Chapter 44 Ye Xiren Reinstated to His Former Post

My dear eldest nephew, do you really want Mr. Xie's daughter to be your stepmother?

"......"

Hearing this, veins throbbed on Ye Xiu's forehead. "Xie Dashen broke off the engagement with my father. He's probably regretting it by now."

"Oh, I see." Little Fatty Cheng Pengju looked thoughtful.

He got up from the bed, wrote a letter, and then walked out to the door, gesturing outward.

The guards outside the courtyard immediately stepped forward. "Young Marquis, please give your orders."

"Go to the post station immediately and have someone gallop this to the capital."

Cheng Pengju paused. "Wulong Lane is perfectly safe. Take everyone into the city to have some fun, and all expenses will be reimbursed by the family. I don't care if you go drinking or visit courtesies, nor do I care who is in the right. When we are outside, the Duke of Wei's estate has only one damn rule: when you fight, you are not allowed to lose!"

"Understood, Young Marquis!" The guards beamed with joy and left Wulong Lane.

Ye Wuji glanced over secretly, having no idea what had just happened.

However, Ye Xiren saw it all clearly, and upon seeing the little fatty, his heart leapt with joy. "Focus! What is there to look at? Can't you see him tomorrow?"

"Between heaven and earth, there is a righteous energy, taking various forms..."

Leaning against the window and listening to the resounding reading, a smug smile appeared at the corners of the little fatty's mouth.

Ye Xiu was sleeping half-asleep when he was awakened by the sound of reading.

He opened his eyes and took a long time to realize that dawn had broken.

It was Ye Xiren guiding Ye Wuji through his morning reading and lessons.

"Brother-in-law is so pitiful."

"My eldest nephew is ruthless enough to actually get Ye Xiren to tutor him."

While the little fatty was washing his face and muttering to himself, he caught the scent of an enticing aroma.

Walking over to the kitchen, he saw Zhao Youyou stir-frying dishes while Ye Xiu was busy getting bowls and chopsticks.

With the food on the table, Ye Wuji's morning lesson came to an end.

He washed his hands and shifted a stool, letting Ye Xiren sit down first.

"Not bad, walnut and jujube porridge, good for clearing the mind and nourishing the brain." Ye Wuji ate with great relish. "The cook we had before was truly awful."

"All eating?" The little fatty rubbed his hands and walked into the room with a smile.

Upon seeing Cheng Pengju, Ye Wuji's expression turned grim in an instant.

He glared fiercely at Ye Xiu, the message glaringly obvious: Why did you bring this pest into our house? Don't you know his older sister has been eyeing your father's body for ages?

Ye Xiu wore a helpless expression as well. *Hell, you think I wanted this? But what, do you expect Cheng Araman to come over and reason with the two of us?*

Cheng Pengju straightened his collar and performed a formal student's bow to Ye Xiren. "Pengju pays respects to the teacher."

"Hmm." Ye Xiren nodded. "How long have you been here?"

"Just arrived in Jinling." The little fatty was much more well-behaved in front of Ye Xiren. "I heard you were in Jinling, and requested an imperial decree to come right after. Teacher, are you accustomed to the food and lodging here?"

"Everything is fine." Ye Xiren took a sip of the porridge. "The conditions are much better than when I was studying."

"That's good." The little fatty turned to Ye Wuji again. "Brother-in-law, my sister misses you to death."

"......" Ye Wuji pretended not to hear and buried his head in his bowl.

After finishing his bowl of porridge, he grabbed Li Weishen and bolted.

If he couldn't afford to offend them, he could certainly afford to run away.

Stuffed and satisfied, Zhao Youyou began to clear away the bowls and chopsticks.

Cheng Pengju cleared his throat, walked out into the courtyard, and fixed his gaze unblinkingly on Ye Xiren and Ye Xiu.

An innate noble demeanor and majesty radiated from him.

Confused, Ye Xiu thought, *You eat my food and drink my wine, and now you're trying to act superior in front of me?*

Cheng Pengju smiled without a word.

Ye Xiren seemed to have figured something out. "You'an, burn incense and prepare the offerings."

What?

Ye Xiu's eyes widened, and he looked at Ye Wuji incredulously. "Could it be..."

"His Majesty has decreed to waive all formalities, requiring only the kowtow." Cheng Pengju unhurriedly pulled a scroll of imperial edict from his sleeve and held it halfway up in the air.

"Long live our Emperor! Sinner Ye Xiren respectfully awaits the imperial instruction."

