is it Meng Tinghui from Chao'an North Road?"

Shen Zhishu turned around and saw her heading towards the door. Hearing her tone, which did not suggest any intention of staying at the residence, he couldn't help but frown: "Where do you plan to go this time?"

The woman sat quietly at the door for a while, then suddenly turned her head to look this way

After reading it, Shen Zhili sighed, "Miss Meng truly has remarkable literary talent." He looked up and smiled, "Please do not call me Lord Shen anymore. My given names are Zhili and my courtesy name is Leyan. In the future, Miss Meng may simply call me Leyan. With your talent, it should be no difficulty for you to achieve success in the imperial examination. At that time, Miss Meng and I will serve as officials in the same court, and I hope we can support each other."

The young woman smiled gently and said, "My mother is not feeling well today and did not go to the Zen temple, so I came early. There is no need for the shopkeeper to hurry; it is no trouble for me to wait here." She then walked to a nearby table, lifted her skirt, and took a seat, waiting for the items to be brought over.

She then stood up and smiled at Meng Tinghui, saying, "There are matters at home, so I cannot stay long. I will meet Miss Meng again outside the Ministry of Rites on the day of the examination results."

The young servant at the door saw Shen Zhili get off the carriage and hurried to greet her: "The young lady has returned." He then took the items from Shen Zhili's hands and followed her inside.

Shen Zhili thought for a moment, then reached out to pick up the note, but did not open it to read. Instead, she toyed with it between her fingers for a long time before saying: "When I first heard about your situation in the provincial examination on Chao'an North Road, I assumed you must be a proud and aloof person, disdainful of such matters as submitting notes for guidance. I never expected that I was mistaken about you and your intentions." She looked at Meng Tinghui and pushed the note back to her without opening it, saying, "It is a pity that I have no connection to this Ministry of Rites examination, Miss Meng has misdirected her inquiry."

Shen Zhili stood quietly for a while before turning back, the corners of her eyes slightly reddened, "What do you mean by 'unreasonable'?"

At this glance, those who had been whispering earlier immediately fell silent, and after a short while, they all began to rise and head upstairs

The day lingered on, like the spring breeze stirring the shore and the leaves trembling in excitement. The moment she entered, she instantly captured the attention of everyone present.

Lord Shen

Shen Zhili's eyelashes fluttered as his gaze met hers, "May I ask who you are, Your Excellency?"

Shen Zhili closed the door with a backhand and fixed his gaze on him: "Was it your father's idea to send you to the educated youth state?"

She paused for a moment and said softly, "Go to the ancient Xiang residence."

He grabbed her arm and said in a low voice: "Shen Zhi Li, I am doing this for your own good"

Shen Zhili's expression was somewhat stiff, "Are you unwilling to go?"

The innkeeper personally came out to greet, his face beaming with smiles: "Lord Shen, weren't you supposed to arrive in the evening? I haven't prepared everything for you yet..." He then turned to call someone: "Hurry and go to the back kitchen to urge them!"

Meng Tinghui lowered his gaze, then raised his eyes again to look at the woman, offering a slight smile before standing up and walking over.

Shen Zhili was momentarily taken aback, and it took him a while to regain his composure. After frowning for a moment, he proceeded towards the back courtyard, heading to Shen Zhishu's room.

Shen Zhishu stood up and said, "Why is there such reluctance to go? When I was still in the state capital, I had already reported to the Crown Prince and the *Tu* Book. If there are concerns about the officials in the Shuai Office of Chao'an North Road, I can certainly go to Qingzhou!" He raised his foot and kicked the paperweight again, "Who would have thought that before I could return to the capital and present my case to the Emperor, my father would voluntarily request an imperial decree to send me away, to Qingzhou!"

Shen Zhili pointed to his side and said with a smile, "Sit."

With straight brows and large eyes, a delicate mouth, and a complexion that is not particularly fair, there is a subtle hint of heroism between the brows, yet she remains exceedingly beautiful

Although it was a great regret not to have gained the favor of Master Shen at the beginning, being able to slightly associate with Shen Zhi-li now must also be of some use

One of the female scholars nearby whispered, "I heard she just joined the Ministry of War's Department of Personnel last month, and it was a special appointment by the Emperor. She certainly resembles her mother in her prime. Now, both of the Shen family's children hold official positions in the court, truly a family of honor."

Meng Tinghui nodded, raised his hand in a slight bow, the wide sleeves falling to his waist, the edges slightly curled

She was taken aback and unconsciously stepped back two paces

She kicked the door open with her leg and walked in

She stood by the table and spoke softly, with great politeness

Shen Zhili took a couple of steps forward, bent down to pick up the paperweight, and said, "For such a trivial matter, you also deserve to be angry with your father"

As she walked, she glanced around and noticed that the residence was quite desolate. Feeling that something was amiss, she turned her head and asked, "What’s going on? Has the eldest son not returned to the residence yet? Wasn't it said that he would leave for the outskirts of the city before dawn and then enter the palace with the Crown Prince to meet the Emperor?"

