What Lord Feng Needed Now Was a Junior Grand Secretary!

It was already late at night when they returned from the Feng Residence.

After supper, Wei Nisheng returned to his study as usual and sat at his desk, leafing through the Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals.

Wei An sat on a small stool beside him, needle and thread in hand, mending the worn cuffs of Wei Nisheng's inner robe.

"You've grown taller again, young master. Looks like we'll need to make you some new clothes in a few days!"

Then Wei An looked up, glanced out the window, and murmured, "That boy Cui Fu has run off again."

Wei Nisheng smiled at Wei An's muttering, his eyes still on the book.

"I sent him to ask around about Lord Feng's son."

Wei An nodded, then shook his head. "I'm just afraid that boy can't keep his mouth shut. He's bound to brag to those idlers about having visited the Feng Residence."

"Still..." He paused, his needle never stopping. "He's first-rate at digging up information."

At that, Wei Nisheng put down his book and looked at him. "Uncle Wei, what sort of man do you think Lord Feng's son is?"

"I'm not sure." Wei An thought for a moment and shook his head. "Back when I served your grandfather, what I heard most was...

Lord Feng's eldest son was passable at his studies, passable as a person, and passable as an official.

In short, just passable!"

"Still..." Wei An chose his words carefully. "With a father like Lord Feng, his son couldn't be all that bad, could he?"

Wei Nisheng smiled without answering.

After all, "passable" also meant mediocre and unremarkable.

But now that Feng Yan had come up, Wei An made a few more stitches before looking up at Wei Nisheng again, hesitating to speak.

Noticing his gaze, Wei Nisheng asked, "Uncle Wei, just say what's on your mind."

Wei An hesitated, quietly put down his sewing, and rested both hands on his knees before speaking with a solemn expression.

"Young master, there's something I'd like to ask you."

"Go ahead."

"What did you say to Lord Feng at the Feng Residence today?"

Wei Nisheng looked at him. Instead of answering, he asked, "Is something worrying you, Uncle Wei?"

"Ah! It's not exactly worry. It's..." Wei An sighed, concern showing on his face. "I'm afraid you were too direct."

"Your grandfather once said that scholars valued subtlety, that they believed in 'touching on a point and stopping there.'

If you lay all your intentions out in the open, would someone like Lord Feng think you were...

Well, would he think you were too eager for quick success? Would he think you weren't steady enough?"

Wei An poured it all out in one breath. After hearing him out, Wei Nisheng smiled instead.

"Uncle Wei, what Grandfather told you was right! Scholars do value subtlety."

"But I'm different."

Wei An blinked. "How are you different?"

Wei Nisheng stood, walked to the window, and pushed one side open.

The night breeze drifted in, cool and carrying the fresh scent of spring greenery.

Outside, the jujube tree's shadow swayed gently in the moonlight, with a thin, unbroken chorus of insects among its branches.

"I don't have time for subtlety."

"I'm ten this year. In another two years, it'll be time for the Autumn Provincial Examination."

He turned to look at Wei An.

"Great Zhou holds its imperial examinations once every three years. The next one falls in the year I turn twelve, so I'll be eligible."

"In other words, I only have two years."

Wei An opened his mouth to speak, but didn't know where to begin.

Wei Nisheng continued, "Registering for the imperial examinations requires the three mutual guarantees: oneself, one's family, and one's teacher."

"There's no issue with me. As for family, I've now been adopted into the Eldest Branch, so that will suffice."

"But as for my teacher..." Wei Nisheng looked at Wei An and said each word distinctly.

"I intend to take the path through Lord Feng."

"Become Lord Feng's pupil?" Wei An froze. "But he's already retired..."

Wei Nisheng nodded. "I know."

"No, you don't! Young master, don't let what's right in front of you cloud your judgment! You're still young. There really is no need to rush like this!

Especially when Lord Feng has already served two terms as Chief Minister.

I may only have been your grandfather's book attendant, but even I know that since Great Zhou's founding, no one has ever served three terms as Chief Minister.

Lord Feng is a fine man, but his age is there for all to see. Who knows when he might fall!

And when an official like him falls, it means a reckoning..."

"I understand all of that, Uncle Wei."

"You understand? Young master, do you truly understand?!" Agitated, Wei An sprang to his feet.

"If you understand, why choose him? Young master, this is no joking matter! If Lord Feng should..."

"Uncle Wei, it's precisely because Lord Feng is old that I chose him."

"Huh???" Completely bewildered, Wei An sank back onto his stool. "What... what do you mean?"

Wei Nisheng returned to his desk, sat down, and said slowly, "Lord Feng's protégés are spread throughout the Hanlin Academy and the Censorate, serving as his eyes, ears, and mouthpiece.

Yet he himself has no true disciple."

"But aren't Lord Feng's protégés also..."

"Protégés are protégés. A disciple is a disciple. They're different."

"He can have many protégés, but only one disciple."

Wei Nisheng looked at Wei An earnestly. He was only saying this because Wei An was the person closest to him.

"Uncle Wei, Lord Feng needs someone who, after he passes away, will inherit his protégés, his prestige, everything he has."

"Someone who can gather his protégés and former subordinates together in the limited time available."

"Someone who can shelter the Feng Family after his death."

Wei An understood, yet not entirely.

