Yan Zhen glanced at it and saw that the man in the painting was dressed in a seductive manner, with long and thin eyebrows that exuded a wicked air. His chin was high and protruding, with a deep depression in the middle, showing his ugliness. It was truly unique!
"It's easy to paint the skin but hard to paint the bones. This painter, though he doesn't know the Right Prime Minister, has captured his essence so vividly. He sees the essence through the appearance and has a promising future." An Xin rarely showed a hint of jokingness, but then her finger paused and stopped on another painting—a handsome young man with unparalleled looks and a refined and elegant demeanor. Because of the Right Prime Minister's portrait, he appeared even more pure and elegant, dazzling the eye.
"Is this what the Left Prime Minister looks like?" An Xin frowned slightly.
Yan Zhen said calmly, "It's easy to paint the skin but hard to paint the bones. This painter has never seen the Left Prime Minister, yet his painting of the skin is amazing. He only looks at the appearance and not the essence. He can only draw illustrations for unofficial histories."
An Xin's face stiffened, and her lips trembled: "Hey, hey..."
Gazing at the handsome young man, seemingly untouched by the world's grime, a strange melancholy flickered in An Xin's eyes. It was laughable that she, so composed, could fantasize about someone resembling that white-clad youth. But what coincidence could there be in this world? People with the same name and appearance only exist in stories…
An Xin suddenly lost interest, casually closed her book, lifted the curtain and looked out the car window. It was the height of spring, and the scenery along the way was picturesque. The view was refreshing and delightful.
"The court is rife with intrigue and factions. I didn't want my father to become an official, but the Emperor issued decrees one after another. My father was naturally overjoyed to receive such imperial favor. Besides, for ordinary people, becoming an official is a matter of bringing honor to one's ancestors..." An Xin looked at Yan Zhen, "I just want to know if those decrees were your doing?"
Yan Zhen glanced at her and said, "No."
An Xin's eyes flashed and she said, "Is it the Left Prime Minister?"
Yan Zhen leaned back in the soft chair, his eyes exuding a dignified air of someone in a high position: "After all, your father was forbidden from serving as an official by the Emperor's golden decree. Even if the Left Prime Minister had mentioned it, the Emperor would have thought it over and discussed it with me. But the Emperor agreed without hesitation, and he did not inform me of this matter. I only found out after seeing your memorial."
An Xin suddenly asked curiously, "How did you know it was me who wrote the memorial?"
Yan Zhen smiled faintly and said, "Your work is something that no one else can imitate."
An Xin said in a deep voice, "So, you also saw the letter I sent to the Left Prime Minister?"
Yan Zhen's gaze fell to the window. This young woman was too perceptive; she would give herself away if she wasn't careful. Yan Zhen raised his hand to his forehead and said lazily, "What do you think I would do if I saw a love letter hidden inside a memorial concerning state affairs?"
An Xin's gaze was indifferent. Given the Right Prime Minister's personality, he would definitely submit a memorial to impeach the Left Prime Minister, blurring the lines between private and state affairs. Moreover, those clueless lackeys couldn't distinguish between what was important and what wasn't, so they should be dragged out and beheaded... She had calculated this point, which was why she dared to put the letter and the memorial together.
"You mean the Emperor originally intended for my father to return to the capital?" An Xin changed the subject. She didn't want to say anything more about that letter; she would just consider it a mistake on her part.
"Have you met anyone before this?"
An Xin went through all the people she had met in the past few days in her mind, finally settling on the young man from the Feng family. She let out a soft breath and said, "That makes sense. He really is the young emperor! How could you, the Right Chancellor, not know that he went to Yi'an County?"
Yan Zhen narrowed his eyes slightly. It seemed that something had gone wrong with his men...
****
The youngest son of the Minister of Works got married right after his birthday, making it a double celebration. A grand banquet was held, and the occasion was incredibly glamorous.
An Youwei was an honest and upright official. He had only been in the capital for a few days, and his salary hadn't even been paid yet, but he had already accepted gifts twice. In Yi'an County, one hundred taels of silver was enough for a commoner to live comfortably for a lifetime, but in the capital, one hundred taels of silver was considered meager. However, this one hundred taels of silver was An Youwei's last remaining possession. Minister Kuang had extended a warm invitation, requesting that An Youwei and his wife accompany him. An Youwei had already declined the last banquet; it would be inappropriate to refuse again this time.
