By a twist of fate, the illegitimate son of the Marquis's family marries the county princess.

Chapter 266 The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue

When Pei Rujing was more than five months pregnant, it was already the end of the year. Wen Zongji had already taken a break, and it was time for the annual palace banquet.

However, both the Marquis's household and Emperor Shun'an were very concerned about Pei Rujing's health. Emperor Shun'an specially sent someone to deliver a bunch of tonics and told Pei Rujing that she did not need to attend the palace banquet this year and could stay at home to take care of her pregnancy.

Since Pei Rujing wasn't going to the palace banquet, Wen Zongji couldn't leave her alone at the mansion, so he naturally stayed there with her.

Therefore, while the other members of the Marquis's household went to attend the palace banquet, Wen Zongji and his wife stayed in Yunguang Courtyard to set off fireworks.

"I'll give it a try."

Seeing that Wen Zongji was having a great time, Pei Rujing also wanted to set off fireworks herself.

Wen Zongji even doubted he had misheard: "Wife, look at your belly and say it again?"

Setting off fireworks requires quick eyes, quick hands, and fast running. Pei Rujing is heavily pregnant now, and she finds it difficult to stand for even a short while, let alone run.

Pei Rujing immediately wilted. She had been so engrossed in watching the fireworks that she had almost forgotten she was pregnant.

She looked down at her belly, somewhat puzzled: "In the previous five months, it was only slightly protruding, but now it feels much bigger."

My belly has grown faster in the last two weeks than it did in the previous five months.

Granny Feng explained, "If it's all like this, it means the little master in the county princess's belly has already grown up."

The embryonic state and the fetal state are naturally incomparable.

Wen Zongji said, "Didn't Physician Wang advise you to move around more when he took your pulse today?"

He later saw online that pregnant women shouldn't sit or lie down all the time; appropriate exercise is better for the fetus.

Pei Rujing said, "I did move around."

Every day after dinner, Wen Zongji would take her for a walk. As winter approached and the weather grew colder, they would walk around the house, making sure they were moving around.

Pei Rujing touched her belly: "My belly is getting bigger and bigger, and I feel like I'm getting heavier and heavier."

"That's normal, after all, there's someone else in your wife's belly."

"I wonder if the little one will be well-behaved after birth."

Because of the ten months of pregnancy, mothers usually have a stronger bond with their children.

Pei Rujing now radiates maternal glow. Although she herself is not fully mature, the natural affection she shows when talking about her child is genuine.

Wen Zongji looked at the fireworks that were still going off: "If they misbehave, a beating will do the trick."

Pei Rujing glared at him: "He can hear you."

"It's alright, he doesn't understand human language."

Pei Rujing got even angrier and slapped him hard: "How can you talk like that? This is our child."

Wen Zongji looked completely innocent: "What did I say wrong? Newborn babies can't understand human speech."

Granny Feng smiled helplessly: "Even so, it still sounds awkward when the young master says that."

"Yeah, you're so tactless... Oh dear, the child kicked me, it must be because of what you said."

Pei Rujing echoed.

Wen Zongji raised his hands in surrender: "Alright, alright, I won't say that anymore."

After saying that, he squatted down and pressed his face against Pei Rujing's belly, saying softly, "Baby, don't keep kicking Mommy. Be good. When you are born, Daddy will take you to play all over the capital."

Pei Rujing looked at him with gentle eyes.

……

Just after the holiday ended following the New Year, Wen Zongji's appointment was announced.

He was promoted from a seventh-rank official in charge of drafting the imperial gazette and concurrently a compiler in the Hanlin Academy to a fifth-rank official in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, rising four ranks in a row.

This promotion speed is not slow. Of course, given Wen Zongji's contributions in the Beijing Gazette Office and Tongzhou, he could have been promoted even higher. However, he had no experience in the Six Ministries, so a sudden promotion would not be beneficial.

A mid-level official position like the Ministry of Revenue Secretary would be more suitable for him.

They have the ability to do things, but they won't become detached from the grassroots just because they're in a high position.

Coincidentally, Lu Nian'an and Wu Fengyuan, who were the same age as Wen Wenzongji, also obtained official positions and left the Hanlin Academy.

However, because these two were always compiling books in the Hanlin Academy, they had no opportunity to make meritorious contributions, and their official positions were not as high as Wen Zongji's.

However, once you get a chance to gain experience in the government, as long as you achieve political success, promotion is only a matter of time.

After all, they were the top three in the first division, so their future prospects are very bright.

Moreover, all three of them have powerful connections.

Originally, among the three, only Lu Nian'an came from an ordinary family and could not provide him with any assistance.

But now that Lu Nian'an has married Wu Fengyuan's sister, the two have become family, and Lu Nian'an now has the Wu family as his backing.

Even if the political resources of the Wu family are given priority to the direct descendants of the Wu family, the presence of the Wu family banner is already of great benefit to Lu Nian'an.

All three of them received new official positions, so Wu Fengyuan suggested that the three of them get together.

Over the past year, with Wu Fengyuan around, the three of them would get together from time to time.

In official circles, fellow townsmen and those born in the same year share an extraordinary bond, and they are all happy to maintain contact with each other.

Wangchunlou Private Room

Wen Zongji walked in and found that Lu Nian'an and the other person had already arrived.

Wu Fengyuan raised his glass: "Zongji, you're late. You have to punish yourself with three drinks."

Wen Zongji calmly retorted, "The Capital Gazette Office is inherently farther from Wangchun Tower than the Hanlin Academy. Besides, we only agreed to get together after our shifts, but we didn't agree on a specific time, so how can you say we're late?"

Wu Fengyuan clicked his tongue twice: "As expected of the chief editor, we are all ashamed of our eloquence."

Wen Zongji glanced at him: "It's clear that you're in the wrong."

He walked over and sat down: "Which government office did you two choose?"

Lu Nian'an spoke first: "The Censorate."

Wu Fengyuan followed closely behind: "Ministry of Personnel."

It was not unexpected that Wu Fengyuan went to the Ministry of Personnel. Wu Yangeng was the Minister of Personnel, and with him there, Wu Fengyuan would thrive in the Ministry.

"Nian'an, going to the Censorate? That would suit you quite well."

Lu Nian'an was actually a very upright person at heart, something Wen Zongji knew from their first meeting.

Even after entering officialdom and experiencing certain things, one learns to hide their emotions, but their core nature remains unchanged.

Wu Fengyuan sighed: "Going to the Censorate would have been excellent, but since the Censorate rebuilt the Provincial Surveillance Commission, the Provincial Surveillance Commissions in the localities are short of personnel, so Nian'an will probably be sent to another post."

Lu Nian'an took it in stride: "I heard that the officials who were assigned to the Provincial Surveillance Commission were promoted one or two ranks. It wouldn't hurt to go to the local area."

Lu Nian'an was not one to shy away from difficulties.

Wu Fengyuan said, "You and Fifth Sister have only been married for less than a year. Are you really going to separate?"

Wen Zongji interjected, "Once Nian'an has established himself there, we can take the lady over."

There is no law in the imperial court that forbids officials from bringing their families to their posts. Otherwise, what would happen to those who are stationed away from home for many years?

Of course, some people are unwilling to bring their families, which is another matter.

Wu Fengyuan sighed, "What's done is done, there's nothing we can do about it."

The Wu family had already arranged a place for Lu Nian'an, but Wei Zhengsong, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, intervened and took Lu Nian'an away himself.