Chapter 62: Can You Turn Me Back?

"Is Lord Cui Yan present?"

"Present, I am here!"

The handsome man let go of Zhang Rui and quickly replied, "This official is Cui Yan, paying my respects to Your Lordship."

"Hmm..." high upon the official bench, the Ministry of Personnel official nodded. "Indeed the legendary handsome man. Come in."

Upon hearing the words "handsome man," a look of clear unnaturalness crossed Cui Yan's face. He then turned to Zhang Rui and said, "Wait for me here..."

"Brother Cui, official business comes first," Zhang Rui replied with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, returning the salute. "This junior brother will wait for your good news."

The other man let out a wry chuckle at that. "Spare me the sarcasm. What good news could I possibly have? We'll talk later." With that, he cupped his hands and walked straight into the inner hall.

A short while later, Zhou Zhijie, who had just entered the inner hall, walked out briskly with a beaming expression on his face.

Zhang Rui composed himself and stepped forward. "Judging by Brother Zhou's expression, it must be a favorable outcome?"

"Not bad, not bad at all!" Zhou Zhijie replied with feigned modesty while his face radiated supreme satisfaction. "It's a lateral transfer, but to an exceptionally good place—Tianshui County under the jurisdiction of Nanming Prefecture. Remember it?"

"A wonderful place indeed!" Zhang Rui offered his congratulations at once. Of course he remembered it; it was a renowned land of fish and rice in Jiangnan, and the hairy crabs produced in Tianshui Lake were famous throughout the realm. Major restaurants in Jiangnan vied with one another to place orders there—a choice assignment where one could simply lie back and rack up achievements.

"It can be considered a decent outcome." Zhou Zhijie's eyes narrowed into slits of joy.

After all, those who attained promotion within three years were few and far between. This transfer of his was essentially laying the groundwork for his next promotion, making him fortunate enough. Those former classmates who used to outperform him and looked down upon him would still have to face this year's metropolitan examination, whereas he would be promoted to prefect within three years at most. Who knows, when they met again, they might even have to address him as "Superior."

Just thinking about it felt exhilarating...

"By the way, I saw Cui Yan just now," Zhou Zhijie suddenly remembered something and leaned in to whisper to Zhang Rui.

"Ah..." Zhang Rui nodded. "He arrived shortly after Senior Brother went inside."

"That fellow..." Zhou Zhijie curled his lip. "He clearly saw me, yet didn't even bother to greet me. Now that he's an official, he still lacks basic social graces!"

Zhang Rui was taken aback. Really? Wasn't he quite enthusiastic toward him?

"He must treat you differently, though. After all, your relationship is exceptional, and you both hail from the same place. Back in Bailu Academy, he practically clung to you, causing many maidens to harbor secret jealousy toward you, hahaha." Remembering past events, Zhou Zhijie found it quite amusing.

Cui Yan's appearance back then was astonishing; countless daughters of scholars were instantly infatuated, and even the prefect's daughter had thrown herself at him—it was quite the spectacle.

Yet Cui Yan ignored them all, even flatly rejecting the prefect's marriage proposal, which undoubtedly offended quite a few people. The only person he obeyed unconditionally was Zhang Rui. Many young women had to offer Zhang Rui substantial favors just to catch a glimpse of Cui Yan.

Such a thing actually happened?

Zhang Rui was somewhat dazed. Could it be that he had truly played the role of a pathetic love-letter delivery boy?

"Still, as a senior brother, I must offer a word of warning," Zhou Zhijie suddenly lowered his voice. "Although he was innocent in that affair back then, it caused the Emperor to take a disfavor to him, leading to his exile to the southern borderlands. You'd best keep your distance to avoid being implicated."

"That affair back then?" Zhang Rui suddenly snapped to his senses. Ah, right—with this fellow's looks, how could he not be prime material for the top scorer in the poetry examination? The top scorer case explicitly stated that all alternative candidates had died; why was a beauty like him completely unharmed?

Could it be that his essays were so abysmal he wasn't even qualified to enter the top tier?

Wait a moment...

