Chapter 6
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During their first encounter, Han Jiao was immediately intimidated by the big boss.
Han Jiao didn’t feel secure in his heart.
Although Xie Duo only used this leverage to get help with his homework, they hadn’t established a mutual agreement to keep it confidential. Would Xie Duo privately share this incident as a joke with his brothers?
Considering Xie Duo’s status as a Prince, even if they had managed to agree on confidentiality, a slip of Xie Duo’s tongue would have left Han Jiao defenseless. He would have had to rely on Prince Yan, the future powerhouse, to seek revenge and lend a helping hand.
Anxiously returning to Hanlin Academy, all the apprentices immediately looked up and saluted Han Jiao.
Usually, nobody paid attention to him, but with something troubling his mind, Han Jiao didn’t notice everyone’s reaction and sat down with a serious expression at his own desk.
“Xiaobai, what did the Princes talk to you about? Why did it take you so long to come back?” Chen Yuzheng from the nearby table spoke to him first.
Still worried about the incident, Han Jiao replied half-awake, “Nothing much.”
Chen Yuanqiao laughed. “Nothing much? And you stayed in the study room until now? Elder Lin had to go back to his cottage alone. It left us waiting in the cold. You know, when someone tries to reach higher positions, they need to be careful not to stumble and fall.”
Although it was a cold remark, it reminded Han Jiao that earlier, when the class ended, Xie Jing approached him and ignored Elder Lin.
As the Princes’ lecturer, Elder Lin couldn’t just stand there waiting for Han Jiao, a mere apprentice. He had to excuse himself first.
Han Jiao found it challenging to handle this situation. How could it be that after the teacher spoke for over an hour, the students flocked around the student assistant?
These students weren’t ordinary people’s children. They didn’t need to worry about social conventions. It was Han Jiao who should have sought Elder Lin’s permission upon returning.
Startled by the big boss earlier, Han Jiao momentarily forgot. Now he wanted to go to the cottage, but Chen Yuanqiao was making snide remarks. If he made a move now, he would appear as someone eager to climb higher without offending others.
He would greet Elder Lin after class. There was no need to pay attention to the incessant chatterbox. He had to finish writing a strategic essay before tomorrow morning and couldn’t waste time.
Seeing Han Jiao enter with a heavy heart, unable to use his usual sharp wit, Chen Yuanqiao suspected that Han Jiao must have faced difficulties in pleasing the Princes. This made him even more pleased, considering he had explained a few literary passages to Tenth Prince Xie An.
Out of the remaining three Princes who hadn’t yet left the palace to establish their own residences, Tenth Prince Xie An was the most modest and compliant.
Eighth Prince Xie Jing had also approached Chen Yuanqiao with his concerns before, but the Prince’s arguments were too strange. Chen Yuanqiao had never heard of such ideas, and due to nervousness, he couldn’t perform well. Whenever answering his questions, he would blush and stutter.
Naturally, Xie Jing stopped asking him and directly sought guidance from the Expositor-in-waiting.
Then there was Ninth Prince Xie Duo, the legitimate son of the Empress and the most favored by the Emperor. Chen Yuanqiao dreamt of developing some rapport with him.
Unfortunately, the Ninth Prince wasn’t fond of studying. He would simply pass the time during lectures and never asked anyone any questions.
That would be fine if his temperament were as gentle as the Tenth Prince’s. Chen Yuanqiao would gladly initiate conversations and offer his assistance. However, the Ninth Prince naturally possessed an intimidating aura and rarely spoke, which would make anyone hesitant to approach him.
Inside the room, everyone chatted and occasionally glanced at Han Jiao, suspecting that he might have been detained by the Princes. Otherwise, who would dare to leave the Expositor-in-waiting behind and return to Hanlin Academy alone?
Han Jiao immersed himself in his work, completely oblivious to the piercing gazes around him.
In the present day, homework didn’t come with answer sheets. Han Jiao had little grasp of Legalism, which was embarrassing in itself. He hoped to salvage some dignity by delivering high-quality homework.
After all, he was a top student who came from the future. While his literary skills might be slightly lacking, he possessed a “veteran’s” level of theoretical knowledge in various aspects of societal systems and economics. Combining this with the teachings of ancient sages, addressing contemporary issues and providing unique insights wasn’t a difficult task for him.
