Yin Shuangshuang still admired Xu Zijing’s father, Xu Zhongqing. If she could make Xu Zhongqing’s son advance smoothly in his official career, she wouldn’t mind paving the way for Xu Zijing.

With this mindset, from the next day on, Yin Shuangshuang began taking Xu Zijing along to handle county government affairs.

Once Xu Zijing became proficient, Yin Shuangshuang allowed him to manage matters himself, treating it as practice. She also took him around the entire county and intentionally introduced him to Yang Yixuan.

Yang Yixuan’s Lin County and Qinglin County were almost like one county now; the relationship between the two counties was close, and they often acted together, requiring a strong connection between the County Magistrates.

Yang Yixuan was a composed and generous person, and Xu Zijing was also easygoing. The two got along very well, easing Yin Shuangshuang’s worries. She had been concerned that these two might not get along.

However, after a quick two months, the Emperor’s Holy Decree arrived, promoting Yin Shuangshuang to Magistrate of Qingyang Prefecture and Xu Zijing to County Magistrate of Qinglin County.

Qingyang Prefecture governed areas including Qinglin County, Lin County where Yang Yixuan was, as well as six other counties, among which three were Upper Counties, including Qinglin County and Yang Yixuan’s Lin County.

Qingyang Prefecture was not far from Qinglin County; traveling slowly by carriage, it could be reached within a day. Being a Prefecture City, it was naturally much larger than Qinglin County.

Compared to the past Qinglin County, Qingyang Prefecture was a prosperous big city. However, compared to the current Qinglin County, Qingyang Prefecture was only bigger but otherwise far behind.

What comforted Yin Shuangshuang was that the common people of Qingyang Prefecture did not appear impoverished. It seemed that the previous Magistrate governed the people effectively, without exploiting them.

Indeed, the former Magistrate of Qingyang Prefecture was one of the Emperor’s own, and since the Emperor had few of his own people and they were oppressed by the aristocratic family, now the officials by the Emperor’s side were all upstanding.

Certainly, once there was no pressure from the aristocratic family, some corrupt officials would emerge, as pure water has no fish. This is inevitable but less severe than the harm from the aristocratic family.

Qingyang Prefecture lacked the troublesome issues Qinglin County had in the past. When Yin Shuangshuang arrived, the Assistant Magistrate, Assistant Magistrate, and others were already at the city gate to welcome her, doing so with full etiquette and without any impropriety.

Yin Shuangshuang nodded, realizing that she wouldn’t need to strategize against her subordinates in Qingyang Prefecture first and could directly display her skills, which eased her mind considerably.

The government office was much more spacious than the county government. Luo Linlang was now an experienced hand at managing affairs.

Entering the government office, without waiting for Yin Shuangshuang’s orders, she adeptly directed the people, arranging rooms, and customarily prepared Ying Chang’an and Heng Yue’s courtyards in advance, as these two had the most belongings.

Yan Yi stood to the side watching Luo Linlang give orders, but seeing no tasks assigned to him yet, he couldn’t help but approach: "Linlang, what do you think I should do?"

Luo Linlang was overwhelmed with work and a bit impatient with Yan Yi’s obstructive presence, so she waved him away: "Go see if there’s anything beside the official that you can assist with; I don’t need you here."

Frustrated, Yan Yi sighed helplessly: "Linlang, do you really not understand my feelings? Why do you always keep me at a distance?"

Busy as she was, Luo Linlang was completely confused by Yan Yi’s sudden remark, focused entirely on the task at hand, momentarily unable to react.

After a long pause, she realized Yan Yi had been pursuing her. Luo Linlang thought it over and decided it was best to be upfront with him, so she looked at Yan Yi with particular frankness.

"I understand your feelings; you’ve always been very kind to me. It’s just that saying I’m untouched would be dishonest because I’ve thought about it deeply and analyzed it.

Although I dare not compare myself to the official, I’m also a woman with ambitious dreams that ordinary women dare not imagine, doing things that only men can do.

I don’t want to spend my life following traditional roles, attending to men, serving in-laws, or taking care of children—those trivial, conventional duties I refuse to perform.

I’m the same as the official, Miss Wei, and Gao Ya—we’re all women who can’t play the role of a virtuous wife and good mother. I don’t want us to become a resentful couple by being together.

It’s better to never start than to later find countless irreconcilable issues and flaws we can’t accommodate.

You’re a good man, really good. You’re responsible, not interested in chasing skirts, and know how to care for women. Any woman marrying you would be fortunate, but I’m different—we’re not suitable together."

Yan Yi sighed again, sincerely looking at Luo Linlang: "I know all this, too, and I’ve thought it over carefully.

I’m a rough man, not good at saying sweet words, but I can tell you that the concerns you have are not an issue.

My parents love my younger brother more; when my brother got into trouble, they wanted me to take the blame for him. I refused, leaving home to join the army as a soldier.

I’ll never return; marrying me means you won’t need to serve in-laws. As for not wanting to care for children, that isn’t a problem either.

The stipend from the official is generous enough to buy a house and hire some servants comfortably, and we can hire help to take care of the children.

I don’t need you to be a virtuous wife and good mother, nor do I like that type. I fancy you because you are self-reliant and different from ordinary women—so all your worries are unfounded."

Luo Linlang was thrown into disorder by Yan Yi’s sincere words, momentarily unsure how to react.

Ultimately, Luo Linlang turned away, unsure of herself, hastily leaving behind a sentence: "You, you let me think about it," and hurried off.

In the corridor not far away, Yin Shuangshuang watched Luo Linlang run off, unable to hold back a light smile, turning to Wei Yingnan beside her.

"See, even Luo Linlang, who swore never to marry, seems to be settling down now. Do you have any thoughts on your own future?"

After three years of training in Qinglin County with Yin Shuangshuang, Wei Yingnan had grown considerably more composed, shedding her former girlish capriciousness and becoming increasingly like Yin Shuangshuang.

She now smiled lightly, resembling Yin Shuangshuang’s calm demeanor even more: "Sister Shuangshuang, don’t worry about my future; I’ve already made plans." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Yin Shuangshuang sighed, looking at Wei Yingnan’s increasingly steady face, her eyebrows slightly furrowed: "Ying Nan, have you really decided to follow the same path as me?

This path is full of hardships and dangers, particularly challenging for women. We must sacrifice too much, give up too much, and endure exhaustion every day, battling wits and consuming all our energy—are you truly not regretting?"

Wei Yingnan took a deep breath, her gaze unwavering: "Sister Shuangshuang, you don’t need to dissuade me anymore. I’ve already made up my mind—I want to be like you, governing an area, benefiting the common people, and not being ordinary, marrying and raising children!"