Chapter 1117
This is the student's wish
Chapter 1117 This is the student's wish
"Congratulations, I did write it."
Suddenly tearing open his robe, Xu Changwen pulled out a package from his bosom and placed it heavily on the table, revealing a roll of Xuan paper covered with small seal script. The ink was still wet and the paper had not been copied onto the folded document.
Bathed in the dim candlelight, Xu Dong's heart skipped a beat. He picked up the package, and after just one glance, his face filled with horror.
"Changwen, you're insane!"
Xu Dong suddenly covered his mouth, his voice so low it was barely audible, like a mosquito's hum.
"Such reckless criticism of imperial affairs is an act of defying the emperor's will. Tomorrow is the emperor's birthday banquet, and this will cost you your head."
In a daze, he never expected that before the case was even over, Changwen would directly confront the Emperor and offer advice.
"All the officials in the capital are required to submit congratulatory memorials. There are already so many civil and military officials. How could it be the Emperor Emeritus's turn to read your congratulatory memorial? It's just buried in the memorials for the purpose of offering sacrifices to Heaven."
Calming down, Xu Dong breathed a sigh of relief. Not to mention the important officials in the capital, there were more than a hundred officials from the six ministries alone. How could the retired emperor possibly examine each and every congratulatory letter? This was some consolation.
But Xu Changwen didn't appreciate it. He poured himself a bowl of Shaoxing wine, the liquid swirling in the bowl, creating ripples. He then casually picked up a few slices of braised beef and put them in his mouth.
"Last year, the Jurchens invaded the border. The soldiers of Luoyue Pass went without food for three days, and more than a hundred froze to death. At the end of the year, there was a severe drought in the south of the capital, and millions of people died. Some even resorted to cannibalism. This year, during the New Year, there was flooding in the south of the Yangtze River. Natural disasters and man-made calamities occurred. In the five counties north of the Yangtze River, the people were exploited. These things are still vivid in my mind, but the court has been investigating and prosecuting them again and again!"
The flames from the oil lamp illuminated Xu Changwen's temples, and within just a few days, a few strands of silver hair had appeared.
Xu Dong staggered down and sat down, recalling En Ke's previous remarks, which were full of confidence and eloquence. He knew the difficulties of the court and the ruthless exploitation by corrupt officials. He never expected that things would reach this level.
"Changwen, you,"
“Now that we are deeply involved in the Jiangnan case, if we cannot extricate ourselves, we may not be able to get out. Since Changwen dared to sue the superior, he must have already thought everything through.”
On the east side of the hall, a curtain hung. With a sudden tug, it fell, revealing a dark coffin behind it. Xu Dong's eyes snapped open; he instantly understood its meaning.
"Changwen, why go to such lengths? Your Majesty, and what about the Marquis?"
Her voice was hoarse, and she held back tears.
"His Majesty has only been on the throne for a little over ten years, and he lives deep within the palace. Perhaps many things are not as we think. If you submit this memorial, it will either disappear without a trace, or..."
Tomorrow, all nations will come to pay homage. If anything goes wrong, I'll be dead!
"Either beatings in court, imprisonment, or execution in the autumn."
Xu Changwen took another sip of wine, tilted his head back, and downed it in one gulp. The sound of his Adam's apple bobbing was exceptionally clear in the quiet hall.
“Brother Xu, do you still remember the stone tablet at the entrance of the Imperial College that reads ‘The world belongs to all’? You and I swore here to ‘serve the emperor like Shun’s.’ Now that things have come to this, I am willing to be the first to do so.”
Looking at the Xuan paper inside the package, densely written with those precious words, they pierced my eyes like needles, and my slightly moving lips could not utter a single word.
Another bowl of yellow wine went down his throat.
"He Biao thought about it for three days, revising it again and again. He touched his neck with every word to see if his head was still there. Look at this sentence, 'The Emperor Emeritus has made many mistakes, the main issue is the ritual.' I can't close my eyes if I don't say these words."
The wind seeped in through the window cracks, making the oil lamp flicker. Only now did Xu Dong realize that he was not as good as him. He picked up the wine bowl, the wine was icy cold, but it felt like fire going down his throat.
He suddenly noticed that Xu Changwen's long gown had frayed cuffs, revealing the patched lining underneath, while his own gown was a silk-faced cotton robe "bestowed" upon him by the Weaving Bureau this year.
When do you plan to deliver it?
Xu Dong's voice was so low it was almost inaudible. There was a lot of significance to the way the congratulatory letter was sent. If it was sent early, the recipient might not even see it; if it was sent late, it would be buried among the others and never be seen.
"The birthday banquet will begin tomorrow, followed by congratulatory messages from all the officials."
