The Valued Lady is Truly Dominant

Chapter 145: Chapter 145 Prime Minister Song’s Protégé

West Gate.

Song Zhiyuan sat in his family carriage, leaning against the carriage wall with his eyes closed, reflecting on the conversation with the Emperor.

He guessed correctly, the Emperor did not want him to have the opportunity to meddle in the disputes among the Princes in the future, otherwise, he would have granted a marriage just now.

Song Zhiyuan rubbed the large ring on his thumb and sighed.

After many years on the throne, it must be said, the Emperor’s thoughts are indeed deep, and he no longer dares to easily speculate.

Upon returning to the Prime Minister’s Mansion, Song Zhiyuan was about to turn to the study, hesitated for a moment, and then turned to the inverted room in the South Garden, where his disciple lived.

Stopping in front of a side room, there was an attendant student washing clothes at the door, who was stunned for a moment when he looked up and saw him, hurriedly stood up, and respectfully saluted.

”Servant greets the Prime Minister.”

”No need for formalities.”

There was already a movement inside the door, and soon a tall figure appeared in sight. It was one of Song Zhiyuan’s disciples, Yan Zisheng, courtesy name Changsheng.

Yan Zisheng quickly came in front of Song Zhiyuan, cupped his hands, and saluted, ”Master has come.”

”I came to see you during my leisure, have you completed your studies?” Song Zhiyuan entered the room accompanied by him.

Yan Zisheng moved a chair for him to sit down, then took a teacup from the table, poured him a cup of tea, and smiled, ”The student just wrote an essay on an old topic, would the Master care to critique it?”

”Bring it.”

Yan Zisheng presented his essay, and it was noted that the writing in the essay was very neat, the pen strokes were gentle yet not lacking in sharpness.

Song Zhiyuan read through the essay; it was based on the imperial examination topic from three years ago, and the answers were mostly practical, but somewhat lacking in actual experience, with some parts appearing slightly superficial.

Song Zhiyuan pointed out the shortcomings one by one, combining his many years of experience in office, highlighting the contradictions in the answers, making Yan Zisheng sweat with embarrassment.

”Truly deserving of being a master, when writing the answers, I thought if it might be too impractical. Now, listening to Master’s words is like being suddenly enlightened,” Yan Zisheng said admiringly.

Song Zhiyuan shook his head and said, ”Your academic foundation is solid; what you lack is merely age and experience. It’s already good to reach this level. However, as an official, one must grasp the whole picture, balance everything, and not gain one thing at the expense of another. People-based governance is correct, but as a parental official, managing a large city requires being event-based, after all, without rules, nothing can be done properly. With rules and systems, a place can be managed well.”

Yan Zisheng stood up, cupped his hands, and saluted, ”Student thanks Master for the guidance.”

”Are you confident about this year’s autumn imperial examination?”

Yan Zisheng nodded, ”At least eighty percent.”

”Not bad,” Song Zhiyuan said, looking at his gentle and handsome face, and unexpectedly thought of his own younger self, then suddenly asked, ”You are eighteen this year, right?”

”In response to the Master, when winter comes, I will be nineteen.”

”You are not young anymore. After the autumn examination, your mother will probably start arranging a marriage for you. Do you have any thoughts on this?”

Yan Zisheng came from a family of farming and studying, his father passed away early, and the family only had twenty acres of poor land. His studies depended entirely on his mother and sister making and selling embroidery and renting out land.

So, Yan Zisheng was also born into a poor family, slightly better off than Song Zhiyuan back in the day, at least the family had some thin assets.

Regarding marriage, he was unusually a little uneasy and said, ”Mother also mentioned discussing it after the autumn examination.”

Song Zhiyuan naturally understood that if Yan Zisheng were to become a top scholar, then the choices would be many, and if he ranked even higher, he would be a popular choice for a son-in-law.

Song Zhiyuan looked at this young face, and a thought emerged in his mind.