Everyone in Zhao Household Gully looked radiant, not because they had received a huge amount of disaster relief funds from the government, but because they believed that Zhao Household Gully was protected by the gods.
Even though the village is now a mess, they refuse to move. The village head circled the newly built temple twice, saying, "Not bad, not bad. We'll have someone sculpt a real statue of the Divine Tree Goddess later."
Meng Anci curiously, "You've seen the true form of the Divine Tree Goddess?"
The village head stood tall and proudly said, "Of course, everyone in our village has seen it." Then, he changed the subject and asked, " Lord Meng... will this flood come again?"
"Perhaps, after all, the autumn floods aren't over yet... Once the flood season is completely over, the Ministry of Works officials will rebuild the riverbed... to reduce the risk of breaching the dikes."
The village head nodded, initially wanting to say that they had the protection of the Divine Tree Goddess and were not afraid... but then he thought that the Divine Tree Goddess was so busy, what if she couldn't take care of them?
Let's focus on repairing the dikes... Repairing the dikes is the right thing to do.
After settling things off in Zhao Household Gully, he and Jin Shanyao rode together in an oxcart towards the county government office. "Auntie... how did you do that?"
"Have you forgotten what I do? Divination... I'm better than anyone at playing the charlatan," Jin Shanyao two fingers together in the air as if tossing a talisman. "Easy peasy."
Meng Anci chuckled, staring at Jin Shanyao silence for a long time, "Auntie... will you always stay with us?"
Jin Shanyao paused, her breath caught in her throat, and she didn't reply. Meng Anci didn't ask any further questions either.
When the two returned to the county government office, everything had changed... All the yamen runners greeted him warmly, leaving Meng Anci completely bewildered.
As they entered the second hall, they bumped into Zhao Zhiyuan, who was coming out from the opposite direction. Zhao Zhiyuan smiled broadly and said, " Anci... the imperial edict has arrived. Not only did His Majesty not blame us, he also promoted us."
Meng Anci was taken aback at first, then quickly reacted, "Quickly, show me where the imperial edict is!"
Zhao Zhiyuan pulled him into the house and handed him the imperial edict. After reading Meng Anci rolled it up and ran to the backyard, shouting, "Auntie, Auntie... I've been promoted!"
Jin Shanyao, who had just sat down to take a sip of tea, was startled by the sudden sound. Before he could put down his teacup, Meng Anci rushed in and displayed the imperial edict in front of Jin Shanyao.
Pointing to the words above, he said, "This is a promotion beyond one's rank for the Imperial Censor."
Jin Shanyao and said, "Congratulations, Anci is really great..."
Although the position of Imperial Censor may seem lowly, it grants the authority to impeach high-ranking officials in the capital, including those of the fifth rank and above, and to handle cases involving imperial prisons, official corruption, and major treason.
The duties included: impeachment, joint trial by the three judicial authorities, redemption of stolen goods, and handling of cases. The officials had direct access to the emperor to report matters, wielding immense power.
Jin Shanyao gazed at the spirited young man before her, a sense of loss washing over her. Her cub had finally grown up, not only gaining the ability to independently judge right from wrong, but also the courage to face adversity and shoulder all responsibilities.
The matter in Jianghe County is not over yet.
Zhao Zhiyuan can't leave... He has to supervise the construction after the autumn flood season. Yuan Shanjian can't leave either; he's the prefect of Pingcheng Prefecture, and he has to clean up this mess.
Meng Anci was from the Censorate. After checking the accounts and finishing his business, he had no reason to stay here any longer.
Jin Shanyao accompanied him, and they stayed in Jianghe County for another half month before setting off back to the capital.
On the day of his departure, Meng Anci reminded him, " Cui Xiang's last-minute change of heart is no accident; there must be something wrong with Dingchuan Prefecture. Do you remember Liu Wenbin from the Hanlin Academy? The best way to keep a group of people quiet is to drag them all down with you. Zhao Zhiyuan, I'll be waiting for you in the capital."
Zhao Zhiyuan's eyes darkened; he didn't offer any comment, only saying, "Be careful on the road."
