Song Zhimian knew that her greatest crisis at the moment was being forced by Song Kaishan to marry an old man.
If that happened, not only would she lose the dowry her mother had left her, but her very life would be in danger.
Although this dynasty was relatively lenient toward women—allowing them to engage in many activities—when it came to marriage, it still adhered to the principle of parental authority and matchmaker arrangements…
Once Song Kaishan arranged a marriage for her, Song Zhimian would have almost no way to resist.
Unless she died…
But if she died, wouldn’t that just be letting those people off easy?
Song Zhimian would never resign herself to fate.
In her previous life, Song Zhimian had been a strategic consultant, specializing in industry research and analysis, providing competitive strategies and planning for businesses, and handling business expansion.
She excelled at integrating all known information to formulate the most suitable plan for the current situation.
Her abilities were strong, and she was adept at maximizing the use of the information at her disposal.
From what she could see now, Song Zhimian had at least obtained two useful pieces of information.
The palace was recruiting Female Officials and Medical Maids, and the Directorate of Supervision was responsible for all matters related to fundraising in the capital for Beidi.
The role of a Medical Maid was too specialized—Song Zhimian was definitely not suited for it. Although she had a friend who was a forensic examiner, which could barely be considered a related profession, Song Zhimian knew her own limitations well. She was not cut out for that kind of work.
Become a Medical Maid? Hah, she didn’t even need to think about it before dismissing the idea.
Thus, Song Zhimian set her sights on becoming a Female Official.
Only by being recruited as a Female Official could she escape the fate of being married off to an old man by Song Kaishan.
No matter how great parental authority was, it could never surpass imperial authority! If the royal family took a liking to someone, even one’s own father couldn’t take them away.
This was the only way Song Zhimian could think of to protect herself for now…
But if she applied to become a Female Official in the Neifu… there would be many uncertainties.
First, young ladies from titled nobility families rarely applied to become Female Officials. While the title sounded respectable, the work essentially involved serving others.
Most applicants for Female Official positions were daughters from commoner families.
Second, even if Song Zhimian applied to become a Female Official, there was no guarantee she would be selected.
Her identity was somewhat conspicuous, and it was likely that the officials would notify her father, Song Kaishan, as soon as she applied.
Song Kaishan was the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor; finding a way to ensure Song Zhimian failed the selection would be well within his means.
Even if he couldn’t manage it himself, he could seek help from the Guiren behind him, and it would be as simple as a word from the Guiren.
Therefore, applying through normal channels to become a Female Official offered Song Zhimian almost no chance of success.
The only way now was…
…
After finishing her tea, Song Zhimian took Cuiguo and headed toward the Directorate of Supervision.
The Directorate of Supervision held an extraordinary position in the capital.
Established during Emperor Wu’s reign, the Directorate of Supervision had operated for over a century and had become increasingly refined.
All civil and military officials in the court knew that the Directorate of Supervision not only oversaw the accounts of the Six Ministries but also supervised the financial records of all merchants in Dayu.
The Directorate of Supervision answered only to the Emperor himself, and the accounts it chose to investigate were often those the Emperor wished to examine.
Although the highest-ranking official in the Directorate of Supervision, the Minister of the Supervisory Department, held only a Fourth Rank (Senior) position, they were the one person in the court whom officials dared not offend.
What was even more peculiar was that, since Emperor Wu’s time, the position of Minister of the Supervisory Department had always been held by a woman.
A century later, the current Minister of the Supervisory Department remained a descendant of the first Minister.
There are even rumors that every Minister of the Supervisory Department possesses an almost fiendishly sharp mind. Not only can they thoroughly investigate every ledger that comes their way, but each of them also shares a remarkable skill: a photographic memory!
Any ledger they have seen, even ten years later, they can recall with perfect clarity.
Song Zhimian knew that the Minister of the Supervisory Department must be a trusted confidant of the imperial family. Perhaps her only chance for a turnaround lay with this person.
The common people of the capital were all very earnest about the fundraising efforts for Beidi.
