Across the street at Wangjiang Restaurant, impoverished scholars debated national politics, condemning Marquis Zhenbei Mansion for its authoritarian behavior. Their words were fervent and unrestrained, and rumors began to spread.
Fengyu hadn't anticipated that hitting Jiang Yang would lead to such a series of troubles. However, the remark about Jiang Yang being sent to the frontier as a mere ninth-rank official was not hers. In these baseless rumors, fabricating just one or two sentences could be incredibly damaging.
This wave of rumors rushed toward Marquis Zhenbei Mansion with an unstoppable momentum.
Emperor Jianming had already stamped the order for Jiang Yang to enter Hanlin. Yet due to Xie Xun's words, the court was in an uproar akin to a boiling cauldron. Feng Changlin, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, remained composed as Emperor Jianming sat high in Ming Hall, listening to the ministers argue fiercely. Though imperial authority was being challenged, the emperor did not get angry or speak out but instead retained a mild demeanor.
The censorial officials accused Xie Xun of lawlessness and misconduct, urging the emperor to hold Marquis Zhenbei Mansion accountable. Military officials countered by arguing that youthful disputes between the top scorer and the young marquis were trivial and cleverly avoided mentioning how Marquis Zhenbei father and son had defended Ningzhou. The incident was ultimately framed as the young marquis acting recklessly due to his age, exempting him from any real punishment.
The fate of the top scorer now lay in the hands of the Cabinet and Ministry of Personnel. Cabinet Chief Elder Lin chose to avoid involvement and remained silent. Officials in Elder Lin's faction also refrained from speaking. Apart from the censorial officials and a few staunch advocates of royal orthodoxy, most supported Marquis Zhenbei Mansion, while some opted for self-preservation.
Marquis An Yuan stepped forward and declared, "All this argument boils down to how the top scorer should be handled. Fundamentally, it's because the top scorer himself lacks proper conduct. Growing up with his mother, he lived in Ningzhou for some years before moving to Liling County. His family had no property, and General Wude, due to familial connections, supported Jiang Family by hiring renowned tutors and purchasing farmland. After achieving top scores, he broke off his engagement at Miss Feng's coming-of-age ceremony, causing a major uproar. Following the broken engagement, Miss Feng went to demand repayment of the owed silver, and he assaulted people in public. Your Majesty, though knowledge and ability are key criteria in selecting officials, morality and character are equally important. The top scorer is ungrateful and cold-hearted, utterly unfit for use!"
"Is this true?" Emperor Jianming furrowed his brow slightly.
The Minister of War Lin remarked, "Young people dissolving engagements to this extent might have complex reasons behind it. Marquis An Yuan, do not be misled by rumors."
"Vice Minister Feng is present in the hall. Whether this is fabricated or factual, simply ask to find out," Marquis An Yuan said with a sly smile.
"Vice Minister Feng, is this true?" Emperor Jianming asked.
Having been deeply uneasy since Marquis An Yuan mentioned the Feng Family, Feng Changlin gritted his teeth and stepped forward. "Your Majesty, as Jiang Yang and my niece were betrothed since childhood, my brother has indeed provided financial assistance of thirteen thousand taels to Jiang Family over the past decade, which is backed by documentation. Jiang Yang breaking the engagement is also true."
Emperor Jianming pondered in silence.
"Given the notorious reputation of General Wude's second daughter, it is natural for the top scorer to want to dissolve the engagement."
Marquis An Yuan sneered and said, "Mr. Wu, how improper is it to malign a young lady in Ming Hall?"
"Her notoriety is widespread. As parents, who hasn't heard of her gossip? I merely sympathized with the top scorer and spoke up out of righteousness," Mr. Wu retorted.
"An ungrateful creature akin to swine and dogs—it's a blessing for him to earn a righteous word from you in this life."
"You..."
Feng Changlin's official robe was soaked with sweat as Emperor Jianming displayed his displeasure. "Enough—is this a place for deliberation or clamorous chaos?"
Marquis An Yuan and Mr. Wu apologized and ceased their sparring. Emperor Jianming, still smiling, asked, "Cabinet Elder, what do you think is the proper resolution to this matter?"
