Miss Truth

"Yu Shiji is not that remarkable, yet he still fathered a few sons with some backbone," Ran Yunsheng commented offhandedly at the end.

"Big Brother, to judge him in such a way could be considered unfair!" Ran Yan knew a bit about Yu Shiji, a famous calligrapher and literary figure of the Sui Dynasty, a man with considerable talent and deep strategies, unfathomable in his depth, well-versed in the ways of bureaucracy, and possessing the craft of a powerful politician.

Ran Yunsheng, full of interest, said, "His obsequiousness before Emperor Yang, his flashy nature, have completely stripped away the bearing of a Scholar and the integrity of a proper gentleman. He lacks any kind of moral fiber."

"Big Brother is right, I have only read about him in some history books. However, I feel the personal emotions of the historians weighted too heavily, influencing how future generations will judge him. Yu Shiji had the talent to govern a nation, but it’s a pity he did not meet a wise ruler. Emperor Yang of Sui favored flattery, and Yu Shiji was only catering to his preferences. This is the way of an official, and for an individual, there’s no right or wrong in it. For the nation and the people, just as Big Brother said, indeed he was not a good official, going against the great currents of the world, disregarding the wellbeing of the people. As for integrity..." Ran Yan had never truly seen such a stance. In her mind, only the carefree comportment of figures like Ji Kang and Ruan Ji of the Wei and Jin Dynasties could be considered the bearing of a Scholar, yet she had never seen such for herself.

Ran Yunsheng stared at Ran Yan for a moment in silence, suddenly burst into a smile and applauded, "Ah Yan’s breadth of mind could make many young gentlemen feel ashamed!"

Ran Yan laughed and said, "I am merely speaking about what my eyes have seen, where’s the breadth of mind in that?"

"How many people in the world can give an unprejudiced account of a courtier? Even the famous scholars and great literati wouldn’t praise Yu Shiji with a single word," Ran Yunsheng began to reassess Ran Yan. His sister, who used to only dabble in anthologies of boudoir laments and self-pity, actually had such depth and breadth of thought; how could this not surprise him.

Ge Lan, following behind, had also been listening to Ran Yan’s words, and couldn’t help but look up at her. That beautiful profile, no longer bearing the delicate charm of past days, no longer as lively when she smiled, but appeared so steadfast, precisely what her Wife persona had previously lacked.