After this incident, the Marquis Anshun's Mansion enjoyed a rare few days of peace until an imperial eunuch came to deliver an edict.
Su Nansheng was wondering why the edict about He Xun's promotion was being delivered to the mansion when she learned that it was actually an edict for her.
Even long after the eunuch had left, Su Nansheng still stood there in a daze.
Bitao, on the other hand, excitedly circled around Su Nansheng, her almond - shaped eyes constantly glancing at the imperial edict:
"Madam, you're now a woman of rank! This is wonderful!"
Su Nansheng looked down at the edict again, and finally a slow, radiant smile spread across her face.
She never expected that the edict of her conferment would arrive before the news of He Xun's promotion.
Su Nansheng slowly and gently stroked the edict in her hand.
Yes, she was now a third - rank Shuren.
At this time, Chen Wanrong, who had personally seen off the eunuch, returned. Seeing Su Nansheng still standing there, she laughed and said:
"This child. Has she been so happy that she's lost her wits?"
Su Nansheng answered honestly, "Yes, I'm really happy."
In her previous life, she had been nothing more than an obscure dowry maid, and even her death had been quiet and unnoticed.
In this life, although her situation had changed greatly, she had never imagined that she would one day receive a conferment.
Of course she was happy. There was nothing to be ashamed of admitting it.
Hearing this, Chen Wanrong laughed even more heartily:
"This silly child."
She glanced at Nanny Zhao, who also had a beaming face beside her, and said loudly:
"Go and tell everyone that there's good news in the Marquis Anshun's Mansion today. Everyone will get an extra month's silver. Go to the accounting room this afternoon to collect it."
Hearing this, the servants who were still in the courtyard watching the excitement and hadn't left yet cheered.
"Thank you, Mistress, for your reward."
"Thank you, Concubine Su."
Behind the crowd was Concubine Li's furious back...
In the evening, Su Nansheng was sitting on the beauty's couch, reading a storybook and tapping on the table as she read.
As soon as there was a sound at the door, she looked up.
A moment later, the door opened, and He Xun stood there in his official robe, looking solemn and imposing.
"You're back. Are you tired? I've told the small kitchen to stew ginseng soup. Have a bowl later."
As soon as He Xun entered the room, he looked up and met Su Nansheng's bright eyes.
"Is this your way of currying favor for no reason?"
There was a teasing smile on He Xun's face.
It seemed that this was the first time he had received such a warm welcome since they got married.
"No. I always repay kindness."
Su Nansheng refuted the idea that she had ulterior motives and said:
"Why didn't you tell me that day?"
If he had told her in advance, she could have been better prepared. Fortunately, she had remained calm today.
He Xun sat down beside Su Nansheng and looked at her:
"I didn't have that idea that day."
After all, the emperor had just told him about his promotion. If he had immediately asked for a title for his wife, it might have seemed overly greedy.
"Then when did you get this idea?"
He Xun didn't answer her question but instead asked, "Are you happy now?"
Seeing her listless look that day, he had wanted to cheer her up. Greedy? So be it.
Su Nansheng looked at him seriously, her eyes shining:
"Happy."
Every time Su Nansheng looked at him so whole - heartedly, He Xun felt as if a feather was brushing against his heart, making it itch.
He slowly leaned closer to Su Nansheng and said in a deep voice:
"Since you're happy, dance for me."
Hearing this, Su Nansheng was stunned for a moment. Then, thinking of their conversation that day, she couldn't help but glare at He Xun accusingly:
"So that's what you've been planning."
He Xun couldn't help but smile:
"Yes. I just want to see my wife dance. Asking for the title was just a by - product."
Seeing He Xun's smiling face getting closer and closer, Su Nansheng felt her heart beating erratically. She reached out her hand to stop He Xun's approaching chest:
"I can't dance. I won't."
He Xun reached out and pulled Su Nansheng's hand down, then casually wrapped it around his neck. He leaned over to her ear and whispered:
"Then choose another way to repay me. You said you wanted to repay me. You can't go back on your word."
He Xun's hot breath blew on Su Nansheng's neck, turning her face red. She didn't say a word but just gently leaned on He Xun's chest...
In the front hall of Yurong Courtyard, Concubine Li sat there with a dark face, waiting for He Jin to come.
She had been happy that He Jin's plan had succeeded and they had escaped a disaster, but then Su Nansheng had been conferred the title of Shuren!
She didn't even have a title yet. Why did Su Nansheng deserve one?
Just thinking about Su Nansheng's smug look when she received the conferment and Chen Wanrong's arrogant appearance made Concubine Li's chest feel stuffy.
Thinking of Su Hele in Bitaoyuan, who had been feigning illness all day, made her even more annoyed.
Just as Concubine Li was raising her hand to calm her breathing, He Jin entered the room:
"Concubine, you've heard the news too?"
Hearing this, Concubine Li stopped her action. "Heard what?"
What else had happened!
He Jin sat down on the red - wood chair beside him with a long face:
"He Xun has been promoted to the position of Weiyu. The emperor issued the edict this morning."
Going from a small eighth - rank censor to a third - rank official in the court in just a few months.
Such a terrifying promotion speed was unprecedented in the court of the Great Qing.
"I knew it! I just knew it!" Concubine Li gritted her teeth and said.
She had known that there must be a reason for Su Nansheng to receive a title. It turned out that He Xun had been promoted again.
Looking up and seeing He Jin's confused face, Concubine Li snorted:
"You don't know yet, do you? Su Nansheng has been conferred the title of Shuren. Her status is even higher than mine!"
Hearing this, He Jin's face became even more gloomy. He stared at the ground without saying a word.
"Didn't they say that the emperor was wary of him? Didn't they say that the emperor disliked him? Why has he been promoted again? It's only been such a short time since his last promotion. Is this rapid promotion in line with the ancestral laws? Didn't any ministers try to dissuade the emperor!"
Concubine Li was so angry that she kept asking questions, not even caring about etiquette.
They were both sons of the Marquis Anshun. Why was He Xun constantly being promoted while her A Jin was stuck in the small position of a registrar?
Why!
Seeing Concubine Li getting more and more excited, He Jin finally reacted and sneered:
"What ancestral laws? It's all up to the emperor. He Xun is now in the emperor's good graces. Who would dare to provoke him? Moreover, He Xun already has the rank of the General Who Guards the North. The position of Weiyu is just an additional one."
Concubine Li stopped for a moment, then slowly sat back in her seat, her expression gloomy.
It had been so long since He Xun had returned that even she had forgotten that He Xun had once been a famous general...
"Why doesn't he go back to the northern border!"
Since he was a general, he should go back to the northern border to fight. What was he competing with her son for in the capital.
"The northern border is very stable now. They don't need him. Unless it's absolutely necessary, the emperor doesn't want to wage war all the time, which would exhaust the people and waste resources."
He Jin's voice became lower and lower because he realized that if He Xun never returned to the northern border and had no chance to use his talents, he would find other ways to establish himself in the capital, just like now.
He Jin looked up at Concubine Li, who also had a gloomy face.
"We can't just sit back and wait. We have to find a way to outdo him."