Whether from families of the titled nobility or ordinary citizens, everyone reached into their money pouches or purses.
Song Zhimian appearing among the crowd queuing to donate silver did not seem out of place in the slightest.
After waiting in line for quite a while, it was finally Song Zhimian's turn.
Cuiguo watched as Song Zhimian took out the remaining twenty taels of silver from her purse, her heart aching a little.
The young lady's monthly allowance was meager, and the servants in the mansion were all sycophants who fawned on the powerful and bullied the weak. Life for the two of them, mistress and maid, was particularly difficult.
Twenty taels of silver… would have been enough for them to live on for several months!
If the young lady had kept even just two taels to reward the kitchen matron upon returning today, it would at least have ensured they had access to hot water in their courtyard for a month!
Should she try to persuade the young lady? But what if she advised her and the young lady wouldn't listen?
Cuiguo watched anxiously as Song Zhimian placed the silver in her hand onto the table.
"I'm sorry, I didn't bring much with me when I went out today! This is all I have," Song Zhimian said softly.
A female Shaoshi from the Directorate of Supervision, responsible for registration, smiled as she recorded, "There's no distinction of amount; even a single copper coin is support for the soldiers in Beidi.
May I ask which mansion the young lady is from? We need to register here. After the matter is concluded, a public notice will be posted."
Song Zhimian immediately identified herself, "Song Zhimian of Zhongyong Hou Mansion."
The female Shaoshi immediately looked up at Song Zhimian.
As a member of the Directorate of Supervision, she was well-informed about court affairs.
Song Zhimian of Zhongyong Hou Mansion? The family of that Pingbei Hou's elder brother who fought to the death protecting the army provisions against the enemy?
The female Shaoshi's attitude instantly became respectful.
"You are Zhongyong Hou's…"
"Eldest daughter!" Song Zhimian said quietly.
The female Shaoshi nodded and respectfully wrote in the ledger before her: Eldest daughter of Zhongyong Hou Mansion, Song Zhimian, twenty taels of silver.
Seeing that the female Shaoshi had finished writing, Song Zhimian glanced at the record book and suddenly took a white jade hairpin from her head.
"The soldiers in Beidi are suffering. I brought too little silver with me today. May I donate this hairpin as well?
Although it's not a rare treasure, it should be worth thirty to fifty taels of silver.
It's just… I don't know how this should be accounted for?" Song Zhimian suddenly said.
The female Shaoshi was taken aback for a moment, then quickly took the hairpin to examine it.
A white jade hairpin, exquisitely carved with fine jade—she could tell at a glance it was a fine piece.
"Eldest Miss Song, do you truly wish to donate this hairpin?" the female Shaoshi asked seriously.
Song Zhimian nodded.
"To me, it is merely an ornament for my hair. But if exchanged for silver, it can provide more provisions for the soldiers in Beidi. That is its greatest value."
The female Shaoshi nodded, then placed the hairpin back into Song Zhimian's hand.
"Eldest Miss Song, please go that way. If you wish to donate a hairpin, head over there, as hairpins are items and I cannot appraise their value here.
That room has invited a chief clerk from the Xingshangsi specifically to assess the value of donated items.
They will certainly give a good price," the female Shaoshi said with a smile.
Song Zhimian nodded and immediately took the hairpin to the adjacent room.
Cuiguo wanted to follow, but Song Zhimian signaled for her to wait here.
Thus, Song Zhimian entered the neighboring room alone.
The room was mostly empty, with only a female chief clerk examining a jasper incense burner in her hands.
"A jasper incense burner, a fine piece, worth five hundred taels…"
"Esteemed official, I would like to donate this hairpin," Song Zhimian carefully stepped forward and handed over the hairpin.
The female chief clerk immediately set down the incense burner, took Song Zhimian's hairpin, and after a careful inspection, said,
"This hairpin is exquisite, and the jade quality is excellent. If the Xingshangsi were to appraise it, it should be worth around eighty taels.
