Chapter 1097 - 920, Different Choices
Beijing, Yan Residence.
After receiving the letter from his eldest daughter, Yan Zhigao immediately called Yan Wenxiu to the main courtyard and handed the letter to him. After reading it, Yan Zhigao asked, "What do you think?"
Yan Wenxiu thought for a moment and said to Yan Zhigao and Madam Li, "Father, mother, I want to go."
Madam Li did not know much about external affairs, so she looked at Yan Zhigao without voicing any opinion.
Yan Zhigao spoke after a silence, "It would be good for you to go to Xiliang. Our family’s foundation in Beijing is weak. Staying here, I’m afraid you would only suffer through your time at the Hanlin Academy, and if you seek an external appointment, you might not get a good position."
"Going to Xiliang, at least you have Yeyang and your sister there to support you, and with their help, you could stand on firmer ground. Yeyang probably needs more hands right now and you going there would be of help to him."
"Xiliang may not compare to other provinces, being not only harsh and poor, but with the Xiliao people eyeing it covetously. However, the more problems there are, the easier it might be to advance in ranks if you manage well compared to elsewhere."
Yan Wenxiu was thinking along the same lines. In Beijing, all the good official posts were highly competitive and the Yan Family could not overpower other families; taking a minor post would just be a waste of time.
He was still young and harbored ambitions, not wanting to stay in Beijing forever and vying with others. He too wished to govern a piece of land.
Xiliang was poor; others feared the lack of political achievements, but he was not afraid.