In this dynasty, the literati emphasized practicality and usefulness. The imperial examinations were not limited to questions about the Four Books and Five Classics, and the academic atmosphere valued pragmatism, making it relatively easier for capable individuals to pursue their ambitions.
The only thing that Han Jiao was not accustomed to was the penchant for allusions and parallelism in the dynastic policy papers. The central arguments had to be presented in a roundabout manner, which often left him feeling dizzy while writing.
As the workday came to an end, colleagues gathered in small groups for dinner appointments, but Han Jiao walked alone to wait outside the main gate of the Hanlin Academy.
Elder Lin had just stepped out when Han Jiao approached and paid his respects, thanking Elder Lin for the enlightening lecture on the teachings of Mencius.
As an Expositor-in-waiting of the Hanlin Academy, Elder Lin had received plenty of flattery and sycophancy. This time, however, he was somewhat surprised because Han Jiao accurately grasped the key points of his teachings, making it sound sincere and lacking the usual flattery.
“Good, good.” Elder Lin nodded while looking at Han Jiao.
Han Jiao raised his head in confusion, unsure of the meaning behind these two praises.
“Xiaobai,” Elder Lin gazed at this young talent with seriousness and asked, “What do you think of this person’s character after your initial encounter?”
Han Jiao was taken aback, realizing that “this person” referred to the dramatic Chen Yuanqiao.
Why did Elder Lin ask such a question?
Was it because Elder Lin saw through Chen Yuanqiao’s wicked character today and wanted to hear Han Jiao passionately insult the drama queen to vent his frustration?
Perhaps not. Could it be that Elder Lin wanted to test whether Han Jiao would speak ill of his colleagues behind their backs?
For the moment, Han Jiao couldn’t figure out Elder Lin’s intentions but decided to tell the truth, “After the initial encounter, I realized that Brother Chen is overly concerned about status and wealth. Since our interests don’t align, we don’t have much rapport.”
Elder Lin didn’t expect such frankness in Han Jiao’s response. He was taken aback for a moment but then smiled, stroked his beard, and shook his head. “You truly are as the rumors say—bold and outspoken.”
Han Jiao nodded. “I apologize for any impertinence.”
“I have heard about your past accomplishments, such as interrupting the discourse of the first-ranked scholar during an academic debate and offering a counter-argument on the spot. Is it true?”
“…Yes, it happened.” It was truly a case of knocking out one’s teeth and swallowing one’s own blood. This incident was caused by the book Han Jiao and had nothing to do with Han Jiao, but he couldn’t deny it.
A concerned expression appeared on Elder Lin’s kind face. “From what I see, you are not the unruly person described in the rumors. You are a practical and sincere talented individual. That’s why I want to give you some advice. Don’t get angry when you hear it.”
“This student will heed the Elder’s guidance.”
“The more talented you are, the more you must hide your sharpness. Otherwise, you might end up like Mi Heng. The officialdom is not a place for outspokenness. Fortunately, your colleagues are still naive. If they have grievances, they will express them openly. But if it were someone else, they might appear friendly on the surface while striking a fatal blow behind your back. Being young and intelligent is both a good and a bad thing. You have started at a high position, but if you stumble, it will be difficult to rise again.”
Elder Lin’s words were blunt, showing that he had no personal agenda or ulterior motives. He simply wanted to offer guidance to someone he considered a younger family member.
Han Jiao felt a sense of warmth in his heart and deeply bowed in gratitude. “Many thanks for my mentor’s enlightening advice!”
On the way back home, Han Jiao felt quite content. It was the first time someone in the Hanlin Academy had treated him with such sincerity, and that person happened to be a highly respected senior.
After enduring months of being excluded by his classmates, Han Jiao had started to doubt himself and even felt inclined to give up. Elder Lin’s recognition had given him a tremendous boost of confidence.
If he could assist Prince Yan in pursuing his ambitions in the future, Han Jiao was determined to work alongside honest and esteemed elders like Elder Lin.
It was no wonder that in ancients times, many Masters cherished the favor they received from their patrons. Being at the bottom and constantly ostracized, even a slight helping hand from a senior figure could make Han Jiao feel so invigorated and grateful.
This may very well be a tactic employed by higher-ranking officials to cultivate their own influence.
Elder Lin was taking a gamble on Han Jiao’s future, believing that he had more potential than individuals like Chen Yuanqiao. The more Han Jiao thought about it, the more elated he felt.