Ye Xiren dropped to his knees, immediately followed by Ye Xiu, Zhao Youyou, and Zhao Yide.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Censor-in-Chief Ye Xiren..."

The imperial edict was filled with bureaucratic jargon, but the gist of it was that Ye Xiren's period of exile had expired, and he was promoted to Left Censor-in-Chief. He was to depart for the capital before the end of the month to jointly review the corruption case of Ye Wuji alongside the Ministry of Punishments and the Court of Judicial Review.

"Your subject Ye Xiren accepts the decree and expresses gratitude! Long live the Emperor, long live, long live the Emperor!"

Cheng Pengju handed the imperial edict over to Ye Xiren.

Although he had mentally prepared himself, Ye Xiren's eyes still reddened with emotion.

Fumbling around in his bosom, he finally fished out a few pieces of broken silver. "Pengju, your teacher has lived a life of poverty; please don't disdain this. Take it, this is your reward for bringing good news."

"Congratulations to the teacher on your promotion." Cheng Pengju smiled as he accepted the silver.

"Congratulations to Mr. Ye on your promotion." Ye Xiu offered his heartfelt congratulations as well. With Ye Xiren returning to the capital, his grandfather's case could finally be brought to a close.

"You'an, grind the ink for me." In high spirits, Ye Xiren walked over to the desk.

Ye Xiu immediately lit a stick of incense and began grinding the ink.

Ye Xiren picked up his brush, pondered for a moment, and let the ink flow freely across the paper.

"Scoop up the East Sea as a goblet, floating the cloudy mountains of the Three Chu within the sea; brew the Yangtze River as sweet wine, gathering heroes from all directions at the tower's head." As Ye Xiren put down his brush, Ye Xiu read it aloud. "Sir, this couplet is truly imposing."

"Which youth is not frivolous?" In Ye Xiu, Ye Xiren seemed to see the shadow of his own youth. "If I dared to write it, do you not dare to hang it up?"

"Of course I dare." Ye Xiu set down the rice paper and made a student's bow to Ye Xiren. "You'an accepts this grand gift from you, sir."

"Manage things well and pursue your career earnestly. I look forward to reuniting with you and your father in the capital."

While they were talking, visitors arrived one after another to present calling cards. Even the old village head, Butcher Zhao, and Qi Santai had all returned.

Seeing this, Ye Xiu could not help but sigh: In officialdom, there are no secrets!

Except for Prefect Xu Yougong of Jinling, virtually every official in the city had sent congratulatory cards and calling cards, inviting Ye Xiren to banquets to see him off.

"When can the restaurant open?" Ye Xiren asked, putting down the calling cards in his hand.

Qi Santai replied, "We're cleaning up right now. It can open in three days."

Ye Xiren immediately wrote a formal invitation and handed it to Qi Santai. "Deliver this to Jinling Prefect Xu Yougong. Tell him that in three days, I will host a banquet at Bianyifang to thank him for his care."

"Uncle, since when does a guest host a banquet for the host?" Qi Santai was baffled.

"What do you know?!" Ye Xiren was so angry his beard twitched. "I was exiled to Jinling, not sent here on vacation."

"Old Ye, I heard you scolding people from outside. You've been promoted a rank to head the Censorate, and you're still unhappy?"

Outside the courtyard came a vigorous voice belonging to Wang Yuanhui and Liu Hanqing.

"This good-for-nothing only has business on his mind."

Ye Xiren snorted, prompting Qi Santai to leave with the invitation.

The two newcomers had never met Cheng Pengju and assumed he was a relative of the Ye family, but they still nodded in greeting.

Since the visitors were important figures, the old village head and Butcher Zhao also took their leave successively.

One headed to the restaurant while the other went to order top-quality beef and mutton in preparation for the grand opening.

Zhao Youyou hurriedly boiled water to make tea, and Ye Xiu brought out the Mingqian Longjing tea he had purchased in Zhenjiang Prefecture.

The clay stove was lit, and the water boiled. Ye Xiu glanced outside the courtyard. "If you want to come in, just come in. Otherwise, people will think our Ye family doesn't know hospitality."

Xie Dashen's figure appeared at the doorway, and he greeted them with an awkward smile, "Nephew, how are you?"

"How good?" Ye Xiu asked with an innocent expression.

"Uh..."

Prefect Xie felt completely wretched. *How does this kid not understand respecting elders and honoring the young? Why doesn't he play by the rules?*