Zhang Rui suddenly snapped back to reality and looked at the other man. "Senior Brother just said we come from the same place?"

"Eh? Is that not so?" Zhou Zhijie frowned. "Back then, Bailu Academy only admitted two licentiates from Lin County, both recommended by Fenglin Academy—you and Cui Yan."

Zhang Rui: "........"

Fenglin Academy was his own initiation academy. Because it charged the lowest tuition locally and even provided meals, it was the top choice for families with meager means like theirs. He had studied there from a very young age—Cui Yan was from that academy too?

Why did he have zero recollection of this?

Could it be that he only transferred over later, after he started using a brush? But the fellow had just called him junior brother...

Cui Yan... Cui Yan, *hiss*... it seemed he had no impression of him whatsoever. Wait... Cui... Cui Ergo?

"The Ministry of Justice is handling a case, make way everyone!"

Just as Zhang Rui was lost in a daze, a commotion broke out outside the Ministry of Personnel hall, as if some major figure had arrived.

"Why is Lord Junior Minister here?"

Upon seeing this, several hall officials of the Ministry of Personnel hurriedly walked out of the inner hall to welcome them. A crowd of officials instantly silenced themselves upon hearing the title "Lord Junior Minister" and turned to look.

"A big shot..." Zhou Zhijie lowered his voice and said behind Zhang Rui. "Lord Shen of the Ministry of Justice!"

"You know him?" Zhang Rui turned around in mild astonishment.

"I caught a glimpse of him once when I was wandering around the capital trying to buy an official post. I inquired about him later—he is the youngest Minister-level official in the current imperial court at twenty-seven years of age, the first of his kind in our dynasty, tsk tsk."

"Is that so?" Zhang Rui looked over with curiosity.

He had also heard from Yuchi Hong that the nine ministers of the court were positions taken in rotation by the major aristocratic clans, secretly determined by the strength of each family's younger generation and political maneuvering. It belonged to a political stratum completely out of reach for ordinary mortals.

Those capable of serving as one of the nine ministers were basically family heads of the major clans, and it was said that many only managed to enter the ranks after reaching a hundred years of age. Twenty-seven was indeed a miracle.

"Lord Junior Minister!" A weighty-looking man soon walked out from the inner hall. Judging by his appearance, he was around sixty, wearing the black official robes of the imperial court adorned with the third-rank peacock insignia.

"Lord Vice Minister..." The other man returned the salute.

"What brings Your Lordship here today?"

"There has been some progress in the case. I wonder if Cui Yan has arrived?"

Upon hearing this, the Vice Minister of Personnel was slightly startled. Just moments ago, he had been discussing this surviving top-scorer candidate with his colleagues.

After the tragic incident back then, the candidates with backgrounds died miserably, while those without backgrounds lived quite well. Naturally, that had aroused considerable suspicion at the time. No one knew what Cui Yan had experienced when he was dragged into the Ministry of Justice; they only knew the final outcome was that no wrongdoing was found, and the Emperor ultimately left the top scorer position vacant, letting the matter fade into obscurity.

As for this exquisitely handsome man who had been the subject of endless discussion, the Emperor had subtly instructed the Ministry of Personnel to exile him to the scorching southern borderlands.

"My Lord is looking for me?"

From within the inner hall, Cui Yan walked out briskly.

Shen Yuan glanced him up and down and nodded slightly. "Indeed a fine appearance!"

Cui Yan lowered his head in a wry smile without saying anything.

"I wonder what business Your Lordship has with this official? The Ministry of Personnel officials have already approved my paperwork to remain in the southern borderlands. The journey is long, and unless there is an urgent matter, this official is set to depart tomorrow."

"You won't be leaving anytime soon," Shen Yuan shook his head. "I'm afraid you must stay until after the metropolitan examination."

"This..." Cui Yan frowned. "My Lord, the situation in the south is complex, and there is also a flood disaster this year. This official must return as soon as possible to oversee various matters."