Xu Changwen took out a small wooden plaque and a piece of Xuan paper from his pocket. The plaque was engraved with "Xu Changwen, Chief Clerk of the Jiangnan Bureau of the Ministry of Revenue".
"At home, there is only my elderly mother and my fiancée Feng Taiying. This plaque is my last memento, and the Xuan paper is the Feng family's engagement document, which my brother will handle on my behalf."
I have wronged too many people in this world; I will repay them in the next life.
Xu Dong's hands trembled even more violently. He didn't even notice the wine spilled on his clothes. Suddenly remembering something, he stood up, took off his long robe, folded it neatly, and placed it on the table.
"Changwen, this is the robe I prepared for when I was promoted. It's made of good material and comfortable to wear. I just wanted you to see it today and admire it. Now that we are officials of the same rank, we wear the same robe. You can change into this tomorrow."
Xu Changwen looked at the official robes, and his eyes suddenly reddened. With such a confidant, he felt he was not alone.
"Brother Xu, there's no need for that."
"It must be so! Even if one is dismissed from office, one must still return the official seal and robes to the court. This is what should be returned."
Xu Dong pressed his official robes into Xu Changwen's arms, his voice choked with emotion.
“If anything truly happens to you, as long as I, Xu Dong, am in the Ministry of Revenue, I will audit your accounts and look after the people for you! Brother Changwen, please lead the way, and I will do my best to follow.”
now,
The flame of the oil lamp flickered again, casting the shadows of the two men on the wall, like two reeds huddled together in the cold wind. Xu Changwen suddenly smiled, pulling out an oil paper packet from his pocket, inside which were a few snacks he had brought from Hedong:
"Come and try it? It's the taste of home. If I ever go back, remember to scatter some on my grave every Qingming Festival."
Xu Dong didn't speak. He grabbed a pastry and stuffed it into his mouth. The bitter and astringent taste spread from the tip of his tongue to the bottom of his heart. He reached out and carefully folded the Xuan paper, hiding it along with the wooden plaque in his body. He suddenly remembered that before going to Jiangnan, the two of them slept in the same bed. Chang Wen always said, "An official should be like the sun and moon traversing the sky and rivers flowing across the land, acting uprightly and walking straight."
At the time, I thought it was just youthful exuberance, but now I realize that it was a promise that I had to keep with my life.
When the clapper sounded at the fourth watch, Xu Dong finally left the mansion alone, the night wind stinging his face.
"Go back,"
Xu Dong stood at the alley entrance, glancing back at the oil lamp flickering in the wind and snow.
"Alright, see you at the morning court tomorrow."
Xu Changwen didn't move, but just looked at Xu Dong's back and bowed deeply, piercing the dark night.
Suddenly, Xu Dong turned around, remembering what was written on the Xuan paper:
“Your Majesty, I am filled with trembling fear and humbly beseech you to heed my words.” This was not fear, but rather a determination to face death.
"A long article!"
Xu Dong couldn't help but turn around and shout out.
Xu Changwen stopped, but did not turn around. He quietly closed the gate, cutting off their view of each other, as if they were from two different worlds.
Perhaps tomorrow, everyone in the world will know you!
"Boom, boom, boom!"
"Waaaaah! Waaaaah! Waaaaah!"
Above the capital, horns sounded in unison, followed by the footsteps of the Imperial Guards and the soldiers of the Imperial Garrison, all fully armored, and they swarmed to the palace gates to form ranks.
Only at the North Street entrance, the soldiers from the Military Command arrived first and occupied the positions from yesterday. Looking towards the Meridian Gate, the Imperial Guards on the left and right were all lined up on the east side, while on the west side, the Marquis of Baoning and his son led 10,000 elite Imperial Guards.
Despite the height of summer, a cool breeze permeated the Qianqing Palace. The majestic Liangzhu statue made of golden nanmu wood stood tall, with nine dragon lanterns hanging between them. Wheat ears drooped from the lanterns like tassels, swaying gently in the breeze that swept through the hall.
Beneath each pillar was a water trough filled with crushed ice from the ice cellar. In the center of the hall, a carpet was laid out, its subtle pattern depicting the character for "longevity." Beside the throne was a dragon couch, exquisitely carved from rosewood with nine dragons, their scales lifelike. In the center of the front hall hung a plaque inscribed with the four characters "万寿无疆" (May you live ten thousand years).
The daylight outside the palace was just right. The eunuchs and maids serving in the palace moved back and forth with light but orderly steps. The Imperial Guards and soldiers of the Imperial City Guard had already changed their shifts.
As the smoke from the bronze incense burner on the white marble steps rose slowly, the civil and military officials who had arrived earlier began to enter in small numbers. In front of the steps of the Qianqing Palace, more and more officials wearing red and purple rank badges appeared.