Shen Zhili fixed her gaze on her for a long time, her red lips suddenly curling into a smile. After laughing several times, she said, "What a remarkable Meng Tinghui." She then took the invitation again, flipping it open as she continued, "If it were someone else, they would have likely been frightened away by my earlier remarks. You are right; there has never been a shortage of strong-minded individuals in the court. However, those who criticize the corrupt and advocate for clarity have never been well-received in official circles. What use is it to possess great talent for governance if one cannot even stand firm? You are right; there has never been a shortage of strong-minded individuals in the court. However, those who criticize the corrupt and advocate for clarity have never been well-received in official circles. What use is it to possess great talent for governance if one cannot even stand firm? It is a pity that so few people understand this principle.

Meng Tinghui quickly stood up and said, "I dare not."

Meng Tinghui pressed his lips together, and a shadow suddenly crossed his eyes. He turned back to his seat, picked up his chopsticks again, and slowly stirred the few remaining vegetables on the plate.

Shen Zhishu, in a hurry, said, "So many years have passed, how can you still have such thoughts? If your father finds out, you..."

Shen Zhili was astonished, "For what reason?"

The curtain in the inner room swayed slightly, and Shen Zhishu stepped out, her brows furrowed in a slant. "Only you would dare to kick my door."

Meng Tinghui appeared somewhat distracted, feeling a sense of familiarity in the face of the woman before him, as if he had seen her somewhere before, yet he could not recall where no matter how hard he tried

As he spoke, he sat down on a chair in the room, the hem of his brocade robe sliding down to his knees, his long legs half-bent, displaying an air of impatience

Shen Zhili raised his eyebrows, waiting for him to continue

Upon hearing this, his expression suddenly changed, and after a moment of hesitation, he stepped forward and whispered to her behind her head: "The wife of Gu Xiang has just passed away not long ago; it is highly inappropriate for you to go at this time"

She gazed at the slender willows in front of the building for a long time, before finally narrowing her eyes and turning to ascend the stairs

Meng and Tushuting Hui still spoke softly: "Thank you, Lord Shen"

In my heart, I secretly thought that only a beauty of such distinguished family background could be worthy of the crown prince, who is the focus of the entire nation.

Shen Zhili still wanted to say something when he saw someone running quickly from behind the building, holding two oil paper packages in hand, and saying to the shopkeeper: "Shopkeeper, everything is packed."

With a loud clatter, the paperweight on the table was swept to the ground by his sweeping sleeve

She forcefully shook him off, "Young Master, rest assured, I am merely going back to deliver a message for someone else to Gu Xiang, and I will certainly not engage in any actions that would bring disgrace!"

Meng Tinghui nodded gently, "Indeed, it is I."

Shen Zhili gathered the loose strands of hair by her ears and advised, "These items are all the eldest young master's favorites. When you see the master later, do not mention that I bought them; just say that others heard the eldest young master was returning to the capital today and sent them to the residence."

The young servant hesitated for a long time, appearing reluctant to speak. Only when he saw her face turn angry did he hurriedly say: "I heard... I heard that the eldest son is to be assigned to a post outside, in Chao'an North Road, Qingzhou"

... ...

Although they are both named Shen, this particular Shen is far more adept at governance than her brother. A person nearby interjected, and from the voice, it seemed to be someone from the Jingji region, likely well-informed about court affairs. It is said that she is skilled in maneuvering and is charming in all aspects, earning the admiration of even the old ministers from the two courts and six ministries.

The pomegranate flowers outside Shen's residence exude a fragrant aroma, while the flowing clouds disperse gently, creating an atmosphere of profound tranquility

She then complied and sat down, and from her sleeve, she took out a thin note and gently placed it at the corner of the table. "It is said that Lord Shen is skilled in composing verses. I, lacking in talent, have composed two short pieces today upon witnessing the grandeur of the capital. I hope Lord Shen can offer some guidance."

She sneered, "The young master may go and report to the Grand Tutor." After saying this, she stepped forward to push the door and intended to leave

Meng Tinghui remained calm and said softly: "I fear that if I were truly a proud and arrogant person, Lord Shen would instead look down upon me. It is merely two short poems, yet Lord Shen is exceedingly wary."

Meng Tinghui slightly lowered his head, his voice still gentle: "I am Meng Tinghui. I have come to the capital to take the examination for the women's jinshi degree at the Ministry of Rites. I have long heard of your esteemed reputation, Sir Shen. Just now, I learned from casual conversation that you are here. Therefore, I could not bear to miss this opportunity and took the liberty to approach you. I hope you will forgive my boldness."

The young servant followed silently behind, not uttering a word

The willow trees arch over the corridor, with birds chirping and flapping their wings. The door of the third room on the eastern side of the backyard is half open and half concealed, yet there is not a single servant waiting outside.

Shen Zhishu glanced at her, let out a couple of cold hums, and wore an expression of non-commitment.

He flung his robe and turned around, still looking extremely angry: "Master Shen serves the country, the people, the court, and the emperor, willingly allowing his only son to train in the northern borderlands! I knew it all along, no matter what happens in the end, it will only enhance Master Shen's reputation!"

Seeing that he was still filled with anger, she couldn't help but sigh: "I heard that you returned to the capital today, so I specially went to Yitai Building to buy a few of your favorite snacks. You can go to the kitchen and take a look later."

The young servant stepped forward a few paces and whispered, "He has returned, but the young master is sulking with the master and refuses to eat even a bite of the welcome dinner that the madam specially prepared for him."