Xu Ruolan awkwardly straightened her new clothes. Her life had been full of ups and downs and she had suffered hardships. Naturally, she was quite reserved about attending such a grand banquet for the powerful and wealthy. However, when she thought that if she didn't go, it would put An Youwei in a difficult position, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and go.
She nervously clutched the hem of her clothes and said, "Youwei, is this alright?"
An Youwei looked at the completely transformed Xu Ruolan and smiled, "Good, good."
Xu Ruolan blushed and said, "I don't know when Xin'er will return to the capital, but it's good that way. If she comes to the capital, the Ling family will probably say something again."
An Youwei said seriously, "Our daughter is no worse than anyone else. She walks the straight path and acts with integrity. What do we have to fear from gossip?!"
Xu Ruolan sighed and said, "It will be difficult for this child to remarry. If you hadn't insisted on marrying her off to the Ling family back then, why would Xin'er have to suffer this grievance?"
An Youwei was silent for a moment before saying, "It's getting late, let's go."
Xu Ruolan hurriedly looked in the bronze mirror to make sure there was nothing wrong before walking outside and whispering, "I had been coughing for several days and had consulted several doctors, but my condition did not improve. As soon as the imperial physician from the palace came, I was completely cured."
An Youwei sighed and said, "I'm new here and don't know much about court affairs. But that Imperial Physician Cheng is the best physician in the Imperial Hospital. He usually treats the Empress Dowager. I never expected him to come and treat you... Besides, Imperial Physician Cheng has always been close to the Right Chancellor. I have some old grudges with the Right Chancellor. I'm already grateful that he didn't make things difficult for me."
Xu Ruolan said nervously, "That Right Prime Minister must be the legendary figure who can control everything. Youwei, no matter what, you must be careful in your actions. Don't anger that Right Prime Minister again. If something happens to you, how will my daughter and I survive?"
An Youwei sighed, "Xin'er is right. The court is unpredictable, with clear factions. Once you get involved, you're likely doomed. In short, it's always better to be careful. Sigh, let's go, let's go..."
The residence of the Minister of Works.
Carriages lined the streets, and distinguished guests gathered.
As soon as An Youwei's carriage arrived, it immediately became the center of attention. Among the luxurious carriages, An Youwei's carriage looked particularly shabby...
"Huh? Isn't that Lord An?" Fu Ruyue smiled faintly, covering her lips with her handkerchief, her eyes darting towards Ling Xiyao beside her. She hadn't expected that An Youwei, after being demoted, would actually be recalled to the capital!
Ling Xiyao glanced over indifferently and saw An Youwei shakily get off the carriage. Then Xu Ruolan also came into view. Even though she was wearing new clothes, she could not hide the poverty in her bones. Such a thing could never be formed unless one was born into a poor family.
Thinking of this, Ling Xiyao's eyes flashed. Back then, he was infatuated with An Wan, but unexpectedly, he married An Xin instead. In the end, the An family and the Ling family were of vastly different social standing, making them an ill-matched couple. An Xin, to be honest, had a poor and shabby air about her, how could she be a match for him!?
Madam Ling spotted Xu Ruolan at a glance, sneered, and stepped forward, saying, "Madam An, it's been a long time."
As soon as Xu Ruolan stepped out of the car, she was bombarded with everyone's gazes. Feeling uneasy, she saw Madam Ling approaching and forced a stiff smile, saying, "Madam Ling, it's been a long time."
Madam Ling looked her up and down and said, "This kind of plum blossom satin fabric is already out of style. Doesn't Madam An know that it would be embarrassing to wear something that doesn't fit properly for such a grand occasion?"
Xu Ruolan's face suddenly turned red. She was already shy and reserved, and now that Madam Ling had pointed it out to her, she felt even more humiliated.
An Youwei cupped his hands in greeting to Madam Ling and said in a low voice, "Don't listen to people's nonsense. The esteemed officials have arrived. I'll go and greet them."
Xu Ruolan became increasingly flustered, but still forced herself to remain calm and said, "Okay..."
As soon as An Youwei left, more women immediately surrounded him.
Someone said, "Oh, Madam An, why didn't your daughter come? Well, with Madam Ling and hope Yao here, how could she possibly come?"
Someone said, "Madam An, is this dress new? But the color looks old. Oh dear, Madam An, your hands are so rough. Fortunately, you won't have to do farm work anymore..."
One person said, "Women over thirty are worthless. If they don't take good care of themselves when they're young, even if they become rich later, they can't recover. They're born with a rough exterior, and no matter how much you refine them, you can't change the inferior qualities in their bones... Ah, Mrs. An, I'm not talking about you."