On the second day after receiving the imperial decree, AnLe reported to the Da Lisi in her new official robes.
In the past half month, the story of Ren Anle's questioning of Princess Shaohua at the autumn hunt has been widely known. Many court officials are convinced that although she is a woman, despite her boldness, she has the courage to speak up for the court officials of Dajing. In addition to that, the right hand side has praised her, they are extra polite to the new female bandit.
But they were merely being polite. They're no better than the young children who are not deeply involved in the world. Ren Anle's identity is sensitive, and it's no secret that the left side is mean to her. The courtiers are not really in a position to be caught between the two ministers for the sake of a junior minister of the Da Lisi.
After a day of being a clay bodhisattva at the Da Lisi, AnLe returned to Ren's house in the evening, humming a little tune and riding in a carriage back to Ren's residence.
Yuan Shu stood on guard at the gate. When she saw the carriage appear, she doggedly ran up and lifted the curtain for Ren Anle, showing a row of teeth and smiling, "Miss, you're back."
Ren Anle squinted at her with sidelong glances. She followed Yuan Shu's hand and stepped down from the carriage to enter the house:
"How is the residence today?"
"A group of noblemen came to hand out invitations, but I sent them all away." Yuan Shu was proud to take credit.
Ren Anle's slender and long eyes narrowed into slits as she laughed, "That's natural. At that time, these nerds didn't bother to pay attention to this master, but now they want to see me. Naturally, it can't be easy."
Yuan Shu took a strange look at her own young lady: "Miss, the invitations sent today are all for a banquet for Yuan Qin. There was also a sour-rotten scholar who came to the door to demand a painting, which I didn't like, so I asked Chang Qing to beat them out."
Ren Anle's slow walking steps gave a pause and then stopped and looked around Yuan Shu for a while before she managed to spit out a few gnashing words: "Elm bumps.
[ a Chinese idiom meaning hard elm root; a metaphor for mind is stubborn.]
Yuan Shu was in a cold sweat from Ren AnLe's glare. She looked at Ren AnLe's figure flashing away like a hot wheel, with a sigh of resignation. She slowly moved towards the study like a docile little daughter-in-law.
Inside the study, Yuan Qin had changed Ren Anle into her usual black clothes and saw her carefully brushing her face with a cloth towel, saying helplessly: "Miss, your hands have not been wet for a few days."
Ren Anle showed a natural look and waved her hands in a matter-of-fact manner, "That's natural. The Eastern Palace is heavily guarded, so the next time you get such an opportunity will be rare."
Ren Anle muttered as she recalled the touch of that day, rubbing her chin to ponder "The royal family were indeed very spoiled. Those hands are as fair and delicate as a little girl's."
Yuan Qin raised her eyebrows, feeling embarrassed. Under Ren Anle's meaningful glance, she washed her hands and changed the subject: "Miss, how do you feel about entering the Da Lisi for the first time today?"
Ren Anle stretched her back and took a big step and lay down on the soft couch, throwing a nut in her mouth and chewing it twice before saying, "The Da Lisi is in charge of the capital's criminal prisons. Most of the officials are poor sons who have been admitted to the imperial examinations, so there is nothing to worry about. As for Dali Temple's qing Pei Zhan... he is slick and sly, not a master to be fooled.
Today he let this lady organize the files in the back room for a whole day, and it seems that he has a deep friendship with the left minister."