Transmigrated to the Northern Song Dynasty as a County Magistrate (GL) - Chapter 94

94: Ordinary Yet Blissful (Main Story Conclusion)

“Great prospects”? What nonsense! In this Northern Song court, even later geniuses like Fan Zhongyan and Wang Anshi’s reforms couldn’t resolve the issues of bureaucratic bloat, civil-military imbalance, and excessive taxation-let alone an ordinary person like her.

After years in Kaifeng, she’d realized two things: First, court disputes ostensibly about policy were actually clashes of vested interests. Despite cautious conduct as part of Chief Councillor Wang’s faction, she sometimes had to voice agreement, deeply experiencing the helplessness of going with the flow in officialdom.

Second, prolonged observation revealed why Kaifeng thrived-precious goods like gold/jade and daily necessities like grain/silk poured in continuously from nationwide land/water transport routes. Coupled with unrestricted land annexation allowing wealthy officials and merchants (like the Jiufang family) to accumulate vast estates, displaced peasants became either tenant farmers or urban laborers.

This constant influx of resources and labor, plus free-spending bureaucrats and the massive capital garrison army, made Kaifeng’s prosperity inevitable.

Though unsure why she’d transmigrated to Northern Song, Tian Qingyi knew her limitations-neither EQ nor IQ exceptional, merely above average without genius. Diligence was her only compensation.

She couldn’t voice this to Chief Councillor Wang, merely paying lip service while focusing on duties-no active currying favor required.

Sometimes she admired Wang’s political acumen. After Emperor Zhenzong’s death when he was demoted three ranks, others predicted his downfall. Yet within two years he rebounded as Military Affairs Commissioner under Liu E’s heavy reliance.

Regarding Qingyu and Ruoshui’s marital status, Tian Qingyi supported their stance-remaining unmarried unless finding suitable partners-even promising the Jiufang family would care for them in old age if needed.

With this backing, the two grew bolder, no longer tolerating gossip but retorting and subtly retaliating until whispers ceased.

Ma Zhusege’s wife and son settled in Kaifeng with Shi Qian’s family, their fabricated kinship becoming official. Observing them at the tavern, Tian Qingyi noted their diligence and evident hardship-puzzling given Ma Zhusege’s position.

Unbeknownst to her, Ma Zhusege had sent funds (convertible monastic certificates) alongside his final letters, enough for lifelong support. But his wife, unaware of their legitimacy and fearing trouble, dared not use them even in Kaifeng.

Initially skeptical of Ma Zhusege’s terminal illness, Tian Qingyi grew convinced after verifying his family matched his descriptions. For absolute certainty, she volunteered as New Year envoy to Liao-previously avoided for fear of encountering Ma Zhusege.

The four-month diplomatic mission proved arduous-distant travel, unfamiliar customs and cuisine-but confirmed Ma Zhusege’s death three months after his letter, with lavish Liao imperial funeral arrangements.

Unexpectedly, Ma Zhusege had a Liao family-wives and three daughters (eldest married, youngest eight/nine) whose constant domestic strife likely motivated his secret family’s relocation.

With confirmation secured, Tian Qingyi returned home lighthearted, the very breeze and roadside grass seemingly welcoming. Frequent letters home carried coded messages about Ma Zhusege’s death-prompting Yun Jingchu’s even greater joy evident in her replies.

In preparation for Tian Qingyi’s return, Yun Jingchu spent weeks gathering everything from food to clothing-compensating for their missed New Year together-her happiness unmistakable.

While Tian Qingyi rose officially, Yun Jingchu’s businesses flourished-heading floral and spice guilds before expanding into grain trade using their own lands, eliminating middlemen.

As guild leader, Yun Jingchu realized the role primarily facilitated government procurement-securing premium goods below market price or selling above it. The leader bore the largest shares, distributed among members. Finding this unfulfilling, she resigned after two years, remaining in guilds only because it was mandatory for Kaifeng commerce.

Interactions with other guild leaders revealed many bankrupted by these obligations-unlike her privileged treatment as a high official’s wife with honorary title.

Pre-transmigration Yun Jingchu would have scorned crediting her success to Tian Qingyi, but now readily acknowledged their mutual contributions, just as Tian Qingyi said her rank belonged to them both, so did Yun Jingchu’s commercial achievements.

Preparations for their girls’ academy continued-land acquisition and construction took three years, but finding teachers and students proved harder. Available female instructors only taught needlework, while parents assumed traditional “women’s education.”

Their vision-a true academy mirroring boys’ schools in literacy and classics-found no qualified female teachers, while male scholars refused. Parents would only send sons.

With no suitable instructors, the completed academy stood empty-most relatives disapproved, colleagues mocked Tian Qingyi as “henpecked” for supposedly indulging his wife’s whims.

In truth, both equally supported the project-Tian Qingyi even embraced the reputation to avoid unwanted social obligations.

Fortunately, Fan Zhuzhu and Li Yan’s support prevented open criticism about the unused academy.

Finally, during the Qingming Festival, Tian Qingyi returned to Kaifeng at sunset.

Spotters rushed home with news while Zhou Ba reported to her carriage, she dispatched Qingyu and Xiazhu ahead while proceeding to palace debrief.

By near-second watch when she returned home, discovering Yun Jingchu and others still waiting for dinner in the main hall filled her with guilt. Qingyu explained repeated unsuccessful urging for them to eat first.

Hurrying inside, she found Yun Jingchu, Fan Zhuzu, Li Yan, Yuchen and Wanyue all present. Greeting them warmly, she took her seat between Fan Zhuzhu and Yun Jingchu-clasping the latter’s hand throughout the conversation despite Yun Jingchu’s flustered reactions (fortunately masked by candlelight).

As dishes arrived, Li Yan remarked:

“The world says ‘new lovers smile while old ones weep, but you two remain harmoniously devoted-truly enviable.”

The adolescent Yuchen and Wanyue lowered their heads shyly.

Though late, the family meal proceeded joyfully with mutual food-sharing and wine-even the youths allowed small cups-resembling New Year celebrations sans red envelopes.

Next morning however, the youngsters received surprise red packets during morning greetings before Tian Qingyi returned to bed-granted three days’ leave by the emperor and excused from greetings by Fan Zhuzhu. After last night’s “reunion” and a month’s travel, she intended to fully enjoy this rare opportunity.

As the sun rose and the moon set amid spring’s splendor, Tian Qingyi and Yun Jingchu finally embraced their desired life-ordinary yet blissful.