Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 1137 Song Zhen faints from anger
The group looked at each other in bewilderment.

It was truly unexpected that a mere Xu Changwen could anger a cabinet elder to the point of fainting. Looking at the somewhat dejected Song Zhen, Zhang Jinyu couldn't help but open his mouth. Good heavens, they say words are like swords, and today I've truly seen it all.

But everyone in the room was preoccupied with their own thoughts, and no one spoke. Only Elder Gu said in a deep voice,
"Don't spread today's events. Record the interrogation statements truthfully and send them to the palace."

"Yes, Your Excellency, I will certainly not neglect my duties."

The clerk who was recording the statement quickly nodded and handed the written statement to the eunuchs from the palace. Then, the eunuchs took the document and went to the inner palace.

Fortunately, Grand Secretary Song had settled down and no longer needed their company. The eldest son, Li Chaosheng, cupped his hands in greeting.
"My lords, since things have come to this point, and we have received an imperial edict, we have no choice but to return and conduct the trial another day. What do you say?"

“Very well, as the young Grand Secretary says.”

"Yes, let's go back first."

The other adults all nodded. Today's events were too horrifying; they needed to go back and sort things out carefully. Perhaps there were things they were unaware of.

"Very well, in that case, my lord, what do you think?"

Gu Yichen didn't make a decision immediately. Instead, he looked at Marquis Luo Yun and asked a question. Zhang Jinyu immediately came to his senses, cupped his hands in greeting, and...

“Grand Secretary Gu, since there is an imperial edict, we will naturally go. Staying here is not a solution. Instruct the servants to send a message to our residence if Lord Song’s condition improves, to let us know that he is safe.”

"Alright, as Marquis Luoyun says, let them all return."

"Here!"

And so, the crowd dispersed, and the events that had transpired in the Ministry of Justice spread like wildfire throughout the capital. Everyone, whether they should know or not, knew.

Inside the Princess's residence,
In the backyard, in the height of summer, the weather was hot. The flowers, plants and trees in the courtyard were lush and verdant. Many delicate petals were swept by the wind and fell onto the bluestone slabs, making the air inside the hall feel slightly bitter.

In the palace,

Princess Zhou Xiangxue leaned against the soft couch covered with plain brocade, holding a scroll of newly delivered intelligence from the North in her hand. Her fingertips unconsciously stroked the yellowed edges of the paper. It was said that Qi Yun, the military governor of Ping'an Prefecture, had returned to the North in such a short time. It seemed that Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong, had not detained his elite troops. As for the situation in Xihe County...

He frowned. Xihe County was already in chaos, and after the White Lotus Sect caused a ruckus, it was even more dilapidated. Shui Rong had occupied the place, yet he was so lax in his duties. He was extremely puzzled.

Just thinking,

The sun outside the window was past noon, and the warm light shone through the carved window lattice, casting dappled shadows on the hem of her moon-white palace dress, but it did not dispel the faint melancholy between her brows.

"Master, Miss Wei is back!"

A soft voice came from the corridor from the maid Liu Yue. As soon as she finished speaking, hurried footsteps sounded outside the hall. Wei Shuyun, dressed in a light green martial arts uniform, lifted the curtain and entered. The silver hairpin at her temple swayed slightly with her quick steps, and her face still showed signs of anxiety.

Look at the people coming.

Zhou Xiangxue put down the secret report in her hand, looked up at her, and spoke in a calm but insightful voice:

"What's the panic? Judging from your appearance, something serious must have happened during the Ministry of Justice's trial."

Wei Shuyun, ignoring the sweat on her brow, curtsied and replied in rapid succession:

"Your Majesty has keen insight! Today, the Ministry of Justice's trial of Xu Changwen's case turned out to be even more dangerous than expected—I was waiting outside the yamen and heard from the servants inside that Minister Song of the Ministry of Justice was so angry that he vomited blood on the spot and has now fainted and been carried back to his residence. The case can only be put on hold for now. News has come from the palace that it will be temporarily suspended pending trial, and Xu Changwen's matter will just be left unresolved!"

"Oh?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Zhou Xiangxue's eyes. She sat up straight, her fingertips lightly tapping the armrest of the soft couch. A look of astonishment crossed her eyes. How could a mere minor official in the Ministry of Revenue stir up such a storm in the court? Who had orchestrated this?

"Minister Song is usually calm and composed. Even when he was investigating the corruption case in Tongzhou, he never got this angry. What did Xu Changwen do or say that made him so angry that he vomited blood?"