What do you think of this price? If acceptable, I will register it at eighty taels."
Song Zhimian promptly nodded.
The original owner had once secretly sent Cuiguo to a pawnshop with this hairpin, but the pawnshop was only willing to offer ten taels. In a fit of anger, Cuiguo brought it back, and afterward, the mistress and maid subsisted on leftovers for nearly a month.
Now…
"That's fine! Thank you for your trouble!" Song Zhimian hurriedly said.
The female chief clerk immediately recorded it.
After the chief clerk finished writing, Song Zhimian continued,
"I have some unworn jewelry and accessories at home. I can bring them tomorrow.
Also, can anything be donated here?" Song Zhimian asked softly.
"Of course, as long as it's valuable and can be exchanged for silver!
Oh, but not people! This is not a brokerage house! Sending people here is definitely not allowed," the female chief clerk said with a smile, looking at Song Zhimian.
Song Zhimian hummed in acknowledgment and suddenly asked,
"There is something I wish to donate, but… it must be handed over to your Minister of the Supervisory Department. Is that… possible?"
The female chief clerk…
"Our minister must personally handle it? Well… to be honest with you, miss, our minister only appears for donations worth over ten thousand taels of silver.
Even when titled nobility families come to donate silver, our minister does not easily make an appearance," the female chief clerk explained with a smile.
Song Zhimian immediately nodded.
"I know the Minister of the Supervisory Department is busy with official duties, but what I wish to donate… is certainly worth more than ten thousand taels of silver.
Perhaps you could inform the minister? I assure you, the minister will not be disappointed," Song Zhimian said earnestly.
"This…" The female chief clerk was somewhat hesitant.
Her minister had been busy reviewing the accounts of the three major garrisons lately and had already stayed up for three consecutive nights…
"When someone brings a large sum of silver, you should be happy for your minister!
Alright, miss, please return for now! At this time tomorrow, the Minister of the Supervisory Department will certainly be here.
You can bring what you wish to donate then."
Following a hearty voice, a man in brocade robes emerged from the side chamber next to the room.
Song Zhimian only glanced at him before quickly lowering her head.
This man exuded an air of nobility, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, clearly someone of imperial or aristocratic status…
The female official immediately stood up. She was about to speak when she saw the newcomer gently shake his head at her.
"Alright! This young lady should hurry back now! Tomorrow, someone will be here waiting for your donation," the man said with a smile.
Song Zhimian quickly curtsied lightly, then turned and left.
However, after taking just two steps, she turned back again.
"The matter is not yet settled, so I ask you both to keep it confidential for now. Thank you, both of you!" Song Zhimian said earnestly to the female official.
The female official promptly agreed.
Indeed, the silver hasn't been donated yet! There's no need to let the outside world know.
Her superior always handled matters with strict precision—if the silver wasn't in the treasury and not recorded in the books, it meant it didn't exist!
So, there was no need to make a fuss about it…
Song Zhimian hurriedly left again.
"That young lady… which family is she from?" the man who had suddenly appeared asked quietly.
Only then did the female official let out a long sigh.
"Your Highness, please don't suddenly appear and scare us like that! Those of us on official duty are most afraid of being startled unexpectedly.
That young lady is the eldest daughter of the Zhongyong Hou Mansion.
But judging by her attire… she doesn't have the air of a legitimate eldest daughter at all. The only valuable piece of jewelry she wore was the hairpin she just donated…" the female official sighed.
The man whom the female official addressed as "Your Highness" was none other than the seventh son of the current emperor, Prince Qi, and the only prince born of the same mother as the Crown Prince.
Upon hearing that Song Zhimian was the eldest daughter of the Zhongyong Hou Mansion, Prince Qi was visibly taken aback.
"Is she the niece of Pingbei Hou, Song Kaiyuan?"
"And also the biological daughter of Zhongyong Hou, Song Kaishan," the female official added bluntly.
Prince Qi frowned slightly.
So she's a girl from the Song family, no wonder I've rarely seen her before!