kvmb Chapter 143: Female Dominant Prodigal Son 26
Chapter 143: Female Dominant Prodigal Son 26
Time really flies by.
When Lin Ruan was 30 years old, he married his third wife, the son of the head of the Hanlin Academy. Lin Ruan gave him the name Su, Baili Su.
The reason for this name is because Baili Sanlang is really white.
On the day of his wedding, his skin was illuminated by the warm yellow candlelight in the bridal chamber, and it seemed as if it was coated with a soft light, just like a piece of fine white-glazed porcelain on a high-end exhibition stand, the white was gentle, the white was transparent, and the white was noble.
When the veil was lifted, the other person looked up at her with sidelong glances, her eyes curved upwards. Although she was wearing a bright red wedding gown, she had an inexplicably ethereal and otherworldly demeanor.
The falling flowers have not yet stopped, and the cold plum blossoms and sparse bamboos are flowing together in the wind.
Lin Ruan held his hand, and it felt icy cold. She craved the coolness, the pleasure, and most of all, the sense of accomplishment of having her hands touch that icy skin and delicate bones.
The system circulated the poem to Lin Ruan with great sorrow:
An eighteen-year-old bride and an eighty-year-old groom, their white hair against their red makeup. A pair of mandarin ducks sleep together in a quilt, a pear tree overshadowing a crabapple tree.
Lin Ruan: "First of all, I'm the wife, not the bride; secondly, I'm only thirty, so I can't be described as a tree of white hair and pear blossoms, right?"
The system continued to lament: "But Lin Ruan, he's only fourteen years old. How could you have the heart to do that to him? I ask you, how could you have the heart to do that to him?"
Lin Ruan rolled his eyes and didn't buy the system's words at all: "You know what kind of person I am. If you don't like it, why send me his video?"
The system was even more upset and angry: "Can't you just spend a few points to silence me? Huh? Huh?"
But he was married anyway. After all, a fourteen-year-old boy was more youthful than Chi Wen Ning and Lu Wen Ze, who were twenty-six or twenty-seven. Lin Ruan was really fresh for a few days.
System: Oh, woman.
(?_?)
Dean Baili's vision was indeed good. In the third year after Lin Ruan married Baili Su, he took out the "Fengwu Chronicles" which he had compiled and edited, listing the important historical events of Fengwu Kingdom over the past two thousand years in separate chapters; each chapter was written in chronological order.
The "Fengwu Ji" made the emperor very happy, and Lin Ruan left the Hanlin Academy with this achievement and was appointed as the prefect of Suzhou, holding the fourth rank.
On the surface, being transferred from the capital to a post outside the capital was a promotion, but it was not really a promotion at all. However, after becoming a prefect, he had real power in his hands, and in the prosperous Suzhou, it was a real step forward in his career.
Lin Ruan, accompanied by his family, servants, and guards, sailed along the Grand Canal to Suzhou. Suzhou, with its beautiful scenery and its position as the heart of the Lianghuai salt transport, was even more prosperous than the capital. After reporting to the prefect, he returned to his home behind the government office and settled down.
She had only brought Chi Wenning with her this time to Suzhou. Lin's father, aging and reluctant to travel, had stayed in the capital. Chi Wenning was a steady man, and Lin Ruan was most confident in having him in Suzhou to socialize with the male members of the family. Lü Wenze and Baili Su remained in the capital to care for Lin's father.
After settling in, Lin Ruan went to the front to hand over government affairs to the Tongzhi and Tongpan in the government office. After all, he was new to the area and hadn't served as a local official in several past lives. Lin Ruan first thoroughly reviewed the Suzhou Prefecture's historical government archives. The previous prefect had assigned the management of grain, salaries, and water conservancy to the Tongzhi. Not wanting to start a major conflict, Lin Ruan left these two responsibilities in the Tongzhi's care. This move reassured the veterans of the government office.
Afterwards, Lin Ruan took people to count the grain, silver and supplies in the treasury, and confirmed that there were no discrepancies with the records of the storekeepers and warehouse clerks.
They worked like this until midnight, and then Lin Ruan let everyone go and returned home.