Liu Yue, who was standing by, couldn't help but interject:

"Your Majesty, Xu Changwen was originally just a local county magistrate, but now he has been promoted to the position of principal of the Ministry of Revenue. How dare he offend the court during the trial? Could it be that the Marquis, or someone else is backing him up?"

Wei Shuyun nodded repeatedly, then took another half step forward and lowered her voice, saying:
"That's right! I've found out that Xu Changwen didn't admit any guilt after he went to court. He even made some ambiguous statements to confuse the public, saying that he came here because he was a subject who was paid by the emperor and had a duty to serve the people. He also mentioned some old stories about the Ministry of Justice's supervision of the grain transport deficit, implying that someone was using the investigation to eliminate dissidents and to embezzle and break the law."

"Criminal Department?"

Zhou Xiangxue raised an eyebrow slightly, her fingertips pausing for a moment.

"What is he doing in the Ministry of Justice? Although the waterways are under the supervision of the Grand Canal Administration, Xu Changwen's case in Jiangnan was decided this year, and I heard it's still not closed? How did he get involved in these things?"

After all, that case back then was very strange; the Emperor Emeritus's attitude changed drastically, which was puzzling.

"If Your Majesty remembers correctly, Xu Changwen was only transferred back to the capital from Jiangnan this year to serve as the head of the Ministry of Revenue."

Wei Shuyun quickly replied,
"But Xu Changwen questioned Minister Song in the main hall, saying that Minister Song had a personal grudge against him and that he was taking his anger out on him because of the case in Jiangnan. So he refused to plead guilty and insisted that Minister Song recuse himself from the case. This made Minister Song furious and rebuke him in court. In the end, Minister Song was so angry that he slammed his fist on the table, choked on blood, and fainted on the spot."

Liu Yue frowned upon hearing this, somewhat incredulous. How could a dignified Grand Secretary be so angered by a mere sixth-rank official?

“My lord, I find this rather absurd. Even if Lord Xu is eloquent, so what? Grand Secretary Song is a veteran of two dynasties, yet he is so angry. I think something is amiss.”

A moment of silence,

Zhou Xiangxue picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip. The warm tea slid down her throat, but it couldn't suppress the doubts in her heart:
“You’re right. When Grand Secretary Song served as Minister of Justice, he was always upright and incorruptible. Although he may lack some skills in official conduct, he is by no means someone who lets things go without cause. Since he can be interrogated, there must be a reason or someone to do so. It is only natural that the Assistant Magistrate Xu argued his case in the main hall of the Ministry of Justice. Furthermore, his memorial has already spread throughout the capital. He is truly a genius of all time. You two haven’t read it yet, have you?”

As he spoke, he threw a memorial on the table. The two men were startled; their master had actually read the congratulatory letter.

After a moment's hesitation, Wei Shuyun added:
“My lord, I have heard some things about the congratulatory memorial, but I have not seen its contents. I assume it was only sent out from the cabinet today. I did not dare to open it. During the court hearing today, Marquis Luoyun asked whether the contents of the memorial were true. All the judges remained silent. Only Eunuch Chen from the Directorate of Ceremonial spoke up, saying that if it were investigated, it might discourage local officials. But Marquis Luoyun persisted. In the end, it was the Minister of Revenue who stepped in to smooth things over and prevent the situation from becoming too ugly.”

"Hmph, this is exactly the style of the upright civil officials."

Zhou Xiangxue put down her teacup, a hint of appreciation in her eyes.

"The officials in the court all claim to be part of the 'pure stream,' and they are much more active than before. Many officials from the Six Ministries have even dared to submit memorials to discuss the affairs of many important officials in the court. However, what is just the beginning is easily broken. That Chief Clerk Xu is talented and honest, but many things may not be so easy for him."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yue's face showed worry:
"Your Highness means, will Xu Changwen's actions implicate the Marquis?"

Thinking of Marquis Luo Yun's handsome appearance, her face flushed. The absurdity of that night was still fresh in her memory.
"It would be a lie to say that I won't be implicated."

Zhou Xiangxue sighed softly, her gaze drifting to the lilacs outside the window, her tone growing heavier.
"Think about it, Xu Changwen's case involves many people, and that memorial has already spread throughout the capital. Perhaps it won't be long before the whole country knows about it. The entire memorial is full of the words of the sages, and the matters mentioned are intertwined with interests. There are countless people standing behind it. Minister Song was so angry that he vomited blood, not necessarily because Xu Changwen was being unreasonable. Perhaps he discovered something he shouldn't have, and Xu Changwen blocked him, which led to his anger. Xu Changwen's appearance at this time seems to be for the court, but in reality, he is cutting off the source of wealth for certain people. How could those people let him go?"