Elder Lin, a prominent official who had served three reigns, approached. Although nearly seventy, his white hair and lean figure carried an air of dignity. It appeared he had an idea. "Your Majesty, Marquis An Yuan made a valid point. For someone tasked as a parent of the people, morality is paramount. The Cabinet and imperial court are not suitable placements for someone with such conduct. Furthermore, his lack of external experience since his academic success contravenes the regulations. The Imperial College might be suitable, as there's a vacancy for a recorder in the classics department."
Some upright officials were dissatisfied, deeming it a waste to assign a top scorer of ten arduous years to such a minor post at the Imperial College. However, fearing Elder Lin's authority, they refrained from opposing. With rumors rampant in the capital and imperial authority challenged, they pinned their hopes on Emperor Jianming to overturn Elder Lin's proposal.
"Perfect!" Emperor Jianming declared with a smile. "Let's proceed as Elder Lin advised—why argue over this so heatedly?"
While unwell, Fengyu reviewed the account books of Yiling Village slowly and meticulously. Despite having a disinterest in scholarly pursuits, she had a keen love for arithmetic. In the annual assessments at the Imperial College's women's institute, her skill in calculation consistently ranked the best.
"Qiuxiang, bring Zhang Da and Chunlu along—let's head to Yiling Village."
"Understood." Qiuxiang hesitated briefly before asking, "What are we going to Yiling for?"
"To collect rent."
Yiling Village was part of Su Yuejiao's dowry, renowned for its prime land and water resources. The entirety of Yiling Village, including the paddies, dry lands, and the horse farm at its borders, belonged to Su Yuejiao. Since joining the army, Su Yuejiao had entrusted the management of Yiling Village to Village Chief Wang, who forwarded the annual rent. Fengyu had steadily taken over Su Yuejiao's assets in the capital in recent years, and before leaving the city, Feng Shu had handed Fengyu the last property—Yiling Village. Naturally, the village chief should have come to see her.
After leaving the city by carriage, they arrived at Yiling Village two hours later. The scenery along the way was extraordinary, with no markers identifying the carriage as belonging to the Feng Family. Accompanied only by her two maids, Zhang Da brought six others, all maintaining a low profile.
This year, the weather had been unkind, with drought spanning May through August. The autumn harvest was poor, and Yiling Village's paddy harvest also faltered. However, the wheat and corn yields remained decent. Agricultural product prices had soared since July, and the price of wheat increased from one thousand coins to five thousand coins. Fengyu had been assessing Yiling Village thoroughly for half a month, and after reviewing the account books, she already had a detailed grasp of the situation.
The Village Chief of Yiling, surnamed Wang, was a distant relative of Lady Feng. This cluster of villages boasted over a hundred households, making it a well-known prosperous area. The region produced cotton, corn, and wheat. Due to its conversion of dry lands into paddies, the area dedicated to rice was less than that of wheat. Fengyu intentionally walked through the villages in the area, noting their orderly layout and well-maintained houses, with fruit trees planted along both sides of the path leading into the village.
"Big sister, you're so beautiful!" exclaimed a little girl playing with a windmill on the roadside, her bright and shining eyes fixed on Fengyu. Known for her beauty and flair, Fengyu was adorned with dazzling pearls and gems, which gleamed under the sunlight. Her cloak of silver-threaded satin further highlighted her fair complexion and striking appearance.
Fengyu bent down to pinch the little girl's plump cheeks, smiling brightly. "When you grow up, you'll be just as beautiful as I am."
"Really?"
Fengyu nodded, prompting the little girl to cheer joyously about how she too wanted to wear pretty clothes. Both continued playing with the windmill, hand in hand. The day's weather was marvelous, with gentle autumn breezes and warm sunshine. Fengyu leisurely sat at the edge of Yiling Village's large plaza, basking in the sun, while Zhang Da went to summon the village chief.
Village Chief Wang, approximately forty years old, arrived wearing a gray robe supplemented by a lined overcoat. A woven gold belt fastened a scented sachet at his waist. On her way through the village, Fengyu had noted the attire of the tenant farmers. The village chief didn't dress like a farmer; rather, he appeared more like a landlord.
"Greetings, Third Miss," Village Chief Wang said with a hearty smile. "I've been occupied with matters of the harvest lately, causing some delay. I had planned to visit you within the next day or so but didn't expect you'd make the effort to come here personally."