Chapter 127: Notes of the Top Three Scholars

Chapter 127: Notes on the Top Three

The garden was entirely covered in snow, with none of the flowers bearing fruit—only green leaves piled high with snow. Yu Lanyi and Zheng Shanci left a trail of footprints in the garden, clustered and intertwined.

Zheng Shanci reached out to pull the hood of the cloak over Yu Lanyi’s head. Yu Lanyi looked up at the sky as snowflakes drifted down one by one. One landed on his eyelashes, and when he blinked, it melted into water.

"Zheng Shanci, this is the fifth winter we’ve spent together," Yu Lanyi said happily, tilting his head up to look at him.

Zheng Shanci’s heart softened. He responded gently, "We’ll spend many more winters together in the future."

Yu Lanyi bent down, scooped up a handful of snow, and tossed it onto Zheng Shanci’s cloak.

After admiring the snowy scenery for a while, the two returned indoors to huddle by the fire. Yu Lanyi handed Zheng Shanci an account book and asked him to read it aloud.

Zheng Shanci obliged.

Only after Yu Lanyi had fallen asleep against his shoulder did Zheng Shanci set the book aside and gently carry him to bed. Such winters were rare respites.

Holding him close, Zheng Shanci kissed his forehead. He remained blissfully unaware, still fast asleep.

If only they could stay like this forever.

...

When Yu Lanyi woke up, Zheng Shanci was already gone. After washing up, he picked up the account book on the table and noticed that some errors had been circled, and the calculations had been redone.

"This is perfect," Yu Lanyi murmured as he flipped through the account book, his heart brimming with warmth.

Jin Yun, overhearing his young master’s words, thought to himself, *The master isn’t even here, yet the young master is still praising him. He really never stops thinking about him.*

Yu Lanyi placed wintersweet blossoms into a white porcelain vase, arranging them carelessly. Back when his tutor had taught him flower arrangement, he hadn’t paid much attention. Now, as he fumbled with the branches, he realized he had no skill whatsoever—so he simply left them as they were.

One white porcelain vase adorned the room, while two others stood in the main hall, adding a touch of elegance.

Yu Lanyi went to check on Xiao Pingan, who blinked up at him with bright eyes, smiling and reaching out his little hands.

"He’s put on weight," Yu Lanyi remarked as he lifted Xiao Pingan. He’d been so small at birth, but now he had grown heavier.

As Yu Lanyi weighed him in his arms, Xiao Pingan kicked his little legs in the air, his expression utterly guileless.

Noticing Jin Yun smiling at him, Xiao Pingan stared back before grinning widely.

Jin Yun found the little one irresistibly adorable.

Unaware that his personal attendant had already “betrayed” him, Yu Lanyi turned Xiao Pingan over to inspect him. The baby was clean, warm, and wearing a drool bib around his neck.

Xiao Pingan had started drooling recently. With his delicate features, shimmering eyes, and long lashes that resembled tiny brushes, he was the epitome of childish charm.

Seeing this, Yu Lanyi decided to take Xiao Pingan to play indoors. It was too cold outside, and he didn’t want the baby catching a chill. He could only let him play inside for a while. Xiao Pingan had grown tired of his cloth tigers—now, he preferred crawling back and forth across the bed, full of energy.

Yu Lanyi had Jin Yun bring some snacks and fresh fruit, then watched with amusement as Xiao Pingan crawled from the head of the bed to the foot, and back again. After fifteen laps, both Yu Lanyi and Jin Yun were exhausted, their smiles long gone.

Xiao Pingan, however, continued gleefully, oblivious to their exhaustion.

Yu Lanyi sighed, watching him. "Do all children have this much energy?"

Jin Yun consoled him, "Young master, this just means the little one is very healthy. A child this energetic will surely grow up strong as a horse."

"As strong as an ox? Then he'd be a hulking brute." Yu Lanyi gestured with his own arm, measuring the imagined bulk.

He still didn’t like overly muscular men—he preferred scholars like Zheng Shanci, lean but toned under their robes.

He couldn’t bear the thought of his child turning into a hulking brute. Yu Lanyi immediately shook his head, dispelling the image from his mind.

