Chapter 282

Chapter 282: The Commandery Governor’s Madam Invites

Yu Zhi Yi had planned to give her family magical tools, so she took out three jade pendants and said: “These have the same effect as my mother’s defensive magical artifact, only the style is different.”

When she gave Xiao Qing Xuan the prayer beads, she also helped her put on a defensive bracelet.

Most men do not like wearing jewelry, so Yu Zhi Yi made all the men’s pieces as jade pendants.

Father and sons stared at the lustrous jade in their hands, their eyes shining. Jiang Yu Chuan reached for his money pouch, but Yu Zhi Yi stopped him: “There is no need to pay. After I leave, just help me take good care of Mother.”

Xiao Qing Xuan had been smiling at her daughter; she could not look enough. [Why is my daughter so beloved by everyone?] When she heard those words, her smile froze as she asked: “Jin’er is leaving?”

Hadn’t they already cut ties with that other family?

Yu Zhi Yi explained openly: “I am now a third-rank official of the Imperial Court, so of course I must return and report.”

Xiao Qing Xuan’s gaze went blank as she muttered: “A th… third-rank official?”

Even though she had been muddled for more than ten years, she still remembered some basics. In these times, becoming an official was very hard. Those students worked for ten or even dozens of years, and even if they passed as Presented Scholars, they might still not serve in the Imperial Court. At best, they would find a small local post and climb up from the bottom, and most people with a degree never got any post at all.

Her daughter was so young, yet she was already a third-rank official of the Imperial Court?

She thought of the past and sighed to herself. When her father-in-law was alive, he used every favor he had and only managed to build some ties with a fourth-rank Commandery Governor. Even with that small connection, whenever her father-in-law wanted help from the Commandery Governor, he had to prepare grand gifts and speak very humbly.

[My daughter is incredible.]

Jiang Liu Yi also looked at his sister with curiosity. He knew she was now a third-rank official, but he did not know how she got it or what it really meant. Still, prefects had always been big posts that gave local officials headaches, so it should be impressive.

Yu Zhi Yi clarified with a small smile: “Actually, in the Imperial Court I am only a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Justice. The third-rank prefect is just a temporary appointment. It will be taken back after I return to the capital.”

“As for that fifth-rank post, I didn’t get it through the regular Imperial Examinations, but because of some abilities. Your Majesty granted it to me specially.”

She sounded a bit helpless. She had not planned to be an official. If that fifth-rank office were not tying her down, once she left the Du Clan she could have gone deep into the mountains to focus on cultivation.

Even so, holding office was not all bad. Since she served in the Ministry of Justice, she could uncover many wrongful cases, set things right, and gain a lot of merit.

The only bad part was this: her fate was now bound to the national fortune of the Great Sheng Empire. If the empire’s fortune was damaged, her own fortune would also be affected. The fate of a nation is huge; even a small change could be disaster for her. Luckily, for now, everything seemed normal.

Jiang Yu Chuan and the others did not really understand court matters, so they only half understood what she said. But it did not bother them. Whether they understood or not did not matter; all that mattered was that their daughter and sister was amazing.

As they were talking, a steward suddenly knocked on the door and announced: “Second Master, Second Madam, Second Young Master, Second Miss, Fourth Miss, someone from the Commandery Governor’s residence requests an audience.”

The Jiang Clan members looked confused. They had no dealings with the Commandery Governor’s residence. Soon they realized the visitor was likely here for Yu Zhi Yi.

“Let him in,” someone answered.

Yu Zhi Yi stood up and said: “I will go take a look.”

Outside the courtyard, a well-dressed middle-aged man stood with his hands behind his back. When Yu Zhi Yi came out, surprise flashed in his eyes, but he quickly smoothed his expression and stepped forward to greet her: “Yu…”

Yu Zhi Yi raised a hand and corrected him: “For now, I am only the Jiang Clan’s Second Miss.”

He paused, then followed her lead smoothly: “Second Miss Jiang, my madam heard that you have arrived in Tian’an Commandery. She has prepared a banquet at the city’s largest Lotus Blossom Tower and respectfully invites you to honor us with your presence.”

Not far away, Uncle Wang, the Martial Alliance steward, looked over in shock. The Commandery Governor’s madam herself was welcoming the Second Miss? Who exactly was the Second Miss?

Yu Zhi Yi knew the local officials wanted to win her over. If she were alone, she would not care. But Xiao Qing Xuan would be living in Tian’an Commandery from now on. If the officials here were not corrupt, making some ties would not hurt. And if any were rotten, that was fine too. She could always replace them.

The banquet was set for tomorrow night. When Yu Zhi Yi agreed, the middle-aged man’s face relaxed. He said with a smile: “Then my madam will await your arrival at Lotus Blossom Tower.”

As the man turned to leave, Uncle Wang hurried over to see him out. In his heart he grumbled that the Second Miss seemed a bit careless with social niceties. This man was Sir Chun Yu, a favorite of the Commandery Governor. Even if the Second Miss did not see him off herself, she should at least send someone, right?

On the road, Uncle Wang tried to smooth things over as he spoke to Sir Chun Yu: “Sir, our Second Miss has just returned and doesn’t know many things yet. If there was any breach of manners, please don’t take offense.”

Sir Chun Yu looked at him with an easy grin. Facing a steward, he showed neither deference nor restraint: “Steward Wang, you jest. Second Miss Jiang is sincere by nature. Even my lord and my madam praise her.”

Uncle Wang froze. The Commandery Governor’s residence valued the Second Miss this much? Did Madam Song feel deep gratitude toward her? Could the Second Miss be her lifesaving benefactor? He did not know, so he decided to report to someone who would.

That afternoon, Alliance Leader Jiang returned. Uncle Wang told him how Sir Chun Yu had invited Yu Zhi Yi. Jiang Yu Wei’s serious face showed surprise as he asked: “You mean it was the Commandery Governor’s madam who sent the invitation, not the Commandery Governor himself?”

“That’s right, Madam Song herself,” Uncle Wang said firmly.

Jiang Yu Wei stroked his beard and murmured: “Then perhaps I misjudged.”

That night when Commandery Governor Song had personally come to support Yu Zhi Yi, Jiang Yu Wei had assumed her foster parents held unusual status in the capital, or that she had some improper relationship with the governor. He had leaned toward the second possibility. But if Madam Song was the one inviting her, then that guess was completely ruled out. Only the first possibility remained.

He frowned. “Those men I sent to the capital are getting unreliable.”

He had already sent people to investigate Yu Zhi Yi, but they had still not returned. What he did not know was that they would likely never find the truth about Yu Zhi Yi, because he had sent them to investigate Jiang Si Jin, not Yu Zhi Yi at all.