Chapter 68: There is Room For the Poor Daughter
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Chapter 68: Joy
Yan Zhigao tightly gripped the appointment document and official seal in his hands, trembling slightly from excitement. It wasn't until he returned to the post station that he was able to calm his emotions somewhat.
"Congratulations, Sir!"
Advisor Xiao stood at the courtyard door, bowing in greeting when he saw Yan Zhigao.
Yan Zhigao had been holding his emotions in check while outside, but now that he was back on his own turf, he could no longer suppress his joy, his mouth curling into an uncontrollable smile. "Did you already receive the news?"
Advisor Xiao nodded with a smile. "Shou Nian's brother has some acquaintances in the government. Early this morning, he sent someone to notify me that Sir might be getting promoted. Seeing your appearance now, it seems the news is true."
Yan Zhigao's face was unable to hide his joy. He laughed and said, "Come, let's go inside and talk."
As they entered the main room, Yan Wenxiu and the younger ones rushed over.
Yan Wenxiu, being older, understood the significance of his father's promotion for the family's future. As soon as he saw Yan Zhigao return, he quickly brought his siblings over, looking a bit nervous.
Yan Wentao and Yan Wenkai didn't think too much about it but understood that a promotion was a good thing, so they watched their father and Advisor Xiao eagerly.
Among the four, the most composed was Daohua.
She wasn't a real child. After Xiao Yeyang had given her the jade pendant and witnessing the attentive attitude of the officials towards her father at the post station, she had already guessed that her father was most likely going to be promoted.
Seeing her father's expression of joy now, the result was clear.
Yan Zhigao, immersed in the happiness of his promotion, didn't notice the children's reactions, but Advisor Xiao, standing nearby, observed them all. He couldn't help but silently praise Daohua for her composure.
Seeing her brothers staring at their father without speaking, Daohua, relying on her younger age, smilingly asked Yan Zhigao, "Father, did you get promoted?"
Yan Zhigao cleared his throat with an air of modesty and, laughing, handed the official document to Advisor Xiao.
Advisor Xiao took the document, quickly scanning it and exclaimed with excitement, "Xingzhou's Governor! Sir has been promoted three ranks at once!"
Yan Zhigao nodded. "To be honest, I was also surprised when I saw the appointment letter."
Advisor Xiao immediately said, "With your achievements and years of service, being promoted to Governor of Xingzhou is only fitting! Xingzhou is under Beiding Prefecture, and although Beiding is only a medium-sized prefecture among the fifteen in Zhongzhou Province, it’s located near the Grand Canal, making transportation convenient. As long as Sir focuses on the people's welfare, you’ll certainly achieve great things."
At that moment, Advisor Xiao was genuinely thrilled.
When he was young, due to family circumstances, he had lost his chance to sit the imperial exams and could never enter the official ranks. He had always been saddened by this. It wasn’t until the tenth year of Yongxing that he traveled to Zhongzhou Province and saw Yan Zhigao, then a county magistrate, personally going into the fields to encourage agriculture. The sight of him sharing meals and drinks with the farmers had deeply moved Advisor Xiao.
From then on, he had actively joined Yan Zhigao’s service as his advisor. However, due to the complexities of the official world, Yan Zhigao’s humble background and his scholarly integrity made it difficult for him to connect with the corruption of the higher-ups. As a result, he had been suppressed, serving as county magistrate for nine years.
At one point, Advisor Xiao had believed that Yan Zhigao would never rise again, but to his surprise, the opportunity had now come.
Now in middle age, Advisor Xiao no longer sought personal advancement but was focused on assisting a man like Yan Zhigao, who truly cared for the common people, and hoped to see his talents put to good use.
Although Xingzhou was considered a lower-ranking prefecture, it governed four counties. If Yan Zhigao did well, he might rise even further.
Meanwhile, Yan Wenxiu and the younger ones were overjoyed to hear of Yan Zhigao’s promotion.
Yan Wenkai asked, "Father is now a Governor. Does that mean he is at the same level as Governor Dong?"
Yan Wenxiu, even though usually reserved, couldn’t help but smile broadly. "Yes, they are of the same rank."
Yan Wenkai immediately grinned, "Hmph, next time we see Governor Dong, let’s see how he acts!"
"No causing trouble!" Yan Wenxiu glared at Yan Wenkai. "We’ve already reconciled with Dong Xiangrong, and he’s already paid his respects. We mustn’t bring it up again."
Yan Wenxiu then glanced at Daohua and Yan Wentao.
