Chapter 872: Chapter 827: Seizing the Opportunity to Enter the Court (First Update)

"I once had a very long dream in the bridal sedan chair." Xu Jia said, "There were many people in the dream, including everyone from the Song Mansion."

Wen Wan squinted slightly but did not stop her from continuing.

"In that dream, Tang Yuan married me to make Jiang Qingyu’s entry as a wife smoother. After deceiving me, he neglected me in the backyard and turned to secretly meet Jiang Qingyu. Later on, the two of them even teamed up to kill me. I’m telling you this to say that perhaps it wasn’t a dream, but a kind of warning to me, so later on, I divorced without hesitation. But besides my tragic ending, there’s a part about your family in the dream."

Through the gold silk vine red lacquer bamboo curtain, Xu Jia’s voice was indescribably calm.

Wen Wan lifted the curtain and sat opposite her, "About the Song family, how?"

"Let’s call that dream the past life." Xu Jia said, "In the past life, the Song family didn’t develop as fast as it does now. When I died, Mr. Song had just joined the Taichang Temple, which was a year from now. Song Jiao didn’t have a premature birth, and Old Mrs. Song was still alive and well."

"You find it absurd too, don’t you?" Xu Jia suddenly laughed, "But I used this dream to save my own life. When I divorced Tang Yuan initially, it was quite a scandal. Some thought I was right, while others thought I was hitting someone when they were down. But no one knew, I did it just to save my life. Having revealed my secret, can the Commandery Princess tell me why you divorced? Could it be that you too had a dream which made divorce inevitable?"

Wen Wan listened, raising her eyebrow, "Yes, I also had a dream, in which I became the first female official in the court in the history of Chu Country. I found it particularly interesting, so I divorced, wanting to stay in the Capital and try."

Xu Jia was taken aback, "Commandery Princess, that excuse is rather flimsy."

Wen Wan said nothing, "As you said, when you divorced back then, there was a lot of suspicion outside, but you were actually doing it to protect yourself. Now, I am just like you. No matter what people say outside, I have my own grievances. If not forced, who doesn’t want peace and happiness for a lifetime, right?"

Xu Jia looked at her and suddenly understood, "Is that so? Then I won’t press you further."

Seeing she really didn’t intend to inquire further, Wen Wan changed the subject, "However, if I say you might be able to help me a bit, then saying it to you is no harm."

Xu Jia’s eyes lit up, "You are truly willing to tell me?"

"Because you are the only one who can help me."

Xu Jia looked eager, "Go ahead, as long as I can help, I definitely will spare no effort."

Wen Wan thought for a while and detailed Song Wei’s experiences and the things she could foresee, finally telling her, she planned to join the court to help Song Wei change his fate.

Xu Jia listened, dumbfounded, unable to react for a long time.

She thought being able to be reborn was already enough of a fantasy, she didn’t expect there could be more bizarre existences than herself.

Foreknowledge, there really is someone who can foretell!

But how could Wen Wan, a woman, enter the court?

Since the establishment of Great Chu, although the customs had become more open-minded, and during the late Emperor’s period, an official school for girls was even built, yet even in the most prestigious year-end examinations, a girl could at most meet the Emperor to receive awards, and be given a title of a talented woman, but there was no precedent of a woman entering the court.

Wen Wan noticed Xu Jia’s hesitation, "No matter how slim the hope is, I have to try, right? Coincidentally, the bracelet in your hand can help."

...

After Xu Jia and Song Fang left, Wen Wan returned to the Liufang Courtyard, where Zhao Xunyin was still sitting. When she saw Wen Wan entered, she hurriedly asked how the talk went with those two sisters-in-law.

Wen Wan said, "I have persuaded Jia. With her persuasion, Heir’s wife will likely come around soon."

Zhao Xunyin gestured for her to sit.

Wen Wan sat down with a sigh, "Mother, I want to change Third Son’s fate."

Zhao Xunyin was utterly shocked, "What!"

"He’s suffered too much," Wen Wan said, "He has had a troubled life since birth, entered the examination hall at twenty-eight. I always thought I could help him avoid all disasters, but later found out that all I avoided were minor disasters, the calamities destined by fate could not be avoided. The day after mother-in-law passed, I went to Fahua Temple and met Master Xu Yun, seeking a solution."

Following this, Wen Wan told Zhao Xunyin everything Master Xu Yun said and her future plans.