Frowning, he tried hard to digest those words. "So... you want to be that person, young master?"

Wei Nisheng nodded. "Yes."

"Lord Feng needs a Junior Grand Secretary, but not a Yan Shifan."

"What he wants is a Zhang Juzheng."

Wei An fell silent.

He knew nothing of Yan Shifan or Zhang Juzheng, but he understood what Wei Nisheng meant.

It was just that this path carried enormous risks.

Then again, the benefits outweighed the drawbacks. If he managed to see it through...

At that thought, Wei An drew a deep breath and looked at Wei Nisheng. "Young master, have you truly thought this through?"

Wei Nisheng nodded. "I have."

"I need a towering tree that will let me grow quickly."

"Even if that tree is already growing old, as long as it still stands, it can shelter me from the wind and rain."

"By the time it falls, I'll have grown into another tree."

After hearing that, Wei An remained silent for a long time.

He looked at the ten-year-old child before him, at the light in his eyes, at the composure on his face that belied his age.

This child had gone farther than he had ever imagined.

"Young master, I don't understand all those lofty principles, but I know the path you're taking must be the right one.

Just as when I followed your grandfather back then, all I need to do is follow you."

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, followed by Cui Fu's booming voice.

"Young master! Young master! I'm back!"

The door swung open as his words fell, and Cui Fu ran in, panting.

Wei An immediately frowned and scolded him in a hushed voice. "What sort of behavior is all this shouting! The young master is discussing something!"

Cui Fu chuckled, unconcerned, and went straight up to Wei Nisheng. "Young master, guess what I found out?"

Wei Nisheng looked at him. "Tell me."

Cui Fu glanced around, made sure the doors and windows were shut, then lowered his voice. "Lord Feng's son really isn't fit for any great responsibility."

"I heard it from several idlers who've done odd jobs at the Feng Residence's back gate. Some of them know the servants there. Their accounts all match..."

"That son of Lord Feng's is mediocre through and through! A dignified Vice Minister of Personnel, yet the moment he heard Lord Feng had retired, he was so frightened that he immediately asked to resign his post and leave the capital to serve elsewhere.

They say that when Lord Feng heard, he flew into a rage and cursed him: 'Mediocre son, mediocre son, a hopelessly mediocre son who can't be propped up!'"

As he listened to Cui Fu's report, the corners of Wei Nisheng's mouth lifted slightly.

"Just as I guessed. Lord Feng is actually afraid deep down too!

After all, without military power, stepping down from that position doesn't mean returning home in glory. It means falling from power and facing a reckoning!"

"And his own son isn't even a Yan Shifan..."

The night deepened.

Wei An had gone to rest as well, leaving Wei Nisheng alone in the study.

After sitting for a while, he closed the unfinished book and gently blew out the oil lamp.

The room sank into darkness. Only moonlight seeped through the gap in the window, casting a slender streak of light across the floor.

Then he rose and headed toward his bedroom.

He pushed open the door, stepped inside in the dark, and lit a lamp.

Then he froze.

Someone was lying in his bed.

It was Qu Niang.

Qu Niang wore a plain white inner robe beneath a pale blue-green gauze jacket, its collar slightly open, revealing a stretch of fair neck.

Her loose hair spread across the pillow, black as ink, making her face look even more delicate and finely formed.

She lay on her side, her body stretched out comfortably. Her Song-style inner robe was designed for a loose, comfortable fit, and its fabric was light and thin.

Hearing the movement, Qu Niang opened her eyes and looked toward the door.

Their eyes met.

Wei Nisheng stood in the doorway, lamp in hand, momentarily at a loss for words.

A faint blush rose on Qu Niang's face as she looked at him, but she neither panicked nor turned away.

Instead, she slowly sat up, straightened her collar, and said softly, "You're back, young master."

Wei Nisheng finally found his voice. "Qu Niang, why are you here?"

Qu Niang looked at him, a flicker of confusion crossing her eyes. Then she seemed to understand and explained.

"I came to warm your bed, young master."

Wei Nisheng: "..."

"The matron has finished teaching me the rules." Speaking calmly, Qu Niang pointed to the small couch against the wall, where the bedding had already been laid out and the pillow neatly arranged.

"So from now on, I'll sleep on the small couch at the side of your room. If you need anything during the night, you can call me."

Wei Nisheng looked at the little couch, then at the bedding on his bed, which still held her warmth, and finally at Qu Niang's untroubled face.

He suddenly felt that, even as a transmigrator, he really was still struggling to keep pace with this era.

"Well..." Wei Nisheng cleared his throat, trying to look composed. "Qu Niang, I'm only ten."

Qu Niang paused, then understood what he meant. Her blush deepened. "You're overthinking it, young master."

"This is how personal maidservants serve. If their master needs something at night, someone has to be close at hand.

Getting up at night, drinking water, pulling up the covers-we can hardly make our master do all that himself."

"Besides... you really are only ten, young master!"

Only then did Wei Nisheng realize.

Right, this was ancient times.

It was perfectly normal for a personal maid to sleep in her master's room.

It wasn't the kind of "bed-warming" he had imagined. It was actual bed-warming.

"All right, I understand.

You... get some sleep."

Qu Niang had already risen and walked over to the small couch, where she lifted the covers and lay down.

Her movements were light, without the slightest sound.