As if a gentle breeze had arrived, the first to arrive were Prince Zheng and his entourage. He was stroking his beard, chatting with several members of the royal family, dressed in a brand-new dragon-embroidered robe, but his eyes darted around nervously.
"I heard that a large number of imperial guards arrived at the Meridian Gate yesterday. How dare Marquis Luo Yun bring his troops here?" This seemingly casual remark, however, caused many of the court officials gathered around to pause in shock.
"Yes, yesterday when the princes presented their gifts and congratulatory messages, they found Marquis Luoyun leading his border troops, running rampant in the North Street, disturbing the people's livelihood. It is clear that he has become so arrogant."
Song King Zhou Jiansheng raised his eyebrows, twirling the white jade thumb ring in his hand twice, keeping pace with the others.
With this question,
The members of the imperial clan hesitated for a moment, unable to speak, especially the younger ones, who lowered their heads, not daring to utter a word. How could they dare to get involved in such matters? Perhaps the timing was just right, but just as the Prince of Han and the others were about to respond, Prince Zhongshun, accompanied by several civil officials and nobles, walked over with a protruding belly, laughing heartily.
"Oh, it's you princes! What's wrong? You don't look too well. Perhaps you were enjoying yourself with women all night and are exhausted?"
Whether intentionally or not, Prince Zhongshun, Zhou Shi'an, who was already known for his booming voice, showed no restraint whatsoever, practically shouting at the men's faces.
In an instant,
The princes' faces turned from red to green, but the Prince of Han showed no mercy and retorted sharply.
“This is not Brother Shi’an. How can you be so disrespectful to your elder brothers? You have no sense of hierarchy and make a ruckus here. In my opinion, you are the one who is truly lacking in manners.”
"Third Brother is right. It's just that some people take advantage of a small thing and act all high and mighty, but in reality, they're nothing but a show-off."
Even the usually composed Prince Chen, Zhou Qiwu, echoed this sentiment. This frightened several members of the imperial clan, who quickly clasped their hands in greeting and left, fleeing hastily for fear of getting themselves into trouble.
Seeing that the group was not backing down at all, Prince Zhongshun sneered and thought to himself, "These few people think they can seize the throne? They're just delusional."
"Fifth Brother, if it were Second Brother and the others coming, there would be some hope. They have soldiers, money, and supplies. But Fifth Brother, you are in Hanzhong County, which is located in the northwest. It is not rich in resources and has nothing. What good will it do you to follow them? You might as well stay put. Why get involved in this mess and do the work for others? Tsk tsk."
It's unclear what possessed Zhou Shi'an, but he brazenly revealed the sordid affairs of the imperial clan in public, causing many civil and military officials to retreat in panic.
"You, you, how dare you!"
Chen Wang Zhou Qiwu's expression changed, and he shouted angrily in embarrassment.
Even the somewhat weak-willed King Zhou Desheng of Wu spoke up to reprimand him.
"Zhou Shi'an, how dare you speak nonsense at the Emperor Emeritus's birthday banquet? We are loyal to the court; how dare you discuss us?"
"Hey, that's strange. I've never seen any of my brothers sending money to the court when things were in chaos in Jingnan. Never mind, there's no point in saying more. You know what you're thinking. Come on, let's stand in the front row."
Zhou Shi'an didn't care about any of that. He patted his belly and led a few people to stand in the front row, leaving the princes behind with gloomy faces.
All the civil and military officials lowered their heads and spoke, and the casual and lively discussion that had just taken place had long since fallen silent.
Outside the Meridian Gate,
A large number of officials arrived, bustling about and exchanging greetings. At that moment, Zhang Jinyu was outside Chongwen Gate, eating breakfast on horseback. He hadn't gotten up early and was in a hurry to get there, so he bought some snacks on the street, ate a few bites, and then took out his water pouch, drank a few mouthfuls, and felt much better.
"My lord, the time is almost here, and the auspicious hour is approaching. You would be better off going in soon."
"What's the rush? Don't you see so many officials still outside the Meridian Gate trying to get in? Once they get to the Qianqing Palace, they still have to wait for the Emperor Emeritus to arrive and take their seats. Who knows how long that will take?"
It wasn't that Zhang Jinyu wasn't in a hurry, but being in a hurry was useless. There were so many people coming, and by the time the palace was ready, who knew when it would be? It was better to eat and drink to your heart's content here and then walk there slowly.
"My lord, if you go in, where will the troops you leave behind line up? After all, it's too close to the palace gates,"
Ningbian swallowed hard, watching the Marquis eat so heartily, and couldn't help but chuckle.
"You stay here. There's a market area east of Chongwen Gate. Just find a cool place to wait. Just send someone to keep an eye on the movements in front of Meridian Gate. As for the rest, just hold back."