Wei Shuyun panicked as well. Remembering the Marquis's capable figure, her legs went weak, and her face flushed with embarrassment: "What should we do? I wonder if the Marquis has any solutions..."

Zhou Xiangxue raised her hand to interrupt her, but her tone was gentler than before:
"There's no need to worry too much. The cabinet hasn't made a move, but the people from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs are jumping around inside, clearly targeting the cabinet. This means there's still some entanglement inside and outside the palace. Furthermore, with Marquis Luoyun as one of the presiding judges, with him protecting Xu Changwen, no one else will dare to easily touch him. So there's no need to worry."

"Everywhere I go, it's all just superficial stuff," Liu Yue asked, puzzled.
"Master, are you saying that the case in the Ministry of Justice will lead to something even bigger?"

"It's highly likely."

Zhou Xiangxue nodded, her fingertips lightly tracing circles on the armrest.
"Think about it, the Minister of Justice suddenly fainted, and the case was put on hold. There must be someone behind this pushing things along. If some court officials, or the Directorate of Ceremonial, use the excuse of Minister Song's fainting to demand the re-appointment of the presiding judge, or to transfer the case to another department, then the future direction will be hard to predict."

Or, on this basis, to conduct a new interrogation.

Wei Shuyun quickly asked:
“Then, Master, since the capital is in chaos right now, why not seize the opportunity to contact Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong, and send people together to Xihe County to take control of the area?”

After the chaos in southern Beijing, the Su family and His Highness's forces retreated north to Xihe County. If they had stayed in Xihe County to rebuild their strength, they might have been able to control the region.

Zhou Xiangxue shook her head, her tone tinged with helplessness:

"What happens in the palace is still uncertain, and the intricacies of the court may well be the Emperor's doing behind the scenes. For now, all we can do is keep an eye on the Ministry of Justice's movements, and as for Xihe County, we'll wait and see what Shui Rong does."

Liu Yue thought for a moment and then said:

"Yes, this servant will definitely send someone to keep an eye on things. After the trial at the Ministry of Justice ended today, Chief Clerk Xu was escorted back to the Imperial Prison, and the other presiding officials went back to rest. Otherwise, we will invite the Marquis over again."

Thinking of that passionate night, her voice grew softer and softer, and a hint of shyness flashed in the princess's eyes.
"Don't talk about such nonsense. When things get really tough, there will be more people looking for him than we will. If we go looking for him now and someone sees us, it could cause more trouble."

"Yes, I obey your order!"

Wei Shuyun and Liu Yue responded in unison, their anxious expressions gradually fading and replaced by a sense of calm.

at this time,

Zhou Xiangxue looked out the window again. The wind had stopped, and the sunlight fell perfectly on a cluster of lilacs in full bloom, their petals shimmering with a faint glow. She spoke softly, her voice tinged with a touch of melancholy:

"This vast capital city is like a giant chessboard, and everyone is a piece. Some people want to be the players, while others want to be the spectators. No matter who it is, everyone wants to get involved. I wonder how my brothers are doing."

Suddenly, a thought struck him: these things might have been planned by his brothers, but why hadn't he seen them these past few days? It was very strange.

Liu Yue stood beside him and whispered:
"Don't worry, Master. We have the doors and windows tightly shut. How could anyone disturb us?"

Zhou Xiangxue smiled slightly and said nothing more. She simply picked up the secret report on the table again. The many things on the border had not yet calmed down, and now there were waves in the court. The birthday banquet was canceled halfway. The victor was probably the emperor.

As night gradually falls, lanterns in various mansions of the capital are lit one by one, their dim yellow light reflecting off the trees in the courtyards, adding a touch of warmth.

Inside the main hall of the Prime Minister Li's residence, the eldest son, Li Chaosheng, sat respectfully, accompanying his father for a meal. The dishes on the table were mostly ordinary family dishes. They occasionally exchanged a few words in hushed tones. Although the atmosphere was somewhat solemn, it also conveyed a sense of tranquility.

Today's events, though seemingly tense, are actually quite calm and unpredictable.

Just at this time,

The old butler knocked on the door and entered, bowing as he went inside.
"Master, someone from the palace has come. They say the Emperor Emeritus sent word that the eldest son should go to the imperial prison to wait, as they want to re-interrogate Master Xu."

"The Heavenly Prison,"

The eldest son, Li Chaosheng, was full of suspicion. He had already been interrogated today, so why was he being interrogated again in prison? Did they intend to use torture? If they did, it would surely cause a huge uproar in the court.