Zhao Xunyin didn’t expect her daughter would propose divorce to help Song Wei change his fate. After realizing, she frowned deeply, "The late Emperor somewhat believed in these things, even so, he might not have employed you, let alone the new emperor. The likelihood of you entering the court is almost impossible, especially to be decreed in front of all the officials; how hard is it for a woman to enter the court?"

"So I must do something to gradually earn the trust of His Majesty," Wen Wan pondered.

She hadn’t interacted with Zhao Xi much, generally only seeing him during palace banquets. Most of what she knew about the new emperor came from Song Yuanbao. However, since Zhao Xi ascended the throne, Song Yuanbao rarely talked about him at home, and it is unclear whether they were estranged due to their status or if Song Yuanbao was avoiding suspicion. In any case, Song Yuanbao didn’t mention him, so Wen Wan couldn’t learn about the new emperor’s temperament.

Seeing her so troubled, Zhao Xunyin couldn’t help but feel compassionate, "You mentioned before that you can only foresee matters related to yourself and Third Son. Now that Third Son has returned to Ningzhou, and you are left alone, you are not a fairy or a Taoist, how can you foresee the whole political situation? Deep down, mother hopes you don’t get involved in this muddy water."

Wen Wan also knew it was difficult, "If three years can be exchanged for decades of companionship, then no matter how hard or bitter it is, I must grit my teeth and bear it."

When the Astronomical Bureau performed calculations, they used tortoise shells. Wen Wan thought, maybe the bracelet in Xu Jia’s hand is her medium for predictions.

But after wearing it just now, her head still hurt. No wonder experts always said heavenly secrets shouldn’t be revealed; it turns out defying fate really comes with a price!

...

The next day, Wen Wan arranged to meet Xu Jia in a teahouse’s private room.

Now that the words have been laid out, Wen Wan didn’t beat around the bush, directly asking to borrow the bracelet once more.

Xu Jia expressed concern, "Yesterday, seeing you in such pain, the bracelet seems to do you little good. If used again, I worry you may not endure it."

"Take it off," Wen Wan didn’t give much thought about the consequences.

She had a list in her hand, given by Song Wei.

Song Wei said His Majesty had been hunting for Bei Yan’s agents within the court, but the opposition has been hiding too deeply; so far there hasn’t been much progress.

The list Song Wei provided was of all officials in the system, and Wen Wan wanted to try whether she could predict the positions of those agents.

Xu Jia handed the bracelet to her, Wen Wan put it on, and soon, clutching her head in pain, sweating profusely, eventually fainted.

...

On waking, Wen Wan opened her eyes to see Xu Jia’s worried face.

She rubbed her still aching temples, "How long did I sleep?"

"Almost two hours." The bracelet was back on Xu Jia’s wrist, "I didn’t dare call a doctor, used peppermint to revive you; what did you see?"

Wen Wan opened her eyes, regaining her senses, recalling the images that flashed in her mind, murmuring: "Mine, iron mine, right in the deep mountains and forests of Liaodong."

"Iron mine?" Xu Jia was very puzzled, why did she see such a thing.

"Something’s going to happen, I have to leave quickly." Wen Wan hurriedly sat up, messily tidying her appearance, "Thank you for today."

"You were so frightening when fainting, don’t touch that thing again." Xu Jia said, "I worry your life may not be spared."

Wen Wan hadn’t planned to rely on the bracelet in Xu Jia’s hand to assist Zhao Xi in uniting the world, after all, the pain was real; using it continuously, she might really die. She just needed an opportunity to enter the court, to make Zhao Xi believe she can really foresee. As long as she can be employed and have the chance to care about the world, she certainly could do better.

...

Wen Wan returned to the Changning Marquis Mansion, describing the things she saw using the bracelet to Zhao Xunyin, "The Liaodong Iron Mine is a secret important site for the court, the cold weapons used in battles at the Northern Border largely come from the Liaodong Iron Mine. But I foresee that not long from now, officials in charge of the iron mine will improve the weapon crafting method, greatly saving raw materials, yet the reported amount to the court remains unchanged."

Zhao Xunyin’s face turned ugly, "You mean, they will embezzle the saved iron mine?"

"Not only that," Wen Wan said, "Bei Yan’s most lacking resource is iron mines; they’ll sell the saved material to Bei Yan. So, Mother, you must think of a way to help me inform His Majesty of this."

"Saying it directly would definitely not work, I must think it over carefully." Zhao Xunyin paced, suddenly thinking of someone, "How about, temporarily relying on the Astronomical Bureau? Their words, His Majesty might find easier to believe."