Chapter 558 - 208: Acknowledging Kinship (Part 3)
Chapter 558: Chapter 208: Acknowledging Kinship (Part 3)
Seeing this, Zhao Jing immediately threw a bucket of cold water on his excitement.
"Don’t get your hopes up. The Xu family won’t just hand you opportunities. At most, given that you’ve failed the examinations multiple times and your future prospects are dim, they might arrange a sinecure for you. But to expect them to break the rules and promote you just because you’re Mother’s son... that’s just not going to happen."
De’an retorted indignantly, "How do you know it’s impossible? Haven’t you heard the saying, ’love me, love my dog’? Mother was their most beloved daughter, and she’s been gone for so many years. To make it up to her, they’ll do everything they can for me. And what would that be, if not promoting me as much as possible?"
"They’re more likely to promote Father than you." Zhao Jing paused, then added, "They’re also more likely to promote *me* than you."
De’an was so angry he rolled up his sleeves. "Jing, don’t you go too far."
"I’m just telling it like it is. If you don’t believe me, just watch. We’ll see which one of us they truly value."
De’an was furious but speechless. Deep down, he knew that he and Jing weren’t really any different.
’One is a grandson, the other a grandson’s wife. When the degree of kinship is so similar, it’s only natural that the more capable and clever one will be held in higher esteem. The other person, while still treated well, would be different. It’s the difference between an heir and a regular family member who just collects a stipend and gets by. Everyone understands that, right?’
After Zhao Jing and De’an returned home, Xu Yanlin walked some distance before looking back. Once he saw the alley entrance was empty, he told his attendant, "Change of plans. We’re not going to the posthouse. We’re going to the Prefectural Magistrate’s Office."
Naturally, the attendant complied.
The sky had long since turned pitch-black, but the streets were as bright as day, illuminated by festive lanterns. The view was like a galaxy of fallen stars.
As Xu Yanlin walked along, he suddenly chuckled softly.
His attendant asked curiously, "Young Master, what are you laughing about?"
"I’m laughing at how a person’s life, it turns out, is defined not just by birth, but by circumstance."
The attendant was lost in a fog, unsure of what his young master meant.
Xu Yanlin couldn’t help but shake his head.
’Take Yan Cheng, for example. At birth, he was a true golden child.’
’Back then, the old patriarch of the Yan family was still alive. As the eldest grandson of the main branch, he was rigorously tutored from a young age and carried the family’s highest hopes. Even his own father, Yan Gao, had to defer to him.’
’He was dealt a winning hand from the start, but was saddled with a mother who did nothing but hold him back.’
’That mother of his had a sweet smile and a bitter heart. While she paid lip service to her son’s well-being, her heart was only with her own maiden family.’
’Because she wanted to prop up her own niece, she completely sabotaged her son.’
’And so Yan Cheng, who should have had a brilliant career as an official, wasted his immense talent. Twenty years have passed, and he’s still merely a Sixth Rank official.’
’Take Chen De’an, on the other hand.’
’From a humble background, once completely illiterate, but look at him now. Not only can he handle all kinds of documents for the Salt Transport Department with practiced ease, but in less than half a year since arriving in the Prefecture, he’s already become Mr. Sheng’s right-hand man...’
’Ah, the twists and turns of life’s fortunes. You never know when your path will change. It all comes down to whether you can keep a firm hand on the rudder and successfully navigate one crisis after another.’
The Prefectural Magistrate’s Office was close at hand. The attendant quickened his pace to walk ahead and announce their arrival.
The moment the gatekeeper heard it was Mr. Xu, he quickly bowed and invited him inside.
"The Magistrate left instructions that if you were to visit, sir, we should show you in directly."
"Thank you."
"It’s no trouble at all, Mr. Xu. This way, please."
Sheng Mingchuan was in the front courtyard’s reception hall, reading, brewing tea, and roasting chestnuts.
They were this year’s freshly harvested chestnuts, which a servant had peeled and delivered just that afternoon.
Placed on the small stove used for brewing tea, they were being roasted over crimson coals, and it wasn’t long before they began to release a sweet, delicious aroma.
"Uncle, you seem to be enjoying a moment of leisure. I must say, I’m quite envious."
Xu Yanlin entered the reception hall and greeted Sheng Mingchuan with formal propriety.
Sheng Mingchuan saw the joy overflowing on his face, a clear sign that things had gone well. For a moment, he felt a genuine pang of resignation.
’He’d intended to find a family to serve as a backstop for his own, but he hadn’t been prepared to find a family that was his own equal in every respect.’
’It all came down to Chen De’an’s ridiculously good luck. To have something like this just fall into his lap... what could anyone even say?’
Sheng Mingchuan beckoned Xu Yanlin over to sit beside him.
"Did the reunion go smoothly?"
"It went reasonably well."
"Either it went smoothly or it didn’t. What’s this ’reasonably well’ supposed to mean? I’m an old man now; don’t speak in riddles to test me."
"I am certain she is my aunt, but my aunt herself is still hesitant. We’ve decided to wait for my youngest uncle to arrive to confirm her identity before deciding on our next steps."
"If you’ve already decided to have your youngest uncle come for the identification, then can there be any doubt?"
"I don’t believe so, but my aunt has lost her memories. She wants further verification, and I can only respect her wishes."