"Come, come, Brother Ziyan, let me toast you. Three years apart, and Brother Ziyan has been doing extraordinary things at every turn. Truly impressive."
Inside a private room at Fan Tower, Wang Yan and Feng Jing traded cups as they celebrated their reunion.
Feng Jing had followed a normal path of promotion. After serving only two years in the provinces, he had been transferred back to Bianjing, assigned to the Academy of Worthies, and made Drafter of Imperial Edicts. Unlike Wang Yan's nominal posting at the Academy of Worthies, Feng Jing actually had work to do there. As Drafter of Imperial Edicts, he was responsible for composing imperial decrees. Both were standard posts for high officials, and often standard appointments for top examination graduates as well.
Thus, Feng Jing's treatment had been quite good.
There had been no other choice. Of the three successful candidates in that year's imperial examination, the top scholar had been prone to stirring up trouble, the third-place graduate had declined to become an official, and Feng Jing was the only normal one. Besides, the second-place graduate already received excellent treatment. So even though Wang Yan had taken the top scholar title from him, it had not affected him too severely.
Wang Yan shook his head and laughed. "Brother Dangshi is the truly capable one. I heard you married Lord Fu's daughter? Not only is she beautiful, but you have Lord Fu's support as well. And with your own abilities, Brother Dangshi, the day you govern the realm as a chief minister is close at hand."
"Are you making fun of me?" Feng Jing shook his head with a helpless smile. "If we are talking about governing the realm as chief minister, no one but you, Wang Ziyan, is fit for it. You accomplished such great