The next morning, before daybreak, Lin Ruan, who was half asleep, suddenly heard the sound of a cloud board. At first, he ignored it and turned over to continue sleeping. Suddenly, Chi Wen Ning was beside him, calling softly: "Wife? Wife, it's time to get up."
Since I became an official, I have never slept in for a single day!
The bad temper that was heavier than the resentment of a ghost dissipated one by one under Chi Wen Ning's care. She put on her official uniform and hat and prepared to go to the lobby of the government office.
Today was Lin Ruan's first official day in office, and a ceremony was to be held in the lobby for the officials to pay their respects to the prefect. This ceremony imitated the scene of officials attending court in the imperial palace. This rustic court meeting of a 'king and minister of a small country' was quite interesting.
When Lin Ruan entered from the back door of the hall, the subordinates and servants knelt and bowed, saying, "Greetings, sir!"
Lin Ruan walked up to the platform and sat on a chair behind the large desk. She looked up and saw the words "A Clear Mirror Hangs High" hanging on the wall. She turned and sat upright, then spoke at length: "I, an official, have been ordered to govern this region. I am responsible for promoting moral integrity, settling lawsuits, and distributing taxes and labor service equally, in order to educate the people. However, with a population of millions, one person alone cannot fully fulfill their duties, so I have asked you to assist me in managing the affairs of the state. I hope you will work with me in governing Yangzhou in the future. I will also be happy to offer your guidance." Lin Ruan paused, then continued, "This official is new here, and there are still many matters I do not understand. I need your guidance. If there is nothing else, I will adjourn now."
All the officials responded in unison, then stood up and filed out, leaving only one judge named Yang in the hall.
Lin Ruan lowered his eyes and asked, "Does Yang Tuiguan have anything to teach me?"
Yang Fengyi quickly bowed and said, "I dare not." Then he smiled and said, "Sir, tomorrow is the day to issue the notice. I am afraid that you don't know the procedure, so I came to inform you."
Lin Ruan knew that the third and eighth days of every month were the days for officials to receive complaints from the people. Since being appointed as the prefect of Yangzhou, Lin Ruan had searched the system for some information and asked his father-in-law, Lu, about the prefect's position.
But after all, it was Yang Tuiguan's good intentions, so she was happy to cooperate and said, "I really don't know about this. Please explain it in detail."
Yang Tuiguan bowed again and said he dared not, then smiled and said, "Most cases are usually entrusted to various clerks and financial and criminal officials to handle, and then finally handed over to you, my Lord. If you think it is fair, then you can make the final decision."
Then, lowering his voice, he said, "Previous prefects have always pushed down matters that could be assigned to the two counties; pushed up matters that concerned the province; and pushed down matters that affected your family. My lord, although you are the prefect, you have the governor above you and the county magistrates below you. If you want to be comfortable and secure in your job, you must do as you were told."
Lin Ruan raised the corner of her mouth slightly, looking at Yang Fengyi with a half-smile, "Are you teaching me how to do things, Yang Tuiguan?"
Yang Fengyi's heart skipped a beat, and cold sweat instantly broke out on his forehead. "I dare not, but..."
"That's enough," Lin Ruan interrupted her. "As the prefect, I will naturally handle every case fairly and impartially, and will never shirk my responsibilities. As for how to be an official, I know exactly what I'm doing. After all, I'm only thirty years old, and it's far from the point of seeking comfort and stability."
Yang Fengyi's face turned pale. "Yes, I understand. I was wrong."
How could Lin Ruan not know what she was thinking? It was both a test and a surrender. With such a pale face, there was no doubt that she was afraid.
She smiled and said, "Official Yang has good intentions, I know that. You can go back now. I will have my own ideas about the release of the complaint tomorrow." Lin Ruan waved her hand and let Yang Fengyi leave.
After Yang Fengyi left, Lin Ruan leaned back in her chair, lost in thought. She knew that in this officialdom, it was not easy to stick to one's principles. She also had no dream of becoming a judge, nor did she want to be a high-ranking official.
It's just that she has no idea how many years she has lived in these several worlds combined, but the rebellious nature in her head has not been worn away. She just doesn't want to let people, rules, or various things that have nothing to do with her influence her thoughts and wishes, and force her to act this way or that way.