"That is precisely why I came to the Ministry of Personnel to discuss this." Shen Yuan turned to look at the Vice Minister of Personnel. "Does Your Lordship have a suitable candidate here to replace him in the south? Cui Yan is a key figure in this case, and His Majesty attaches great importance to it. I'm afraid Cui Yan will not be able to return for a short while."

"This..." Hearing this, the Vice Minister lowered his head in thought before turning back to Cui Yan. "Cui Yan, accompany the Junior Minister first. As for the southern borderlands, I will see if I can arrange a replacement. Where you will be posted afterward can be discussed after this case concludes."

"This official obeys..." Cui Yan let out a wry smile and obediently accepted the order.

His fate had never been his own to decide. Back then, he went to the south because of this case, and now he could not return from the south for the same reason. In any case, nothing was up to him.

With this thought, his gaze shifted to Zhang Rui in the distance, his eyes profound and lingering.

Zhang Rui felt a sudden tightness all over as he was looked at, and an ominous premonition welled up in his heart.

Could it... really be as he imagined? If so, that would truly spell massive trouble!

"Thank you, Lord Vice Minister, for your cooperation. Then this official will take his leave."

"Safe journey, Lord Junior Minister," the other man said with a smiling salute.

Shen Yuan nodded and was about to lead Cui Yan away when a thought struck him. He turned back and asked, "I wonder if Lord Zhang Rui has arrived?"

Hearing this name, Zhou Zhijie turned around in astonishment to look at Zhang Rui.

Zhang Rui was likewise stunned. After a moment of hesitation, he stepped forward. "This official, Zhang Rui, pays his respects to Lord Junior Minister."

So this was that Zhang Rui?

The Vice Minister looked him up and down with curiosity. He was even younger than Lu Yuan, the genius of the Lu family. Was it truly him who subdued Tianye?

"Lord Zhang has arrived quite early." Shen Yuan also looked him over with curiosity.

"This subordinate would never dare to be dilatory," Zhang Rui cupped his hands and smiled.

"You must have heard by now," Shen Yuan dispensed with pleasantries. "His Majesty has ordered you to assist me in investigating the case, and your current post is already that of an investigator in our Ministry of Justice. Since I am here, there is no need for the trouble of reporting for duty at the Ministry of Personnel. Time is pressing; wouldn't it be better if Lord Zhang accompanied me to the Ministry of Justice right now?"

In the distance, Zhou Zhijie was completely dumbfounded, staring incredulously at Zhang Rui. Just moments ago, the man was complaining to him about being stuck in some bitter, freezing wasteland where he barely caught sight of a superior officer once in a blue moon.

And now, in the blink of an eye, he had become an official in the capital!!

This scoundrel!!!

"This official obeys," Zhang Rui replied with a bitter smile.

He had actually known about this beforehand and couldn't escape it, but he hadn't expected it to come so swiftly, without even a prelude to let him catch his breath.

"Let's go..." Shen Yuan turned and took the lead, while Zhang Rui and Cui Yan followed behind the group of Ministry of Justice officials.

"Big Dog... that Zhou Zhijie is giving us such a fierce look."

Zhang Rui stumbled slightly in his step, the familiar form of address causing him to stare in astonishment at the other person.

"What's wrong?" Cui Yan looked at Zhang Rui in puzzlement.

"Ergo?" Zhang Rui tentatively probed.

Back in their childhood days, their village only had two children who managed to study their way out. Since he was the eldest in the Zhang family, he was called Big Dog, while the other boy, being the second in the Cui family, was called Ergo.

"What kind of look is that?" Cui Yan amusedly looked at Zhang Rui. "Ah, I suppose you're right. After enduring three years in the southern borderlands, I'm still this good-looking, aren't I?"

Zhang Rui: "........."

Cui Ergo was definitely not this person's appearance. No matter what happened with a boy changing十八 times as he grew, given that wretched skeleton of his, even if he were melted down and recast, he couldn't possibly be shaped like this.

"Big Dog..." Cui Yan watched the retreating backs of the Ministry of Justice officials ahead, filled with melancholy. "Can you change me back?"

Zhang Rui: "........."

I knew it...