"Do you have any other ways to regain your official post, husband?"
Su Hele's words left He Jin in a moment of silence. He currently had no other ideas; otherwise, he wouldn't have been cooped up in the mansion all this time.
"With your talent, even if you were to regain your post by purchasing an official title, you would surely achieve great things in the future. By then, who would even remember how you got your post back? Even if they did, I bet they wouldn't dare to say anything."
Su Hele lifted her chin slightly, and there was a hint of coldness in her tone.
Probably sensing the abnormality in Su Hele's tone, He Jin turned to look at her.
Even in the voluminous cloak, Su Hele's figure was still slender, and her chin had become even sharper.
Her face, no bigger than a palm, was hidden beneath the furry collar, barely visible.
Her snow - white robe, paired with her elegant and fair face, made the cinnabar tear - mole under her right eye especially prominent. She looked delicate and frail, arousing pity. But the words she said didn't match her appearance at all.
He Jin averted his gaze, and his expression changed several times, looking rather mysterious.
"Don't mention this again. I won't agree."
After leaving this remark, He Jin got up and quickly walked out of the waterside pavilion.
Although he disagreed with purchasing an official title, Su Hele's words still reminded him. He had to go and discuss it with Concubine Li.
He Jin moved so fast that Su Hele didn't have time to react. She could only watch him walking further and further away.
Su Hele frowned tightly, filled with great unwillingness.
She knew very well that an officially - purchased post was not respectable. If it were in the past, she wouldn't even have bothered to mention it; it was just too vulgar.
But if she let He Jin continue to be so depressed, it would be she who would suffer. Naturally, she had to find a way to solve this problem.
She never expected that after she had endured her disdain and spoken up, He Jin would still disagree.
If this continued, when would she ever receive a title and when would she ever be able to outshine Su Nansheng?
...
In the Yurong Courtyard, the doors and windows were tightly shut. The strong fragrance lingered in the room and had nowhere to disperse, making the air a bit stuffy.
A new low table had been placed on the arhat bed, emitting a faint smell of fresh wood.
Concubine Li looked at He Jin sitting opposite her, with a look of disdain on her face:
"Purchasing an official title? She really came up with that. Isn't she always so high - minded and indifferent to fame and fortune? How could she think of such a vulgar method?"
"Auntie, don't dwell on this for now. Do you agree with what I just said?"
He Jin had no time to care about other things at the moment. He just wanted to know if his plan was feasible.
He had just thought that although purchasing an official title to regain his post was despised, he could find a less obvious way.
Why not use the silver that would have been used for buying the title to grease some palms? Where there is a heavy reward, there is always a brave man. There must be someone willing to help him.
Concubine Li pinched her silk handkerchief and whispered:
"No matter who you plan to bribe to regain your post, it won't be a small amount of money. If that person stays safe and sound, it's okay. Otherwise, you might be implicated."
Bribery was a serious crime. By then, it would be more than just being suspended from duty.
Hearing this, He Jin immediately got anxious:
"This won't work, and that won't work either. Are you trying to keep me from regaining my post and make me too ashamed to show my face in public? Besides, it's quite common for colleagues to give gifts and favors to each other. Why do you have to be so worried?"
"Can the favors among colleagues be the same as what you're planning? I'm just worried that you'll get into trouble again."
Seeing He Jin acting like this, Concubine Li immediately got angry, but she could only suppress her anger and try to persuade him.
He Jin snorted and didn't say a word, but his expression still showed his resentment.
Seeing this, Concubine Li let out a long sigh. She frowned and thought for a while before saying:
"Fine, fine. If this can help you regain your post as soon as possible, it's worth taking a risk. But you must be careful and don't let anyone get hold of evidence against you."
He Jin's face looked a bit better. He said:
"Humph, I, the second young master of the Anshun Marquis Mansion, am offering bribes voluntarily. I'd like to see who dares to catch me."
"Anyway, it's always better to be careful," Concubine Li admonished again.
"Got it. I'll go back and see who is the most suitable person. This time, it's not just about regaining my post. I also need to find a good position."
He Jin left with his hands behind his back, and finally there was a smile on his face.
Concubine Li, on the other hand, kept a gloomy face.
It was really unreasonable that the second young master of the Anshun Marquis Mansion had to humble himself to offer bribes.
It was all the fault of the eldest branch. If they hadn't stood by idly, He Jin wouldn't have ended up like this.
"Auntie, we'll probably need to prepare quite a bit of silver this time. Do you want this servant to make preparations in advance?" Nanny Wang asked in a low voice.
Needless to say, the public funds of the mansion wouldn't cover this expense.
If they needed ready - cash, she would have to go to the bank in advance to withdraw it. If they needed banknotes, they might have to deposit them in an inconspicuous bank.
Concubine Li didn't answer immediately. She rolled her eyes and said:
"This will cost a fortune. Where do I have so much personal savings?"
Nanny Wang didn't quite understand what Concubine Li meant, so she didn't say a word.
"Go and call Su Hele here. This is also her husband's matter. I can't be the only one to pay for this, can I?"
Anyway, the silver was just sitting idle in Su Hele's hands. It would be better for her to take it out and do something practical.
After all, if He Jin could regain his official post, Su Hele would also gain some face, wouldn't she?
...
The flowers on the rockery in the Tingfeng Courtyard were neatly trimmed. From afar, it looked as if a sea of flowers was flowing down the rockery.
Su Nansheng usually loved to open the window and enjoy the view of the flowers, but today she couldn't see anything.
Holding Snowball in her arms, she looked at the overcast sky outside with a worried look on her face.
He Xun had left for the hunting ground a few days ago, but the sky had been overcast and foggy these days. One could hardly see anything.
How could one hunt in such weather? What if he accidentally got injured by a stray arrow?
Seeing her like this, Bitao, who was always eager to watch the show, quickly reported the abnormalities she had noticed in the past few days:
"Mistress, the Bitao Courtyard has been very quiet these two days. The second young master doesn't lose his temper anymore. He goes out early and comes back late every day. I don't know what he's so busy with."
Sure enough, Su Nansheng became interested. She reached out and closed the window:
"Not going out to drink?"
Accepting the reality so quickly was not in He Jin's nature.
Going out early and coming back late, He Jin was still suspended from duty. What could he be so busy with?
"No. Every time he comes back, he's in high spirits and seems to be in a good mood. Oh, right. There are several new servants in the Bitao Courtyard. It's said that Concubine Li specially assigned them there. And he doesn't scold the second young mistress every day anymore."
Bitao had heard a lot of news and didn't know which one to say first.
Su Nansheng looked puzzled:
"Concubine Li assigned servants to Su Hele?"
It seemed that it wasn't just He Jin who was acting abnormally. Concubine Li's behavior was also very strange.
It was understandable that He Jin was trying to grease some palms to regain his post, but why was Concubine Li doing this?
Bitao nodded and then continued:
"Yes. The second young mistress has been very arrogant these days. She's been very picky about the new nannies and has even punished some lazy servants. Even the second young master's attitude towards her has changed a lot. He even drinks and composes poems with her under the moon."