By noon, Xiao Ping’an had finally tuckered out and was carried away by Wu Shi to be fed. After nursing, he would nap for the afternoon. Today, the bassinet was placed beside Yu Lanyi, where Xiao Ping’an played with his tiny toes, peering up at him with drowsy blinks.

Yu Lanyi and Xiao Ping’an stared at each other, their matching eyes both heavy with sleepiness. Yu Lanyi had Jin Yun fetch a warm cloth to wipe the little one’s hands—Xiao Ping’an loved playing with his toes.

Xiao Ping’an obediently let Yu Lanyi clean his hands.

Once finished, the child was already drifting off. Yu Lanyi pulled the blanket snug around him, and Xiao Ping’an closed his eyes.

Yu Lanyi went to nap as well.

When he woke, the first thing he did was check on the baby in the bassinet. Xiao Ping’an suddenly noticed Yu Lanyi watching him, puckered his lips, and squeezed his eyes shut.

Then he peeked again—only to find Yu Lanyi still staring. Immediately, he shut his eyes and played possum.

Yu Lanyi gently pinched Xiao Ping’an’s cheek. "Still pretending?"

...

Ministry of Revenue

As winter neared year’s end, Zheng Shanci took Yu Feng to take stock of the treasury reserves, logging the inventory anew. The treasury stored grain, timber, and some commodities—buying in bulk when prices fell and selling when they rose to profit from the difference. Grain reserves were managed even more strictly; during crop failures and price spikes, selling from the stockpiles not only earned profits but also stabilized the market.

This year, some grain had been allocated to Lord Hu for disaster relief in Quanzhou, and now they needed to replenish the reserves. After reviewing the list, Zheng Shanci handed it to Yu Feng. "You handle this."

Yu Feng’s heart leapt with joy—this was a sign of Zheng Shanci’s trust. He jumped at the opportunity. As Zheng Shanci’s subordinate, his future promotions depended on his superior’s favor. Trying to curry favor with Vice Minister Mei over Zheng Shanci’s head would be a grave misstep, and Yu Feng was no fool. He vowed to execute it impeccably.

He wasn’t like Xiao Gaoyang, Mei Huai, or Jiang Lanli—those three had ranked in the top three of the imperial exams. Though they were still sixth-grade officials, their futures were bright. Men like Yu Feng, with middling exam rankings and no influential family backing, could only hope for their superiors’ favor to climb the ranks.

Zheng Shanci first reviewed the documents before heading to the porcelain workshop. Manager Liu, beaming at his arrival, greeted him with a bow and led him to inspect the ceramics. "White porcelain is selling fast—the workers are working round the clock. We even cleared out the old stock. Several major merchants have placed orders to sell in other provinces."

He handed the orders to Zheng Shanci.

At a glance, Zheng Shanci understood Manager Liu’s excitement—the merchants’ orders added up to 50K taels of silver, with 10K paid upfront. Every tael was scrupulously logged in the ledgers, leaving no room for fraud.

Manager Liu had never seen porcelain sell so quickly. Even noblewomen in the capital were placing advance orders, making him realize just how coveted their ceramics were.

"The white porcelain can sell through the winter. Show me the rest of the stock."

Manager Liu, now wholly deferential to Zheng Shanci, had learned that their porcelain’s popularity was partly due to external trends—just as Lord Zheng had predicted. Once winter passed, they couldn’t overproduce white porcelain, or it would pile up unsold.

Among the remaining ceramics were tea sets. Zheng Shanci examined them. "Carve plum blossom patterns into these—etched motifs for understated grace."

Manager Liu nodded eagerly. "As you command, Lord Zheng."

With vases already sold out, tea sets could become the next trend. A successful winter could keep them afloat for a year—or two, if the tea sets sold well.

The workshop, once struggling, now hummed with productivity. Workers were eager to produce more, rushing pieces to the shops daily.

"Year’s end is near. Have the workers go the extra mile, and I’ll reward them with bonuses," Zheng Shanci said with a smile.

Manager Liu agreed readily.

At noon, the porcelain workers had an hour’s rest after lunch. Zheng Shanci had also arranged with the kitchen to serve meat every five days, with hearty servings of three dishes and a soup daily. The kitchen had once grown lax, but after Zheng Shanci’s reprimand—and seeing the fate of the textile workshop’s cooks—the porcelain and printing workshop chefs risked no corners cut.

