Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 684: Shameless

The Kong Family of Lu County, compared with other Da Liang families such as Wang, Zheng, and Cui, cannot be considered a colossal clan. The family, which lives together, numbers around two to three thousand people, with some members serving as officials or migrating elsewhere. In terms of scale, it is considered a second-tier family of Da Liang.

However, the Kong Family is renowned for its literary heritage, with members advancing through the Imperial Examination. In every generation, there have been men who passed the examination to become officials. In Kong Qingwan’s generation, two male cousins passed as well, with one serving as a minor eighth-rank official in the Capital City, and the other as a seventh-rank County Magistrate elsewhere. They were considered promising young talents.

Yet, in the officialdom of Da Liang, such promising young talents are countless. The Metropolitan Exam occurs every three years, admitting three hundred Scholars per session. This means, every three years, three hundred young talents emerge. Unless one is the top scorer, the second, or the third, leaving a deep impression and ensuring a smooth career, ordinary Scholars must start as low-ranking eighth or ninth-grade officials.

With good luck, one might, in ten to eight years, reach the position of Prefectural Governor of a county or become an Extraordinary Minister in one of the six ministries in the Capital City. With average luck, reaching the position of seventh-rank County Magistrate might be the ceiling.

Consider County Magistrate Cui of Ye County, with family background, talent, and scholarship, he remains a public servant in Ye County!

If nothing else changes, these two young Scholars from the Kong Family would proceed stably in their careers in this manner.

Who would have thought, overnight, Da Liang saw political turmoil, Emperor Taihe’s demise, and upheaval within the palace, ultimately resulting in the Nanyang County Princess ascending the Dragon Throne?

The Kong Family member serving as a minor Chief Clerk in the Ministry of Rites in the Capital City sent successive letters to the old mansion in Lu County.

Then, led by the clan leader, Kong Qingwan’s father and brother embarked on a long journey to Nanyang and found Kong Qingwan, serving as a teacher in the Personal Guard Camp.

In the past six years, there had been no communication between them. Kong Qingwan’s family had always believed she was randomly wed off by the Commandery Princess, never expecting she remained unmarried and had taken up the role of a teacher in the military, educating one group of literate young military generals after another.

Moreover, they never imagined that Kong Qingwan had, years prior, attained an official title. Moreover, it was a formal appointment documented by the Ministry of Personnel as a Standard Seventh Rank female official!

Standard Seventh Rank!

The best two sons of the Kong Family, nurtured with the entire clan’s effort, right now are merely a seventh-rank County Magistrate and an eighth-rank Chief Clerk. They aren’t even qualified for the Emperor to glance at!

Yet, Kong Qingwan has long become one of the most esteemed female officials under the Commandery Princess! Now, with the Commandery Princess sitting on the Dragon Throne as the Emperor of Da Liang, Kong Qingwan’s future is undoubtedly much brighter than being just a seventh-rank female official.

The clan leader of the Kong Family was nearly dizzy with excitement. Having found Kong Qingwan, arrangements were immediately made for her to return to the old mansion in Lu County, where a special page in the family genealogy would be opened just for her.

For a woman to be recorded in the family genealogy, particularly on a dedicated page, what an honor that is!

This kind of honor is enough to compensate for the pain Kong Qingwan suffered from being abandoned by her father and brother back then...

"Shameless!" Jiang Shaohua’s eyes flashed with disgust, and he coldly cursed.

Sun Zelan also appeared indignant: "Isn’t that right? I’ve lived over twenty years and have never seen such shameless people."

"Back then, to save her father and brother, Kong Qingwan endured humiliation and survived in disgrace. As a result, after their lives were saved, they despised her and left without a backward glance, severing all familial ties."

"Now that the Commandery Princess has become the Emperor of Da Liang and Kong Qingwan is a confidante, with a promising future, the Kong Family suddenly puts on a loving face wanting to reclaim her. It’s truly shameless!"

Jiang Shaohua sneered, "This world is full of such self-serving, selfish people. What was Kong Qingwan’s reaction?"

Speaking of this, Sun Zelan’s mood immediately lightened, laughing softly: "Speaking of this, it’s really heartening."

"Some male members of the Kong Family tried to forcefully take Kong Qingwan away from the military camp. Kong Qingwan directly called upon a dozen trusted aides to drive them out of the camp."

"On that day, Tao Da was also in the camp; he took the lead. Kong Qingwan’s father and brother were each picked up by him and tossed out like radishes."

"Tao Da was majestic that day, clenching his fist and warning the Kong Family members that if they dared cause trouble in the camp again, they shouldn’t think about leaving it alive. The Kong Family members were so terrified they didn’t dare utter a word."

If Doctor Sun were here, he would’ve glared at his daughter, blaming her for speaking coarsely.

This is inevitable, though. After staying in the camp so long, surrounded by rough men, Sun Zelan’s voice had become much louder than before.

Jiang Shaohua also found it refreshing, laughed, and said, "Kong Qingwan is clear-headed enough, not easily flattered or misled."

"If she indeed returned to the Kong Family, reverting to being a virtuous and chaste Kong daughter, she need not appear before me again."

The Commandery Princess doesn’t even care about her own father’s life and death, having a heart as cold and hard as iron when necessary. If not for Kong Qingwan, a Kong Family would never have entered her eyes.

Sun Zelan mused internally and laughed outwardly, saying: "Before I came, I specifically asked her whether she wanted to write a letter to the Emperor; I could pass it on for her. She said no need to write, the Emperor is busy with governance and shouldn’t be bothered by such a trivial matter. She can handle it herself."

Jiang Shaohua relaxed his brows and smiled slightly: "Indeed, it’s a trivial matter. With her serving in the camp, the Kong Family men can’t even enter. Even if she’s outside the camp, they wouldn’t dare harass her easily. Ultimately, to sever ties requires her own firm decision."

Sun Zelan nodded, then lowered her voice, laughing: "As I was leaving the camp, I heard the Kong Family men were still lingering in Nanyang County. Who knows what they’re planning next."

"I’ve instructed my elder brother, any news, write and let me know."

Sun Zelan indeed has such a burning heart for gossip.

Jiang Shaohua smiled, "If you get news, come and tell me; it’ll relieve some of my boredom."

Sun Zelan grinned widely, nodding repeatedly.

"Report to His Majesty, Jingyang Palace sent someone to invite you for dinner." Qin Hu’s voice sounded at the door.

Jiang Shaohua nodded slightly, "Understood, tell them I’ll come after I finish reading the memorials."

Sun Zelan rose and took her leave.

As she stepped over the threshold, she almost stumbled over the high threshold.

"Be careful, Miss Sun!" A broad, sturdy hand firmly supported the startled Sun Zelan. After Sun Zelan steadied herself, the hand quickly withdrew without taking advantage.

Sun Zelan calmed herself: "The threshold of this Zhaohai Palace is really too high. I am always not used to it. Just now, thank you for supporting me, otherwise, today I would’ve had a bad fall."

...