The moment the two words "Shuofeng" left his lips, the gentle smiles on the faces of the two officials instantly vanished, their expressions darkening.
Ouyang Ke's gaze slowly shifted toward Eunuch Chen, his eyes conveying surprise and making clear that he had known nothing of this beforehand.
The eunuch will have to report this to His Majesty—this boy wants to throw his life away on his own.
No one was trying to harm him.
Even Minister Sun only wanted this child to witness the darkness of officialdom.
If he produced no political achievements there, Sun certainly wouldn't try to get him killed.
Yet Song Shi'an had opened his mouth only to send himself down a path to death.
"Why would you do this?"
Yu Xiu's face immediately darkened as well. In front of both men, he criticized: "You overestimate yourself and look down on everyone else. The eunuch graciously tried to guide you, taking your youth and hot-bloodedness into account. Do you not understand what he was telling you?"
These words were already quite harsh in their rebuke.
Of course, this stemmed from good intentions—from a desire to get closer to him—which is why he made such a blunt and direct warning.
If there were no favorable impression at all, no one would say such things.
A jieyuan with no connections could die for all they cared.
If you wanted to show off, others could simply treat it as a joke.
"I thank Eunuch Chen for his guidance, and I thank Yu-daren for his correction."
Song Shi'an cupped his hands in salute, bowing to both men. Then, after a brief silence, he raised his head and said: "My insignificant first half of life was spent in frivolous indulgence and self-degradation. At twenty years old, I've barely left Sheng'an, spending my days in wine and women with wealthy wastrels. Everything I know about our Great Yu's realm has come from books."
His tone was exceedingly sincere.
His unhurried account made them willing to listen.
He continued: "The more I read, the more I felt how truly small I am. And the more I wanted to use my own feet to measure out my life."
"The bright moon emerges from Tianshan, vast amid seas of clouds. The long wind blows ten thousand li, sweeping through Tongmen Pass."
After calmly "composing" this poem on the spot, his tone gained an additional thread of fervor beyond its earnestness: "This is the Northern Liang I've imagined from all my reading. My desire to build merit and establish achievements is real. My desire for wealth and glory is also real. But what I want more is to see with my own eyes the mountains and rivers I've read about in books."
"Rather than wait until they've become another nation's former territory before gazing at them from afar across the mountains."
Song Shi'an's every word was spoken with perfect composure.
Not deliberately impassioned, not artificially tragic.
Only then did the two officials realize—he was just a child.
What deep cunning could a twenty-year-old child possess?
Perhaps he truly did have such a mindset of "youthful ignorance of heaven's heights."
Indeed, when Ouyang Ke looked back on his own twentieth year, though he hadn't composed that poem, hadn't he also thought: Why shouldn't a man carry a Yu saber and reclaim the fifty territories beyond the passes?
Chen Bao hadn't—he'd entered the palace at fourteen.
"Serving the court is serving the court, regardless of where. There's no real difference in merit."
Eunuch Chen's unconscious habit of tapping his fingers on the armrest ceased. He looked at Song Shi'an and said: "Going to Shuofeng, aside from the sons of noble houses, there will also be a thousand Imperial Guards. Which of those boys wasn't born of a mother? Which doesn't have a father or children? When the Qi wolves come, every subject of Great Yu will pick up hoes and pitchforks to drive them away. Your sentiment is neither uniquely noble nor singular. Of course, your sincere heart is there, and that is good."
Generally speaking, palace eunuchs had no authority to influence the appointments of sub-yuan candidates and jinshi.
If there were no instructions from the Emperor, that would be "overstepping authority."
Therefore, with Eunuch Chen's words that seemed to "permit" this, Ouyang Ke concluded there must also be imperial guidance.
Indeed, there was.
The Emperor had said to protect him somewhat.
But the Emperor had also said: if this boy truly wanted to make his name in one stroke, to become Great Yu's sharpest sword and cut down the world's most vicious demons, then let him go.
If he truly had genuine talent and learning, the potential to be a "pillar capable of supporting the state," that would be the court's good fortune.