Now that they are under supervision, they have become even more cautious. Once the cooks understood their limits, the workers started eating well. The monthly allowances haven’t been delayed since Manager Liu took over.

"Everyone, eat up. Lord Zheng just told me that if we all work hard, he’ll give us a monetary bonus at the end of the year," Manager Liu announced the good news to the workers during the meal.

The workers in the porcelain workshop immediately felt more hopeful. They all praised Lord Zheng for his kindness.

Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—artisans’ household registrations were separately recorded in the Household Registration Bureau. Once someone became an artisan, they were branded by the government for life. Once registered as artisans, they and their descendants had to serve the government for generations and were not allowed to leave the registry freely. The artisan registry system was further divided into rotating artisans and resident artisans (who served in government workshops either on rotation or monthly).

The workers in the printing and porcelain workshops were all registered as artisans, which was also a form of security. Once stamped by the government, if their descendants were skilled, the government guaranteed them steady work.

The textile workshops mostly employed laborers, casually recruiting skilled weavers from the common folk without registering them as artisans, allowing them to come and go freely.

Today, they were to have a meat dish—the cook prepared red-braised pork. Like in the imperial kitchens, the food was now served by the cooks. Previously, they had queued up themselves, and some impatient ones would even rush to grab food. After Lord Zheng saw this once, he ordered the cooks to serve the meals, making them behave properly. No matter how impatient they were, they now lined up obediently.

Lord Zheng said that even court officials had to queue for meals, so it was improper for them to rush. Thinking that even high-ranking ministers ate this way, the artisans felt a greater sense of belonging. Compared to artisans outside, they, as government artisans, had a certain pride—they were the most skilled artisans of the Great Yan Dynasty, hence their work in the imperial palace.

Every piece of porcelain bore their personal mark, serving both as a means of accountability and a badge of honor.

Today’s red-braised pork had a caramelized color, with plump pieces—crispy on the outside, tender inside, fatty but not greasy, lean but not dry. After the first serving, workers could go back for seconds.

They rested only after eating three full bowls. At noon, they slept in communal sleeping quarters, each finding their spot. Attendants brought charcoal heaters for warmth before leaving.

The allocation of charcoal was strictly rationed by the palace. In the past, they hardly saw any charcoal. They would bring hot-water bottles, and their spouses would sew hand-sewn mittens. Hot-water bottles needed hot water to stay warm, and they would tip the cooks a couple coins to fill them, then tuck them into their bedding for warmth.

Some artisans were newly registered, while others came from generations of artisans. Those with savings could afford to pay for hot water to warm their pans.

"The cook knows Lord Zheng’s authority well—he only charged me one coin to fill my hot-water bottle."

Hearing it cost just one coin, other workers became eager and brought their own bottles to be filled.

After filling them, they placed the bottles in their bedding but still couldn’t sleep. Those who had eaten their fill at noon passed out promptly and began snoring.

The rest who couldn’t sleep chatted a bit more—mostly about family matters, their children, or gossip heard in the capital. Eventually, the topic turned to how much they had saved this year.

A young artisan sighed, "Almost all of it’s gone. Just feeding my three children costs a lot each month—they’re growing and can’t be fed poorly. And fresh winter clothes—my family hasn’t had new ones in two years, so we bought fresh sets this year. I’m waiting for the court's bonus to buy New Year goods."

A few other workers chimed in agreement.

"Today, Manager Liu said Lord Zheng would give us bonuses—I’m really looking forward to it."

"Lord Zheng is clearly a fair-minded official—he even lets us use charcoal heaters. In the past, we didn’t even have time to sleep after lunch—we had to work right away. Life’s a dream now," one worker said with a grin.

They soon stopped talking—they still had crafting porcelain to do in the afternoon and needed rest to focus. With their lives improved, they all felt grateful to Zheng Shanci.

When they returned home in the evening, their spouses noticed how much better they looked.

Naturally—their higher-ups made sure they ate well, rested at noon, and left work on time. With less labor, their health improved.

After work, they spent more time with their children and spouses. Day by day, they looked better and better.