As the evening sun began to set, a luxurious carriage with silk curtains quietly parked by the gate of Han’s residence. The coachman sitting on the footboard noticed Han Jiao from afar and immediately jumped down from the carriage, bowing respectfully.
Han Jiao inwardly sighed in frustration. This was the coachman from his Third Aunt’s household. His aunt and uncle had come to visit again.
This couple often visited the Han’s residence, and almost every time, they managed to ignite a war between Han Jiao’s parents.
The husband of Han Jiao’s Third Aunt was once an illegitimate child of an official family. During the separation, they only received a few acres of barren land and struggled to make ends meet.
Han Jiao’s mother couldn’t bear to see her younger sister suffer, so she asked her husband to help the couple find some government jobs to earn a living.
By a stroke of luck, the Ministry of Works had a profitable timber business. Mrs. Han seized the opportunity, used all her savings, and lent it to her sister’s family, allowing them to make their first fortune.
Since then, the brother-in-law started a construction materials business and often visited Han Jiao’s home, leveraging the influence of Master Han to continue securing deals with the Ministry of Works.
If it were any other high-ranking official, they would have demanded a significant share of the profits. However, Master Han was known for his integrity, so the brother-in-law tailored his approach accordingly. Whenever he visited, he would only bring gifts like aged bird’s nest, shark fin, or fine silk fabrics.
His excessive flattery aimed to leverage Master Han’s position, but Master Han didn’t want to be exploited. However, Mrs. Han wouldn’t allow him to refuse.
Han Jiao’s mother felt that marrying Master Han was like eating bitter herbs for the rest of her life.
It sounded good on the surface—a fourth-ranking official in the imperial court. However, their lifestyle couldn’t compare to the prosperous business ventures of the Third Aunt’s family. Master Han’s reputation suffered greatly.
Mrs. Han believed that her sister’s family relied on Han family for income, so sending some gifts was a rightful gesture of gratitude. However, her husband always wore a sour expression.
“Even if you sisters have a good relationship, there’s no reason for money to flow in only one direction,” Master Han wanted to establish clear boundaries.
“I would love to reciprocate, but that would require you, Master, to have the means to give me gifts in return!” If Mrs. Han had uttered these words in modern times, it might have been seen as a wife complaining about her husband’s lack of abilities. However, in ancient times, it was rare to witness such a response to a husband who held a fourth-ranking official position.
Master Han maintained a clean and upright reputation and never entertained the idea of taking concubines. Not only did he refuse to accept gifts, but he also refrained from indulging in the company of singing and dancing girls brought by his colleagues during their gatherings. Everyone knew he was cautious and conservative.
It was the only thing that could bring solace to Mrs. Han. In truth, the couple had a good relationship. Their only worry was when relatives came to visit because comparisons were the foremost killer of happiness.
Before entering the main hall, Han Jiao heard his aunt’s warm voice calling from inside the house, “A’Jiao is back! Cuiliu, quickly bring the warm soup. If it sits too long, it’ll thicken!”
The resistance that had just emerged in Han Jiao’s heart immediately dissipated. People tend to soften when it comes to food. Every time his aunt visited, it was his only chance to eat improved meals. He walked briskly into the main room and obediently responded, “Aunt, it has been a while since you last came. A’Jiao has missed you.”
“Is my son craving the delicious food from his aunt’s house?” His birth mother always managed to grasp the essence and dismantle her son’s stance.
“A’Jiao doesn’t care only about food. Our A’Jiao is destined to become an official and focuses on important matters!” His aunt had an indulgent expression as she gently stroked Han Jiao’s hair.
This wasn’t mere flattery. The aspect his aunt envied the most about her sister was not that she married a fourth-ranking official, but rather that she gave birth to such an extraordinary son.
Han Jiao’s intellectual prowess was evident from the moment he began speaking. Now, at eighteen years old, he had lived up to everyone’s expectations and achieved remarkable success. His aunt believed that Han Jiao could realize all the beautiful possibilities in life. She wished she could kidnap her nephew and raise him by herself.
She genuinely wanted to raise Han Jiao, to give him a life of abundance where he wouldn’t have to endure any hardships. In the future, when he became a high-ranking official, he would learn to be flexible and not as stubborn as his father.
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