"You heard me right. The trial was just held today, and the Emperor even issued an oral decree to postpone the trial. Why would it be changed?"

"Reporting to the eldest young master, the messenger didn't say anything else. He was a messenger eunuch from Chang Le Palace. This old servant asked if anyone else was going, and the young eunuch said that everyone presiding over today's trial must go, not one less."

Butler Li lowered his head and quickly relayed the news he had heard. He also found it somewhat strange that the eldest young master had stopped eating, his face grave.
"Father, I feel that something is amiss. Why did you leave the interrogation during the day, but now you're taking me to the jail at night? Are you trying to torture me into confessing?"

The question was asked urgently, but instead of leisurely picking up food with chopsticks and sipping porridge, Chief Minister Li calmly put down his chopsticks, then wiped his mouth with a cloth.

"You just can't keep your composure. During the day, you came back and said that the Emperor had given an oral decree to postpone the trial. But tonight, the Emperor Emeritus of Chang Le Palace will be the one to conduct the trial. Since the Emperor has summoned you, he must know that too. In that case, just listen to what he says."

He beckoned and slowly rose. The old steward hurried forward to help the master change his clothes, but the eldest son, Li Chaosheng, didn't think it would be so easy. He thought of the eunuchs in the Directorate of Ceremonial; if they wanted to seize power, they would definitely vie for the presiding judge position.
"Father, today Grand Secretary Song of the Ministry of Justice fainted from anger caused by Xu Changwen. There is a vacancy in the presiding judge. Should we fill the vacancy with another person, let Senior Brother Chang, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, take his place? What do you think?"

If Grand Secretary Song were replaced, the civil officials would still hold the case in their hands, maintaining pressure on the Directorate of Ceremonial. He wanted to say something more, but then he saw his father had changed into casual clothes, his face expressionless, his cloudy eyes carrying a hint of sharpness.

"Chaosheng, then tell me, how should this case be tried, what should the consequences be?"

"this,"

Upon hearing his father's question, the eldest son, Li Chaosheng, stood there dumbfounded, unsure how to answer. After all, the case was both difficult and simple: a memorial, accusing someone of treason, yet while he recognized every single word of the memorial, he couldn't decipher it when put together.
"Father, in the end, it will only result in deceiving the emperor, I think,"

"Wrong, completely wrong,"

Chief Minister Li slightly opened his tiger-like eyes, glared at his son, and flicked his sleeves.

“You are a member of the cabinet, a civil official. Since the investigation is to be conducted by both superiors and subordinates, it must be conducted in a way that convinces everyone. You have read the memorial, and every word is true. Moreover, the Emperor has not yet reached a conclusion on how to convict Song Zhen. He may be angry, but he may also be faking it. This is a hot potato. Tell me, who should take it, or rather, who can handle it?”

Moreover, if Song Zhen were replaced while we were at it, we might be able to get him to leave this place of trouble as he wished. And if we were to replace him with Chang Zuo, it would be more of a curse than a blessing.

Upon hearing his father's explanation, Li Chaosheng's expression changed in surprise. Just as his father had said, the case had ultimately reached a point where there was nothing left to investigate.

"Father, are you saying this case will simply fade away, or will it leave a lasting stain on our reputation?"

"Hmph, he died without illness, leaving a bad name for eternity. I don't even know that, but Xu Changwen will definitely be remembered in history. Throughout history, no one has ever dared to do such a thing. If we interrogate and convict him, who would want to be the next Qin Hui?"

With a sigh, it's likely that no official in the land would dare to do so. Therefore, those presiding over the trials tread on thin ice. Perhaps some are unaware of this, but as the contents of the memorial become famous throughout the land, nothing else matters.

“Father is absolutely right. If that’s the case, why can’t I set things right and stand up against those people in the Directorate of Ceremonial?”

The thought of being remembered in history made Li Chaosheng's breathing become heavier. As the saying goes, military generals die in battle, and civil officials die for their principles. Now that someone has set a precedent, where will others come from?
"Foolish! The more critical the moment, the more you need to remain calm. Those two from the Court of Judicial Review and the Censorate have already clashed with the Ministry of Justice. There must be something to do with Marquis Luo Yun here. As for you, you've just joined the cabinet and it's not appropriate for you to get involved. The so-called 'leaving a name in history' isn't achieved by seeking fame, but by risking your life. Let's go."

He waved and walked towards the door. Li Chaosheng suddenly realized what he was doing and followed him.
"Yes, I will obey Father."

(End of this chapter)