...

After visiting the porcelain workshop, Zheng Shanci also went to the printing workshop to collect the books his three friends had printed. The printing was still ongoing, and it would likely take half a month before they could be put on shelves.

He took the books back to the Ministry of Revenue to give to his friends at lunch. The covers were indigo, simply titled "Top Scholar’s Notes," "Second Rank’s Notes," and "Third Rank’s Notes," with the authors’ names—Xiao Gaoyang and the other two—clearly printed.

Zheng Shanci skimmed through a few pages and was thoroughly satisfied.

At lunch, he passed them the books.

Xiao Gaoyang held his own published book for the first time, feeling a childlike wonder. He flipped through a few pages and found the printing and binding quite satisfactory—just like proper bookstore copies. Though inwardly overjoyed, he put the book down trying to act casual.

Mei Huai, upon seeing his own book, ran his fingers over the delicate lettering and grew somewhat bashful. "My handwriting can't hold a candle to Brother Xiao's or Brother Jiang's—it lacks their boldness."

Xiao Gaoyang exclaimed, "Come off it, Brother Mei! My strokes are all over the place, whereas yours are neat and upright. Your block letters are perfect. If you say that, then my writing must be even worse."

Mei Huai laughed at this. Jiang Lanli, seeing Mei Huai’s cheer, also relaxed. The three of them worked together in the Hanlin Academy, all young officials, and they were thick as thieves.

Mei Huai then turned to Zheng Shanci and thanked him properly, "Brother Zheng, you’ve fulfilled my dream of publishing a book."

"Brother Mei, you're too kind," Zheng Shanci waved it off.

Xiao Gaoyang made sure to leave the books on the table and asked, "What's the print run, Brother Zheng?"

"At least five thousand. We’ll release the first batch and then print more if needed."

This statement made his friends do a double take. Even Cui Ziqi stopped chewing mid-meal, and Shi Xuan paused with his chopsticks halfway to his mouth.

Five thousand copies—would they even sell?

Jiang Lanli voiced his concern, "That’s too many. What if they don’t sell? We'd be out a small fortune."

Zheng Shanci chuckled, "No need to worry, my friends. I believe they’ll sell. Five thousand might not be enough."

Seeing Zheng Shanci’s confidence, Xiao Gaoyang thought to himself that he could always buy extra copies if sales were poor—better than looking pathetic. Neither he nor Brother Zheng deserved such embarrassment.

After all, he was no great scholar—how could his notes possibly sell so well?

Cui Ziqi, meanwhile, got writer's envy. Watching Mei Huai and the others with their published works, he felt an itch to write. He resolved to start his book as soon as he returned home after duty.

When Xiao Gaoyang arrived home, he saw Shi Geer embroidering in their room. Making sure to leave the books on the table, he went to the inner chamber to change out of his official robe.

Hearing a noise, Shi Geer’s gaze drifted to the table, where she spotted five books. Setting aside her needlework, she approached curiously.

"Top Scholar’s Notes."

She let out a little 'ah' and read the title aloud, then pored over a page carefully. The content struck her as insightful, though the handwriting seemed familiar. Since Xiao Gaoyang had personally penned their wedding invitation, Shi Geer recognized his script immediately.

Closing the book, she checked the author’s name—Xiao Gaoyang. She rubbed her eyes and looked again, but the name remained unchanged.

Shi Geer let out a little 'ah'.

Xiao Gaoyang emerged from changing and played dumb. "What's the matter?"

Holding the book, Shi Geer said with wide-eyed wonder, "Husband, you've published a book!"

She looked at him like he hung the moon.

Though inwardly pleased, Xiao Gaoyang put on his best noble airs and explained the book’s origins to Shi Geer.

She bobbed her head excitedly. "Once it’s available in bookshops, I’ll buy a bunch more just because."

"We already have some—why buy more?" Xiao Gaoyang asked, playing dumb and feeling warmed by her words.

Shi Geer replied earnestly, "If I don’t buy them, who's gonna buy your book?"

That stabbed him right in the ego—surely things weren’t that dire?

"I can't let my husband not sell a single copy."

Xiao Gaoyang felt his heart warm again. He carefully placed the five books aside, and Shi Geer saw this and offered to keep them for him.