Despite the tense atmosphere today, if His Majesty truly wanted to take action, he would have made a decision long ago, rather than making this sparse arrangement.
"Yes, my lord, I obey your orders."
Under Ning Bian's worried gaze, Zhang Jinyu clapped his hands, dismounted, and walked towards Chongwen Gate. Following the familiar path, he went straight to Qianqing Palace along the courtyard wall of Hanyuan Hall. As soon as he entered the outer courtyard, he saw that all the officials of the capital were standing densely packed outside. It was clear that there was no way Qianqing Palace could accommodate all the people.
A quick glance revealed the edge of the crowd: Marquis Bai Guangju of Xiangyang stood alone beside an incense burner, dressed in a blue marquis's robe with a jade belt around his waist, impeccably dressed. Zhang Jinyu, intrigued, quickened her pace.
He walked up to Bai Guangju and asked;
"Brother Bai, you've arrived quite early. Why do you seem all alone today? Why haven't you gone to chat with your relatives and nobles?"
Upon hearing the words behind him, Bai Guangju was startled and turned around to see Luo Yunhou standing behind him in a brocade robe. He quickly clasped his hands in a salute.
"Please don't be offended, my lord. It's better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early. There were too many people inside, and we couldn't squeeze in."
Seemingly agreeing, Zhang Jinyu smiled, glanced around, and saw that there were indeed many people, mainly a few princes surrounding one group and a few Grand Secretaries in another, all talking about something. However, it wasn't so crowded that it was impossible to squeeze in, and Zhang Jinyu didn't point it out.
“Brother Bai, you underestimate yourself. Among the officials of the court, there are places you can’t even get into. I’m curious, why haven’t the three princes come here?”
According to etiquette, the princes should be the leaders.
"My lord, have you perhaps forgotten that today's gift presentation is led by the three princes, with the Eighth Prince assisting? After all, several princes already submitted their congratulatory messages yesterday,"
The Marquis of Xiangyang still looked somewhat puzzled. How could the Marquis of Luoyun not know about what happened at the Meridian Gate? This explanation suddenly made Zhang Jinyu realize she had almost forgotten. She was about to say something...
Not far away, several young scholars were gathered together, discussing the congratulatory letter they had submitted.
"Ladies and gentlemen, last night I wrote a poem to celebrate your birthday, which included the line, 'The sun and moon shine together to prolong your life, and mountains and rivers celebrate together to usher in a thousand autumns.' What do you all think of it?"
The language was elegant and profound, and several Hanlin scholars nodded in praise.
“What excellent verses! They are truly grand. Brother Wen, it seems your congratulatory memorial has great potential.”
For every person who praises it, there is someone who criticizes it.
"It's good, but whether it can be submitted is another matter. There are so many civil and military officials in the court, and even more congratulatory letters. How could they possibly see yours?"
An older Hanlin scholar shook his head, thinking these young men were being delusional. All congratulatory memorials were collected by the Office of Transmission and submitted to the Directorate of Ceremonial, reviewed by the Grand Secretariat, reported by the Directorate of Ceremonial, and finally read aloud by selected officials. These selected officials were all important ministers of the court, so how could it be their turn to read them aloud?
One sentence was enough to deflate the spirits of everyone present.
Even Zhang Jinyu, after overhearing this, felt bored. What he said was absolutely right. In that case, his congratulatory letter, consisting of only a few words, was something no one could see anyway. Perhaps only the face of the Marquis of Xiangyang beside him showed a slight embarrassment.
“My lord, there are many things to do in the palace, and there are too many congratulatory messages to read. Most of them were prepared in advance.”
"That is natural. So I am a little confused. If this is how it is prepared, why does the palace require all the officials in the capital to present congratulatory messages? There are already many civil and military officials, plus the military officers and the officials who are stranded in the capital. How can they possibly keep track of them all?"
It's nothing more than a desire for grandstanding; what they write doesn't matter, but if they don't submit a congratulatory letter, they'll face a lot of trouble.
"Lord Marquis should also understand the situation in the palace. With the war in the interior pacified and the rebels hiding in their shells, it is necessary to boost morale. Isn't this birthday banquet a good opportunity?"
The Marquis of Xiangyang smiled helplessly. Only the Marquis of Luoyun dared to speak so frankly about these matters. He noticed several princes nearby and slowed his pace, wondering how he had led the Marquis of Luoyun here.
Just as they were thinking of taking a detour to avoid the princes ahead...
All that could be heard from the entrance of the inner palace of the Qianqing Palace not far away were the voices of eunuchs, piercing the palace walls.
"The Emperor has arrived! The Emperor Emeritus has arrived!"
(End of this chapter)