Chapter Twenty-Two: A Kind-Hearted Gesture

After the ministers discussed a few less significant matters, such as the selection of palace maidens in the capital, the court session concluded.

The so-called selection of palace maidens involved choosing unmarried young girls from the common folk to enter the palace—arguably one of the greatest fears for any parent.

Walking out of the Eastern Office, Bai Yu felt a sense of unreality. Was this his "keyboard warrior" political musings manifesting in reality? Thinking back to his life five hundred years later, where he could only "hold forth with great vigor" online, this kind of direct, face-to-face confrontation was a brand-new experience.

Following the schedule, Bai Yu prepared to head toward the Left Side Gate of the Meridian Gate to carry out a formalistic patrol. At that moment, a guard who appeared to be a colleague stood by the corridor and called out to him, "Don't go to the Left Side Gate yet! Commander Qian wants you back at the squad room immediately!"

Bai Yu returned to the independent squad room opposite. Inside was only Commander Qian, who held a document in his hand. Seeing Bai Yu enter, Qian asked casually, "Did anything major happen during the court session at the Eastern Office just now?"

Bai Yu answered rigorously, "If you define 'major' as treason or rebellion, then there is nothing worth reporting. If you lower the standard, I don't know if the Minister of Works resigning on the spot counts as something to report."

Commander Qian advised the newcomer, "Under normal circumstances, public matters like a Minister resigning do not require us to make an unnecessary report. However, it is best for us to investigate the cause and fathom the motives, so that if our superiors ask, we have an answer ready."

Commander Qian then asked curiously, "So, why did Grand Minister Ouyang resign on the spot?"

Faced with his direct superior's inquiry, Bai Yu answered honestly, "He rebuked me without courtesy, so I got into an argument with him. I acted on impulse and made a few harsh remarks, and he got so angry he threw down his official cap and left."

Commander Qian was speechless. That was a proper Minister from one of the Six Ministries, and he had been angered into leaving by a subordinate? Are young people today always this erratic?

Taking a deep breath, Commander Qian said earnestly, "If the higher-ups ask, you will have to defend yourself; you will bear the guilt or punishment yourself. Don't say I didn't protect you—I simply can't bear the weight of this."

Bai Yu asked, "Is there anything else you called me back for, sir?"

Commander Qian then remembered a much more important matter. He handed the document to Bai Yu and urged, "The Commander has sent a note from the Western Garden. He orders you to compose some poetry immediately—the topic is inside the note—and have it delivered back to the Western Garden before the palace gates are locked today!"

For the Lu faction within the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the orders of Commander Lu Bing were paramount. In truth, Commander Qian was deeply shocked; he had assumed Bai Yu was only there to pad his resume. He never imagined that this beardless youth was a high-end talent—a ghostwriter. To be personally tapped by the Commander to write on his behalf—what kind of talent must that require?

This was why, even though Bai Yu had caused trouble and driven away the Minister of Works, Commander Qian did not pay it much mind. As long as the Commander was kept happy, nothing else was a problem.

Bai Yu took the note and realized with a start, "No wonder I was assigned to duty at the Meridian Gate." It was for no other reason than that the Meridian Gate was close to the palace, ensuring a rapid response. He looked at the content of the note: the topic was "Serving the Emperor During a Spring Outing." It was spring, and people had the custom of spring outings; the Emperor was no exception and was likely planning a tour of the Western Garden.

Bai Yu had professional ethics. In his mind, he and Lu Bing were in a relationship of equal cooperation and mutual benefit. Since Lu Bing had given him favors, it was only natural to provide literary support in return; there was no need to hedge or refuse.

Bai Yu immediately opened the virtual screen of his AI assistant and entered the topic. He requested two types of results: one written by the AI itself and another inspired by the works of Qing Dynasty scholars. With both original compositions and classic "plagiarism" at his disposal, one of them was bound to suit the Jiajing Emperor.

The biggest problem, however, was that his own calligraphy skills were not yet masterful, and his chicken-scratch handwriting was far too embarrassing to represent his talent. Thus, Bai Yu asked Commander Qian, "Among our officers, is there anyone who reads and writes well?"

The guards stationed at the critical Meridian Gate certainly included many "elites." The reason was simple: how could they monitor the civil officials if they couldn't read their documents or understand their speech?

Although Commander Qian found it strange, he replied, "I passed the prefectural examination back in the day and was a long-time scholar, though I failed the provincial examination six times. After ten years of wasted effort, I ended up inheriting my family's status to become a commander." This meant he was a seasoned scholar with the cultural level of a semi-qualified candidate.

Bai Yu was overjoyed and said repeatedly, "Perfect! Perfect! I will conceive and recite, and you will hold the brush to write! Hurry, we must deliver this to the Commander as soon as possible!"

Commander Qian was taken aback. "Let me hold the brush?" He never expected that Bai Yu would think to include him in such a high-profile task. Just moments ago, he had felt that Bai Yu was immature and reckless in the Eastern Office. Now, the boy had suddenly become so thoughtful. Was this the erratic leaps of a young person's mind?

After Bai Yu had created over a dozen poems, Commander Qian checked the time and called a halt. Before the palace gates were locked at dusk, the completed manuscript was rushed to Lu Bing at the Western Garden.

Bai Yu finished his first day of work and headed home. The secretaries of the Inner Court and the officials of the Six Ministries also emerged from their offices, passed through the palace gates, and exited the Imperial City through the Right Changan Gate. Most of them lived in the nearby neighborhoods, but Bai Yu lived far away and had to walk all the way to the Xuanwu Gate.

Returning to the communal courtyard in Cheng'en Alley, Bai Yu appeared after a day's absence and immediately stunned all his neighbors. The red-tasselled felt hat on his head, the fine blue cloth uniform on his body, and the saber at his waist all proved that "Brother Yu" of the Bai family had quietly completed a leap in social class. Previously, his father's uniform had been a durable, dirt-resistant coarse linen jacket, and he had carried only an iron fork.

Seeing Old Man Li the mason, and remembering the kindness of the Li family for helping look after his father over the past few days, Bai Yu offered a reminder: "Old Li, I've received reliable news today that the imperial court is about to hold a selection of palace maidens in the capital. Before the notice is posted, take this opportunity to marry off your second daughter in the next few days!"

No parents wanted to send their daughters into the palace. Whenever rumors of a selection arose, the common people would scramble to marry off their daughters to eliminate the possibility of them being chosen. This was especially true for families with daughters who were pretty and slender. Bai Yu's reminder was purely out of kindness, as the Li family's second daughter was quite lovely.

The neighbors could only think: Had Brother Yu truly "made it big"? To think he could even learn of such classified information in advance!