And if he died?
Then he died.
It didn't matter.
Originally, the most difficult posting Eunuch Chen could imagine was Cangxia—that place with internal civil unrest and external barbarian threats, where many officials were unwilling to go even if demoted.
As long as he governed that place well, Song Shi'an's promotion speed would be extraordinarily rapid.
Within two years, jumping two ranks would be entirely possible.
That would be the most youthfully spirited choice.
As for Shuofeng?
If he returned alive, the gilding of that experience would be terrifyingly valuable.
Of course, he would certainly die.
The thousand Imperial Guards were also going there to fill graves.
And what of the Sixth Prince?
A neglected imperial prince who had never even held a real power position like county magistrate—no, who had zero political experience in this lifetime—facing the hegemon Ji Yuan on his first assignment, was there any suspense about the outcome?
"Since this is the appointment ceremony, you are naturally free to speak your mind."
With what Eunuch Chen had just said, Ouyang Ke knew what to do. He said to Yu Xiu: "Record his words. As for how to proceed, we'll deliberate further. In the end, His Majesty will decide."
"Yes." Yu Xiu nodded.
Then he said to Song Shi'an: "Even if this suggestion is reported upward, the current magistrate of Shuofeng has committed no dereliction of duty, nor is there any recent transfer order to demote him. Therefore, the position of Shuofeng Magistrate may not necessarily be secure. Perhaps another posting will be arranged. Of course, the Rank 7 grade won't change."
High position with low rank allocation, or low position with high rank allocation.
This was quite normal.
The Kangxi court had even established First Rank county magistrates before.
"This one understands."
Song Shi'an responded.
The interview process ended just like that. Without emotion or bias, Yu Xiu said: "You may withdraw."
"Yes." Song Shi'an bowed to the three men and exited. "This official takes his leave."
After he left the inner chamber, the internal discussion phase began.
Of course, this was only preliminary discussion.
The formal process required collective deliberation among the upper echelons of the Secretariat before submitting a memorial upward.
"Does the eunuch have any opinions?" Ouyang Ke asked.
Eunuch Chen quickly smiled and said: "Whatever Ouyang-daren decides is fine. How could this servant interfere with government affairs?"
After some brief pleasantries, Ouyang Ke stopped being long-winded and made his judgment: "Song Shi'an's poetry is truly excellent. If he went to the Imperial Academy to pursue learning, he might become a Grand Secretary of his generation."
"At the Imperial Academy, I'm afraid he'd be passively resistant," Yu Xiu said.
"More than resistant? He'd resign."
After a smile, Ouyang Ke formally set the tone: "The Secretariat's opinion should still be to have him serve as magistrate of some county in Yi Prefecture. The jieyuan himself wishes to be Shuofeng Magistrate."
What he said was his business—the Secretariat only needed to fulfill its duties.
After Yu Xiu recorded this, Ouyang Ke said: "Summon Sun Qian."
Then the attendant stationed outside the inner chamber called out loudly: "Sub-yuan Sun Qian, enter!"
………
Sun Qian rose and, as he entered the room, passed Song Shi'an who was leaving.
Their eyes clashed like sharp blades scraping against each other.
"Jieyuan, where's your high appointment?"
Someone called out to him with a mocking laugh.
Aside from Fan Wuji, Sun Qian, and a few others, everyone else assumed that Song Shi'an had been scolded by Eunuch Chen and could only submit meekly.
So they all waited to see the joke.
However, Song Shi'an, for the first time, ignored everyone with an expressionless face.
He walked toward the main gate of the Ministry of Personnel compound, his eyes seeming to be covered with frost, cold as an ice cellar.
Going to Northern Liang meant certain death.
How could Song Shi'an not know?
But he understood even more clearly:
Battles that could be won would absolutely never fall to him to fight.
This journey to Shuofeng was a road where white bones would grow from the earth.
Those who walked it would also turn into piles of white bones, buried by wind and sand.
And I—
Will be reborn from hell itself.