Yan Zhigao and Advisor Xiao both looked on with satisfaction.
Advisor Xiao chuckled, "The eldest young master is becoming more and more of a role model for his younger siblings!"
Yan Zhigao said nothing but nodded in agreement.
At that moment, a servant hurried in, announcing that some officials had come to visit.
Yan Zhigao and Advisor Xiao exchanged a quick glance.
"News spreads so fast in the capital!"
Yan Zhigao turned and instructed Yan Wenxiu to take Daohua and the others downstairs before he and Advisor Xiao went to receive the guests.
In the next two or three days, the courtyard where Daohua and the others stayed was constantly visited by officials. It didn’t matter whether they knew them before; many came to pay their respects.
The younger ones leaned eagerly by the window, watching as Yan Zhigao and Advisor Xiao received and saw off visitors.
Daohua asked, "Eldest brother, are we going back soon?"
Yan Wenxiu nodded. "Father’s tenure will be short, and he has to go back to handle the transition. It should be in the next couple of days. You all should get ready so we won’t be rushed when the time comes."
Daohua asked again, "By the way, eldest brother, have you written to mother about father’s promotion?"
Yan Wenxiu smiled and nodded. "I wrote to her the day father received the official appointment. Mother should have received the letter by now."
Meanwhile, at the county office in Lingyi County.
Madam Li, overjoyed, rushed to Yan Laotai’s Songhe Courtyard with the letter. The second and third branches of the family quickly followed.
"Mother, good news! Father has been promoted to Governor of Xingzhou!"
Yan Laotai, who had been thinking about Daohua and the others, suddenly stood up when she heard this, her eyes wide. "Really?"
Madam Li quickly handed over the letter from Yan Wenxiu. "It’s true, you can see for yourself. This letter is from Wenxiu!"
"Is eldest brother really promoted?"
As soon as Yan Zhiyuan entered the courtyard, he heard Madam Li’s words and hurried over. He quickly joined Yan Laotai at her side.
Yan Laotai, reading the letter slowly, as she didn’t recognize many of the characters, was taking her time.
Yan Zhiyuan, impatient, reached for the letter. "Mother, give it to me, I’ll read it to you."
Yan Laotai shot him a glare but, seeing the anxious faces of her daughter-in-law, grandson, and granddaughter, handed the letter to him.
Yan Zhiyuan quickly read through it and confirmed that Yan Zhigao had indeed been promoted, then read it aloud with a smile.
"Good, good, good!"
After finishing the letter, Yan Laotai repeated the word "good" several times, her eyes reddening. "Zhigao is now a fifth-rank official. After I die, I can face your father proudly."
Seeing Yan Laotai tear up in excitement, Madam Li and the others quickly comforted her.
Sun Shi smiled. "Mother, this is just the beginning. Eldest brother will rise even further, and with Wenxiu and the others, you’ll just wait to enjoy your old age as a respected matriarch!"
Yan Laotai wiped away her tears, smiling. "You’re the one who knows how to talk. I’ll be waiting for that!"
Madam Li, seeing that Yan Laotai was fine, continued, "Father’s appointment will be short, so we should start packing now, just in case we don’t have enough time later."
Yan Zhiyuan nodded in agreement. "What eldest sister-in-law says makes sense. Xingzhou is still quite a distance from here."
After talking for a while, everyone left Yan Laotai’s courtyard and returned to their rooms to prepare.
At Shuangxin Courtyard.
....
This novel is translated by the Eternal Novel Hits translators. Please read it at https://eternalnovelhits.blogspot.com
....
"Have you found out what happened? Why is the old lady’s courtyard so lively?" Concubine Lin asked her maid.
The maid shook her head. "I didn’t dare get too close, but I know that the master sent a letter. Seeing how happy the second and third masters are, it must be good news."
Concubine Lin, dissatisfied with her maid's lack of information, was about to scold her when her brother rushed into the courtyard.
"What are you doing here?"
Lin Shiye, full of joy, said, "Sister, great news! Brother-in-law has been promoted to a fifth-rank Governor, and he skipped three ranks!"
Hearing this, Concubine Lin was initially
startled, then overjoyed. "Really? How did you hear about this?"
Lin Shiye, trying to calm his excitement, said, "The news is all over the county office. You know that the Zhu family has connections in the capital. He came to tell me, so it must be true."
(The End of this Chapter)
I always forgot that she's not from ancient era chapter by chapter base on the way she handles things feels so off its not like someone who came from modern settings I just felt like she's just with bit of intelligence a but every time the author never forgot to highlight it lols
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