"You don’t read these—what’s the point in keeping them?" Xiao Gaoyang teased.

"I’m saving them for our future children," Shi Geer said matter-of-factly. Xiao Gaoyang cleared his throat, his face turning red. He handed the books over, and Shi Geer went to the wardrobe to find a box, carefully storing them inside.

This young man was so bold and direct—why did he keep teasing his husband? Though it seemed playful, it was also endearing.

Xiao Gaoyang, a bookish man with thin skin, had nothing to say and could only indulge his husband. He lingered to watch Shi Geer embroider, but Shi Geer ignored him, knowing Xiao Gaoyang would wander off once he got bored.

"How about a walk in the garden?" Xiao Gaoyang offered after watching for a while, seeing Shi Geer unmoved, and invited him to admire the snow.

"Husband, you had no time to enjoy the snow while on duty, but I've already walked around the garden with Mother several times today. Go by yourself if you want—I’ve got embroidery to finish," Shi Geer firmly refused.

Xiao Gaoyang sighed dramatically but had no choice but to stroll the garden alone before returning.

That evening, Shi Geer finally finished embroidering the pouch for Xiao Gaoyang. He told Xiao Gaoyang to stand still as he carefully fastened it to his waist, where it seemed almost insignificant beside his jade pendants.

Still, Xiao Gaoyang felt touched.

"Don’t trouble yourself—just one pouch is enough," Xiao Gaoyang said.

He looked at Shi Geer and couldn’t help but recall their wedding night, when Shi Geer had blushed and refused to touch his belongings. His thoughts wandered, and once Shi Geer had washed up, he blew out the candle and eagerly climbed into bed.

...

Zheng Shanci accompanied Yu Lanyi to the Duke's residence. The Old Duke had come down with a chill, but whether due to age or other reasons, his condition worsened, lingering and relapsing until he was now bedridden.

Seeing his grandfather's pale face, his white hair as pale as his face, Yu Lanyi cried, "Grandfather!"

The Old Duke patted Yu Lanyi's hand. "Lan Yi, you came. Don’t fret—I'm fine, just a minor ailment. I didn’t mean to drag you here."

Yu Lanyi stayed by his grandfather's side. The Old Duke looked at Zheng Shanci, who quickly bowed and greeted him as "Grandfather."

The Old Duke acknowledged him. "If it’s no trouble, stay for dinner."

"Thank you, Grandfather," both Yu Lanyi and Zheng Shanci replied.

While Yu Lanyi stayed to chat with his grandparents, Zheng Shanci went outside, where He Tong greeted him.

They had brought a ginseng root, originally a gift from the Marquis of Changyang to Yu Lanyi. Having nothing else suitable to bring, he thought the ginseng would be most useful.

"Dear boy, your grandfather will be alright. You and Shan Ci came rushing over—that wasn’t necessary," the Old Duchess chided, though warmth filled her heart, feeling her affection for him had not been in vain.

Yu Lanyi said, "Illness, big or small, should never be ignored."

The Old Duke smiled kindly and listened to his grandson.

Meanwhile, Zheng Shanci played chess with He Tong in the pavilion. He Tong was impressed to find Zheng Shanci was just as skilled, and their game remained unresolved even when a servant called them to dinner.

He Tong said, "If you’re free in the future, Brother-in-law, come visit the Duke's residence more often—we can play chess together."

Zheng Shanci agreed.

They stayed for dinner before returning home. Upon returning, Yu Lanyi said, "We ought to hire a household doctor. Now that the estates and shops are profitable, hiring one won’t be a burden."

Zheng Shanci sensed Yu Lanyi’s worry and agreed that a household doctor was necessary. "Alright, we'll look for one tomorrow."

Yu Lanyi felt a little better for now. That evening, he remarked that Zheng Shanci ought to exercise more.

Zheng Shanci wrapped his arms around him and said, "I do hit the gym when I get time at the Ministry of Revenue."

Yu Lanyi ran a hand over Zheng Shanci's abs and nodded approvingly.

"That's the right way."

After feeling his abs, he moved his hand to Zheng Shanci's chest, leaning in to listen to his heartbeat.