The oxcart swayed and bumped its way onto the road. As it passed Zhao Household Gully, the Jin Shanyao its Spiritual Power across the temple, and there it was, the village head and all the villagers, holding up incense sticks, kneeling and worshipping a clay figure.
The clay figure sat cross-legged on a pile of ginkgo leaves, with its hands on its knees, looking down at the crowd with a kind and benevolent expression.
Incense sticks were placed on the altar, their smoke rising gently. She seemed to smell the fragrance of the incense, and a halo of Merit appeared around her.
"Auntie, what are you laughing at?"
"It's nothing, I just think the villagers of Zhao Household Gully are very cute..."
Anzhi Hall.
Meng Anzhi waited for almost half a year before her aunt finally returned. These past two days, she did nothing but sit next to her and chat idly.
In the study, Meng Anzhi held up a portrait. "Auntie, do you think this is alright?"
Jin Shanyao examined the child carefully and said, "No, a flat nose... You're so beautiful, you can't have a child with a flat nose."
Upon hearing this, Meng Anzhi tossed the painting away, then picked up another one and unfolded it... "What a handsome young man!" she asked. "Auntie, what about this one?"
Jin Shanyao her head, but before she could explain why, Meng Anzhi flung the portrait away with a slap, and it landed right at the feet of Meng Anci, who had just entered the room.
After returning home from court, he heard from Qing He that his sister and aunt had spent the whole day in the study, so he came over to check on them.
Upon entering, I discovered that the room was filled with portraits of men, leaving almost no room to step.
Meng Anci asked in confusion, "Auntie, sister, what are you doing?"
As Jin Shanyao examined the drawing, she casually replied, "We're choosing a father for your nephew." With that, she tossed the drawing aside.
"The imperial concubine selection will be held in six months. We should choose someone we like as soon as possible, lest your sister be chosen to go to the palace..." he said, handing a portrait to Meng Anzhi.
"How about this one? Tall, good-looking... and most importantly, with a high nose bridge!"
Meng Anzhi carefully examined the man in the painting. "Does Auntie think he's good-looking?"
"Choosing the best among the worst... the key is you have to like it."
Meng Anci walked over, stepping over the portraits scattered on the ground. She snatched the scrolls from their hands, glanced at them, and said with disgust, "What's so good about this man? He's hideous!"
He rolled up the portrait, tossed it aside, and said to Meng Anzhi, "Didn't you already have someone in mind?"
Meng Anzhi paused in flipping through the portrait, and remained silent.
Jin Shanyao chimed in from the side, "Your sister said that person won't be back from Jianghe County for a while, and whether he'll agree when he does return is still uncertain. She can't just wait around."
Meng Anci paused, pulled over a chair, sat down, pulled one out of the pile of portraits, glanced at it, and frowned. "This one won't do; the eyes are too small."
He drew another card. "This one won't do either; it looks stupid."
He drew another one. "Sister, take a look at this..." he said, holding the scroll up to Meng Anzhi. Meng Anzhi looked at it and gently raised her chin.
"Put it in that pile..."
Meng Anci rolled it up and put it into the pile of candidates, then continued to flip through other scrolls. "Have you gathered portraits of all the eligible men in the capital?"
Jin Shanyao in agreement, "Choosing a man? Of course, you have to see them all to know if they're good or bad..."
She held up the two portraits for comparison, her brow furrowed slightly, muttering, "The one on the left is educated, but not as good-looking as the one on the right."
Jin Shanyao stared at the portrait on the right and clicked her tongue, "Looks alone aren't enough; brains are too." Then she tossed both portraits away.
"Go, pour me a cup of tea."
Meng Anci obediently got up to pour tea. As she passed Meng Anzhi, she suddenly asked, " Anci, how is Zhao Zhiyuan in Jianghe County?"
"Great, why not?" Meng Anci poured tea and handed it to Jin Shanyao, "Spending all day in muddy water, you've gotten so tanned you're like charcoal."
Meng Anzhi lowered her eyes, seemingly lost in thought, and casually asked, "Are you alright?"
"It should work!"
Meng Anzhi gave him a speechless look...